Gambler rescued from 8th floor canopy

A 38-year-old gambler from the mainland was found standing on a canopy outside a flat on the 8th floor of Royal Centre Building on Rua de Pequim at noon yesterday and was rescued by firefighters, according to the Public Security Police (PSP).According to a PSP spokesperson, the man entered Macau on Friday and was allegedly held against his will in a flat on the 10th floor of the building by loansharks because he was unable to pay his gambling debts.The police said he attempted to escape by

January 9, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Forum calls for review of gaming tax rate

Guest speakers at yesterday’s Macau Forum called for a review of the gaming tax rate, claiming that the move would enhance the sector’s international competitiveness.The weekly open-air debate is hosted by government-owned broadcast TDM in Areia Preta Park every Sunday.Yesterday’s focus of the forum was on the prospects of the city’s gaming industry, in the wake of its recovery during the past few months as well as Japan’s lawmakers having passed a bill legalising casinos.Guest

January 9, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Protesters march against ‘brutal’ vehicle fee hike

Protesters yesterday afternoon marched against what they described as the “brutal” increase in the government’s vehicle-related fees and charges.Lawmaker-cum-unionist Jose Pereira Coutinho, who led the march, told reporters that about 5,000 “outraged citizens” participated in the demonstration.According to a statement by the Public Security Police (PSP), about 1,600 citizens joined the protest.Protesters, led by lawmaker-cum-unionist Jose Pereira Coutinho (centre, first row behind

January 9, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Local boxing teams battle it out on charity night

Macao Boxing House staged the White Collar “Office Exploded Charity Night of Boxing 2017” on Saturday, it’s third such charity event against fighters from another local gym, Top Fighting, with the six-bout night ending up with three wins for each gym.Both gyms are privately owned. The event took place in Fat Lei Industrial Building in Areia Preta in front of a crowd of around 150.The charity that was benefitting on Saturday was Tong Sam Charity Association with the total amount collected

January 9, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Culture chief to retire next month

Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Guilherme Ung Vai Meng has said that he will retire in the middle of next month, adding he had made the decision as he wanted to have more time painting.Ung also said that he conveyed his request to retire to Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng in the latter half of last year, several times, and that Tam persuaded him to stay on each time, adding he finally told Tam that he would like to devote himself to drawing and art

January 9, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Police nab 23 for UnionPay fraud

The Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday arrested 23 suspects for their alleged involvement in the illegal use of UnionPay cards by conducting bogus cash transactions so that clients could get cash after swiping their cards on POS (points of sale) machines.The police also busted a shop in Taipa which allegedly served as a workshop that modified POS machines smuggled from the mainland, so that they could be used in Macau.According to the Judiciary Police, 40 PJ officers, in collaboration with five

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

IACM backs Ilha Verde working group: vice-convenor

The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) has pledged that it will push other government entities to form an interdepartmental working group on the development of Ilha Verde and preservation of Ilha Verde Hill, Northern District Social Services Consultative Deputy Convenor Ho Chong Chun said yesterday.Speaking to reporters after a closed-door regular meeting at the Government Service Centre in Areia Preta, Ho said IACM President Jose Fonseca Tavares had made the promise during the

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Mainlander receives fake Venezuelan passport: police

A 33-year-old salesman from the mainland was arrested last week for receiving a fake Venezuelan passport, a Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesperson said in a special press conference yesterday.The suspect holds a valid non-resident worker’s permit.According to the spokesperson, PJ officers received a tip-off in mid-December about two parcels sent through a courier company that contained illegal items, one containing a fake passport and the other containing drugs. The suspects for the latter were

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Civic leader urges eco-bureau to start 24-hour hotline

Northern District Social Services Consultative Committee member Ng Ka Teng urged the government yesterday to set up a 24-hour hotline for residents to report noise complaints.Ng, a board member of the Macau Women’s General Association, made the appeal before a regular meeting of the government-appointed Northern Districts Social Services Consultative Committee at the Government Service Centre in Areia Preta.As is customary, the regular meeting was closed to the media.Northern District Social

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Local boxers to slug it out at White Collar charity bout

The private Macao Boxing House and Top Fighting gyms will be taking part in the White Collar ‘Office Exploded Charity Night of Boxing 2017’ tomorrow night with all takings once again to be donated to charity. This time it is Tong Sam Charity Association, which helps disadvantaged children in the mainland.There will be six bouts in which local pugilists from Macao Boxing House and Top Fighting will be slugging it out for charity and the chance to practise their newly learnt skills in front

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Talented teenager hooked on guzheng

Local teenager Peggy Chan Pui Yan, 16, plays the guzheng, the Chinese version of a zither, and has been doing so for over nine years. Despite being such a tender age, Peggy has played for many luminaries including President Xi Jinping and Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On.According to Wikipedia, the guzheng, also known as the Chinese zither, is a plucked string instrument with a history of more than 2,500 years. It has 16 (or more) strings and movable bridges.Directly translated,

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Fine Japanese dining with expert sake pairing at Mizumi

The Mizumi at Wynn Macau created a buzz among Japanese cuisine aficionados when it opened about a year ago and now with another Mizumi at Wynn Palace, it is raising the bar for contemporary yet authentic Japanese fine dining as it has its own sake sommelier to help guests take the culinary experience to another level.Similar to the one at Wynn Macau, the Mizumi at Wynn Palace in Cotai serves the ultimate tempura, teppanyaki and sushi using the finest and freshest ingredients flown in directly

January 6, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Lawmakers pass sex crime bill

A plenary session of the legislature yesterday passed the outline of an amendment bill on sex crimes listed in the Macau Penal Code. The government-initiated bill suggests a separate category for sexual harassment with the offence being listed as a semi-public crime.A total of 29 lawmakers cast their votes, all of which were in favour of the bill. Three legislators were absent and, as is customary, the speaker of the legislature did not vote.The government carried out a public consultation on

January 5, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0

Chui expects economy to grow this year

The government is confident that Macau’s economy will show positive growth this year, Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On said yesterday.Chui made the remarks in a speech during a luncheon for the city’s Chinese-language media and correspondents at MGM in Nape.“After going through a stage of economic adjustment over the last two years, we are confident that the economy will recover and show positive growth in 2017,” Chui said. Chui also said he expected Macau to enjoy a fiscal surplus

January 5, 2017 | BY admin

Comment: 0