Who comes to mind when you think about intense workers with long hours without regular breaks? The most likely image would be Japanese, Chinese, Indians or Americans. But, the findings of a survey from Health Insurer Bupa Global might surprise you.&nbsp;

The survey found&nbsp;that&nbsp;executives in France binge-work the most. Nearly 40 per cent of French executives and leaders who participated in the recent poll admitted to working intense, long hours without taking regular breaks which is also above the 25 per cent global average and against the country’s workplace policies and lifestyle.

The latest poll also shows a different working culture emerges in the nation known for its wine, cheese and fine dining. It also found that long working hours make French workers the most anxious about their work performance.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/french-man-sues-employer-for-boring-job-gets-45000-severance-package-444376">French man sues employer for 'boring' job, gets $45,000 severance package</a>

The French have the most anxiety about their organisations' ability to weather the current economic instability, along with a reluctance to work remotely compared to their global peers. The survey also says binge working was more common among executives who went into the office full-time than those who worked remotely.&nbsp;

This also&nbsp;stands in contrast to Paris’&nbsp;laws. Indeed, to facilitate a work-life balance, France became the first European nation to apply a law regarding the ‘Right to Disconnect’ in 2017, which requires&nbsp;organisations to prohibit emails, calls or other workplace encroachments after certain hours.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-belgian-civil-servants-get-the-right-to-disconnect-449704">Gravitas: Belgian civil servants get the right to disconnect</a>

“This combination of external economic pressures and tendency to take responsibilities upon themselves could contribute to French executives binge working the most,” Anthony Cabrelli, Managing Director of Bupa Global, told Bloomberg.

Bupa Global serves expatriates, executives and other high-net-worth individuals. The survey considered the views of 2,439 high-net-worth individuals across eight regions. Meanwhile, most blue-collar and service workers only work 35 hours per week, and August is largely for summer vacations.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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Who comes to mind when you think about intense workers with long hours without regular breaks? The most likely image would be Japanese, Chinese, Indians or Americans.

Who comes to mind when you think about intense workers with long hours without regular breaks? The most likely image would be Japanese, Chinese, Indians or Americans. But, the findings of a survey from Health Insurer Bupa Global might surprise you. The survey found that executives in France binge-work the most. Nearly 40 per cent of French executives and leaders who participated in the recent poll admitted to working intense, long hours without taking regular breaks which is also above the 25 per cent global average and against the country’s workplace policies and lifestyle. The latest poll also shows a different working culture emerges in the nation known for its wine, cheese and fine dining. It also found that long working hours make French workers the most anxious about their work performance. ALSO READ | French man sues employer for 'boring' job, gets $45,000 severance package The French have the most anxiety about their organisations' ability to weather the current economic instability, along with a reluctance to work remotely compared to their global peers. The survey also says binge working was more common among executives who went into the office full-time than those who worked remotely. This also stands in contrast to Paris’ laws. Indeed, to facilitate a work-life balance, France became the first European nation to apply a law regarding the ‘Right to Disconnect’ in 2017, which requires organisations to prohibit emails, calls or other workplace encroachments after certain hours. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Belgian civil servants get the right to disconnect “This combination of external economic pressures and tendency to take responsibilities upon themselves could contribute to French executives binge working the most,” Anthony Cabrelli, Managing Director of Bupa Global, told Bloomberg. Bupa Global serves expatriates, executives and other high-net-worth individuals. The survey considered the views of 2,439 high-net-worth individuals across eight regions. Meanwhile, most blue-collar and service workers only work 35 hours per week, and August is largely for summer vacations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Who are the world’s biggest workaholics?

Ghosting in relationships is becoming quite common. But have you heard of being ghosted at work? What is ghosting at a work place and why is it happening?

Gravitas: Understanding ghosting at the workplace

There's a new course at Berkeley's business school that prepares students to navigate workplace tensions, called 'Difficult Conversations: Conflict Lab'. It focusses on how to deliver difficult feedback, hone better negotiating skills and navigate a work clash. Watch this to know more.

A class for bosses to learn how to navigate workplace tension

The "final shift office chair," a line of coffin-shaped office chairs created by a UK-based designer, is intended for people who work long hours at their computers.&nbsp;

The chair is constructed in a manner resembling a casket and is inspired by coffin designs. While one wonders how it may perform with lumbar support, the Chairbox creator said that a study found that spending six to eight hours a day sitting increased the risk of passing away.

Humans weren't made to spend eight hours a day sitting on seats, by design. Our bodies haven't yet adjusted to the entire behavioural adjustment, according to Chairbox's website. 
 
"Exercising is still insufficient, even then. Additionally, legislation in the UK requires employers to offer standing desk solutions in their workplaces. Although there is awareness, it is insufficient."&nbsp;

Nevertheless, he continued, "The whole grind culture is just wrong, it feels to me like voluntary slavery," as he spoke about propagating the "grind culture" idea. "We've been gaslit into thinking that this is life as it supposes to be. We sit in those coffins and generate value for the stakeholders, but once the time has come they nail the lid and roll us to the corporate cemetery," he added.

When asked when the inspiration struck, Chairbox told Designboom that it did so as he was sitting on the couch with his legs propped up on the floor in his friend's living room. He jokingly said,&nbsp;"I thought that if I die in this pose, they might have to bury me like that. It would be so inconvenient to put me in a coffin. They probably would need a special coffin in this case."

"I told my friend about it, and we laughed, but after a couple of weeks, I returned to that idea and explored it a bit more. Later, I made a 3D model in CAD software, rendered it, and posted online," he added.

(with inputs from agencies)

The "final shift office chair," a line of coffin-shaped office chairs created by a UK-based designer, is intended for people who work long hours at their computers.

The "final shift office chair," a line of coffin-shaped office chairs created by a UK-based designer, is intended for people who work long hours at their computers. The chair is constructed in a manner resembling a casket and is inspired by coffin designs. While one wonders how it may perform with lumbar support, the Chairbox creator said that a study found that spending six to eight hours a day sitting increased the risk of passing away. Humans weren't made to spend eight hours a day sitting on seats, by design. Our bodies haven't yet adjusted to the entire behavioural adjustment, according to Chairbox's website. "Exercising is still insufficient, even then. Additionally, legislation in the UK requires employers to offer standing desk solutions in their workplaces. Although there is awareness, it is insufficient." Nevertheless, he continued, "The whole grind culture is just wrong, it feels to me like voluntary slavery," as he spoke about propagating the "grind culture" idea. "We've been gaslit into thinking that this is life as it supposes to be. We sit in those coffins and generate value for the stakeholders, but once the time has come they nail the lid and roll us to the corporate cemetery," he added. When asked when the inspiration struck, Chairbox told Designboom that it did so as he was sitting on the couch with his legs propped up on the floor in his friend's living room. He jokingly said, "I thought that if I die in this pose, they might have to bury me like that. It would be so inconvenient to put me in a coffin. They probably would need a special coffin in this case." "I told my friend about it, and we laughed, but after a couple of weeks, I returned to that idea and explored it a bit more. Later, I made a 3D model in CAD software, rendered it, and posted online," he added. (with inputs from agencies)

Feel you are overworking yourself to death? This 'coffin chair' is the perfect find for you

Finding a perfect work-life balance has been a daunting task for every professional. Despite best efforts, it has been difficult to spend quality time with the family as one is swarmed with overwork. In an effort to find the right balance, South Korean tech behemoth Samsung has brought an innovative new gadget that can help people prevent overworking.

This radical innovation is in fact a computer mouse that will stop working after the scheduled office hours.

Dubbed ‘Samsung Balance Mouse’, this gadget is designed in such a way that it will literally start running&nbsp;from the desk the moment one starts working a lot.

Recently, the tech giant shared a concept video of the mouse on its official Korean YouTube channel.

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In the clip, a man can be seen working and as he reaches the mouse past 6 pm, the new Samsung mouse starts running away.

According to Samsung, the wheels of the mouse are activated as soon as it detects the hand movement and it starts running away.

The clip further shows that when the man tries hard and forcefully grabs the mouse, it detaches itself from the central part and runs away.

In the video, Samsung said that a majority of workers are hesitant to leave the office on time as they are always under immense pressure to complete their pending tasks.

They assert that the primary reason behind conceptualising the Balance Mouse was to improve the work-life balance in Korea.

Sadly, since this mouse is in the initial concept stage, it is unknown when the gadget will be available for purchase. This concept was created in association with an ad agency.

Finding a perfect work-life balance has been a daunting task for every professional. Despite best efforts, it has been difficult to spend quality time with the family as one is swarmed with overwork.

Finding a perfect work-life balance has been a daunting task for every professional. Despite best efforts, it has been difficult to spend quality time with the family as one is swarmed with overwork. In an effort to find the right balance, South Korean tech behemoth Samsung has brought an innovative new gadget that can help people prevent overworking. This radical innovation is in fact a computer mouse that will stop working after the scheduled office hours. Dubbed ‘Samsung Balance Mouse’, this gadget is designed in such a way that it will literally start running from the desk the moment one starts working a lot. Recently, the tech giant shared a concept video of the mouse on its official Korean YouTube channel. × In the clip, a man can be seen working and as he reaches the mouse past 6 pm, the new Samsung mouse starts running away. According to Samsung, the wheels of the mouse are activated as soon as it detects the hand movement and it starts running away. The clip further shows that when the man tries hard and forcefully grabs the mouse, it detaches itself from the central part and runs away. In the video, Samsung said that a majority of workers are hesitant to leave the office on time as they are always under immense pressure to complete their pending tasks. They assert that the primary reason behind conceptualising the Balance Mouse was to improve the work-life balance in Korea. Sadly, since this mouse is in the initial concept stage, it is unknown when the gadget will be available for purchase. This concept was created in association with an ad agency.

This new mouse from Samsung will run away if you overwork

About 200 km south of Stockholm, on the Swedish island of Gotland, one of the nation's main roadways is pulsating with wireless electric energy.

How does a smart road work? Wireless electric road charging for EVs in Sweden

Take a look at your phone- is there a reminder flashing, a task left incomplete, apps reminding you to stop delaying- they hold on to information remind us of projects and even deadlines, some even remind us to drink water so much so they're being likened to a second brain.

The Good Life: Welcome to the age of 'The Second Brain'

Living from one weekend to the next has become the norm for most of us. We thank god it's Friday and dread a manic Monday. We cram all our hobbies, social events, chores, meal planning, workouts and getaways in a two-day window. The result? We feel exhausted and drained even before the week begins.

But what if your weekend was longer? What if you had more time to unwind, to spend with your family and plan all those getaways on your bucket list?

What if you were told that you could enjoy a three-day weekend? Deleting one working day and adding an extra holiday with no loss of pay, sounds like the perfect equation, doesn't it?

It's not a utopian concept anymore. It is becoming the norm in a lot of countries.&nbsp;

Iceland, Sweden, Japan, Scotland are all experimenting with a shorter work week -- four days to be exact. In Spain, big companies are agreeing to a 32-hour week without affecting employees' salaries.&nbsp;

In fact Iceland conducted the world's largest trial of a shorter working week from 2015 to 2019 and found that a majority of working professionals were happier and healthier.

Employers say it boosts productivity and employee well-being. In Japan where big companies take pride in driving an efficient workforce, there is a conscious effort to try and break away from a toxic, workaholic culture.

But is a shorter work week the best way to achieve that work-life balance that we all aspire for?

Many professionals feel that cramming the same amount of work in a shorter period of time may have an impact on their health in the long run. While a compressed work schedule has its benefits with claims of increased productivity, decreased overhead costs for companies and more "me time" for employees, there is a price to pay for this longer weekend.&nbsp;

Why, you ask? Consider another mathematical equation. You will either be working for five eight-hour shifts a week or four 10-hour shifts in a week. Longer hours every week, month on month, year on year, will lead to more stress and fatigue over a period of time.

Speak to working professionals and they will tell you that the scheduling challenges, deadlines and tasks keep adding up and one ends up taking the work -- and the added stress -- back home.

While on paper, you are working less, you are still cramming more work in a shorter period of time.

So, does that mean the four-day workweek is a failure? Not really. It is simply a metaphor for flexible working model which will be the future of workplaces. The pandemic has taught us that rigid working schedules are not in the interest of employers or employees.

Just like diets, nutrition plans, workout and clothes are tailored for us, working models need to be customised. A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn in India found that 7 in 10 Indian women are either quitting their jobs or considering the same due to a lack of flexible working models.

So simply deleting a day from our work week will not help us work more efficiently or enjoy more on our days off. &nbsp;

We need to look at the big picture and ask ourselves, is long-term fatigue worth a three-day weekend?

Living from one weekend to the next has become the norm for most of us. We thank god it's Friday and dread a manic Monday. We cram all our hobbies, social events, chores, meal planning, workouts and getaways in a two-day window.

Living from one weekend to the next has become the norm for most of us. We thank god it's Friday and dread a manic Monday. We cram all our hobbies, social events, chores, meal planning, workouts and getaways in a two-day window. The result? We feel exhausted and drained even before the week begins. But what if your weekend was longer? What if you had more time to unwind, to spend with your family and plan all those getaways on your bucket list? What if you were told that you could enjoy a three-day weekend? Deleting one working day and adding an extra holiday with no loss of pay, sounds like the perfect equation, doesn't it? It's not a utopian concept anymore. It is becoming the norm in a lot of countries. Iceland, Sweden, Japan, Scotland are all experimenting with a shorter work week -- four days to be exact. In Spain, big companies are agreeing to a 32-hour week without affecting employees' salaries. In fact Iceland conducted the world's largest trial of a shorter working week from 2015 to 2019 and found that a majority of working professionals were happier and healthier. Employers say it boosts productivity and employee well-being. In Japan where big companies take pride in driving an efficient workforce, there is a conscious effort to try and break away from a toxic, workaholic culture. But is a shorter work week the best way to achieve that work-life balance that we all aspire for? Many professionals feel that cramming the same amount of work in a shorter period of time may have an impact on their health in the long run. While a compressed work schedule has its benefits with claims of increased productivity, decreased overhead costs for companies and more "me time" for employees, there is a price to pay for this longer weekend. Why, you ask? Consider another mathematical equation. You will either be working for five eight-hour shifts a week or four 10-hour shifts in a week. Longer hours every week, month on month, year on year, will lead to more stress and fatigue over a period of time. Speak to working professionals and they will tell you that the scheduling challenges, deadlines and tasks keep adding up and one ends up taking the work -- and the added stress -- back home. While on paper, you are working less, you are still cramming more work in a shorter period of time. So, does that mean the four-day workweek is a failure? Not really. It is simply a metaphor for flexible working model which will be the future of workplaces. The pandemic has taught us that rigid working schedules are not in the interest of employers or employees. Just like diets, nutrition plans, workout and clothes are tailored for us, working models need to be customised. A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn in India found that 7 in 10 Indian women are either quitting their jobs or considering the same due to a lack of flexible working models. So simply deleting a day from our work week will not help us work more efficiently or enjoy more on our days off. We need to look at the big picture and ask ourselves, is long-term fatigue worth a three-day weekend?

A four-day work week: The future of workplaces?

Employers are experimenting with shorter working weeks as four day work week could be the future. Watch this report to know more.

A three-day weekend, anyone? A four day work week could be the future

A group of women protesters demanding rights to work and education in Afghanistan’s capital&nbsp;Kabul were attacked with pepper spray gas by the Taliban forces on Sunday.

As many as 20 women gathered in front of Kabul University, chanting “equality and justice” and carried banners that read “Women's rights, human rights”, news agency AFP reported.

After being informed of the agitation, the Taliban forces arrived at the scene and dispersed the crowd using pepper spray.

A few women protesters had to be carried to the hospital after the spray caused an allergic reaction on faces and eyes.

“When we were near Kabul University three Taliban vehicles came, and fighters from one of the vehicles used pepper spray on us," a protester told AGP, seeking anonymity for security reasons.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/times-have-changed-pictures-of-afghan-women-before-taliban-rule-go-viral-406508">'Times have changed': Pictures of Afghan women before Taliban rule go viral</a>

“My right eye started to burn. I told one of them ‘shame on you’, and then he pointed his gun at me.”

A Taliban official had confiscated the mobile phone of a man who was filming the demonstration, AFP reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-women-cant-travel-long-distances-without-male-relative-taliban-440129">Afghan women can't travel long distances without male relative: Taliban</a>

Despite giving assurances, the hardline Islamist forces have curbed liberty and equality in access to education and work to women.

Since taking over Afghanistan in mid-August last year, the Taliban have blocked women public sector employees from returning to work, prevented girls to attend secondary schools, and have shut public universities.

Apart from that, diktat has been issued with regards to their dress code, and long distance trips for women who are not accompanied by a close male relative have been banned.

The authorities have also issued guidelines that prevent television channels from broadcasting serials featuring women actors.

(With inputs from agencies)

A group of women protesters demanding rights to work and education in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul were attacked with pepper spray gas by the Taliban forces on Sunday.

A group of women protesters demanding rights to work and education in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul were attacked with pepper spray gas by the Taliban forces on Sunday. As many as 20 women gathered in front of Kabul University, chanting “equality and justice” and carried banners that read “Women's rights, human rights”, news agency AFP reported. After being informed of the agitation, the Taliban forces arrived at the scene and dispersed the crowd using pepper spray. A few women protesters had to be carried to the hospital after the spray caused an allergic reaction on faces and eyes. “When we were near Kabul University three Taliban vehicles came, and fighters from one of the vehicles used pepper spray on us," a protester told AGP, seeking anonymity for security reasons. Also see | 'Times have changed': Pictures of Afghan women before Taliban rule go viral “My right eye started to burn. I told one of them ‘shame on you’, and then he pointed his gun at me.” A Taliban official had confiscated the mobile phone of a man who was filming the demonstration, AFP reported. Also read | Afghan women can't travel long distances without male relative: Taliban Despite giving assurances, the hardline Islamist forces have curbed liberty and equality in access to education and work to women. Since taking over Afghanistan in mid-August last year, the Taliban have blocked women public sector employees from returning to work, prevented girls to attend secondary schools, and have shut public universities. Apart from that, diktat has been issued with regards to their dress code, and long distance trips for women who are not accompanied by a close male relative have been banned. The authorities have also issued guidelines that prevent television channels from broadcasting serials featuring women actors. (With inputs from agencies)

Women protesters seeking rights to work, education attacked with pepper spray by Taliban

The UAE government will implement a new four-and-a-half-day work week on January 1, 2022 as part of the government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing.

The change will affect federal government institutions and will be accompanied by new working hours, with Monday to Thursday workdays beginning at 7:30 a.m. and finishing at 3:30 p.m., and Friday work hours beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 12:00 pm.

Along with the change, Friday sermons and prayers will begin at 1:15 pm&nbsp;across the UAE.

Government employees will have the option of working from home on Fridays and scheduling their work hours on a flexi-time basis.

The United Arab Emirates is the first country in the world to implement a national work week that is shorter than the worldwide five-day week. 
 
Watch | New criminal code to come into force in United Arab Emirates

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The longer weekend is part of the UAE government's attempts to improve work-life balance and social well-being while also improving performance in order to promote the UAE's economic competitiveness.&nbsp;

Watch | Dubai celebrates 50th National Day on the Al Wasl Stage at Expo 2020

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dubai-celebrates-50th-national-day-on-the-al-wasl-stage-at-expo-2020-433608/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The UAE will be able to adapt quickly to new developments and improve worker welfare by using an agile working approach. 
 
The new working week will better connect the UAE with global markets from an economic standpoint, reflecting the country's strategic position on the global economic map.

It would facilitate greater international business relations and possibilities for thousands of UAE-based and global enterprises by ensuring easy financial, commercial, and economic activities with nations that follow a Saturday/Sunday weekend.&nbsp;

The Indian expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates is estimated to number 3.42 million people, accounting for around 30% of the country's population.

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has around 15% of the diaspora, while the other six northern Emirates, including Dubai, have the rest.&nbsp; 
 
35-hour workweek in France

In the rest of the world, France is notable for having a 35-hour work week , which is four days and three hours, that has been codified in law since 2000.

However, there is a catch.35 hours is "only a threshold at which overtime or rest days start to kick in," according to a BBC article.&nbsp;

Even French blue-collar workers put in over 35 hours every week.

According to government figures, 50% of full-time employees in France worked paid overtime in 2010.

According to French economist Jean-Marie Perbost, that percentage was projected to be higher in 2013.

In 2008, 44 percent of attorneys in France worked more than 55 hours per week, according to the country's national bar association (CNB).

(With inputs from agencies)

The UAE government will implement a new four-and-a-half-day work week on January 1, 2022 as part of the government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing.

The UAE government will implement a new four-and-a-half-day work week on January 1, 2022 as part of the government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing. The change will affect federal government institutions and will be accompanied by new working hours, with Monday to Thursday workdays beginning at 7:30 a.m. and finishing at 3:30 p.m., and Friday work hours beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 12:00 pm. Along with the change, Friday sermons and prayers will begin at 1:15 pm across the UAE. Government employees will have the option of working from home on Fridays and scheduling their work hours on a flexi-time basis. The United Arab Emirates is the first country in the world to implement a national work week that is shorter than the worldwide five-day week. Watch | New criminal code to come into force in United Arab Emirates The longer weekend is part of the UAE government's attempts to improve work-life balance and social well-being while also improving performance in order to promote the UAE's economic competitiveness. Watch | Dubai celebrates 50th National Day on the Al Wasl Stage at Expo 2020 The UAE will be able to adapt quickly to new developments and improve worker welfare by using an agile working approach. The new working week will better connect the UAE with global markets from an economic standpoint, reflecting the country's strategic position on the global economic map. It would facilitate greater international business relations and possibilities for thousands of UAE-based and global enterprises by ensuring easy financial, commercial, and economic activities with nations that follow a Saturday/Sunday weekend. The Indian expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates is estimated to number 3.42 million people, accounting for around 30% of the country's population. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has around 15% of the diaspora, while the other six northern Emirates, including Dubai, have the rest. 35-hour workweek in France In the rest of the world, France is notable for having a 35-hour work week , which is four days and three hours, that has been codified in law since 2000. However, there is a catch.35 hours is "only a threshold at which overtime or rest days start to kick in," according to a BBC article. Even French blue-collar workers put in over 35 hours every week. According to government figures, 50% of full-time employees in France worked paid overtime in 2010. According to French economist Jean-Marie Perbost, that percentage was projected to be higher in 2013. In 2008, 44 percent of attorneys in France worked more than 55 hours per week, according to the country's national bar association (CNB). (With inputs from agencies)

4.5 days: UAE announces shortest work week in the world

‘The great resignation’ continues to gain steam in the United States, as over 4 million Americans, about 3% of the workforce, continue to churn out resignations for the second straight month.

The growing number of vacancies is now forcing companies to look elsewhere as they are coming out with attractive offers to quickly fill up the record job openings.

US’ Labor Department on Friday said that 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, which is up from 4.3 million in August, and far above the pre-pandemic level of 3.6 million.

There were 10.4 million job openings, down from 10.6 million in August, which was revised higher, the data shows.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-4-million-americans-quit-jobs-in-august-report-420516">&nbsp;More than 4 million Americans quit jobs in August: Report</a>

Moreover, the data states that there are about 5 million fewer people looking for jobs compared with pre-pandemic trends, making it much harder for employers to hire.

The decline in the workforce is sharply visible in those industries which are made up of in-person service jobs, such as restaurants, hotels, and retail, and factories where people work in close proximity.

The economists argue that this trend reflects that some people are quitting solely out of fear of contracting COVID-19.

Watch

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Apart from that, other possible reasons attributed to mass resignations include better social safety nets like unemployment aid, and people looking for better paying jobs.

Goldman Sachs, in a research note, on Thursday estimated that most of the 5 million are older Americans who have decided to retire. Only about 1.7 million are aged 25 through 54, which economists consider prime working years.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/find-out-the-top-paying-jobs-in-us-with-no-work-experience-416142">Find out the top paying jobs in US with no work experience</a>

Goldman estimates that most of those people in their prime working years will return to work in the coming months, but that would still leave a much smaller workforce than before the pandemic.

Businesses in other countries are facing similar challenges, leading to pay gains and higher inflation in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom, according to news agency AP.

However, in developing countries like India, there were no signs of mass resignations largely due to the absence of social security and unemployment benefits.

(With inputs from agencies)

‘The great resignation’ continues to gain steam in the United States, as over 4 million Americans, about 3% of the workforce, continue to churn out resignations for the second straight month.

‘The great resignation’ continues to gain steam in the United States, as over 4 million Americans, about 3% of the workforce, continue to churn out resignations for the second straight month. The growing number of vacancies is now forcing companies to look elsewhere as they are coming out with attractive offers to quickly fill up the record job openings. US’ Labor Department on Friday said that 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, which is up from 4.3 million in August, and far above the pre-pandemic level of 3.6 million. There were 10.4 million job openings, down from 10.6 million in August, which was revised higher, the data shows. Also read | More than 4 million Americans quit jobs in August: Report Moreover, the data states that there are about 5 million fewer people looking for jobs compared with pre-pandemic trends, making it much harder for employers to hire. The decline in the workforce is sharply visible in those industries which are made up of in-person service jobs, such as restaurants, hotels, and retail, and factories where people work in close proximity. The economists argue that this trend reflects that some people are quitting solely out of fear of contracting COVID-19. Watch Apart from that, other possible reasons attributed to mass resignations include better social safety nets like unemployment aid, and people looking for better paying jobs. Goldman Sachs, in a research note, on Thursday estimated that most of the 5 million are older Americans who have decided to retire. Only about 1.7 million are aged 25 through 54, which economists consider prime working years. Also read | Find out the top paying jobs in US with no work experience Goldman estimates that most of those people in their prime working years will return to work in the coming months, but that would still leave a much smaller workforce than before the pandemic. Businesses in other countries are facing similar challenges, leading to pay gains and higher inflation in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom, according to news agency AP. However, in developing countries like India, there were no signs of mass resignations largely due to the absence of social security and unemployment benefits. (With inputs from agencies)

‘The great resignation’: Over 4 million Americans quit their jobs in September alone

China's Evergrande&nbsp;on Sunday said that it had resumed work on more than 10 projects in six cities including Shenzhen. The statement comes after it appeared to avert default with a last-minute bond coupon payment last week.

Evergrande is a major real estate firm in China and carries USD 300 billion in debt. It has missed several bond interest payment deadlines recently and fears of default have kept global investors on edge. Since the real estate sector forms a major part of the Chinese economy, there are fears that Evergrande's default would spill into the global economy.

During late August, the company said that some projects were suspended because of delays in payment to suppliers and contractors.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/surprise-interest-payment-from-evergrande-boosts-global-markets-423047">Also read |&nbsp;Surprise interest payment from Evergrande boosts global markets</a>

On Sunday, it said in a post on its Wechat account that some of the projects resumed work and had entered the interior decoration stage while other buildings had recently finished construction.

The company further added that its efforts to guarantee construction would shore up market confidence.&nbsp;

On Friday, Evergrande's share price jumped more than four per cent in Hong Kong, though that came a day after a drop of more than 12 per cent sparked by its announcement that the planned sale of its property services unit had fallen through.

Though interest payment by Evergrande gave brief respite market watchers said it was unlikely that the company would be able to repay all interest and that the rebound was likely to be limited.

China's Evergrande on Sunday said that it had resumed work on more than 10 projects in six cities including Shenzhen. The statement comes after it appeared to avert default with a last-minute bond coupon payment last week.

China's Evergrande on Sunday said that it had resumed work on more than 10 projects in six cities including Shenzhen. The statement comes after it appeared to avert default with a last-minute bond coupon payment last week. Evergrande is a major real estate firm in China and carries USD 300 billion in debt. It has missed several bond interest payment deadlines recently and fears of default have kept global investors on edge. Since the real estate sector forms a major part of the Chinese economy, there are fears that Evergrande's default would spill into the global economy. During late August, the company said that some projects were suspended because of delays in payment to suppliers and contractors. Also read | Surprise interest payment from Evergrande boosts global markets On Sunday, it said in a post on its Wechat account that some of the projects resumed work and had entered the interior decoration stage while other buildings had recently finished construction. The company further added that its efforts to guarantee construction would shore up market confidence. On Friday, Evergrande's share price jumped more than four per cent in Hong Kong, though that came a day after a drop of more than 12 per cent sparked by its announcement that the planned sale of its property services unit had fallen through. Though interest payment by Evergrande gave brief respite market watchers said it was unlikely that the company would be able to repay all interest and that the rebound was likely to be limited.

Evergrande resumes work on more than 10 property projects

Less than a month after the Taliban rolled into the Afghan capital, Rabia Jamal made a tough decision -- she would brave the hardliners and return to work at the airport.

With the Islamists saying&nbsp;women&nbsp;should stay at home for their own security the risks were all too clear, but the 35-year-old mother of three felt she had little choice.

"I need money to support my family," said Rabia, wearing a navy-blue suit and make-up.&nbsp;

"I felt tension at home... I felt very bad," she told AFP. "Now I feel better."

Of the more than 80&nbsp;women&nbsp;working at the airport before Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15, just 12 have returned to their jobs.&nbsp;

But they are among very few&nbsp;women&nbsp;in the capital allowed to return to work. The Taliban have told most not to go back until further notice.

Six of the&nbsp;women&nbsp;airport workers were standing at the main entrance on Saturday, chatting and laughing while waiting to scan and search female passengers taking a domestic flight.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/cartoonist-journalist-charged-under-bangladesh-internet-law-412603">Also read |&nbsp;Cartoonist, journalist charged under Bangladesh internet law</a>

Rabia's sister, 49-year-old Qudsiya Jamal, told AFP the Taliban takeover had "shocked" her.

"I was very afraid," said the mother of five, who is also her family's sole provider.

"My family was scared for me,&nbsp;they told me not to go back but I am happy now, relaxed... no problems so far."

&nbsp;'Take me to Paris'

Women's&nbsp;rights&nbsp;in Afghanistan were sharply curtailed under the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule, but since returning to power the group claims they will be less extreme.

Women&nbsp;will be allowed to attend university as long as classes are segregated by sex or at least divided by a curtain, the Taliban's education authority has said, but females must also wear an abaya, an all-covering robe, and face-covering niqab veil.

Still, Alison Davidian, a representative for UN&nbsp;Women&nbsp;in Afghanistan, warned on Wednesday that the Taliban were already neglecting their promise to respect Afghan&nbsp;women's&nbsp;rights.

At the airport, which is returning to action after the hurried US withdrawal left it unusable, Rabia says she will keep working unless she is forced to stop.

Under new rules,&nbsp;women&nbsp;may work "in accordance with the principles of Islam", the Taliban have decreed, but few details have yet been given as to what exactly that might mean.

"My dream is to be the richest girl in Afghanistan, and I feel I am always the luckiest," said Rabia, who has worked since 2010 at the terminal for GAAC, a UAE-based company providing ground and security handling.

"I will do what I love until I am not lucky anymore."

Rabia's colleague, who gave her name as Zala, dreams of something completely different.&nbsp;

The 30-year-old was learning French in Kabul before she was forced to stop and stay at home for three weeks after the takeover.

"Good morning, take me to Paris," she said in broken French, as her five colleagues burst into laughter.

"But not now. Today I am one of the last&nbsp;women&nbsp;of the airport."

Less than a month after the Taliban rolled into the Afghan capital, Rabia Jamal made a tough decision -- she would brave the hardliners and return to work at the airport.

Less than a month after the Taliban rolled into the Afghan capital, Rabia Jamal made a tough decision -- she would brave the hardliners and return to work at the airport. With the Islamists saying women should stay at home for their own security the risks were all too clear, but the 35-year-old mother of three felt she had little choice. "I need money to support my family," said Rabia, wearing a navy-blue suit and make-up. "I felt tension at home... I felt very bad," she told AFP. "Now I feel better." Of the more than 80 women working at the airport before Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15, just 12 have returned to their jobs. But they are among very few women in the capital allowed to return to work. The Taliban have told most not to go back until further notice. Six of the women airport workers were standing at the main entrance on Saturday, chatting and laughing while waiting to scan and search female passengers taking a domestic flight. Also read | Cartoonist, journalist charged under Bangladesh internet law Rabia's sister, 49-year-old Qudsiya Jamal, told AFP the Taliban takeover had "shocked" her. "I was very afraid," said the mother of five, who is also her family's sole provider. "My family was scared for me, they told me not to go back but I am happy now, relaxed... no problems so far." 'Take me to Paris' Women's rights in Afghanistan were sharply curtailed under the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule, but since returning to power the group claims they will be less extreme. Women will be allowed to attend university as long as classes are segregated by sex or at least divided by a curtain, the Taliban's education authority has said, but females must also wear an abaya, an all-covering robe, and face-covering niqab veil. Still, Alison Davidian, a representative for UN Women in Afghanistan, warned on Wednesday that the Taliban were already neglecting their promise to respect Afghan women's rights. At the airport, which is returning to action after the hurried US withdrawal left it unusable, Rabia says she will keep working unless she is forced to stop. Under new rules, women may work "in accordance with the principles of Islam", the Taliban have decreed, but few details have yet been given as to what exactly that might mean. "My dream is to be the richest girl in Afghanistan, and I feel I am always the luckiest," said Rabia, who has worked since 2010 at the terminal for GAAC, a UAE-based company providing ground and security handling. "I will do what I love until I am not lucky anymore." Rabia's colleague, who gave her name as Zala, dreams of something completely different. The 30-year-old was learning French in Kabul before she was forced to stop and stay at home for three weeks after the takeover. "Good morning, take me to Paris," she said in broken French, as her five colleagues burst into laughter. "But not now. Today I am one of the last women of the airport."

12 female staff at Kabul airport brave fears to return to work

Uber Technologies Inc will let employees work half their hours from wherever they want as part of its revamped return-to-office strategy, the transport app company plans to announce on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. 
 
In one of the most flexible policies offered yet by a big US&nbsp;tech company as the COVID-19 pandemic eases, Uber plans to say that those working in offices need to spend at least 50% of their time there. 
 
But unlike many other companies the policy does not mean at least three days per week in the office, the source said. Instead, workers can show up five days one week and zero the next. 
 
The plan is a reversal from April when Uber said that from September 'employees can work from home up to two days a week, but with a clear expectation that they also come into the office three days a week'. 
 
When working remotely, employees can be wherever, including at home, with family or even more exotic destinations. They will be encouraged to try working away from their regular home for four weeks a year, the source said. 
 
The company on Tuesday also is expected to say it will begin allowing more employees to work remotely all the time. 
 
Online news outlet Insider first reported details of the plan on Monday.

Uber Technologies Inc will let employees work half their hours from wherever they want as part of its revamped return-to-office strategy, the transport app company plans to announce on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Uber Technologies Inc will let employees work half their hours from wherever they want as part of its revamped return-to-office strategy, the transport app company plans to announce on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. In one of the most flexible policies offered yet by a big US tech company as the COVID-19 pandemic eases, Uber plans to say that those working in offices need to spend at least 50% of their time there. But unlike many other companies the policy does not mean at least three days per week in the office, the source said. Instead, workers can show up five days one week and zero the next. The plan is a reversal from April when Uber said that from September 'employees can work from home up to two days a week, but with a clear expectation that they also come into the office three days a week'. When working remotely, employees can be wherever, including at home, with family or even more exotic destinations. They will be encouraged to try working away from their regular home for four weeks a year, the source said. The company on Tuesday also is expected to say it will begin allowing more employees to work remotely all the time. Online news outlet Insider first reported details of the plan on Monday.

Uber to let office staff work up to half their time from anywhere: Source

When the coronavirus pandemic shuttered offices around the United States in March, many companies told their employees that it would be only a short hiatus away from headquarters.

Workers, they said, would be back in their cubicles within a matter of weeks. Weeks turned into September. Then September turned into January. And now, with the virus still surging in some parts of the country, a growing number of employers are delaying return-to-office dates once again, to the summer of 2021 at the earliest.

Google was one of the first to announce that July 2021 was its return-to-office date. Uber, Slack and Airbnb soon jumped on the bandwagon. In the past week, Microsoft, Target, Ford Motor Co. and The New York Times said they, too, had postponed the return of in-person work to next summer and acknowledged the inevitable: The pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon.

“Let’s just bite the bullet,” said Joan Burke, the chief people officer of DocuSign in San Francisco. In August, her company, which manages electronic document signatures, decided it would allow its 5,200 employees to work from home until June 2021.

“We’re still in a place where this is evolving,” she said. “None of us have all the answers.”

Many more companies are expected to delay their return-to-office dates to keep workers safe. And workers said they were in no rush to go back, with 73% of U.S. employees fearing that being in their workplace could pose a risk to their personal health and safety, according to a study by Wakefield Research commissioned by Envoy, a workplace technology company.

More companies are also saying that they will institute permanent work-from-home policies so employees do not ever have to come into the office again.

In May, Facebook was one of the first to announce that it would allow many employees to work remotely even after the pandemic. Twitter, Coinbase and Shopify have also said they would do so. On Friday, Microsoft announced it would also be part of that shift.

The elongating timelines and changing policies add up to a continued balancing act for companies as the coronavirus shatters work norms and upends assumptions about where workers need to be to achieve maximum productivity. Employers are also under pressure to be as open as possible about their intentions so that workers can plan ahead with their lives.

The postponement of return dates is a “psychological blow for those who expected this to be a transition phase,” said Tsedal Neeley, a Harvard Business School professor who studies remote work. “The reality is hitting that, ‘There won’t be a vaccine as I expected very quickly. This is going to be my life, and I’d better learn how to do this.’”

Neeley likened the situation to waiting at an airport terminal for a flight that is continually delayed. With the new dates announced, she said, people can finally start adjusting from a temporary “grinning and bear it” approach to a permanent shift.

Successful companies “have begun to think about long-term strategy rather than ‘Let’s just survive our crisis,’” she said.

Much of corporate America is now following the lead of Silicon Valley tech companies like Google and Facebook. They were among those that allowed employees to work from home even before the pandemic hit in full force in March. Since then, Facebook has set the tone in planning for permanent remote work, while Google established the July 2021 target date for returning to the office.

“I hope this will offer the flexibility you need to balance work with taking care of yourselves and your loved ones over the next 12 months,” Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, wrote in an email to employees about the July 2021 date.

Other employers soon emulated the tech giants, also citing worker flexibility as a key factor in pushing their return-to-office dates to next summer.

Burke, the DocuSign executive, said announcing the June 2021 return date to employees prompted a “collective sigh of relief inside the company” because it put an end to the incremental postponements and uncertainty of when they would be expected to return.

Remote work has been productive, she said, and people like not having to commute. But a mix of in-person and remote is probably the most popular option for employees when life returns to normal, she said, because they also miss the social interaction of an office space.

Zoom “is not the same thing, and it’s exhausting,” Burke said. “By 7 o’clock last night, I was Zoomed out.”

Other companies that have delayed their returns to the office until next summer often face a more complicated decision because their workforces are not just made up of white-collar engineers, unlike those of internet companies.

Ford said last week that its decision to hold off on back in-person office work through June 2021 would apply to its roughly 32,000 employees in North America who are already working remotely. The company, which has about 188,000 employees, said the policy does not apply to factory staff.

When Target announced its decision to let some employees continue to work at home through June 2021 in a letter to staff last week, it said it would apply just to employees at its headquarters in Minneapolis. The company said a small number of employees who rely on the headquarters facilities would continue to work on-site. In-store employees will work in retail stores as usual.

Some companies that have already tried bringing employees back to the office have grappled with safety concerns. Last month, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase sent send some workers back home after employees who had returned to the office tested positive for the virus.

When the coronavirus pandemic shuttered offices around the United States in March, many companies told their employees that it would be only a short hiatus away from headquarters.

When the coronavirus pandemic shuttered offices around the United States in March, many companies told their employees that it would be only a short hiatus away from headquarters. Workers, they said, would be back in their cubicles within a matter of weeks. Weeks turned into September. Then September turned into January. And now, with the virus still surging in some parts of the country, a growing number of employers are delaying return-to-office dates once again, to the summer of 2021 at the earliest. Google was one of the first to announce that July 2021 was its return-to-office date. Uber, Slack and Airbnb soon jumped on the bandwagon. In the past week, Microsoft, Target, Ford Motor Co. and The New York Times said they, too, had postponed the return of in-person work to next summer and acknowledged the inevitable: The pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon. “Let’s just bite the bullet,” said Joan Burke, the chief people officer of DocuSign in San Francisco. In August, her company, which manages electronic document signatures, decided it would allow its 5,200 employees to work from home until June 2021. “We’re still in a place where this is evolving,” she said. “None of us have all the answers.” Many more companies are expected to delay their return-to-office dates to keep workers safe. And workers said they were in no rush to go back, with 73% of U.S. employees fearing that being in their workplace could pose a risk to their personal health and safety, according to a study by Wakefield Research commissioned by Envoy, a workplace technology company. More companies are also saying that they will institute permanent work-from-home policies so employees do not ever have to come into the office again. In May, Facebook was one of the first to announce that it would allow many employees to work remotely even after the pandemic. Twitter, Coinbase and Shopify have also said they would do so. On Friday, Microsoft announced it would also be part of that shift. The elongating timelines and changing policies add up to a continued balancing act for companies as the coronavirus shatters work norms and upends assumptions about where workers need to be to achieve maximum productivity. Employers are also under pressure to be as open as possible about their intentions so that workers can plan ahead with their lives. The postponement of return dates is a “psychological blow for those who expected this to be a transition phase,” said Tsedal Neeley, a Harvard Business School professor who studies remote work. “The reality is hitting that, ‘There won’t be a vaccine as I expected very quickly. This is going to be my life, and I’d better learn how to do this.’” Neeley likened the situation to waiting at an airport terminal for a flight that is continually delayed. With the new dates announced, she said, people can finally start adjusting from a temporary “grinning and bear it” approach to a permanent shift. Successful companies “have begun to think about long-term strategy rather than ‘Let’s just survive our crisis,’” she said. Much of corporate America is now following the lead of Silicon Valley tech companies like Google and Facebook. They were among those that allowed employees to work from home even before the pandemic hit in full force in March. Since then, Facebook has set the tone in planning for permanent remote work, while Google established the July 2021 target date for returning to the office. “I hope this will offer the flexibility you need to balance work with taking care of yourselves and your loved ones over the next 12 months,” Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, wrote in an email to employees about the July 2021 date. Other employers soon emulated the tech giants, also citing worker flexibility as a key factor in pushing their return-to-office dates to next summer. Burke, the DocuSign executive, said announcing the June 2021 return date to employees prompted a “collective sigh of relief inside the company” because it put an end to the incremental postponements and uncertainty of when they would be expected to return. Remote work has been productive, she said, and people like not having to commute. But a mix of in-person and remote is probably the most popular option for employees when life returns to normal, she said, because they also miss the social interaction of an office space. Zoom “is not the same thing, and it’s exhausting,” Burke said. “By 7 o’clock last night, I was Zoomed out.” Other companies that have delayed their returns to the office until next summer often face a more complicated decision because their workforces are not just made up of white-collar engineers, unlike those of internet companies. Ford said last week that its decision to hold off on back in-person office work through June 2021 would apply to its roughly 32,000 employees in North America who are already working remotely. The company, which has about 188,000 employees, said the policy does not apply to factory staff. When Target announced its decision to let some employees continue to work at home through June 2021 in a letter to staff last week, it said it would apply just to employees at its headquarters in Minneapolis. The company said a small number of employees who rely on the headquarters facilities would continue to work on-site. In-store employees will work in retail stores as usual. Some companies that have already tried bringing employees back to the office have grappled with safety concerns. Last month, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase sent send some workers back home after employees who had returned to the office tested positive for the virus.

July is the new January: More companies delay return to the office

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas.

The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator. The idea was envisioned&nbsp;by Priti Patel, an Indian-origin British politician. She is a second-generation immigrant. Born in London, her parents emigrated to the UK from Tarapur in Gujarat.&nbsp;

The constitutional element of the new provision requests&nbsp;British employers to limit their dependence on cheap labour coming from Europe.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwicobjvl93nAhWqzDgGHaDQDtUQFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0sd6ERTqDMYP6a6tLWGao6" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdoms-new-government-increases-minimum-wage-to-ps872-271242" target="_blank">United Kingdom's new government increases minimum wage&nbsp;to £8.72</a>

The&nbsp;key objectives of the&nbsp;move includes the retention of existing staff and to evolve and sustain automation technology that eliminates the need for physical dependence.&nbsp;

According to the Home Office of the UK, European Union and non-European Union citizens coming to the UK after December 31 would be treated in the same fashion. This basically implies that all EU privileges in terms of travel and citizenship will be effectively revoked.

The UK's Labour Party hit out at the move and claimed that it would lead to a ''hostile environment'' in the country, in terms of attracting labour.

However, the Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel claims that skilled and talented people will be able to come to the UK nevertheless.

<img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98a4abd0-6413-4afb-956b-73a2b7179536" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_92.jpg" />

"The brightest and the best will be able to come to the United Kingdom", Patel said.

Patel has been a staunch critic of Theresa May and is the first Home Secretary of Indian origin in the British cabinet.&nbsp;

"It is important that the Cabinet should represent modern Britain as well as a modern Conservative Party", she had announced during the elections.

Priti Patel had also additionally steered the ''Vote Leave'' campaign which triggered a series of uncertain events for British polity until the recent elections. She became a member of the Conservative Party when she 15.

There are currently two other Indian-origin ministers in the UK cabinet: Rishi Sunak: Finance Minister, and Alok Sharma: &nbsp;Business Secretary.

This constitutes a part of the UK's bigger plan to reduce migration into the UK. To systematically tackle this, the government has curated a ''points-based'' immigration system, living up to the promise which was made in their election manifesto.

Here on, not only would potential immigrants and/or citizens need to speak impeccable English, but would need an ''approved sponsor'', someone who's already a British citizen and intends to hire the person intending to visit.&nbsp;On fulfilling this criterion, the person would be awarded 50 points.

However, it gets tricky for a potential worker would need at least 70 points to legally work in the country.

There are numerous number of points, ranging from educational qualifications to the salary on offer, and the nature of the profession.

If someone possesses a skill which is facing labour shortages in the country, they would be fast-tracked into migration.

According to the government's statements, businesses need to ''adapt and adjust''. In essence, the UK will no longer entertain the entry of "unskilled foreign labour"&nbsp;into their country, especially from Europe.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjGwsujl93nAhUnzTgGHWCBB3IQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1GDr23WfWIzYUbaZeidnp2" dir="ltr" href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/five-facts-about-priti-patel-uks-first-indian-origin-home-secretary-238292&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjGwsujl93nAhUnzTgGHWCBB3IQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1GDr23WfWIzYUbaZeidnp2" target="_blank">Five facts about Priti Patel,&nbsp;UK's first Indian-origin home secretary</a>

"It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and wider investment in technology and automation," the government statement said.

Instead of inducting more people in the British workforce, the government suggests employing the skills of 3.2 million European Union citizens who have applied for an extension on their stay.

To soften the blow, the government has also introduced sub-provisions, such as ''youth mobility arrangements'', that opens a window of 20,000 entries in the UK every year, but only for young people.

This clampdown on immigrants is no longer new, as countries have spent years imitating the divisive rhetoric of Trump that is based on border protectionism with traces of nationalist fervour.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-brexit-new-fast-track-global-talent-visa-unveiled-by-united-kingdom-276861">After Brexit, new fast track 'global talent visa' unveiled by United Kingdom</a>

Patel has been staunchly criticised for her rhetoric during the Brexit uncertainty period, whereby she defended the alcohol and tobacco industries, and also threatened Ireland with food shortages.

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas. The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator.

As part of the British government's post-Brexit reformation, low-skilled workers in the country will no longer be able to obtain visas. The most interesting tenet, perhaps, of this provision is the curator. The idea was envisioned by Priti Patel, an Indian-origin British politician. She is a second-generation immigrant. Born in London, her parents emigrated to the UK from Tarapur in Gujarat. The constitutional element of the new provision requests British employers to limit their dependence on cheap labour coming from Europe. Also read: United Kingdom's new government increases minimum wage to £8.72 The key objectives of the move includes the retention of existing staff and to evolve and sustain automation technology that eliminates the need for physical dependence. According to the Home Office of the UK, European Union and non-European Union citizens coming to the UK after December 31 would be treated in the same fashion. This basically implies that all EU privileges in terms of travel and citizenship will be effectively revoked. The UK's Labour Party hit out at the move and claimed that it would lead to a ''hostile environment'' in the country, in terms of attracting labour. However, the Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel claims that skilled and talented people will be able to come to the UK nevertheless. "The brightest and the best will be able to come to the United Kingdom", Patel said. Patel has been a staunch critic of Theresa May and is the first Home Secretary of Indian origin in the British cabinet. "It is important that the Cabinet should represent modern Britain as well as a modern Conservative Party", she had announced during the elections. Priti Patel had also additionally steered the ''Vote Leave'' campaign which triggered a series of uncertain events for British polity until the recent elections. She became a member of the Conservative Party when she 15. There are currently two other Indian-origin ministers in the UK cabinet: Rishi Sunak: Finance Minister, and Alok Sharma: Business Secretary. This constitutes a part of the UK's bigger plan to reduce migration into the UK. To systematically tackle this, the government has curated a ''points-based'' immigration system, living up to the promise which was made in their election manifesto. Here on, not only would potential immigrants and/or citizens need to speak impeccable English, but would need an ''approved sponsor'', someone who's already a British citizen and intends to hire the person intending to visit. On fulfilling this criterion, the person would be awarded 50 points. However, it gets tricky for a potential worker would need at least 70 points to legally work in the country. There are numerous number of points, ranging from educational qualifications to the salary on offer, and the nature of the profession. If someone possesses a skill which is facing labour shortages in the country, they would be fast-tracked into migration. According to the government's statements, businesses need to ''adapt and adjust''. In essence, the UK will no longer entertain the entry of "unskilled foreign labour" into their country, especially from Europe. Also read: Five facts about Priti Patel, UK's first Indian-origin home secretary "It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK's immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and wider investment in technology and automation," the government statement said. Instead of inducting more people in the British workforce, the government suggests employing the skills of 3.2 million European Union citizens who have applied for an extension on their stay. To soften the blow, the government has also introduced sub-provisions, such as ''youth mobility arrangements'', that opens a window of 20,000 entries in the UK every year, but only for young people. This clampdown on immigrants is no longer new, as countries have spent years imitating the divisive rhetoric of Trump that is based on border protectionism with traces of nationalist fervour. Also read: After Brexit, new fast track 'global talent visa' unveiled by United Kingdom Patel has been staunchly criticised for her rhetoric during the Brexit uncertainty period, whereby she defended the alcohol and tobacco industries, and also threatened Ireland with food shortages.

Second generation immigrant Priti Patel introduces UK's anti-immigration visa guidelines

Former member of popular boy band 'One Direction', Louis Tomlinson, has finally dropped his first solo album 'Work' after the band split in 2015.

Today his&nbsp;fans'&nbsp;wish has finally come true.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7awD7pDwU0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">My brand new single #Walls is here, this is the title track from my debut album which is only two weeks away now ! Genuinely can't wait for you to hear this.</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/louist91/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Louis Tomlinson</a> (@louist91) on <time datetime="2020-01-17T10:52:03+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jan 17, 2020 at 2:52am PST</time>
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The 12-track album&nbsp;tells the entire story of Tomlinson's life in brief, from falling in love to losing his mom and younger sister.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ASt2TJ48r6k" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Tomlinson is the last member out of 'One Direction'&nbsp;to release his solo album and fans are loving it, the album is&nbsp;already a chartbuster and is been in number one position.&nbsp;

The album features already-released singles, including the title track, 'We Made It', 'Kill My Mind', 'Don't Let It Break Your Heart'&nbsp;

Singer Liam Payne's and former 'One Direction'&nbsp;bandmate congratulated&nbsp;his friend Louis Tomlinson on&nbsp;the album.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-zayn-maliks-new-music-video-flames-is-out-sets-internet-on-fire-277669">Also read:&nbsp;Zayn Malik's new music video 'Flames' is out, sets internet on fire</a>

Former member of popular boy band 'One Direction', Louis Tomlinson, has finally dropped his first solo album 'Work' after the band split in 2015. Today his fans' wish has finally come true.

Former member of popular boy band 'One Direction', Louis Tomlinson, has finally dropped his first solo album 'Work' after the band split in 2015. Today his fans' wish has finally come true. View this post on Instagram My brand new single #Walls is here, this is the title track from my debut album which is only two weeks away now ! Genuinely can't wait for you to hear this. A post shared by Louis Tomlinson (@louist91) on Jan 17, 2020 at 2:52am PST × The 12-track album tells the entire story of Tomlinson's life in brief, from falling in love to losing his mom and younger sister. Tomlinson is the last member out of 'One Direction' to release his solo album and fans are loving it, the album is already a chartbuster and is been in number one position. The album features already-released singles, including the title track, 'We Made It', 'Kill My Mind', 'Don't Let It Break Your Heart' Singer Liam Payne's and former 'One Direction' bandmate congratulated his friend Louis Tomlinson on the album. Also read: Zayn Malik's new music video 'Flames' is out, sets internet on fire

Watch: Louis Tomlinson drops his first solo album 'Work'

Microsoft Japan's 4 Day week resulted in an increase in Employee's productivity.

Microsoft Japan's 4 Day week, A Success

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed on the need to free bureaucracy and its system from the negative image that has become a 'connotation' of sorts for it.

Exhorting the trainees to change the way they look at things, he said sometimes change in terminology also helps in changing the perspective.

"The tendency to keep the distance from the people and remaining in the comfort zone in air-conditioned chambers should be given up," PM Modi said.

Honest feedback should also be taken before policies decisions. Social media, even though could not be a reliable source of information, yet could be used for getting feed-backs and connecting with people.

"Let's change how we look at things. Even something like a changed terminology helps. Earlier, people would keep saying backward districts. Today we say - aspirational districts. Why should any posting be a punishment posting? Why not see it as an opportunity posting," he said.

While appreciating the commitment shown by the officer trainees and their new ideas, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the exposure provided by this unique training course on global best practices and technologies will prove to be beneficial in their careers ahead in policy-making and public administration.

He said that they should strive to remove silos and hierarchies in the system. "The presence of silos and hierarchy doesn't help our system. Whoever we are, wherever we are, we have to work together for the nation," the Prime Minister said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed on the need to free bureaucracy and its system from the negative image that has become a 'connotation' of sorts for it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed on the need to free bureaucracy and its system from the negative image that has become a 'connotation' of sorts for it. Exhorting the trainees to change the way they look at things, he said sometimes change in terminology also helps in changing the perspective. "The tendency to keep the distance from the people and remaining in the comfort zone in air-conditioned chambers should be given up," PM Modi said. Honest feedback should also be taken before policies decisions. Social media, even though could not be a reliable source of information, yet could be used for getting feed-backs and connecting with people. "Let's change how we look at things. Even something like a changed terminology helps. Earlier, people would keep saying backward districts. Today we say - aspirational districts. Why should any posting be a punishment posting? Why not see it as an opportunity posting," he said. While appreciating the commitment shown by the officer trainees and their new ideas, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the exposure provided by this unique training course on global best practices and technologies will prove to be beneficial in their careers ahead in policy-making and public administration. He said that they should strive to remove silos and hierarchies in the system. "The presence of silos and hierarchy doesn't help our system. Whoever we are, wherever we are, we have to work together for the nation," the Prime Minister said. (With inputs from agencies)

Work to free bureaucracy from negative image: PM tells trainee civil servants

Sneak peek into lives of Tantalum mine workers in Congo

A Bangkok street sweeper, Thitirat Keowa-ram, has created a phenomenon after a picture of her carrying her dog on her back while sweeping the streets went viral on the internet. Mazda, the one-year-old poodle-shih tzu mix breed, weighing almost 10 kilograms, seems to enjoy being on Thitirat's back as she works. The 'bring-your-dog-to-work' trend has been growing in Thailand for the past years. Many companies have encouraged employees to do so as some say it can help alleviate stress.

Bangkok street sweeper goes viral after carrying her dog to work

The White House has formally received the proposed changes in the existing regulations to end the work authorisation for certain categories of H1B foreign work visas.

The move that would impact over 90,000 spouses of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-encourage-talented-highly-skilled-people-to-pursue-career-in-us-trump-tweets-good-news-for-h1-b-holders-189645">H1B visa holders</a>, an overwhelming number of whom are <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indians-maximum-among-h1b-visa-applicants-denial-by-us-at-all-time-high-finds-american-think-tank-156077">Indians</a>, was sent by the Department of Homeland Security to the White House Office of management for Budget on Wednesday, officials said.

It's now for the White House to take a final call on it, before a formal regulation in this regard could be issued and the Department of Homeland Security can inform a federal court, where a lawsuit on this issue is pending.

Now White House would carry out its review of the proposed regulation, take inputs from various agencies, before taking a final call. The entire process could take from a few weeks to several months.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which manages the programme said the proposed regulation was not final until the review and comment process was complete. As per the existing process, once White House gives its nod, the regulation would be published in federal register with a 30-day comment period.

It is only after that the new changes can come into effect. The Trump administration is moving ahead with its proposed regulation, despite strong resistance from a group of US lawmakers including Senator Kamala Harris, and Silicon Valley companies who argue that this is not only anti-women, but also prevents talented spouses of H1B visa holders from working in the United States.

Meanwhile, the US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia has extended the time for various stakeholders, including the Department of Homeland Security to submit its responses on the lawsuit against it filed by the organisation Save Jobs USA.

In September, Save Jobs USA which had filed the lawsuit urged the court to remove the abeyance and move forward with the case.

The case is before a three-member bench including Indian American Sree Srinivasan. The move comes after the Department of Homeland Security sought a stay on all existing deadlines because of the more than one-month-long partial shutdown of the federal government.

Save Jobs USA has expressed its disappointment over the slow progress on this issue.

The White House has formally received the proposed changes in the existing regulations to end the work authorisation for certain categories of H1B foreign work visas.

The White House has formally received the proposed changes in the existing regulations to end the work authorisation for certain categories of H1B foreign work visas. The move that would impact over 90,000 spouses of H1B visa holders, an overwhelming number of whom are Indians, was sent by the Department of Homeland Security to the White House Office of management for Budget on Wednesday, officials said. It's now for the White House to take a final call on it, before a formal regulation in this regard could be issued and the Department of Homeland Security can inform a federal court, where a lawsuit on this issue is pending. Now White House would carry out its review of the proposed regulation, take inputs from various agencies, before taking a final call. The entire process could take from a few weeks to several months. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which manages the programme said the proposed regulation was not final until the review and comment process was complete. As per the existing process, once White House gives its nod, the regulation would be published in federal register with a 30-day comment period. It is only after that the new changes can come into effect. The Trump administration is moving ahead with its proposed regulation, despite strong resistance from a group of US lawmakers including Senator Kamala Harris, and Silicon Valley companies who argue that this is not only anti-women, but also prevents talented spouses of H1B visa holders from working in the United States. Meanwhile, the US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia has extended the time for various stakeholders, including the Department of Homeland Security to submit its responses on the lawsuit against it filed by the organisation Save Jobs USA. In September, Save Jobs USA which had filed the lawsuit urged the court to remove the abeyance and move forward with the case. The case is before a three-member bench including Indian American Sree Srinivasan. The move comes after the Department of Homeland Security sought a stay on all existing deadlines because of the more than one-month-long partial shutdown of the federal government. Save Jobs USA has expressed its disappointment over the slow progress on this issue.

White House receives proposed regulation to end work authorisation for spouses of H1B visa holders

The Saudi Arabian government has <a href="http://www.khaleejtimes.com/region/saudi-arabia/saudi-to-remove-all-expats-from-govt-departments-ministries">announced plans</a> to remove all expatriates from the public sector over the next three years. This is part of the Saudization 2020 plan to ensure more jobs for locals in the kingdom.

According to estimates from the International Labor Organization, 5.5% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia was unemployed in 2016. Here&#39;s a chart showing unemployment rates for the rest of the countries in the Persian Gulf:

&nbsp;

<div id="highcharts-eregoce"><script src='//cloud.highcharts.com/inject/eregoce/1' defer='defer'></script></div>

If we look at what those percentages mean in actual&nbsp;numbers, it comes to around 695,000 Saudis being unemployed.

&nbsp;

<div id="highcharts-icakoki"><script src='//cloud.highcharts.com/inject/icakoki/7' defer='defer'></script></div>

This move to Saudise the public sector by 2020 could particularly affect South Asia, which has over 6.5 million migrants in South Asia.

&nbsp;

<div id="highcharts-uqomahy"><script src='//cloud.highcharts.com/inject/uqomahy/2' defer='defer'></script></div>

Saudi Arabia wants to 'Saudise' its public sector by 2020 to ensure more jobs for locals. So how many of them don't have jobs?

The Saudi Arabian government has announced plans to remove all expatriates from the public sector over the next three years. This is part of the Saudization 2020 plan to ensure more jobs for locals in the kingdom. According to estimates from the International Labor Organization, 5.5% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia was unemployed in 2016. Here's a chart showing unemployment rates for the rest of the countries in the Persian Gulf: If we look at what those percentages mean in actual numbers, it comes to around 695,000 Saudis being unemployed. This move to Saudise the public sector by 2020 could particularly affect South Asia, which has over 6.5 million migrants in South Asia.

Infographic: Unemployment hits Saudi Arabia, govt aims at 'Saudization'

Upwardly-mobile, tech-savvy young professionals from across the globe are swapping their briefcases and brogues for backpacks and sneakers, setting themselves up as digital nomads who can operate from wherever their laptops can go. 
 
Jobbatical and Teleport, two recent tech start-ups, promise to take the guesswork out of digital job hunting on a global scale. 
 
Both hail from tiny tech titan Estonia and are part of a crop of cutting-edge online sites catering to digital nomads, typically young males who work remotely and move around regions like Southeast Asia every few months. 
 
Their creators insist the start-ups have the potential to shake things up on the global job market, similar to how Estonians previously transformed global communications with Skype and digital international money transfers via Transferwise. 
 
Tallinn-based entrepreneur Karoli Hindriks said she launched Jobbatical two years ago to fill the growing gaps she noticed in global recruiting. 
 
With employment offers from Greece, to Thailand and Costa Rica among others, it takes just a few clicks of the mouse for product or account managers, programmers and other tech professionals to land a dream job, whether programming in Malaysia&#39;s tropical paradise of Penang or managing an adventure travel operation in Bali. 
 
Jobbatical targets &quot;adventurous tech, business, and creative professionals with over five years of working experience,&quot; Hindriks said at the Latitude59 technology conference in Estonia&#39;s capital Tallinn. 
 
She points to &quot;a generational mindset shift&quot; as key to her client base of 70,000 unique users each month across 150 countries. 
 
&quot;The millennial&#39;s view of success isn&#39;t necessarily a house, a well-paying job and a picket fence,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a huge shift towards defining success as working in terms of things that one truly believes in, and appreciating experiences over material possessions.&quot; 
 
New technologies, less expensive international travel and easier communications mean that moving around to work is &quot;becoming smoother and cheaper than ever&quot;, she added. 
 
Most Jobbatical offers involve positions that, like sabbaticals, last around 12 months, creating a revolving client base. 
 
The company takes a &quot;success&quot; fee of five per cent of the annual salary upon hiring. 
 
Surf more than just the internet 
 
Vicente Gracia, a much-travelled 28-year-old business strategist from Chile, has been surfing more than just the internet since he began using Jobbatical. 
 
Dissatisfied with the terms he was being offered by South American companies, Gracia used it to find a job based in Bali. 
 
&quot;New generations are looking for more than just a paycheck,&quot; Gracia said via Skype. 
 
A keen surfer, he now enjoys riding the waves on a Bali beach every morning during a break in his commute to work. 
 
&quot;For me, being able to prioritise my career and a healthy lifestyle is crucial.&quot; 
 
Insisting that Jobbatical is unique, Hindriks shuns comparisons to online job sites like Monster, insisting that &quot;it&#39;s like comparing Craigslist to Airbnb&quot;. 
 
Describing Jobbatical as a &quot;matchmaker for companies&quot;, Hindriks insists that short-term &quot;jobbaticals&quot; encourage professionals to choose countries off the beaten path - like her own Estonia - that they may not have considered were the positions permanent. 
 
&quot;If you look at the reality, there are no permanent jobs any more, so in that sense we&#39;re bringing honesty to the conversation,&quot; she said. 
 
Peace of mind 
 
Teleport meanwhile takes stock of the personal preferences and expectations of digital job-seekers and then suggests ideal places for them to live and work. 
 
Teleport &quot;scouts&quot;, or local experts, are just a click away to iron out any wrinkles. For a modest fee, they can help with everything from visas to finding the right apartment or the nearest vegan restaurant. 
 
A veteran tech entrepreneur who headed up Skype&#39;s Estonia operations from 2005-12, Teleport CEO Sten Tamkivi insisted his startup goes further than competitors like NomadList, which essentially works like a traditional travel guide. 
 
Tamkivi said that aside from calculating ideal locations based on personal preferences and its &quot;scouts&quot;, its &quot;flock&quot; service also locates the nearest co-working spaces. 
 
Anthony Lapenna, a Frenchman working in New Zealand, is one happy Teleport user. 
 
The service meant he could keep his job, but change hemispheres, shifting from Paris to Auckland, New Zealand, where he continues his role as a software engineer. 
 
&quot;I wanted to go to an English-speaking country in order to improve my English, plus I was kind of sick of the big city of Paris,&quot; he said via email. 
 
&quot;New Zealand is located at the world&#39;s end, which is pretty exciting. I also had a curiosity about the landscape, because I&#39;m fond of hiking.&quot; 
 
&quot;I&#39;ll probably move again, but not before I&#39;ve explored as much of New Zealand as I can.&quot; 
 
And Lapenna is not alone. As Google predicts the world&#39;s online population will double to five billion by 2020, digital nomads are likely to be a growing tribe. 
 
(AFP)

Tech start-ups from Estonia are catering to a growing number of young, laptop-carrying professionals who travel and work remotely

Upwardly-mobile, tech-savvy young professionals from across the globe are swapping their briefcases and brogues for backpacks and sneakers, setting themselves up as digital nomads who can operate from wherever their laptops can go. Jobbatical and Teleport, two recent tech start-ups, promise to take the guesswork out of digital job hunting on a global scale. Both hail from tiny tech titan Estonia and are part of a crop of cutting-edge online sites catering to digital nomads, typically young males who work remotely and move around regions like Southeast Asia every few months. Their creators insist the start-ups have the potential to shake things up on the global job market, similar to how Estonians previously transformed global communications with Skype and digital international money transfers via Transferwise. Tallinn-based entrepreneur Karoli Hindriks said she launched Jobbatical two years ago to fill the growing gaps she noticed in global recruiting. With employment offers from Greece, to Thailand and Costa Rica among others, it takes just a few clicks of the mouse for product or account managers, programmers and other tech professionals to land a dream job, whether programming in Malaysia's tropical paradise of Penang or managing an adventure travel operation in Bali. Jobbatical targets "adventurous tech, business, and creative professionals with over five years of working experience," Hindriks said at the Latitude59 technology conference in Estonia's capital Tallinn. She points to "a generational mindset shift" as key to her client base of 70,000 unique users each month across 150 countries. "The millennial's view of success isn't necessarily a house, a well-paying job and a picket fence," she said. "There's a huge shift towards defining success as working in terms of things that one truly believes in, and appreciating experiences over material possessions." New technologies, less expensive international travel and easier communications mean that moving around to work is "becoming smoother and cheaper than ever", she added. Most Jobbatical offers involve positions that, like sabbaticals, last around 12 months, creating a revolving client base. The company takes a "success" fee of five per cent of the annual salary upon hiring. Surf more than just the internet Vicente Gracia, a much-travelled 28-year-old business strategist from Chile, has been surfing more than just the internet since he began using Jobbatical. Dissatisfied with the terms he was being offered by South American companies, Gracia used it to find a job based in Bali. "New generations are looking for more than just a paycheck," Gracia said via Skype. A keen surfer, he now enjoys riding the waves on a Bali beach every morning during a break in his commute to work. "For me, being able to prioritise my career and a healthy lifestyle is crucial." Insisting that Jobbatical is unique, Hindriks shuns comparisons to online job sites like Monster, insisting that "it's like comparing Craigslist to Airbnb". Describing Jobbatical as a "matchmaker for companies", Hindriks insists that short-term "jobbaticals" encourage professionals to choose countries off the beaten path - like her own Estonia - that they may not have considered were the positions permanent. "If you look at the reality, there are no permanent jobs any more, so in that sense we're bringing honesty to the conversation," she said. Peace of mind Teleport meanwhile takes stock of the personal preferences and expectations of digital job-seekers and then suggests ideal places for them to live and work. Teleport "scouts", or local experts, are just a click away to iron out any wrinkles. For a modest fee, they can help with everything from visas to finding the right apartment or the nearest vegan restaurant. A veteran tech entrepreneur who headed up Skype's Estonia operations from 2005-12, Teleport CEO Sten Tamkivi insisted his startup goes further than competitors like NomadList, which essentially works like a traditional travel guide. Tamkivi said that aside from calculating ideal locations based on personal preferences and its "scouts", its "flock" service also locates the nearest co-working spaces. Anthony Lapenna, a Frenchman working in New Zealand, is one happy Teleport user. The service meant he could keep his job, but change hemispheres, shifting from Paris to Auckland, New Zealand, where he continues his role as a software engineer. "I wanted to go to an English-speaking country in order to improve my English, plus I was kind of sick of the big city of Paris," he said via email. "New Zealand is located at the world's end, which is pretty exciting. I also had a curiosity about the landscape, because I'm fond of hiking." "I'll probably move again, but not before I've explored as much of New Zealand as I can." And Lapenna is not alone. As Google predicts the world's online population will double to five billion by 2020, digital nomads are likely to be a growing tribe. (AFP)

Backpacking digital nomads land dream jobs on the go

Instead of going to school, Walid and Ibrahim spend hours each day rummaging through houses destroyed in Gaza&#39;s wars in search of scrap to raise a few shekels for their families. 
 
They were once good students but Walid Maaruf, 11, and Ibrahim Ghaben, 12, had to quit school and earn a living when their fathers lost their jobs. 
 
Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008, including a devastating 50-day conflict in 2014 in the Mediterranean territory. 
 
Residents have lived under a punitive Israeli blockade imposed 10 years ago and their options are further limited by Egypt, which has largely kept its border with Gaza closed since 2013. 
 
Nearly half the enclave&#39;s 1.9 million inhabitants live under the poverty line, with 80 per cent surviving on humanitarian aid. 
 
Unemployment has risen dramatically to reach around 45 per cent -- one of the highest in the world -- forcing many children to become breadwinners. 
 
On Sunday, the International Labour Organization marks World Day Against Child Labour, an initiative that has seen the number of child labourers drop to 168 million from 246 million in 2000. 
 
But in Gaza the trend has been upward. 
 
According to Palestinian estimates, child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 now working in the enclave. 
 
&quot;My father is unemployed, he used to gather stones and scrap metal... but now I work,&quot; said Ibrahim who earns about 20 shekels ($5) a day -- toiling six to 12 hours -- to feed his family of nine. 
 
The boy, who looks much older than his age, said he and his father used to transport their find on a donkey-drawn cart, &quot;but the donkey died&quot;. 
 
All day long, often under a searing sun or howling wind, boys like Walid and Ibrahim scour flashpoint Beit Lahiya -- near the border fence with Israel in northern Gaza -- for scrap to sell to recycling firms. 
 
The area is attractive because of potential finds of lead from Israeli munitions. 
 
&quot;Most of the children who work do so in neighbourhoods along the border fence, and these are the poorest areas,&quot; said psychologist Aida Kassab from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. 
 
&quot;Sometimes these children are only five and yet they are forced to do a job which is not appropriate for their age, their physical or psychological state,&quot; said Kassab. 
 
Akram Saeed, 14, said he spent years gathering scrap but now he wants a way out and would like to &quot;learn a useful skill&quot; to improve the condition of his four siblings and parents. 
 
Help came in the form of a Swiss children&#39;s relief agency, Terre des Hommes, which helps families send their children back to school or to attend vocational courses. 
 
&quot;The phenomenon of children who work reflects the economic and social situation of the Gaza Strip,&quot; said Khitam Abu Hamad, who represents the NGO in Gaza. 
 
&quot;There is no job market in Gaza,&quot; she said. 
 
Palestinian law bans children under 15 from working but &quot;it is rarely applied&quot;, said Iyad Abu Hujayr of the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution. 
 
He said enforcement has been hampered by divisions between the Islamist movement Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organisation which rules Gaza, and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. 
 
These divisions have also allowed abuse by some employers who often force children to work for 12 hours a day for as little as 20 shekels, he said. 
 
And the situation is far from improving, said Hyam al-Jarjawi, who is in charge of children&#39;s affairs at the Hamas-run ministry of social affairs. 
 
She said with each war &quot;there is more poverty, and the number of child labourers increases&quot;.

Child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 working to feed their families

Instead of going to school, Walid and Ibrahim spend hours each day rummaging through houses destroyed in Gaza's wars in search of scrap to raise a few shekels for their families. They were once good students but Walid Maaruf, 11, and Ibrahim Ghaben, 12, had to quit school and earn a living when their fathers lost their jobs. Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008, including a devastating 50-day conflict in 2014 in the Mediterranean territory. Residents have lived under a punitive Israeli blockade imposed 10 years ago and their options are further limited by Egypt, which has largely kept its border with Gaza closed since 2013. Nearly half the enclave's 1.9 million inhabitants live under the poverty line, with 80 per cent surviving on humanitarian aid. Unemployment has risen dramatically to reach around 45 per cent -- one of the highest in the world -- forcing many children to become breadwinners. On Sunday, the International Labour Organization marks World Day Against Child Labour, an initiative that has seen the number of child labourers drop to 168 million from 246 million in 2000. But in Gaza the trend has been upward. According to Palestinian estimates, child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 now working in the enclave. "My father is unemployed, he used to gather stones and scrap metal... but now I work," said Ibrahim who earns about 20 shekels ($5) a day -- toiling six to 12 hours -- to feed his family of nine. The boy, who looks much older than his age, said he and his father used to transport their find on a donkey-drawn cart, "but the donkey died". All day long, often under a searing sun or howling wind, boys like Walid and Ibrahim scour flashpoint Beit Lahiya -- near the border fence with Israel in northern Gaza -- for scrap to sell to recycling firms. The area is attractive because of potential finds of lead from Israeli munitions. "Most of the children who work do so in neighbourhoods along the border fence, and these are the poorest areas," said psychologist Aida Kassab from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. "Sometimes these children are only five and yet they are forced to do a job which is not appropriate for their age, their physical or psychological state," said Kassab. Akram Saeed, 14, said he spent years gathering scrap but now he wants a way out and would like to "learn a useful skill" to improve the condition of his four siblings and parents. Help came in the form of a Swiss children's relief agency, Terre des Hommes, which helps families send their children back to school or to attend vocational courses. "The phenomenon of children who work reflects the economic and social situation of the Gaza Strip," said Khitam Abu Hamad, who represents the NGO in Gaza. "There is no job market in Gaza," she said. Palestinian law bans children under 15 from working but "it is rarely applied", said Iyad Abu Hujayr of the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution. He said enforcement has been hampered by divisions between the Islamist movement Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organisation which rules Gaza, and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. These divisions have also allowed abuse by some employers who often force children to work for 12 hours a day for as little as 20 shekels, he said. And the situation is far from improving, said Hyam al-Jarjawi, who is in charge of children's affairs at the Hamas-run ministry of social affairs. She said with each war "there is more poverty, and the number of child labourers increases".

Wars and poverty force Gaza children to work

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. 
 
The joint statement said India and the US&nbsp;Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. 
 
It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse&#39;s chief executive&nbsp;Daniel Roderick&nbsp;said he had hoped for.&nbsp; 
 
The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries&#39; militaries to&nbsp;use each other&#39;s land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US&nbsp;official said. 
 
Modi&nbsp;told an event organized by the US&nbsp;India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were &quot;closer than ever&quot;. He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. 
 
Modi&#39;s address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a&nbsp;tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. 
 
More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi&nbsp;had just become the state&#39;s chief minister.&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;has denied any wrongdoing, and India&#39;s Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. 
 
In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a &quot;Major Defence Partner&quot; and would work on technology sharing &quot;to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners&quot;. 
 
Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China,&nbsp;have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. 
 
Senator John McCain, chairman of the US&nbsp;Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was &quot;entirely appropriate&quot; given the new partnership. 
 
&quot;There&rsquo;s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries,&quot; he said. 
 
While&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;is generally popular with the US&nbsp;lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US&nbsp;firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of&nbsp;Modi&#39;s pro-business image. They also question New Delhi&#39;s record on human rights. 
 
Modi&nbsp;got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc&nbsp;Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will&nbsp;invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing&nbsp;its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

The US said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners"

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. The joint statement said India and the US Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse's chief executive Daniel Roderick said he had hoped for. The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries' militaries to use each other's land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US official said. Modi told an event organized by the US India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were "closer than ever". He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. Modi's address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi had just become the state's chief minister. Modi has denied any wrongdoing, and India's Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners". Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China, have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. Senator John McCain, chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was "entirely appropriate" given the new partnership. "There’s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries," he said. While Modi is generally popular with the US lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of Modi's pro-business image. They also question New Delhi's record on human rights. Modi got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

Obama and Modi talks touch on nuclear power, military cooperation and Big Business

Appointing a new Dior creative director is a &quot;work in progress&quot;, the French fashion house`s chief executive said on Tuesday, with the luxury label still to name a head designer some six months after Raf Simons left to set up his own brand. 
 
Dior, one of the world`s most famous designer houses, announced Simons` surprise departure in October after some three years at the helm. An in-house creative team has been working on collections since. 
 
&quot;(It is a) work in progress, work in progress and we`re giving it a little bit of time,&quot; Chief Executive Sidney Toledano told Reuters. &quot;It`s an important position.&quot; 
 
Toledano was speaking at a preview for Dior`s new London boutique opening this week, a four-floor store selling clothes, accessories, children`s wear as well as a home collection. 
 
&quot;The UK market in London business for us is doing very well, we still have double digit growth,&quot; he said, adding however that last year`s Islamist militant attacks in Paris had hurt tourism and sales in France. 
 
&quot;...What happened in November had a real impact on the first quarter but still we will continue developing our presence in Paris. We have a five-year plan and in September we`ll open a new fine jewellery boutique.&quot; 
 
Dior also presented its cruise collection on Tuesday at Blenheim Palace near Oxford, Winston Churchill`s birthplace and where the label hosted fashion shows in 1954 and 1958. 
 
Cruise collections, originally designed for wealthy fashionistas holidaying on yachts or cruises during the winter months, are outfits produced by stylists on top of seasonal lines. 
 
Lucie Meier and Serge Ruffieux, who are leading Dior`s creative team, took inspiration from &quot;not only the post-war high society`s wardrobes but also the restlessness and wanderlust (that) characterized the period&quot;, according to show notes. 
 
Models, such as new Dior makeup ambassador Bella Hadid, strutted down the catwalk in tops, dresses and skirts adorned in floral as well as Asian and African prints and embroidery.&nbsp; 
 
Sleeves were voluminous and up to the elbow, worn with trousers flared and cut above the ankle or slim skirts.&nbsp; 
 
Dior`s signature Bar jacket, usually cinched at the waist, was slightly longer and covering hips, while its well-known bows were loosened to resemble scarves. Several outfits were layered, such as skirts over trousers.&nbsp;

Appointing a new Dior creative director is a "work in progress", the French fashion house`s chief executive said on Tuesday, with the luxury label still to name a head designer some six months after Raf Simons left to set up his own brand. Dior, one of the world`s most famous designer houses, announced Simons` surprise departure in October after some three years at the helm

Appointing a new Dior creative director is a "work in progress", the French fashion house`s chief executive said on Tuesday, with the luxury label still to name a head designer some six months after Raf Simons left to set up his own brand. Dior, one of the world`s most famous designer houses, announced Simons` surprise departure in October after some three years at the helm. An in-house creative team has been working on collections since. "(It is a) work in progress, work in progress and we`re giving it a little bit of time," Chief Executive Sidney Toledano told Reuters. "It`s an important position." Toledano was speaking at a preview for Dior`s new London boutique opening this week, a four-floor store selling clothes, accessories, children`s wear as well as a home collection. "The UK market in London business for us is doing very well, we still have double digit growth," he said, adding however that last year`s Islamist militant attacks in Paris had hurt tourism and sales in France. "...What happened in November had a real impact on the first quarter but still we will continue developing our presence in Paris. We have a five-year plan and in September we`ll open a new fine jewellery boutique." Dior also presented its cruise collection on Tuesday at Blenheim Palace near Oxford, Winston Churchill`s birthplace and where the label hosted fashion shows in 1954 and 1958. Cruise collections, originally designed for wealthy fashionistas holidaying on yachts or cruises during the winter months, are outfits produced by stylists on top of seasonal lines. Lucie Meier and Serge Ruffieux, who are leading Dior`s creative team, took inspiration from "not only the post-war high society`s wardrobes but also the restlessness and wanderlust (that) characterized the period", according to show notes. Models, such as new Dior makeup ambassador Bella Hadid, strutted down the catwalk in tops, dresses and skirts adorned in floral as well as Asian and African prints and embroidery. Sleeves were voluminous and up to the elbow, worn with trousers flared and cut above the ankle or slim skirts. Dior`s signature Bar jacket, usually cinched at the waist, was slightly longer and covering hips, while its well-known bows were loosened to resemble scarves. Several outfits were layered, such as skirts over trousers.

Dior says new designer ''work in progress''

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict.&nbsp; 
 
The once-grand hilltop palace at the edge of Kabul was also the venue of Ghani`s cabinet meeting on Monday, the first such official gathering there in nearly a century. 
 
The building`s lion-headed buttresses are broken, its colonnades pockmarked by bullets, the metal sheets of its roof crumpled.&nbsp; 
Up to $20 million will be spent on restoring the former glory of the palace, built by Afghan King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, Ghani`s office said, calling the project a symbol of national pride. 
 
&quot;Today we are returning to our past... to set the foundation for our future,&quot; Ghani said at the inauguration of the project.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are determined to reconstruct the historical structure from the budget of the Afghan government.&quot; 
 
The palace fell victim to the carnage of the early 1990s as rival mujahideen groups fought for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime after Moscow withdrew its troops from Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
 
Despite Ghani`s rhetoric, some in Kabul were against the restoration, however -- albeit for different reasons. 
&quot;I think it is a waste of money,&quot; Daud Hotak, a Kabul shopkeeper, told AFP. 
&quot;It comes at a time when the economy is in free fall and security is deteriorating. That money could have been spent to create jobs as thousands of people flee the country.&quot; 
 
Omaid Sharifi, a civil society activist, also pleaded against the restoration, though from a different perspective.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
President <a href="https://twitter.com/ashrafghani">@ashrafghani</a> keep <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DarulamanPalace?src=hash">#DarulamanPalace</a> like this, let&#39;s remind our younger generation the brutality of war <a href="https://t.co/EzzYglMbhZ">pic.twitter.com/EzzYglMbhZ</a>
&mdash; Omaid Sharifi (@OmaidSharifi) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmaidSharifi/status/737168607227088896">May 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday launched restoration work at Kabul`s historic Darul Aman Palace, whose bombed out ruins have long symbolised the suffering caused by decades of conflict. The once-grand hilltop palace at the edge of Kabul was also the venue of Ghani`s cabinet meeting on Monday, the first such official gathering there in nearly a century. The building`s lion-headed buttresses are broken, its colonnades pockmarked by bullets, the metal sheets of its roof crumpled. Up to $20 million will be spent on restoring the former glory of the palace, built by Afghan King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, Ghani`s office said, calling the project a symbol of national pride. "Today we are returning to our past... to set the foundation for our future," Ghani said at the inauguration of the project. "We are determined to reconstruct the historical structure from the budget of the Afghan government." The palace fell victim to the carnage of the early 1990s as rival mujahideen groups fought for power following the fall of a Soviet-backed regime after Moscow withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Despite Ghani`s rhetoric, some in Kabul were against the restoration, however -- albeit for different reasons. "I think it is a waste of money," Daud Hotak, a Kabul shopkeeper, told AFP. "It comes at a time when the economy is in free fall and security is deteriorating. That money could have been spent to create jobs as thousands of people flee the country." Omaid Sharifi, a civil society activist, also pleaded against the restoration, though from a different perspective. President @ashrafghani keep #DarulamanPalace like this, let's remind our younger generation the brutality of war pic.twitter.com/EzzYglMbhZ — Omaid Sharifi (@OmaidSharifi) May 30, 2016

Restoration starts at Kabul`s war-battered palace

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