Protests by Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Span the World as War Escalates

Protestors wave the national flag of Palestine as they shout slogans during an anti-Israel demonstration in Dhaka on October 10, 2023. (AFP)
Protestors wave the national flag of Palestine as they shout slogans during an anti-Israel demonstration in Dhaka on October 10, 2023. (AFP)
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Protests by Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Span the World as War Escalates

Protestors wave the national flag of Palestine as they shout slogans during an anti-Israel demonstration in Dhaka on October 10, 2023. (AFP)
Protestors wave the national flag of Palestine as they shout slogans during an anti-Israel demonstration in Dhaka on October 10, 2023. (AFP)

From Bangladesh to Las Vegas and Brazil to Rome, demonstrations by supporters of Israel and the Palestinians were held around the world as people took to the streets to expresses their views and often outrage as the war escalated between Israel and Hamas militants.

Demonstrators have taken to the streets of Rome, Barcelona, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Vancouver and other cities and towns to show support for one side or the other.

In San Francisco and other cities, demonstrators from the opposing sides faced off across main streets.

In Paris, people gathered to support Israel as the Eiffel Tower was lit in the colors of that country, and in Rome more gathered at the Emperor Tito’s Arch as it was also light up in blue and white.

In Karachi, Pakistan, people burned Israeli and American flags while in London people held candle light vigils for Israeli victims.



Trump Administration Says Harvard May Lose Ability to Enroll Foreign Students

People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
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Trump Administration Says Harvard May Lose Ability to Enroll Foreign Students

People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP
People take photos in January 2024 near John Harvard's statue on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP

The US Department of Homeland Security said Harvard University will lose its ability to enroll foreign students if it does not meet demands from the Trump administration to share information on some visa holders, marking the government's latest escalation against the educational institution.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also announced on Wednesday the termination of two DHS grants totaling more than $2.7 million to Harvard, Reuters said.
Noem said she wrote a letter to Harvard demanding records on what she called the "illegal and violent activities" of Harvard's foreign student visa holders by April 30.
"And if Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students," Noem said in a statement.
A Harvard spokesperson said the university was aware of Noem's letter "regarding grant cancellations and scrutiny of foreign student visas."
The spokesperson said the university stood by its statement earlier in the week to "not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights" while saying it will comply with the law.
President Donald Trump's administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian campus protests against US ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza after a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants.
Trump casts the protesters as foreign policy threats who are antisemitic and sympathetic to Hamas. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly conflates their advocacy for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with support for extremism and antisemitism.
The Trump administration is also attempting to deport some foreign protesters and has revoked hundreds of visas across the country.
"With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos - DHS won't," Noem said, adding an "anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology" existed at Harvard.
Harvard has previously said it worked to fight antisemitism and other prejudice on its campus while preserving academic freedoms and the right to protest.
TRUMP'S CRACKDOWN
The Trump administration said late last month it was reviewing $9 billion in federal contracts and grants to Harvard and later called for restrictions - including a mask ban and removal of diversity, equity and inclusion programs - to be put in place for the university to continue receiving federal money.
Harvard on Monday rejected numerous demands that it said would cede control to the government. The Trump administration subsequently said it was freezing $2.3 billion in funding.
Trump also threatened on Tuesday to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. CNN reported on Wednesday the US Internal Revenue Service was making plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard and that a final decision was expected soon.
Harvard said there was no legal basis to rescind its tax-exempt status, saying such an action will be unprecedented, will diminish its financial aid for students and will lead to abandonment of some critical medical research programs.
Human rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the crackdown by the government.
The Trump administration has frozen or canceled some funding for universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell and Northwestern as well.
It has also threatened to withhold funding over culture war issues such as DEI programs and transgender policies.