Network world

Across much of the industrialized world, with notable exceptions , everyday life has returned to some semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy. Travel restrictions have largely been lifted. In the West at least, masks have mostly disappeared from shops and public transport. Restaurants, theaters, museums, sports stadiums, and concert halls are once again brimming with locals and tourists alike. But one place hasn’t reverted to its pre-pandemic status. Starting in March 2020, COVID-19 forced hundreds of millions of office workers around the world out of their workplaces and into their living rooms, kitchens, and, for the luckier among them, home offices. So began the great remote-work experiment that nobody asked for—one that is still going on for many white-collar workers. Only now, it’s by choice and habit. Despite the fact that many workplaces have reopened their doors, a significant proportion of workers—not to mention some of their employers—have been reluctant to return to the … [Read more...] about How the Rest of the World Is Doing RTO

Belgium has the dubious honor of hosting the longest-ever set of negotiations for the formation of a government—a staggering 541 days between 2010 and 2011 to form the coalition that ruled until 2014. The story reinforces a reputation for inefficiency which has dogged Belgium's international image. Now, in the wake of attacks on the capital, Brussels, on Tuesday which left at least 31 dead, Belgium needs to learn to act quickly. As the world's gaze turns to the country for the second time since it emerged that attacks on Paris in November were planned in Brussels, what does the Belgian government need to do? And can this tiny country tackle its problems alone? Concerns with Belgium's counter-extremism strategy are by now well-documented. Molenbeek, a working-class district in the North West of the city, has become infamous as the home of Paris attacks mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud. Belgium sends more people to wage jihad in Syria per head of population than any other European … [Read more...] about Does Belgium need to fix its politics?

Mexican President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he had offered to decrease the number of immigrants entering the United States in exchange for assistance while speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump. "I received a phone call from Donald Trump and we spoke for half an hour. I proposed exploring a universal deal (involving) development projects that would create jobs in Mexico and, by doing so, reduce migration and improve security. The tone was respectful and our teams will be holding talks," López Obrador tweeted. Trump similarly praised the phone conversation in an Oval Office briefing, Agence France-Presse reported . "I just spoke with the president-elect of Mexico. I think the relationship is going to be a very good one. We had a great talk," he told journalists. López Obrador's conciliatory tone comes after a fiery rhetoric on the campaign trail. "Without being disrespectful, we're going to put him in his place," the left-leaning president-elect said about … [Read more...] about President Donald Trump spoke positively of his phone call with Mexico’s President-elect López Obrador

Belgian authorities on Thursday made another arrest in relation to the triple suicide bombing that left 32 people dead at Brussels Airport and a metro station in March. The Federal Prosecutor's Office said Friday that police searched an apartment in the Schaerbeek district of the Belgian capital before arresting a 31-year-old Belgian national, identified as Ali E.H.A. Authorities charged him with participating in the activities of an extremist group, extremist murder and attempted extremist murder. Belgian prosecutors did not provide any more details about the actions of the man. The prosecutor statement read: "The Belgian national Ali E.H.A., born on September 23, 1984, was arrested and later put in detention by the investigating judge for participation in the activities of a terrorist group, terrorist murders and attempted terrorist murders, as a perpetrator, co-perpetrator or accomplice." On March 22, an Islamic State militant group (ISIS) cell detonated suicide bombs … [Read more...] about Belgium makes new arrest in the investigation into the Brussels attacks

The more the technology in policing, more citizens would abide by the law, and culturally, society would change for the better, said Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Thursday. “The Integrated Police Command & Control Centre (IPCCC), a symbol of safety and security for citizens, and a milestone in revolutionising law and order in Telangana, will build that society,” he said. Mr. Reddy, one of the innovators of the IPCCC, was full of energy while receiving wide appreciation. He addressed a host of leaders, serving and retired bureaucrats and experts, to share his beliefs and the project journey since 2014. According to him, 2014, the birth of Telangana, was also a turning point concerning State policing that was apprehensive of issues such as naxalism, communalism and other emerging crimes. But it was the vision of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in modernising and prioritising the department, and supporting projects such as the IPCCC, which fortified the … [Read more...] about It’s a world-class facility, says DGP

Nancy Pelosi has arrived in Taiwan despite China threatening the US with consequences and deploying tanks and warplanes on the border with the disputed territory. The US House of Representatives speaker arrived in Malaysia this morning and the US military plane carrying the third-most senior figure in the government and the Congressional delegation has now landed in Taiwan . A Taiwanese fighter aircraft reportedly went into "alert mode" after Speaker Pelosi's USAF C-40C aircraft entered the Taiwanese Air Defense Identification Zone. The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China spokesperson Li-Fang Sun confirmed that no Su-35 fighter aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait, but acknowledged that other types of People's Liberation Army aircrafts did. A US military aircraft with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on board prepares to land ( Image: AFP via Getty Images) But her visit has defied all threats from China , who said the US would “pay the price” if … [Read more...] about Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan in defiance of terrifying Chinese war threats

A mum was left stunned after looking out the window to see a massive brown bear taking a dip in her swimming pool. Yelena Volk, 38, had just been swimming in her pool at home in Arcadia, California, when she looked out of her window to find a huge brown bear in her place. Yelena had just been in the pool with her baby just two hours before the bear jumped in. The mum-of-two filmed the large bear lowering itself down into the swimming pool, while she filmed it safely inside her own home. The footage then captures the bear paddling from one side to the other, evidently enjoying the refreshing dip on what was a scorching day on July 16. The brown bear cooling off in the pool on a scorching day ( Image: Yelena Volk / SWNS) Speaking about what she saw happening in her own back garden, Yelena said: "We get a lot of bears in the neighbourhood as we are located near the mountains. "This is the second bear I've seen in my garden and I've also seen bob cats have nose … [Read more...] about Mum stunned as she finds massive brown bear taking a dip in her swimming pool

A world-famous and respected scientist has had to apologise after jokingly confusing a brightly burning star with spicy sausage. Posting on Twitter , the physicist Etienne Kelin uploaded a photo of a slice of Chorizo, claiming it to be a "photo of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, located 4.2 light years from us." Stating it was an image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, Etienne joked: "This level of detail… A new world is revealed day after day." The image shows a black, space-like background behind a red object of swirling colours, strange-looking 'gases' and odd markings. Klein is known for his posts about stares and the universe, so some people were confused by his joke ( Image: NASA/AFP via Getty Images) He later revealed the photo was a joke, and added: "According to contemporary cosmology, no object belonging to Spanish charcuterie exists anywhere but on Earth." The incident drew backlash from people who considered the post to be an … [Read more...] about Scientist apologises after his photograph of star turns out to be spicy sausage

Danniella Westbrook has described her two children as 'my everything' as she posted throwback photos on Thursday. The former Eastenders star posted the unseen photos of her rarely-seen children on her Instagram story, where she can be seen beaming as she posed for the camera. The 48-year-old uploaded four photographs of her children, firstly with son Kai, now 26, as the pair took selfies on their respective mobile phones. which covered the majority of their faces although you could see her son posing with his tongue stuck out and Danniella smiling. Alongside the photo was a caption reading: "One half of my world." Danniella Westbrook with son Kai ( Image: danniellawestbrook_73/Instagram) This was followed by another picture of her now 21-year-old daughter Jodie, with Danniella linking arms with her as they smiled while looking at the floor. The caption alongside read: "The other half of my world." The third photo was an image of the two siblings together as … [Read more...] about Danniella Westbrook posts unseen photos of her children as she gushes ‘they’re my world’

Allies of Donald Trump are likening the U.S. to a "third-world country" and calling for the FBI and Justice Department to be dismantled in response to a raid on the former president's home. Trump on Monday evening confirmed that FBI agents had searched his residence on his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. While the reason for the raid remains unclear, Trump denounced it as politically motivated in a lengthy statement. Trump's defenders swiftly took to social media to echo the former his claims while attacking Attorney General Merrick Garland and federal law enforcement agencies. "The FBI and the DOJ have ruthlessly violated the Constitution and law in America," conservative political commentator Lou Dobbs said in a tweet . "Joe Biden and Merrick Garland are no more than Marxist thugs, not public servants. They're an outrage against decency, judgment, a former President, and the American people." In a statement posted to his Truth Social network, Trump said … [Read more...] about Trump house raid rocks MAGA world: “Smash the FBl into a million pieces”