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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Opinion

A four panel illustration of four different people drawn in a monochrome purple pallet.

Off-Third: NYU released their shortlist for consultants on ‘institutional restraint.’ You won’t believe who’s on it.

These professionals are seeking a new purpose: helping NYU skirt around socio-political tensions.
Dani Biondi, Film & TV Editor December 13, 2024

Off-Third is WSN’s satire column. An NYU spokesperson recently affirmed the university’s aim to practice “institutional restraint” in response to escalations of pro-Palestinian...

A red snake wrapped around a black and white rifle like the Rod of Ascelpius, in front of a blue background.

Off Topic: A shot heard around the health care sector

The public reaction to the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO reveals how broken the U.S. health care system is.
Mehr Kotval and Noah Zaldivar December 13, 2024

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was killed in broad daylight on the curb outside the Hilton in Midtown. A man wearing a hoodie — identified by the New York City...

The number 6 train arrives at the Union Square station. People stand on the platform and walk on an overpass above the tracks.

Opinion: Congestion pricing is the cure to NYC’s traffic crisis

For the second year in a row, New York City has been named the world’s most congested urban area, harming citizens every day. It’s time to change that with congestion pricing.
Steven Wang, Staff Writer December 12, 2024

In 2024, New York City claimed the title of the world’s most congested urban area once again, surpassing other major cities like Paris, Mexico City and Chicago. However, we may...

A protester holds up a white sign that reads “DISCLOSE, DIVEST”.

Opinion: NYU must sever ties with Tel Aviv University

From deadly military technology to an “engineering war room,” NYU's partner institution Tel Aviv University is not only complicit in but also contributes to Israel's war crimes.
Mehr Kotval, Opinion Editor December 11, 2024

On July 3, the Israeli military ordered the family of Muhammed Bhar, a 24-year-old man with Down syndrome and autism, to evacuate their home at gunpoint. During this altercation,...

An illustration of the flags of Ukraine and the United States crossed in front of a black-and-white drawing of destroyed buildings.

Off Topic: A ceasefire in Ukraine isn’t as simple as you think it is

For the past two years, the war in Ukraine has intensified. While President-elect Donald Trump has called for an immediate end to hostilities, he neglects the disadvantageous position Ukraine is in.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor December 10, 2024

To the non-apocalypse-minded among us, the Doomsday Clock tracks the human race’s relative proximity to self-caused human annihilation, measured by the number of hours and minutes...

An illustration of a rainbow-colored circle of holding hands. Inside the circle, there is an illustration of two people next to each other with a heart between them.

Opinion: Mutual aid keeps our communities alive — it’s time to get involved

Whether you want to volunteer your time, donate resources or simply learn more about mutual aid, here is the information you need to know about how to help you make a positive community impact.
Noor Maahin, Staff Writer December 5, 2024

In a school in the heart of New York City, students are surrounded by the manifestation of many social injustices with every block they turn. With thousands suffering on...

First lady Jill Biden, wearing a red dress and black boots, holds a cellphone as President Joe Biden, wearing a black suit with a blue tie, and his son Hunter Biden, wearing a black shirt, walk behind her.

Off Topic: Hunter Biden’s pardon highlights Democrats’ hypocrisy

After an election predicated on preserving democracy, this was a really bad time to prove just how rife with corruption the system can be.
Noah Zaldivar, Opinion Editor December 4, 2024

Watergate was a political scandal of unprecedented scale, which revealed the seedy underbelly of political espionage rampant in the halls of government. While the whole ordeal...

Three people wearing purple graduation gowns and black graduation caps are standing raising diplomas. To the left is former N.Y.U. president standing behind a purple-and-white N.Y.U. sign.

Opinion: No longer behind bars, but not truly free

Without support systems in place, many formerly incarcerated individuals in New York risk falling into a cycle of poverty and criminalization.
Steven Wang, Staff Writer December 3, 2024

The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world, keeping about 2 million people behind bars at any given time and costing an absurd $182 billion...

An illustration of a poster on a utility pole with a woman in the center with a question mark over her face. Above are the words “LINDA MILLS” and below are the words “Lookalike Contest.”

Off-Third: Linda Mills lookalike contest brings new crowd to Gould Plaza

Move aside, rat men of the month. There’s only one doppelganger search that matters.
Dani Biondi, Film & TV Editor December 3, 2024

Off-Third is WSN’s satire column. The celebrity lookalike contest fad hasn’t left NYU’s campus just yet. With the infamous Oct. 28 Timothée Chalamet Lookalike Competition...

A stone bench with armrests on Astor Place.

Opinion: Hostile city planning hides homelessness, but doesn’t solve it.

Anti-homeless structures are not only cruel but ineffective, as they simply displace and exacerbate the homelessness crisis rather than alleviate it.
Mehr Kotval, Opinion Editor December 2, 2024

Hostile architecture has a pervasive presence in New York City, though it often goes unnoticed. If you have ever seen window ledges spiked with metal, a barred street corner, or...

An illustration of seven people standing at purple podiums. One of the podiums has a spotlight on it, with a person raising their hand under the light. There is another spotlight that highlights the words “UP FOR DEBATE”.

Up for Debate: Should NYU adopt institutional restraint?

Following a recent trend of universities adopting institutional neutrality, NYU has expressed commitment to practicing “institutional restraint” in order to give “respect to the diverse experience and backgrounds at NYU.”
Mehr Kotval, Noah Zaldivar, Omar Drissi and Naisha Roy November 26, 2024

Naisha Roy, Editor-at-Large: The concept of institutional neutrality is inextricably linked to freedom of speech. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which gave...

A person holding a brown sign that says, “NYU RUNS ON MURDER DIVEST NOW.”

Off Topic: The Congo and Sudan exist in activism’s blind spot

Activism is a means of forcing the media to turn their attention to injustice, but too often, ongoing humanitarian crises like those in Sudan and the Congo go overlooked.
Leila Olukoga, Deputy Opinion Editor November 22, 2024

The Sudanese Civil War has been characterized as one of the most dire humanitarian crises in the world, yet also one of the most underreported. As of October 2023, nearly 70% of...