US visa interviews on hold; China slams fresh sanctions over Iran: SCMP’s 7 highlights

1. US green card interviews have come to a halt globally, with new restrictions in place for student and work visas, as well as increased scrutiny surrounding citizenship applications. The SCMP delves into the implications of this recent crackdown on US immigration.

2. China has responded harshly to fresh US "Economic D-Day" sanctions imposed on Chinese entities linked to Iran, vowing to employ all necessary measures to protect its interests in the face of the economic pressure.

3. Rescue efforts are underway to tackle a massive mudslide and flash flood that occurred along the China-Nepal border, resulting in a death toll of 392 and over 1,000 people still unaccounted for.

4. A Malaysian Islamic university has severed ties with a professor whose controversial claims about ancient Malay civilization have gone viral, including assertions that Malays possess the ability to fly and taught the Chinese "flying kung fu," which have been met with widespread ridicule from historians.

5. Chinese archaeologists are embarking on their first field project in South America in search of historical connections between ancient Chinese and native American civilizations, highlighting the growing interest in intercontinental cultural exchanges.

6. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group Holding, has purchased more than HK$600 million worth of the company's Hong Kong-listed shares on two consecutive days, signalling his confidence in the firm's long-term prospects for artificial intelligence.

7. Two women have been apprehended in Hong Kong on suspicion of assault following a viral video showing a fight breaking out at a shopping center in Kwun Tong, sparked by a five-year-old girl being shoved and subsequently falling to the ground.