Columbia University’s leadership is facing intense scrutiny after a faculty panel rebuked President Nemat Minouche Shafik for calling in the police to dismantle a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. The crackdown on the protest, which was set up in response to Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, has sparked outrage among students, faculty, and outside observers.
The protest encampment at Columbia University has become a living history lesson for some students, drawing parallels to the campus activism of the 1960s. Students participating in the protest have been attending teach-ins and discussions about past movements, highlighting the significance of their current actions.
In other news, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into Tesla’s recall of over 2 million vehicles to install new Autopilot safeguards. This comes after reports of crashes involving vehicles with the updated software, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the recall.
Meanwhile, federal health officials have confirmed that pasteurized milk is safe from the bird flu virus, as the outbreak spreads to Colorado. Lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to take further action to contain the virus, as tests have shown remnants of the virus in commercial milk samples across the country.
In Ohio, police have released video footage of a Black man who died after repeatedly telling officers “I can’t breathe” during an arrest. The incident has drawn comparisons to the killing of George Floyd and has reignited discussions about police brutality and racial injustice.
As former President Donald Trump faces trial, his former National Enquirer publisher testified about suppressing a story to benefit Trump’s presidential campaign. The trial continues to unfold as Trump tests the limits of embracing bad publicity in the midst of legal challenges.
Lastly, President Joe Biden is set to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where protests against his support for Israel’s war with Hamas are expected. The event, known as Washington’s “nerd prom,” will bring together journalists, politicians, and celebrities for a night of speeches and entertainment.