Harvard University sues Trump administration to stop funding freeze

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration claiming that its freezing of federal grants worth billions of dollars is unlawful.

Its president, Alan M Garber, announced the action on Monday in a letter to the university community which said the $2bn funding freeze would hamper critical disease research.

Harvard, the world's richest university, last week rejected a list of demands that the Trump administration said was designed to curb diversity initiatives and fight anti-semitism at the school.

In response to the lawsuit, the White House said the "gravy train of federal assistance" was coming to an end.