Demonstrators take part in a rally on Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, in support of Tufts PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, after she was taken into custody by federal agents. Reuters
Demonstrators take part in a rally on Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, in support of Tufts PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, after she was taken into custody by federal agents. Reuters
Demonstrators take part in a rally on Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, in support of Tufts PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, after she was taken into custody by federal agents. Reuters
Demonstrators take part in a rally on Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, in support of Tufts PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, after she was taken into custody by federal agents. Reuters

US judge halts deportation of Turkish student who voiced support for Palestine


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A US federal judge on March 28 stopped the deportation of a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who was arrested earlier in the week as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on foreign students who voiced support for Palestinians in Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, had her visa revoked after being taken into custody by masked immigration officers near her home in Massachusetts on Tuesday.

The Department of Homeland Security has accused her, without providing evidence, of “engaging in activities in support of Hamas”, the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group which the US government has designated a “foreign terrorist organisation”.

Ms Ozturk, a PhD student and Fulbright Scholar, had last year co-authored an opinion piece in the student newspaper that criticised Tufts University's response to calls by students to divest from companies with ties to Israel and to “acknowledge the Palestinian genocide”.

A lawyer sued to win her release, and on March 28, the American Civil Liberties Union joined her legal defence team, filing a revised lawsuit saying her detention infringed her rights to free speech and due process.

She has been moved to Louisiana despite a court order issued on Tuesday night that she not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice.

In Friday's order, US District Judge Denise Casper in Boston said she was barring Ms Ozturk's deportation temporarily to provide time to resolve whether her court retained jurisdiction over the case. She ordered the Trump administration to respond to Ms Ozturk's complaint by Tuesday.

President Donald Trump has pledged to deport foreign pro-Palestine protesters and has accused them of supporting Hamas, being antisemitic and posing foreign policy hurdles. His government this month cancelled $400 million in funding for Columbia University, which was the centre of nationwide student protests last summer to demand an end to Israel's military assault on Gaza and for their universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Columbia University announced on Friday that its interim president, Katrina Armstrong, had stepped down and that Claire Shipman, co-chairwoman of the board of trustees, had been appointed acting president. The university did not give a reason for the change, which came a week after the Ivy League school announced a package of measures to address Mr Trump's criticisms over student protests and alleged campus anti-Semitism.

Groups representing Columbia University professors on Tuesday sued the Trump administration over its effort to force the university to tighten rules on campus protests and put a Middle Eastern studies department under outside supervision, among other measures.

Demonstrators gather outside the Federal Courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday - the day of a hearing on the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. Reuters
Demonstrators gather outside the Federal Courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday - the day of a hearing on the detention of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. Reuters

Also on Friday, US government lawyers pushed for the deportation hearing of pro-Palestine protest leader Mahmoud Khalil to be moved to a Louisiana court thought to be sympathetic to Mr Trump's hardline immigration crackdown.

Mr Khalil, a graduate student of Columbia University, was arrested and taken to Louisiana earlier this month. The government has not accused him of any crime, but instead ordered his deportation and cancelled his resident's permit, alleging he was undermining US foreign policy.

At a hearing in New Jersey, government lawyer August Flentje said that “for jurisdictional certainty, the case belongs in Louisiana”.

But Mr Khalil's lawyer Baher Azmy accused the government of seeking to move the case to bolster its “retaliation”.

The judge said he would not rule immediately on shifting the case to the Western District of Louisiana, a more conservative bench that has previously leaned towards Mr Trump's policies.

Mr Khalil's arrest has outraged Trump opponents, free speech advocates and some on the political right, who say the case will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

Pro-Palestine protesters, including some Jewish groups, also accuse the administration of conflating their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with anti-Semitism and support for Hamas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the State Department has so far revoked at least 300 visas in connection with the protests.

How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”

November 26:  ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’

SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

SPECS
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

If you go

The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates


The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
 

When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

FIGHT CARD

Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)

Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)

Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)

Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

Not Dark Yet

Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer

Four stars

Salah in numbers

€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of 39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.

13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.

57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.

7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.

3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.

40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.

30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.

8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Champions'

Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
 

Updated: March 29, 2025, 11:01 AM