The Trump administration has announced a major overhaul of US legal immigration rules by ending the long-standing policy that allowed international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists to remain in the country for the duration of their approved programs. Under the new regulations, international students and exchange visitors will receive visas valid for a maximum of four years, while foreign journalists will be limited to 240 days and Chinese journalists to just 90 days. Those wishing to stay longer must apply for extensions or leave the United States and seek new admission. The Department of Homeland Security says the changes are intended to strengthen oversight and prevent long-term visa misuse, while critics argue the policy could discourage global talent, affect American universities and complicate international media operations. The rule is expected to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, pending congressional review.

Trump administration introduces fixed stay limits for foreign students and journalists

At least 14 journalists were detained in Venezuela on Monday (January 5) while reporting on the political fallout following the capture of now ousted President Nicolas Maduro by US forces, according to the country’s media workers’ union. The union said that all but one of the detained reporters were working for international news outlets. Most were released later the same day, though one journalist was deported from the country. Foreign media outlets have historically faced strict controls in Venezuela, with journalist visas rarely approved.&nbsp;The detentions occurred shortly after Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president. Her inauguration followed statements indicating a willingness to engage with the Donald Trump administration, which has claimed it intends to take control of Venezuela’s governance. Journalists were reportedly stopped by security forces in and around the National Assembly, as well as in Altamira, a district of Caracas. Some were detained by military counterintelligence agents, while others were held by Venezuela’s intelligence services.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-i-am-waiting-colombian-president-dares-trump-to-come-get-me-after-us-threats-1767712551761">'I am waiting': Colombian President Gustavo Petro dares Trump to ‘come get me’ after US threats</a>&nbsp;According to the union, journalists had their equipment inspected, phones searched, and personal messages and social media activity reviewed. Two additional reporters, one Colombian and one Spanish, were detained near the Colombian border close to Cucuta. They were held without communication for several hours before being released and sent back to Colombia. The union described the incidents as deeply concerning and renewed calls for the release of 23 journalists who remain in custody across the country.<h2>Delcy Rodriguez sworn in as Venezuela's interim president</h2>Venezuela's parliament swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president on Monday (January 5), just two days after the US forces captured her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, to face trial in New York.

Venezuela cracks down on foreign journalists after Nicolas Maduro’s arrest by US forces

At least 14 journalists were detained in Venezuela on Monday (January 5) while reporting on the political fallout following the capture of now ousted President Nicolas Maduro by US forces, according to the country’s media workers’ union. The union said that all but one of the detained reporters were working for international news outlets. Most were released later the same day, though one journalist was deported from the country. Foreign media outlets have historically faced strict controls in Venezuela, with journalist visas rarely approved. The detentions occurred shortly after Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president. Her inauguration followed statements indicating a willingness to engage with the Donald Trump administration, which has claimed it intends to take control of Venezuela’s governance. Journalists were reportedly stopped by security forces in and around the National Assembly, as well as in Altamira, a district of Caracas. Some were detained by military counterintelligence agents, while others were held by Venezuela’s intelligence services. Also Read: 'I am waiting': Colombian President Gustavo Petro dares Trump to ‘come get me’ after US threats According to the union, journalists had their equipment inspected, phones searched, and personal messages and social media activity reviewed. Two additional reporters, one Colombian and one Spanish, were detained near the Colombian border close to Cucuta. They were held without communication for several hours before being released and sent back to Colombia. The union described the incidents as deeply concerning and renewed calls for the release of 23 journalists who remain in custody across the country. Delcy Rodriguez sworn in as Venezuela's interim president Venezuela's parliament swore in Delcy Rodriguez as interim president on Monday (January 5), just two days after the US forces captured her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, to face trial in New York.

At least 14 journalists were detained in Venezuela while covering the aftermath of Nicolas Maduro’s capture by US forces, and one journalist was deported

According to a Beijing-based journalist group, foreign news organisations in China are functioning with dramatically reduced employment levels, and foreign journalists who remain in the country endure intimidation, harassment, and threats of legal action.&nbsp;

According to a recent report by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC), the Chinese government has been developing new strategies to terrorise foreign journalists, their Chinese coworkers, and their contacts and sources.

It also revealed that harassment had reached such a high degree that six journalists had fled the country, according to The Guardian.&nbsp;

In the report, David Rennie, Beijing bureau chief for the Economist, said "the risk landscape is changing at the moment in unfamiliar ways."

"In particular, news organisations face warnings that their reporting may expose them to legal sanctions or civil lawsuits, or—most ominously—to national security investigations," he added.

This marks a "worrying" shift from earlier tools to control the media, such as blacklisting them from events or via problems with press cards and visas, he said.

The increased threats of legal action come after the 2020 detentions of Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei, who worked for Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, and Haze Fan of Bloomberg News.

Chinese authorities have said they are being held on suspicion of endangering national security.

Meanwhile, foreign journalists and their organisations have developed emergency exit plans over heightened risks, and "state-backed attacks... particularly trolling campaigns online" have made it tough for those remaining to operate, the FCCC report said.

Such moves foster growing feelings that foreign media are the enemy, the report added, noting that "coverage of China is suffering".

The findings were based on a survey of 127 of its 192 members.

Covering China is "increasingly becoming an exercise in distant reporting," according to the report, as journalists leave due to extreme harassment or state expulsions.

China declared in 2020 that three major American newspapers, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, would be expelled from the country.

According to the FCCC report, eighteen journalists working for American media were expelled in 2020.

Many of the correspondents have continued to cover China from other countries, while journalists at US news organisations have had difficulty renewing their press credentials.

(With inputs from agencies)

According to a Beijing-based journalist group, foreign news organisations in China are functioning with dramatically reduced employment levels, and foreign journalists who remain in the country endure intimidation, harassment, and threats of legal action.

According to a Beijing-based journalist group, foreign news organisations in China are functioning with dramatically reduced employment levels, and foreign journalists who remain in the country endure intimidation, harassment, and threats of legal action. According to a recent report by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC), the Chinese government has been developing new strategies to terrorise foreign journalists, their Chinese coworkers, and their contacts and sources. It also revealed that harassment had reached such a high degree that six journalists had fled the country, according to The Guardian. In the report, David Rennie, Beijing bureau chief for the Economist, said "the risk landscape is changing at the moment in unfamiliar ways." "In particular, news organisations face warnings that their reporting may expose them to legal sanctions or civil lawsuits, or—most ominously—to national security investigations," he added. This marks a "worrying" shift from earlier tools to control the media, such as blacklisting them from events or via problems with press cards and visas, he said. The increased threats of legal action come after the 2020 detentions of Australian TV anchor Cheng Lei, who worked for Chinese state broadcaster CGTN, and Haze Fan of Bloomberg News. Chinese authorities have said they are being held on suspicion of endangering national security. Meanwhile, foreign journalists and their organisations have developed emergency exit plans over heightened risks, and "state-backed attacks... particularly trolling campaigns online" have made it tough for those remaining to operate, the FCCC report said. Such moves foster growing feelings that foreign media are the enemy, the report added, noting that "coverage of China is suffering". The findings were based on a survey of 127 of its 192 members. Covering China is "increasingly becoming an exercise in distant reporting," according to the report, as journalists leave due to extreme harassment or state expulsions. China declared in 2020 that three major American newspapers, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, would be expelled from the country. According to the FCCC report, eighteen journalists working for American media were expelled in 2020. Many of the correspondents have continued to cover China from other countries, while journalists at US news organisations have had difficulty renewing their press credentials. (With inputs from agencies)

International journalists in China say they face serious threats

The United States accused China on Tuesday of "threatening" and "harassing" foreign journalists after the Asian country refused to renew press credentials for several employees of American media organisations.

The United States accused China on Tuesday of "threatening" and "harassing" foreign journalists after the Asian country refused to renew press credentials for several employees of American media organisations. Also read: Last two Australian journalists in China leave country Both heavyweights have restricted reporter visas, with China expelling journalists, as brinkmanship over trade and tech, Hong Kong and the coronavirus, spills over into the media. China's record of "threatening, harassing, and expelling US and other foreign journalists goes back decades", US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement provided by the US Embassy in Beijing. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently informed the US embassy in Beijing of new curbs on foreign reporters "by denying them press card renewals and refusing to process pending visa applications for journalists who were expelled earlier this year," she said. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) confirmed the news on Monday after at least five journalists at four media groups -- including the Wall Street Journal, CNN and Bloomberg -- had been denied new press cards. Also read: China handled COVID-19 openly and transparently: Xi Jingping Foreign press corps are expected to witness further pressure as more journalists will receive similar treatment in coming weeks. According to the State Department spokeswoman, the US has been "working relentlessly" to convince China to allow US journalists back into the country. As per the FCCC, 17 foreign journalists were expelled from China which is a record. These journalists are not allowed to work in China without valid press cards, which are also a requirement for gaining a residence permit. However, these foreign reporters receive letters that temporarily allows them to work using their expired press cards, but these "could be revoked at any time", the FCCC said. (Inputs from AFP)

US accuses China of 'threatening' and 'harassing' foreign journalists

Pakistan engineered another wicked plot to defame India. A delegation of foreign journalists were taken for a staged visit to the Line of Control.

Gravitas: Pakistan's staged tour of the Line of Control

All foreigners have to respect Indian law and those found in violation are liable to be punished but that does not mean they are blacklisted forever, a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-ready-to-hold-assembly-polls-in-jammu-kashmir-rajnath-singh-186991">Home Ministry</a> official said on Friday after a Reuters journalist was denied entry into India for allegedly violating visa rules.&nbsp;

The action against Cathal McNaughton, chief photographer at the news agency's Delhi office who was recently sent back from the airport here after his arrival from an overseas trip, is not permanent and can be&nbsp;reviewed after six months or a year, the official told PTI.

"Everybody has to follow law. For violation, the consequence is the same for everybody. Foreigners should respect Indian law. If any Indian visits abroad and violates the law of that country, he or she is also liable to be punished," the official said.&nbsp;

McNaughton, an Irish national who won the Pulitzer Prize in May 2018, allegedly travelled to restricted and protected areas in Jammu and Kashmir without permission. He also reported from the state without valid permission.

"He may be a winner of some awards, but that does not give him the licence to violate Indian laws. The Ministry of External Affairs regularly informs foreign journalists about Indian rules and regulations. And in certain places, a foreigner is required to take permission. If you violate these rules and regulations, we are bound to take action," the official warned.

"If somebody is denied entry, it does not mean that he is blacklisted forever. It may be reviewed after six months or one year," he said.

Another official said foreign correspondents also require prior home ministry approval to film in restricted and protected areas such as border districts, defence installations and other places of strategic importance, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

According to visa rules for foreign journalists, "A foreign journalist, TV cameraperson etc, including a foreign journalist already based in India, who desires to visit a restricted or protected area or Jammu and Kashmir or the North Eastern States, should apply for a special permit through the Ministry of External Affairs (External Publicity Division)".

Under normal circumstances, India grants foreign journalists visas for up to three months. In rare cases, a six-month journalist visa, with a single or double entry, can be issued.

The MHA and the MEA have also held discussions to review protocols on foreign journalists. In May this year, the MEA reminded foreign journalists based in India that they require permission to travel to areas protected under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958.

The areas are -- all of Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Himachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Rajasthan, all of Sikkim and parts of Uttarakhand.

All foreigners have to respect Indian law and those found in violation are liable to be punished but that does not mean they are blacklisted forever, a Home Ministry official said on Friday after a Reuters journalist was denied entry into India for allegedly violating visa rules.

All foreigners have to respect Indian law and those found in violation are liable to be punished but that does not mean they are blacklisted forever, a Home Ministry official said on Friday after a Reuters journalist was denied entry into India for allegedly violating visa rules. The action against Cathal McNaughton, chief photographer at the news agency's Delhi office who was recently sent back from the airport here after his arrival from an overseas trip, is not permanent and can be reviewed after six months or a year, the official told PTI. "Everybody has to follow law. For violation, the consequence is the same for everybody. Foreigners should respect Indian law. If any Indian visits abroad and violates the law of that country, he or she is also liable to be punished," the official said. McNaughton, an Irish national who won the Pulitzer Prize in May 2018, allegedly travelled to restricted and protected areas in Jammu and Kashmir without permission. He also reported from the state without valid permission. "He may be a winner of some awards, but that does not give him the licence to violate Indian laws. The Ministry of External Affairs regularly informs foreign journalists about Indian rules and regulations. And in certain places, a foreigner is required to take permission. If you violate these rules and regulations, we are bound to take action," the official warned. "If somebody is denied entry, it does not mean that he is blacklisted forever. It may be reviewed after six months or one year," he said. Another official said foreign correspondents also require prior home ministry approval to film in restricted and protected areas such as border districts, defence installations and other places of strategic importance, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. According to visa rules for foreign journalists, "A foreign journalist, TV cameraperson etc, including a foreign journalist already based in India, who desires to visit a restricted or protected area or Jammu and Kashmir or the North Eastern States, should apply for a special permit through the Ministry of External Affairs (External Publicity Division)". Under normal circumstances, India grants foreign journalists visas for up to three months. In rare cases, a six-month journalist visa, with a single or double entry, can be issued. The MHA and the MEA have also held discussions to review protocols on foreign journalists. In May this year, the MEA reminded foreign journalists based in India that they require permission to travel to areas protected under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958. The areas are -- all of Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Himachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Rajasthan, all of Sikkim and parts of Uttarakhand.

Foreign journalists violating Indian laws liable to be punished: Home Ministry

Last&nbsp;year &ndash; 2015 &ndash; was the worst year ever to be a journalist in South Asia.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Reporters are routinely threatened, attacked, jailed, and murdered every year in the region according to a new Reporters Without Borders report.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Working with the constant fear of being killed or hurt is no easy task. The feeling that something bad could happen at any time&nbsp;affects every aspect of your life. And you suddenly start feeling unsafe everywhere&nbsp;and all the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the World Press Freedom Index 2016,&nbsp;there has been a &ldquo;deep and disturbing&rdquo; decline in media freedom around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The news from South Asia is particularly bad. &ldquo;The media freedom situation worsened significantly or stagnated&rdquo; in the region the report says.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Maldives came in at 112 out of 180 countries on the index. It turns out the country is not just an earthly paradise of palms and coral. Radical Islam has been gaining in strength in the archipelago; freedom of the press has been one of its victims.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Communication Authority of the Maldives&nbsp;which controls all communication in the country,&nbsp;including the media,&nbsp;launched the first attack on the press in 2011 by shutting down journalist Ismail&nbsp;Khilath&nbsp;Rasheed&#39;s blog accusing him of producing anti-Islamic material.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rasheed fought back&nbsp;by&nbsp;organising&nbsp;a small rally in the capital&nbsp;Mal?&nbsp;in support of the freedom of expression. He was attacked by a group of men armed with stones.&nbsp;They ended up fracturing his skull. A year later, while he was walking near his home, a man tried to slit his throat. Fortunately, the attacker missed a vital artery and Rasheed survived,&nbsp;but his attacker remains unidentified and at large.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The situation has not improved since. This April, the Maldivian police attacked a rally&#39;s participants demanding greater press freedom. Sixteen journalists were arrested.&nbsp;Four other reporters covering demonstrations against the imprisonment of former&nbsp;president&nbsp;Mohamed&nbsp;Nasheed&nbsp;were imprisoned.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There was good news,&nbsp;at least on paper,&nbsp;from Sri Lanka. The country moved 24 positions up the rankings as compared to 2014. Newly-elected President&nbsp;Maithripala&nbsp;Sirisena&#39;s government seems to be better for journalists. It lifted restrictions on foreign journalists visiting the country &ndash; they are now free to move about and no longer have to get their visas cleared by the&nbsp;defence&nbsp;ministry. And all exiled journalists have been invited to return to the country.&nbsp;

During the 10 years that Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, reporters allegedly received constant threats,&nbsp;and as many as 34 lost their lives. The murder of&nbsp;Lasantha&nbsp;Manilal&nbsp;Wickrematunge, founder of the newspaper The&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;Leader, remains unsolved. In 2009, while he was driving to office, armed motorcyclists flanked his car and shot him. The Sirisena government has now decided to reopen the case and, interestingly, his brother has been appointed Sri Lanka&#39;s consul general in Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pakistan remains the most dangerous place to work. Journalists in the country are faced with threats from all fronts &ndash; extremist groups,&nbsp;hardline&nbsp;Islamist&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;and government institutions. The resulting atmosphere of fear often leads to high levels of self-censorship.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bangladesh,&nbsp;too,&nbsp;has become increasingly deadly for journalists. Several bloggers critical of Islamist extremists have recently been hacked to death; fundamentalist groups claimed responsibility for a number of the killings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India is also surprisingly bad for reporters. Despite a lively media scene, the world&#39;s largest democracy does not seem to be a good place for a free press. India ranked 133rd on the World Press Freedom Index.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is also among the top 15 countries in which a reporter is most likely to face abuse&nbsp;and even Afghanistan fares better. The report states: &ldquo;The governments of India&hellip; took little action in response to violence against media personnel and were sometimes directly involved in violations of their freedom.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The report&#39;s findings are not just bad news for journalists, they&nbsp;are bad news for everybody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Journalists&nbsp;can end up self-censoring if they&nbsp;find&nbsp;themselves threatened. That is perhaps the most dangerous threat to journalism.&nbsp; A journalist must question, verify versions, and find discrepancies. And if he does his job honestly and professionally&nbsp;it should be made public. Sometimes&nbsp;this means exposing influential people. A reporter who fears for his or her life might decide to look away, to pretend something just did&nbsp;not happen. That is exactly what ruins a good investigation. Fortunately, some journalists have been brave enough to continue reporting despite having&nbsp;been&nbsp;badly&nbsp;threatened,&nbsp;but this cannot&nbsp;and should not&nbsp;be the norm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Media is useful to society so long as it is independent and safe -- rights that any democratic government should protect.&nbsp;Media&nbsp;needs to be free to do its job without fear&nbsp;and&nbsp;to be effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Journalists in India more likely to face abuse than those in Afghanistan: Reporters Without Borders

Last year – 2015 – was the worst year ever to be a journalist in South Asia. Reporters are routinely threatened, attacked, jailed, and murdered every year in the region according to a new Reporters Without Borders report. Working with the constant fear of being killed or hurt is no easy task. The feeling that something bad could happen at any time affects every aspect of your life. And you suddenly start feeling unsafe everywhere and all the time. According to the World Press Freedom Index 2016, there has been a “deep and disturbing” decline in media freedom around the world. The news from South Asia is particularly bad. “The media freedom situation worsened significantly or stagnated” in the region the report says. The Maldives came in at 112 out of 180 countries on the index. It turns out the country is not just an earthly paradise of palms and coral. Radical Islam has been gaining in strength in the archipelago; freedom of the press has been one of its victims. The Communication Authority of the Maldives which controls all communication in the country, including the media, launched the first attack on the press in 2011 by shutting down journalist Ismail Khilath Rasheed's blog accusing him of producing anti-Islamic material. Rasheed fought back by organising a small rally in the capital Mal? in support of the freedom of expression. He was attacked by a group of men armed with stones. They ended up fracturing his skull. A year later, while he was walking near his home, a man tried to slit his throat. Fortunately, the attacker missed a vital artery and Rasheed survived, but his attacker remains unidentified and at large. The situation has not improved since. This April, the Maldivian police attacked a rally's participants demanding greater press freedom. Sixteen journalists were arrested. Four other reporters covering demonstrations against the imprisonment of former president Mohamed Nasheed were imprisoned. There was good news, at least on paper, from Sri Lanka. The country moved 24 positions up the rankings as compared to 2014. Newly-elected President Maithripala Sirisena's government seems to be better for journalists. It lifted restrictions on foreign journalists visiting the country – they are now free to move about and no longer have to get their visas cleared by the defence ministry. And all exiled journalists have been invited to return to the country. During the 10 years that Mahinda Rajapaksa was president, reporters allegedly received constant threats, and as many as 34 lost their lives. The murder of Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge, founder of the newspaper The Sunday Leader, remains unsolved. In 2009, while he was driving to office, armed motorcyclists flanked his car and shot him. The Sirisena government has now decided to reopen the case and, interestingly, his brother has been appointed Sri Lanka's consul general in Sidney. Pakistan remains the most dangerous place to work. Journalists in the country are faced with threats from all fronts – extremist groups, hardline Islamist organisations and government institutions. The resulting atmosphere of fear often leads to high levels of self-censorship. Bangladesh, too, has become increasingly deadly for journalists. Several bloggers critical of Islamist extremists have recently been hacked to death; fundamentalist groups claimed responsibility for a number of the killings. India is also surprisingly bad for reporters. Despite a lively media scene, the world's largest democracy does not seem to be a good place for a free press. India ranked 133rd on the World Press Freedom Index. It is also among the top 15 countries in which a reporter is most likely to face abuse and even Afghanistan fares better. The report states: “The governments of India… took little action in response to violence against media personnel and were sometimes directly involved in violations of their freedom.” The report's findings are not just bad news for journalists, they are bad news for everybody. Journalists can end up self-censoring if they find themselves threatened. That is perhaps the most dangerous threat to journalism. A journalist must question, verify versions, and find discrepancies. And if he does his job honestly and professionally it should be made public. Sometimes this means exposing influential people. A reporter who fears for his or her life might decide to look away, to pretend something just did not happen. That is exactly what ruins a good investigation. Fortunately, some journalists have been brave enough to continue reporting despite having been badly threatened, but this cannot and should not be the norm. Media is useful to society so long as it is independent and safe -- rights that any democratic government should protect. Media needs to be free to do its job without fear and to be effective.

2015 worst year for press freedom in South Asia

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