Long before the Israel-Hamas War thrust college presidents into the political debate over free speech, many higher education leaders were starting to raise alarms about the issue on campus. The events of the past few months have accelerated and bolstered their efforts.

To understand the current debate about college free speech, it is necessary to go back a few years.

The partisan divide on campuses rose dramatically after the election of Donald Trump, and 2017 marked the most polarized freshman class in half a century, a UCLA report noted. This trend deepened in the years that followed and by 2022, more than half of U.S. college sophomores said they wouldn’t choose to be roommates with someone who voted for a different presidential candidate, according to a poll by NBC and Generation Lab. A number of other unprecedented developments occurred in that time as well – events that were largely understood through partisan lenses. The most notable ones were the Black Lives Matter protests, the #MeToo movement, the Covid-19 pandemic, and an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

These are the conditions in which the state of free speech on college campuses has shifted, becoming more censorious as a consequence of presumably well-intentioned efforts to cultivate safety and belonging for students in an age of division. (Whether or not these efforts worked is a matter of debate; latest polling cited in Inside Higher Ed on student perceptions of safety suggests that experiences vary widely across race, gender and sexuality.) What is clear is that this approach has come at the cost of some speech on campus, and suppression of that speech — both real and perceived — is distributed unequally.

An October 2 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 47% of adults say liberals have “a lot” of freedom to express their views on college campuses, while just 20% said the same of conservatives. Popular wisdom suggests that everyone wants freedom of speech on campus, but the latest AP-NORC polling shows that what Americans actually want is rife with contradictions.

This is an unavoidable tension in a functioning democracy: When you dial safety and comfort up, you dial freedoms down. Absolutist thinking does no good here. Free speech isn’t a switch democracies flick on and off, but rather it is a series of dials that require occasional adjustments to move with the shifting needs of a society. In placid times, the consequences of getting this balance wrong can seem mild, but today they are existential.

This past year, many people in higher education came to believe that, for the good of their democracy, it may be time to dial comfort down again in an effort to preserve critical freedoms.

In August, a diverse group of presidents representing 13 different universities joined forces to launch the Campus Call for Free Expression to combat dire threats to U.S. democracy. The initiative, which hosts programming and discussions at campuses across the country, seeks to increase critical inquiry and civic discourse on campus. Its participants view the suppression of free speech as a threat to public life.

In addition to this formal response, there was plenty of anecdotal evidence that colleges have been pushing back against student overreach over the past year, as highlighted in an April Washington Post editorial.

These shifts reflect a growing sentiment among a strong majority of Americans. According to an April 2023 poll by HarrisX for The Deseret News in Utah, they believe that college students should hear from speakers with diverse points of view. These responses held true across voters in both major political parties, and across differences in age, race, income and gender.

All of this was already in motion when the Israel-Hamas war began in October, as protests and counterprotests erupted on college campuses across the country. Unlike other campus protests in latest history, this wave proved more nuanced, defying tidy left-right alliances and challenging old norms about what constitutes acceptable speech on campus. The protests sparked rifts among donors, administrators, students and parents that won’t soon be resolved.

Then in early December, the fourth ranking Republican in Congress, Rep. Elise Stefanik, made headlines for her pointed questioning of several elite university presidents at a congressional hearing about antisemitism on campus. In what could have been a substantive investigation of very real concerns about antisemitic violence, Stefanik became the new right-wing face of a battle over how to define and police acceptable speech.

That congressional hearing proved to be a tipping point for concerns about free speech on campus. It illuminated both the left and the right’s capacity for hypocrisy and overreach while clarifying two paths that are available to college leaders: either expand the definition of speech that is deemed off-limits or get out of the business of monitoring speech altogether.

Since then, advocates from across the political spectrum have emerged around the idea that colleges should be places for deep intellectual inquiry, civil disagreement, and sometimes getting those issues wrong. Jonathan Chait warned in New York Magazine about the dangers of conflating violent conduct with violent speech. Geoff Shullenberger made a convincing case in the Chronicle of Higher Education for why colleges should avoid moral certitude. And various academic organizations have issued unequivocal statements in favor of free speech, from the Association of American Medical Colleges to College Student Educators International.

One of the most critical bulwarks against the infringement of free speech (and potential victim to it) is student reporting programs. From campus newspapers to students working on the statehouse beat for professional local news outlets, young journalists are writing the first draft of history today, and much of history is unfolding on their turf. Student reporters are in the best position to chronicle the real tensions of this imperfect balance between comfort and speech.

In a proactive move by the Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania, the editorial board recently issued a letter to readers detailing its financial independence, journalistic standards, and commitment to truth in an age of misinformation. UPenn was one of the schools at the center of the latest congressional hearings and its president Liz Magill resigned soon after. The DP’s coverage of subsequent efforts by donors to exert influence will be a lasting contribution to the historical account of what happened.

It is this unofficial coalition of free speech advocates, dogged student reporters, and courageous college leaders that offers hope for the coming year.

The case for free speech is not for the faint of heart and it often requires a defense of truly abhorrent expression in the name of democracy. Thankfully, there are many people inside and outside higher education who are willing to buck political winds in service of higher ideals, and their movement is gaining momentum. Such resistance has the potential to preserve the integrity of the most elemental ingredients in a thriving democracy: a free press, unbound academic inquiry, artistic expression, and protest.

In what is shaping up to be a heated year with another polarizing national election, this is a bright spot: The people willing to withstand the pressure of this moment for the long-term health of democracy. Opinion polls show that most Americans are behind them, but it won’t be an easy job.

AFP is republishing this story which has been selected by the agency's chief editors as one of the best of the week. Pictures by Badru Katumba. Video by John Oryang

At just 14 she was the youngest Paralympian at the Tokyo Games.

And Ugandan swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe faces an equally tough test next year in Paris, but the 16-year-old said she is used to smashing stereotypes -- starting with her own mum.

US executive Martha Stewart arrives on the red carpet for the Time 100 Gala at the Lincoln Center in New York on April 23, 2019. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

As the year comes to a close, we're having a blast looking back at some of the best looks served by all of their faves this year. From Taylor Swift to Heidi Klum to Kim Kardashian, the fashion in 2023 was fierce.

A, perhaps, unexpected contender amongst the winners of the year? None other than Martha Stewart, who delighted fans with multiple thirst traps, glittering red carpet moments, and, of course, her first-ever Sports Illustrated Swim cover photos throughout 2023.

So, without further ado, here are the 10 most jaw-dropping moments from the infamous homemaker this year, in chronological order.

1. Her first salon thirst trap

Stewart proved herself to be the queen of thirst traps this year, perfecting her sultry expressions while getting her hair shampooed, and without even needing to show off any skin.

2. Her second salon thirst trap

Just a few months later, she found herself in the salon chair again, smoldering at the camera after getting a fresh mani-pedi and a brand new do after finding herself stranded by a canceled flight.

Not long after, she opened up about her newfound status as a "bona fide sex symbol," calling the recognition "fantastic." Specifically, she said, "It's a good example for others, actually. I'm a teacher. I'm trying to teach others that you can look great. There's no reason to slump around."

3. Her history-making Sports Illustrated Swim cover

Stewart practically broke the internet when she was announced as the oldest person to ever be featured on a Sports Illustrated cover, posing in a variety of swimsuits in the tropical setting of the Dominican Republic. And if she's ever asked to pose again, she'll cause further meltdowns, as she intends to wear a two-piece.

4. SI Swim Release Party

Following the release of her viral SI cover photos, Martha Stewart stepped out in New York City to celebrate, donning a dazzling, plunging champagne-colored, long-sleeve gown embellished with gold sequins.

5. Gold Pants

Stewart debuted a pair of sleek gold pants while attending the Sesame Workshop's 2023 Benefit Gala, accessorizing with a feathered white coat and matching pumps. Stay tuned, as these pants made their mark more than once this year!

6. When she found the "perfect" place for a thirst trap

Move over, salon chairs! This steamy cavern became the ideal spot for a sultry selfie during the lifestyle guru's visit to Italy.

7. When she entered her rocker era in leather leggings

Stewart hit the red carpet for a Fashion Icons With Fern Mallis event, where she showed off a pair of black leather leggings, which she paired with a blazer featuring gold buttons and a satin champagne-colored blouse. Talk about legendary!

8. When she dressed up her look with a daring slit

It wasn't enough to step out looking like a mirrorball IRL; Stewart had to add a daring, nearly-hip-high slit when she attended the Hudson River Park Friends 25th Anniversary Gala this past October.

9. When she cosplayed for Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Ahead of Halloween, Stewart transformed herself into Audrey Hepburn, embodying the vibes of 1961's Breakfast at Tiffany's in a little black dress with elbow-length gloves and a statement pearl necklace with matching earrings, finished with a very Hepburn-esque updo.

10. When she sparkled with her lookalike granddaughter on the red carpet.

The professional homemaker accompanied her lookalike granddaughter, Jude, to the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in New York City this holiday season, where the two looked like yin and yang in contrasting sparkly outfits on the red carpet—Stewart's featuring a repeat of her shimmering gold pants.

Next: How 'Little Brother' Snoop Dogg Once Ruined Martha Stewart's Lunch Gathering

Good morning.

Ailing in opinion polls, Joe Biden will aim to jump-start his re-election campaign in the coming week with events designed to symbolise the fight for democracy and racial justice against Donald Trump.

The Biden-Harris campaign announced the plans in a conference call with reporters that mentioned Trump by name 28 times in just 24 minutes, a sign of its determination to draw a sharp contrast between the US president and his likely Republican challenger.

On Saturday, Biden will provide a major address laying out the stakes of the election at Valley Forge, near Philadelphia, the site of a 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army led by George Washington during the American revolutionary war.

Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy campaign manager, said: “There the president will make the case directly that democracy and freedom – two powerful ideas that united the 13 colonies and that generations throughout their nation’s history have fought and died for a stone’s throw from where he’ll be Saturday – remain central to the fight we’re in today.”

Harvard president resigns amid claims of plagiarism and antisemitism backlash

Claudine Gay, the president of Harvard University, has resigned amid pressure over her response to questions about antisemitism at US colleges and allegations that she has plagiarized some of her academic work.

In her resignation letter, Gay announced that she would be returning to her position as a member of the faculty. “As I now return to the faculty, and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what they do, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build the community they all deserve,” she wrote.

Gay’s resignation comes just six months after her presidency began, making hers the shortest tenure in Harvard’s history. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Gay was appointed the first Black person and the second woman to the lead the Ivy League institution.

• What happened when she was questioned about antisemitism? On 5 December, Gay, along with the presidents of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania testified before Congress about their campuses’ handling of accusations of antisemitism after the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war. All three presidents offered legalistic answers.

• What happened then? After their testimonies, more than 70 US lawmakers signed a letter in response demanding the presidents be removed. The campaign against Gay’s presidency was largely promoted by conservative activists, including those who oppose diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. They argued that Gay was hired not because of her decades of academic work and recognition, but because she is Black.

Israeli army ‘prepared for any scenario’ after Beirut strike

The Israeli army has said it is “prepared for any scenario” in the aftermath of a strike in Beirut that killed Hamas’s deputy chief.

The assassination has stoked widespread fears that the nearly three-month-old Israel-Gaza war could become a wider regional conflict.

A high-level security official in Lebanon told AFP that Saleh al-Arouri was killed along with his bodyguards in a strike by Israel. A second security official confirmed the information, while Hamas TV also reported Israel had killed Arouri in Lebanon.

The Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari did not directly comment on the killing, but said the military was in “very high state of readiness in all arenas, in defence and offence. They are highly prepared for any scenario.”

• What has the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said? A spokesperson for Unifil said the organisation was “deeply concerned” about possible escalation in the region. The spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned at any potential for escalation that could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the blue line. They continue to implore all parties cease their fire, and any interlocutors with influence to urge restraint.”

In other news …

• A passenger jet that collided with a coastguard plane in a catastrophic accident at Haneda airport in Tokyo had been given permission to land, Japan Airlines executives have said, as police reportedly prepared to investigate whether the crash involved professional negligence.

• Japanese rescuers were scrambling to search for survivors as authorities warned of landslides and heavy rain after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 62 people. The 7.5-magnitude quake on Monday that rattled Ishikawa prefecture on the main island of Honshu triggered tsunami waves more than a metre high, sparked a major fire and tore apart roads.

• South Korea’s opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, remained hospitalised in intensive care today, one day after he was stabbed in an attack that shocked the country and launched calls for better protection for politicians. Surgeons operated on Lee for more than two hours to repair a major blood vessel.

• The US government cannot enforce federal guidance in Texas requiring emergency room doctors to perform abortions if necessary to stabilize emergency room patients, a federal appeals court ruled, siding with the state in a lawsuit accusing Joe Biden’s administration of overstepping its authority.

Stat of the day: value of X has fallen 71% since purchase by Musk and name change from Twitter

The social media platform X has lost 71% of its value since it was bought by Elon Musk, according to the mutual fund Fidelity. Fidelity, which owns a stake in X Holdings, said in a disclosure obtained by Axios that it had marked down the value of its shares by 71.5% since Musk’s purchase. Musk acquired Twitter for $44bn in October 2022 and renamed the platform X in July 2023. Fidelity’s estimate would place the value of X at about $12.5bn. The number of monthly users of X dropped by 15% in the first year since Musk’s takeover amid concerns over a rise in hate speech on the platform. In September, the European Union issued a warning to Musk after it found that X had the highest ratio of disinformation posts of all large social media platforms.

Don’t miss this: You have one life. Do you really want to spend it looking at your phone?

There are many reasons that we’re tethered to their phones, but the one that I find the most infuriating is that their most time-sucking apps are deliberately designed to hook us – because that’s how their creators make money, writes Catherine Price. These apps are part of what is known as the “attention economy”, in which it’s their attention (and data about what they are likely to pay attention to) – rather than goods or services – that’s being sold. In this economy, they are not the customers of these apps; advertisers are. They are, essentially, the product, manipulated into giving their most valuable asset – their attention – away for free.

If they recognize that the apps on their phones are designed to be addictive, we can claw back their free time.

… Or this: The strength secret – how to get seriously fit from scratch – in 12 easy, enjoyable steps

Don’t take this the wrong way, writes Zoe Williams, but let’s imagine you are heading into 2024 at fitness ground zero: on to a medium to low baseline, you have heaped a month of doing nothing at all. What can you do to return to fighting form as painlessly as possible? Well, a lot – though, I warn you, it will take time. This 12-month programme starts easily enough, but by December you should have found at least a few activities that really stretch you, or that don’t immediately appeal. Don’t write them off. The best gestalt fitness advice I ever heard came from an Australian tennis coach, who said: “Whatever you’re doing, you need to introduce an activity at which you are not adept.”

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Today

Laser Taylor Swift: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Fiske Planetarium, 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder. Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. With over 200 million records sold, a shelf full of Grammys and millions of fans, she is an inspiration for generations. This show features her biggest hits and brings them to life with dazzling laser lights. $8-$12, calendar.colorado.edu.

Elliott Dobbs at BOCO Cider: 6 p.m. Thursday, BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Boulder singer-songwriter Elliott Dobbs is a multi-instrumentalist who writes songs outlining his experience in the world by combining aspects of pop, folk and a little bit of grunge. He will play both acoustic guitar and piano in his performance. Free, 720-938-7285, bococider.com.

Stephen Brooks Trio at R Gallery: 7 p.m. Thursday, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Stephen Brooks is a musician and producer based in Denver. This trio features a rotating cast of Colorado talent, with Stephen as the constant fixture. The group’s eclectic blend of Latin music, ballads, bop, pop and Christmas tunes delights audiences wherever the group plays. Free, 303-444-4146, rgallery.art.

Winter Solstice Celebration: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Step into the heart of winter’s magic with Thomas Droge, a guide who intertwines the wisdom of ancient traditions with modern insight. Revel in an evening filled with the essence of tea, the joy of laughter, the expansion of the heart and a celestial journey alongside the stars of the Big Dipper. Free, 303-444-7328, thedairy.org.

Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History Exhibit: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder. Working collaboratively to preserve Colorado’s rich and complex Black histories, sharing them broadly and integrating them into Colorado education, the Museum of Boulder, in partnership with Adrian Miller, the Boulder County NAACP Chapter and the Boulder Public Library’s Maria Rogers Oral History Program, will develop activities to highlight the history of Black people in Colorado. The exhibit and educational curricula address the underrepresentation of Black histories in Colorado. Free to members, free-$10 for students, seniors, military members, youths and those with SNAP discounts, 303-449-3464, museumofboulder.org.

“And Now … Featuring” Variety Show: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Trident Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Monthly variety show features local artists of all kinds: poets, music makers, comedians, dancers and performance artists. Come early for the open jam session from 6-6:30 p.m. (bring an instrument or borrow one). Then, stay for the Variety Show from 6:30-8. Hosted by Aimee Herman For more info or to feature for an upcoming month, email aimeeherman@gmail.com. Free, tridentcafe.com.

Upcoming

Colorado Mosaic Artists holiday show and sale: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder. More than 50 works are on display and for sale by Colorado Mosaic Artists. Buy directly from artists and take home from the wall. On display through Jan. 10. Call or ring bell for entry to church exhibit. Free, 303-917-2339, firstcong.net.

Christmas/Midwinter Revels: 7-9 p.m. Friday, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Rocky Mountain Revels produces an annual holiday show each year featuring songs, stories and dances of different times and cultures. This year, the Tower of London (circa 1650) comes to life with period costumes, hilarious performances and an engaging community cast and chorus supported by professional instrumentalists. Join us on a journey to the past to celebrate this festive season with music and lively dances of Olde England. Audience sing-alongs, a Mummer’s Play, and plenty of laughs are part of this annual, family-friendly holiday show. Rocky Mountain Revels has performed in Boulder since 2001. $24-$30, $24 for kids under 18, 303-440-7826, rockymountainrevels.org.

Winter Solstice Triple Gong Meditation: 7-8:15 p.m., Friday, Yoga Pearl, 900 Pearl St., Boulder. Join Valerie Weyrich for a special, guided sound bath meditation to welcome the change of season from fall to winter. This class will incorporate the sounds of three gongs along with other healing sounds. $27 or free with membership, information at info@yogapearl.com, clients.mindbodyonline.com.

Foreign ministers of Southeast Asian nations on Saturday expressed their concern over growing tensions in the South China Sea, which they said could threaten regional peace.

“We closely follow with concern the latest developments in the South China Sea that may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region,” top diplomats of the ASEAN’s member-nations said in a statement.

The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued the statement after China and the Philippines traded accusations in latest months over a series of maritime run-ins, and as Manila said it needed to change its approach because diplomatic efforts have not worked.

China, on the other hand, has described the accusations as “purely false hype,” and warned that it will not turn a blind eye to repeated “provocations and harassment” by the Philippines.

ASEAN foreign ministers affirmed the need for parties involved to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes.”

“We reiterate the importance of peaceful dialogue that contributes constructively to the promotion of regional stability and cooperation in the maritime domain,” the statement said.

ASEAN and China have worked towards creating a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a plan dating back to 2002. However, progress has been slow despite a commitment by all parties to advance and speed up the process.

Talks on the components of the code have yet to start amid concerns over China’s willingness to commit to a binding set of rules consistent with international law.

China has insisted on its massive claims over most of the South China Sea through a “nine-dash-line” that loops as far as 1,500 km south of its mainland, cutting into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The dispute between the Philippines and China has heightened over the issue of the West Philippine Sea, part of the South China Sea that falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

In February, the Philippines accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) of directing a “military-grade laser” at its troops living aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, an aging warship that Manila deliberately grounded on the disputed Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in 1999.

On Aug. 5, the Philippines accused CCG of blocking and firing a water cannon against a supply boat transporting food for troops on Ayungin Shoal (known in China as Renai Reef).

In September, the Philippines accused CCG of installing a “floating barrier” near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), and removed the barrier.

On Oct. 15, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said a Chinese navy ship shadowed and attempted to cut off a Philippine Navy vessel conducting a resupply mission near Pag-asa Island.

From Oct. 22-24, the Philippines accused CCG vessels of intentionally colliding with its vessels routinely supplying forces stationed at Ayungin Shoal.

From Dec. 9 to 10, the Philippines accused China of firing water cannons at its boats, including one carrying AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., and ramming others, causing serious engine damage.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Sunday slammed the continued tirades of China against the Philippines.

“China is again spewing lies to counter the international backlash it is now under due to the exposure of its aggressive and dangerous actions in the West Philippine Sea,” she said.

Based on reports, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense issued separate statements to assert Beijing’s ‘undisputable claim’ to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which are well within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone, she noted.

“Yet again, China is using its delusional claims to Ayungin Shoal and Panatag Shoal, when no country in the world recognizes its claim to these areas, which are well within the exclusive economic zone of the Philipines. No stretch of the imagination can change that,” she said.

“The issue of the South China Sea is also not a mere bilateral issue because the area is a main shipping lane for many countries. There are also numerous claimants on the different part of the South China Sea like Taiwan (Republic of China), Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. These already debunk China’s supposed ‘undisputable’ claim. Now add to this the 2016 arbitral ruling and China’s claim goes straight to the trash bin,” she said.

She also questioned China’s assertion that its maritime and naval forces have been professional and responsible in their conduct.

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