The main media center for the 12th World Games in southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu officially started operation on Monday, ready to welcome nearly 2,000 reporters representing about 200 media organizations worldwide.
Serving as the central hub for registered media, the center offers a comprehensive range of facilities, including a media workroom, press conference hall, and interview rooms.
The media workroom is equipped with 120 workstations, each featuring international standard network connections and power supply, as well as over 100 intelligent lockers for storing equipment.
A photo services center will provide equipment repair and cleaning services during the Games.
Media workers can enjoy a cup of coffee made at the robotic coffee bar which offers over 100 customizable designs, including the Games' mascots, Shubao and Jinzai.
The International Broadcast Center also commenced operations on Monday. It will gather and distribute international signals from the opening and closing ceremonies, competitions, and scenic spots, ensuring the Games reach audience around the globe in real time.
Scheduled from August 7-17, the 12th World Games will feature 255 events spanning 60 disciplines across 34 sports.
Main media center for Chengdu World Games starts operation
Main media center for Chengdu World Games starts operation
Main media center for Chengdu World Games starts operation
The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it is pausing immigrant visa processing from 75 countries.
The measure will apply to "countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the department said on X.
The pause impacts countries including Somalia, Haiti, Iran and Eritrea, "whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival," said the State Department.
Earlier on Wednesday, the department announced in a memo that it would suspend visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, according to a Fox News report.
The pause will begin Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of visa processing, the report said. The move came after the White House announced on Tuesday that it is ending temporary protected status for Somali immigrants amid fraud allegations in Minnesota.
On Monday, the State Department announced on social media that it had revoked over 100,000 visas since U.S. President Donald Trump took office nearly a year ago.
In November 2025, Trump announced his intention to permanently suspend immigration from what he described as "Third World countries", following the death of a National Guard member after being shot near the White House by an Afghan national.
U.S. freezes immigrant visa processing from 75 countries
