The United States says it will begin revoking visas of Chinese students and tighten screening for future applicants from China and Hong Kong, the US State Department said on Thursday.

“The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media platform X.

In a press release, the State Department stated that it would also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.

It was not immediately clear how many students currently in the United States would be affected or whether any exemptions would apply.

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), about 277,000 Chinese students were enrolled at U.S. universities during the 2023-2024 academic years, making them the second-largest group of international students after those from India.

The U.S. already applies strict visa rules for Chinese nationals in certain academic disciplines, particularly in science and technology.

China’s Foreign Office said it filed a complaint against the unjustified step.

Washington’s discriminatory actions expose the lie of freedom and openness that the U.S. has always boasted about, said spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing.

The new measures come amid reports that the State Department has halted new visa interviews for international students and exchange visitors while it reviews screening procedures, including expanded checks on social media activity.

The pause reportedly affects F, M and J visa categories, including those for students, interns and au pairs, with further instructions expected in the coming days.

However, relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated further since U.S President Donald Trump took office in January.

The two economic powers are engaged in a deepening trade dispute and competing for global influence across multiple fronts.(dpa/NAN)

A South Korean Navy patrol plane with four people on board crashed on a mountain in Pohang, a city in the south-eastern part of the country.

The Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday, citing authorities.

The crash happened at 1:50 pm (0450 GMT).

According to the report, witnesses said smoke was seen rising from the mountain.

The bodies of all four people aboard the plane have since been recovered, Yonhap reported.

The navy, in a short statement to reporters, said the crash occurred after the aircraft took off for a training exercise, but crashed due to unidentified reasons.

The navy said that it is investigating further details.

Fire workers were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the blaze.(dpa/NAN)

 The Israeli Government has rejected the latest proposal for a ceasefire and release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, local media reported on Monday.

“The proposal received by Israel cannot be accepted by any responsible government,’’ the Times of Israel quoted an unnamed senior official as saying, who didn’t give any further details.

According to the ynet news website, the proposal was made by a Palestinian-American businessman who has reportedly been involved in direct negotiations with Palestinian extremist group Hamas for some time.

According to Hezbollah-affiliated Arab broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, the proposal involves a 70-day ceasefire to allow both sides to conduct negotiations on an end to the war.

With Hamas is to release five living hostages and the bodies of a further five from Gaza.

The draft is far removed from the proposal drawn up by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, ynet quoted an Israeli official as saying.

Witkoff’s recently submitted draft provides for the release of 10 living hostages in exchange for 45 to 60 days of ceasefire.

According to Israeli sources, at least 20 hostages are still being held alive in the Gaza Strip, with the fate of three further abductees unclear.

In addition, the Islamists are still holding the bodies of 35 hostages abducted from Israel during the attacks it launched on Oct. 7, 2023. (dpa/NAN)