Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Campus unrest over Gaza hit Britain on Friday as universities face a revolt over their ties to Israel.
Dozens of students rallied at University College London, with banners calling it “complicit in genocide” and demanding it “divest from death”.
Under the steps of UCL’s neoclassical main building, students chanted “no more money for Israel’s crimes” and “London students, it’s our time – shut it down for Palestine”.
Activists read out the names of Palestinian academics killed during Israel’s months-long retaliation for Hamas’s attack on October 7.
Students with keffiyehs and Palestinian flags sense a global movement gaining momentum after unrest on US campuses that has also spread to France.
Like their US comrades in tents, activists staged a 34-day occupation of a UCL room that won them an audience with university provost Michael Spence.
On university orders, protesters had their IDs checked at Friday’s protest to keep out strangers – causing tempers to flare with chants of “let us in”.
Students up in arms
The students are vowing to keep up their noisy direct action for as long as their demands are not met.
“There’s lots and lots of support, so we’re really excited about how the movement’s grown,” Rob, a 19-year-old UCL student, told The National over the sound of protesters chanting in the quad.
“We will go through the channels of talking to management, of trying to do things officially,” said the pro-Palestinian protest organiser, who declined to give his last name.
“But we will also disrupt, we will also take things into our own hands. We’re committed to using every possible avenue to end UCL’s complicity with war crimes.”
Student grievances include UCL’s relationships with arms manufacturers and Israeli academics, such as an exchange scheme with Tel Aviv University and the involvement of defence company BAE Systems in an ethics and law centre.
The university has previously clashed with a staff union over what it called "incoherent and disturbing motions" on Israel and Palestine passed at an emergency meeting.
UCL’s careers department “boasts” that many of its engineering graduates go on to work for arms companies, said history student Rob, who said university bosses had so far been “very evasive”.
He said students were “obviously very keen to show our solidarity and support for American protesters”.
“But one thing that these American protesters are very clear on, but we’re clear on too, is the centre of this movement isn’t London or New York or any other city, it is Gaza, it is Palestine,” he said.
“We’re just trying to make sure that we are showing solidarity with protesters in the US but what they’re showing solidarity for are the people of Palestine.”
Protesters in Paris, meanwhile, blocked an entrance to the university Sciences Po on Friday, refusing to back down after a tent “occupation” was broken up by police a day earlier.
Activists at the elite university, whose alumni include French President Emmanuel Macron, said they were "standing on the right side of history" over the war by "occupying the school until our demands are met".
In Berlin, 150 police officers moved to ban a protest camp set up near the German parliament, citing repeated criminal offences. It was not clear whether the activists were students.
Pelosi stunt
Elsewhere in Britain, a visit to Oxford University by former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who were removed by police.
An activist stood up in front of Ms Pelosi’s podium and unfurled a Palestinian flag from his pocket at the Oxford Union, a historic student debating society.
A group called Youth Demand said that “warmongers like Nancy Pelosi are not welcome on university campuses” as it vowed it would “not sit down and be quiet while these people are given platforms”.
Audience members booed and shouted “get out of here” before Ms Pelosi continued her speech despite the interruption, according to footage posted online.
Outside the venue, a crowd of about 250 protesters gathered chanting in support of Palestine.
'More militant action'
At UCL’s gates, activists handed out pocket-sized papers giving people advice on what to do if arrested (say “no comment”).
A group called Movement for Justice handed out flyers calling for “more militant action”, such as occupying universities, banks and arms factories.
“Youth and students are leading this action and winning the support of older activists and teachers,” it said.
While staff and students rallied inside UCL’s walls, ID checks kept out even the most eager campaigners who had walked all around the campus in the hope of sneaking in.
Activists had intended the rally to be open to all and there was concern that the security barrier was a precedent for curbing student activism in Britain.
Patrick Reynolds, one of those denied entry outside, said students “have been the backbone” of the pro-Palestinian movement in Britain and past anti-war campaigns such as that over Vietnam.
He said the Columbia University protests in New York, which have since inspired similar sit-ins across the US, had “badly exposed” the repression of student activism.
“I think Columbia University overdid it and they exposed themselves. People have a right to protest and students have a right to learn how to democratically protest,” he said.
“I think the student movement is likely to escalate in America, and I think students here have been taking a part and will probably continue to take a part until the war is finished.”
The US unrest inspired by Columbia’s tent occupation has continued to spread, with more than 200 people arrested overnight at campus protests Los Angeles, Boston and Austin.
While the White House has said it backs free speech on campus, senior Republicans have echoed Israeli accusations of anti-Semitism and urged President Joe Biden to turn to National Guard troops.
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Not Dark Yet
Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer
Four stars
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
RESULTS
Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
Notable groups (UAE time)
Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm)
Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm)
Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm)
Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm)
Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm)
Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Company%C2%A0profile
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The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
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Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Honeymoonish
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Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
