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VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, on Thursday said there was a steady increase in demand for Thai e-Visa on-arrival applications from <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. Between March 2022, (when the Indian government restarted scheduled international flights) and October 2022, applications increased by seven times. In 2019, VFS Global in partnership with the <keyword id="7271506" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="immigration-bureau-of-thailand" source="Orion">Immigration Bureau of Thailand</keyword> launched the <keyword id="2852919" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="evisa" source="Orion">eVisa</keyword> on-arrival (eVOA) service. "The steady growth in eVOA applications reiterates changing customers preference towards seamless digital services. This service enables faster clearance of immigration upon <keyword id="6584" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="arrival" source="Orion">arrival</keyword> in <keyword id="11905404" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="thailand" source="Orion">Thailand</keyword> through dedicated counters at major airports in Thailand," said Noel Swain, COO -- Passport, eVisa and I&amp;CS, VFS Global. Recently, the Royal Thai Embassy in India advised Indian travellers to obtain visas in advance to avoid long queues, when arriving in Thailand. The eVOA holders save time and get a faster immigration service at dedicated immigration counters at major airports in Thailand. The travellers receive their travel authorisation online pre-departure within 24 to 72 hours of application being submitted. An aExpress 'Visa On Arrival' service is also available for approval within 24 hours. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/indian-workforce-smaller-than-pre-pandemic-days-but-quality-of-jobs-better/articleshow/95901676.cms">Indian workforce smaller than pre-pandemic days, but quality of jobs better</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/good-news-for-butterfingers-with-new-gorilla-glass-your-smartphone-can-withstand-a-1-meter-drop-on-concrete/articleshow/95904354.cms">Good news for butterfingers; with new Gorilla Glass, your smartphone can withstand a 1-meter drop on concrete</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/noise-fire-boltt-and-boat-lead-the-smartwatch-market-in-india/articleshow/95875410.cms">Affordable smartwatches make India the biggest smartwatch market in the world</a>

Thai e-Visa on-arrival applications from India increased seven fold in 2022

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An American was permanently banned from entering the Philippines. </li><li>Anthony Joseph Laurence's immigration form was filled in with false information and profanities, per the Bureau of Investigation.</li></ul>An American tourist was banned from entering the Philippines after he wrote "profane" words in his digital immigration form on November 7, <a target="_blank" href="https://globalnation.inquirer.net/222306/ph-bans-rude-american-national-over-profane-info-in-etravel-form">the Inquirer, a local outlet, reported</a>, citing the Bureau of Immigration.Anthony Joseph Laurence, the tourist, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and wrote false information on his e-travel pass, per the report."After verifying in our system, the officer discovered that the passenger keyed in a made-up address in the Philippines, did not include his full name, and inputted profane words in his entry," Norman Tansingco, the Bureau of Immigration's commissioner, told the Inquirer.Laurence, 34, traveled to Manila from Bangkok, Thailand, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213263">the Philippine News Agency reported</a>, citing the Bureau of Investigation.When Laurence arrived at NAIA, an immigration officer reminded him to complete his e-travel form, Tansingco said. Laurence responded by throwing his passport and phone at the officer, Tangsico added.On a phone call with Business Insider, Laurence denied throwing his passport and phone. "I handed him my passport. I didn't throw it at him, that was a lie. And then I turned my phone around so that he could see the QR code."Laurence told BI he is an investor and has lived in Cebu, a city 350 miles southeast of Manila, for two years. He said he owns property in Cebu and has traveled in and out of the Philippines six or seven times in the last two years. BI has not been able to independently verify his profession, home ownership, or travel history."I entered an expletive into the form that wasn't directed at anyone," Laurence said. He declined to share what he wrote in the form with BI."I made a mistake in not properly filling out the form but I do not believe that this mistake warrants a person of permanent ban, permanent blacklisting," he said."We expect all individuals to conduct themselves with respect and adhere to the established procedures. Any violation of these procedures will be dealt with firmly," Tansingco said.The Philippines requires all travelers to fill out an e-travel card at least 72 hours before their arrival and departure, <a target="_blank" href="https://etravel.gov.ph/">according to the government's official website.</a>Some 44 tourists were banned from entering the Philippines so far this year for abusing immigration officers, per Inquirer, citing the Bureau of Immigration. In 2019, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tourism.gov.ph/industry_performance/Dissemination_forum/2019_Tourism_Industry_Report.pdf">over eight million tourists visited the country.</a> In the same year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1090585">180 foreigners — including 10 US citizens — were banned from entering the country after behaving poorly towards airport officials.</a>The Bureau of Immigration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Philippines blacklisted an American from the country after he wrote an expletive on his immigration form      

Thailand Secretly Sells Myanmar Refugees To Human Trafficking Rings

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wannapa Suprasert, a 28-year-old from Thailand now based in San Francisco who was scammed out of over $300,000. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I never thought that I'd be a victim of a drawn-out scam. I always thought <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scammed-all-savings-changed-retirement-plan-2024-7">scams were about making quick money</a>, like someone calling and asking for $2,000 within 10 minutes.Instead, I went through three months of psychological warfare. The scammers created a new reality for me, making me think that if I didn't comply, I could be jailed or deported. They framed themselves as the good guys who could help me, never rushed me to do anything, sent me fake documents, and even talked to me on the phone for hours at a time.It didn't register in my brain that the scammers would invest so much time and energy into this. Now I know that they're professionals, and this is what they do.<h2>They said I was a suspect in a money laundering scheme</h2>It was a Friday afternoon in March when I got the call that changed my life.I was at my data analyst job in San Francisco, and the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/government-impostor-scams-prey-on-fear-during-pandemic-bbb-study-finds-1029446957">caller said she was from the Thai embassy</a> in Washington, DC. She asked to speak with Wannapa Suprasert, which spooked me because I generally go by my nickname, Bow.She told me that someone had smuggled a passport bearing my name into the Bangkok airport. She started interrogating me on whether I had lost or sold my passport. I was shocked.I told her that I hadn't lost my passport and offered to prove I still had it. She said she'd transfer me to the Thai police to file a report. My call with the "police" dropped a couple of times, and someone posing as an officer asked me to add them on LINE, a messaging application popular in many Asian countries.This didn't strike me as fishy because I'd just gone back to Thailand in February and communicated with the Thai consulate via LINE about renewing my passport while I was home.At one point after my call had dropped, I tried to phone the Thai embassy in Washington, DC, but nobody answered.The "police officer" claimed to be part of the Central Investigation Bureau, a division of the Thai police. He sent me a PDF copy of a police report he said he had filed for me. He also said he discovered my identification number on a list of at least 239 people involved with an international money laundering scheme. I was now a suspect.<h2>I had to send updates four times a day</h2>The fake officer sent me a PDF with the alleged photos, names, and descriptions of five masterminds behind the fictional laundering scheme and interrogated me over video chat about whether I knew any of them. The supposed masterminds included two bank managers, an American police officer, a Thai consulate official, and a Thai exchange student in the US. After I told him I didn't know any of them, he said that they'd investigate and help me clear my name. But because I was a suspect, I needed to send daily updates about my whereabouts and activities to ensure I didn't flee.I had to send three pictures of myself, my location, and a description of what I was doing four times a day: at 9 a.m., 12 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. He told me that if I didn't comply, he would send agents to monitor me. If I tried to escape or missed a daily report, my family could be jailed and their assets frozen, he said. He also said I couldn't tell anyone because it might interfere with the investigation, which also involved the FBI. If I did, I risked jail time and fines.The scammers played on my fears. I had worked so hard for a better education and life since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/america-immigration-needs-reform-losing-workers-2023-3">immigrating to the US</a> 10 years ago, and I was afraid of being deported and losing my status. The scammers also warned of people who were killed by the supposed crime syndicate. Leaving my apartment to go to work or shop for groceries was suddenly frightening. I thought someone was really after me and that at any moment, anything could go wrong.There were many moments when I was skeptical. In fact, a couple of weeks into the scam, I received a LINE message from the Thai Consulate in LA warning about scammers impersonating the Thai police. But the scammers convinced me that the warning message had been sent by the criminals to keep me from complying with the investigation. Because of the threats, paranoia, stress, and lack of sleep, I found myself believing every word they said.<h2>I sent the scammers $81,000 in a wire transfer</h2>My first <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/credit-score/wire-fraud">wire transfer</a> was on April 3, 11 days after the initial call.The scammers said I was accused of selling my bank account to the crime syndicate, so in order to clear my name, they needed to investigate the money in my bank account. They claimed to have a contract with Hong Kong police who specialized in investigating money laundering, so I wired $81,000 — pretty much all of my savings — to a Hong Kong bank account. They left me with some money for day-to-day spending and paying rent and said they would eventually return the full amount.A few days later, the fake police officer told me that my money cleared, but the court would need to examine all of the evidence as well. He asked if I could travel to Thailand to appear in court, but warned that someone had been killed making the same trip to clear their name. He said I could also ask someone else to appear on my behalf.Thinking I couldn't risk telling my family, I asked the officer if he would represent me in court. He played it very well, saying it was a lot to ask and that he needed a few days to decide. He agreed the next day but said that I needed to send money for collateral to ensure I didn't escape while he was representing me.<h2>Then, I transferred another $150,000</h2>I didn't have any more money since I'd already emptied my life's savings. I lied to my family and asked them for money, telling them that I was applying for a Ph.D. — which had been my dream — and needed to show the school that I had $200,000 in my bank account to help with my chances of being accepted. My family valued education so much that I knew they would send me that amount without many questions. They wired the money — most of it from my aunt's retirement fund — and I wired $150,000 to the "police" in two chunks, first $100,000 and then $50,000.Someone from Bank of America's fraud department called me after I made the $100,000 transaction. She asked me what the money was for and informed me about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/crypto-crime-pig-butchering-scam-bitcoing-trafficking-fraud-cryptocurrency-2024-2">"pig butchering" investment scams</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/romance-scammer-peter-gray-tinder-fraud-2024-5">romance scams</a>. Neither of those applied to me, so it didn't occur to me that I was being scammed. I lied and said that the money was for my sick cousin in Hong Kong whom I'd never met.When I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-customer-lost-68k-after-being-tricked-scammer-2023-5">tried to wire</a> the additional $50,000 a couple of days later, the bank's fraud department called again, asking more questions about where the $100,000 came from and where it went. I told them that my dad had meant to send it to my cousin but accidentally wired it to me. They told me to show up at the local branch, where I found out that the $50,000 transfer had been canceled. The scammers instructed me to appear agitated and say that my cousin needed the money for brain surgery. The $50,000 transfer was approved, and I walked out of that branch feeling such a sense of accomplishment, because I thought I had saved my family from being jailed.<h2>I just wanted it to be over</h2>About a week later, the scammers introduced new characters.They said a woman who had been scammed by the "crime syndicate" had died by suicide, and that I was responsible for her death because she had transferred money into a bank account in my name. They told me the woman's son wanted payment.During one of my video calls with the police officer, I could hear the "son" calling for justice for his mom. He wanted me to pay $120,000 in compensation for her death. The scammers acted like they helped me negotiate the amount down to $60,000, which I got from my family through more lies, and wired it over.At this point, the "investigation" had been ongoing for nearly a month and a half. I kept thinking: I just want to be done with this. Why is it not over yet? I didn't want to report my whereabouts to them four times a day anymore, and I felt like I was being monitored constantly both in my physical world and in the online world. I started to have suicidal ideation. I wanted to disappear.But the scammers talked me out of those thoughts, telling me not to let the "criminals" win. Of course, now I realize they wouldn't let me die because they wanted me to keep wiring money to them.<h2>Coming back to reality, my whole world came crashing down</h2>The scammers ultimately told me that the court thought the evidence I provided looked clean, but they needed to make sure I didn't keep any assets on my credit cards. On June 4, I was told to cash-advance them $10,800 from my three different credit cards and wire them all of the income I'd made over the past three months since the "investigation" had begun, totaling $20,000. They told me this was the last thing I had to do, and they would present it in court.On June 7, the fake officer sent me a text that the court had ruled me innocent and that I wouldn't need to give daily reports of my location and photos anymore.He also said I needed to go back to Thailand to collect repayment of the money I had sent.I started looking up flight tickets. A few days later, I sent him a screenshot of a potential flight option and called him multiple times to ask about the details of the security measures in place, because I was fearful about my safety.None of my phone calls went through, and that was when it hit me: They were gone, and my money was probably gone, too.On June 11, I went to the FBI office in San Francisco and asked the agents for a reality check. They said they ran my record, and it was clean. An FBI agent told me, "You've been scammed. You should report it online."I walked back to my office and sat in my chair looking up at the ceiling, trying to figure out if what the FBI agent said was real. Maybe, I thought, it was such a top-secret case that this FBI agent didn't know about it. It was hard to discern the truth.I went home and told the story to two friends, then called the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and a few other Thai organizations. They all told me the same thing: I'd been scammed.That's when my world came crashing down. I remember dropping onto the ground of my friends' apartment as the realization washed over me. It was one of the most painful moments of my life — coming to the realization that I had lost more than $300,000. The money was gone. And not just my money, but also my family's money — pretty much my aunt's entire retirement fund. It was all because of me. The guilt will stay with me for the rest of my life.<h2>My friends and family have helped me through it</h2>My friends helped pick me up off the floor and make a step-by-step plan, including going to the banks to report fraudulent activity, filing a report with the FBI and the San Francisco police, and contacting the Thai embassy.It took me a few days to call my brother and tell him what was going on. I said, "The money you wired to me is gone, and it's all because of me."A few days later, my brother and my aunt called me together and asked what help I needed, and offered to fly to me in San Francisco. I'm very lucky that they are supportive. I'm sure that they have a lot of questions that they're not asking me yet, but their main concern right now is my mental health.I still remember something my brother said to me: "You can lose anything in this world, but you cannot lose yourself. You still have your brain, your legs. I'm glad that nothing bad happened to you. You still have your full potential and capability to continue the work that you do, to be you, and to make an impact on this world. You still have that, and know that that's something no one can take away from you." I hold onto that — focusing on what I have and not on what I lost.<h2>I'm doing better but still sometimes have nightmares</h2>I felt like I lost myself in those three months; it was like I was in a cult. All the lies and threats prevented me from taking the steps I should've taken to protect myself. I feel like I'm the scammer because I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elderly-immigrant-parents-lost-life-savings-investment-scam-2023-12">scammed my family</a>, in a sense, by lying to them. It broke my heart and I'm disgusted with myself.Each week is better, but there are nights I still have nightmares, and I wake up in the middle of the night crying. I spiral into negative self-talk. My brain still goes over the conversations I had with the scammers.The FBI told me they would contact me if they assigned anyone to the case, but I still haven't heard back. I also contacted the Hong Kong police, who informed me that there was no money left in the three bank accounts I wired to.I take responsibility for what I did, but I also feel that the financial system failed me. If bank employees had asked me for even more details and documents as proof — like the medical records of my "cousin" who needed surgery — I might have hit a dead end.I was in $10,800 of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paid-off-credit-card-debt-solid-plan-2024-6">credit card debt</a> because of the cash advance, so I paid that off first. I'm grateful to friends who lent me money to do so, and now I'm working on paying them back. My plan is to get myself back to zero by the end of the year. Then, I can start rebuilding my life again. I also plan to talk to my aunt about some kind of installment plan for repaying her. I'm still pretty traumatized but I'm doing much better emotionally now.My biggest piece of advice from going through this is to not let yourself be vulnerable to your own emotions. Take a step back and ask yourself: What am I feeling? Why am I feeling this way? Do I have to do this? If people take a deep breath and don't give in to powerful emotions, they'll be less likely to fall victim to these <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/crypto-scams">devastating and life-changing scams</a>.Bank of America told Business Insider about its approach to scam prevention, saying: "We continuously educate our clients about scams. Bank employees receive regular training, and we have internal processes to help flag unusual transactions."The company said that these safety measures include asking questions in real time about withdrawals and warning clients about scams. However, the company said that sometimes clients neglect warnings, lie about the purposes of withdrawals, and proceed with the transactions anyway.In response to Suprasert's case, the bank said it tried to warn her. "We spent considerable time sharing information with the client about scams and she even thanked us during a call for our efforts to warn her," the company said. "Despite our warnings, she decided to send her money."A representative of the Royal Thai Embassy said that it would not comment on the specific case, but confirmed that its officers have received reports of similar scams. An FBI spokesperson said it does not comment on potential investigations.

I was scammed out of $300K in a 3-month-long government impersonation scam

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Ukrainian lawmaker is under investigation after he was found vacationing in the Maldives.</li><li>He left Ukraine in June on a trip to Poland, and called in sick while abroad on July 10, per officials.</li></ul>Kyiv is investigating a lawmaker who went on sick leave during the war but was then found holidaying with his family in the Maldives, <a href="https://dbr.gov.ua/news/dbr-rozslidue-zakonnist-viizdu-narodnogo-deputata-na-maldivi-pid-chas-vijni">per Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation.</a>Yuriy Aristov, a 48-year-old Ukrainian member of parliament, was discovered staying at the five-star Waldorf Astoria hotel complex on the private island of Ithaafushi in July, <a href="https://www.slidstvo.info/news/dyplomatychna-misiia-na-maldivakh-na-liuksovomu-kurorti-pomityly-nardepa-sluhy-narodu-iakyy-vidpovidaie-za-natsbezpeku/?fbclid=IwAR3WhsFiKXyDdvq9ulSjCYnSlKuCKCuZ52kSXvRCPKt1AaQH8-xWjTeOU7Q">Ukrainian outlet Slidstvo.info first reported on Monday.</a>The State Bureau of Investigation later <a href="https://dbr.gov.ua/news/dbr-rozslidue-zakonnist-viizdu-narodnogo-deputata-na-maldivi-pid-chas-vijni" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published a Wednesday statement</a> further detailing Aristov's whereabouts, though it did not name him and instead referred to the lawmaker as "a people's deputy."Aristov initially left Ukraine for a three-day business trip to Poland on June 5, the bureau said. It didn't say where the lawmaker went afterward, but that he remained outside the country.Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, except for state-sanctioned trips.Aristov then called in sick on July 10, remotely registering with a private medical institution in Kyiv, the bureau said. His sick leave lasted until July 19, authorities added.But Aristov was discovered to have been staying with his wife and children at the Waldorf Astoria — where accommodation prices start at around $5,300 per night — until as late as July 22, the bureau added. The luxury resort is only accessible by yacht from the airport, and hosts 119 villas with private pools, as well as a restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt, <a href="https://waldorfastoriamaldives.com/the-resort/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per its website.</a>Journalists from Slidstvo.info called the Waldorf Astoria to check if Aristov was staying at its Maldivian hotel and reported that a receptionist confirmed the lawmaker was a guest.The State Bureau of Investigation said it's determining if Aristov knowingly submitted false information or documents about his travels, and is probing the legality of his vacation since Ukrainian officials are banned from holidaying during the war. The Ukrainian authorities raided Aristov's apartment and seized his passport, publishing a YouTube video showing immigration stamps for the Maldives dated July on the passport.He faces up to three years in prison if convicted, the bureau said. On Tuesday, Ukraine's parliament chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stefanchuk.official/posts/pfbid0xwiTfAW77HGJRk8FJv5bRd5HB9ErjysrJBx9o8ob28BQcv1N3xLVYE1gGvLVxJVpl?ref=embed_post">announced on Facebook that he had received a letter of resignation from Aristov.</a>Aristov was a member of the Servant of the People party, which is the party of Ukraine's current government and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.The investigation into Aristov echoes the January expelling of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiys-party-purges-lawmaker-wartime-trip-thailand-2023-01-27/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mykola Tyshchenko</a>, a Servant of the People lawmaker who posted a video of himself swimming in Thailand while Ukraine suffered a brutal winter. Tschenko said he was in the country for a work trip, but Stefanchuk said he never approved such a trip.Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours on Aristov's diplomatic travels.

A Ukrainian MP is being investigated for calling in sick during the war, and then showing up in the Maldives with his wife and kids

<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> is the main priority for the United States, <keyword id="61274" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="us-visa" source="Orion">US Visa</keyword> officials said adding that there has been around 36 per cent rise on visa processing across the country after Covid-19 pandemic. While addressing a presser organised by Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies on Tuesday, Deputy Assistant Secretary for <keyword id="757627" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="visa-services" source="Orion">Visa Services</keyword> in the Bureau of Consular Affairs <keyword id="16338184" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="julie-stufft" source="Orion">Julie Stufft</keyword> said, "India is the number one priority that we are facing right now. We are absolutely committed to getting out of this situation. Anyone in India seeking a visa appointment or visa have to wait for that's not certainly our ideal." She further stated, "So far this year, we have issued 36 per cent more visas than we did before the Covid-19 pandemic in India. And that is a huge percentage of progress." She also said that they are doing everything to reduce the wait time. "All the non-visitor time or student-visa have very very low wait times and that's really key. Our H-1B and F student's wait time were just as high almost six months ago and so we brought down the wait time," she added. The H-1B visa, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Talking about the India-US relationship, Deputy Assistant Secretary for India <keyword id="16602602" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nancy-jackson" source="Orion">Nancy Jackson</keyword> said that people-to-people is the most important tie between US and India. "As I look at the relationship it strikes me that people-to-people ties between our two nations are really the bedrock of what is one of the most consequential relationships in the world and that is the India-US relationship. And we can't underscore that enough and so addressing the view wait time that we were facing is critical. Not only to maintain these people-to-people ties but also to expand in that space. So because of that, this issue remains a top priority," she added. Earlier this month, the US Embassy in India said that Indians who are travelling abroad can get a visa appointment at the US Embassy or consulate of their destination. It cited the example of Thailand, saying that the country has opened appointment capacity for B1 and B2 visas (business and travel) for Indians. On January 21, the US Mission in India launched the first in a series of special Saturday interview days to reduce wait times for first-time visa applicants. The US Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad all opened consular operations on Saturday to accommodate applicants who require in-person visa interviews. The US Mission will continue to open additional slots for appointments to take place on select Saturdays, according to the statement released by US Embassy in India. These additional interview days are among the measures that have been taken to address the backlog in visa processing caused by COVID-19. The US Department of State has implemented remote processing of interview waiver cases for applicants with previous US visas. According to the statement, dozens of temporary consular officers from Washington and other embassies will arrive in India to increase processing capacity in January-March. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-11-concept-video-reveals-a-large-camera-and-a-rear-panel-that-lights-up/articleshow/98112845.cms">OnePlus 11 Concept video reveals a large camera and a rear panel that lights up</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/how-upi-lite-can-make-it-faster-and-easier-to-make-small-payments/articleshow/98035931.cms">Explained: How UPI LITE makes small payments faster &amp; easier</a>

36% more visas processed across India after Covid-19 pandemic: US officials

Associated PressTourists practice social distancing as they wait to extend their visa at Immigration Bureau in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 27, 2020. Tourists across Asia are finding their dream vacations have turned into travel nightmares as airlines cancel flights and countries close their borders in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)<ul><li>The IMF warned on Wednesday that Asian economies will see no growth in 2020</li><li>China is the only country expected to grow at 1.2% in 2020 </li><li>The predictions put Asia-Pacific to grow by the lowest amount since the 1960s</li></ul>Asia will face no economic growth in 2020 and face its worst growth performance in almost 60 years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Wednesday. Chang Yong Rhee, director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific department wrote in a <a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/15/covid-19-pandemic-and-the-asia-pacific-region-lowest-growth-since-the-1960s/">blogpost</a> on Thursday: "This is a crisis like no other. It is worse than the Global Financial Crisis, and Asia is not immune."If the predictions come true this will put the region at worse growth than levels seen during both the global Financial Crisis of 2008 and the Asian Financial Crisis. The Asian Financial Crisis began in 1997 when Thailand decided to no longer peg its currency to the US dollar. Currency declines and economic upheaval rippled across much of East Asia. International stocks fell as much as 60%, prompting interventions from the IMF and the World Bank. The impact of the crisis was also felt in nations such as the US, Russia and Europe. Rhee added: "While there is huge uncertainty about 2020 growth prospects, and even more so about the 2021 outlook, the impact of the coronavirus on the region will-across the board-be severe and unprecedented."The predictions affirms the economic fallout that is occurring as a result of the novelty coronavirus pandemic. At the time of writing, coronavirus- which causes a disease called COVID-19- has infected more than 2 million people and killed more than 137,000 people. The research will be a blow to many economies who were hoping to recover as countries begin to ease lockdowns. <h2>Double slowdown </h2>The research also predicts the global economy will shrink by 3% in 2020. Growth in the US is expected to fall by 6%, while Europe's economy is expecting to contract by 6.6%. But China's economy will likely grow in 2020, but by just 1.2%, compared to 6.1% in 2019. Even during the Global Financial Crisis, China was able to record 9.4% growth. The IMF has previously warned that the <a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/15/covid-19-pandemic-and-the-asia-pacific-region-lowest-growth-since-the-1960s/">global economy is going to face a severe recession that is worse since the Great Depression of the 1930s. </a>The IMF called for a comprehensive and coordinated policy response. "The first priority is to support and protect the health sector to contain the virus and introduce measures that slow contagion. If there is not enough space within countries' budgets, they will need to re-prioritize other spending," Rhee said.Monetary policies should be used to provide ample liquidity, ease financial stress of industries and to reduce macroprudential regulations. Central banks across Asia have engaged in various monetary policy efforts, including buying government bonds to prevent their economies from collapsing during the ongoing covid crisis. But the IMF warned that this may not be enough with central banks soon having to use their balance sheets more "flexibly" and aggressively support "small and medium-sized enterprises through risk-sharing with the government". <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/music-composers-design-sound-ev-nissan-leaf-2020-3">Why music composers are replacing the sound of engines in cars</a></h3>

Asian economies will see their growth come to a halt this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, IMF warns

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul><li>The FBI was barred by Thai officials from meeting with Belarussian sex guru&#xa0;Anastasia Vashukevich, who is serving jail time after violating the terms of her visa.</li><li>Vashukevich claimed she has evidence about Russian meddling in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump's ties to Russians like billionaire Oleg Deripaska.</li><li>Vashukevich says she has recordings from Deripaska's yacht with Americans, and says he had a "plan" for the US elections.</li></ul>When jailed Belarussian sex coach and self-described "seductress"&#xa0;Anastasia Vashukevich posted a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfs1oQQj7cU/?taken-by=nastya_rybka.ru">video</a> to her Instagram account promising to spill <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/28/asia/russia-model-thai-prison-trump-claims-intl/index.html">information</a> about the Russia investigation after her arrest by Thai authorities, the FBI took notice.According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/13/asia/thai-russian-sex-coaches-lawyers-intl/index.html">CNN,</a>&#xa0;the FBI reached out to Thailand's immigration bureau in hopes of setting up a meeting with Vashukevich, who goes by the online pseudonym Nastya Rybka. In addition to her initial Instagram post, Rybka and her boyfriend and co-worker&#xa0;Alexander Kirillov had sent a handwritten letter to the US embassy in Bangkok asking for US help in exchange for information on Russia.But Thai officials rebuffed the FBI, and stated that consultations are limited to family members and legal representatives. The US embassy said in a statement that it too has stonewalled the FBI."We are aware of media reports of this individual's arrest. She is not a US citizen, and we would refer you to Thai law enforcement for further questions," the statement read.Vashukevich and Kirillov were arrested after Thai police raided a sex training seminar they were holding in the beachside city of Pattaya last month, and were taken to prison along with eight other "sex coaches" because the seminar allegedly violated the terms of her tourist visa. Vashukevich was in Thailand on a Russian passport, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/28/asia/russia-model-thai-prison-trump-claims-intl/index.html">reported</a>.She said on her Instagram that she is afraid of being extradited to Russia."I am afraid to go back to Russia. Some strange things can happen," she told reporters at her detention center.<h2>Vashukevich claims she has evidence</h2>Vashukevich maintains that she has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/anastasia-vashukevich-russian-escort-jailed-in-thailand-claims-dirt-on-trump-2018-3">audio and video recordings</a> that prove her claims about Russian meddling in the 2016 US election and a Russian oligarch's ties to President Donald Trump.Vashukevich claimed that she had an affair with Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, and has recordings from her time on his yacht in which she said Deripaska "had a plan about elections."Deripaska, who has ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, worked for years with Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and was offered <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/10/30/who-did-manafort-and-gates-work-for-in-ukraine-and-russia/?utm_term=.dea5bcdca051">weekly briefings</a> by Manafort on the state of the Trump campaign. He has denied accusations of an affair with Vashukevich, although there are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=362&amp;v=RQZr2NgKPiU">photos and footage</a> of Vashukevich aboard Deripaska's yacht.Vashukevich claimed one of her recordings shows Deripaska conversing with three English-speaking individuals whom she believes are Americans, and says she also has photos of some of the people in question.&#xa0;Deripaska has <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/28/oligarchs-mistress-offers-info-trump-russia-ties-us-asylum/">responded</a> to Vashukevich's allegations by claiming she is trying to "politicize the accusations of the Thai police."&#xa0;<div> </div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/feras-fayyad-last-men-in-aleppo-russia-propaganda-against-syria-white-helmets-2018-3">The story behind Russia's smear campaign against Syria's White Helmets</a></h3> <div> </div> </div></hr>

The FBI reportedly wants to talk to a jailed 'sex coach' who claims she has audio recordings that prove Russian election meddling

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Trump-FBI/21f115b5857f4598b0da91665d6ad3ab/53/0">Jacquelyn Martin/AP</a>Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.</div></div></div>The Trump administration made its boldest move against Russia this week as the diplomatic row between the UK and Moscow deepened following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a Russian dissident living in Britain, and his daughter, both of whom fell victim to a chemical weapon attack on March 4.The US, UK, France, and Germany accused Russia of orchestrating the attack, which the Kremlin denies.On Thursday, the US implemented sanctions against 19 Russian nationals and five Russian entities, a move that was widely seen as an expression of solidarity with the UK in light of Skripal's poisoning. The sanctions specifically targeted Russians <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-indicts-russians-for-interfering-in-2016-election-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted last month</a> as part of the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's election meddling.Then on Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, two days before he was set to formally retire from the bureau on Sunday.<h3>Here's what else you may have missed this week in the Russia investigation:</h3><ul><li>'<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-mccabe-fired-pension-firing-defended-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A political assassination'</a>: Several current and former US intelligence officials, including former intel chiefs John Brennan and Gen. Michael Hayden, criticized Trump for pushing McCabe's firing. Frank Montoya, Jr., a former FBI agent who worked closely with McCabe, called the move a "political assassination on a good man and public servant."</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-subpoenas-trump-organization-russia-documents-2018-3">Mueller goes after Trump's business</a>: Mueller subpoenaed the Trump Organization for documents related to Russia. The move could be a sign that Mueller's team has the information they need to carry on with the investigation and want to send a strong message. Mueller has been zeroing in on Trump's foreign business dealings in recent weeks, particularly his efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-lawyer-john-dowd-calls-for-robert-mueller-firing-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a></li><li><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Thomson ReutersSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-lawyer-john-dowd-calls-for-robert-mueller-firing-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump lawyer wants Russia probe to be over</a>: Trump's personal lawyer John Dowd sent a text to a reporter at The Daily Beast calling for an end to Mueller's investigation. Dowd later walked back his comments, telling CNN that he was acting in his personal capacity and not as Trump's lawyer.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-sent-questions-to-trump-dowd-before-calls-for-russia-probe-shutdown-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We may now know why Trump and his lawyer want the Mueller probe shut down</a>: Just before Trump and his lawyer made their boldest appeal yet for the Russia investigation to be shut down, Mueller reportedly sent over a list of questions to the president. Mueller is still seeking a face-to-face interview with Trump, and the questions are said to be a starting point he wants to use for follow-ups.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/democrats-republicans-slam-trump-over-mccabe-firing-mueller-investigation-tweets-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democrats and Republicans break with Trump</a>: Lawmakers distanced themselves from Trump on McCabe's firing and his lawyer's statement that Mueller's investigation should come to an end. Sen. Jeff Flake called Saturday "a horrible day for democracy."</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-russia-investigation-end-house-intelligence-2018-3">House Republicans vindicate Trump</a>: Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee closed its Russia investigation, declaring there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 US presidential race to swing the election in Trump's favor. Trump celebrated the announcement on Twitter, but Democrats <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/house-intelligence-democrats-have-evidence-of-trump-russia-collusion-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisted</a> the investigation was tainted and say they plan to release a report of their own contradicting it.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/house-democrats-want-to-question-ritz-carlton-moscow-trump-steele-dossier-2018-3">Democrats go after the alleged pee tape</a>: Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee said they are interested in obtaining records and documents from the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow. Trump's stay at the hotel was mentioned in the so-called Steele dossier, which alleged collusion between Trump and Russia. The dossier also alleged that Trump rented the presidential suite at the hotel and hired prostitutes to perform sexual acts in front of him involving urination.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-key-player-in-the-russia-probe-has-walked-back-his-claim-he-knew-putin-2018-3">A key Russia witness bluffs</a>: One of Mueller's former witnesses, businessman Felix Sater, walked back a claim he made in emails he sent to former Trump Organization executive and Trump lawyer Michael Cohen that he knew Russian President Vladimir Putin and could help get Trump elected on top of securing a Trump Tower deal for him in Moscow. He told Buzzfeed <keyword id="6355005" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="News">News</keyword> he was just trying to sell the deal and added that his communications were not meant to be "surreptitious."</li><li><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters/Joshua RobertsAttorney General Jeff Sessions.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-may-fire-jeff-sessions-jeopardize-mueller-probe-2018-3">Trump might fire Sessions</a>: Trump has reportedly been contemplating a plan to fire Sessions, who has been a source of frustration for the president ever since Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation. Vanity Fair reported that Trump could replace Sessions with EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, who isn't recused and could fire Mueller.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-has-damaging-information-on-jared-kushner-trump-mueller-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Qatar may have incriminating evidence</a>: Qatar has evidence that Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were improperly influenced by the United Arab Emirates, and that Trump's foreign policy decisions as they related to Qatar may have resulted from a Kushner deal falling through in the country, according to NBC News. Mueller is reportedly looking into meetings the Emiratis held with Trump officials.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-wants-to-talk-to-anastasia-vashukevich-about-russian-meddling-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI seeks meeting with Belarusian 'sex coach'</a>: Anastasia Vashukevich, a Belarusian national, claims to have audio and video recordings that prove Russian meddling in the 2016 US election and a Russian oligarch's ties to Trump. Vashukevich, who is currently jailed in Thailand, said she would be willing to provide this information in exchange for help in getting her out of prison. When the FBI reached out to Thai immigration authorities, their request to meet with Vashukevich was rejected.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-almost-done-with-obstruction-case-against-trump-2018-3">Mueller is finishing his obstruction case</a>: Bloomberg News reported that Mueller is close to wrapping up the obstruction-of-justice thread of the Russia investigation, but is holding his cards close to his chest while he finishes up other portions of his probe - including his potential collusion case. Mueller also reportedly wants to make sure witnesses continue to cooperate with his investigation even if he's already finished a major part of it.</li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/judge-paul-manafort-life-in-prison-2018-3">Manafort could face life in prison</a>: The judge presiding over the criminal trial of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort said it's very possible he might face life in prison if convicted. Manafort faces dozens of charges related to money laundering, tax and bank fraud, and conspiracy against the US.</li></ul>Sonam Sheth contributed reporting. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/journalist-vegas-tenold-investigated-neo-nazis-for-six-years-2018-3">Neo-Nazi groups let a journalist in their meetings and rallies - here's what he saw</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Republicans vindicate Trump, McCabe is fired, and a key witness bluffs - here's the latest from a wild week in the Russia investigation

Thomson ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House in Washington, U.S.Autocratic leaders who may have had strained relationships with past US presidential administrations due to dubious human-rights records appear to have a new ally in the White House.President Donald Trump's willingness to engage with some of the world's most notorious strongmen was on full display last weekend, when he extended White House invitations to Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. Both the Philippines and Thailand enjoy treaties with the US, but their leaders' brutal crackdowns on drugs and dissent have marred their relationships with the West. Then on Monday, Trump said he would be "honored" to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over his country's nuclear weapons program, provided certain conditions were first met.The overtures prompted outrage among human-rights experts and some Democratic lawmakers. Duterte's merciless anti-drug campaign has left more than 7,000 people dead since he took office in late June 2016, according to the <a href="http://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/145814-numbers-statistics-philippines-war-drugs" target="_blank">Filipino news site Rappler</a>. Nearly 3,000 have died at the hands of police.North Korea's Kim, meanwhile, operates secretive prison camps where suspected dissidents are tortured, starved, and forced into hard labor. There is no free speech or religious liberty in North Korea, which has repeatedly threatened to attack its neighbors - and, ultimately, the US - with nuclear weapons. "We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted Sunday.Thomson ReutersTrump meets Saudi crown prince at the White House in WashingtonThe White House has defended the invitation to Duterte - who called President Barack Obama an "idiot" and "son of a whore" after his administration raised concerns about the country's drug war and extra-judicial killings - <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-philippines-idUSKBN17X0UU" target="_blank">as simply a "meeting,"</a> not a "thank you." An administration official <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-philippines-idUSKBN17X0UU" target="_blank">told Reuters</a> that it was aimed at preventing the Philippines from pivoting completely away from the US, which could "intensify" Duterte's "bad behavior."But the outreach to Duterte and Chan-ocha - the Thai prime minister who heads a military junta and seized power in a coup in 2014 - was not the first time Trump has displayed an unforced affinity for, and even attempted to legitimize, leaders with authoritarian reputations.Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong leader and called it a "great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond." Trump has twice defended Putin against accusations that he murders journalists and dissidents, saying in September that he hadn't seen "any evidence that [Putin] killed anybody" and telling Bill O'Reilly in February that in the US, "we kill people, too."When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a referendum last month allowing him to vastly expand his presidential authorities and consolidate power, Trump called to congratulate him on his victory. The White House readout of the call did not mention Erdogan's crackdown on dissent, which has only intensified since a failed coup threatened his grip on power last summer.In early April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was received at the White House for the first time since he seized power in a coup nearly four years ago. Trump praised the Egyptian strongman, saying they agreed "on so many things" and that el-Sisi had done a "fantastic job in a very difficult situation." El-Sisi orchestrated the removal of the democratically elected Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.Reuters/Carlos BarriaPresident Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago state in Palm Beach, Florida.Trump <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/13/donald-trump-xi-jinping-china-not-currency-manipulator" target="_blank">has also developed a "very good relationship"</a> with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has intensified China's longtime policy of censorship and intolerance of dissent (which has included the periodic abduction of government critics), according to <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/01/12/china-deepening-assault-human-rights" target="_blank">Human Rights Watch</a>. Trump has said he and Xi have "great chemistry," an abrupt turn after he frequently lambasted China along the campaign trail.Trump's behavior in the foreign policy arena, experts say, is either an indication of how he views strength and good governance, or a signal of his broader understanding that the US-led global order - and its commitment to liberal democratic values - is eroding.Or both.<h2>'There's certainly a tradition of collaborating with unsavory dictators'</h2>The US has a long history of cooperating with authoritarian or dictatorial regimes in the name of furthering US national security interests.The George W. Bush and <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2010/09/01/readout-president-obamas-meeting-with-president-mubarak-egypt" target="_blank">Obama administrations</a> continued supporting Hosni Mubarak, for example, even as they criticized the rights abuses that ultimately brought him down in 2011. And critics say Obama prioritized America's strategic partnership with Turkey, a key NATO ally, while not doing enough to punish Erdogan for his rights abuses.Both Bush and Obama, moreover, maintained the US' support for Saudi Arabia, which human-rights organizations have judged as among the most repressive countries in the world. "There is certainly a tradition in America's foreign policy history of collaborating with unsavory dictators in the name of pursuing our own security interests," said William Inboden, a professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin who served as the senior director for strategic planning on the National Security Council under George W. Bush.The difference, however, is that previous presidents tended to caveat these partnerships with either a public or private warning about the need to uphold human rights and the rule of law. Lucas Jackson/Reuters"Just about every administration since Franklin Roosevelt has had to cooperate with dictators, to some extent, in the name of US strategic interests," Inboden said, pointing to Roosevelt's alignment with Joseph Stalin during World War II to counter Nazi Germany. "But the US also has a consistent record of pushing these countries quietly, and sometimes publicly, to democratize and respect human rights."Obama was slow to hold Erdogan accountable, but he refused to invite Erdogan to the Oval Office last April and <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/obama-turkey-225659" target="_blank">expressed his concerns about the Turkish leader's "repression"</a> on the sidelines of last year's Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. He was also a <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/27/obama-saudi-arabia-human-rights-troubles/" target="_blank">frequent critic</a> of the Saudis' human rights abuses, and called on them to "share the neighborhood" with Iran after the US-led nuclear deal was signed.Ned Price, the senior director of the National Security Council under Obama, said "engagement with adversaries absolutely has the potential to strengthen our national security and provide new opportunities to the American people.""The Iran deal and new approach to Cuba are prime examples," Price said. "But this brand of principled engagement - predicated on years of preparation and ground work and always guided by our interests and values - is a far cry from what we've seen from this administration."The White House has yet to release a statement condemning the human rights abuses of authoritarian leaders that Trump has spoken to or met with since taking office, even as the State Department has issued more nuanced reactions. In contrast to previous presidents, moreover, Trump himself has not reiterated the US's commitment to human rights and democracy in his joint press conferences with Egypt's el-Sisi, Price said."In offering some of his highest pride to some of the world's most brutal leaders, President Trump and his administration have left our values by the wayside, in some cases going out of their way to make clear they will not raise human rights and other previously indispensable elements in public," Price said. "That is not only a break from past Republican and Democratic administrations, it's also an affront to America's traditional role in the world."<h2>'We need friends, and we need allies'</h2>US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said shortly after Trump met with el-Sisi that the administration is "going to play with whoever we need to play with" in order to further its counterterrorism goals. She said Trump "didn't say [el-Sisi] was 'fantastic' with human rights."White House press secretary Sean Spicer reiterated that point Monday, telling reporters that Trump believes it is more effective to "build relationships" with these leaders privately than to chastise their human-rights practices in public statements.Former US ambassador Jim Jeffrey, who served as assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser under George W. Bush, said Trump may be on to something."Trump finds himself willy-nilly committed to the global security order," said Jeffrey, who previously served as deputy assistant secretary for the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. "That requires working both with important allies and with difficult foes such as China and Russia."To some extent, Jeffrey argued, it also requires the "ability to filter unpleasant realities" - like the fact that the US' ability to influence other leaders' governing styles "has always been vastly overrated."Thomson ReutersSupporters of Turkish President Erdogan wave national flags as they wait for his arrival at the Presidential Palace in Ankara"Trump doesn't seem overly concerned with the core of liberal democratic thinking," Jeffrey said. And that may ultimately be to his advantage.Jeffrey, a 35-year diplomatic and foreign policy veteran, noted that the "arc of history" seemed to be steadily turning away from liberal democracy and toward nationalism - even as Obama made a point of criticizing leaders like Erdogan and Putin, who have been reelected several times and enjoy high levels of domestic support despite their shaky commitment to human rights."When the arc of history was turning towards liberal democracy, American foreign policy could consist largely of beating up on people who weren't getting on the 'arc of history' train," Jeffrey said. "But it's obvious that this arc has broken down - there's been a turn away from liberal democracy and toward nationalism everywhere from the United States and Britain to France, Poland, and Romania."Jeffrey said that the global order is more stable when it is comprised of states who respect both their citizens and each other. But he said that now, amid the erosion of the US-led global order, "we need friends, and we need allies."<h2>'Birds of a feather flock together'</h2>Inboden, the University of Texas professor who served under Bush, said that approach seems "very strategically short-sighted." Others don't think there's a strategy behind it at all.Derek Chollet served as the principal deputy director <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#U.S._Secretary_of_State" title="Hillary Clinton">Secretary of State Hillary Clinton</a>'s policy planning staff and, later, as the special assistant to Obama and senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council. He said Trump may simply be "intuitively" attracted to the authoritarian leadership style."Birds of a feather flock together," Chollet said, adding that Trump - "more than any president in modern history, or ever" - has expressed authoritarian tendencies and beliefs."Whether it's the way he speaks about his enemies, the free press, or democratic constraints, his intuition tends to be authoritarian," Chollet added. "It's not a strategy, per se. It probably just feels natural for him."Trump has called the press "the enemy of the American people" and lamented the ability of federal judges to block his immigration orders. He also questioned the judgment of the US intelligence community when it unanimously concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to boost his candidacy and undermine Hillary Clinton.Chollet acknowledged that the US' commitment to human rights is often in conflict with its need to preserve and foster certain diplomatic relationships, a point Spicer made during his briefing on Monday."It's a very tricky balance," Chollet said. But it requires "making clear that, even amid these partnerships, we still stand by human rights, are concerned about what is happening inside those countries, and are prepared to opt out of these partnerships if necessary."Inboden agreed."The Erdogans and el-Sisis of the world will always try to peddle a bogus bargain to the US," Inboden said. Namely, that the US has no leverage when it comes to condemning human rights abuses because it can't afford to alienate the leaders of such strategically important countries - no matter how questionable their governing style may be."We've seen that pattern before," Inboden said. "But, judging by America's diplomatic tradition, we can balance those competing interests." <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hasan-minhaj-roasts-donald-trump-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-jokes-daily-show-2017-4">Watch Hasan Minhaj roast Trump at the White House correspondents' dinner</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

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