President Trump’s ongoing feud with Harvard University has escalated, with the administration freezing $2.2 billion in funding and now threatening to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. Harvard has firmly rejected the demands from the administration related to diversity hiring and anti-Israel protests, even with its $50 billion endowment making it well-positioned to withstand the funding freeze. This defiance has energized other universities, with Columbia University showing signs of adopting a tougher stance.
Critics argue that the administration’s demands are an attack on academic freedom, with universities fearful of facing similar repercussions. This showdown between Harvard and the Trump administration could have ripple effects on other U.S. institutions if the president continues to target universities.
In other news, autopsies of Gaza medics killed in an Israeli shooting last month revealed that many died from gunshot wounds to the head or chest. The Israeli military is investigating the incident. The small Finnish city of Rovaniemi, known as the “Official Hometown of Santa Claus,” is facing issues with out-of-control tourism development, causing dissatisfaction among some locals.
Additionally, the village of Auvers-sur-Oise near Paris is embroiled in a dispute over tree roots believed to be depicted in Vincent Van Gogh’s final painting. The fight between property owners and the municipality has unsettled residents as the tourism season begins. Elsa Honig Fine, an influential art historian focusing on Black and female artists, passed away at the age of 94.
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