Good morning, readers!

Today, we are rearranging the order of the stories because the video below is a must-see. It reveals a crack in Hamas’ efforts to launder their reputation.

Did they think BBC would be soft on them?

Today’s hotspots

Anger takes over Hamas spokesperson as he struggles to justify Hamas’ massacre.

The money talks: Ivy League donors are fighting back against antisemitism at US colleges.

Ivy League donors are fed up with their schools’ weak response to Hamas attacks on Israel.

They want the presidents to stand up against campus antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. They are threatening to cut off their money and oust the leaders. Why are they doing this and how will it affect the top schools and the world?

🐾 The names behind the money.

Some of the most prominent and generous donors to Ivy League schools are business tycoons who have made their fortunes in finance, technology, and cosmetics.

🔎 They include:

• Kenneth Griffin: Founder of Citadel. He gave $300 million to Harvard last year alone.

• Marc Rowan: CEO of Apollo. He gave $50 million to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school.

• Ronald Lauder: Heir to Estée Lauder. He has given millions to various schools and causes.

Apart from the above, the following CEOs vowed to not hire students who signed the controversial Harvard open letter that blamed Israel for Hamas’ terrorist attacks on October 7th.

(Read our previous article detailing the entire Harvard letter controversy)

• Bill Ackerman: Billionaire CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management.

• Jonathan Neuman: CEO of Sweetgreen.

🐾 The trigger for the backlash.

Ivy League donors were outraged by the university presidents’ lukewarm response to the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th, which killed at least 1,400 people and sparked a wave of violence and protests around the world.

• They accused the presidents of being wishy-washy in their condemnation and defense of Israel’s right to self-defense.

• They also blamed them for turning a blind eye to the surge of antisemitic incidents and rhetoric on campus and online.

• They penned letters, dialed numbers, hopped on Zoom calls, and threatened to “close the checkbooks.”

• They also rallied fellow alumni and trustees to their cause.

🐾 The implications for the schools and the world.

The donors’ activism has put pressure on the university presidents to take a stronger stance on antisemitism and Israel. Some of them have issued new statements or policies to address the issue. Others have tried to balance their views with academic freedom and diversity of opinion.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇨🇳 China:

Chinese jet’s “unsafe intercept” of US bomber.

It was a tense night over the South China Sea when a Chinese J-11 fighter jet intercepted a US B-52 bomber flying at low visibility. The video released by the Pentagon shows the J-11 coming within 10 feet of the B-52, risking a collision. The Pentagon called the maneuver “unsafe and unprofessional” and said it violated international air safety rules.

✱ NOTE: This is not the first time China has challenged US aircraft in the region. China claims most of the South China Sea as its territory.

🇨🇳 China:

Former premier Li Keqiang dies of heart attack at 68.

He was the man who almost became China’s number 1, but ended up as its second-in-command. Li Keqiang, who retired last year as the country’s premier, passed away suddenly on Friday. He was known for his pragmatic economic policies and his concern for the poor. He also managed to survive the power struggle within the ruling Communist Party, even though he was not part of President Xi Jinping’s inner circle.

Despite his immense popularity in China, his passing was overshadowed in state media by Xi’s recent meeting with California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom.

✱ NOTE: In his final term, Li stood alone as the sole top official outside Mr. Xi’s circle of loyalists.

🇺🇸 United States:

US bombs Iran-backed militias in Syria.

President Biden has ordered airstrikes on two sites in Syria linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The strikes are a response to the recent attacks on US bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria by the militias. According to the Pentagon, at least 19 attacks on US bases in Syria and Iraq have been reported since October 17.

Statement from the US Department of Defense: (Link)

✱ NOTE: The US maintains that the attacks weren’t related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

🇧🇪 Belgium:

Palestinian asylum seeker arrested for planning suicide attack.

Belgium is on high alert after a desperate Palestinian refugee threatened to blow himself up in Brussels. The man, who was frustrated by his family’s situation in Gaza amid Israel’s war against Hamas, was arrested in a hotel after a massive manhunt. He had visited a migrant aid organization, where he revealed his suicidal intentions.

✱ NOTE: Belgium raised its terrorist threat to the highest level last week after two Swedish soccer fans were brutally shot by a radicalized Tunisian terrorist in Brussels.