International

Harvard faces Federal pressure over immigration docs, autonomy dispute intensifies

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ordered Harvard University on Wednesday to hand over documents related to its foreign students, issuing an administrative subpoena after the university allegedly refused to comply voluntarily.

This move marks a new escalation in the ongoing conflict between Donald Trump’s administration and academic institutions. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which operates under DHS, demanded access to “relevant documents” for “immigration law enforcement purposes since January 1, 2020,” according to an official statement.

“Harvard, like other universities, has allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and promote violence and terrorism on campus,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who added that the university has “repeatedly refused to cooperate” with previous requests.

Harvard is among several universities facing potential loss of federal funding following reports by Trump’s “Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism,” which accused the school of enforcing affirmative action policies and failing to promote what the administration refers to as “diversity of thought.”

Asked about the escalating conflict during a separate meeting on Wednesday, Trump stated, “Harvard has been terrible — completely antisemitic,” but added that he was optimistic the pressure would work and believed that “of course, the government and the university will reach an agreement.”

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According to The Harvard Crimson, the university did provide some documentation related to foreign students in April and May, but the government deemed it insufficient and consequently moved to ban its exchange programs and bar international students and scholars.

In June, Harvard sued the Trump administration over this ban. That same month, a federal judge indefinitely blocked the order while litigation continues.

A Harvard spokesperson reaffirmed the university’s commitment to the law but described the DHS demands as “unjustified” and a form of “retaliation” for defending its autonomy against what it considers government overreach — particularly regarding whom private universities may admit, hire, and what they are allowed to teach.

Additionally, Harvard filed another lawsuit in April to reclaim nearly $2 billion in frozen federal funding, which the government has withheld over alleged antisemitic practices.

In its statement on Wednesday, DHS said the administrative subpoena was its “only remaining option” to compel Harvard to comply, and urged other academic institutions facing similar demands to “take note of Harvard’s actions and the consequences.”

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International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.