Northeast
Jewish students walk out after MIT commencement speaker accuses university of aiding Israel's 'genocide'
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A commencement speaker accused the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of being part of wiping “Palestine from the face of the Earth” Thursday, leading multiple students to walk out.
Megha M. Vemuri, MIT’s class of 2025 president, praised her classmates for protesting against Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks and the ensuing Gaza War.
“Last spring, MIT’s undergraduate body and graduate student union voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with the genocidal Israeli military. You called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. And you stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian activists on campus. You faced threats, intimidation and suppression coming from all directions, especially your own university officials,” Vemuri said.
Her comments drew a mix of boos and cheers, according to video obtained by Fox News Digital. One of the attendants, waving what appeared to be a Palestinian flag, scuffled with security. Some students walked out as Vemuri spoke. Others in the crowd shouted, “Shame.”
COLUMBIA GRADS SHRED DIPLOMAS OVER MAHMOUD KHALIL ARREST: ‘WE ARE ENRAGED’
People chant and hold signs at a rally to support Palestine at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 19, 2023. (Photo by William B. Plowman/JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
“But you prevailed because the MIT community that I know would never tolerate a genocide. Right now, while we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, there are no universities left in Gaza,” Vemuri continued.
She went on to say, “We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the earth. And it is a shame that MIT is a part of it.”
Jewish and Israeli students walked out and some in the crowd protested as Vemuri accused the university of being “directly complicit in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.”
“The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with. This means that Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school. As scientists, engineers, academics, and leaders, we have a commitment to support life. Support aid efforts and call for an arms embargo and keep demanding now as alumni that MIT cuts the ties,” she said.
One graduating Israeli student, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital, “All of our families came from far to see the ceremony and were extremely disappointed. All the Jewish families, not only the Israelis, stepped out and left the ceremony. MIT administration approved and supported that.”
ISRAELI COLUMBIA PROFESSOR WANTS TRUMP TO BLOCK CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS FROM RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING
Posters created by encampment members are taped to a gate on the edge of the Kresge auditorium lawn at MIT. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
After Vemuri gave her speech at Thursday’s commencement event, she was told she would not be allowed at Friday’s undergraduate ceremony.
“With regard to MIT’s Commencement 2025 activities, the speech delivered by a graduating senior at Thursday’s OneMIT Commencement Ceremony was not the one that was provided by the speaker in advance. While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events,” an MIT spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony.”
HARVARD, NORTHWESTERN FAILED JEWISH STUDENTS DURING COLLEGE CAMPUS PROTESTS: HOUSE REPORT
College campuses across the U.S. have been rocked with protests amid the Gaza war. MIT was among a plethora of campuses where antisemitic agitators delivered incendiary speeches and faced off with police.
Not too far from MIT, Harvard is facing serious pressure from the Trump administration over allegedly harboring “pro-terrorist” conduct on campus, losing millions in federal funding.
Read the full article from Here
Rainbow flags are flying in the South End as the neighborhood prepares to celebrate Boston’s LGBTQ community at Saturday’s Pride for the People Parade.
Three hundred different organizations with about 12,000 people are expected to participate in what will be the city’s nearly 60th Pride parade.
”There are still things that we are fighting for today, and so we want to remember those that fought before us,” said Adrianna Boulin, of Boston Pride for the People.
The Pride for the People Parade and Festival is happening Saturday in Boston, among other events across New England.
This year’s theme is Pride as Protest – 1776, and organizers say Pride will always be a protest.
“The fact that we are here, the fact that in the midst of what is really an attack LGBTQ people’s rights by legislatures across the country, by our own federal government — we’re here to protest and say we’re not going anywhere,” said Gary Daffin of Boston Pride for the People.
The parade is nearly 2 miles. It starts in Copley Square and works its way through a number of streets in the South End and the Back Bay before ending on Charles Street between the Public Garden and the Common.
Not going to the parade? Watch NBC10 Boston’s coverage wherever you get your news, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are producing at the plate and its something they’ve done throughout this season.
The Pirates continued that in their most recent series vs. the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, scoring 24 total runs and winning two of three games in their first series of the month.
Pittsburgh won 10-6 in the series opener on June 2, fell 11-9 on June 3 and then won 5-1 in the series finale on June 4.
The Pirates put up good enough performances to win all three games from the plate and it’s the main reason they’ve had so much success this season.
Pirates Offense Takes Liftoff in Houston
The Pirates swept the Minnesota Twins at PNC Park, May 29-31, prior to this series and scored 25 total runs, marking 49 over the past six games, good for more than eight runs per contest.
Pittsburgh has shown their power this season and they hit six home runs vs. the Astros to keep it going.
Catcher Endy Rodríguez hit a two-run home run to tie the game up 2-2 in the second inning of the series opener, center fielder Oneil Cruz hit a three-run home run to give the Pirates a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning and then second baseman Brandon Lowe sealed the win with a three-run home run in the eighth inning to make it 9-4.
Fellow catcher Henry Davis hit the first grand slam of his career in the second game of the series to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead int he fourth inning and second baseman Nick Gonzales hit a two-run home run, his second of the season, extending the Pirates’ lead to 7-3 in the seventh inning.
Right fielder Ryan O’Hearn hit the sole home run in the series finale, a two-run home run to make it 4-0 in the sixth inning, and finished with three RBI in the victory.
Cruz had a great series in Houston, with six hits and four walks, while Gonzales also tied him with six hits and three RBI.
Outfielder Jake Mangum had four hits and two stolen bases in the series opener and played some solid defense in the series finale too.
Pirates Hitters vs. Astros
|
Player |
Hits/At-Bats |
Walks |
RBI |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oneil Cruz |
6-for-14 |
4 |
3 |
|
Nick Gonzales |
6-for-13 |
1 |
3 |
|
Jake Mangum |
5-for-9 |
0 |
0 |
|
Ryan O’Hearn |
3-for-10 |
1 |
3 |
|
Brandon Lowe |
3-for-14 |
1 |
3 |
|
Bryan Reynolds |
2-for-12 |
2 |
1 |
|
Endy Rodríguez |
2-for-9 |
1 |
3 |
|
Jared Triolo |
1-for-9 |
4 |
1 |
The Pirates haven’t had to rely on just one person this season, as they’ve gotten contributions from almost everyone in the lineup on a consistent basis.
Pittsburgh saw that happen against Houston, with different players stepping up in different games to come through and provide runs and hits.
How Pirates Offense Stacks Up to Rest of MLB
The Pirates rank statistially amongst the best teams in baseball and are in the top five/top 10 teams in most categories.
Pirates 2026 Stats and NL/MLB ranking
|
Stat (Total) |
NL/MLB Ranking |
|---|---|
|
Hits (560) |
1st/1st |
|
OBP (.339) |
2nd/2nd |
|
Stolen Bases (62)/Batting Average (.256) |
3rd/3rd |
|
OPS (.744) |
3rd/4th) |
|
Walks (251)/Slugging % (.405) |
(3rd/5th) |
|
RBI (310)/Runs (325) |
4th/4th |
|
Home Runs (74) |
6th/10th |
It’s a dramatic change from last season, where they were arguably the worst hitting team in baseball, ranking dead-last or close to the bottom of most of these same statistical categories.
The offseason additions of O’Hearn and Lowe have been massive for the Pirates, both of whom have brought veteran leadership, but also great production at the plate.
O’Hearn has slashed .295/.371/.486 for an OPS of .857 in 48 games, with 51 hits, six doubles, nine home runs, 33 RBI and 20 walks to 39 strikeouts.
Lowe leads the Pirates and ranks 4th in the National League/11th in baseball with 15 home runs, eighth in the NL/16th in MLB with 40 RBI, seventh in NL/13th in MLB with a .532 slugging percentage and 10th in NL/20th in MLB with a .873 OPS.
Cruz is having a big rebound season and is slashing .269/.349/.482 for an OPS of .831 in 61 games, with 45 runs scored, 66 hits, 10 doubles, 14 home runs, 44 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
He is second in baseball with stolen bases, ranks tied for third in NL/tied for sixth in MLB in runs scored, tied for fifth in NL/tied for sixth in MLB in RBI, tied for 8th in NL/tied for 14th in MLB in hits, tied for seventh in NL/tied for 16th in MLB in home runs, while ranking 21st in baseball in slugging percentage and 25th in OPS.
Bryan Reynolds has also been excellent with his plate discipline, tied for the sixth-most walks in baseball (44) and has the ninth-best on-base percentage (.397), while Spencer Horwitz isn’t too far behind with the a .386 on-base percentage, 17th-best in baseball.
Gonzales has been one of the best hitters in baseball, with his .313 batting average eighth-best in MLB.
Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had a solid May and if the likes of Mangum, Rodríguez, Davis, fellow rookie Jhostynxon Garcia can join in more consistently, this Pirates lineup will continue playing a big role in a lot of wins the rest of the season.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Los Angeles, Ca49 minutes agoMan wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
-
Detroit, MI1 hour ago‘I could have died’: 14-year-old speaks out after surviving shooting during ‘teen takeover’ in Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoDriver Who Raped Woman After She Mistook His Car For An Uber Convicted By Bay Area Jury
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoHouse fire on Dallas Court in Rockford leaves more than $100K in damage
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoWildlife officers investigate raccoon attack in North Miami
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoBoston Pride for the People Parade is set to step off, with history, protest in mind
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoHow a Christian Braun Trade to the Mavericks Could Help Nuggets
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoSeattle Hotel Workers Are on the Verge of Striking Ahead of the World Cup – The Stranger
