Category Archives: Macau

Efforts to promote the integration of science and technology innovation in Hong Kong and Macau into the national innovation system have made advances, an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said.

Dai Gang, director-general of the Department of International Cooperation of the ministry, made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing.

Dai said that the country supported the sci-tech development in Hong Kong and Macau by providing research funds, and supported Hong Kong and Macau in the construction of national research platforms.

By now, Hong Kong has built 16 national key laboratories, and Macau has built four, said Dai.

Besides, efforts have been made in helping young people in Hong Kong and Macau engage in innovation and entrepreneurship, Dai said.

China also boosted the interaction and integration of science, industry and finance in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.

The area is a sci-tech innovation center of China, said Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang during the press conference, adding that science and technology are crucial for the high-quality development of the area.

In 2021, the research and development (R&D) spending of nine cities in the Pearl River Delta of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area is expected to exceed 360 billion yuan (about 57 billion U.S. dollars), according to Shao Xinyu, Vice Minister of Science and Technology.

The cities have forged 57,000 national high-tech enterprises. And 780,000 items of patents were granted last year, among which the number of invention patents is expected to exceed 100,000.

According to the Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the innovation cluster of Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou ranked second in the world for two consecutive years.

By gathering innovation resources, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area has built an international technology transfer hub to lead the development of emerging industries, Shao said.

China has laid out and constructed a series of major sci-tech infrastructures such as the spallation neutron source in this area, he said.

The country also promoted full access to national key R&D programs for Hong Kong and Macau, and further deepened cooperation in sci-tech innovation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, Shao added.

Originally posted here:

Chinese mainland's sci-tech cooperation with Hong Kong and Macau makes advances - Macau Business

Before the pandemic, one third of Macaus inhabitants were non-residents. Most worked in the gaming and hospitality industries. After the pandemic, the same will be true.

Macau Business | February 2022 | Special Report | MigrantsinMacauTheotherside

2011 a press release from Sands China stated that because of restrictions on foreign labour resulting in a shortage of construction workers, its expansion project on Macaus Cotai strip would be opening later than scheduled.

2017 The CEO of MGM China said the company was facing a manpower shortage and would have to transfer a number of employees from its Peninsula property, MGM Macau, to its new Cotai resort.

These two examples, chosen at random from a great many possibilities, demonstrate two things: the heavy reliance of the gambling industry on non-resident workers (TNRs) and the persistence of the problem, which has basically dragged on since the 6 concessionaires began operating in full. Before 2002 the number of TNRs was on the decline, but from 2003 onwards, a drastic increase was seen in the number of such workers, up to 92,161 by the end of 2008 (or 28.5 per cent of the total employed population and 16.8 per cent of the total population).

If we go back to 2008, for instance, we realize that the hospitality sector employed some 51,073 foreign workers 28.2 per cent of its total workforce.

In 2009, even after the global financial crisis, there were still a total of 74,905 TNRs in Macau.

In 2011, as the economy quickly picked up, the number of non-local workers again increased drastically to 94,028 (or 28.7 per cent of the total employed population and 16.9 per cent of the total population).

The employment of migrant workers has become an intensely contentious issue, Professor Alex H. Choi says. The traditional pluralist approach to migration policy has highlighted a mismatch between restrictive policy pronouncements and actual expansive outcomes, he wrote in 2016.

Victor Zheng and Po-san Wan, authors of the book Gambling Dynamism(2014) agree: The main reason for their discontent was that the government and casino operators were importing outside workers (mainly from Hong Kong and Mainland China) to fill labour shortages, citing a lack of skilled local workers.

The University of Macaus Professor Choi believes, This mismatch has resonated strongly in Macau, where the number of migrant workers skyrocketed in the last decade in spite of repeated guarantees from the government that it would adopt a protectionist labour policy. The pluralist approach has attributed the mismatch to strong constituencies supporting more immigration.

Jaeyeon Choes team of researchers adds, While rigid labour regulations prohibit foreigners from working in many high-salaried positions, local labour is not enough to fill positions in Macaus hotel and hospitality sectors.

Authors Pan, Sheng and Hao in Political Economy of Macao since 1999state, The enormous investment in grandiose projects such as the Sands, Wynn, Venetian, Grand Lisboa and MGM has not only increased Macaus GDP but has also resulted in the recruitment of large numbers of overseas workers. As the economy has technically stayed at full employment, the number of non-resident workers has increased to meet the demand of the expanding services sector.

Despite public protest, gambling and tourism in Macau would not survive without TNRs more than 90 per cent of the labour force in the hotel and restaurant sectors and similar activities are TNRs.

The civil construction sector is an excellent example of this. As the Chief Executive said at the end of 2020, The pay is high, but the work is hard, so since residents dont want to go to that sector, we need the TNRs (non-resident workers). Residents prefer to stay in air-conditioned rooms.

The pay is high [in the civil construction sector], but the work is hard, so since residents dont want to go to that sector, we need the TNRs (non-resident workers). Residents prefer to stay in air-conditioned rooms Ho Iat Seng

#MeToo

With TNRs the main source of labour fuelling the hospitality industry in Macau, their working conditions and wellbeing must not be neglected, the authors of #MeToo too in Macao: Sexual Harassment of Migrant Workers(2019) insist.

Due to the nature of the service and hospitality industries and the personal circumstances of these migrant workers, they will inevitably be put at risk of encountering sexual harassment, Loureno and Gutirrez, both from the local Institute for Tourism Studies, reveal in their study.

They interviewed nine migrant workers from the hospitality industry, and the findings show serious risks and issues faced by these non-resident workers. As reflected in the study, organisations such as the multinational gaming operators and integrated resorts must do a lot more to protect these workers from becoming the silent victims of sexual harassment.

Previous | The challenges of being a dual migrant

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Special Report Gambling and hospitality need them - Macau Business

Ryan Hong-Wai Ho takes a closer look at the issue of Macaus satellite casinos and how amendments to the citys gaming law promise to change the landscape for satellite operators.

It has been more than 20 years since Law No. 16/2001 was enacted as a legal framework for the Macau gaming industry. With the gaming concessions (and sub-concessions) set to expire in June 2022, the Macau government has been beefing up its gaming regulation and enforcement over the past years, and the latest amendments to the citys gaming law are currently being considered by the Legislative Assembly. Among other changes, third-party promoted casinos will be outlawed under the new gaming law. This draft provision may also affect some self-managed casinos not wholly owned by the incumbent gaming operators.

Third-party promoted casinos, commonly known as satellite casinos, are gaming establishments technically administered by authorized operators but owned and managed by independent investors. Nevertheless, the proposed amendments provide that casino gaming must be operated in the properties owned by concessionaires (i.e. authorized gaming operators). The new gaming law will probably have a negative effect on the long-established satellite properties scattered around the city. While this type of casino partnership can trace its origins to the former casino monopolist in the 1990s, the number of satellite casinos has proliferated since the citys gaming industry was liberalized in 2001. A majority of the existing satellite properties emerged between 2004 and 2006. At present, Macau has a total of 18 satellite casinos operating in the name of three authorized gaming operators.

The Macau gaming industry has a de facto franchise system to operate satellite casinos. Some gaming operators have been partnering up with certain third parties in the development of these casinos. There is a strong rationale for establishing satellite casinos: gaming operators can expand their market reach without making any significant capital investments. Acting as the self-styled service providers, satellite casino owners are by no means passive investors; on the contrary, they assume the day-to-day management of the casinos with the entitlement to a share of the gaming profits. Take the mass market segment as a simple illustration gaming operators generally pay about 40% gaming taxes and keep 5% of the net win generated from the table games, and the remaining 55% will go to the service providers for the gaming service rendered in satellite casinos.

Local satellite casinos are fraught with informal industry practices. There is little argument that the Macau government and the public want a healthy and sustainable gaming industry. With most considering these third-party promoted casinos likely to remain unresolved after the expiry of the current concessions, the draft under consideration came as a surprise to the satellite community. In retrospect, this policy direction does make sense and seems almost inevitable, given the restructuring and expansion of the DICJ last summer and the ongoing regulatory actions on the junket operators. These measures demonstrate the commitment of the government to address this legacy issue head-on. The new gaming law is likely to dissolve the deep-seated casino partnership and mark a turning point for any third-party involvement in gaming operations.

The Macau government has proposed introducing a grace period of three years for the existing cohort of satellite casinos. Still, it behooves the authorities and the public to examine other related issues arising from the complexity of this casino partnership. Most of the outstanding questions are legal and technical in nature. Future casino properties must be owned by gaming operators. And yet, it is advised to explicate this draft provision as to whether the premises on which a casino is operated must be a wholly-owned (100%) or majority-owned (over 50%) subsidiary of the concessionaire, or whether it is possible to have a 50/50 joint ownership or equity investment (less than 50%) on those properties. The variation in ownership structure, together with the voting rights, can make all the difference to satellite casino owners chances of survival.

Another often-overlooked issue with satellite casinos is their potential resurgence. Subject to obtaining government approval, a management company can operate casinos on behalf of the concessionaires under Law No. 16/2001, and this provision is retained in the draft bill. However, the concept of a management company is not merely a gaming service provider but an authorized operator having the power to run casinos in its own right. It is fairly understandable that such a provision has never been invoked because this casino management arrangement can elevate an outside investor to the status of a gaming operator, thus shattering the citys system of gaming concessions. The forthcoming demise of the satellite casino system might motivate the industry stakeholders to seek alternative solutions like this to stay in business under the new gaming law. It is, however, very much in doubt whether the government or the concessionaires would be amenable to the idea of splitting the exclusive rights to operate casinos in Macau.

It has been a trend that satellite casinos have been marginalized by the integrated resorts owned and developed by most gaming operators. Though challenges abound, these small-scale casinos also possess a high degree of operational resilience and responsiveness. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, most casinos have been struggling with a lack of business in this challenging environment. According to industry sources, one satellite property bucked the trend and recorded decent profits in the second half of last year. This result hinges largely on their dedication to quality service alongside various play incentives. All these, taken together, lead to deeper engagement with the patrons. Integrated resorts may have an advantage in terms of their recreational options; when everything is taken into consideration, customer service still plays a pivotal role in attracting loyal customers and repeated patronage.

After the three-year transition period, those casinos owned by independent investors would be either closed or sold for a dime on the dollar. The six prospective concessionaires permitted to operate casinos in Macau would be on a bargain shopping spree. Like the board game Monopoly, a possible scenario for the six operators-designate would be to accumulate the satellite properties preferably in the vicinity of their other casinos, ultimately consolidating the property holdings to collect the economic rents. Satellite casino owners may also seek ways to inject their properties into the concessionaires and become minority shareholders, possibly acting as executives charged with supervising the concerned casino properties. On the other hand, a local satellite casino group has expressed its interest in bidding for one of the six forthcoming concessions, and more are anticipated from the satellite community. After all, Macaus proximity to mainland China makes its gaming concessions a golden lottery ticket for any operators to hit the mega jackpot, not to mention satellite casinos bid for survival and revival.

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Survival of the Fittest? - IAG - Inside Asian Gaming

Despite the governments moves and pledges in recent years, theres still a lot of room for improvement in expediting the digital development of Macau and transforming the territory into a smart city from better formulation of a blueprint, infrastructure updates, to cultivation of local talents and stakeholders.

Technology has been fully integrated in our daily life, particularly in the past two years in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. We can settle our transactions with e-wallets now, make online applications at different public entities, check the real-time location of buses across the territory via mobile app, etc. These all have been partially facilitated by the governments push to transform Macau into a smart city but observers believe much more should be done to fulfil this smart vision.

In the citys second five-year plan, covering the 2021-2025 period and published in December, the government aims to employ smart technologies (self-monitoring, analysis, and reporting technologies) in numerous areas to enhance its governance and service level, including government affairs, municipal affairs, healthcare, education, elderly care, culture, tourism and transportation. The authorities would also enhance the application of data, as well as the sharing and interconnection of data between the authorities and the community, in a bid to accelerate the digital development of Macau, the official document states, adding more public bodies would be encouraged to publicise their data that the community could explore the value.

And its not the first time the authorities have made such a pledge. The smart city ambition of Macau was first stated in the first five-year plan for the 2016-2020 period, resulting in the smart city partnership framework agreement between the Macau government and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in 2017. The pact was divided into two phases. The first stage, between 2017 and June 2019, addressed the construction of a local cloud computing data centre and helped the authorities to launch projects of big data services to accelerate the citys development in areas of tourism, transportation management, healthcare service, urban management and training of information technology (IT) professionals. The second phase, between July 2019 and June 2021, was supposed to continue optimising the IT infrastructure in the city and to launch projects in the fields of environmental protection, customs clearance procedure, and economic forecast.

Albeit, now that we observe the conclusion of the four-year partnership, both parties have so far provided little detail on the results of their collaboration. The authorities have only indicated the Covid-19 pandemic which started in early 2020 imposed challenges on the execution of the agreement, and some of the content in the pact had to be adjusted. Both sides were committed to gradually promoting smart city development here to the greatest extent possible, the administration said. According to local media reports, at least MOP440 million (US$55 million) were spent in this pact, with most of the capital expenditure focusing on the development of infrastructure.

With the help of Alibaba, the administration has completed the construction of a cloud computing data centre here, as well as ameliorated the common access to public services for the public with a single online user account. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has also initiated three projects, including Tourism information interchange platform, Application for visitor insights and Smart application for visitor flows leveraging the technologies offered by Alibaba.

Alfred Wong Seng Fat, president of the Smart City Alliance Association of Macau, says the authorities should publicise a detailed report that assesses the implementation of the pact in the past four years as soon as possible. The partnership did yield some outcomes but a lot more has to be done, the academic says.

The smart city development of Macau still lags behind other places in the region despite the recent improvements, says Alfred Wong, president of the Smart City Alliance Association of Macau

No coordination

The smart city development of Macau still lags behind other places in the region despite the recent improvements, he adds, as one of the reasons for the slow progress could be due to the lack of a government department in charge of this specific matter.

It is known that the office of the chief executive was tasked to coordinate with different public bodies to communicate with Alibaba for the smart city partnership in the administration led by former chief executive Fernando Chui Sai On, via the so-called Smart City Development Group under the Committee for the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure chaired by the CE. The Group was composed by representatives from different departments and led by the officials at the CE office. Nonetheless, the CE office is said to be not continuing this coordinating function after Ho Iat Seng assumed the position of the head of the government in December 2019, leaving each public body to follow up with the technology giant on their own projects.

The government should task an existing department or create a new unit specifically dedicated to the smart city development of Macau, Mr. Wong proposes. The department should be able to directly report to the chief executive so that it will be smoother for the department to access information and coordinate with different public bodies under the scope of different government secretaries.

To further expedite smart city development, the academic suggests the government should enhance the education of the matter among the public to reduce their concerns about data privacy, because the city has strict compliance with regulations about data usage and privacy. Using the bus rider real name registration scheme as an example, he says part of the community were against this in the beginning in worries of their personal data being used and abused in other fields, but they did not know clearly about the rigid requirements in regards to the access and usage of such data.

Besides the legal infrastructure, it is also of paramount importance for the authorities to improve the telecommunications infrastructure to support the smart + development in numerous fields, says legislator Ella Lei

IT and legal infrastructure

Meanwhile, legislator Ella Lei Cheng I underscores the significance of the advancement in legal infrastructure. For instance, the law on electronic governance enforced in 2020 provides guidelines and basis for public bodies to handle official communications and processing documents by electronic means, to offer the electronic version of some types of documents to the public instead of the paper version, and others.

Besides the legal infrastructure, it is also of paramount importance for the authorities to improve the telecommunications infrastructure namely, the quality of telecommunications service like fees and security, to support the smart + development in numerous fields, the lawmaker adds. For example, the issuance of 5G licenses has faced delays for years, and the government has only pledged to issue licenses this year after failing to do so last year.

Another legislator Ngan Iek Hang also questions the issuance progress of 5G licenses that might delay the citys development. The development of a smart city requires a series of IT infrastructure and the capacity to handle a gigantic amount of data. The 5G network, which is known for its high speed and multi-connectivity, is a key to such development, he illustrates, also enquiring about the progress of the legislation of telecommunications law that the government has said will pave the way for the 5G licensing process.

Concerning the governments vision of incorporating smart technology in various areas, the lawmaker says an overall framework and blueprint is needed. The idea of smart city development dispersed in multiple areas now from healthcare and elderly care to governance and municipal affairs to tourism and culture. Its challenging for the public to get a grasp of the idea at one go, he says.

A public consultation exercise on the smart city development strategies and key areas of development in Macau was undertaken in 2018, but the administration has not yet publicised the final version of the document.

The idea of smart city development disperse in multiple areas now from healthcare and elderly care to governance and municipal affairs to tourism and culture. Its challenging for the public to get grasp of the idea at one go, lawmaker Ngan Iek Hang indicates

Cultivation

From the perspective of Mr. Lei, talent cultivation is also crucial to smart city development. Its not simply about importing professionals from elsewhere to satiate the demand, but the government should think about how these imported professionals could help train locals that will expedite the development in related fields, she says. Other jurisdictions like Hong Kong have policies and measures in detail in cultivating talents in IT and innovative fields, but the resources the Macau authorities have input in this aspect are still not enough.

In a session at the Legislative Assembly by the end of last year, Secretary for Administration and Justice Andre Cheong Weng Chon confirmed the authorities would continue to work with Alibaba in facilitating smart city development. Divulging little detail, the official noted that the partnership would particularly strengthen personnel training on cloud computing and network security, in which Alibaba would send instructors to teach civil servants, who would also be dispatched to Alibaba to have first-hand learning experience.

This training should also be provided to the mid-to-high-level officials in the administration, who I think might not have the best idea of what a smart city is about, says Mr Wong of the Smart City Alliance Association of Macau.

Besides working with Alibaba, the academic adds the administration should also work with local companies in the sector. One of the reasons for smart city development is to expedite the industrial diversifications in Macau. Thus, the authorities should work with local companies in the segment and help them develop, he concludes.

Originally posted here:

How to be smart - Macau Business

Ukrainian soldiers repulsed a Russian attack in the capital, the military said Saturday after a defiant President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed his pro-Western country would not be bowed by Moscow.

I am here. We will not lay down any weapons. We will defend our state, because our weapons are our truth, Zelensky said, as Russia said it had fired cruise missiles at Ukraines military infrastructure.

Wearing olive green military-style clothing and looking tired but determined, Zelensky said: Our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children and we will protect all of this.

This is what I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine!

It was the third day since Russian leader Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale invasion that has killed dozens of people, forced more than 50,000 to flee Ukraine in just 48 hours and sparked fears of a wider conflict in Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the world must brace for a long war.

This crisis will last, this war will last and all the crises that come with it will have lasting consequences, Macron said at an agriculture fair in France. We must be prepared.

A high-rise apartment block was hit by shelling overnight in Kyiv as the fighting raged, emergency services said.

The authorities said the number of victims was being specified and that an evacuation was underway.

They posted a picture online of the tower block with a hole covering at least five floors blasted into the side and rubble strewn across the street below.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said online that the building had been hit by a projectile.

In Kyivs city centre, AFP journalists heard loud explosions early Saturday.

Heavy fighting continues, the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine posted on its telegram account around 0330 GMT.

Earlier Saturday, Ukraines military said Russia had attacked one of the military units on Victory Avenue in Kyiv but that the assault had been repulsed.

It also reportedanother incident northwest of the capital.

AFP saw a dead man in civilian clothes lying sprawled on the pavement as nearby medics rushed to help another man whose car was crushed by an armoured vehicle.

Kyiv said 137 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said two enemy targets were shot down identifying them as a Russian SU-25 helicopter and a military bomber near the separatist zone in the east.

A Russian transport plane had also been knocked down near Vasylkiv, a town roughly 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of Kyiv, the ministry added on its official Facebook page.

Earlier, small arms fire and explosions were heard in the capitals northern district Obolonsky as what appeared to be an advance party of Russias invasion forceleft a trail of destruction.

Ukrainian forces reported fighting with Russian armoured units in two locations between 40-80 kilometres north of Kyiv.

The Ukrainian defence ministry said 2,800 Russian soldiers had been killed, without providing evidence.

Moscow has yet to report on casualties.

The United States, Canada, Britain and the European Union doled out further sanctions on Russia on Friday, including against Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it the harshest package ever drawn up by the bloc.

The UK government ordered all assets of both men frozen while the United States and Canada will also impose sanctions on the pair, with Washington including a travel ban.

Russia said the sanctions against the pair were a demonstration of the complete impotence of the foreign policy of the West.

We have reached the line after which the point of no return begins, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Moscow also vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that deplored in the strongest terms Russias invasion, while China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.

Putin had earlier described the Ukrainian government as terrorists and a gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis, urging the countrys military to topple Zelensky.

A Kremlin spokesman said Putin was ready to send a delegation to Belarusian capital Minsk for talks with a Ukrainian delegation.

But the US swiftly dismissed the offer.

After invading Ukraine, now we see Moscow suggesting diplomacy take place at the barrel of a gun. This is not real diplomacy, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

The UN said more than 50,000 Ukrainians had fled the country in the past two days, calling for safe unimpeded access for aid operations.

Streams of people in cars and on foot were seen crossing into Hungary, Poland and Romania while hundreds camped out in a train station in the Polish border city of Przemysl.

About 100,000 people are believed to be internally displaced.

The US-led military alliance NATO said it was deploying its rapid response forces for the first time to bolster defences on the alliances eastern flank.

Despite Zelensky calling on Western allies to expel Moscow from the SWIFT banking transfer system, numerous EU countries, including Germany, Hungary and Italy, have been reluctant over fears Russia could cut off gas supplies.

Facebook also unveiled new restrictions, demonetising Russian state media across its platform.

By Dave Clark and Dmytro Gorshkov

The rest is here:

Ukrainian and Russian fight on streets of capital Kyiv - Macau Business

The United States is in discussions with India over its position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday, as New Delhi has yet to clearly condemn Moscows assault.

We continue to engage with the Indians, Psaki told reporters.

On Thursday, when asked about the issue by a reporter, President Joe Biden admitted: We havent resolved that completely.

In telephone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an immediate cessation of violence, his office said but he did not explicitly condemn Moscows military operation.

India has historically had close ties with Russia, and Moscow is a major supplier of arms to the South Asian nation.

On Friday, India abstained during a UN Security Council vote over a resolution stating that the group of countries deplores in the strongest terms Russias aggression against Ukraine and which would have demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops.

Despite months of effort by Washington to consolidate its alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, Biden has yet to completely win New Delhi over to his promise of making Putin a pariah on the international stage.

The Biden administration is particularly keen to breathe new life into the so-called diplomatic Quad Australia, India, Japan and the United States to blunt Chinas expanding power in the region.

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US says in talks with India on its stance over Ukraine - Macau Business

The world must brace for a long war between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow launched an invasion of its pro-Western neighbour, French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Saturday.

I can tell you one thing this morning it is that this war will last, Macrons told Frances annual agriculture fair.

This crisis will last, this war will last and all the crises that come with it will have lasting consequences, Macron added, warning: We must be prepared.

Macron cut short his visit to the agriculture fair, usually one of the main fixtures on the French political calendar, in order to return to dealing with the crisis triggered by the Russian invasion.

War has returned to Europe, this was chosen unilaterally by President (Vladimir) Putin, with a tragic humanitarian situation, a (Ukrainian) people who are resisting and a Europe that is there and resisting by the side of the Ukrainian people, said Macron.

Macron has again called an emergency defence council of top ministers and military security officials to discuss the situation in Ukraine which will take place at 1600 GMT, the Elysee said.

With the war and sanctions against Russia risking damage for specific sectors in France, notably the wine industry, Macron vowed a plan of resilience to help them cope.

The French leader was a key figure in efforts to avert conflict, repeatedly speaking to Putin and seeking in vain to broker a summit between the Russian leader and US President Joe Biden.

The war has also broken out as the clock ticks down to Frances presidential elections in April.

Macron, who is expected to seek and win a second term, has left the official declaration of his candidacy to the last minute, although he must make a move next week ahead of a March 4 deadline to register.

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'This war will last,' warns France's Macron on Ukraine - Macau Business

KUALA LUMPUR: Two men have lost a total of more than RM18,000 to Macau Scams with a new twist involving a downloaded app.

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Asst Comm Mahidisham Ishak said it all started when the victims were contacted by an "Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) officer".

He said the victims, aged 29 and 36, received calls from the so-called LHDN officer on Feb 15 and 17 respectively.

Each victim was told of overdue taxes that had not been settled.

"The calls were then transferred to a 'police officer', who told the victims they were involved in drug-related offences.

"They were told to download an application and fill in their banking details in the app," said ACP Mahidisham in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 23).

He said after a few minutes, the victims saw reductions of RM5,400 and RM13,700.50 in their respective bank accounts.

"They lodged police reports and we are investigating the cases under Section 4(1) of the Computer Crime Act 1997," he said.

ACP Mahidisham advised the public not to download any unfamiliar application and not to divulge banking details to any third party.

"We urge those with information on crime or any suspicious activity to contact the KL police hotline at 03-21460584/0585, the CCID Scam Response Centre at 03-26101559/1599, or the nearest police station," he added.

Excerpt from:

Two conned of RM18,000 in Macau Scams with new app download tactic - The Star Online

The Czech Republic and Poland each said Friday they would close their airspace starting from midnight to flights by Russian carriers in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier Friday the Polish airline LOT had already halted flights to Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

As of midnight today, we are halting the traffic of all Russian airline companies in Czech airspace, Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka tweeted.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Facebook that Poland was also preparing such a resolution.

The ban will apply from midnight, Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller later said on Twitter.

A similar decision was also taken by the UK government, which on Thursday banned Russian flagship carrier Aeroflot from flying over Britain.

Moscow responded on Friday by banning all UK-linked planes, including transiting flights, from Russian airspace.

Meanwhile, Moldova said Thursday it was closing its airspace, with all flights redirected to other airports, while Belarus said it was shutting part of its airspace.

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Czechs, Poland to close airspace to Russian flights - Macau Business

The International Olympic Committee, angry at the Russian invasion of Ukraine breaching the Olympic Truce, on Friday urged all international sports federations to cancel their forthcoming events in Russia.

The IOC EB (executive board) today urges all international sports federations to relocate or cancel their sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus, read the IOC statement.

They should take the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarussian governments into account and give the safety and security of the athletes absolute priority.

The IOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) both condemned the breach on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the full scale invasion.

The IOC pointed out that all 193 UN member states had agreed last December to a global truce beginning seven days before the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing on February 4 and ending seven days after the closing of the Paralympic Games on March 13.

The IOC also said on Friday that the respective national flags of Russia and Belarus should not be flown at sports events.

In addition, the IOC EB urges that no Russian or Belarussian national flag be displayed and no Russian or Belarussian anthem be played in international sports events which are not already part of the respective World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) sanctions for Russia.

The IOC also said they were doing all they can to ensure Ukrainian athletes were looked after.

The IOC EB expresses its deep concerns about the safety of the members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine and stands in full solidarity, it said.

It notes that the special IOC task force is in contact with the Olympic Community in the country to coordinate humanitarian assistance where possible.

By Pirate Irwin

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IOC urges all federations to cancel events in Russia and Belarus - Macau Business