This coming week, one of the few doors open to the outside world will close. Im obviously talking about the direct corridor to the Hong Kong International Airport. It will close for an undefined period, a duration no one ventures to guess. There is no way that fact can be shown in a positive light.

It is often said that whenever we close a door, we should strive to open a window, at least. That is not happening here, and that can only increase the gloom from our current predicament. When one should be looking for new doors to open, as a matter of priority, we close one of the few existing ones without any real explanation of why that is or had to be so.

It isnt easy to understand why direct access to the Hong Kong airport cannot be maintained or even expended according to circumstances and needs. We duly celebrated its opening as a sign of an improving situation; the closing can only be lamented.

The remaining doors are very narrow, be it the Zhuhai crossing, or the odd flight out. Months without a single internal Covid-91 case, we live as a city under siege. Meanwhile, the economy keeps sinking to unbelievable lows.The economic, social, and emotional tolls will be very high.

Nobody doubts this economy is particularly sensitive to disturbances in the region because of political instability, health emergencies, and whatnot. In case of a crisis, such as the current one, the immediate consequences in both social and economic levels are clear; and the full longer-term impact, by nature uncertain, can be massive.

All this is well-know. It is a distinctive feature of the economy and has been so for decades. There are no easy or short-term solutions for that, as time has shown again and again. That is the reality; we have to deal with it. Admittedly, most of the answers do not depend on us alone, if at all, in some cases. But in what does, we should be showing our temper.

We can monitor our few and well-defined entry points appropriately. Opening more and broader doors should be our top priority. Pushing hard with our friends across the border is one way to go. Further, wouldnt it be time to use our airport more intently, as a big window to the region and the world?Airlines with loads of craft stuck on the ground might even fly to the rescue.

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OPINION-Opening windows - Macau Business

Macau residents are more and more aware of the value of world heritage in daily life, as well as the importance of safeguarding it, defended the president of the Cultural Institute (IC).

Mok Ian Ian was speaking at the opening ceremony of two days of activities that mark the 15th anniversary of Macaus historic center being inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The historic center, with its European-style squares and squares, its Chinese-style temples, its western-style churches and theaters and its mansions with Chinese and Western elements, tells the world the history of Macau, a city which is distinguished by its multicultural origins and characteristics , said the official.

The ICs work seeks, through various activities to raise awareness among the youngest sections of the population, to enhance the sustainable development of this precious and non-reproducible resource and to guarantee the future preservation of Macaus world cultural heritage, which belongs to all humanity, she stressed.

Portuguese folk dances, lion dances and Cantonese opera dominate the celebrations program, which until today (Sunday), also offers games, thematic exhibition, workshops and the sale of cultural and creative products.

The event takes place at Casa do Mandarim and Largo do Lilau, two spaces that are part of the world heritage list and bear witness to the oldest European architectural legacy on Chinese soil today, according to the evaluation of the World Heritage Committee of the historic center of Macau.

Traditional Chinese style building, Casa do Mandarim was built before 1869 and is located right in front of Largo do Lilau, one of the first Portuguese style squares in the city.

The historic center of Macau was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 15, 2005, having been designated as the 31st World Heritage Site in China.

The classification includes several historical buildings constructed by the Portuguese, including the building and Leal Senado square, Holly House of Mercy, the churches of S, So Loureno, Santo Antnio, Santo Agostinho, So Domingos, the Ruins of So Paulo and Company of Jesus square or the fortress of Guia.

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Residents increasingly aware of the value of world heritage in the city | - Macau Business

The Economic Services Bureau (DSE) said in a statement on Thursday that 614,000 residents have collected their first round of consumption subsidy smartcards, which equates to 93 per cent of those registered.

According to a DSE statement earlier this year, 658,000 residents registered for the government-issued consumption promotion cards known in Cantonese as siufai kat.

Consequently, some 40,000 residents have still not picked up their cards.

In the first tranche of the scheme, residents were provided with MOP 3,000 to spend by 31 July, thus the bureau on Thursday urged all those who have yet to collect their cards to pick them up and use them as soon as possible, as any amount remaining on the card after 31 July would return to the public coffers, the statement said.

According to Thursdays statement, registrants must pick up their smartcards on or before next Friday at one of the following locations during office hours: the Economic Service Bureau in Rua do Doutor Pedro Jos Lobo; the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) branch in Avenida de Sidnio Pais, or the Government Service Centres in Areia Preta and Taipa.

According to a statement earlier this year, the government plans to spend MOP 2.2 billion on the first-phase of the consumption subsidy scheme and MOP 3.6 billion on the second phase of the scheme.

The second phase of the scheme will see residents receiving MOP 5,000.

Residents can only spend up to MOP 300 per day during the first-phase of the consumption subsidy scheme, while the second phase will continue to have a daily maximum amount of spending, but it may change after the government assesses the spending patterns during the first phase, the earlier government statement said.

That statement also noted that those who lose their consumption smartcard will not be issued a new one.

The statement also noted that as the second-phase subsidy of MOP 5,000 will be added to the same card, residents should keep their cards safe to ensure that they dont lose it. Residents who lose their card are required to report the loss to the police, the statement said.

The government has not decided whether or not any resident who did not pick up his or her first round smartcard, will be able to collect the card for the second round.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)

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Over 40000 haven't collected their consumer cards - Macau News

Formula One drivers and teams have been warned they risk prison sentences and fines if they ignore strict coronavirus lockdown measures to be imposed at next weekends Hungarian Grand Prix.

An announcement by the Hungarian Government, with special focus on people from Britain and non-EU countries, was sent to the teams at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday, according to Autosport.

The report said that those who break the lockdown measures would face imprisonment or a 15,000 Euros fine.

An official communication, sent to the teams, was quoted saying: Attendees of UK or other non-EU or EEA nationality should not leave the venue, or their accommodation, for any reason other than for travel between the two locations and for their pre-arranged arrival and departure to and from Hungary.

The document, a copy of which has been seen by Autosport, added that attendees of UK or other non-EU or EEA nationality may not use public transport and taxis.

Any meals should be taken at either the venue or the accommodation and any free time should be spent within the boundaries of the accommodation.

Failure to adhere to these additional restrictions will be punishable by the Hungarian authorities and may result in imprisonment and/or fines of up to approximately 15,000 Euros.

Seven Formula One teams are based in Britain and the restrictions are expected to apply to most of the 2,000 people expected to be present at the Hungarian race.

It was made clear also that it was recommended that all F1 personnel who travel to Budapest adhere to the Hungarian restrictions.

The warning comes as F1s governing body the FIA are investigating Ferraris Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes for leaving the Formula One bubble at Spielberg this week to return home to Monaco.

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F1 teams in prison threat over Hungarian lockdown - Macau Business

Mars may now be considered a barren, icy desert but did Earths nearest neighbour once harbour life?

It is a question that has preoccupied scientists for centuries and fired up sci-fi imaginings.

Now three space exploration projects are gearing up to launch some of the most ambitious bids yet to find an answer.

Scientists believe that four billion years ago the two planets both had the potential to nurture life but much of Mars intervening history is an enigma.

The new Mars probes from the United States, United Arab Emirates and China will launch this summer.

Their goal is not to find Martian life scientists believe nothing would survive there now but to search for possible traces of past lifeforms.

These vast and costly programmes could prove futile. But astrobiologists say the red planet is still our best hope for finding a record of life on other planets.

Mars is the only planet with concrete chances of finding traces of extraterrestrial life because we know that billions of years ago it was inhabitable, said Jean-Yves Le Gall, president of French space agency CNES in a conference call with journalists this week.

Le Gall is one of the architects of NASAs Mars 2020 exploratory probe, which is scheduled for launch at the end of July when Earth and Mars will be the closest for more than two years.

The more than $2.5 billion project is the latest and most technologically advanced attempt to uncover Mars deep buried secrets.

But it is not alone, as enthusiasm for space exploration has reignited.

Scientific enquiry of the red planet began in earnest in the 17th Century.

In 1609 Italian Galileo Galilei observed Mars with a primitive telescope and in doing so became the first person to use the new technology for astronomical purposes.

Fifty years later Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens used a more advanced telescope of his own design to make the first ever topographical drawing of the planet.

Mars compared to the desolate, empty moon has long seemed promising for potential inhabitability by microorganisms, wrote astrophysicist Francis Rocard in his recent essay Latest News from Mars.

But the 20th century presented setbacks.

In the 1960s, as the race to put a man on the moon was accelerating towards its dazzling Giant Leap, Dian Hitchcock and James Lovelock were putting a dampener on hopes of finding life on Mars.

Their research analysed the planets atmosphere looking for a chemical imbalance, gases reacting with each other, which would hint at life.

If there is no reaction, then there is probably no life there, Lovelock told AFP.

And that was the case Mars has an atmosphere that is completely inactive as far as chemistry is concerned.

Their conclusion was confirmed a decade later, when the Viking landers took atmospheric and soil samples that showed the planet was no longer inhabitable.

This discovery was a real tanker for Mars research, Rocard told AFP.

Mars programmes essentially paused for 20 years.

Then in 2000 scientists made a game-changing discovery: they found that water had once flowed over its surface.

This tantalising finding helped rekindle the latent interest in Mars exploration.

Scientists pored over images of gullies, ravines, scouring the Martian surface for evidence of liquid water.

More than 10 years later, in 2011, they definitively found it.

The follow the water, follow the carbon, follow the light strategy has paid off, Rocard said.

Every mission since the discovery of water has brought more and more evidence to light that Mars is not quite as dead as we thought, Michel Viso, an astrobiologist at CNES, told AFP.

The latest US rover to make the journey aptly named Perseverance is scheduled to touch down in February of next year after a six-month journey from launch time.

The probe is perhaps the most highly-awaited yet. Its landing spot, the Jezero Crater, may have once been a wide, 45-kilometre river delta.

Rich in sedimentary rocks, such as clay and carbonates the same types of rocks that hold fossil traces on Earth Jezero could be a treasure trove.

Or perhaps not.

We know that water once flowed, but the question remains: for how long? asked Rocard. We dont even know how long it took for life to appear on Earth.

If the mission can bring these rocks back to Earth they might yield answers to the questions that have long confounded scientists.

But they will have to wait at least 10 years for the analysis to be available.

Viso said the results will likely be a bundle of clues rather than a clear answer.

Scientists are also considering perhaps an even more profound question.

If life never existed on Mars, then why not?

The answer to this could enrich our understanding of how life developed on our own planet, Jorge Vago, the spokesperson of the European Space Agency said.

Due to shifting plate tectonics below the Earths core, it is exceedingly difficult to find any traces of life here before 3.5 billion years ago.

Mars has no tectonic plates and so there is a chance that four-billion-year-old signs of life that one could never find on Earth may be preserved there, Vago said.

And if the latest Mars programmes fail to find signs of ancient Martian life, there are always further frontiers to explore.

Encelade and Europe, two of Saturns and Jupiters moons, respectively are considered promising contenders.

Although reaching them remains more science fiction than reality.

by Kelly MacNamara/Juliette Collen

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The quest to find signs of ancient life on Mars - Macau Business

Around 47,000 people have participated, to date, in the 15 local tourist routes launched by the Government of Macau to boost the economy, affected by the covid-19, said the director of Tourism Services.

This domestic tourism plan is evaluated at weekly coordination meetings, including the possibility of launching more itineraries, given the high demand, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said.

One possibility is to include more points of the citys cultural heritage, but residents usually seek more indoor and family activities, such as workshops, she noted.

However, plans are always undergoing adjustments due to the covid-19 pandemic. There are many uncertainties that lead us to make several adjustments, she added.

Launched on June 15, the domestic tourism plan Vamos Macau (Macao Go) includes 15 itineraries, six community and nine leisure, with residents receiving 560 patacas if they participate in two excursions, the maximum limit defined by the authorities.

The Government has allocated 280 million patacas through the Macau Foundation, to subsidize residents who participate in the itineraries, which include excursions through old parts of the city, nature tourism, shows and gastronomy.

The objective is to help small businesses, affected by the crisis motivated by the covid-19 and which practically paralyzed the engine of the SARs economy, the gaming and tourism industry, due to border restrictions and the absence of tourists.

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Nearly 47,000 residents have participated in tourist itineraries | - Macau Business

Facebook on Friday said it is banning content that promotes conversion therapy, which is based on the unfounded notion that gays can change their sexual orientation through psychological or spiritual intervention.

Facebook and its image-centric social network Instagram are updating policies to require removal of content that directly promotes conversion therapy when such posts are flagged by users, according to the California-based internet giant.

The move is an extension of an existing ban on ads that promote the tactic, which medical experts consider ineffective and often harmful.

We dont allow attacks against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity and are updating our policies to ban the promotion of conversion therapy services, a Facebook spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry.

We are always reviewing our policies and will continue to consult with experts and people with personal experiences to inform our approach.

Conversion therapy interventions include electric shock, food deprivation and chemically-induced nausea, the American Medical Association has said in a report.

Empirical evidence demonstrates that sexuality and gender identities in people vary naturally, with the idea of conversion a misconception, the report said.

Such sexual orientation change efforts not only dont work, they may cause significant distress, the AMA said, citing a study showing they caused depression, anxiety, alienation, and other ill effects.

Another study cited by the AMA found that nearly 30 percent of people who underwent conversion therapy reported suicide attempts.

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Facebook bans content promoting 'conversion therapy' - Macau Business

The government may impose stricter measures on the issuing of Non-Resident Workers Permits, commonly known as blue cards, in order to protect local workers amid the recent rise in unemployment.Official data shows that the general unemployment rate for March-May 2020 stood at 2.4%, the highest figure since 2011, demonstrating the economic impact of Covid-19.According to human resources experts, the government has been imposing tougher measures on those applying for new quotas from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL).For new applications, I have seen that the government is definitely not as quick as before [to approve quotas], particularly for the unskilled workers, said Jacinta Ho, the founder and managing director of JC Human Resources Consulting.With the clients Im dealing with, the government, most of the time, is still renewing [quotas]. What I see is that if the company or organization is seen to have been taking good care of their local staff, then the government will renew [the working permits], Ho added.On the contrary, the consulting firm has had some of its clients show initiative and cancel quotas that could not be used due to the closure of the border and other reasons.The city still has entry bans on foreigners in place that cover blue card holders and tourists from outside of the greater China region.Recently, small and large corporations have let go of their staff, particularly non-resident workers. A few have even chartered flights to send their employees back to their home countries.The Times contacted the DSAL and the Public Security Police Force, which oversees immigration matters in the SAR, to confirm whether there are plans to impose measures to protect local employment. No reply was received by press time.In the city, laying off a resident identity card holder is somewhat stigmatized, as the law states that non-residents should only be hired based on resident workers unavailability or inability to occupy similar positions.According to the aforementioned law, the needs of the labor market should be considered when issuing a quota.For human resource expert Leanda Care, it has always a balancing act for Macau between the workforce demand and supply in terms of both worker numbers and skills shortages.However, what the city needs is a list of vacancies that are to be filled by blue card quotas, whether these are domestic helper quotas, or skilled or unskilled working permits.These needs are communicated publicly [in other jurisdictions], said Care, who is also a contributing editor at Macau Daily Times. What we rarely see is a transparent needs analysis a stock-take of the human resource requirements now and also those projected into the future, and then have those needs matched against the local workforce supply.Such a scheme would make it clear to blue card applicants (both employers and employees) whether a position is likely to be approved.Non-resident workers can also be said to contribute to the SARs cultural and ethnic diversity and such criteria could also be taken into account.If such a system were in place, blue card workers would not be seen as taking jobs away from the local workforce, but as crucial contributors to Macau.The rhetoric of blue card bad needs to change, Care said.Although the citys unemployment rate has been stable and near zero for the past decade, the economic impact of Covid-19 has magnified issues for non-resident workers.Tougher policies on the issuing of blue cards have been expected since Covid-19 took hold. However, the immediate impact of this policy has meant that employers are trying to backfill positions that were filled by blue card holders.Because the gaming revenue, which is the main driver for large hotel groups and concessionaires, recorded a sharp decrease, the backfills are not coming back so quickly, said Alan Chan, managing director of TalentGroup Asia, a human resources solutions provider.Local employment is not going to see a dramatic benefit in the short run. Another key factor that has been pointed out is that job types including housekeeping, cleaning, security, are not the typical job types filled by locals easily, Chan commented.Echoing the same sentiment, Ho suggested that a good ratio between local and non-local residents should be in place. She noted that it would be difficult for local residents to fill the positions of non-resident workers as they are not a fan of [these difficult] jobs.JC Human Resources Consulting has seen a sharp 80% to 90% decrease in job postings. The remaining postings are mostly from IT or financial institutions.Furthermore, Jassy Santos, president of the Progressive Union of Domestic Workers ofMacau, commented that tougher measures would not benefit non-residents. Lamenting the citys new laws, Santos said non-resident workers, particularly domestic helpers, are always put at a disadvantage.Santos was also referring to the law forbidding tourists from searching for jobs that will be enacted by October.I dont think there will be local residents that would be interested in domestic work, which involves long hours and [low] wages, said the leader of the migrant worker group.

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Govt seen to tighten issuing of blue cards - Macau Daily Times

Police say the teacher became worried that he might have committed a serious offence and was also afraid the school might find out about it. (AFP pic)

ALOR SETAR: A teacher at a school in Changlun near here lost RM333,000 in a Macau scam.

Kedah Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Elias Omar said on June 29, a 51-year-old teacher was conned over the phone by an individual claiming to be a Pos Malaysia worker.

The suspect introduced himself as calling from Pos Malaysia and said that the victim had sent a package containing his identity card and bank card. He connected him to another call.

Another suspect, introducing himself as Insp Mazlan from the Seremban police headquarters, informed the victim that he was involved in a drug trafficking syndicate and accused him of making money by illegal means, Elias said in a statement here today.

After that, the victim was put in contact through the phone with another suspect, who introduced himself as Insp Chong, who offered to help the victim resolve the case but demanded a payment.

According to Elias, the teacher became worried that he might have committed a serious offence and was also afraid the school might find out about it.

He then transferred the money in stages from June 29 to July 3 through 37 transactions to four bank accounts.

On July 6, the victim received a phone call from an unidentified man who informed the victim that he had been convicted by the court. The person asked the victim for another RM100,000 for bail, but by then the victim had begun having doubts and realised he had been duped, he said.

Elias said the RM333,000 lost in the Macau scam was the highest recorded in Kedah this month and the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

Police advise the public not to be fooled by phone calls from strangers who claim to be police officers and to always check first the validity of the information received.

Single mum loses RM40,450 in love scam

In KEPALA BATAS, a single mother lost RM40,450 after being smitten by the sweet words of her so-called lover whom she had befriended via social media.

Seberang Perai district police chief Noorzainy Mohd Noor said according to the 57-year-old retiree, she had gotten acquainted in May to a businessman who claimed to live in London via Facebook.

After several weeks, the man asked the victim to open a bank account to facilitate his business dealings in the country, he said in a statement today.

Noorzainy said the victim not only opened a new bank account but also posted the automated teller machine (ATM) card to the suspect.

He said the man later told the victim that he wanted to send gifts, including a handbag, a mobile phone and cash as a token of their love.

The woman was then contacted by an agent of a courier company who asked the victim to make a payment into several bank accounts before she could receive the gifts.

Believing that the gifts were from her lover, the victim made four payments into two accounts totalling RM40,450, he said.

The victim only realised she had been duped after failing to contact the suspect, Noorzainy said, adding that the woman lodged a police report yesterday.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

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Teacher duped of RM333,000 in Macau scam | Free Malaysia Today - Free Malaysia Today

China says it will not stage any international sports for the rest of the year, apart from trials for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and the neighboring city of Zhangjiakou.The order from the General Administration of Sports affects at least six WTA tennis events, including the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in November. China also has four ATP tournaments lined up.Shanghai was also due to host two big golf events, the mens HSBC Champions, a World Golf Championship event two weeks after the LPGA Shanghai.Xiamen was to host the Asian sport climbing championships in October, and Guangzhou the badminton World Tour Finals in December.The decision puts paid to any chance of reviving Formula Ones Shanghai Grand Prix postponed in April, and affects two cycling stage races in October, the mens Tour of Guangxi, and the womens Tour of Chongming Island.The General Administration of Sports cited science and order in issuing its plan to proceed yesterday.

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The Buzz | China cancels all international sports events for the year - Macau Daily Times

The first race day of this years Macao International Dragon Boat Races was held yesterday with standard body temperature detection installed, but no space allocated for social distancing in the athlete preparation area. Athletes and onlookers told the Times that the first major event of the year had energized the public after months of reduced social activity.The Nam Van Lake Nautical Center was divided into several sections, namely the business area, the spectator stands and the athlete area. Each area has only one entrance. Upon passing an entrance, all athletes and spectators had to present their Green Macau Health Code and have their body temperature measured.Previously, the Sports Bureau (ID), citing advice from the Health Bureau, announced that all people attending the event, including spectators and athletes, must wear a facemask at all times, except for athletes who are racing.However, viewing the event yesterday, which took place all afternoon, under a baking sun that eclipsed for about an hour, the Times observed that only a few people were following the IDs request.The number of seats has been reduced to about 2,000, half the number from last year. Although spectators were encouraged to keep an arms distance apart, the social distancing was only lightly enforced.The ID seemed to care more about the wellbeing of journalists, as every other seat in the media area was cordoned off, enforcing social distancing for journalists.The ID has also stated that this year fewer teams would be able to participate in the races due to a capping as part of the health measures. The athletes waiting area, however, did not reflect that requirement because the same amount of space was allotted to host waiting athletes. Although less packed than last year, the area was still crowded.Furthermore, at the preparation area, athletes were required to sit shoulder to shoulder as if they were already on the boat.Yesterday, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center issued a statement to remind the general public to avoid gathering in groups even when conducting sporting events.Despite the conditions, athletes, spectators and stall operators said they were satisfied with the hosting of the dragon boat races despite the Covid-19 pandemic still being severe in many places. Many have described the reduced social activity of the past four months as demoralizing. Members of the public told the Times yesterday that seeing the races going ahead had energized the city.Linda Chen, Vice Chairperson and Chief Operating Officer of Wynn Macau Ltd., who was present at the athlete rest area to show support to the companys team, shares this view.She said that it was only due to many peoples efforts that this year can see the races go ahead as in previous years, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. It is an unprecedented period, the executive stressed.Discussing the performance of the team, she said she was satisfied with the members diligence amid all the hardship faced. There has been limited time for practice, Chen said. The lake has been cordoned off for months in order to contain Covid-19, so they could not practice hands-on.Despite the challenges, our team members have kept practicing at home, Chen revealed. Some of them have even sacrificed time with their children to do training at home.The same strategy was also used by the University of Macau team, which won the title in the University Group. The teams coach Lei said that members were reminded to practice at home.The Marine and Water Bureau, the Municipal Affairs Bureau and the Macau Red Cross won the top three positions in the Public Entity Group.The Association of Macao Youth Development beat SJM Lotus A in the Womans 200m Category and Baa do Mar Amizade ended third place.Finally, Suncity Legend, SJM Golden Jubilee B and A took the top three places in 200m Open Category, respectively.

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First dragon boat race day ends with conflicting advice on Covid-19 - Macau Daily Times

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre calls on the organisers and participants of festivals, cultural, recreational and sporting activities to strictly control the number of participants to 50 per cent or less of the general capacity of the site and to measure the temperature of all those who enter the venue.

According to information released on Sunday by the centre, all participants in the events have to present the Macao Health Code.

All participants and workers in the activity should, as far as possible, wear a mask during the entire process, removing the mask only when necessary, such as for eating. And when removing the mask, they should keep at least 1 metre away from others, the centre said.

The statement also indicated clearly that if due to the nature of the activity, participants cannot wear a mask, such as in physical exercises, sports competitions, shows, etc., and a minimum distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained during the process, a new nucleic acid test must be performed before collective training or testing.

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre also stressed thatto reduce the risk of transmission of the virus during collective festivals and cultural, recreational and sporting activities, the organising entities and participants must strictly comply with the guidelines of the Health Services, and must not, during the event, let their guard down, but must continue to maintain preventive and control measures such as adequate distance, use of a mask and handwashing.

Organising entities must place notices at the event location reminding participants not to meet and pay attention to personal hygiene, as well as advise them to disperse or leave; reinforce the cleaning and disinfection of equipment and objects at the event, especially in places with easy access to hands and sanitary facilities, and in certain places of the event, especially where there are no sanitary or handwashing facilities, and establish the quantity necessary alcohol disinfectant for public use, the centres statement said.

The statement was published when the Macao International Dragon Boat Races started at the Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre on Sunday which will end on June 25.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)PHOTO Macau Daily Times

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Government reiterates need for special health measures during events and festivals - Macau News

Social distancing and face masks were largely forgotten as thousands of French people danced and partied well into Monday in the first big blow out since the coronavirus lockdown.

The annual midsummer Festival of Music usually brings millions of people out onto the streets across the country for impromptu concerts in cafes and on street corners that go on long into the night.

And despite emergency measures which ban gatherings of more than 10 people, thousands thronged the trendy Canal Saint Martin and the Marais districts of Paris late Sunday to dance and sing along to bands and DJs.

Not even heavy showers could dampen spirits, with few beyond those serving spicey merguez sausages from street stalls bothering to wear masks.

The Festival of Music is important, its a national event, 28-year-old reveller Violette told AFP as she boogied to a band in northern Paris.

And she laughed at the idea that people would be strictly respecting social distancing.

Not at all, she said.

But many who watched the crowds on the streets were horrified, taking to social media to voice fears of a second wave of infections.

What a brilliant idea! A Festival of Music just as we are going out of a major health emergency, one Twitter user commented.

Although none of the usual big set-piece extravaganzas were held beyond what French electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre had billed as the worlds first live virtual avatar concert, many felt the authorities had been too lax.

A senior doctor atthe Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris, where many COVID-19 sufferers are still being treated, criticised the decision to let the festival go ahead.

This is not what a gradual end to the lockdown looks like, said Dr Gilbert Deray.

I understand that the Festival of Music is something of a liberation, but did we really have to have it this year?

Cinemas also reopened in France on Monday for the first time since the lockdown began in March.

The 5 Caumartin cinema in Paris opened one minute after midnight for a red-carpet champagne and popcorn sneak preview of the upcoming French comedy, Les Parfums (The Perfumes), about a prima donna perfume nose, who comes up with new fragrances.

There are no words to describe what I feel. I have been waiting for this for 99 days, cinema manager Louis Merle told the 120 people who had queued up for their first big-screen experience since March 17.

Watching series on Netflix is one thing, but the cinema is something else, said the films star Emmanuelle Devos.

Even though cinemas have reopened, they are far from back to normal.

The authorities insist that screenings can never be more than half full with a free seat either side of each filmgoer.

And everyone must wear masks as they queue for tickets and in the corridors.

Even so, pollsters estimate that 18.7 million French people almost a third of the population plan to go see a film in the next month.

by Fiachra GIBBONS

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Paris throws off mask to party like the virus never was - Macau Business

The Macau consumption incentive plan will inject up to MOP2.4 billion (US$300.6 million) into the local economy, estimates released today (Monday) by local authorities reveal.

The creation of an electronic consumer card was one of the measures taken by the Government of Macau to relaunch the economy and help residents face the Covid-19 pandemic.

Between May, June and July, each resident of Macau is entitled to MOP3,000 patacas to spend on local businesses. With this measure, the Macau government injected MOP1.8 billion into the local economy.

In a press conference that served to present the interim report of the consumption subsidy plan, the authorities of the territory indicated that, until June 15, the 600,171 residents who joined the program had spent a total of MOP1.46 billion by using the consumer card.

Until June 15, each resident had spent an average of MOP2,481 patacas on the card, which has a total credit limit of MOP3,000.

The Government estimated that this consumption incentive plan could benefit the local economy in an amount between MOP1.8 million and MOP2.4 billion.

Stabilizing the consumer environment, increasing business confidence, relieving pressure from residents, further generalizing, even more, the use of electronic payment instruments, thus improving future development by commercial establishments, was the assessment made by the Government on the use of consumer cards.

According to the report, of the total amount provided by the Macau Government, 24 per cent was spent on the food and beverage sector, while 70 per cent was spent on retail trade.

On the same occasion, the director of the Economic Services Bureau (DSE), Tai Kin Ip, stated that more than 60 per cent of the total amount of transactions was placed in SMEs [small and medium-sized companies].

The results of the questionnaire survey show that more than 60 per cent of retailers and more than 40 per cent of retailers indicated that half or more than half of their turnover came from consumer cards, the government stated in the same press conference.

The Macau Government also noted that the consumer subsidies plan also served to change the habits of payment methods by residents, with a substantial increase in the use of mobile payments.

Since the announcement of the plan, in February, up to May, more than 14,000 mobile payment devices and QR codes were installed in commercial establishments.

In May alone, the authorities stressed, mobile payments rose by 25 per cent and their amount increased by 54 per cent, in relation to the previous period of the epidemic.

This year, starting in August, each resident will also benefit from another MOP5,000 patacas to be credited from the electronic consumption card.

Macau was one of the first territories to identify cases of infection with Covid-19 in late January. The territory then registered a first wave of ten cases, and another of 35, from March.

The city has had no new cases since April 9 and currently has no active cases, after the last patient was discharged on April 19.

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Local consumption incentive plan to inject up to MOP2.4 bln into the economy - Macau Business

The British government said Monday it was determined to right the wrongs of its treatment of Britons of Caribbean origin who were detained or deported as illegal immigrants.

Interior minister Priti Patel and Derek Webley, a senior church leader, will chair a cross-government working group to address the scandal involving the Windrush generation.

They were targeted despite moving to Britain legally in the 1950s and 1960s.

The move comes after an official report published in March found successive governments pushing a hard line on illegal immigration showed a complete disregard for their plight.

It also follows widespread anti-racism protests, sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the United States, which have focused renewed attention on Britains colonial past.

National Windrush Day is being marked for the second year running on Monday, to pay tribute to the contribution of the Windrush generation.

It commemorates the day in 1948 when the Empire Windrush ship first arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex, southeast England, carrying Caribbean migrants to help fill jobs in Britain.

The government said it gave 500,000 ($621,000, 554,000 euros) to English community groups and local authorities to host events to mark the occasion.

Patel said the new group was crucial to delivering on our promise to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation.

The scandal began to surface in 2017 after it emerged that hundreds and potentially thousands of Britons had been caught up in successive immigration clampdowns.

Their statuses were regularised in 1971 but few were given any official documentation nor were records kept.

The subsequent inquiry found the interior ministry had shown an institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness towards the issue of race and the history of those involved.

Wendy Williams, the reports author, warned Sunday there was a grave risk of similar failures happening again if the government does not implement its dozens of recommendations.

Figures released last month showed fewer than 5.0 percent of claims under the governments Windrush compensation scheme have been paid out so far.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan called on the government to learn from their suffering and end what he said was a hostile environment faced by immigrants in the capital.

It is clear that too many Londoners are still being failed by an immigration system that is prohibitively expensive and simply not fit for purpose, he said.

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UK looks to 'right the wrongs' of 'Windrush' scandal - Macau Business

Science has a lot to say about the effectiveness of wearing a mask to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but the communication of that science has been corrupted by a combination of partisan divides, sensationalist media stories, distrust, false dichotomies, and letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.The studies on masks arent perfectly definitive, but thats typical of many issues involving health risks from mercury contamination to cancer screenings. Its still better to make decisions based on an incomplete body of evidence than to ignore evidence altogether. In this case, it helps to add a dose of situational awareness and common sense.The public health community got off on the wrong foot with masks by advising against wearing them and then making a sudden flip-flop and telling us not to leave home without them. Further complicating the picture is a mix of peoples individual attitudes. Some members of the public still fear the virus and want to remain safe, and others are at peace with their risk but want some guidance on how to be a good citizen or at least be perceived as one.There have been reasonably convincing studies showing that masks stop some of the particles that might carry the virus out of peoples mouths. That suggests masks potential to protect others. Then there are observational studies, which look at mask use in the real world.Physician and infectious disease specialist Muge Cevik, who has been a prescient guide to relative risks, pointed out to me that mask-wearing should be informed by other studies on how the virus spreads. A consensus is finally starting to form that theres a negligible risk outdoors away from other people, and that very brief encounters pose very little risk, such as people walking, running or cycling past you.Common sense would suggest that if an activity poses negligible risk, then wearing a mask offers only a negligible benefit, and should be optional.On the other extreme are potential super-spreading events anywhere many people are confined indoors, especially if theres close contact. Trumps planned Oklahoma rally is a good example. There, common sense would dictate that such events should not take place at all.Then theres the middle ground. Mask wearing is likely to do the most good in settings where people have little choice but to interact in enclosed spaces grocery shopping, riding public transportation, ride-sharing, getting a haircut, or seeing a doctor.Also in this middle category is gathering outdoors in large groups such as at a protest. If most protestors wear a mask at all times, this will likely reduce transmissions.Cevik, who works at the University of St. Andrews in the U.K., pointed out that the six-foot rule applies best outdoors, while in badly ventilated indoor settings, aerosol particles might accumulate and put people at risk even if they never get that close to others. And length of exposure matters a lot, so bus drivers, haircutters and store clerks face a much higher risk than their customers. Their risk very likely goes down if customers wear masks.Then theres a problematic category of activities, such as eating in restaurants, where masks cant be worn consistently. Would diners be stuck trying to pull masks on and off with every bite? Some experts say such fiddling with masks is only going to spread any viruses the mask has captured. As a compromise, many restaurants are seating people outdoors and allowing them to keep masks off while eating. Gyms and yoga studios pose a similar challenge.The risks associated with close contact and crowds seem obvious and intuitive. And yet Americans have been fixated on the unlikely possibility that infectious doses of virus would fly off cyclists or creep in on packages. In response, some have adopted irrational mask-wearing practices, such as keeping one on while riding or driving, but pulling it down to congregate and chat with groups of people.And its no surprise that politics would infuse the issue, given the moral tone of the mask debate and different messages on mainstream and conservative media. In the U.S., we have some fraction of people wearing a mask all the time, and some fraction never wearing one. It would be better if everyone wore one when it was likely to help. Faye Flam, Bloomberg

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World Views | When to wear a mask and when you can skip it - Macau Daily Times

Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosrio said on Tuesday that he has decided to appointed Cheong Sio Kei, who was acquitted of a power abuse charge by the Court of First Instance (TJB) last week, as the deputy director of the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau (DSCC), after considering that its difficult to find an official in Macao for senior positions.

In Macao, there are not many people who are capable [of assuming a senior government post], the policy secretary told reporters after attending a committee meeting in the Legislative Assembly (AL).

Rosrio pointed out Cheong has recently been acquitted by the court of an alleged criminal offence so that he has decided to reappoint him.

In an executive order published in the Official Gazette (BO) last week, Rosrio appointed Cheong as the deputy director of the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau effective from June 10.

Cheong started to work in the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau as a public servant when he joined the public administration in 1993 when Macao was still under Portuguese administration. Cheong was the bureaus deputy director between November 1998 and December 1999. Cheong had been the acting director of the bureau since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in December 1999 until June 2009 when the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) was established and he was appointed as its first director.

Cheong returned to the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau in June 2014 when he was appointed as its director.

Cheong resigned from his post as the director of the Mapping and Land Registry Bureau in June last year. This came after the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) 2018 Annual Report published last year revealed that a then senior official of the Environmental Protection Bureau was alleged to have abused his power by arranging for a female colleague to accompany him on his working visits on multiple occasions, including a trip to Portugal in 2013. Local media outlets identified the senior official as Cheong.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)PHOTO TDM

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Difficult to find officials in Macao for senior positions - Macau News