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Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 13:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

December 8, 2023

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 12:59
A look at the best news photos from around the world.

Set to Win Reelection, Egypt’s Is Authoritarian Leader With Penchant for Bridges

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 12:23
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has been criticized as a despot for crushing opposition lingering from a brief period of democracy, while winning praise from supporters for boosting security and driving an army-led infrastructure binge. The former military chief is set to secure a third term in a December 10 election overshadowed by the war in neighboring Gaza and a faltering economy, a decade after he toppled Egypt's first democratically-elected president. Activists say tens of thousands of people were jailed in the ensuing crackdown, before Sissi turned his attention to state-and army-run mega-projects and development schemes. The flagship project is a $58 billion New Administrative Capital rising in the desert east of Cairo, a site Sissi said would mark the birth of a new republic. "We are not leaving Cairo, or Alexandria or Port Said or other provinces. We are moving forward with the old and the new together," he said. To his critics, the former intelligence general has led Egypt deeper into authoritarianism than even late former president Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted by a popular uprising in 2011 after ruling for three decades under a state of emergency. Rights groups say Sissi has muzzled political opponents, activists and media, while security forces have carried out arbitrary detentions and torture with impunity. Courts have passed death sentences on hundreds of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood since Sissi deposed their leader Mohamed Mursi - who had been freely elected as president in 2012 - after mass protests against his rule. Sissi has said there are no political prisoners in Egypt, that stability and security are paramount, and that the state is striving to provide social rights such as housing and jobs.   Muslim Brotherhood crackdown In 2013, when Sissi was armed forces chief and effectively running the country, hundreds were killed when security forces broke up a sit-in at Cairo's Rabaa Square in support of Mursi. Egyptian officials said some protesters were armed. Brotherhood leaders were jailed after Mursi's overthrow and drove the movement, which he calls a terrorist group, underground. The century-old Brotherhood - which is one of the world's most influential Islamist organizations, mixing religious teaching with political activism and social welfare programs - has denied links with violence and said it has sought power only by democratic means. Rabaa Square no longer exists. One of many new bridges built under Sissi's rule runs straight through the area. Cairo's Tahrir Square, the cradle of the 2011 uprising, has been revamped in a makeover that critics see as intended to erase the memory of the pro-democracy revolt. Ahead of an election in 2018, Sissi warned that anyone who threatened Egypt's stability would be dealt with harshly. "I will die before anyone messes with its security," he said, adding that the 2011 revolt, when the army stood by while Mubarak was forced out, would not be repeated. Brotherhood official Mohamed el-Beltagy recounted meeting Sissi one night in Tahrir Square in 2011, recalling that Sissi introduced himself with the words: "I'm General Abdel Fattah. Intelligence." According to Beltagy, Sissi warned him there would be bloodshed unless he convinced his people to back down. "So please, spare the bloodshed and leave now. End the sit-in and the revolution and go home."   Mega projects As Sissi cemented his grip after Mursi's ouster, he enacted reforms backed by the International Monetary Fund that won plaudits from many economists. His push to modernize a decrepit infrastructure is meant to galvanize the economy and create jobs after decades of headlong population growth and unplanned construction. Large-scale construction projects championed by the state include expansions of the Suez Canal, agricultural schemes and a sprawling network of roads and bridges branching out from eastern Cairo that Sissi frequently inspects. But some economists also point to a continued lack of decent jobs for a young population, a growing debt burden and the military's opaque grip over key economic assets. Sissi has said that Egypt's booming population is a cause of concern to him. "You are worried because you have six children. I have 100 million," he said in 2022. Sissi is the latest in a line of Egyptian rulers drawn from the military. He sought to set the pace when he took office in 2014 - holding cabinet meetings at 7 a.m. and joining a cycle race on his first weekend as president. The message was clear. The new president would get things done. Schooled in the barracks, Sissi distrusts anything that clashes with the military's austere outlook. He has flattened Egypt's once vibrant media scene and used the military to keep the private sector in check, according to Hisham Kassem, a former newspaper publisher and political activist who was jailed this year. "The way he basically brought the military back to power shows real prowess," Kassem said. Connection with the poor? Born on Nov. 19, 1954, Sissi displayed signs of unusual discipline as a young boy, people in his old neighborhood of Cairo said. While other boys played football or smoked, Sissi and his friends lifted weights made of metal pipes and rocks. Neighbors and relatives said he came from a tightly knit religious family and memorized the Koran, the Muslim holy book. He lived in a small apartment on the rooftop of a run-down building owned by his extended family. Although they were relatively well-off, Sissi has sought to show a connection with the struggles of ordinary Egyptians. Mursi appointed Sissi as army chief and defense minister in August 2012, mistakenly calculating that the military would let the Brotherhood pursue its Islamist agenda - including sharia (Islamic law) - if its own entrenched privileges were protected. After the Brotherhood made missteps in power and after crowds gathered to demand Mursi resign, Sissi appeared on TV on July 3, 2013, to announce his rule was over, and to promise an election, which Sissi won by a landslide the following year. Lacking the charisma or rhetorical skills of former presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat, Sissi projected a simpler persona. At public events he appears flanked by ministers and generals and makes long, improvised remarks in colloquial Arabic from an armchair, chivvying officials to meet deadlines. Abroad, Sissi has established new ties in Africa while courting China and Russia and wooing Gulf Arab states that have poured billions of dollars into Egypt to cushion economic shocks, before adopting a more cautious approach. Relations with the United States - a major supplier of military aid - have swung with politics in Washington. Former U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted calling Sissi "my favorite dictator." Successor Joe Biden's administration criticized Sissi's human rights record before engaging more closely with him during conflicts in the Gaza Strip.

VOA Newscasts

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 12:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

US College Football Traditions Can be Lost on International Students

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 11:30
American-style football is a big part of college life on many campuses – with chants, songs, rivalries and homecoming celebrations.   But the celebration can be lost on international students, who aren’t typically familiar with the sport. The World reports Colorado State University offers a noncredit course to help students understand American football. (November 2023)  

Moody's Downgrading China's Credit Rating Has Nothing to Do With Politics

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 11:25
Moody's downgraded China’s credit rating based on an in-depth evaluation of its financial health, economic conditions and risks.

Rights Group Claims Company Intimidates Communities Along Tanzania-Uganda Oil Pipeline

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 11:10
The French oil company TotalEnergies coerces and intimidates communities affected by the $5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline project in Tanzania and Uganda, a human rights organization said this week. Residents along the 1,443-kilometer (870-mile) pipeline route are forced to accept inadequate compensation for their land, according to Global Witness, a human rights and environmental organization. Global Witness accused TotalEnergies of collaborating with Tanzanian and Ugandan authorities to suppress efforts by communities seeking accurate compensation for land taken for the oil pipeline. The pipeline route stretches from Tanzania’s port city of Tanga to Lake Albert in Uganda. TotalEnergies has denied the allegations. Neither country has commented on the report, but previous criticism, including that from Human Rights Watch and court cases against the displacement and abuses, has not stopped or affected the project. The Global Witness report Hanna Hindstrom, a senior investigator in the Global Witness land and environmental defender campaign, told VOA that TotalEnergies is directly involved in human rights violations. "We found evidence suggesting that TotalEnergies, through its subsidiary, its contractors and partners, has been party to intimidation and bullying of community members affected by the project,” Hindstrom said. “Many people we spoke to say they were pressured into accepting compensation for their land and their property that they felt was too low as a result of a climate of fear in both countries.” She said the company benefits from the authoritarian political environment in Tanzania and Uganda in which environmental defenders find it “all but impossible to speak up against fossil fuel development." Global Witness said it spoke to activists, experts, journalists and more than 200 people affected by the multibillion-dollar project. Farmer Jealousy Mugisha, 51, is one of many people who said they are losing their land to pave the way for the pipeline. The father of seven told VOA he lost his land twice. First, in 2017, when more than a dozen hectares were taken for a processing plant used as an oil collection point. Then, in 2019, he lost 2½ hectares in the pipeline route. He refused any compensation offered to him, saying it was not enough. "Our target is not that we want to sabotage a government program or oil project program,” Mugisha said, “but … we need them to respect our rights. … [People’s] land was taken, and now they are suffering.” He said, “We need to get fair compensation, adequate compensation and promotive compensation. That is the only thing we are claiming." Land use and compensation According to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project, in the first phase of land acquisition, landowners could continue to use their land. The landowners said they were allowed to plant seasonal agricultural produce such as corn and sweet potatoes. Further into the project, compensation to the evicted owners was calculated with a “disturbance allowance” and an increase to reflect the time elapsed since original surveys of the land, according to project documents. Some landowners filed cases challenging the evictions and low compensation in a local court and a French court. TotalEnergies has denied allegations they have intimidated anyone affected by the project. The oil firm says it has instituted numerous support mechanisms to ensure that those affected sign agreements only of their own free will. The company also said it treats the people’s concerns with the utmost seriousness. Harassment and intimidation reported Maxwell Atuhura, head of Tasha Research Institute in Uganda and an environmental activist, said he came under attack for challenging the pipeline project. "My field office was closed ... and [I was] given two hours to leave the place, to leave my own district, my own area,” he said. “The security man working for an oil company is telling me that ‘I'm giving you a few hours to leave the district.’ Where do you want me to go?” Atuhura said he also has been harassed. “Since then, they started trailing me, and my phone is surveilled,” he said. “I started seeing the experience of my house being broken into." About 80% of the project will be in Tanzania, with the rest in Uganda. Global Witness said the oil pipeline, for which construction began this year after years of delay, will cut across wildlife habitats, protected areas and Indigenous land. The pipeline project said that Tanzania and Uganda regulators have approved the environmental and societal impacts, and that the project seeks to avoid populated and environmentally sensitive areas. Global Witness has called for an official investigation of the alleged rights abuses.

Moldovan Aid Organizations Fear Aid Shortages as Ukrainian Refugee Numbers Remain High

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 11:02
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year hit Europe like a boulder thrown into a pond, creating large waves of Ukrainian refugees rippling across nations. Like a good neighbor, the tiny nation of Moldova answered Ukraine's calls for help, but UNHCR, the U.N. Refugee Agency, warned Friday countries like Moldova and Poland “may be forced to cut essential activities” without drastically increased funding. VOA’s Carla Babb reports from the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. Camera:  Ricardo Marquina

VOA Newscasts

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 11:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Putin Confirms Run for Reelection

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 10:57
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Friday he is running for another six-year term, one day after lawmakers in Russia's upper house of parliament set the date for the next presidential election for March 17, 2024.  Putin made the announcement on Russian state television following a ceremony at the Kremlin for military personnel.  During a conversation with military officer Lieutenant Colonel Artyom Zhoga, Putin said that he "had different thoughts at different times, but this is a time when a decision has to be made," and said he was running for president.  The state-run news agency quoted the officer as confirming what the president had said. Carnagie Russia Eurasia Center analyst Tatiana Stanovaya told the Associated Press she thinks the announcement was likely made in a low-key way instead of a formal speech to reflect Putin's modesty, showing he is more concerned with doing his job than participating in fanfare.  Observers say the 71-year-old Putin — already Russia's longest-serving ruler — will have no trouble being reelected, as any serious opposition he might face is in jail or otherwise out of the picture.  Russian elections during Putin's term have not been known for their fairness or transparency.  The U.S. State Department bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs reports the Russian government uses "arbitrary designations, criminal convictions, and administrative barriers to disqualify potential opposition candidates, ensuring no independent voices can participate in government processes." The state department said new constitutional amendments approved by the government and endorsed in a nationwide vote in July 2020 will, among other things, provide Putin the opportunity to remain in power until 2036. Putin was first appointed as acting president in 1999 by Boris Yeltsin, who resigned because of ill health. Putin was first elected in 2000. In 2008, facing constitutional limitations, he stepped aside to serve as prime minister while ally Dmitry Medvedev served as president. Putin returned to the presidency in 2012.  Some information for this report were provided by The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. 

US Embassy in Baghdad Attacked With 7 Mortars, No Casualties

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 10:42
Approximately seven mortar rounds landed in the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad during an attack early on Friday, a U.S. military official told Reuters, in what appears to be one of the largest attacks against the embassy in recent memory. It also marked the first time the U.S. embassy had been fired on in more than a year, apparently widening the range of targets after dozens of attacks on military bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since mid-October amid fears of broadening conflict in the region. No group claimed responsibility, but previous attack against U.S. forces have been carried out by Iran-aligned militias which have targeted U.S. interests in Syria and Iraq over Washington's backing for Israel in its Gaza war. The U.S. military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, left open the possibility that more projectiles were fired at the embassy compound but did not land within it. The official added that the attack caused very minor damage but no injuries. Explosions were heard near the embassy, in the center of the capital, at about 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Friday. Sirens calling on people to take cover were activated. State media said the attack damaged the headquarters of an Iraqi security agency. The U.S. military official added that Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces in western Iraq, had also been targeted but the projectiles did not land in the base. Sheik Ali Damoush, a senior official in the Lebanese group Hezbollah, said in a Friday sermon that attacks by Iran-aligned groups across the Middle East aim to apply pressure for a halt to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. He did not refer specifically to Friday's attack. The dozens of attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been claimed by a group of Iran-aligned Shi'ite Muslim militias operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The U.S. has responded with a series of strikes that have killed at least 15 militants in Iraq and up to seven in Syria. 'Acts of terrorism' The attacks pose a challenge for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who has pledged to protect foreign missions and capitalize on fragile stability to focus on the economy and court foreign investment, including from the United States. Sudani directed security agencies to pursue the perpetrators, describing them as "unruly, lawless groups that do not in any way represent the will of the Iraqi people," a statement from his office said. He also said that undermining Iraq's stability, reputation and targeting places Iraq has committed to protect were acts of terrorism. A U.S. embassy spokesperson called on the Iraqi government to do all in its power to protect diplomatic and coalition personnel and facilities. "We reiterate that we reserve the right to self-defense and to protect our personnel anywhere in the world," he said. Aside from its diplomatic staff in Iraq, the United States has about 2,500 troops in the country on a mission it says aims to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of both countries before being defeated. Iran-aligned Houthis have been firing at Israel and ships in the Red Sea in a campaign they say aims to support the Palestinians. U.S. warships have shot down several of their projectiles.

Democratic Republic of Congo Prepares to Hold Elections

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 10:31
The Democratic Republic of Congo is due to hold presidential elections on December 20th. Analysts say while the independent national electoral commission (CENI) is doing what it can to ensure free and fair elections, challenges related to security in some parts of the country and disseminating voter material remain. VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo has this report. Camera and edit: Amos Wangua

VOA Newscasts

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 10:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

VOA Newscasts

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 09:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

US Funding to Counter China in Pacific in Limbo

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 08:57
Funding to counter China in the Pacific is now caught in the congressional battle in Washington over foreign aid and border security. The White House calls the package a “critical component” of its national security. And as VOA’s Jessica Stone reports, time is running out to lock in an economic and security relationship between the United States and three strategic Pacific Island nations. Camera: Yu Chen, Jessica Stone, Saqib Ul Islam

Hunter Biden Indicted on 9 Tax Charges, Adding to Gun Charges in Special Counsel Investigation

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 08:31
Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son intensifies against the backdrop of the 2024 election. The new charges filed Thursday — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection. Hunter Biden "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," special counsel David Weiss said in a statement. The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The back taxes have since been paid. If convicted, Hunter Biden, 53, could a maximum of 17 years in prison. The special counsel probe remains open, Weiss said. In a fiery response, defense attorney Abbe Lowell accused Weiss of "bowing to Republican pressure" in the case. "Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter's last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement. The White House declined to comment on Thursday's indictment, referring questions to the Justice Department or Hunter Biden's personal representatives. The charging documents filed in California, where he lives, detail spending on drugs, strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars, "in short, everything but his taxes," prosecutor Leo Wise wrote. The indictment comes as congressional Republicans pursue an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, claiming he was engaged in an influence-peddling scheme with his son. The House is expected to vote next week on formally authorizing the inquiry. No evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes, though questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family's international business. The separate, long-running criminal investigation into Hunter Biden had been expected to wind down with a plea deal where he would have gotten two years' probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of trouble. The agreement was pilloried as a "sweetheart deal" by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump. Trump is facing his own criminal cases, including charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden, a Democrat. Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, gave credit for the new charges Thursday to two IRS investigators who testified before Congress that the Justice Department had mishandled and "slow walked" the investigation into the president's son. Justice officials have denied those allegations. The two IRS employees, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, said the indictment was "a complete vindication of our thorough investigation." The new charges against Hunter Biden include filing a false return and tax evasion felonies, as well as misdemeanor failure to file and failure to pay. The defense signaled that it plans to fight the new charges, likely at least in part relying on immunity provisions from the original plea deal. Defense attorneys have argued those remain in force since that part of the agreement was signed by a prosecutor before the deal was scrapped. Prosecutors have disagreed, pointing out the documents weren't signed by a judge and are invalid. Lowell said he's also planning to push for dismissal of the gun charges next week, calling them "unprecedented and unconstitutional." The three federal gun charges filed in Delaware allege Hunter Biden had lied about his drug use to buy a gun that he kept for 11 days in 2018. Federal law bans gun possession by "habitual drug users," though the measure is seldom seen as a stand-alone charge and has been called into question by a federal appeals court. Hunter Biden's longstanding struggle with substance abuse worsened after the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015, according to court documents and his memoir "Beautiful Things," which ends with him getting clean in 2019. His gross income nevertheless totaled some $7 million between 2016 and 2020, prosecutors said, pointing to his roles on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese private equity fund as well as his position at a law firm. Hunter did eventually file his taxes in 2020, while facing a child support case in Arkansas, and the back taxes were paid by a "third party," prosecutors have said in court documents.

VOA Newscasts

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 08:00
Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Taliban Reportedly Dismantled Islamic State Bases in Western Afghanistan

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 07:54
Taliban security forces in Afghanistan have reportedly killed an Islamic State operative and captured several others during overnight raids on the militant group’s bases near the border with Iran.   “important network” of the regional branch of Islamic State known as Islamic State-Khorasan, or IS-K, said a Taliban-affiliated media outlet Friday.   The network was involved in some of the recent attacks on the Shi’ite Muslim community in Afghanistan, according to Al-Mersaad, which is tasked to counter IS-K propaganda in the country and report on Taliban counterterrorism operations against the group.   Using a local acronym for the group, Al-Mersaad noted that “some of the arrested ISKP members are highly important.” It was not possible to verify the claims from independent sources and Taliban government officials rarely comment on reports published by the state media outlet.   US Concerns The United States, in recent statements, has described IS-K as a significant threat to regional security, warning the group could soon launch an international attack from Afghan bases.   On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden attempted to address those concerns in a letter he wrote to Congress. “United States military personnel remain postured outside Afghanistan to address threats to the United States homeland and United States interests that may arise from inside Afghanistan,” Biden said without elaborating.   Taliban authorities reject U.S. concerns, claiming their security forces have significantly degraded IS-K's abilities to prevent it from posing a threat to Afghanistan or beyond. Al-Mersaad recently published details and pictures of what it said were the “top 12 leaders/officials” of IS-K who were killed by Taliban special forces this year.   Last week, the U.S. State Department said in its annual report that IS-K continued to conduct terrorist attacks against Afghan civilians, particularly members of the Shi’ite community and the Taliban.   “In 2022, ISIS-K conducted cross-border attacks in Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and maintained ambitions to attack the West,” the report noted, using an acronym for the regional Islamic State affiliate.   “While the Taliban committed to preventing terrorist groups from using Afghanistan to conduct attacks against the United States and its allies, its ability to prevent al-Qa’ida elements, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and ISIS-K from mounting external operations remained unclear,” the report said.   It added that the Taliban had hosted and sheltered al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, the Afghan capital, before he died in a U.S. airstrike on July 30, 2022. The Taliban have refused to comment on the allegations to date, saying the matter remains under investigation. The Islamist Taliban seized power from an American-backed government in August 2021, when all U.S. and NATO troops withdrew from Afghanistan after two decades of war with the then-insurgent Taliban. 

Donor Threatens To Withdraw $100 million From University After Congressional Hearing

Voice of America’s immigration news - December 8, 2023 - 07:54
A University of Pennsylvania donor has threatened to withdraw a $100 million donation from The Wharton School, the university's business school, following the appearance of the university's president before Congress. University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill appeared before Congress Tuesday along with leaders of two other Ivy League schools - Harvard President Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth of MIT. During a hearing, none of the presidents answered "yes" or "no" to the question: "Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate [your university's] code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment?" All three presidents told the panel that they did not condone antisemitism and were taking steps to prevent it on campus, but on the specific question they cited free speech rights and said any discipline would depend on the specific circumstances. Hate speech and acts — both antisemitic and Islamophobic — have erupted on U.S. college campuses since the Hamas-Israel war began in October. All the presidents have received criticism because of their refusal to give a definitive answer to the question. Stone Ridge Asset Management CEO Ross Stevens says he will withdraw his donation, now worth $100 million, to the Wharton School's Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance if Magill is not removed from office. 

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