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LONDON - Nearly 5,000 Hong Kong citizens have applied to live, work and study in the United Kingdom under a new visa scheme which opens up a path to British citizenship for people fleeing China’s crackdown in the former colony, The Times newspaper reported. London made changes to its visa rules to give millions of Hong Kong residents a chance to settle in Britain after China imposed a new security law that democracy activists say will end the freedoms promised to the territory in 1997. Under the rules, Hong Kong residents who hold a British National Overseas (BNO) passport will be allowed to live in the United Kingdom for five years and then apply for “settled status” and citizenship. About half of the 5,000 applications received were from Hongkongers who were already in Britain, The Times reported, citing unidentified sources. Some 5.4 million Hongkongers could be ultimately be eligible for British citizenship under the scheme. Those people had already been offered temporary … [Read more...] about Nearly 5,000 Hong Kong citizens sign up for new UK visa: The Times

The Government should approve up to 500 visas for cadet pilots in order to save New Zealand's internationally recognised pilot training industry, Aviation NZ says. Aviation NZ chief executive John Nicholson said the industry was being brought to its knees by New Zealand’s closed borders. Approving up to 500 visas in 2021 for high value pilot training would save the industry, ensure airlines had a depth of pilots to recruit, and guarantee the long term viability of the industry, he said. “New Zealand’s globally competitive pilot training industry is being brought to its knees as government continues to keep the border closed to high value pilot cadets,” Nicholson said. READ MORE: Hamilton flight school could be first of many to depart New Zealand skies Covid-19: Hamilton flying school set to close, Covid being blamed Pilot cadets were high value students, with the average cadet paying about $80,000 per year in tuition fees, he said. In 2020, the industry earned $51 … [Read more...] about Call for government to approve up to 500 cadet pilot visas to save training industry

Secretary of State Antony Blinken Antony Blinken Overnight Defense: Biden sends message with Syria airstrike | US intel points to Saudi crown prince in Khashoggi killing | Pentagon launches civilian-led sexual assault commission Florida Republicans push Biden to implement Trump order on Venezuela Intelligence official says Khashoggi report 'obviously' will challenge Saudi relationship MORE on Friday announced visa restrictions on dozens of individuals from Saudi Arabia involved in the killing of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and harassment of perceived political dissidents abroad. The visa restrictions, called the "Khashoggi Ban," were announced alongside the release of declassified intelligence that said Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved Khashoggi's grisly killing in October 2018 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. "The murder of journalist and U.S. lawful permanent resident Jamal Khashoggi shocked the world. Starting … [Read more...] about State restricts visas for 76 Saudis in ‘Khashoggi Ban’

ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF Lincoln University PhD student Karla Lopez Reyes is studying the vision of thrips, a type of minute insect. Karla Lopez Reyes was in Europe researching for her PhD when New Zealand closed its borders last March . She spent the rest of the year in limbo, self-isolating with strangers in England before managing to fly to Mexico and travel overland to her native Guatemala. The 33-year-old was eventually able to return this month, and as well as being able to resume her studies she was reunited with her partner Michal Kuchar after being apart for a year. She is one of 43 students to have entered the country after the Government granted a border exemption for 250 PhD and postgraduate students . READ MORE: PhD student takes up motorhome life to slash living costs How Covid has hit our $5 billion international education sector - and what universities are doing about it No room at the MIQ inn, except for the rich and famous, says immigration … [Read more...] about Locked out of New Zealand for a year, Lincoln international student is finally back to complete her PhD

SYDNEY: Yang Hengjun, an Australian writer detained in Beijing and facing trial for espionage on behalf of a country China hasn't publicly named was a former Chinese spy, according to a confidential letter he wrote to a supporter in 2011. In the detailed letter he wrote to his former teacher, which was reviewed by Reuters, Yang revealed he had worked for China’s Ministry of State Security for a decade from 1989, including in Hong Kong and Washington, before moving to Australia. The 55-year-old, who became a well-known pro-democracy blogger, faces 10 years or more in jail after Chinese authorities charged him with endangering national security by joining or accepting a mission from the unidentified espionage organisation, said Feng Chongyi, the Sydney-based liberal scholar who Yang sent the letter to. Yang has previously proclaimed his innocence, saying last month: "I will never confess to something I haven't done." Feng revealed the letter's details about Yang's past as a … [Read more...] about Australian writer detained in Beijing told supporter he was a former Chinese spy