Columbia Global Freedom of Expression is hosting an event entitled “Safeguarding Free Expression: The Role of Judicial Systems” today, while arrests are imminent and ongoing for student protesters at universities across the country. Editor’s note: mentions of arrest, violence.

Happening in the World: Saudi Arabia is putting billions of dollars into the development of their tech industry in order to compete with the already occurring US-China fight for a more influential tech presence. Recently, the Leap conference—focused on AI development and attended by over 200,000 people—was held 50 miles outside of Riyadh. Notable guests included Adam Selipsky, CEO of Amazon’s cloud computing division, Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM, and Show Chew, CEO of Tik Tok. With the support of such influential members of the global tech sphere, Saudi Arabia’s attempt to break into the tech space seems to be successful. (NYT)

Happening in the US: Arrests are being made at universities across the country following those at Columbia, Yale, and New York University in response to increasing student protests concerning the Israel-Palestine war. These universities include the University of Southern California, Emerson College, and the University of Texas in Austin, among others. Much like Columbia’s ongoing Gaza Solidarity Encampment, students on these campuses are walking out of class or attempting to construct protest encampments. The arrests these students continue to face tend to be trespassing charges, often enforced by police in riot gear. (BBC)

Happening in NYC: A row of former hotels in Jamaica, Queens is being renovated and converted into a housing complex for low-income and formerly homeless residents of New York City. The converted hotels, which will be called the Baisley Pond Park Residences, are slated to open in 2025 and will contain 318 units. This project is the product of the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (HONDA) which was passed in 2021, allocating $200 million to affordable housing endeavors. Beginning in October 2025, the residences will aim to house as many low-income or homeless New Yorkers as possible. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: Columbia Global Freedom of Expression (CGFoE) is celebrating its 10th anniversary by hosting an event entitled “Safeguarding Free Expression: The Role of Judicial Systems” from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The event will consist of two panels, a book talk entitled “Truth, Justice, and the Power of Journalism”, and a conversation with Elena Kostyuchenko and Paul Caruana Galizia, two prominent authors in international politics. The event will culminate in the presentation of the 2024 Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Prize and a musical performance by Vivir Quintana. The event will be held in the Teatro room at Casa Italiana at 1161 Amsterdam Ave. More information can be found on the Columbia events page.

Bwog via Bwarchives