A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration unlawfully terminated about $2.2 billion in grants awarded to Harvard University and can no longer cut off research funding to the prestigious Ivy League school.

Cambridge

A federal judge has determined that the Trump administration acted unlawfully in revoking $2.2 billion in research funding from Harvard University. The court found that the government's justification, which cited anti-semitism on campus, did not have a substantial link to the research grants that were terminated. Judge Alison Burroughs ruled that the funding cuts violated free speech rights and described the government's actions as ideologically motivated.

The White House has announced plans to appeal the decision, while Harvard welcomed the ruling as an affirmation of important principles. The case is part of a broader legal and political dispute over federal funding and the autonomy of American universities, with other Ivy League institutions having already reached settlements with the administration.

Trump admin unlawfully cut Harvard's funding, U.S. judge rules

In the fight between Harvard and the Trump administration the U.S.'s oldest university just scored a major legal win. A federal judge ruled that the government's revoking of some 2.2 billion dollars in research funding was illegal. For students it was a go crimson moment. It made me happy to know that like the judicial system is sticking up for us. A lot of that money is being used for life-saving research to advance you know research in Alzheimer's, cancer. It's being put to good causes and it's not like the advances that are being made from Harvard are insular. The U.S. government had argued that it was cancelling grants because of anti-semitism on campus. But in an 84-page ruling the Boston federal judge Alison Burroughs said the cuts were a violation of free speech rights. There is in reality little connection between the research affected by the grant terminations and anti-semitism. Trump used anti-semitism as a smokescreen for the targeted ideologically motivated assault on this country's premier universities. The White House has vowed to appeal calling Burroughs an activist Obama appointed judge. Still in talks over a possible settlement deal Harvard also issued a statement with its president saying that the ruling affirms important principles and that it will be mindful of the changing landscape. Already three Ivy League universities have reached settlements with the Trump administration. For a former Harvard president the assault on American universities is part of a larger power grab. The agenda here is about destroying knowledge institutions because they are centers of independent thought and information. That's what's going on here. That is the story. Nothing justifies that. Nothing explains that. Other than authoritarians don't like independent centers of thought and information. Already U.S. courts have struck down Trump's quests to bar Harvard's international students revoke accreditation status and cut more funds to the university.

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Moscow

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Lisbon

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Brussels

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A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 1,400 people, according to the Afghan Red Crescent Society. Thousands more were  injured.

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Jerusalem

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Caracas

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Barcelona

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Breakdown