The Trump administration has told U.S. embassies to stop scheduling new visa interviews for international students and exchange visitors. This pause is part of a plan to increase social media checks on applicants.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government is reviewing how it screens these visa applicants and will soon update its guidelines. While interviews already scheduled can still happen, new ones must be canceled for now.
Officials say the goal is to make sure all visitors are thoroughly vetted, especially by checking their online activity. U.S. embassies are being told to focus on American citizen services, immigrant visas, and preventing fraud instead.
This move comes as Trump pushes stricter immigration rules, including deporting students or green card holders who support Palestinians or criticize Israel’s actions in Gaza. Critics say this violates free speech rights.
One student from Türkiye was even jailed for weeks after co-writing an article criticizing her university’s stance on Gaza. She was freed after a judge granted her bail.
Recently, Trump also moved to stop Harvard from accepting international students, accusing the university of resisting government demands. International students make up about 27% of Harvard’s student body.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 4th August, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced he may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit to China in early Septe...
South Korea has began dismantling loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean messages along the border on Monday, according to its defence ministry. ...
More than 2,500 people have had to leave their homes in southern South Korean after torrential rains swept across the country during Sunday night, inu...
Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on Sunday (3 August), calling for justice reform and deno...
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday it is ending the deployment of about 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
The Trump administration on Tuesday announced a landmark plan to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the 2025 hurricane season. The move signals a fundamental shift in the nation's approach to disaster recovery, placing the primary responsibility on state governments.
The U.S. Mint will end production of the penny by early next year, citing high manufacturing costs and a directive from President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 4th August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced he may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit to China in early September. The two leaders are expected to participate in events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people's victory over Japanese aggression.
South Korea has began dismantling loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean messages along the border on Monday, according to its defence ministry. The move is part of President Lee Jae Myung’s administration to reduce tensions with Pyongyang.
Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on Sunday (3 August), calling for justice reform and denouncing legal cases against the far-right leader as politically motivated.
Democratic lawmakers in Texas said on Sunday they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, a move Republicans are seeking to protect their narrow U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections.
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