Harvard University on Thursday (December 15) got its first African American president as it named Claudine Gay, a dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, for the top post. Gay (52) is only the second woman to be elected to head the globally renowned and prestigious university.

Harvard University said that Gay, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, will take over as the university's 30th president on July 1, 2023.

"Claudine is a remarkable leader who is profoundly devoted to sustaining and enhancing Harvard’s academic excellence," said Penny Pritzker, chair of Harvard’s presidential search committee.

Gay took the helm of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 2018, steering it through the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Today, we are in a moment of remarkable and accelerating change -- socially, politically, economically, and technologically," Gay said after the announcement.

"So many fundamental assumptions about how the world works and how we should relate to one another are being tested," she added.

One such test is coming for the university. It faces, in july next year, a US Supreme Court decision that may force the university to revise its longstanding admissions process.

Suits have been brought against Harvard and the University of North Carolina, challenging their policy of affirmative action. 
That policy emerged from the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s to help address the legacy of discrimination in higher education against African Americans.

The suits against Harvard and UNC were brought by a group known as Students for Fair Admissions, which claims that race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against equally qualified applicants of Asian American origin.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Harvard University on Thursday (December 15) got its first African American president as it named Claudine Gay, a dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, for the top post.

Harvard University on Thursday (December 15) got its first African American president as it named Claudine Gay, a dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, for the top post. Gay (52) is only the second woman to be elected to head the globally renowned and prestigious university. Harvard University said that Gay, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, will take over as the university's 30th president on July 1, 2023. "Claudine is a remarkable leader who is profoundly devoted to sustaining and enhancing Harvard’s academic excellence," said Penny Pritzker, chair of Harvard’s presidential search committee. Gay took the helm of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 2018, steering it through the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Today, we are in a moment of remarkable and accelerating change -- socially, politically, economically, and technologically," Gay said after the announcement. "So many fundamental assumptions about how the world works and how we should relate to one another are being tested," she added. One such test is coming for the university. It faces, in july next year, a US Supreme Court decision that may force the university to revise its longstanding admissions process. Suits have been brought against Harvard and the University of North Carolina, challenging their policy of affirmative action. That policy emerged from the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s to help address the legacy of discrimination in higher education against African Americans. The suits against Harvard and UNC were brought by a group known as Students for Fair Admissions, which claims that race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against equally qualified applicants of Asian American origin. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Harvard University gets its first African American president

A Harvard student creates website to connect with Ukrainian Refugees seeking temporary shelter in various parts of the world as millions have left Ukraine in quest of safety

Harvard student creates website for Ukrainian Refugees seeking temporary shelter

Three graduate students from Harvard University have sued the varsity, for allegedly failing to act against a “star” Anthropology professor who sexually abused female students for decades and “contributing” to the culture of abuse.

The plaintiffs—Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava—have alleged that John Comaroff, a professor of African and African American Studies and of Anthropology, "kissed and groped students without their consent, made unwelcome sexual advances, and threatened to sabotage students’ careers if they complained,” according to the lawsuit.

The doctoral students, who have approached a federal court in Massachusetts, claimed that when students tried to report Comaroff to the varsity and warned the other faculty members about him, Harvard remained “indifferent”.

They claimed that Harvard administrators “brushed them aside and opted to protect its star professor over vulnerable students.”

“Harvard even allowed its investigatory process to be used in service of Professor Comaroff’s campaign of professional blacklisting,” the lawsuit reads.

The plaintiffs also said they are not alone in these experiences.

Comaroff was sent on unpaid leave last month after the university’s probe found that he breached sexual harassment and professional conduct policies, according to the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson.

But the complainants called these actions “inadequate” and are seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be decided by a jury trial, as well as attorney fees, according to the lawsuit.

Harvard University, however, refuted claims of inactions. In a statement to CNN, they said that the lawsuit is “in no way a fair or accurate representation of the thoughtful steps taken by the University.”

Meanwhile, attorneys for Comaroff, who is identified in the lawsuit but is not named as a defendant, said in a statement&nbsp;that he "categorically denies" ever harassing or retaliating against any student, CNN reported.

He also denied allegations that he kissed or inappropriately touched a student.

(With inputs from agencies)

Three graduate students from Harvard University have sued the varsity, for allegedly failing to act against a “star” Anthropology professor who sexually abused female students for decades and “contributing” to the culture of abuse.

Three graduate students from Harvard University have sued the varsity, for allegedly failing to act against a “star” Anthropology professor who sexually abused female students for decades and “contributing” to the culture of abuse. The plaintiffs—Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava—have alleged that John Comaroff, a professor of African and African American Studies and of Anthropology, "kissed and groped students without their consent, made unwelcome sexual advances, and threatened to sabotage students’ careers if they complained,” according to the lawsuit. The doctoral students, who have approached a federal court in Massachusetts, claimed that when students tried to report Comaroff to the varsity and warned the other faculty members about him, Harvard remained “indifferent”. They claimed that Harvard administrators “brushed them aside and opted to protect its star professor over vulnerable students.” “Harvard even allowed its investigatory process to be used in service of Professor Comaroff’s campaign of professional blacklisting,” the lawsuit reads. The plaintiffs also said they are not alone in these experiences. Comaroff was sent on unpaid leave last month after the university’s probe found that he breached sexual harassment and professional conduct policies, according to the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. But the complainants called these actions “inadequate” and are seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be decided by a jury trial, as well as attorney fees, according to the lawsuit. Harvard University, however, refuted claims of inactions. In a statement to CNN, they said that the lawsuit is “in no way a fair or accurate representation of the thoughtful steps taken by the University.” Meanwhile, attorneys for Comaroff, who is identified in the lawsuit but is not named as a defendant, said in a statement that he "categorically denies" ever harassing or retaliating against any student, CNN reported. He also denied allegations that he kissed or inappropriately touched a student. (With inputs from agencies)

3 students sue Harvard for ignoring sexual abuse and retaliation by accused professor

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA.

Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey.

Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view.

However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men.

The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week.

The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters.

Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump.

He was seen as symbol of USA's resurgence globally when he said "America is back!" but a latest opinion poll shows US President Joe Biden's approval rating has dropped below former US President Donald Trump. In a poll carried out by Harvard CAPS/ Harris Poll, it has been seen that approval of Biden has dropped since the time he got elected as President of USA. Trump was favoured by 48 per cent of the respondents while Biden found backing from 46 per cent, as per The Hill which has reported the survey. Trump also scores more on the question asking people who was the better president. 51 per cent backed Trump while 40 per cent had the opposite view. However, Trump has more negative rating of 49 per cent than Biden's 47 per cent. These respondents have unfavourable opinion of the respective men. The news report said that the full results are due to be released later this week. The survey was carried out on September 15 and 16. There were 1,578 respondents, all of whom were registered US voters. Biden enjoyed positive image globally as Trump's policies had seen him take USA out of number of international treaties and anger US allies. However, Biden faced a lot of flak over hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Harvard poll reveals Donald Trump has higher positive rating than Biden

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has raised $4.2 billion in its initial public offering that makes it the biggest listing in the United States so far this year.

The Seoul-based firm is backed by SoftBank Group was valued at around $109 billion in its market debut on Thursday.

Coupang's stock soared 81 per cent to open at $63.50. The company had priced 130 million shares sold in the IPO at $35 per share, higher than the marketing range $32-$34 per share, giving the Seoul-headquartered e-commerce giant a market value of $60 billion.

The blockbuster listing,&nbsp;the biggest in New York since Alibaba's US record $25 billion offering in 2014,&nbsp;will make an overnight billionaire of founder Kim Bom-suk, with the 42-year-old CEO's 10 per cent holding worth around $6 billion.&nbsp;

Founded in 2010, Coupang rose to prominence after launching its guaranteed same-day or next-day delivery service in the East Asian country. SoftBank's $100 billion Vision Fund owns 35.1 per cent of Coupang.

Coupang's spectacular debut further bolsters the recent fortunes of the Vision Fund, which is bouncing back from an annual loss last March. Last month, it announced record quarterly profit.

Coupang operates an online marketplace that sells everything from fresh groceries to toys, as well as food delivery app Coupang Eats.

"We're laser focused on our home market," Kim said in an interview. "We're going to invest in 50,000 more jobs and billions of dollars more in not only the infrastructure, but the unique end to end technology that powers all of those services."

In 2020, Coupang's net sales jumped 91 per cent year-on-year to $11 billion. Net losses narrowed to $567.6 million from $770.2 million posted in the prior year.

Coupang's successful share offering comes as the US IPO market is at its strongest in more than two decades and investors are flocking to buy shares in technology companies that have benefited during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IPO is the biggest in the United States this year, surpassing the $2.15 billion raised by dating app Bumble Inc. It also marks a jump in Coupang's valuation, which was pegged at $9 billion in a fundraising round in 2018, according to Pitchbook.

Analysts in South Korea said the strong response to Coupang's offering was a result of its market-leader position in the country at a time when, like many other e-commerce firms, its sales have grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Considering the high level of valuation inherent in the pricing, the market is giving a generous assessment of the company's achieving the top spot in market share," said Park Sang-joon, analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

Coupang was the top-ranked South Korean e-commerce firm in 2020 with 19.2 per cent market share, according to Euromonitor, compared to Naver Corp's 13.6 per cent and eBay Korea's 12.8 per cent. It was the 10th largest e-commerce firm in the world, based on retail value excluding sales tax.

Goldman Sachs, Allen &amp; Co, JPMorgan and Citigroup are the lead underwriters for the offering.

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has raised $4.2 billion in its initial public offering that makes it the biggest listing in the United States so far this year.

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has raised $4.2 billion in its initial public offering that makes it the biggest listing in the United States so far this year. The Seoul-based firm is backed by SoftBank Group was valued at around $109 billion in its market debut on Thursday. Coupang's stock soared 81 per cent to open at $63.50. The company had priced 130 million shares sold in the IPO at $35 per share, higher than the marketing range $32-$34 per share, giving the Seoul-headquartered e-commerce giant a market value of $60 billion. The blockbuster listing, the biggest in New York since Alibaba's US record $25 billion offering in 2014, will make an overnight billionaire of founder Kim Bom-suk, with the 42-year-old CEO's 10 per cent holding worth around $6 billion. Founded in 2010, Coupang rose to prominence after launching its guaranteed same-day or next-day delivery service in the East Asian country. SoftBank's $100 billion Vision Fund owns 35.1 per cent of Coupang. Coupang's spectacular debut further bolsters the recent fortunes of the Vision Fund, which is bouncing back from an annual loss last March. Last month, it announced record quarterly profit. Coupang operates an online marketplace that sells everything from fresh groceries to toys, as well as food delivery app Coupang Eats. "We're laser focused on our home market," Kim said in an interview. "We're going to invest in 50,000 more jobs and billions of dollars more in not only the infrastructure, but the unique end to end technology that powers all of those services." In 2020, Coupang's net sales jumped 91 per cent year-on-year to $11 billion. Net losses narrowed to $567.6 million from $770.2 million posted in the prior year. Coupang's successful share offering comes as the US IPO market is at its strongest in more than two decades and investors are flocking to buy shares in technology companies that have benefited during the COVID-19 pandemic. The IPO is the biggest in the United States this year, surpassing the $2.15 billion raised by dating app Bumble Inc. It also marks a jump in Coupang's valuation, which was pegged at $9 billion in a fundraising round in 2018, according to Pitchbook. Analysts in South Korea said the strong response to Coupang's offering was a result of its market-leader position in the country at a time when, like many other e-commerce firms, its sales have grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Considering the high level of valuation inherent in the pricing, the market is giving a generous assessment of the company's achieving the top spot in market share," said Park Sang-joon, analyst at Kiwoom Securities. Coupang was the top-ranked South Korean e-commerce firm in 2020 with 19.2 per cent market share, according to Euromonitor, compared to Naver Corp's 13.6 per cent and eBay Korea's 12.8 per cent. It was the 10th largest e-commerce firm in the world, based on retail value excluding sales tax. Goldman Sachs, Allen & Co, JPMorgan and Citigroup are the lead underwriters for the offering.

Coupang's IPO takes Harvard dropout into mega-billionaire club

It is believed that thousands of years ago, an asteroid had wiped off the whole existence of dinosaurs from the planet Earth. Now, scientists believe they have figured out how such a huge chunk of the rock ended up on Earth.

Experts from Harvard University believe it to be true that dinosaurs were killed due to an extra-terrestrial rock that had hit the Earth many centuries ago.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/archaeologists-find-unexpected-iron-age-settlement-in-oxfordshire-363766" hreflang="en">Archaeologists find unexpected iron age settlement in Oxfordshire</a>

It is being believed that the gravity of the Jupiter planet draws comets from icy outer edges of the solar system and bolts them inwards, towards the sun.

While the comets slingshot around the sun, the gravitational power can break apart the cosmic missile. This can result in several broken shards flying across the solar system.

There's a possibility that one such shard ended up colliding with the Earth centuries ago, leading to the death of hundreds of dinosaurs and other Earthly creatures.

"The solar system acts as a kind of pinball machine," Amir Siraj, an undergraduate student explained. "Jupiter, the most massive planet, kicks incoming long-period comets into orbits that bring them very close to the sun."

It is believed that thousands of years ago, an asteroid had wiped off the whole existence of dinosaurs from the planet Earth. Now, scientists believe they have figured out how such a huge chunk of the rock ended up on Earth.

It is believed that thousands of years ago, an asteroid had wiped off the whole existence of dinosaurs from the planet Earth. Now, scientists believe they have figured out how such a huge chunk of the rock ended up on Earth. Experts from Harvard University believe it to be true that dinosaurs were killed due to an extra-terrestrial rock that had hit the Earth many centuries ago. Also read| Archaeologists find unexpected iron age settlement in Oxfordshire It is being believed that the gravity of the Jupiter planet draws comets from icy outer edges of the solar system and bolts them inwards, towards the sun. While the comets slingshot around the sun, the gravitational power can break apart the cosmic missile. This can result in several broken shards flying across the solar system. There's a possibility that one such shard ended up colliding with the Earth centuries ago, leading to the death of hundreds of dinosaurs and other Earthly creatures. "The solar system acts as a kind of pinball machine," Amir Siraj, an undergraduate student explained. "Jupiter, the most massive planet, kicks incoming long-period comets into orbits that bring them very close to the sun."

Where did the asteroid which wiped out dinosaurs came from? Scientists answer

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it. A team of archaeologists have found a 1,500-year-old house in Turkey, which has tiles with paw prints of a small-sized dog or a puppy. &nbsp;

The discovery is proof that dogs have been a part of our lives for a long time. The house also boasts of great décor with terracotta tiles and painting on the wall. &nbsp;

“The tiles with paw prints of a dog seems to be pressed into the material of the tiles. These tiles have preserved the paw prints of dogs and a hoofprint of a goat,” said Frances Gallart Marqués during a virtual presentation at the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS).&nbsp;

It looks like the animals must have walked onto the tile as they laid out drying. The team also found paintings on the tiles, which may have been chickens or ducks. &nbsp;

These tiles were probably 'finger-drawn before the tiles were fired’. The floor tiles seem to be matching well with the overall décor of the house, based on the paintings and décor items recovered from the walls.&nbsp;

The wall paintings were painted on plaster and had mimic draped curtains and polychrome marble. According to the archaeologists, the house might have belonged to people involved with the military of the time based on other objects recovered. They also found five-longswords that suggest the owners were involved in warfare. Buckles were also discovered from the house, which supports the claim.&nbsp;

The team also thinks the house might have been in use for over 200 years but was destroyed in an earthquake during the early seventh century.&nbsp;

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it.

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” saying is an old adage but nobody knows how old? Right, well, now archaeologists have made a significant discovery to ascertain it. A team of archaeologists have found a 1,500-year-old house in Turkey, which has tiles with paw prints of a small-sized dog or a puppy. The discovery is proof that dogs have been a part of our lives for a long time. The house also boasts of great décor with terracotta tiles and painting on the wall. “The tiles with paw prints of a dog seems to be pressed into the material of the tiles. These tiles have preserved the paw prints of dogs and a hoofprint of a goat,” said Frances Gallart Marqués during a virtual presentation at the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS). It looks like the animals must have walked onto the tile as they laid out drying. The team also found paintings on the tiles, which may have been chickens or ducks. These tiles were probably 'finger-drawn before the tiles were fired’. The floor tiles seem to be matching well with the overall décor of the house, based on the paintings and décor items recovered from the walls. The wall paintings were painted on plaster and had mimic draped curtains and polychrome marble. According to the archaeologists, the house might have belonged to people involved with the military of the time based on other objects recovered. They also found five-longswords that suggest the owners were involved in warfare. Buckles were also discovered from the house, which supports the claim. The team also thinks the house might have been in use for over 200 years but was destroyed in an earthquake during the early seventh century.

1,500-year-old house with ancient paw marks of dogs found in Turkey

Johns Hopkins University has joined a growing list of prestigious higher education institutions in the US suing the Trump administration over its "cruel" decision not to allow foreign students to take online-only courses this fall semester.

On Monday, the Trump administration announced new rules for international students for the upcoming fall semester (September to December) that requires them to take an in-person class to remain in the country. Many American universities have scaled back or eliminated in-person classes due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday, pushing back against the Trump administration order that would abruptly rescind accommodations for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic for the nearly 5,000 international students at the university and thousands more across the country.

Johns Hopkins said the policy change sending international students back to their home countries if they don’t enroll in in-person classes, “suddenly and unexpectedly" plunged Johns Hopkins, and virtually all of higher education in the United States, into chaos.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian students in the US will be affected by the decision of the Trump administration.

According to a recent report of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), there were over 1,94,000 Indian students enrolled in various academic institutions of the US in January this year.

The JHU's complaint, filed in US District Court in Washington, D.C., seeks a temporary restraining order against the proposal by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating that it is "arbitrary and capricious," unlawful, and a reversal of earlier guidance upon which months of careful planning is based.

The Baltimore-based private institution joins other well-known schools such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California system in filing litigation to stop the US government from enforcing the new rule.

"The administration's decision is gratuitous, cruel, and inimical to what this country is about," JHU President Ronald J. Daniels said.

"The university was left with no option but to bring an emergency lawsuit in federal court to stop the administration from pushing ahead with an illegal and unconstitutional directive that, if permitted to stand, would fundamentally undermine the educational freedoms and humanitarian values that animate higher education in our country," he said in a statement.

"This unjust and discriminatory attack on international students cuts to the core of our mission of education and research," JHU Provost Sunil Kumar said.

"It cannot be allowed to stand," Kumar said.

The ICE rule applies to holders of two types of visas, including F-1 visas, which allow nonimmigrant students to pursue academic coursework in the US.

"The Trump administration's sudden announcement upends that careful consideration. It accounts neither for the risks associated with switching to an all in-person approach nor for the possibility that we may have no choice but to revert to all online classes if the pandemic takes a turn for the worse," the JHU statement said.

The Trump administration's actions may force students to choose between increased exposure to a deadly virus and maintaining their visa status, the statement said, adding that the JHU will determine how it will execute its mission of research and education safely without government intervention.

The virus has killed more than 134,000 people in the US and infected over three million others, making it the worst-hit nation.

"The order came down without notice -- its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness. It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others," Harvard University President Larry Bacow said while reacting to the ICE's directive.

The US has the largest international student population in the world, with more than 1 million of the nation's higher education students, roughly 5.5 per cent of all college students in the US, coming from abroad, according to the nonprofit Institute of International Education.

The US State Department said earlier this week that international students are welcome in the country, adding that the policy "provides greater flexibility for nonimmigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses across America."

Johns Hopkins University has joined a growing list of prestigious higher education institutions in the US suing the Trump administration over its "cruel" decision not to allow foreign students to take online-only courses this fall semester.

Johns Hopkins University has joined a growing list of prestigious higher education institutions in the US suing the Trump administration over its "cruel" decision not to allow foreign students to take online-only courses this fall semester. On Monday, the Trump administration announced new rules for international students for the upcoming fall semester (September to December) that requires them to take an in-person class to remain in the country. Many American universities have scaled back or eliminated in-person classes due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Johns Hopkins University (JHU) filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday, pushing back against the Trump administration order that would abruptly rescind accommodations for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic for the nearly 5,000 international students at the university and thousands more across the country. Johns Hopkins said the policy change sending international students back to their home countries if they don’t enroll in in-person classes, “suddenly and unexpectedly" plunged Johns Hopkins, and virtually all of higher education in the United States, into chaos. Hundreds of thousands of Indian students in the US will be affected by the decision of the Trump administration. According to a recent report of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), there were over 1,94,000 Indian students enrolled in various academic institutions of the US in January this year. The JHU's complaint, filed in US District Court in Washington, D.C., seeks a temporary restraining order against the proposal by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating that it is "arbitrary and capricious," unlawful, and a reversal of earlier guidance upon which months of careful planning is based. The Baltimore-based private institution joins other well-known schools such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California system in filing litigation to stop the US government from enforcing the new rule. "The administration's decision is gratuitous, cruel, and inimical to what this country is about," JHU President Ronald J. Daniels said. "The university was left with no option but to bring an emergency lawsuit in federal court to stop the administration from pushing ahead with an illegal and unconstitutional directive that, if permitted to stand, would fundamentally undermine the educational freedoms and humanitarian values that animate higher education in our country," he said in a statement. "This unjust and discriminatory attack on international students cuts to the core of our mission of education and research," JHU Provost Sunil Kumar said. "It cannot be allowed to stand," Kumar said. The ICE rule applies to holders of two types of visas, including F-1 visas, which allow nonimmigrant students to pursue academic coursework in the US. "The Trump administration's sudden announcement upends that careful consideration. It accounts neither for the risks associated with switching to an all in-person approach nor for the possibility that we may have no choice but to revert to all online classes if the pandemic takes a turn for the worse," the JHU statement said. The Trump administration's actions may force students to choose between increased exposure to a deadly virus and maintaining their visa status, the statement said, adding that the JHU will determine how it will execute its mission of research and education safely without government intervention. The virus has killed more than 134,000 people in the US and infected over three million others, making it the worst-hit nation. "The order came down without notice -- its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness. It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others," Harvard University President Larry Bacow said while reacting to the ICE's directive. The US has the largest international student population in the world, with more than 1 million of the nation's higher education students, roughly 5.5 per cent of all college students in the US, coming from abroad, according to the nonprofit Institute of International Education. The US State Department said earlier this week that international students are welcome in the country, adding that the policy "provides greater flexibility for nonimmigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses across America."

US student visa: After Harvard & MIT, Johns Hopkins varsity sues Trump administration

Harvard and MIT asked a court Wednesday to block an order by President Donald Trump's administration threatening the visas of foreign students whose entire courses have moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-permits-broad-religious-exemption-to-birth-control-coverage-311769" hreflang="en">US Supreme Court permits broad religious exemption to birth control coverage</a>

The universities' lawsuit was in response to an announcement Monday by the US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) that the affected students must leave the country or transfer to a school offering in-person tuition.

"We will pursue this case vigorously so that our international students, and international students at institutions across the country, can continue their studies without the threat of deportation," Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement.

Trump is pushing universities and schools to fully open when the new academic year starts in September despite the US registering record COVID-19 cases.

ICE said in its announcement the State Department would not issue visas to students enrolled in programs that are fully online for the fall semester and such students would not be allowed to enter the country.

Universities with a hybrid system of in-person and online classes will have to show that foreign students are taking as many in-person classes as possible, to maintain their status.

The measure was seen as a move by the White House to put pressure on educational institutions that are adopting a cautious approach to reopening amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

"The order came down without notice -- its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness," Bacow said.

He added it was made "without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors and others."

The universities say in their lawsuit that the order would harm students "immensely," both personally and financially.

It describes the order as "arbitrary and capricious" and says it threw US higher education "into chaos."

There were more than one million international students in the US for the 2018-19 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE).

The plaintiffs ask that the court issue a temporary restraining order and "permanent injunctive relief" preventing the policy being enforced.

They also ask that the order be declared unlawful, that their legal costs are covered, and that they receive any other relief that the court deems appropriate.

- 'Ridiculous' - 
The lawsuit, filed in Boston, lists the defendants as ICE and the United States Department of Homeland Security.

The US posted a daily high of 60,209 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University said, and the country topped three million cases on Wednesday.

The disease has claimed more than 131,000 lives across America.

Most US colleges and universities have not yet announced their plans for the fall semester but Harvard has said all its classes for the 2020-21 academic year will be conducted online "with rare exceptions."

Some 40 percent of undergraduates will be allowed to return to campus, but their instruction will be conducted remotely.

It says packed classrooms endanger the health of students and teachers.

Trump has branded the decision "ridiculous" as he takes a bullish approach to reopening the country ahead of November's presidential vote, when he seeks reelection.

While cracking down on immigration is one of his key issues, Trump has taken a particularly hard stance on foreigners since the health crisis began.

In June, he froze until 2021 the issuing of green cards -- which offer permanent US resident status -- and some work visas, particularly those used in the technology sector.

Harvard and MIT asked a court Wednesday to block an order by President Donald Trump's administration threatening the visas of foreign students whose entire courses have moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Harvard and MIT asked a court Wednesday to block an order by President Donald Trump's administration threatening the visas of foreign students whose entire courses have moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic. Also read: US Supreme Court permits broad religious exemption to birth control coverage The universities' lawsuit was in response to an announcement Monday by the US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) that the affected students must leave the country or transfer to a school offering in-person tuition. "We will pursue this case vigorously so that our international students, and international students at institutions across the country, can continue their studies without the threat of deportation," Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement. Trump is pushing universities and schools to fully open when the new academic year starts in September despite the US registering record COVID-19 cases. ICE said in its announcement the State Department would not issue visas to students enrolled in programs that are fully online for the fall semester and such students would not be allowed to enter the country. Universities with a hybrid system of in-person and online classes will have to show that foreign students are taking as many in-person classes as possible, to maintain their status. The measure was seen as a move by the White House to put pressure on educational institutions that are adopting a cautious approach to reopening amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. "The order came down without notice -- its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness," Bacow said. He added it was made "without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors and others." The universities say in their lawsuit that the order would harm students "immensely," both personally and financially. It describes the order as "arbitrary and capricious" and says it threw US higher education "into chaos." There were more than one million international students in the US for the 2018-19 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE). The plaintiffs ask that the court issue a temporary restraining order and "permanent injunctive relief" preventing the policy being enforced. They also ask that the order be declared unlawful, that their legal costs are covered, and that they receive any other relief that the court deems appropriate. - 'Ridiculous' - The lawsuit, filed in Boston, lists the defendants as ICE and the United States Department of Homeland Security. The US posted a daily high of 60,209 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University said, and the country topped three million cases on Wednesday. The disease has claimed more than 131,000 lives across America. Most US colleges and universities have not yet announced their plans for the fall semester but Harvard has said all its classes for the 2020-21 academic year will be conducted online "with rare exceptions." Some 40 percent of undergraduates will be allowed to return to campus, but their instruction will be conducted remotely. It says packed classrooms endanger the health of students and teachers. Trump has branded the decision "ridiculous" as he takes a bullish approach to reopening the country ahead of November's presidential vote, when he seeks reelection. While cracking down on immigration is one of his key issues, Trump has taken a particularly hard stance on foreigners since the health crisis began. In June, he froze until 2021 the issuing of green cards -- which offer permanent US resident status -- and some work visas, particularly those used in the technology sector.

Harvard, MIT sue Trump government over order revoking visas for foreign students

Online learning may be fun but not when students have paid a fortune for a campus experience. Students of at least 26 US universities have sued their schools. Also read: Will keep coronavirus task force indefinitely, says Trump amid rising US death toll They are demanding a partial refund of tuition and campus fee.

Online learning may be fun but not when students have paid a fortune for a campus experience. Students of at least 26 US universities have sued their schools. Also read: Will keep coronavirus task force indefinitely, says Trump amid rising US death toll They are demanding a partial refund of tuition and campus fee. They claim - online learning compromises on the quality of education. Also read: Pompeo has no evidence, says China on coronavirus origin in lab What these students paid for was campus learning. They paid for the infrastructure, the labs, the libraries, and the gyms. But now--- they are all sitting behind their computer screens. Sure the students are earning term credits. But a college experience is not limited to that. College is about inter-personal experiences. Interaction with faculty and classmates building contacts. Students are frustrated with online classes. Some point out that the lectures are not live. Professors often pre-record videos and there are no discussions. Lawsuits have hit some Ivy League schools like Brown, Colombia and Cornell. Public schools too have not been spared. Students have sued the University of Purdue, Colorado and the University of Chicago. Most of these schools argue that the classes may be online--- but the professors remain the same. Some schools 'have' returned portions of housing and dining fees. But the majority of them refuse to refund tuition or campus fees. Colleges say the coronavirus has posed financial strains in their systems. Some estimate losses up to $1 billion a year. Is the pandemic ushering in the end of big universities? If Harvard was granted $9 million for coronavirus aid alone imagine how much money the United States pumps into the campus every year? It may be impossible to continue this supply of funds. Not with an impending recession. Plus these institutions have been caught in controversies. A 2019 scandal exposed how admission to these campuses are not always based on merit. Fewer foreign students Top universities are likely to also see a downturn in student enrollment. The coronavirus has instilled a sense of fear in people. Would foreign students want a return to campus? The trend of foreign education was ushered in by globalisation. It was nurtured by a stable global economy, accessible students loans, job availability and friendly visa policies. The pandemic is hammering all of these. So, will top universities be the collateral damage in the post-pandemic world?

Students sue top US universities over switch to online courses

The American engineering and robotics design company - Boston Dynamics - has recently announced that its quadruped Spot robot is already being used to help with COVID-19 treatment.

The basic purpose behind the initiative is to reduce the infection rates seen among medical personnel by shifting to the practice of telemedicine.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-confirms-288-new-coronavirus-deaths-lowest-in-a-month-294846">Also read:&nbsp;Spain confirms 288 new coronavirus deaths, lowest in a month</a>

The hospital, Brigham And Women's Hospital of Harvard University, has been using a Spot unit since last week for remote triage of patients suspected of having COVID-19.

"Today marks the second week of Spot's presence at a local Boston hospital, Brigham and Women's, where the robot is being deployed as a mobile telemedicine platform, enabling healthcare providers to remotely triage patients," The Verge quoted the company's statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-in-italy-pm-giuseppe-conte-vows-to-reopen-schools-in-september-294855">Also read:&nbsp;Coronavirus in Italy: PM Giuseppe Conte vows to reopen schools in September</a>

"We're listening to their feedback on how Spot can do more but are encouraged by their reports that using the robot has helped their nursing staff minimize time exposed to potentially contagious patients," the statement further read.

At present, Spot is currently used to video conference with suspected patients for the initial assessment. (ANI)

The American engineering and robotics design company - Boston Dynamics - has recently announced that its quadruped Spot robot is already being used to help with COVID-19 treatment.

The American engineering and robotics design company - Boston Dynamics - has recently announced that its quadruped Spot robot is already being used to help with COVID-19 treatment. The basic purpose behind the initiative is to reduce the infection rates seen among medical personnel by shifting to the practice of telemedicine. Also read: Spain confirms 288 new coronavirus deaths, lowest in a month The hospital, Brigham And Women's Hospital of Harvard University, has been using a Spot unit since last week for remote triage of patients suspected of having COVID-19. "Today marks the second week of Spot's presence at a local Boston hospital, Brigham and Women's, where the robot is being deployed as a mobile telemedicine platform, enabling healthcare providers to remotely triage patients," The Verge quoted the company's statement. Also read: Coronavirus in Italy: PM Giuseppe Conte vows to reopen schools in September "We're listening to their feedback on how Spot can do more but are encouraged by their reports that using the robot has helped their nursing staff minimize time exposed to potentially contagious patients," the statement further read. At present, Spot is currently used to video conference with suspected patients for the initial assessment. (ANI)

Boston Dynamics' Spot robot helping doctors 'remotely' combat COVID-19

Harvard University said it plans to keep an $8.6 million grant it received as part of a stimulus package to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown, contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump who pledged the university would return it.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Trump pointed to the institution`s ample endowment - worth nearly $41 billion - as the reason why it should hand over the money. "Harvard is going to pay back the money and they shouldn`t be taking it," Trump said, adding that Harvard has one of the largest endowments "in the country, maybe in the world."

In a statement issued moments after the briefing ended, however, Harvard said it planned "to direct 100% of the funds to financial assistance to students, and will not be using any of the funds to cover institutional costs."

Trump said late on Tuesday that Harvard`s endowment system should be looked at. "Harvard should give back the money now. Their whole "endowment" system should be looked at", the U.S. president said in a tweet, which did not give further details.

The university said it received the grant through the educational relief program that was part of the $2.3 trillion stimulus passed at the end of March, which also included a much larger fund aimed at helping small businesses.

That fund has been riddled with controversy, including an outcry over disclosures that larger companies received bailout funds while many small businesses, among the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, still await aid.

As U.S. states issued sweeping stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus, businesses have shuttered and 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment.

On Monday, hamburger chain Shake Shack Inc said it would return the small business loan it received from the government, the first major firm to hand back money.

On Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said "very clear guidelines" would be released to clarify what companies are eligible for the stimulus funds.

"The intent [of the program] was not for companies that have access to plenty of liquidity and other sources," he said. "To the extent these companies didn`t understand this and they repay the loans, that will be OK. And, if not, there will be potentially other consequence," he said.

More aid may be coming soon. The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved $484 billion in fresh relief for U.S. businesses and hospitals hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, sending the measure to the House of Representatives for final passage later this week.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-not-happy-over-harvard-receiving-millions-in-coronavirus-aid-wants-it-back-293903">Also read |&nbsp;Trump not happy over Harvard receiving millions in coronavirus aid, wants it back</a>

Harvard University said it plans to keep an $8.6 million grant it received as part of a stimulus package to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown, contradicting U.

Harvard University said it plans to keep an $8.6 million grant it received as part of a stimulus package to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown, contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump who pledged the university would return it. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Trump pointed to the institution`s ample endowment - worth nearly $41 billion - as the reason why it should hand over the money. "Harvard is going to pay back the money and they shouldn`t be taking it," Trump said, adding that Harvard has one of the largest endowments "in the country, maybe in the world." In a statement issued moments after the briefing ended, however, Harvard said it planned "to direct 100% of the funds to financial assistance to students, and will not be using any of the funds to cover institutional costs." Trump said late on Tuesday that Harvard`s endowment system should be looked at. "Harvard should give back the money now. Their whole "endowment" system should be looked at", the U.S. president said in a tweet, which did not give further details. The university said it received the grant through the educational relief program that was part of the $2.3 trillion stimulus passed at the end of March, which also included a much larger fund aimed at helping small businesses. That fund has been riddled with controversy, including an outcry over disclosures that larger companies received bailout funds while many small businesses, among the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, still await aid. As U.S. states issued sweeping stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus, businesses have shuttered and 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment. On Monday, hamburger chain Shake Shack Inc said it would return the small business loan it received from the government, the first major firm to hand back money. On Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said "very clear guidelines" would be released to clarify what companies are eligible for the stimulus funds. "The intent [of the program] was not for companies that have access to plenty of liquidity and other sources," he said. "To the extent these companies didn`t understand this and they repay the loans, that will be OK. And, if not, there will be potentially other consequence," he said. More aid may be coming soon. The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved $484 billion in fresh relief for U.S. businesses and hospitals hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, sending the measure to the House of Representatives for final passage later this week. Also read | Trump not happy over Harvard receiving millions in coronavirus aid, wants it back

Harvard plans to keep stimulus grant after Trump vows it will be returned

Dr Charles Lieber was allegedly setting up a lab in Wuhan. He was arrested by the American authorities earlier this year. Is the arrest of a Harvard professor somehow linked to the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak?

Gravitas: Harvard professor linked to the Coronavirus outbreak?

A video is making a lot of buzz which claims that the US has found the man who made and sold coronavirus to China. Doctor Charles Lieber, a Harvard professor, was blamed in the video for sending the coronavirus which has become humanity's greatest tragedy since the second world war.&nbsp;

However, it turns out, that the video is fake and old and WION confirmed the video's veracity was before on January 29.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gravitas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gravitas</a> | Dr Charles Lieber was allegedly setting up a lab in Wuhan. He was arrested by the American authorities earlier this year. 
Is the arrest of a Harvard professor somehow linked to the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak? <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a> brings you a fact check. <a href="https://t.co/GWZ9uEB33w">pic.twitter.com/GWZ9uEB33w</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1247238142094200833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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So who is Dr. Lieber and what is his story?

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-new-york-shutdown-extended-till-april-29-as-us-death-toll-crosses-10000-290979">Coronavirus: New York shutdown extended till April 29 as US death toll crosses 10,000</a>

Lieber is a nanoscientist, who develops small or nanomaterials. He heads Harvard University's Chemistry and Biology department and has been affiliated with the university since 1991.&nbsp;

The doctor is arrested, but not on April 5 as claimed in the video but this January.&nbsp;

He has been charged not for coronavirus, but for aiding China in a case of financial conflict of interest.&nbsp;

In China, there is an assistance program called "Thousand Talent Plans" for aiding foreign experts, who bring knowledge to the country.

Reportedly, the program also rewards individuals who steal proprietary information.

The complaint against Lieber says that he lied to Harvard and the government about his involvement with the Talents Plan. It says that Lieber was associated with the program from at least 2012 to 2017. His contract included a salary as high as $5000 a month, living expenses of nearly $150,000 per year and another $1.5 million for the establishment of a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Technology.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
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A video is making a lot of buzz which claims that the US has found the man who made and sold coronavirus to China. Doctor Charles Lieber, a Harvard professor, was blamed in the video for sending the coronavirus which has become humanity's greatest tragedy since the second world war.

A video is making a lot of buzz which claims that the US has found the man who made and sold coronavirus to China. Doctor Charles Lieber, a Harvard professor, was blamed in the video for sending the coronavirus which has become humanity's greatest tragedy since the second world war. However, it turns out, that the video is fake and old and WION confirmed the video's veracity was before on January 29. #Gravitas | Dr Charles Lieber was allegedly setting up a lab in Wuhan. He was arrested by the American authorities earlier this year. Is the arrest of a Harvard professor somehow linked to the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak? @palkisu brings you a fact check. pic.twitter.com/GWZ9uEB33w — WION (@WIONews) April 6, 2020 × So who is Dr. Lieber and what is his story? Also read | Coronavirus: New York shutdown extended till April 29 as US death toll crosses 10,000 Lieber is a nanoscientist, who develops small or nanomaterials. He heads Harvard University's Chemistry and Biology department and has been affiliated with the university since 1991. The doctor is arrested, but not on April 5 as claimed in the video but this January. He has been charged not for coronavirus, but for aiding China in a case of financial conflict of interest. In China, there is an assistance program called "Thousand Talent Plans" for aiding foreign experts, who bring knowledge to the country. Reportedly, the program also rewards individuals who steal proprietary information. The complaint against Lieber says that he lied to Harvard and the government about his involvement with the Talents Plan. It says that Lieber was associated with the program from at least 2012 to 2017. His contract included a salary as high as $5000 a month, living expenses of nearly $150,000 per year and another $1.5 million for the establishment of a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Technology.

WION fact check: Did Harvard doctor sell coronavirus to China?

Ivy League universities such as Harvard and Yale are now being investigated by the US Department of Education on suspicion that they received undisclosed funds from foreign countries.

Ivy League universities such as Harvard and Yale are now being investigated by the US Department of Education on suspicion that they received undisclosed funds from foreign countries. As per reports, elite schools are not fully reporting hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign gifts and contracts. Responses are allegedly being prepared by both universities for the government. This precedes a clampdown on monetary transactions between academic institutions and foreign entities, for universities are required under US law to report all gifts and contracts from foreign sources above $250,000. Similar letters were sent in November by the Department of Education to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Maryland, demanding information on contracts with foreign structures. Department of Education has reportedly discovered upwards of 6.6 billion dollars since July in the form of previously unreleased gifts from nations including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, and the United Arab Emirates. The figure is reported to be significantly underestimated and officials have previously described overseas spending at US universities as a “black hole," warning that such money can come with strings attached. US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stated that this is about transparency. "If colleges and universities are accepting foreign money and gifts, their students, donors, and taxpayers deserve to know how much and from whom.” Unfortunately, more and more shreds of evidence about universities underreporting or not reporting foreign funds at all are discovered the longer this investigation continues. Yale has decided not to disclose foreign funding for the past four years, per reports from the Department of Education. The university is suspected of failing to disclose at least $ 375 million in foreign gifts and contracts. The agency has reportedly expressed concern about Harvard not having “appropriate institutional controls over foreign money” which led to its inability to report on foreign gifts and contracts. Department of Education sent letters to Ivy League universities and called on them to provide names and addresses of foreign sources involved in contracts and gifts, as well as the events financed since August 2013. Yale was ordered to release similar information on foreign contributions, while Harvard was requested to disclose records concerning the governments of China, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and companies including Chinese technology giant Huawei. Department of Education noted that American universities were utilised "to disseminate propaganda in the interests of the authorities of other countries.” Additionally, the government expressed concerns that other States may fund American universities to gather confidential information. First in the list of threats were Russia and China, per the new National Counterintelligence Strategy of the US for 2020–2022. Other nations on the list included Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Hezbollah movement, the Islamic State terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda and more. The countries mentioned above are reportedly using sophisticated tools such as autonomous systems, biometric devices, advanced encryption, surveillance systems to use information as a strategic resource to achieve their goals in the field of economic security and put pressure on their competitors. Active steps from the opposition can allegedly undermine the military advantage of the United States as well as the credibility and authenticity of American products and services. To deal with this threat, the counterintelligence branch has decided to increase the level of protection offered to critical infrastructure, diminish the number of threats to key supply chains and counter the cyber and technical activities of foreign intelligence, among other goals. US authorities have recently begun to demand the implementation of a rule that orders American universities to notify authorities of foreign contracts and gifts in the amount of $ 250,000 and more. A large-scale program aimed at strengthening control over the finances of American higher education institutions is the headstone of this investigation, involving States whose policies run contrary to America and have been plotting to win over the best minds of the country. US Department of Energy issued a ban on full-time employees working with colleagues from other countries as the groundwork in the United States could be used by them in particularly sensitive projects. Workers who continue to maintain such ties will be asked to sever them or resign, per reports. Recognized leaders in their respective scientific fields will be affected by the ban, as their access to technological developments of interest to foreign governments will be affected. The United States will be protected from data leakages to nations posing a threat to the US.

375 million dollars from foreign countries to Ivy League schools, US Department of Education investigates

The United States has been sceptical about China spying on its technological advances.

According to reports, three people have been federally indicted in three separate cases for allegedly lying about their involvement with the Chinese government.

The three individuals include two Chinese nationals and an American Harvard University professor.

US federal authorities say the cases highlight the threat posed by China and how Beijing was using academics and researchers to steal American research and technology.

The chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology department, Doctor Charles Lieber, has been accused of lying about working with several Chinese organisations.&nbsp;

Lieber failed to disclose his affiliation with the Wuhan university of technology. It is reported that Liber's research group at the Harvard receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and also the department of defence.

This makes Lieber disclose any such foreign affiliations.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-charged-in-us-with-spying-on-twitter-users-for-saudi-arabia-260428">Three charged in US with spying on Twitter users for Saudi Arabia</a>

Lieber also had a contract with a Chinese talent recruitment plan to attract high-level scientists into China.&nbsp;

Harvard has called the charges "extremely serious" and has placed him on indefinite administrative leave.

In a separate indictment, a 29-year-old Chinese national, Yanqing Ye, has been charged on several accounts.

She has been accused of visa fraud, conspiring against the US and also being an unregistered Chinese agent.

Yangqing came to the US on a student visa and was working as a scientific researcher at Boston University.

US authorities say she had falsely identified herself as a student.

Besides this, Yangqing didn't tell her military service with the Chinese PLA.&nbsp;

Yangqing has been accused of sharing crucial military information with the government of China. She is currently in China but faces an indictment in the US.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-china-spy-concerns-australia-launches-anti-espionage-task-force-265625">Amid China spy concerns, Australia launches anti-espionage task force</a>

The third case also involves a Chinese national. Zaosong Zheng, a cancer researcher, has been indicted for smuggling biological material out of the US into China.

Zaosong was arrested and charged last month. He has been under police detention since December 30.

US Attorney Andrew Lelling has said that the emergence of three such cases together is not a coincidence.

He described this as a small sample of China's ongoing campaign to siphon off American technology.

Last year in November, two former Twitter employees and a third man were charged in San Francisco Federal Court with spying on Twitter users critical of the Saudi royal family, the US Justice Department announced.

The two Saudis and one US citizen allegedly worked together to unmask the ownership details behind dissident Twitter accounts on behalf of the government in Riyadh and the royal family, the department said.

"The criminal complaint unsealed today alleges that Saudi agents mined Twitter's internal systems for personal information about known Saudi critics and thousands of other Twitter users," said US Attorney David Anderson.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has been sceptical about China spying on its technological advances. According to reports, three people have been federally indicted in three separate cases for allegedly lying about their involvement with the Chinese government.

The United States has been sceptical about China spying on its technological advances. According to reports, three people have been federally indicted in three separate cases for allegedly lying about their involvement with the Chinese government. The three individuals include two Chinese nationals and an American Harvard University professor. US federal authorities say the cases highlight the threat posed by China and how Beijing was using academics and researchers to steal American research and technology. The chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology department, Doctor Charles Lieber, has been accused of lying about working with several Chinese organisations. Lieber failed to disclose his affiliation with the Wuhan university of technology. It is reported that Liber's research group at the Harvard receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and also the department of defence. This makes Lieber disclose any such foreign affiliations. Also read: Three charged in US with spying on Twitter users for Saudi Arabia Lieber also had a contract with a Chinese talent recruitment plan to attract high-level scientists into China. Harvard has called the charges "extremely serious" and has placed him on indefinite administrative leave. In a separate indictment, a 29-year-old Chinese national, Yanqing Ye, has been charged on several accounts. She has been accused of visa fraud, conspiring against the US and also being an unregistered Chinese agent. Yangqing came to the US on a student visa and was working as a scientific researcher at Boston University. US authorities say she had falsely identified herself as a student. Besides this, Yangqing didn't tell her military service with the Chinese PLA. Yangqing has been accused of sharing crucial military information with the government of China. She is currently in China but faces an indictment in the US. Also read: Amid China spy concerns, Australia launches anti-espionage task force The third case also involves a Chinese national. Zaosong Zheng, a cancer researcher, has been indicted for smuggling biological material out of the US into China. Zaosong was arrested and charged last month. He has been under police detention since December 30. US Attorney Andrew Lelling has said that the emergence of three such cases together is not a coincidence. He described this as a small sample of China's ongoing campaign to siphon off American technology. Last year in November, two former Twitter employees and a third man were charged in San Francisco Federal Court with spying on Twitter users critical of the Saudi royal family, the US Justice Department announced. The two Saudis and one US citizen allegedly worked together to unmask the ownership details behind dissident Twitter accounts on behalf of the government in Riyadh and the royal family, the department said. "The criminal complaint unsealed today alleges that Saudi agents mined Twitter's internal systems for personal information about known Saudi critics and thousands of other Twitter users," said US Attorney David Anderson. (With inputs from agencies)

US charges Harvard and Boston academics for spying, links with China

US charges Harvard, Boston academics for spying, links with China

Harvard University expressed remorse on Friday for accepting millions of dollars in gifts from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jeffrey-epstein-accusers-detail-sexual-abuse-claims-in-emotional-court-hearing-246133">Jeffrey Epstein</a> in the years before his 2008 sex crimes conviction and said it regretted its association with the disgraced financier.

Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said Epstein donated about $9 million to the university between 1998 and 2007 before Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges in 2008. Harvard said it knowingly rejected a gift from Epstein in 2008 following his conviction, but that its internal review is still ongoing.

"Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes were repulsive and reprehensible," Bacow said in a letter addressed the university community. "I profoundly regret Harvard’s past association with him."

The university's statement came a day after revelations that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had accepted gifts from Epstein after his Florida conviction on prostitution so long as the donations remained anonymous.

MIT's president acknowledged the donations on Thursday and said he signed a thank-you letter to Epstein in 2012.

Harvard added that it will donate the total unspent balance of $186,000 to organizations that support victims of human trafficking and sexual assault.

"This is an unusual step for the university, but we have decided it is the proper course of action under the circumstances of Epstein’s egregiously repugnant crimes," Bacow said.

Epstein was arrested on July 6 on federal charges for sex trafficking. Prosecutors said he recruited dozens of underage girls to give him massages and then sexually abused them. Epstein pleaded not guilty.

The wealthy 66-year-old money manager was found dead on Aug. 10 in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan. An autopsy concluded that he hanged himself.

Harvard University expressed remorse on Friday for accepting millions of dollars in gifts from Jeffrey Epstein in the years before his 2008 sex crimes conviction and said it regretted its association with the disgraced financier.

Harvard University expressed remorse on Friday for accepting millions of dollars in gifts from Jeffrey Epstein in the years before his 2008 sex crimes conviction and said it regretted its association with the disgraced financier. Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said Epstein donated about $9 million to the university between 1998 and 2007 before Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges in 2008. Harvard said it knowingly rejected a gift from Epstein in 2008 following his conviction, but that its internal review is still ongoing. "Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes were repulsive and reprehensible," Bacow said in a letter addressed the university community. "I profoundly regret Harvard’s past association with him." The university's statement came a day after revelations that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had accepted gifts from Epstein after his Florida conviction on prostitution so long as the donations remained anonymous. MIT's president acknowledged the donations on Thursday and said he signed a thank-you letter to Epstein in 2012. Harvard added that it will donate the total unspent balance of $186,000 to organizations that support victims of human trafficking and sexual assault. "This is an unusual step for the university, but we have decided it is the proper course of action under the circumstances of Epstein’s egregiously repugnant crimes," Bacow said. Epstein was arrested on July 6 on federal charges for sex trafficking. Prosecutors said he recruited dozens of underage girls to give him massages and then sexually abused them. Epstein pleaded not guilty. The wealthy 66-year-old money manager was found dead on Aug. 10 in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan. An autopsy concluded that he hanged himself.

Harvard University says it accepted gifts from Epstein before 2008 sex-crime conviction

An Indian-American woman has been elected as the president of the powerful student’s body of the prestigious Harvard University. Sruthi Palaniappan, 20, whose parents migrated to the US from Chennai in 1992, was elected as president of the Harvard University Undergraduate Council.&nbsp;

Her running mate Julia Huesa, 20, was elected as vice president, according to an announcement by the Undergraduate Council Election Commission.

Palaniappan said the duo planned to work on improving the Council’s communication with the student body in their initial days in office. “I think from the onset, better structuring the way we communicate with students is something that we need to already set the tone and plan for,” she said. “I think we’re going to work on it before we even leave for break and just get off the ground running,” she told Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper of the varsity. Palaniappan was the youngest delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July 2016.

According to report, Palaniappan and Huesa garnered nearly 41.5 per cent of the votes as against their nearest opponent Nadine M Khoury and Arnav Agrawal, who received 26.6 per cent of the votes. They ran their campaign under the slogan “make Harvard home”.

The duo, a long-time member of the Undergraduate Council, are scheduled to take over from the outgoing president Catherine L Zhang ’19 and vice president Nicholas D Boucher ’19. Palaniappan is currently the council’s education committee chair.

An Indian-American woman has been elected as the president of the powerful student’s body of the prestigious Harvard University. Sruthi Palaniappan, 20, whose parents migrated to the US from Chennai in 1992, was elected as president of the Harvard University Undergraduate Council.

An Indian-American woman has been elected as the president of the powerful student’s body of the prestigious Harvard University. Sruthi Palaniappan, 20, whose parents migrated to the US from Chennai in 1992, was elected as president of the Harvard University Undergraduate Council. Her running mate Julia Huesa, 20, was elected as vice president, according to an announcement by the Undergraduate Council Election Commission. Palaniappan said the duo planned to work on improving the Council’s communication with the student body in their initial days in office. “I think from the onset, better structuring the way we communicate with students is something that we need to already set the tone and plan for,” she said. “I think we’re going to work on it before we even leave for break and just get off the ground running,” she told Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper of the varsity. Palaniappan was the youngest delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July 2016. According to report, Palaniappan and Huesa garnered nearly 41.5 per cent of the votes as against their nearest opponent Nadine M Khoury and Arnav Agrawal, who received 26.6 per cent of the votes. They ran their campaign under the slogan “make Harvard home”. The duo, a long-time member of the Undergraduate Council, are scheduled to take over from the outgoing president Catherine L Zhang ’19 and vice president Nicholas D Boucher ’19. Palaniappan is currently the council’s education committee chair.

Indian-American woman, Sruthi Palaniappan elected president of Harvard student body

Harvard University <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-govt-accuses-harvard-of-discriminating-against-asian-applicants-162591">discriminates against Asian-American applicants</a> in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial.

The non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston pits the Ivy League school against Students for Fair Admissions, whose 2014 lawsuit challenges the use of race as a factor in college admissions decisions.

SFFA, which is headed by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, claims that Harvard illegally engages in "racial balancing" that artificially limits the number of Asian-American students at the elite school.

Even statistics showed Asian-Americans applicants outperformed other racial groups on academic measures, yet that was not necessarily borne out on Harvard's campus, Adam Mortara, a lawyer for SFFA, said in his opening statement.

Harvard pushes down the scores Asian-Americans receive on "personal" rating that measures an applicant's subjective likability, grit and positivity and improperly allows race to play a factor in those scores, Mortara said.

"There's no other possible explanation," he said.

Harvard was expected to deliver its own opening statement later on Monday. It denies discriminating against Asian-Americans, saying their rates of admission have grown significantly since 2010.

The lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, could eventually reach the Supreme Court, giving the newly cemented five-member conservative majority a chance to bar the use of affirmative action to help minority applicants get into college.

Conservatives argue that affirmative action, which aims to offset historic patterns of racial discrimination, hurts white people and Asian-Americans, who outperform other minority groups on academic measures.

SFFA alleges that despite strong scores on a variety of academic and extracurricular measures, Asian-American applicants received the lowest score of any group on a subjective "personal" rating assigned by Harvard admissions officials.

Asian-Americans, who represent about 6 percent of the U.S. population, comprise 23 percent of Harvard's current freshman class.

Harvard also notes that the Supreme Court has previously held that colleges have an interest in enrolling diverse groups of students and may consider race as one factor among many when reviewing applications.

The U.S. Justice Department, which launched a related probe of Harvard after Republican President Donald Trump's election, has backed SFFA's case, saying that Harvard has not seriously considered alternative, race-neutral approaches to admissions.

The Justice Department last month launched a similar investigation into whether Yale University also discriminates against Asian-Americans, an allegation it denies. 
&nbsp;

Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American applicants in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial.

Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American applicants in order to illegally limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a closely watched trial. The non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston pits the Ivy League school against Students for Fair Admissions, whose 2014 lawsuit challenges the use of race as a factor in college admissions decisions. SFFA, which is headed by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, claims that Harvard illegally engages in "racial balancing" that artificially limits the number of Asian-American students at the elite school. Even statistics showed Asian-Americans applicants outperformed other racial groups on academic measures, yet that was not necessarily borne out on Harvard's campus, Adam Mortara, a lawyer for SFFA, said in his opening statement. Harvard pushes down the scores Asian-Americans receive on "personal" rating that measures an applicant's subjective likability, grit and positivity and improperly allows race to play a factor in those scores, Mortara said. "There's no other possible explanation," he said. Harvard was expected to deliver its own opening statement later on Monday. It denies discriminating against Asian-Americans, saying their rates of admission have grown significantly since 2010. The lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, could eventually reach the Supreme Court, giving the newly cemented five-member conservative majority a chance to bar the use of affirmative action to help minority applicants get into college. Conservatives argue that affirmative action, which aims to offset historic patterns of racial discrimination, hurts white people and Asian-Americans, who outperform other minority groups on academic measures. SFFA alleges that despite strong scores on a variety of academic and extracurricular measures, Asian-American applicants received the lowest score of any group on a subjective "personal" rating assigned by Harvard admissions officials. Asian-Americans, who represent about 6 percent of the U.S. population, comprise 23 percent of Harvard's current freshman class. Harvard also notes that the Supreme Court has previously held that colleges have an interest in enrolling diverse groups of students and may consider race as one factor among many when reviewing applications. The U.S. Justice Department, which launched a related probe of Harvard after Republican President Donald Trump's election, has backed SFFA's case, saying that Harvard has not seriously considered alternative, race-neutral approaches to admissions. The Justice Department last month launched a similar investigation into whether Yale University also discriminates against Asian-Americans, an allegation it denies.

'Harvard discriminates against Asian-Americans'

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, returned&nbsp;to Harvard University, the school he dropped out of to start the pioneering social network. In his speech to the graduating class,&nbsp;he&nbsp;urged&nbsp;them to help create a new social safety net to allow creative risk-taking.

The thirty-three-year-old tech founder of the world&#39;s largest social networking company said he would never have been able to risk leaving the elite ivy league school if he had not known that his family would have been able to support him if he failed.

&quot;There is something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in 10 years when millions of students can&#39;t afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business,&quot; Zuckerberg told the graduates.

&quot;When you don&#39;t have the freedom to take your idea and turn it into a historic enterprise we all lose,&quot; said Zuckerberg, who was also named an honorary doctor of laws.

He offered no specific solutions to the problems he highlighted, but urged graduates to contemplate them.

Since its launch in 2004, Facebook has inspired a host of competitors, including Twitter Inc and Snapchat.

Today some 1.9 billion people use Facebook each month. Its broad reach has made the company a lightning rod for controversy, most recently for the ways that producers of fake news stories used it to influence public opinion during the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election, and for a pair of incidents last month in which users posted videos of two murders, one of them live.

The Menlo Park, California-based company has vowed to tackle both problems and this month said it will hire 3,000 new workers to speed up the removal of videos depicting murder, suicide, and other violent acts. 
Earlier in the day the website of the school&#39;s student newspaper, The Crimson&nbsp;was briefly filled with satirical headlines about Zuckerberg. The newspaper on Twitter apologised to its readers for the incident.

Zuckerberg&#39;s speech was not the first time a successful dropout returned to the campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to address graduates. Microsoft Corp&nbsp;co-founder Bill Gates spoke to graduates in 2007.

(Reuters)

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gave a speech at Harvard University urging graduates to help create a new social safety net

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, returned to Harvard University, the school he dropped out of to start the pioneering social network. In his speech to the graduating class, he urged them to help create a new social safety net to allow creative risk-taking. The thirty-three-year-old tech founder of the world's largest social networking company said he would never have been able to risk leaving the elite ivy league school if he had not known that his family would have been able to support him if he failed. "There is something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in 10 years when millions of students can't afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business," Zuckerberg told the graduates. "When you don't have the freedom to take your idea and turn it into a historic enterprise we all lose," said Zuckerberg, who was also named an honorary doctor of laws. He offered no specific solutions to the problems he highlighted, but urged graduates to contemplate them. Since its launch in 2004, Facebook has inspired a host of competitors, including Twitter Inc and Snapchat. Today some 1.9 billion people use Facebook each month. Its broad reach has made the company a lightning rod for controversy, most recently for the ways that producers of fake news stories used it to influence public opinion during the 2016 US presidential election, and for a pair of incidents last month in which users posted videos of two murders, one of them live. The Menlo Park, California-based company has vowed to tackle both problems and this month said it will hire 3,000 new workers to speed up the removal of videos depicting murder, suicide, and other violent acts. Earlier in the day the website of the school's student newspaper, The Crimson was briefly filled with satirical headlines about Zuckerberg. The newspaper on Twitter apologised to its readers for the incident. Zuckerberg's speech was not the first time a successful dropout returned to the campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to address graduates. Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates spoke to graduates in 2007. (Reuters)

Mark Zuckerberg urges Harvard grads to contemplate risk

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