International

Zelenskiy tells G20 leaders Ukraine war ‘must and can be ended’ now

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

The time has come to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told G20 leaders in a video address, but he added this was only possible if Russia affirmed the full territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Addressing world leaders in Bali in his now trademark green T-shirt, he said: “I am convinced now is the time when the Russian destructive war must and can be ended. It will save thousands of lives.”

Speaking in Ukrainian to the single most influential audience he has addressed since the war started, Zelenskiy tried to pitch himself as a man prepared to reach an agreement with Russia, but only on terms that protected Ukrainian sovereignty.

Speaking to China’s Xi Jinping and US president Joe Biden, but not to the Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he said: “There are and cannot be any excuses for nuclear blackmail”, and pointedly thanked the “G19” – excluding Russia – for “making this clear”. Zelenskiy accused Russia of trying to build a radioactive bomb at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that could explode at any moment.

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The Ukrainian president also accused Russia – represented at the summit by its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, rather than Putin – of trying to turn “the cold into a weapon” with a campaign of strikes against key infrastructure. “If Russia is trying to deprive Ukraine, Europe and all energy consumers in the world of predictability and price stability, the answer to this should be a forced limitation of export prices for Russia,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader also called for the expansion and indefinite extension of a grain deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that will expire on Saturday.

Ukraine is one of the world’s top grain producers, and the Russian invasion had blocked 20m tonnes of grain in its ports until the deal was reached in July. Russia says the export deal has been only partially implemented.

“I believe our export grain initiative deserves an indefinite extension, no matter when the war ends,” Zelenskiy said, urging its expansion to other ports.

Speaking with the authority of a leader who had just recaptured Kherson, the single largest town occupied by Russia since the war started, he said that when all Russia’s warlike actions were brought to an end a negotiated document should be published setting out how how peace will be maintained. That agreement would have to contain effective measures to ensure the future security of Ukraine, he said.

The Ukrainian president said such an agreement could be signed at an international conference, adding that Russia would be required to hand over some of its assets as compensation for the task of rebuilding Ukraine.

He reiterated that peace was not possible until Russia had withdrawn all armed troops from Ukrainian territory, and had also reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Russia.

The Guardian

International

Canada offers cybersecurity training with job placements for immigrants

Published

16 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

16 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.