Latest news with #ColumbiaUniversity
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Mahmoud Khalil, free speech rights and the legal battle ahead
Farbiarz said on June 20 that there was no evidence that Khalil, a Columbia University graduate, would be a flight risk or danger to the community if he was released. The administration has cited a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 in its effort to deport Khalil, a lawful permanent resident who was born in Syria. The clause allows the secretary of state to remove individuals from the country if they have reason to believe the person's actions or presence undermines foreign policy interests. Earlier in June, Farbiarz said the application of the provision to Khalil's case violated his First Amendment right to free speech. Trump has referred to Khalil as a "radical, foreign, pro-Hamas student." Khalil's lawyers have said there is no evidence he supports the organization, which the federal government has long designated as a terror group. David Keating, president of the Institute for Free Speech, said he doesn't think international students or visa holders should "take any comfort from (Khalil's release) at all." While Khalil's case garnered publicity and resources for his defense, Keating said that may not be the case for others if the Trump administration targets student protesters at a larger scale. The administration's actions thus far stand to have a "pretty stark" chilling effect on students, he said, adding that they may prompt some to reconsider their plans to study in the U.S. "I think we're sending a really bad lesson about freedoms in America," Keating said. "We should be a beacon of freedom to the world, and I think one way to do that is to let even temporary visitors express their political views." White House says Khalil's case is 'not about free speech' The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) similarly believes the "fight for free speech is far from over," according to FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick. The organization filed an amicus brief in support of Khalil that said Secretary of State Marco Rubio having the authority to deport non-citizens based on his sole assessment "places free expression in mortal peril." Farbiarz ruled against granting Rubio such authority earlier in June, saying that the government's actions were chilling Khalil's right to free speech and negatively impacting his career and reputation, which "adds up to irreparable harm." White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told USA TODAY that Khalil's case was "not about 'free speech.'" "This is about individuals who don't have a right to be in the United States siding with Hamas terrorists and organizing group protests that made college campuses unsafe and harassed Jewish students," Jackson said, adding that the administration "expect(s) to be vindicated on appeal" and "look(s) forward to removing Khalil from the United States." While Fitzpatrick said individuals who disagree with the administration's stance and actions toward Khalil can write to Congress or attend rallies to make their voices heard, the fate of student protesters like Khalil ultimately lies in judges' hands. "Realistically, a lot of this is going to have to be resolved in the courts," he said. "There's only so much activism can do on that front." ACLU lawyer says Khalil's case has 'McCarthyite overtones' The American Civil Liberties Union, which is part of Khalil's legal counsel, was "overjoyed" by his release, but the organization said its celebration is tempered by the reality of the long legal road ahead. "I'd say this is a victory in a critically important battle, but it's a long war and we intend to fight it all the way through," ACLU attorney Brian Hauss told USA TODAY. Hauss noted that the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed noncitizens' right to First Amendment protections in 1945's Bridges v. Wixon decision. The case surrounded the government's attempt to deport a man based on his alleged affiliation with the Communist Party. There are "similar McCarthyite overtones" in Khalil's case, Hauss said, referencing the senator who spearheaded the government's anticommunist crusade. While it's "certainly possible" that a deportation case involving student protesters could end up at the Supreme Court, which has reversed long-standing rulings such as Roe v. Wade in recent years, Hauss said he's optimistic the court would rule in their favor given its rulings upholding the First Amendment in recent years. "For the Supreme Court to step back from those freedoms would be truly surprising, and I hope I'm not surprised," he said. Another high-profile case related to Khalil's surrounds Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was arrested in Boston in March after writing a pro-Palestinian opinion article that criticized the school's response to the Israel-Gaza war in its student newspaper. A federal judge in Vermont ordered Ozturk to be released in May. Contributing: Hannan Adely and Michael Loria BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.
Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Wexford author Colm Tóibín awarded prestigous honorary degree from Oxford University
On Wednesday, June 25, Tóibín was awarded the honorary degree of Doctors of Letters for his contribution to literature and journalism from the University of Oxford. The degree honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of literature, the creative arts, and humanities. The university outlined the long list of accomplishments that made him eligible for the coveted award. "Professor Colm Tóibín, FRSL is an Irish novelist, writer, journalist and academic. He currently serves as the Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University. Professor Tóibín's work has been widely recognised and shortlisted for the Booker Prize three times. His novel Brooklyn (2009) was also adapted into an Oscar-nominated film. Professor Tóibín is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was appointed Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024 and in 2023 was awarded the Bodley Medal,' they said. Being awarded at the private ceremony alongside him was Dame Jacinda Ardern, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Clive Myrie, Professor Serhii Plokhii, Professor Timothy Snyder, Sir Mo Farah, Professor Robert S Langer and Professor Erwin Neher. On the morning of the ceremony, the heads of colleges, university dignitaries, holders of the Oxford degrees of Doctor of Divinity, Civil Law, Medicine, Letters, Science, and Music, and the honorands assemble, in full academic dress, in one of the colleges, where they enjoy Lord Crewe's Benefaction. They then walk in procession to the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street. The University dignitaries enter the theatre in procession; those who are to receive honorary degrees wait in the Divinity School where they sign their names in the Honorary Degrees Book. They are then escorted into the theatre by the Bedels. Once the proceedings have been opened by the Chancellor, each honorand is introduced by the Public Orator with a speech in Latin and admitted to his or her new degree by the Chancellor. The Orator then delivers the Creweian Oration on the events of the past year and in commemoration of the University's benefactors. In alternate years the Professor of Poetry delivers the second part of this speech. For over 100 years All Souls College has hosted a lunch after the ceremony for the honorands, their guests, and other senior members of the collegiate University and the local community. This is then followed by a garden party hosted by the Vice-Chancellor.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A new AI breakthrough helped one couple get pregnant after 19 years—here's what it could mean for others
For nearly 19 years, Rosie and her husband tried to grow their family. Their journey spanned 15 IVF cycles, countless doctor visits, and emotional highs and lows that left them exhausted but still hopeful. Each attempt came with the quiet ache of disappointment. Still, they held onto their dream. In March 2025, something changed. Doctors at Columbia University Fertility Center helped the couple achieve what had always felt just out of reach—a successful pregnancy. What made the difference wasn't a new medication or procedure, but a scientific advance that sounded almost improbable: artificial intelligence. A novel AI-powered tool, developed by a team led by Dr. Zev Williams, found what doctors had never been able to detect in her husband's semen sample—viable sperm. That discovery led to the first pregnancy in the world using this new technology. Fertility care has long focused on women, despite male factors contributing to nearly 40% of infertility cases. Azoospermia—a condition where no sperm are found in the ejaculate—is among the most challenging to treat. Even with advanced microscopes, sperm can be nearly impossible to detect, and options are often limited to surgery or donor sperm. For many couples, especially those with religious or cultural reasons to avoid donor conception, that leaves few alternatives. This gap in care reflects deeper assumptions in reproductive medicine, where male fertility is often underexamined. The system, called STAR, is designed specifically to help address cases of azoospermia in a noninvasive and sperm-preserving way—offering a long-overdue shift in how male infertility is approached. Related: The Truth about Men's Infertility To tackle azoospermia, researchers at Columbia University developed a system called STAR (Sperm Track and Recovery). It uses artificial intelligence and a microfluidic chip to scan millions of microscopic images, identifying and isolating rare sperm that would otherwise go unnoticed. If sperm are detected, the system isolates and collects them—gently enough for use in IVF. In tests, STAR found dozens of sperm in samples that human embryologists had spent days analyzing without success. The inspiration came from astronomy, where AI helps spot new stars in a sky full of noise. Here, the system scans semen samples with similar precision. When STAR detects sperm, it diverts that tiny portion for collection—preserving viable cells for fertilization. In one early test, embryologists spent two days combing through a sample without success. STAR found 44 sperm in under an hour. It's opening doors for couples who were once told they had no options—offering more than just speed. This marks the first reported case where AI has been used not only to detect sperm in complex samples, but also to physically recover them for use in fertility treatment—offering new hope to families who previously had few or no options. Related: It's time to stop calling infertility a women's health issue For nearly two decades, Rosie and her husband dreamed of starting a family. After 15 unsuccessful IVF cycles and years of searching for answers, they were told that her husband's azoospermia left them with few options beyond using donor sperm—something they weren't ready to accept. Then they heard about STAR. Through a community group, Rosie connected with Dr. Zev Williams' team and learned about the new AI technology. For the first time, there was a tool that could potentially find viable sperm in a noninvasive, chemical-free way. That was enough to give them the courage to try one more cycle. This time, STAR found sperm—enough to fertilize Rosie's eggs. Just days later, she got the call she never thought she'd receive: she was pregnant. Now four months along, she says she still wakes up in disbelief. But the scans are real—and so is her baby. Related: The powerful documentary 'One More Shot' captures infertility on film like never before The success of STAR marks a technological milestone and signals a new frontier in understanding and treating infertility. Traditionally, couples facing azoospermia had few options beyond donor sperm. Now, STAR offers a potential path forward by making it possible to locate and retrieve even extremely rare sperm without damaging them. Here's what STAR could mean for the future of fertility care: Faster, more precise sperm selection: STAR scans millions of frames per hour, identifying and isolating viable sperm in real time. Expanded options for couples facing male-factor infertility: The technology may help those who were previously told they had no viable options. Less reliance on invasive or costly procedures: By improving sperm detection, STAR could reduce the need for more aggressive interventions. A shift in how infertility is approached clinically: STAR's success could signal a broader rethinking of diagnostic and treatment pathways. Potential to democratize access to advanced fertility care: As the technology becomes more scalable, it may increase availability and affordability. As Dr. Zev Williams explains, this AI doesn't replace the human touch; it extends it. With STAR, the goal is to give couples facing daunting odds a better chance—something that's long felt out of reach. AI is quietly transforming the way fertility challenges are understood and treated. Tools like STAR aren't science fiction—they're already helping families who've spent years navigating heartbreak and uncertainty. By spotting what even the most skilled eyes can miss, AI is opening new doors in cases that once seemed hopeless. For parents and parents-to-be, this isn't just about technology—it's about renewed possibility. As research continues, innovations like STAR could offer more families the chance to grow, with less guesswork and more hope.
San Francisco Chronicle
21 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
How Zohran Mamdani's win in the New York City mayoral primary could ripple across the country
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Lincoln Mitchell, Columbia University (THE CONVERSATION) Top Republicans and Democrats alike are talking about the sudden rise of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a state representative who won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York on June 24, 2025, in a surprising victory over more established politicians. While President Donald Trump quickly came out swinging with personal attacks against Mamdani, some establishment Democratic politicians say they are concerned about how the democratic socialist's progressive politics could harm the broader Democratic Party and cause it to lose more centrist voters. New York is a unique American city, with a diverse population and historically liberal politics. So, does a primary mayoral election in New York serve as any kind of harbinger of what could come in the rest of the country? Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Lincoln Mitchell, a political strategy and campaign specialist who lectures at Columbia University, to understand what Mamdani's primary win might indicate about the direction of national politics. Does Mamdani's primary win offer any indication of how the Democratic Party might be transforming on a national level? Mamdani's win is clearly a rebuke of the more corporate wing of the Democratic Party. I know there are people who say that New York is different from the rest of the country. But from a political perspective, Democrats in New York are less different from Democrats in the rest of country than they used to be. That's because the rest of America is so much more diverse than it used to be. But if you look at progressive politicians now in the House of Representatives and state legislatures, they are being elected from all over – not just in big cities like New York anymore. Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York, ran an absolutely terrible mayoral campaign. He tried to build a political coalition that is no longer a winning one, which was made up of majorities of African Americans, outer-borough white New Yorkers and orthodox and conservative Jews. Thirty or 40 years ago, that was a powerful coalition. Today, it could not make up a majority. Mamdani visualized and created what a 2025 progressive coalition looks like in New York and recognized that it is going to look different than the past. Mamdani's coalition was based around young, white people – many of them with college degrees who are worried about affordability – ideological lefties and immigrants from parts of the Global South, including the Caribbean and parts of Africa, South Asia and South America. When you say a new kind of political coalition, what policy priorities bring Mamdani's supporters together? Mamdani reframed what I would call redistributive economic policies that have long been central to the progressive agenda. A pillar of his campaign is affordability – a brilliant piece of political marketing because who is against affordability? He came up with some affordability-related policies that got enough buzz, like promising free buses. Free buses are great, but it won't help most working and poor New Yorkers get to work – they take the subway. He has been very critical of Israel and has weathered charges of antisemitism. In the older New York, progressive politicians such as the late Congressman Charlie Rangel were very hawkish on Israel. What Mamdani understood is that in today's America, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party does not care if somebody is, sounds like or comes close to being antisemitic. For those people, calling someone antisemitic sounds Trumpy, and they understand it as a right-wing hit, rather than the legitimate expression of concerns from Jewish people. Some liberals think that claims of antisemitism are simply something done just by those on the right to damage or discredit progressive politicians, but antisemitism is real. Therefore, Mamdani's record on the Jewish issue did not hurt him in the campaign, but he needs to build bridges to Jewish voters, or he will not be able to govern New York City. How else did Mamdani appeal to a base of supporters? He got the support of 'limousine liberals' – including rich, high-profile, progressive people. His supporters include Ella Emhoff, a model and the stepdaughter of Kamala Harris, and the actress Cynthia Nixon, but there were many others. Supporting Mamdani became stylish – almost de rigueur – among certain segments of affluent New York. Mamdani is also a true New Yorker and the voice of a new kind of immigrant. His parents are from Uganda and India. But he is also the child of extreme privilege – his mother, Mira Nair, is a well-known filmmaker, and his father is an accomplished professor. Mamdani went to top schools in New York and knows how to play in elite circles and with white people. He is a Muslim man whose roots are in the Global South, but he is not threatening because he knows how to speak their language. To people of color and immigrants, Mamdani is also one of them. Because of Mamdani's interesting background, he brought the limousine liberals together with the aunties from Bangladesh. Finally, on the charisma scale, Mamdani was so far ahead of other Democratic candidates. Who is going to make better TikTok videos – the good-looking, young man whose mother is a world-famous movie producer, or the older guy who is a loving father and husband but gives off dependable dad, rather than hip young guy, vibes? Is New York City so distinct that you cannot compare politics there to what happens nationwide? I think that nationwide or at the state level there is a potential for something similar to a Mamdani coalition, but not a Mamdani coalition exactly. But in a place like Oklahoma, there are people who are in bad economic shape and who will also respond positively to an affordability-focused, Democratic political campaign. Mamdani remade a progressive New York coalition for this moment. Other progressives politicians should copy the spirit of that and reimagine a winning coalition in their city, state or district. When Trump was campaigning, he focused at least on making groceries cheaper. Mamdani is one of the few Democrats who took the affordability issue back from Trump and addressed it head on and in a much more honest and relevant way. Trump has the phrase, 'Make America Great Again!' That's a popular slogan on baseball caps for Trump supporters. If Mamdani wanted to make a baseball cap, he could just print 'Affordability' on it. Boom. Other Democratic politicians can take that approach of affordability and reframe it in a way that works in Kansas City or elsewhere.
Business Wire
a day ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Foldax Announces Positive One-Year Data on TRIA Mitral Valve
SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foldax® Inc., a leader in the development of innovative polymer heart valves, today announced compelling one-year results from the India Clinical Trial of the TRIA™ Mitral Valve, showing a good safety profile, sustained hemodynamic performance, and statistically significant improvement in patient quality of life. These are the first one-year outcomes ever presented for a multicenter clinical study of a polymer heart valve worldwide. Results were presented today at New York Valves 2025, the annual conference organized by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), and concurrently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). 'It is exciting to see the positive clinical outcomes associated with this novel polymer valve.' Isaac George, M.D., Surgical Director of the Heart Valve Center at Columbia University. Share Key one-year results from the trial showed: No valve-related mortality or reinterventions >50% reduction in mean gradient (9.7 mmHg to 4.5 mmHg) and >90% increase in effective orifice area (0.9 cm² to 1.5 cm²), the highest reported in similar surgical mitral valve studies 24-point improvement in KCCQ score (57.5 to 81.9) and 65% increase in Six-Minute Walk Test distance (298.1 m to 494.8 m), indicating significant improvement in quality of life The prospective, multicenter trial enrolled 67 patients aged 19 to 67 across eight sites in India, with an average age of 42. Notably, 64% were women, and of these, nearly half were of childbearing age, a significantly larger percentage than typically seen in clinical studies. Seventy-three percent of patients had rheumatic heart disease. 'It is exciting to see the positive clinical outcomes associated with this novel polymer valve,' said Isaac George, M.D., Surgical Director of the Heart Valve Center at Columbia University. 'This new type of valve sets out to reimagine how a device can address clinical needs that are underserved by current valve solutions.' 'I am proud to be the principal investigator in India for this groundbreaking trial and represent the highly esteemed clinical investigators who participated in the study,' said Kaushal Pandey, M.D., Principal Investigator of the TRIA Mitral Valve India Clinical Trial and Cardiac Surgeon at P.D. Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai. 'The TRIA Mitral Valve provides hope for Indian patients—including younger patients and many women of childbearing age—for whom current valve options often fall short.' Foldax's vision for its novel polymer heart valves is to address the limitations of tissue and mechanical options by making its valves durable, with the future goal of avoiding a requirement for lifelong anticoagulation. TRIA valves incorporate a proprietary polymer—LifePolymer™ —formulated to be calcium-resistant, biostable and biocompatible. The novel polymer material enables TRIA valves to be robotically produced, which is designed to increase manufacturing efficiency and maximize product quality and precision. 'These results validate our strategy of taking heart valve therapy to a new level by bringing innovation to a platform of products that will help patients globally,' said Ken Charhut, CEO of Foldax. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) publication can be viewed at: *The TRIA Mitral Valve is approved for use in India by CDSCO. The TRIA Mitral Valve is for investigational use only and is not available for commercial sale in the U.S. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Foldax is reinventing every aspect of the heart valve—from material to design to manufacturing—to develop surgical and transcatheter valves with the potential to last a lifetime, addressing limitations of tissue and mechanical valves. Foldax investors include Angel Physicians Fund, Biostar Capital, Caltech, Glenview Capital, Kairos Ventures, Memorial Care Innovation Fund and Sayan Bioventures. For more information on the TRIA Mitral Valve and Foldax's commitment to revolutionizing heart valve care, visit
