Star couple’s daughter arrested at anti-Israel protest

The daughter of two Hollywood heavyweights has been arrested during an anti-Israel protest as the US and Iran get set to hold nuclear talks on the eve of a trip to the Middle East by Donald Trump.

The daughter of Oscar-nominated actress Maggie Gyllenhaal was arrested during anti-Israel protests at Columbia University in New York, according to reports.

Ramona Sarsgaard, 18, who is a student at Columbia College, was slapped with a desk appearance ticket for criminal trespassing, the sources told the New York Post.

Maggie Gyllenhaal with daughter Ramona. Picture: Supplied

The actress’s daughter – who Gyllenhaal shares with husband Peter Sarsgaard – was one of nearly 80 agitators arrested while storming the university’s Butler Library earlier this week as students prepared for final exams.

At least two school safety officers were injured in the melee, officials said.

As of Thursday local time, the elite university had handed down at least 65 interim suspensions to students who were part of the chaos, pending further investigation, a school official said.

It’s unclear if Sarsgaard was one of those suspended.

Protesters storm Columbia University's library in New York. Picture: Supplied

Video obtained by The New York Post showed a line of protesters led out in zip ties by police and onto waiting police buses following the ruckus, which started when demonstrators shoved past a security guard at the library’s front entrance, disrupting focused students.

Once inside, they draped large signs over bookshelves, scrawled “Columbia Will Burn” on a glass case inside the library, and marked tables with coloured tape.

Peter Sarsgaard with daughter, Ramona. Picture: Supplied

Another 33 individuals, including those from affiliated institutions, and an unspecified number of alumni, were also barred from campus, the official said – as Columbia faced public pressure to take strong action against protesters.

Little is known about Sarsgaard’s personal life. She follows in the footsteps of her famous mother, who reportedly graduated from Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in English literature before appearing in dozens of films including the 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight opposite Heath Ledger.

Anti-Israel protesters at New York's Columbia University. Picture: Supplied

Protesters at Columbia University are led away by police. Picture: Supplied

She has been nominated for two Academy Awards – for Best Supporting Actress in 2010 for her role in the film Crazy Heart and separately in the Best Adapted Screenplay category in 2021 for her writing on The Lost Daughter.

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US, IRAN TO HOLD NUCLEAR TALKS

The United States and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear talks on Sunday local time in Oman, officials said, just ahead of a visit to the region by US President Donald Trump.

Mr Trump, who will visit three other Gulf Arab monarchies next week, has voiced hope for reaching a deal with Tehran to avert an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear program that could ignite a wider war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Oman, which has been mediating, had proposed Sunday as the date and both sides had accepted.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear talks on Sunday local time in Oman. Picture: AFP

“Negotiations are moving ahead and naturally, the more we advance, the more consultations we have, and the more time the delegations need to examine the issues,” he said in a video carried by Iranian media.

“But what’s important is that we are moving forward so that we gradually get into the details,” Mr Araghchi said.

Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s friend who has served as his globetrotting negotiator, will take part in the talks, the fourth since Mr Trump returned to the White House, according to a source familiar with arrangements.

“As in the past, we expect both direct and indirect discussions,” the person said on condition of anonymity.

US President Donald Trump will visit the Middle East next week. Picture: AP

Iranian and US representatives voiced optimism after the previous talks that took place in Oman and Rome, saying there was a friendly atmosphere despite the two countries’ four decades of enmity.

But the two sides are not believed to have gone into technical detail, and basic questions remain.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that Iran give up all uranium enrichment, even for civilian purposes. He has instead raised the possibility of Iran importing enriched uranium for any civilian energy.

Witkoff initially voiced more flexibility before backtracking.

– with AFP