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NEW DELHI: The Chinese embassy in India has launched the China online visa application system, allowing Indian passport holders to apply for Chinese visas digitally. The move streamlines the application process that earlier required multiple in-person visits and extensive paperwork.According to a report cited by PTI, Shenzhen-based online portal Greater Bay Area (GBA), eligible applicants can now fill out forms, upload documents and schedule biometrics online for tourist (L), business (M), student (X) and work (Z) visas. The system reduces consulate visits from two to one – limited to biometrics – and offers real-time application tracking. The Chinese embassy in India had earlier announced on its official WeChat account that the online visa service would be launched from December 22. Applicants can access the relevant portal for details and submissions. The digital process also integrates methods to enable fee payments in INR, which helps applicants avoid foreign exchange mark-ups, the..

(Photo credit: Agencies) Donald Trump-led US administration is suing the Washington, DC, government over its gun laws, arguing that restrictions on certain semiautomatic firearms violate the Second Amendment rights. The US Department of Justice filed the lawsuit on Monday in the District Court for the District of Columbia, naming the Metropolitan Police Department and outgoing police chief Pamela Smith as defendants. The case sets up a major legal battle over how far governments can go in regulating individual gun ownership.”The United States of America brings this lawsuit to protect the rights that have been guaranteed for 234 years and which the Supreme Court has explicitly reaffirmed several times over the last two decades,”the Justice Department said in its filing.This is the second gun-rights lawsuit filed by the administration this month. Earlier, the Justice Department sued the US Virgin Islands, alleging the territory was “obstructing and systematically denying” citizens the ri..

AdvertisementGlobal changemakers in educationPeople & CultureHow this year’s Yidan Prize laureates reshape modern literacy and skills worldwideMamadou Amadou Ly and Uri Wilensky help transform teaching and learning through multilingual education and computational thinking
In partnership with:Yidan Prize FoundationReading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP
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How this year’s Yidan Prize laureates are reshaping modern literacy
How this year’s Yidan Prize laureates are reshaping modern literacyMorning Studio editorsPublished: 12:05pm, 23 Dec 2025Education has long been considered one of the strongest forces for social progress, shaping safer, healthier and more equitable societies. But as the world changes, learning must evolve with it – a belief that is at the heart of the Yidan Prize, which recognises innovations with the power to transform education and bring lasting change for all.
Established in 2016, the annual award honours and supports changemakers whose action-driven researc..

AdvertisementAntarcticaChinaDiplomacyChina drafts law on activities and environment protection in AntarcticaLegislation proposes expanding administrative permission system beyond scientific expeditions to include tourism, shipping and fishing
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLiu ZhenPublished: 12:00pm, 23 Dec 2025China has drafted a law on Antarctic affairs, as Beijing looks to protect its interests and strengthen its role in the governance of the southernmost continent.The draft “Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law” was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, on Monday for the first review, state media reported.“The legislation on Antarctic activities and environmental protection will help better coordinate, manage and regulate Antarctic-related activities … and will also provide strong legal support for China’s participation in global Antarctic governance,” according to official news agency Xin..