International

Biden gets praise, criticism for calling Russia’s actions in Ukraine ‘genocide’

Published

3 years ago

April 14, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden is getting both praise and criticism after doubling down on describing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine as “genocide” — the first time he’s used the term since the invasion began nearly 50 days ago — even as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for weeks has claimed that is what’s happening on the ground.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended his use of the term, as she did when Biden called Putin a “war criminal” and when he said “cannot remain in power,” saying Wednesday the president was simply expressing “what he feels.”

“The president was speaking to what we all see, and what he feels as clear as day in terms of the atrocities happening on the ground, as he also noted yesterday,” Psaki said, before tempering his use of the term. “Of course, there will be a legal process that plays out in the courtroom but he was speaking to what he has seen on the ground, what we have all seen in terms of the atrocities on the ground.”

Pressed directly on whether Biden’s comments might conflict with the U.S. policy, Psaki dismissed concerns and repeated the requirement of a “legal process” which can sometimes take years.

“He was not getting ahead of that. He was speaking on what he feels he sees on the ground,” she said.

“I do not think anybody is confused about the atrocities we are seeing on the ground — and different leaders around the world describe it in different ways,” Psaki added later on. “It is unquestionable that what we are seeing is horrific, the targeting of civilians, hospitals, children. The president was calling it like he sees it, and that is what he does.”

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State Department spokesperson Ned Price gave a similar line at his briefing Wednesday, saying Biden used the term based on “impressions that he has seen and that we all have seen,” but noted the U.S. is working with international lawyers to determine if Russia’s crimes meet the legal threshold.

During prepared remarks in Iowa Tuesday blaming inflation and gas prices on “Putin’s price hike,” Biden said, for the first time, “Your family budget, your ability to fill up your tank, none of it should on hinge on whether a dictator declares war and commits genocide half a world away.”

His use of the word raised questions among Washington reporters about whether it was an ad-libbed moment or a policy shift from the White House — until Biden later insisted he meant exactly what said.

“Yes, I called it genocide,” Biden told reporters after his remarks. “Because it has become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be a Ukrainian. And the evidence is mounting. It’s different than it was last week, the more evidence is coming out of the — literally, the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine and we’re going to only learn more and more about the devastation.”

Genocide is defined as an act “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,” according to the United Nations’ Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Biden went on to acknowledge the U.S. government has an internal, legal process for designating whether genocide has occurred but still stood by what he indicated was his opinion.

“We’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me,” Biden added.

Zelenskyy has argued — and pleaded — for weeks that Russia has met this definition and called on Western leaders to use the same term, so was quick to applaud Biden’s comments as “true words of a true leader.”

The Kremlin, meanwhile, blasted the comment as Putin indicated this week indicated his invasion won’t stop until his goals are met and said peace talks with Kyiv had reached a “dead end.”

“We consider this kind of effort to distort the situation unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday. “This is hardly acceptable from a president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known crimes in recent times.”

It’s not clear how many Western leaders will go as far as Biden and Zelenskyy — or what will take for them to reach the same conclusion.

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No other Western nations have made the determination, aside from Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tying Russia’s crimes to the term in a tweet. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Wednesday he’s more “careful” with his words than the American president, saying only that “war crimes” have been confirmed.

“So far, it has been established that war crimes were committed by the Russian army and that it is now necessary to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” Macron told France 2 in an interview.

“I am very careful with some terms [genocide] these days,” he added. “I’m not sure the escalation of words is helping the cause right now.”

Asked directly by ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Mary Bruce about Macron’s criticism Wednesday, Psaki declined to comment.

Macron also rebuked Biden’s language last month, when asked about Biden calling Putin a “butcher” and saying he “cannot remain in power” during remarks in Warsaw.

“I wouldn’t use those terms, because I continue to speak to President Putin,” Macron said in another interview with France 3. “Because what do we want to do collectively? We want to stop the war that Russia launched in Ukraine, without waging war and without escalation.”

Biden stood by his words then, saying he was “expressing moral outrage” but also clarified that he wasn’t “articulating a policy change” amid some fallout.

It’s unclear now what pushed Biden to change his stance on using the term “genocide” — because asked directly last week if he thought the atrocities documented in Bucha were genocide, he said no.

“I got criticized for calling Putin a war criminal. Well, the truth of the matter, you saw what happened in Bucha,” Biden said on April 4. “He is a war criminal — but we have to gather the information, we have to continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons they need to continue to fight, and we have to gather all the detail so this could be an actual — have a war crime trial. This guy is brutal. What’s happening in Bucha is outrageous, and everyone sees it.”

Asked directly, “You agree this is genocide?”

“No, it is a war crime,” Biden replied.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan followed Biden’s comment the same day by saying the administration had not yet seen the “systematic deprivation of life” necessary to meet the definition of genocide.

“This is something we, of course, continue to monitor every day. Based on what we have seen so far, we have seen atrocities, we have seen war crimes. We have not yet seen a level of systematic deprivation of life of the Ukrainian people to rise to the level of genocide,” Sullivan said.

ABC

Related Topics:Biden genocide Russia Ukraine

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International

UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

Published

9 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Trends Admin

UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

The UK government has introduced a new visa option for senior managers and specialists within multinational companies wishing to work in the UK.

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa, under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) route, enables workers to transfer to the UK and contribute their expertise to a UK branch of their employer.

This visa replaces the previous Intra-company Transfer (ICT) visa, offering a more streamlined process for skilled workers coming to the UK.

According to GOV.UK, this new visa allows qualified individuals to stay and work in the UK for a limited time, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria.

Who is eligible for the senior or specialist worker visa?

To qualify for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, applicants must meet several requirements. First,

They must be an employee of a company that is a registered sponsor with the UK Home Office and must have a certificate of sponsorship from their employer.

The role must appear on the list of eligible occupations, and the applicant must earn at least £48,500 per year.

This visa is designed for senior managers, specialists, and other skilled workers within multinational companies. Those already in the UK on an Intra-company Transfer or Tier 2 (ICT) visa can switch to the Senior or Specialist Worker visa without having to leave the country.

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For those on a Graduate Trainee programme, a separate Graduate Trainee visa is required. More details on eligibility can be found on the GOV.UK eligibility page (https://www.gov.uk/senior-specialist-worker-visa/eligibility

Duration and extensions of stay

The length of stay under the Senior or Specialist Worker visa depends on the details in the certificate of sponsorship, but it cannot exceed five years.

If the applicant earns less than £73,900 annually, they can stay for up to five years, while those earning £73,900 or more can stay for up to nine years.
If applicants are already in the UK on an Intra-company Transfer visa, they can apply to extend their stay under the Senior or Specialist Worker visa.

However, the total time spent in the UK on related visas will count toward the maximum allowed stay. For instance, someone earning less than £73,900 annually who has worked in the UK for three years can stay for a further two years before needing to leave the UK for six months to become eligible again.

You can learn more about how long you can stay on the GOV.UK visa duration page

How to apply and what it costs

To apply for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa, applicants must submit their application online. The cost of the visa includes an application fee, a healthcare surcharge, and proof of sufficient personal savings.

Applicants can apply up to three months before their intended start date in the UK. Processing times vary: applicants outside the UK can expect a decision within three weeks, while those applying from within the UK typically receive a decision within eight weeks.

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The application process depends on whether you are:

Outside the UK and planning to move to the UK
In the UK and wish to extend your stay as a Senior or Specialist Worker.
In the UK and switching from a different visa.

Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as dependants, if eligible. For more details, visit the application page.

What can and cannot be done with the senior or specialist worker visa

Holders of the Senior or Specialist Worker visa can:

Work for their sponsor in the job listed on their certificate of sponsorship
Study in the UK
Bring eligible dependants with them
Travel in and out of the UK
Do voluntary work

However, there are restrictions. Visa holders cannot:

Claim most public benefits or the State Pension
Change jobs unless the new job is eligible and the visa is updated
Take on a second job (unless they held an Intra-company Transfer or Tier 2 (ICT) visa previously)
Apply for permanent residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain) unless they meet additional requirements.

Visa holders should refer to the GOV.UK Senior or Specialist Worker visa page for a detailed list of what they can and cannot do.

Certificate of sponsorship and salary requirements

A valid certificate of sponsorship from the employer is required for the visa application. The certificate provides information about the role and confirms that the employer is registered with the UK Home Office as a sponsor.

If the applicant is earning less than £73,900 annually, they must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months outside the UK. Those earning £73,900 or more have no such time requirement.
Applicants must also meet the minimum salary requirements, which are set at £48,500 or the “going rate” for the occupation.

For those who previously held an Intra-company Transfer visa or a Tier 2 (ICT) Long-term Staff visa before April 6, 2011, the salary requirement is waived. However, they must still be paid the going rate for their job.

UK introduces new visa for senior, specialist workers in multinational companies

International

American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel

A 30 year old American man whose name was not given by security officials, has been arrested for beating up a 60 year old tourist to death at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, Ireland.

The Irish police force commonly known as ‘Garda that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12.

Ballyfin Demesne hotel, is a popular luxury five-star hotel located in Laois, Ireland and special guests such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, George Clooney e.t.c had made use of the hotel in times past.

The victim was discovered unconscious in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12 and was then rushed to the hospital were he died due to severe beating inflicted on him by the culprit.

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Independent local councilor James Kelly stated that nearby communities were ‘stunned’ upon learning about the incident at the renowned hotel.

He said, “There would be a lot of staff from the area and they’re totally shocked by what has happened here.

“It’s something we didn’t think we’d be waking up to this morning.”

The police also noted that a senior officer has been assigned to lead the investigation and an incident room has been set up at Portlaoise Garda Station, Ireland.

Furthermore, a family liaison officer will be designated to assist the family of the deceased.

International

FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win

The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday carried out a raid at the home of Shayne Coplan, CEO of cryptocurrency prediction outlet Polymarket.

Authorities seized Mr Coplan’s phone during the raid, according to New York Post which first reported the incident.

Mr Coplan, 26, has been running the famous platform for bets throughout the 2024 presidential election in the United States.

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It wasn’t immediately clear why the search was conducted, but Polymarket promptly said it might be due to its activities during the election. Users on the platform had correctly predicted Donald Trump was going to defeat Kamala Harris. The company paid out a substantial amount to winners following the election.

“This is obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election,” a spokesperson for Polymarket said in a statement from its headquarters in New York. “Polymarket is a fully transparent prediction market that helps everyday people better understand the events that matter most to them, including elections.”

It was unclear whether or not the FBI would be filing charges after the raid.