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Palestinian Students and Staff Sue Columbia University Alleging Discrimination

Protestors gather at the gates of Columbia University, in support of student protesters who barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, despite orders from university officials to disband or face suspension, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in New York City, US, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Protestors gather at the gates of Columbia University, in support of student protesters who barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, despite orders from university officials to disband or face suspension, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in New York City, US, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
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Palestinian Students and Staff Sue Columbia University Alleging Discrimination

Protestors gather at the gates of Columbia University, in support of student protesters who barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, despite orders from university officials to disband or face suspension, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in New York City, US, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)
Protestors gather at the gates of Columbia University, in support of student protesters who barricaded themselves in Hamilton Hall, despite orders from university officials to disband or face suspension, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in New York City, US, April 30, 2024. (Reuters)

A ‌group of current and former Palestinian students and staff have sued Columbia University, alleging discriminatory treatment by the school against its Palestinian community since late 2023, according to a court filing in New York.

The lawsuit said the university failed to protect its Palestinian members from harassment and targeted them through what it cast as "unfair and biased disciplinary hearings."

Columbia has previously denied being discriminatory and has ‌condemned hate. ‌Local media reported that it declined ‌to comment ⁠on pending litigation. ⁠It did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Protests took place at Columbia and around the US after the start of Israel's assault on Gaza following a deadly Palestinian Hamas attack in October 2023.

Protesters demanded an end ⁠to US support for its ally and ‌called for the divestment ‌of funds by universities from companies supporting Israel.

In ‌May 2025, Columbia suspended more than 65 students ‌for their role in shutting down the university's main library in a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

That demonstration came as the university was negotiating with President Donald Trump's administration, which ‌had cut its federal funding after accusing the university of tolerating antisemitism during pro-Palestinian ⁠protests.

Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say opposing Israel's assault on Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories is not antisemitic and advocacy for Palestinian rights should not be conflated with supporting extremism.

Columbia agreed to pay over $200 million to the US government to resolve federal probes and restore most of the federal funding in July last year.

Free speech groups condemned Columbia's protest crackdown in which students faced arrests, suspensions, expulsions and degree revocations.

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World

Four Killed in Russia-Ukraine Strikes, Including 8-Year-Old

A handout picture made available by the press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shows a civilian car in a crater on a bridge in the frontline city of Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, 11 August 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA/Press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade/Handout)
A handout picture made available by the press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shows a civilian car in a crater on a bridge in the frontline city of Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, 11 August 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA/Press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade/Handout)
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Four Killed in Russia-Ukraine Strikes, Including 8-Year-Old

A handout picture made available by the press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shows a civilian car in a crater on a bridge in the frontline city of Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, 11 August 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA/Press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade/Handout)
A handout picture made available by the press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces shows a civilian car in a crater on a bridge in the frontline city of Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, 11 August 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA/Press service of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade/Handout)

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia's south killed two people, including an eight-year-old child, the regional governor said on Wednesday after the latest exchange of air attacks between the warring countries.

Russian overnight strikes on a frontline city in southern Ukraine also killed two.

Ukraine has increased its strikes on Russia in what it says is fair retribution for Moscow's own daily strikes on Ukrainian cities that force people into shelters and kill civilians across the country.

Russia's Krasnodar -- a southern region home to several tourist hotspots -- saw a barrage of "several hundred" Ukrainian drones, regional governor Venyamin Kondratyev said.

"An eight-year-old child died in Novorossiysk... Eight people, including one child, were also wounded and have been hospitalized," Kondratyev said on Telegram.

He added that debris from drones damaged 21 buildings in the port city, with unverified images on social media showing blocks of flats with blown-out windows and charred cars.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv had "carried out a unique operation targeting the naval base in Novorossiysk -- the last major stronghold of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, more than 300 kilometers from the front line."

"Hits on air defense positions, piers, and seaport infrastructure have been confirmed," he said on social media.

He posted a video from Russian social media showing the attack unfolding -- streaks of orange flashes of air defense and blue counter-drone laser beams being shone into the sky -- and a thick grey cloud billowing over the city after dawn.

Another person was killed in the Krasnodar region when drone debris fell into the garden of a private house in the village of Volna.

Two people were also wounded in the resort town of Gelendzhik on the Black Sea coast.

Russia shot down 502 Ukrainian drones across its territory and the Black Sea overnight, its defense ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine's air force meanwhile reported Moscow attacked with missiles and 138 drones, 112 of which were shot down or intercepted, launched mostly at its southern Odesa region and Sumy in the northeast.

Russian drones killed two people in the frontline city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, the city chief said, including a woman whose house was hit.

Civilians are frequently killed in the city, with Russian troops based on the opposite side of the Dnipro River, which snakes through southern Ukraine.

World

Typhoon Dolphin’s Remnants Brings Torrential Rain to Beijing

Communal workers sweep water in the street after morning flood caused by flash rain in the wake of typhoon Dolphin, in Changping district of Beijing, China, August 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Communal workers sweep water in the street after morning flood caused by flash rain in the wake of typhoon Dolphin, in Changping district of Beijing, China, August 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Typhoon Dolphin’s Remnants Brings Torrential Rain to Beijing

Communal workers sweep water in the street after morning flood caused by flash rain in the wake of typhoon Dolphin, in Changping district of Beijing, China, August 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Communal workers sweep water in the street after morning flood caused by flash rain in the wake of typhoon Dolphin, in Changping district of Beijing, China, August 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Typhoon Dolphin's ‌remnants channeled vast amounts of moisture into Beijing and the central province of Henan on Wednesday, as the capital braced to receive more than one-third of its average annual rainfall in 24 hours.

Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, has weakened after travelling more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles), but its remnants are drawing ‌tropical moisture ‌deep inland, raising the risk of ‌flooding.

Rainfall ⁠records were shattered ⁠in parts of the central provinces of Henan and Hubei on Monday and Tuesday, state media reported.

The city of Wugang, home to one of China's largest steel companies, received 209.5 mm (8.2 inches) of ⁠rain, while Xiangyang received 169.1 mm (6.6 ‌inches). Both totals ‌broke single-day August precipitation records.

China, the world's second-largest ‌economy, is increasingly exposed to destructive weather ‌events that scientists link to climate change. This year is proving particularly tough due to the emergence of the El Nino weather pattern ‌that is driving up temperatures and fueling more frequent and intense typhoons.

Beijing ⁠has ⁠put in place an orange rainstorm warning, its second-highest level, and suspended six bus routes as the deluge disrupted the morning rush hour.

Chinese meteorologists are reaching for a new generation of artificial intelligence weather models to bolster traditional forecasting systems to improve the country's resilience to extreme weather.

Each year, extreme rainfall causes billions of dollars in economic losses as manufacturing is disrupted and crops are washed away.

World

Tropical Storm Hits Tokyo Area, Leaving Thousands without Power Before Moving West

Passengers line up in front of an All Nippon Airways counter at Haneda airport in Tokyo following flight cancellations due to Tropical Storm Chan-hom Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Katsuya Miyagawa/Kyodo News via AP)
Passengers line up in front of an All Nippon Airways counter at Haneda airport in Tokyo following flight cancellations due to Tropical Storm Chan-hom Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Katsuya Miyagawa/Kyodo News via AP)
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Tropical Storm Hits Tokyo Area, Leaving Thousands without Power Before Moving West

Passengers line up in front of an All Nippon Airways counter at Haneda airport in Tokyo following flight cancellations due to Tropical Storm Chan-hom Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Katsuya Miyagawa/Kyodo News via AP)
Passengers line up in front of an All Nippon Airways counter at Haneda airport in Tokyo following flight cancellations due to Tropical Storm Chan-hom Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (Katsuya Miyagawa/Kyodo News via AP)

Tropical storm Chan-hom moved westward Wednesday after making landfall in the greater Tokyo region the night before, knocking down trees and leaving thousands of homes without power. Five people suffered minor injuries.

Chan-hom was significantly weakened after making landfall in southern Ibaraki prefecture late Tuesday. It was near Gifu, in central Japan, early Wednesday as it headed toward Wakasa Bay on Japan's north-central coast. The storm was packing sustained winds of 64 kph (40 mph), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Chan-hom hit Japan days after typhoon Dolphin created havoc in parts of southern Japan, paralyzing traffic and sending hundreds to take shelter. After weakening to a storm, Dolphin killed 10 people in the Philippines and caused flooding in China, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to relocate.

In Tokyo, commuter trains and flights were operating normally and business was almost as usual, but the agency warned residents in northern and western Japan of heavy rain and thunder throughout the day.

Five people were injured slightly — two men in the northern prefecture of Iwate and three women in Ibaraki — according to prefecture officials.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 3,000 homes were without electricity in Ibaraki and its neighboring Tochigi prefecture, according to TEPCO Power Grid.

The storm knocked down trees at several locations in Tokyo, including one in the posh shopping area of Omotesando, though nobody was injured, according to NHK public television.

It affected many holiday travelers during Japan’s “bon” Buddhist holiday week.

About 60 flights departing and arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda airport were canceled Tuesday. In Ibaraki, the popular Oarai beach was empty after closing due to the storm.

Tuesday’s landfall was a first by a tropical storm or typhoon in Ibaraki since the agency started keeping records in 1951.