A hunger strike involving several Yale students in solidarity with Gaza is entering its seventh day, with organisers demanding the university's financial divestment from Israel, among other changes.
Yalies4Palestine, a group recently stripped of its official club status by administrators, announced its plans to begin a hunger strike last Saturday to bolster similar hunger strikes related to the Israel-Gaza war taking place at California State University, UCLA and Stanford University.
“We felt like a hunger strike was really our final option and I think we especially felt called to it because of the famine in Gaza,” one organiser said.
At least six students, one staff member and a Yale graduate taking part are demanding that administrators begin a financial and ideological divestment from Israel, adopt a human rights screening policy for investments, repeal “restrictive free speech policies” and protect students taking part in the strike.
Two of the students involved, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution by administrators, said they'd tried to meet Yale's president Maurie McInnis, but she had not responded.
“The university has very much not engaged with our core demands, and their only interactions with us have been aimed towards offering medical support, both like physical and psychological,” said one of the demonstrators, adding that the group had peacefully gathered in the lobby near the president's office, but were later asked to leave.
“They felt very threatened by our peaceful presence, and then they weaponised that,” the student added, saying that entrances to the building were later locked.
Another demonstrator told The National that Yale College dean Pericles Lewis met the hunger strikers on Wednesday, but the dialogue went nowhere.
“He was very patronising in his response, telling us that we were endangering our own health, and anyone supporting the strike was essentially responsible for any self harm done.”
Yale's media relations team confirmed to The National that Mr Lewis met students, but disagreed on exactly what was said.
“As with other Yale University administrators, Dean Lewis’ foremost concern is for the students’ health and well-being,” read a statement.
“He also sought to have a conversation with the students, who are affiliated with the group Yalies4Palestine, and to bring back what he heard to President Maurie McInnis.”
The demonstrators, however, say that Yale's president is going against precedents set by other US university leaders who have met with demonstrators sympathetic to the plight of millions of Gazans.
“It's pretty damning, I mean you have this leadership position of a billion-dollar corporation and they refuse to meet individuals who have this extreme intention, put their body on the line, what does that say about the institution?” one of the students said.
As for the group's demands for divestment, among other policy changes, Yale said that various committees and high-level staffers at the university have listened to and deliberated similar demands for more than a year.
Yale's statement said divestment has been “formally proposed” through the university’s Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility and Corporation Committee on Investor Responsibility twice in the past two years.
“In both instances, divestment was not recommended for action,” the Yale statement said, adding that it always encourages students to go through the proper processes to try to change policies.
Meanwhile, Israel's total blockade of Gaza continues to block food, water or medicine from entering the enclave.
Some humanitarian agencies have described it as the worst starvation campaign in modern history.
On Wednesday, a new humanitarian foundation said it would begin delivering Gaza aid by the end of May. The UN has criticised the organisation.
Israel's punishing campaign in the enclave – which followed the 2023 attacks by Hamas-led fighters on Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 240 hostages – has killed about 53,000 people and injured at least 118,000.
The war has prompted heightened Islamophobia as well as a spread of anti-Semitism in various parts of the US.
Like other universities, this is not Yale's first controversy over how it has handled students and staff expressing support for Palestine, and it is not its first confrontation with Yalies4Palestine.
Last month, Yale administrators faced criticism after deciding to rescind the student club status of Yalies4Palestine.
Yale said the former club played the role in organising what administrators deemed to be a disruptive protest, an accusation the group has vigorously denied.
Also in April, Yale sacked Helyeh Doutaghi, a scholar of international law who was accused of having connections to terrorism by an artificial intelligence-powered news site, Jewish Onliner.
In a statement to The National, Alden Ferro, a senior associate of public affairs at Yale, said the school repeatedly tried to talk to Ms Doutaghi and her lawyer but she refused to meet to respond to questions.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
