The Short List

Sat Apr 27 2024

John Riley | Audience Editor

As pro-Palestinian protests engulf college campuses, Columbia University has become Ground Zero – again. Kyle Rittenhouse has become an unlikely campus speaker on gun rights. And the upcoming "Cicada-geddon" will be drizzling a substance that's not pleasant to think about.

👋Good morning! John Riley here. It was a wild week in the news. Here are some of the best stories USA TODAY had to offer.

But first: Weekend fun. Here's what to watch and read this weekend from Zendaya's 'Challengers' movie to the new Emily Henry romance novel.

How Columbia University became the epicenter of protests

Columbia University's lush Ivy League campus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan is known for many things. It's where the popular TV show "Gossip Girl" was often filmed. It's where Barack Obama finished his bachelor's degree and Hillary Clinton is now a professor. Now it has gained a more controversial identity: the center of student dissent against Israel's offensive in Gaza. 📣 For Columbia, it's not the first time its campus has been rocked by activism.

•	Latest on the protests: Revolving protests outside Columbia's gates
•	What about overseas?: Standoffs have flown under the radar
•	Hamas, Iran applaud US protests: Militant groups offer public support

Kyle Rittenhouse's campus speaking tour sparks outrage

In 2020, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fired a rifle at a Black Lives Matter demonstration, killing two people and injuring a third. He was acquitted of wrongdoing, claiming self-defense. He has since penned a book and begun a series of college speaking events with the message that students have the right to take up arms. ▶That message has sparked protests and raised questions about how far free speech should be allowed to go.

Clouds of cicadas are coming. And they're ready to 'rain.'

Upwards of 1 trillion noisy periodical cicadas are set to emerge in the Midwest and southern states this spring. As they emerge, they will also produce huge amounts of, well, pee. The insects are the strongest urinators in the animal kingdom, with flows that put elephants and humans to shame, scientists say. ☂️ Learn more about cicada "rain" and the insects' life cycle.