10/04/2025

THURSDAY | APR 10, 2025

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Varsity funding frozen over alleged antisemitism Trump administration has frozen over US$1 billion (RM4.4 billion) in funding for Cornell University and US$790 million for Northwestern University while it investigates both schools over civil rights violations, a US official said on Tuesday. It has threatened to block federal funding for schools over pro-Palestinian campus protests as well as other issues, such as diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, and transgender policies. Last month, the administration sent a letter to 60 universities, saying it could bring enforcement actions if a review determined the schools had failed to stop what it called antisemitism. In an opinion piece in the New York Times last week, Cornell president Michael Kotlikoff said his university is not afraid to let people argue, including over issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. US President Donald Trump has attempted to crack down on pro-Palestinian campus protests, calling the protesters antisemitic, sympathetic to Hamas militants and foreign policy threats. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, said the Trump administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Human rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the crackdown by the Trump administration. – Reuters GREEK TRANSPORT WORKERS DEMAND INCREASE IN WAGES ATHENS: Transport ground to a halt in Greece yesterday as a general strike called by unions got under way, just weeks after a similar protest descended into chaos. The protest, organised by public and private-sector unions, was to demand an increase in wages to face the rising cost of living. Flights to and from Greece were grounded as air traffic controllers joined the strike action, with urban transport also affected. Ferries serving the Aegean and Ionian islands remained at anchor while schools, courts, banks and public services were shuttered. – AFP JERUSALEM: Israel’s supreme court on Tuesday gave the Cabinet and Attorney-General’s Office a deadline to find a solution to the government’s decision to sack domestic security chief Ronen Bar. Supreme Court president Yitzhak Amit said: “Since we saw some sparks of willingness, we are giving you until after Passover (April 19) to try to reach some kind of creative solution that is agreed upon by both sides.” The Supreme Court said Bar “will continue to perform his duties until a later decision”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the court’s ruling “to delay the end of the Shin Bet chief’s term by 10 days is puzzling.”– AFP DEADLINE SET FOR SOLUTION ON SPY CHIEF DISMISSAL WASHINGTON: The

MEAGRE MEALS ... Palestinian children waiting to receive food prepared by a charity kitchen in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip on Tuesday. – REUTERSPIC

Ukraine captures Chinese nationals fighting for Russia

spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. Ukrainian authorities yesterday said at least 22 people have been injured in three cities in Russian drone strikes overnight. Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Sergiy Lysak said 15 people were injured in Dnipro, with one in serious condition. The casualties were aged between 18 and 87. The southeastern city’s mayor Borys Filatov said five high-rise buildings were damaged. Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said an 11-year-old girl, her mother and her grandmother were injured in Kramatorsk following a “massive attack by Russian drones”. Three people were injured in Kharkiv, authorities said, with the regional prosecutor’s office adding that around 15 strikes hit an industrial area in the eastern city, impacting confectionery and paint manufacturers, among other civilian enterprises. – AFP this year when the US cuts forced seven to shut completely and 20 to close partially, the organisation said. US-funded transport services to take people to hospitals in the main local town also stopped for lack of funds, which meant the eight cholera patients had to walk in nearly 40°C heat to seek treatment at the nearest health facility, it said. Three of the children were under the age of five, Nyamandi said. A cholera outbreak was declared in October last year. More than 22,000 cases have been recorded as of last month, causing hundreds of deaths, said the World Health Organisation. – Reuters

calls into question China’s declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing’s credibility as a responsible permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.” China presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations. Zelensky said Kyiv has evidence that “many more Chinese citizens” are fighting alongside Russian forces and he has instructed his foreign minister to find out how China intends to respond. He said the capture of the two men is “a clear signal” that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is going to do anything but end the war”. Washington voiced alarm at the capture, saying it showed Beijing’s level of support for Russia. “China is an enabler of Russia in the war with Ukraine. China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war,” said State Department “While emergency lifesaving programmes continue, we will not ask the American taxpayer to provide assistance that effectively subsidises the corrupt behaviour of South Sudan’s political leaders.“ South Sudan’s government has in the past acknowledged a significant amount of public corruption but denied specific accusations of graft, including against President Salva Kiir’s family. Humanitarian aid to the country is often channelled through NGOs, largely due to corruption concerns. Save the Children supported 27 health facilities in eastern South Sudan’s Jonglei State until earlier

o Kyiv demands explanation from Beijing

KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said Ukrainian troops have captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, with Kyiv demanding an explanation from Beijing. Moscow and Beijing have in recent years boasted of their “no limits” partnership and deepened political, military and economic cooperation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. “Our military captured two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army. This happened on the territory of Ukraine in the Donetsk region. “We have the documents of these prisoners, bank cards and personal data,” said Zelensky in a social media post that included a video of one of the alleged Chinese prisoners. NAIROBI: Eight people in South Sudan, including five children, died on a three-hour walk to seek medical treatment for cholera after US aid cuts forced local health services to close, said UK-based charity Save the Children yesterday. The deaths last month are among the first to be directly attributed to cuts imposed by US President Donald Trump after entering office on Jan 20, which he said were to ensure grants were aligned with his “America First” agenda. “There should be global moral outrage that the decisions made by powerful people in other countries

A senior Ukrainian official said the prisoners are likely Chinese citizens who were enticed into signing a contract with the Russian army, rather than being sent by Beijing. “Nothing is completely clear yet. When they are delivered to the SBU (Ukraine’s security service) and interrogated, we will understand.” The source sent images of identification cards linked to one of the prisoners, which showed his date of birth as June 4, 1991 and said he belonged to the Han ethnicity. There was no immediate response to the claims from Moscow or Beijing but Ukraine Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said China’s charge d’affaires has been summoned for an explanation. have led to child deaths in just a matter of weeks,” said Save the Children South Sudan country director Christopher Nyamandi. Experts have warned that the cuts could cost millions of lives in the coming years due to malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. The US State Department said it does not have information about the deaths reported. A spokesperson said many US government programmes providing lifesaving aid in South Sudan remain active but support for medical services have been used to enrich the country’s leaders.

BR I E F S

“Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia’s invasion army in Ukraine Cholera patients die on trek to clinic after US aid cuts