International

Russia surprised as Ukraine takes several towns – UK

Published

3 years ago

September 11, 2022

A Ukrainian soldier in a retaken area ( Getty Images)

AUkrainian advance near the eastern city of Kharkiv – which has recaptured several towns – has taken Russia “by surprise”, UK defence officials say.

In a daily update, they said Kyiv’s forces have advanced 50km (31 miles) into previously Russian-held territory.

The attack has also left thousands of Moscow’s troops “increasingly isolated” near the key city of Izyum, they said.

On Friday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had retaken 30 settlements in the Kharkiv region.

Speaking from Kyiv during his nightly address, Mr Zelensky said his forces are “gradually taking control of new settlements” and “returning the Ukrainian flag and protection for all our people”.

Ukraine launched its counter-offensive in the east earlier this week, while international attention had been focussed on an anticipated advance near the southern city of Kherson.

Analysts believe Russia had redirected some of its most seasoned troops to defend the city.

In their update, UK officials said “Russian forces were likely taken by surprise” by the eastern offensive.

The Kharkiv region was “lightly held”, the UK said, adding the offensive is seeking to sever Russian supply lines near Kupyansk and trap thousands of Russian troops in Izyum.

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“We are moving forward,” General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, wrote in a Facebook update on Friday afternoon. “We clearly know what we are fighting for and we will definitely win.”

On Friday a Russia-appointed official in the Kharkiv region admitted that Ukrainian forces had won a “significant victory”.

“The very fact of a breach of our defences is already a substantial victory for the Ukrainian armed forces,” Vitaly Ganchev told state TV.

The Kremlin has so far refused to comment on the pace of the offensive, but Russia’s defence ministry published a video allegedly showing the transfer of troops towards Kharkiv.

And footage on social media appeared to show Russian forces being flown in to defend Izyum after the nearby settlement of Balakliya fell to Ukraine.

Speaking in Brussels on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the attack was “demonstrably making real progress”.

“I think we can say that Ukraine is proceeding in a very deliberate way with a strong plan and critically enabled by the resources that many of us are providing,” Mr Blinken said.

Mr Zelensky also said during his address that national police units were returning to liberated settlements and urged civilians to report suspected Russian war crimes to them.

His call followed a report from the UN’s monitoring team in Ukraine which said they had “documented a range of violations against prisoners of war” by Moscow’s forces.

The report also accused Ukrainian troops of “cases of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners of war”.

Despite optimism in the east, Mr Zelensky observed in his address that “fierce battles” have continued in the Donbas.

And the Ukrainian advance in the south also appears to be moving slowly, where Russian forces have put up intense resistance.

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Elsewhere, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Kyiv on Saturday in a surprise visit, which she said was to demonstrate Berlin’s commitment to Ukraine’s defence.

“I have travelled to Kyiv today to show that they can continue to rely on us,” Ms Baerbock said. “That we will continue to stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary with deliveries of weapons, and with humanitarian and financial support.”

And on Friday, Mr Zelensky awarded the Order of Merit, Ukraine’s highest honour, to Haluk Bayraktar – the head of Turkish drone manufacturer Bayraktar.

The company’s TB2 combat drone, which can carry four missiles, has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

While Ankara has sought to play the role of intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow since the conflict broke out, Mr Bayraktar has refused to supply Russia with arms and told CNN in August “we support Ukraine, support its sovereignty, its resistance for its independence”.

BBC News

International

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

Published

9 hours ago

March 22, 2025

Trends Admin

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

The Canadian government, in collaboration with private sector partners, is offering a cybersecurity training programme in Calgary designed to support immigrants in securing employment in the growing tech industry.

The initiative provides hands-on learning and job placement opportunities in one of 16 entry-level cybersecurity roles. Participants will earn industry-recognized micro-credentials, equipping them with the skills needed to launch their careers.

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Funded by the Alberta Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade, the programme is delivered in partnership with ReTrain Canada and Manpower Canada. The 12-week training session, scheduled for March, will run Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Through this initiative, participants will gain expertise in cybersecurity fundamentals, encryption techniques, and applied penetration testing—all at no cost—while also receiving practical work experience to enhance their employability.

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

International

US ends legal status for 500,000 immigrants

Published

10 hours ago

March 22, 2025

Trends Admin

US ends legal status for 500,000 immigrants

The United States said Friday it was terminating the legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, giving them weeks to leave the country.

President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation campaign in US history and curb immigration, mainly from Latin American nations.

The order affects around 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who came to the United States under a scheme launched in October 2022 by Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden and expanded in January the following year.

They will lose their legal protection 30 days after the Department of Homeland Security’s order is published in the Federal Register, which is scheduled Tuesday.

That means immigrants sponsored by the program “must depart the United States” by April 24 unless they have secured another immigration status allowing them to remain in the country, the order says.

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Welcome.US, which supports people seeking refuge in the United States, urged those affected by the move to “immediately” seek advice from an immigration lawyer.

The Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) program, announced in January 2023, allowed entry to the United States for two years for up to 30,000 migrants per month from the four countries, which have grim human rights records.

Biden touted the plan as a “safe and humane” way to ease pressure on the crowded US-Mexico border.

But the Department of Homeland Security stressed Friday that the scheme was “temporary.”

“Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States,” it said in the order.

Trump last week invoked rare wartime legislation to fly more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, which has offered to imprison migrants and even US citizens at a discount.

US ends legal status for 500,000 immigrants

AFP

International

UK announces new passport application fees starting April 2025

Published

3 days ago

March 20, 2025

Trends Admin

UK announces new passport application fees starting April 2025

The UK government has confirmed it will introduce new fees for passport applications beginning on April 10th, 2025.

The changes, which are still subject to parliamentary approval, will see a rise in costs for both online and paper applications, affecting adults and children alike.

According to the UK Home Office, the adjustments will apply to both domestic and overseas passport applications.

The fee increases,  as stated, are part of an ongoing effort to ensure the passport system is financially self-sustaining, reducing the need for funding from general taxation. The Home Office clarified that the government does not make any profit from the fees.

Fee increases for domestic applications

Starting April 10th, 2025, the fee for a standard online application within the UK will rise for both adults and children. The cost for an adult’s application will increase from £88.50 to £94.50, while for children it will go up from £57.50 to £61.50.

Postal applications will also see an increase, with the adult fee rising from £100 to £107 and the child fee increasing from £69 to £74.

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Charges to premium service fees

The Premium Service, which allows for passport issuance within one day, will also become more expensive.

For adults, the fee will rise from £207.50 to £222
For children, the fee will increase from £176.50 to £189.

This service is available for those who need a passport urgently and are applying from within the UK.

Higher costs for overseas applications

For individuals applying from overseas, the standard online application fee will also increase;

The adult fee will rise from £101 to £108, and the child fee will increase from £65.50 to £70
For paper applications made abroad, the adult fee will rise from £112.50 to £120.50, while the child fee will increase from £77 to £82.50.

The Home Office stated that the new fees are necessary to maintain the passport service and ensure it is financially viable. The fees contribute to covering the cost of processing passport applications, offering consular support to UK citizens overseas, and managing UK border services.

“The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders,” the office said.

It is also related that in 2024, 99.7% of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks, where no additional information was required. Customers are advised to apply well in advance of their travel plans to avoid delays.

These fee adjustments are in line with guidelines from HM Treasury, which regularly reviews passport fees.