International
Taiwan responds to U.S. sanctions on Harvard with special loans for affected students

Taiwan has announced it will offer special government-backed loans to Taiwanese students studying at Harvard University who are facing financial difficulties following the U.S. government’s decision to freeze approximately $3.2 billion in funding to the institution.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA), the Ministry of Education specified that the loans will be available to students whose families earn less than $66,800 annually or who have more than two children studying abroad.
The loans, provided through seven Taiwanese banks, will offer up to 1.2 million New Taiwan dollars (around $40,000 USD) for master’s students, and up to 2.4 million (approximately $80,000 USD) for those pursuing doctoral degrees.
Currently, 52 Taiwanese students — including incoming enrollees — are studying at Harvard, according to the ministry.
The U.S. government recently suspended grants and contracts with Harvard worth $3.2 billion and temporarily barred the university from enrolling international students. The enrollment ban has since been paused by a court order.
U.S. officials justified the move by citing civil rights concerns, accusing Harvard of “applying racial criteria in admissions” and “tolerating antisemitic behavior” on campus, while criticizing the institution’s allegedly “woke” ideological stance.
Harvard President Alan M. Garber described the freeze on international admissions as “a potentially devastating blow.” International students currently make up about 27% of Harvard’s 6,800-student body.
International
Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte train; suspect charged with murder

A tragic incident unfolded on the night of August 22 when Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally stabbed inside a light rail train operated by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) in North Carolina.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the attacker, identified as Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, had a lengthy criminal record and was riding the train without a valid ticket. Authorities reported that the assault was unprovoked and occurred just four minutes after Zarutska boarded the Blue Line train near the intersection of Camden Road and East and West Boulevard.
Witnesses immediately called emergency services, but despite security personnel being present elsewhere on the train, they were unable to intervene in time. Zarutska was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brown was apprehended while attempting to leave the train and was found with a hand injury. He was treated at a local hospital before being booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail, where he faces first-degree murder charges and is being held without bail.
Authorities released images showing the suspect leaving a trail of blood inside the train car. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed concerns over the lack of adequate security on Charlotte’s public transportation system.
International
Texas shooting: One dead, five injured in Liberty County bar attack

Authorities in Liberty County, Texas, reported that a gunman remains at large after opening fire outside a bar early Sunday morning, leaving one person dead and five others injured.
According to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect arrived at the bar around midnight, ordered a drink, and stayed for about an hour before stepping outside to his vehicle. He then fired multiple shots toward the bar before fleeing the scene.
Officials believe the suspect acted alone and escaped in his vehicle. The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and local police, are actively searching for the gunman. Authorities have urged anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts to contact them immediately.
International
Trump signs executive order targeting countries that unjustly detain americans

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday authorizing the United States to impose sanctions on countries that unjustly detain American citizens.
The order also establishes the creation of a list of countries designated as “state sponsors of unjust detention”, similar to the existing classification for state sponsors of terrorism.
“The United States must redouble efforts to protect its citizens from unjust detention abroad. No American should fear being used as a political pawn by rogue states,” the official directive states.
Under the order, the Secretary of State will be responsible for identifying countries engaging in these practices, applying the criteria outlined in the Levinson Act, which provides parameters for determining when an arrest can be considered unjust.
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