Columbia University Agrees to $200M Settlement; Trump Unveils New AI Action Plan | NTD Good Morning

Columbia University will pay more than $200 million to settle federal claims that it failed to protect Jewish students and staff from harassment. The deal restores access to billions in funding and follows months of protests and suspended grants. Columbia continues to deny wrongdoing, but has agreed to major policy changes, including tougher discipline, new civil rights training, and updating its definition of anti-Semitism. The school has also agreed to abide by laws banning race-based hiring and admissions.

President Donald Trump signed three executive orders on Wednesday, while also unveiling a White House action plan to boost the American artificial intelligence (AI) industry. He vowed to stop adversaries like China from using AI to push opposing values, and said that the United States is currently leading China in AI “very substantially.” The plan includes around 90 recommendations, including a crackdown on state laws deemed too restrictive and fast-tracking the construction of datacenters.

Bryan Kohberger, who confessed to the first-degree murder in 2022 of four University of Idaho students, has been sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison, without parole. Before his sentencing, family members of the victims spoke emotionally about the anguish they have suffered. Kohberger showed no emotion during the statements and declined the opportunity to speak. In addition to the prison time, Kohberger was also ordered to pay $200,000 in fines and $20,000 in civil penalties to the families.