Tackling COVID-19 – a high-wire act without a safety net yet – Editorial

Editorial       The haphazard way some governments such as those of the US and UK have been tackling COVID-19 reminds me of flying trapeze acts without safety harnesses or at least a safety net by circus performers in the not-so-distant past. Nowadays, trapeze acts generally require safety inspections by the authorities before the performers are allowed to take off from a slim board on the fly bar. As a kid I was fascinated by the daredevil circus performances a few times a

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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MGTO marks World Tourism Day with events

Yesterday’s World Tourism Day, which takes place annually on September 27, was themed “Tourism and Rural Development” this year, and the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) organised a string of activities to mark the occasion for residents and visitors alike, including its traditional Tray Race, the office said in a statement.MGTO’s Acting Director Ricky Hoi Io Meng went to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal in the morning to present welcome souvenirs to two “Lucky Tourists” –

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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Man cheats 3 friends out of HK$3.74 million

A local man was arrested on Wednesday for cheating three friends out of HK$3.74 million claiming that he could help them buy brand-named watches and set up a mortgage loan company, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lai Man Vai said at a regular press conference on Friday.The 31-year-old suspect surnamed Tam told the police that he is a businessman.According to Lai, two women and a man reported to the police on May 11 that they had been defrauded by Tam in 2018.  The three local victims are

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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IAM to require barbecue site users to make appointment

Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) President José Maria da Fonseca Tavares said last week that his bureau was considering requiring those who want to use its barbecue sites to make an online appointment first, once the sites reopen after their COVID-19 epidemic-induced temporary closures.Tavares also said his bureau was still studying how to implement the Health Bureau’s (SSM) “rigorous” guidelines on COVID-19 prevention measures at barbecue sites, adding that IAM officials still needed time

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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Novel coronavirus kills over 1 million: report

The novel coronavirus has killed more than one million people, the real-time statistics reference website worldometers.info reported late last night (Macau time). According to the website, the number of COVID-19 victims stood at 1,000,587 at 1:50 a.m. today, when the number of confirmed patients amounted to 33,211,182, of who 24,532,384 had recovered. Among the 213 countries and territories, the US (7.29 million), India (6.05 million), Brazil (4.71 million) and Russia (1.15 million)

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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IAM removes rabbit lanterns over plagiarism doubts

The rabbit lantern installation featuring an orange sphere that occupied the lawn of a sitting-out area in Nam Van was abruptly removed because it raised the “public’s doubts” that it may have breached intellectual property rights, Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) Member of the Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs Ma Kam Keong said last week. Ma made the comments on Friday during a press conference after its regular monthly meeting at its headquarters in the city centre.During

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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China upholds multilateralism for shared future

Commentary         BEIJING – In the face of global challenges, China upholds multilateralism as embodied in international institutions such as the United Nations, pledging to promote a community with a shared future for mankind.The UN was founded 75 years ago as a mechanism designed to promote peace, cooperation and stability worldwide. From the 75 years since its founding, China has always been a staunch builder, defender and practitioner of multilateralism.“We

September 28, 2020 | BY admin

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Macau garners 4 Gold Awards during virtual PATA Travel Mart 2020

Macau received a record four Grand and Gold Awards for its “exceptional achievements” in different areas of the tourism industry at this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards presentation,the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has announced.  According to an MGTO statement, the awards were announced during a virtual ceremony on Thursday. MGTO garnered two Gold Awards and the public Macau Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) one, while gaming operator MGM China

September 26, 2020 | BY admin

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Macau to hold 3 expos next month to promote online trade

Macau will hold three exhibitions late next month to help exhibitors and fairgoers expand their online business and explore new opportunities, the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has announced. The 25th Macau International Trade and Investment Fair (25th MIF), Macau Franchise Expo 2020 (2020 MFE), and 2020 Portuguese-Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition(2020 PLPEX) will be held concurrently at the Venetian's Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Cotai on

September 26, 2020 | BY admin

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Local residents' jobless rate climbs to 4 pct

Macau's general unemployment rate for June-August stood at 2.8 percent, while local residents' jobless rate amounted to 4.0 percent, up by 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points respectively from the previous survey period (May-July), the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced today According to a DSEC statement, Macau's total labour force was 404,000 in June-August, while the labour force participation rate amounted to 70.2 percent. While total employment stood at 392,500, the number

September 25, 2020 | BY admin

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COVID-19 impact reduces non-resident workers by over 10,000

   Macau's number of non-resident workers fell by 10,787, or 5.5 percent, from 193,498 at the end of January to 182,711 at the end of last month, according to figures released by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) today.Macau recorded its first COVID-19 case on January 22. As part of the government's various measures against the novel coronavirus threat, foreign non-resident workers have been barred from entering Macau since March 18. At the end of August, most foreign non-resident

September 25, 2020 | BY admin

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Free flu shots to start on Monday

The Health Bureau (SSM) announced yesterday that its annual free flu shots for residents will start on Monday.According to an SSM statement, the vaccinations will cover the 2020-21 northern hemisphere flu season period.The bureau said that it has ordered 180,000 doses of quadrivalent flu vaccines for the seasonal influenza shots.The vaccination campaign is free of charge for children aged at least six months, young people until the age of 18, pregnant women, those suffering from chronic

September 25, 2020 | BY admin

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Snapshots of city’s daily life during COVID-19

Locals, just a few of them not wearing facemasks, visit a park as part of the government-subsidised “Macao Ready Go!” programme earmarked to help the tourism sector cope with the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their income.Pedestrians not wearing facemasks take photos in an alley selling street snacks and drinks popular among mainland tourists.A man wearing a facemask (left) stands next to boxes piled up outside a cosmetics shop in Largo do Senado.Workers set up a pavilion in

September 25, 2020 | BY admin

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Sexagenarian nabbed for stealing sports shirt ‘out of greed’

A local man was arrested on Monday for stealing a sports shirt from a sportswear store in Rua do Campo, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Choi Iok Kin said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.The jobless suspect surnamed Lou is in his sixtiesAccording to Choi, the store reported to the police on Sunday afternoon that a sports shirt worth 600 patacas had vanished from one of its display shelves. Thanks to the store’s CCTV footage, PSP officers discovered at about 4 p.m. that

September 25, 2020 | BY admin

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