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☆ Education Dept. Investigates Claims of Discrimination Against Palestinian Students at Harvard
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Vimal Patel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. Education Department said on Tuesday that it had opened an investigation into Harvard over whether it failed to protect Palestinian, Muslim and Arab students and their supporters from harassment, threats and intimidation. The Education Department has already opened a separate investigation into Harvard over complaints of antisemitism. Students were “threatened or called terrorists,” sometimes by fellow students, for wearing keffiyehs, a Palestinian scarf, said Christina A. School administrators instead met with donors and alumni who “encouraged the harassment,” said Chelsea Glover, another lawyer on the case. The complaint, which lawyers for the group did not provide, does not name any donors or alumni, Ms. Jump said.

Persons: Claudine Gay, Christina A, “, ”, Chelsea Glover, Jump Organizations: U.S . Education Department, Harvard, The Education Department, Muslim, Fund of America, School Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian

☆ Department of Energy is investigating Harvard after Palestinian and Muslim students file complaint
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Rene Marsh | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Department of Education on Tuesday announced a new investigation into Harvard University’s handling of alleged discrimination on its campus after a federal civil rights complaint was filed late last month against Harvard on behalf of Muslim and Palestinian students. The students said in the complaint that the school failed to protect them from harassment and intimidation, according to the Muslim Legal Fund of America. The Department of Education is already investigating the Harvard and other universities over alleged incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. “They are trying to walk the campus but they’re getting accosted because they look like someone who might be Palestinian or Muslim. Earlier this month, Harvard Interim President Alan Garber launched a presidential task force designed to fight Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Persons: Christina Jump, they’re, ”, MLFA, “ We’ve, ” MLFA, Alan Garber, ” Garber Organizations: CNN, Department of Education, Harvard, Muslim, Fund of America, University, of Education, Civil Litigation Department, ” CNN Locations: Israel

☆ Complaint Alleges Harvard Didn't Protect Pro-Palestinian Students From Threats
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Over a dozen students alleged on Monday that Harvard University failed to protect them from harassment and threats "based solely" on their pro-Palestinian identity, the group representing them said. The Muslim Legal Fund of America said its legal division filed a civil rights complaint on Monday with the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights on behalf of those students. The Harvard students alleged "harassment, intimidation, threats and more based solely on them being Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and supporters of Palestinian rights," the group said. Some students alleged that Harvard had threatened "to limit or retract the students' future academic opportunities," the Muslim Legal Fund of America said on Monday. The affected students attend Harvard College, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Divinity School, and Harvard Law School, the group said.

Persons: Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Israel's, Claudine Gay, Kanishka Singh, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Harvard University, Muslim, Fund of America, U.S . Education Department's, Civil Rights, Harvard, Rights, Harvard College, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Law School Locations: U.S, Vermont, Illinois, Israel, Gaza, Washington

☆ Palestinian and Muslim students demand investigation into Harvard for allegedly failing to protect them from harassment
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —A federal civil rights complaint was filed on Monday against Harvard University on behalf of Muslim and Palestinian students who say the school failed to protect them from harassment and intimidation, according to the Muslim Legal Fund of America. The complaint, filed with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, calls for an immediate investigation into Harvard, the legal group said. “They are trying to walk the campus but they’re getting accosted because they look like someone who might be Palestinian or Muslim. Last fall, the Education Department launched a federal investigation into Harvard and other universities over alleged incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia. In October, the names and faces of Harvard students allegedly linked to an anti-Israel statement were plastered on a mobile billboard truck that drove near campus.

Persons: MLFA, ”, Christina Jump, “, they’re, “ We’ve, ” MLFA, Alan Garber, ” Garber Organizations: New, New York CNN, Harvard University, Muslim, Fund of America, Department of Education’s, Civil Rights, Harvard, Civil Litigation Department, CNN, Education Department Locations: New York, Israel

☆ Wall Street is bullish on mortgage-backed securities for their juicy yields and attractive fundamentals
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For investors looking for high-quality income with the potential for significant total return, agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) may be the answer. Fitting MBS into your portfolio In fact, Atluri believes agency MBS are more attractive than investment-grade corporate right now. In addition, agency mortgage-backed securities also trade defensively if the economic outlook were to worsen, he added. About 25% of core bond fund holdings are in mortgage-backed securities, according to Morningstar. "Mortgage-backed securities didn't do as well [as investment grade] last year," said Wei Li, BlackRock's global chief investment strategist.

Persons: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, Jason Smith, Neuberger Berman, Smith, Michael Kessler, Kessler, Pramod, Atluri, Morningstar, Wei Li, Albion's Kessler Organizations: Agency MBS, U.S ., MBS, Mortgage News, Albion Financial Group, Federal Reserve, Capital Group, Fund of America, BlackRock

☆ These bond funds withstood the 2008 and 2020 recessions. What investors can learn from them
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Investors curious as to whether their bond funds could withstand an economic downturn would do well to look back to the last two recessions. The PGIM Core Bond Fund (TAIBX) and the Calvert Core Bond Fund (CLDAX ) earned returns of more than 8% from December 2007 to the end of June 2009, according to data from Morningstar Direct. Standouts include the Carillon Reams Core Bond Fund (SCCIX) , which incurred a 7.55% return from February through April 2020, per Morningstar. The Johnson Institutional Core Bond fund (JIBFX) and American Funds' Bond Fund of America (ABNDX) round out the top three, with total returns in that period of more than 4%. A combo of attributes Core bond funds have a combination of features that prepare them for downturns.

Persons: Liz Young, Lehman, Calvert, Paul Olmsted, Olmsted Organizations: Nasdaq, Federal, Lehman Brothers, Bond Fund, Morningstar Direct, Funds, Bond Fund of America, Morningstar, Treasury Bond ETF

"Credit spreads have rallied across the board since the beginning of the year despite heavy (new bond) issuance and are at multi-month tights. This puts the credit market at odds with economic forecasts and the rates market," Barclays strategists said in a recent note. They said U.S. investment grade bonds rated BBB implied a 30% chance of recession, and CCC rated bonds implied a 35% chance. In the most bullish scenario, investment-grade bond spreads could tighten another 20 to 30 basis points, but they could widen much more if the economic downturn is deeper than anticipated, he added. Reporting by Davide Barbuscia and Matt Tracy; Editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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