Democrats rally to Biden’s defense over response to pro-Palestinian student protests

Some Democrats rallied to the defense of Joe Biden on Sunday as the president came under increased criticism over his response to pro-Palestinian student protests and his handling of Israel’s war on Gaza.

The Guardian

A milestone reached in mainline Protestant churches’ decades-old disputes over LGBTQ inclusion

Within these theologically moderate-to-progressive Protestant groups, the decades of wrestling over whether to reaffirm or overturn longstanding anti-LGBTQ+ church policies sowed deep divisions throughout the denominations. It’s caused hurt feelings, broken relationships, disciplinary church trials and schisms.

The United Methodist Church, which stripped out its bans and related social teachings over the past two weeks, is the last of the major mainline church bodies to go through this process.

AP News

How the Miccosukee Tribe plans to stop oil drilling in the Everglades once and for all

The proposal comes amid continued interest in expanding oil production within the Big Cypress National Preserve, an Everglades wilderness the tribe considers sacred.

Grist

History repeats itself as Columbia University cracks down on student protests

Student protesters sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians have adopted similar tactics to those used by anti-war protesters in 1968. Grievances are escalated to the point of no return. Significant interruptions to the functioning of campus take place by staging an occupation.

The Conversation

‘Why doesn’t anybody care?’ Texas-Mexico border devastated by anti-migrant operation

Greg Abbott’s strategy to deter immigration isn’t just harming people and costing billions – it’s ruining the Rio Grande’s ecosystem

The Guardian

Utah fields nearly 4,000 “bogus” reports in first week of trans bathroom ban

A form for violations of a trans bathroom ban in state-owned buildings got nearly 4,000 fake reports in three days

Salon

‘Biden’s Vietnam’: Progressive lawmakers warn not to repeat campus protest history

Students protesting for Palestinian liberation have also referenced the legacy of student resistance and state crackdowns at inflection points throughout American history.

Politico

Biden has rebuilt the refugee system after Trump-era cuts. What comes next in an election year?

Even with immigration — legal or not — a divisive campaign issue, many who help refugees settle in the United States say the growing numbers of refugees have been generally welcomed by communities and employers in need of workers.

AP News

A Columbia professor wanted to document history. NYPD arrested him outside his home

“I just stayed on my block, relatively well behaved,” he said. “Poorly located, unfortunately.”

He said he told the female police officer arresting him: “You’ve just arrested your first faculty member.” He said she responded, “This is for your protection.”

USA Today

Federal Agency Finalizes Rule For Disability Protections In Historic Move

The Department of Health and Human Services said the rule will strengthen disability protections outlined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Huffpost

Rwanda won’t guarantee how many migrants it will take from UK

The Rwandan government won’t guarantee how many migrants it can take from the UK if flights start to depart.

BBC

Israel tells Hamas to accept ceasefire terms or risk new onslaught ‘in near future’

Senior Israeli officials ramped up pressure on Hamas on Sunday, saying Israel would refuse any permanent end to hostilities and threatening a new onslaught “in the very near future” if the militant organisation did not accept recently proposed terms for a ceasefire.

The Guardian

Japan and India reject Biden’s comments describing them as xenophobic countries

Japan and India on Saturday decried remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden describing them as “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, which the president said during a campaign fundraising event earlier in the week.

AP News

Al Jazeera condemns Israeli government decision to shut down local offices

Israeli cabinet votes unanimously to close the network’s operations in Israel with immediate effect.

AlJazeera

China’s Xi arrives in Paris for first European trip in five years

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Europe on Sunday, on a trip that will take him to France, Hungary and Serbia.

dpa International

Gaza’s Christians face subdued Easter Sunday amid Israel’s bombs

With Israel’s war continuing to rage in Gaza, Christians in the strip face sombre Easter Sunday ceremonies, with festivities curtailed.

The New Arab

How Western Sanctions Are Strangling Putin’s Arctic Gas Ambitions

Russia’s fortress economy has proved remarkably resilient to an onslaught of Western sanctions. Two years after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, it continues to fund a costly war and to prop up President Vladimir Putin.

Bloomberg

Anti-monarchy group holds rally ahead of anniversary of king’s coronation

About 100 people attended Republic rally in central London, with parallel events in Edinburgh and Cardiff

The Guardian

Floods in southern Brazil kill at least 75 people over 7 days, with 103 people missing

Massive floods in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state have killed at least 75 people over the last seven days, and another 103 were reported missing, local authorities said Sunday.

AP News

Queen of Jordan: Time for US to use ‘political leverage’ to end war in Gaza

Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan on Sunday called on the international community to use its “political leverage” to compel Israel to let more aid into Gaza and bring an end to the ongoing war.

The Hill

Cubans lured to Russian army by high pay and passports

Russia has likely been recruiting Cuban nationals to fight in its army in Ukraine, research by the BBC has shown.

BBC

Pro-Rafah invasion protests escalate amid reports Hamas will accept hostage deal

Sunday’s march followed a similar protest led by the Valor Forum Saturday night, following Saturday’s reports that Hamas will likely accept a hostage deal in the coming days.

Jerusalem Post

The global synthetic drugs crisis has hit West Africa, where people are digging up human bones to make a drug called ‘kush’

Sierra Leone, in West Africa, declared a state of emergency in April over rising cases of synthetic drug abuse due to the spread of “kush,” which contains ground human bones, locals say.

Business Insider

France’s Macron criticizes blockades at university Gaza protests

French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized blockades at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at French universities, saying that the tactics went beyond legitimate means of debate and protest.

dpa International

Northern Ireland: Why Brexit isn’t ‘done’ for some

Boris Johnson fought and won the 2019 UK general election with the slogan “Get Brexit Done”.

BBC