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Saudi Arabia leaves it late to beat Oman, 2-1, in Asian Cup

DOHA — Saudi Arabia came from behind to beat Oman 2-1 in their Asian Cup Group F opener on Tuesday at a packed Khalifa International Stadium with Ali Al-Bulayhi’s winner arriving in the sixth minute of stoppage time after a VAR intervention.

With the score tied at 1-1, Al-Bulayhi scored with a close-range header from a set piece and although the linesman’s flag immediately went up for offside, VAR awarded Roberto Mancini’s side the goal.

“The goal is a gift to the Saudi people. This is what great players do,” said Mr. Al-Bulayhi, who celebrated the dramatic winner in trademark fashion by inflating a green balloon near the corner flag.

The victory takes Saudi Arabia level on three points with Thailand, who beat Kyrgyzstan 2-0 in the other Group F encounter earlier in the day when Supachai Chaided scored either side of halftime.

Oman’s opener in the 14th minute came against the run of play when the Saudis took a poor corner and as their opponents countered at speed, defender Hassan Al-Tambakti clipped Muhsen Al-Ghassani just as he entered the box.

The penalty was awarded after a VAR review and Salaah Al-Yahyaei stepped up to score with a confident finish down the middle to draw a massive roar that echoed inside the cavernous arena.

Oman were disciplined in defense and Saudi Arabia found it difficult to break through the wall of red shirts while on the odd occasion they did get through, they wasted their opportunities with shots that did not find the target.

RENEWED VIGOR
Mr. Mancini cut a frustrated figure near his dugout but his halftime team talk must have struck a chord as his players came out with renewed vigor in search of an equalizer.

“The second half was better than the first half, we created a lot of chances, we had more possession. If you have more possession, you have chances to score,” Mr. Mancini told reporters.

“Oman defended very well. We didn’t find good solutions at first but we had chances and we scored the second goal in the end, but we should have scored before.”

Oman were restricted to counter-attacks with Mr. Al-Yahyaei leading the charge and creating chances but he did not have support in the final third as they spurned golden opportunities to score a second.

Mr. Al-Yahyaei was toying with the Saudi defense in the second half but the 25-year-old had nothing left in the tank by the 75th minute, signaling to the bench to take him off and he left the pitch to rapturous applause from the Oman fans.

But Saudi Arabia were the better side in the second half and after missing a couple of chances, Abdulrahman Ghareeb took it upon himself to dribble past four Oman defenders before finishing calmly to get the Saudis singing again.

And once Mr. Al-Bulayhi completed the comeback, following a period of confusion, the green corner of the stadium erupted when their players celebrated while Oman were left to wonder what could have been.

“The first goal came from midfield although we had more players (defending), but Mr. Ghareeb showed great quality. He has good capabilities,” Oman coach Branko Ivankovic said.

“Saudi Arabia deserved the victory… We wanted to score a second goal for the players to feel comfortable. But towards the end, we didn’t have options.” — Reuters

PVL keeps the 12-team cast despite losing F2 Logistics, but reduces 2024 conferences to 2

CREAMLINE COOL SMASHERS — PVL.PH

THE SEASON-USHERING Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference (AFC) will continue to parade a 12-team cast despite losing F2 Logistics as it moved it’s opening from Feb. 17 to Feb. 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We’ll have 12 teams,” said PVL President Ricky Palou yesterday.

The Creamline Cool Smashers have remained the team to beat after topping two AFC editions last year while ending up as runners up in the Reinforced Conferences in between the two diadems.

Also seeing action are Choco Mucho, PLDT, Cignal, Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, Akari, Nxled, Galeries Tower, Farm Fresh, Strong Group Athletics and a still unidentified 12th squad, which will fill up the slot vacated the defunct Cargo Movers.

Apart from the AFC, the league will also stage a Reinforced Conference, which will be combined with the Invitational Conference, in the middle of the year.

That will be the second and last conference the PVL will stage as it has leaned towards holding two conferences a season starting this year and do away with its traditional three conferences.

And starting next season, the AFC will be a longer one as it will conduct it starting October this year up to May next year in a stretch wherein each team will get to play at least 16 or 22 games depending on the format the league will implement.

“We will now have two conferences, instead of three,” said Mr. Palou. — Joey Villar

Embiid helps 76ers pull away from Nuggets

JOEL EMBIID had 41 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and the host Philadelphia 76ers used an 18-2 run in the fourth quarter to defeat the Denver Nuggets 126-121 on Tuesday.

It was the 18th straight game that Mr. Embiid scored at least 30 points. Mr. Embiid’s streak of 16 in a row with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds came to an end.

Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and nine assists and Tobias Harris scored 24 points as the Sixers won their third consecutive game. Kelly Oubre, Jr. contributed 11 points.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 25 points and 19 rebounds, 11 off the offensive glass. Michael Porter, Jr. scored 20 points and Jamal Murray had 17 points and 10 assists.

The Nuggets closed within 125-121 with 26.6 seconds remaining when Mr. Porter was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit all three free throws.

Aaron Gordon contributed 16 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 13 for the Nuggets, who had won two straight.

After an offensive rebound, Reggie Jackson capitalized and made a 3-pointer with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter for a 111-105 lead.

Marcus Morris, Sr. soon converted a rare four-point play to tie the score at 111 with 7:28 remaining. 

Embiid stayed aggressive and completed a three-point play with 5:30 left for a 118-113 lead. After a 3-pointer by Embiid, the Sixers extended to a 121-113 advantage with 4:55 to go.

Porter knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:43 left in the second quarter for a 63-59 lead.

Embiid made 1 of 2 free throws and then added a difficult layup to trim the 76ers’ deficit to 63-62 with 4:03 remaining.

Jokic countered with a jumper with 2:03 left for a 71-69 advantage.

Maxey followed with a trey, Oubre scored and Harris threw down a dunk for a 76-71 lead with 1:09 remaining.

Murray drained a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to tie the score at 78.

Embiid paced the Sixers with 23 points in the first half. Philadelphia shot a sizzling 28-of-42 from the field — 66.7 percent.

The Sixers pulled ahead 97-89 with 5:44 left in the third after Harris’ 3-pointer.

Caldwell-Pope hit a trey with 1:57 remaining and the Nuggets cut the deficit to 99-98. Jokic hit two jumpers, and the Nuggets went on to lead 104-99 at the end of the third. — Reuters

Vlahovic double fires Juventus to 3-0 win over Sassuolo

TURIN — A stunning first-half brace by striker Dusan Vlahovic helped Juventus to a 3-0 win over Sassuolo in Serie A on Tuesday as Massimiliano Allegri’s side extended their unbeaten league run to 15 games in front of a sold-out home crowd.

Juve remain second in the standings on 49 points, two points behind leaders Inter Milan and seven above third-placed AC Milan.

Juve allowed the visitors more possession but stayed in control of a lively clash at the Juventus Stadium and Vlahovic broke the deadlock in the 15th minute with a rasping shot from just outside the box.

The Serbia striker made it 2-0 before the break with a free kick from long range for his ninth goal of the season.

“Vlahovic played a good game, he was much more calm,” Allegri told a press conference.

“This morning I spoke to him and told him that he wanted to overdo it (in the Coppa Italia quarter-final) against Frosinone, he got into an argument with the referee. Tonight he was much more lucid.”

The 23-year-old has been involved in a goal in four consecutive Serie A appearances, with three goals and two assists, for the first time in more than three years.

“Dusan went through a complicated moment because he wasn’t well. Now he’s working hard to improve and is finding the right calm to manage the match,” Allegri added.

Sassuolo, who inflicted Juve’s only loss of the season in all competitions in a 4-2 defeat in the reverse fixture, went close in the 53rd minute through forward Domenico Berardi, who struck just wide from the edge of the box.

Juve keeper Wojciech Szczesny pulled off a brilliant save to deny yet another powerful shot from Berardi 10 minutes later before substitute Federico Chiesa sealed the win for the hosts in the 89th minute with a low strike into the middle of the goal.

Juve next travel to 13th-placed Lecce on Sunday where they can leapfrog Inter into top spot as Simone Inzaghi’s men only return to Serie A action on Jan. 28 following the Italian Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia.

Sassuolo — who are 14th, with two points separating them from the relegation zone — next visit mid-table Monza. — Reuters

Celtics, the NBA’s best, host worst-in-West Spurs

BOSTON Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) in the half quarter at TD Garden. — REUTERS

THE Boston Celtics are hoping to have Jaylen Brown in the lineup when they face the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Brown sat out Boston’s 105-96 victory over the Raptors on Monday because of a hyperextended right knee. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said before Monday’s game that Brown was dealing with soreness in the knee, but the injury was not considered serious.

Brown is averaging 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season.

“I think this year we’ve shown that regardless of who’s out there’s an affirmation that everyone is going to step up,” Mazzulla said.

Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 14 rebounds in Monday’s win, which improved Boston’s home record to 19-0. Jrue Holiday tossed in a season-high 22 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter. Derrick White also scored 22 points, including a key 3-pointer with just over a minute to play.

“I just took the opportunities that were given to me and really just tried to be aggressive at both ends of the floor,” Holiday said. “(White is) an All-Star. I think the things that he does a lot of times go unnoticed.

“The way that he plays, the way that he carries this team – especially with JB out (against Toronto) he hit a big shot there in the corner – that’s what D. White does.”

The Spurs, who have the worst record in the Western Conference, are coming off Monday’s 109-99 loss at Atlanta. The Hawks led 46-16 in the second quarter and 69-34 at halftime.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich sent a message to his team by sending out three reserves with Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie to start the second half.

“I thought the starting team in the third quarter made their point, and the first team came back in and competed the way they’re getting paid to compete, so in that sense it made it a good night,” Popovich said.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 rookie, was scoreless at halftime, but had 26 points (nine dunks) in the second half. He also finished the game with 13 rebounds.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in last year’s NBA draft, is averaging 19.6 points and 10.3 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game.

“I’ve gotten better at adapting my game more to the league, and it shows,” Wembanyama said. “My efficiency, especially since being on restricted minutes, is up, so there’s real progress.

“(Against Atlanta) a majority of bench players showed us how to do it. It worked.”

Wednesday’s matchup will be the second game between the teams this season. Tatum scored 25 points and Brown finished with 24 when Boston prevailed 134-101 at San Antonio on Dec. 31. The Celtics built a 37-point lead in that game and rested their starters for most of the fourth quarter.

Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 22 points in the loss. Wembanyama had 21 points and seven rebounds.

The Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA, will be trying to extend their two-game winning streak. The Spurs have lost two in a row and seven of their past nine. — Reuters

Kings coach Mike Brown fined $50K for criticizing officials

THE NBA fined Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown $50,000 on Tuesday for criticism of referees during and after the team’s most recent game.

Specifically, Brown entered the court of play while yelling at referee Intae Hwang, leading to the coach’s ejection Sunday in a 143-142 overtime loss at the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brown then used a laptop during his postgame press conference to point out multiple calls he disagreed with.

“The referees are human, and they’re going to make mistakes, but you just hope that there’s some sort of consistency and there’s some sort of communication between the refs,” Brown said. “The refs (Sunday), they were great, they communicated with me all night. But in terms of consistency, you guys saw it right here. In my opinion, the consistency wasn’t here (Sunday).”

The NBA’s news release described Brown’s actions as “aggressively pursuing a game official during live play, and … publicly criticizing the officiating.”

In 2012, when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers, Brown was suspended one game without pay and fined $25,000 for making contact with an official. — Reuters

Smart maintains fastest download speed — Ookla

FREEPIK

By Miguel Hanz L. Antivola, Reporter

Smart Communications, Inc., the wireless unit of PLDT Inc., posted the fastest median download speed of 37.64 megabits per second (Mbps) in the fourth quarter of 2023, maintaining its lead among mobile operators, according to global network testing firm Ookla.

In its fourth quarter mobile performance report for the Philippines released on Wednesday, Ookla said Ayala-led Globe Telecom, Inc. had a median download speed of 26.44 Mbps, followed by DITO Telecommunity Corp. with 19.74 Mbps.

Out of the three operators, Smart delivered a steady rise in median download speed throughout last year, up from 35.56 Mbps in the third quarter, 35.39 Mbps in the second quarter, and 33.39 Mbps in the first quarter.

For major cell phone manufacturers in the fourth quarter, devices from Apple recorded the fastest median download speed with 51.19 Mbps.

It was followed by Samsung (37.76 Mbps), Xiaomi (30.66 Mbps), Huawei (19.98 Mbps), and Infinix (18.90 Mbps).

However, in terms of median upload speed, Infinix topped the list with 7.49 Mbps, followed by Samsung (7.40 Mbps), Xiaomi (7.34 Mbps), Apple (7.13 Mbps), and Huawei (6.05 Mbps).

In December last year, the Philippines posted a median download speed of 28.12 Mbps and upload speed of 6.89 Mbps.

Ookla released 52 new market analyses for the fourth quarter, with insights from its Speedtest Intelligence platform.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

China’s Q4 GDP shows a patchy recovery, raises case for stimulus

A MAn rides a bike on a street in Shanghai, China, Oct. 13, 2022. — REUTERS

BEIJING — China’s economy grew slightly slower than expected in the fourth quarter (Q4), with a deepening property crisis, mounting deflationary pressures and weak demand reinforcing expectations that Beijing will have to roll out more stimulus measures soon.

Confounding most analysts’ expectations, the world’s second-largest economy has struggled to mount a strong and sustainable post-COVID pandemic bounce, burdened by the protracted real estate slump, weak consumer and business confidence, and mounting local government debts.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.2% in October-December from a year earlier, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed on Wednesday, quickening from 4.9% in the third quarter but missing a 5.3% forecast in a Reuters poll.

The pace was solid enough to ensure Beijing met its annual growth target of around 5%, but analysts said the recovery remains shaky and jump-starting activity in 2024 could be a lot more challenging.

“The recovery from COVID — disappointing as it was — is over,” according to China Beige Book International’s latest survey released on Wednesday.

“Any true acceleration (this year) will require either a major global upside surprise or more active government policy.”

For the full-year 2023, the economy grew 5.2%, partly helped by the previous year’s low-base effect which was marked by COVID-19 lockdowns. Analysts had forecast 5.2% growth.

Highlighting some loss of momentum late in the year, on a quarter-by-quarter basis GDP grew 1.0% in October-December, slowing from a revised 1.5% gain in the previous quarter.

Policy insiders expect Beijing will maintain a similar growth target of around 5% for this year.

The head of NBS, Kang Yi, said at a press conference in Beijing that China’s 2023 growth was “hard won”, but added the economy faces a complex external environment and insufficient demand in 2024.

Stocks in China, already near five-year lows, fell after the disappointing data as did shares in Hong Kong, while the yuan eased. The currency has come under fresh pressure recently as market expectations grow that policymakers will have to commit soon to more interest rate cuts and other support measures.

“At present, our country’s government debt level and inflation rate are both low, and the policy toolbox is constantly being enriched,” Mr. Kang said. “Fiscal, monetary and other policies have relatively large room for maneuvering, and there are conditions and space for intensifying the implementation of macro policies.”

SHAKY RECOVERY
December activity indicators released along with the GDP data showed factory output growth quickened at the fastest pace since February 2022, partly driven by stronger growth in automobile production, but retail sales grew at the slowest pace since September and investment growth remained tepid.

Data on the property sector, once a key driver of the economy, was far more grim.

China’s December new home prices fell at the fastest pace in nearly nine years, marking the sixth straight month of declines, NBS data showed.

Property sales by floor area fell 8.5% for the year while new construction starts plunged 20.4%. “I think markets were disappointed they didn’t cut interest rates on Monday, but it seems they are thinking about more targeted measures,” said Woei Chen Ho, economist at UOB. “The property issues are not fixed by broad-based rate cuts.”

On Monday, the central bank left the medium-term policy rate unchanged, defying market expectations for a cut as pressure on the yuan currency continued to limit the scope of monetary easing.

“The piecemeal rollout of support from mid-year has done little to turn things around. It’s clear that China’s economy needs extra stimulus,” said Harry Murphy Cruise, economist at Moody’s Analytics.

“Direct support for households could be the crowbar needed to pry open wallets, but the prospect of such support has been a nonstarter for officials in recent years. Instead, monetary easing and new debt issuance for infrastructure, energy and manufacturing projects look more likely.”

POPULATION FALLS AGAIN
As businesses remained wary of adding workers in the face of many uncertainties ahead, the nationwide survey-based jobless rate increased to 5.1% in December from November’s 5.0%, NBS data showed.

NBS also resumed the publication of youth unemployment data, which it had suspended for five months. The December survey-based jobless rate for 16-24 years olds, excluding college students, was at 14.9%, compared with a record high of 21.3% in June.

Recent data suggested the economy was starting 2024 on shaky footing, with persistent deflationary pressures and a slight pick-up in exports unlikely to kindle a quick turnaround in lackluster factory activity. December bank lending was also weak. 

“While we still anticipate some near-term boost from policy easing, this is unlikely to prevent a renewed slowdown later this year,” said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China Economics at Capital Economics.

“Although the government met its 2023 GDP growth target of ‘around 5.0%’, achieving the same pace of expansion in 2024 will prove a lot more challenging.”

Adding to concerns over China’s longer-term growth prospects, the country’s population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023. The total number of people in China dropped by 2.08 million to 1.409 billion in 2023, a faster decline than in 2022. — Reuters

Norway wealth fund CEO at Davos sees slow investment returns in 2024

ANDREY ANDREYEV-UNSPLASH

DAVOS, Switzerland — The chief executive officer (CEO) of Norway’s $1.5-trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, told Reuters on Tuesday that return on its investments would likely be “slow” in 2024 due to high interest rates, persistent inflation and geopolitical risk.

The fund invests the Norwegian state’s revenues from oil and gas production in equities, bonds, property and renewable projects abroad.

It is the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, holding stakes in more than 9,200 companies globally and owning 1.5% of all listed stocks.

“I think It’s going to be a very slow year. At best, pedestrian, because I think (interest) rates will be slow to get down,” Nicolai Tangen said in an interview during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting.

Inflation would remain persistent and come down “more slowly than I think is generally expected,” he said, citing higher freight rates for shipping, continuing high prices for fuel for transport and, “perhaps more importantly,” higher wages.

“Wage demand is pretty high across a lot of geographies, which means that inflation is really … sticky,” he said.

Mr. Tangen also cited the general geopolitical situation, with the continuing war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza, and “a lot of elections in many parts of the world” as a risk factor for the fund’s investments.

“We have geopolitical uncertainty in many places, that’s well known. And we have, you know, (company) valuations which are really relatively demanding,” he said.

“So I don’t see a lot of good news here.” — Reuters

Canada’s planned curbs on overseas student work may hurt tight job market

A Canadian dollar coin is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, Jan. 23, 2015. — REUTERS

TORONTO — Canada’s planned curbs on work by international students could spark shortages of temporary workers in food services and retail industries as employers are wrestling with a tight labor market and wage inflation in some pockets of the economy.

Last month, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller outlined measures, including slashing the number of allowable work hours, to address bottlenecks created by a surge in international students, who have been blamed for rental shortages.

Canadians are facing increased challenges in securing affordable housing as rents climb nationwide — rising 7.7% in December from a year earlier, according to Statscan.

Canada is planning additional measures to reduce the number of international students coming to Canada, including possibly a cap, and will introduce them during the first half of this year, Mr. Miller told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

Canada has emerged as a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing courses. International students are also a cash cow for universities as they bring in about C$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually, and the government is facing push back from student associations and advocates over its new proposals.

“We need to have international students coming in. It’s a key group working in the industry for us,” said Maximilien Roy, vice president of the industry lobby group Restaurant Canada, from Quebec Province.

Restaurants across Canada are grappling with labor shortages with nearly 100,000 vacancies, and international students made up 4.6% of 1.1 million workers in the food service industry in 2023, Mr. Roy added.

The government plans to limit international students’ weekly work hours to 20 from 40 hours starting in April. Mr. Miller said the measures are necessary to improve the overall quality of education and the integrity of the immigration system.

“The main purpose of international students to be in Canada is to study,” Mr. Miller said while proposing the new measures.

Canada’s international student intake is expected to touch a record 900,000 for 2023, about three times that of a decade ago, according to government data. That has provided a plentiful supply of temporary workers for employers and helped keep overall costs in check.

FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
Reuters spoke to international students, labor experts, restaurant workers and officials from the food and retail industries, who said the disadvantages of the plan outweighed its benefits.

“I came to Canada because I wanted to be independent myself and no one should pay for my tuition fees,” said Bhavjeet Singh Kalra, 21, an undergraduate student seeking a public relations degree at Humber College in Ontario, a sentiment shared by many international students.

Mr. Kalra worked 40 hours a week during the summer break, which helped him fund his tuition after his parents covered the initial deposit of C$10,000 ($7,420) for the study permit application and the first year’s tuition fees.

Many students expressed concern that the new rules will expose them to exploitation, as some will inevitably find themselves working beyond the specified hours without adequate protections.

Pat Chaisang, a former international student from Thailand who founded Isempower, a job-search platform for overseas students, said cutting the working hours will limit students’ ability to gain valuable work experience.

“Providing a solid work opportunity that match their area of study to help them transition into the workforce,” she said.

A lack of temporary workers also risks pushing up wage growth, which has been a concern for the central bank in its fight against inflation.

Canada’s wage growth accelerated to an annual rate of 5.7% in December from 5.0% in November. Employers struggled to fill nearly 700,000 jobs in October last year, according to StatsCan data.

Canadian Alliance of Student Association said barriers rather than work hours should be reduced for international students. In a statement, the group said that would enhance their educational experience, and “will ensure that Canada has the skilled workers we need for a thriving economy.” — Reuters

France to reform parental leave after births hit postwar low

A PEDESTRIAN and her dog stand in front of a window display at the Printemps department store in Paris, France, Nov. 17, 2020. — REUTERS

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron promised on Tuesday to overhaul parental leave so it pays better after France saw the lowest number of births since World War II last year, in a blow to its traditionally strong demographic profile.

France registered 678,000 births last year, representing a decrease of 7% from 2022 and down 20% since peaking in 2020, INSEE said in its annual census report.

The country has for decades been an outlier compared to other European countries, avoiding a collapse in birth rates as seen in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Demographers have traditionally put this down to France’s generous health and childcare system as well as tax breaks and other benefits for having children, especially three or more.

That has helped soften the impact of an aging population while contributing to the country’s long-term growth prospects, which economists say are generally determined by demographics, productivity gains and labor force participation.

“France will only be stronger if it revives the birth rate,” Mr. Macron said during a wide-ranging news conference.

“A new, better paid parental leave will allow both parents to be with their children for six months if they want,” he added.

In addition to basic maternity leave, French parents can currently take additional parental leave for one year with the possibly of renewing twice.

However, it only pays slightly more than 400 euros ($435) per month, which Mr. Macron said was a source of anxiety for some parents. He said it also cut mothers off from the labor market too long.

INSEE said the average number of children per mother fell last year to a three-decade low of 1.68 from 1.79 in 2022. In 2021, France had the highest birth rate in the European Union along with the Czech Republic at 1.83, the last year for which comparative figures are available.

Not only is the 2023 figure below the 2.2 generally considered to be necessary to maintain population levels in developed countries, it is also below the 1.8 births estimate that underpinned a deeply contested 2023 retirement reform.

That could mean that if the birth rate stays at 2023 levels the reform will not reduce the pension deficit as planned.

However, a recovery in the birth rate in the coming years is possible as people born in 2000-2010 — a period of high births — themselves begin to have children, researchers at the Institut National d’Etudes Demographiques said in a note.

While people are having fewer children, pro-family Unis pour les Familles association says that the decline does not mean people want fewer children but rather conditions are not necessarily good. 

In an Opinionway poll of 11,000 people for the association, two-thirds who did not have children said that they wanted to while one out of five parents said they would have liked more children.

The most common reasons people gave for not having more children were concerns about the economic, social and climatic outlook, cited by 30% of those polled. Some 28% said raising children cost too much.

The successive crises over the COVID-19 outbreak, surging energy prices and record inflation have taken a heavy toll on household confidence, which has struggled to recover from record lows reached in mid 2022, according to INSEE’s monthly survey. — Reuters

NCC Group Manila to build local talent for cybersecurity

PIXABAY

By Miguel Hanz L. Antivola, Reporter

NCC Group, a global cybersecurity advisory company from the United Kingdom, has opened an office in the Philippines in a bid to develop local technology talent and enhance its global capacity for clients.

“Our role is to build the [cybersecurity] talent that is able to support the changing environment we’re all operating in,” Mike Maddison, NCC Group global chief executive officer, told reporters during its Manila office launch on Wednesday.

“It has grown as an attractive career path for people now, especially with the scale of the skills gap on a global basis in cybersecurity capability,” he noted.

“Being able to tap that in the Philippines is incredibly exciting,” he added on Manila being the company’s second office location in Southeast Asia after Singapore.

The cybersecurity workforce gap in the Asia Pacific region rose to about 2.7 million, up by 23.4% from 2022’s 2.2 million, according to a study by non-profit ISC2. Globally, the shortfall has risen to about 4 million, with a 12.6% year on year increase.

“Organizations may have a number of cybersecurity workers, but if those workers all lack certain critical skills, that surplus of headcount can be completely negated,” the study said.

It also noted the biggest skills gap in areas deemed important for mitigation, such as cloud security (35%), artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (32%), zero trust (29%), and penetration testing (27%).

The Fortinet 2023 global cybersecurity skills gap report showed 86% of IT and cybersecurity decision makers in the Philippines and Malaysia have agreed that the skills shortage creates more cyber risks for their organizations.

Over half have admitted struggling to recruit and retain qualified professionals for their security team, it added.

Additionally, a report by Palo Alto Networks said the Philippines has been hit the hardest by cyberattacks among its Southeast Asian peers this year.

NCC Group’s Mr. Maddison noted the public, intellectual property, and financial service sectors are those expected to see the most number of cybersecurity challenges.

“Those heavily regulated sectors with sensitive information,” he said.

Saira Acuna, Philippine country director at NCC Group said the Manila office has so far hired 60 talents, with an open goal of building a Filipino community of cyber leaders through its junior and comprehensive on-the-job training programs.

It has started forging partnerships with the public sector through the Justice department and the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines.

It is also eyeing engagements with educational institutions to help share curricula and sponsor programs for the creation of job-ready cybersecurity talent.

“I hope Filipinos will recognize this opportunity to be part of a burgeoning industry,” Ms. Acuna said on heeding the call for citizens to grow a career in cybersecurity.

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