China, UK & US in the era of pandemic

Commentary by Rana Mitter*        The COVID-19 pandemic has entered its second phase. Most countries in Asia, Europe and North America that felt the first blast of the novel coronavirus have started the process of coming to live with it. But the work has only just begun on the next phase where we ask: How will this change the wider world?Some of the effects of the virus are disheartening. Certain trends emerging around the world are becoming more hard-set, including a new

July 14, 2020 | BY admin

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Filipino overstayer sexually harasses schoolgirl: police

A Filipino overstayer was arrested on Saturday for touching the buttocks of a young female while his girlfriend was arrested for aiding and abetting illegal immigration, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during yesterday’s regular press conference.The jobless 37-year-old suspect is surnamed Malgapo. His 42-year-old Filipina girlfriend surnamed Muente told the police that she works as a domestic helper.According to Wong, a local secondary school pupil reported to the

July 14, 2020 | BY admin

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Woman steals 2 Thai Buddha amulets worth 8,000 patacas: police

A local woman was arrested for stealing two Thai Buddha amulets worth about 8,000 patacas (US$1,000), Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during yesterday’s regular press conference.The 32-year-old suspect surnamed Lo told the police that she is jobless.According to Wong, a Buddha amulet shop owner reported to the police on July 5 that a woman had stolen two Buddha amulets from her shop that day. The victim told the police that the suspect had visited her shop with a

July 14, 2020 | BY admin

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Galaxy denies hiring non-local workers from Phase 3 site to work in Phase 4

Local construction workers whose contracts were not renewed after completing Galaxy Entertainment Group’s (GEG) Phase 3 project claimed yesterday that their non-local peers from Phase 3 have been transferred to work on the Phase 4 project but not the locals, a claim that Galaxy categorically denied in a statement last night.According to public broadcaster TDM’s Chinese-language channel, about a hundred construction workers gathered outside Galaxy Macau’s Phase 3 site yesterday morning to

July 14, 2020 | BY admin

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Over 100 million 'government masks' sold in Macau: official

The Macau government said in a statement today that more than 100 million facemasks have been sold since January 23,when it launched its official mask-selling programme.Under the programme, both residents and non-resident workers are entitled to buy 10 masks at the fixed price of 8 patacas (US$1) every 10 days from designated pharmacies, public health centres and community association outlets. The face coverings are colloquially known in English as "government masks". The

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Survey finds 90 pct residents worried about employment

The findings of a survey carried out by local think tank Collective Wisdom Policy Centre released yesterday show that 65 percent of the local respondents said that they had to take unpaid leave or half-paid leave, became underemployed, had to accept a pay cut, or even became unemployed due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local economy.The findings also show that almost 90 percent of the respondents said that they were worried about their current employment or livelihood

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Police bust illegal ‘food factory’ in Taipa flat

The Public Security Police (PSP) have announced that last week they busted an illegal food processing “factory” in a residential flat in Taipa where they caught three mainlanders who were working there.The three men comprise two non-resident workers and an illegal worker.The two non-resident workers, a 30-year-old surnamed Jiang and a 34-year-old surnamed Luo work for the same local company, while the 30-year-old illegal worker surnamed He is an overstayer.In a regular press conference on

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Air & ferry passengers from Macau must show NAT proof from tomorrow

The local government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement last night that with effect from 6 a.m. tomorrow all air and ferry passengers departing from Macau must present a nucleic acid test (NAT) certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past seven days.The statement said that the new measure is to protect the safety of crew members and other passengers.The statement said that the NAT certificate can be displayed on

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Bureau urges public to watch out for calls by fake education officials

A number of residents reported to the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) on Saturday that they had received calls or voice messages from people claiming to be DSEJ officials to discuss scholarship matters or conduct surveys, the bureau said in a statement on Saturday.According to the statement, the citizens told the bureau on Saturday that they had received calls or voice messages in English on their fixed-line telephones about the scholarship application and approval procedures. They

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Man damages ‘inconveniently’ parked car: police

A man was arrested early this month for damaging a car often “inconveniently” parked in a car park in Rua Central da Areia Preta, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesperson said in a regular press conference on Friday.The suspect, who was arrested on July 4, is a 50-year-old local resident.According to the spokesperson, a car owner reported to the police recently that someone had damaged his vehicle, causing an estimated loss of 1,500 patacas. The victim told the police he discovered that

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Nurse removes nearly 200 light covers, LED lamps from corridors: police

A man went to a police station last Thursday to confess that he had removed nearly 200 light covers and LED lamps from the corridors of two buildings, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Sou Sio Keong said in a regular press conference on Friday. The 32-year-old local suspect surnamed Wong told the police that he works as a nurse in the public Conde de S. Januário Hospital Centre.According to Sou, a property management company reported to the police on June 25 that a large number of light

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Travel curtailment? Just enjoy places locally

Commentary by Swallow Xu*At 9:20 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, I was gasping in the queue when a friend told me on WeChat that I could not cross to Macau from the Gongbei border, which was soon to close at 10 p.m. But I just went ahead with a gambling spirit… I felt as if I had won a huge prize when I finally, successfully, crossed into Macau. It was my last “legal” day of being allowed to be in Zhuhai, as my 1-week-valid nucleic test (negative) would expire the next day, and government

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Hush!! Full Music 2020 event – local artists’ hold workshops

Feature by Camy Tam“Hush!! Full Music 2020”, an event organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) in conjunction with the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), started on June 21 with an online gig called “Music Day Online” as well as a raft of music activities last week in different areas of the city such as music workshops, according to a statement by the bureau.The statement underlined that the workshops aim to promote diverse kinds of music and provide exchange opportunities for artists

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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Snapshots of daily life as city tackles COVID-19

A discarded facemask lies on the ground at the entrance to Hac Sa Reservoir Natural Park in Coloane.People take photos at the Summer Sunflower Garden in Hac Sa Reservoir Natural Park in Coloane. Some 1,500 sunflowers that the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has planted in the garden are currently in full bloom. The park is open 24 hours daily.Photos taken on Friday by Monica Leong

July 13, 2020 | BY admin

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