Daily Archives: May 21, 2022

Catholics in Macau join various activities to strengthen marriage and family life during the Year of the Family

Catholics in Macau participate in a procession to honor Mother Mary in this file photo. (Photo: Jornal O Clarim)

Published: May 20, 2022 11:02 AM GMT

The MacauDiocese has launched a series of activities to strengthen marriage and family life for local Catholics in the former Portuguese colony to observe the Year of the Family declared by Pope Francis.

Among the major activities are family workshops, a study seminar on the history of the Church in Macau, a basketball competition between teams of parents and children, and a charity sale of face marks to raise funds for various church-run projects, reports the Vaticans Fides news agency.

In March, the diocese organized a family gathering when a photo exhibition on the spirit of Pope Francis famed apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love).

Bishop Stephen Lee of Macau said he has prioritized contemplating the life and role of St. Joseph in the Holy Family of Nazareth for the local church during the year.

On the fifth anniversary of the publication of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis established the Year of the Family, on March 19, 2021, the Solemnity of St. Joseph.

The Year of the Family will end on June 26, 2022, at the 10thWorld Meeting of Families in Rome to be attended by Pope Francis.

Macau is a special administrative region of China that was under Portuguese rule from 1557 to 1999. It is often dubbed the Las Vegas of the East for its huge gaming and gambling industry.

Catholicism in Macau dates to more than 400 years, starting during the Portuguese period. For centuries Macau was the gateway for foreign missionaries and traders entering mainland China.

When the Vatican created Macau Diocese in 1676, it became the first Catholic diocese in the Far East, covering a vast territory from Japan to Southeast Asia. Since then, more than 100 dioceses have been carved out from Macau Diocese.

Macau Island has an estimated population of 700,000 including 30,000 Catholics spread in nine parishes.

Macau Diocese runs 32 education institutes and about 50 charitable organizations.

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'Year of the Family' comes alive in Macau Diocese - UCA News

The number of visitors to Macau fell by 23.7 per cent in April from the same month of last year, but rose by 15.2 per cent compared to March, due to the easing of anti-covid-19 measures to enter the SAR, it was announced today (Friday).

Last month, 606,841 visitors arrived in Macau, with the number of same-day visitors (425,903) rising by 23.7 per cent in annual terms, while the number of tourists (180,938) was down by 59.8 per cent, according to a statement from the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC).

The majority of visitors in April were from China (534,899), a decline of 26.8 per cent in annual terms, of which 118,589 were on an individual visa, he said.

Of those, 394,246 visitors came from the nine cities of the Greater Bay, of which 66.2 per cent came from Zhuhai, a Chinese city that borders Macau, he added.

Between January and April, 2,483,688 visitors arrived in Macau, 2 per cent less than in the same period last year, with the number of day-trippers (1,622,025) increasing by 39.4 per cent, but the number of tourists (861,663) fell 37.1 per cent.

Visitor refers to any person who has traveled to Macau for a period of less than one year, a term that is divided into tourist, who spends at least one night, and excursionist, who does not stay overnight.

Restriction and control measures against covid-19 led Macau, which in 2019 accounted for almost 40 million visitors, to close the border to foreigners and impose a mandatory quarantine on those arriving from areas considered to be at high risk.

More here:

Number of visitors drops 24 pct y-on-y in April - Macau Business

Carlos Noronha

Vice President, Executive Council

Macau Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility in Greater China (MICSRGC)

In March 2022, the Second Standing Committee of the Macau Legislative Assembly reported that some legislators were concerned about how CSR activity of the gaming operators under the new gaming law can be quantified and the President of the Committee expressed that it is very difficult to do. Let us take a look at this matter of measuring good deeds (CSR).

It can be generally mentioned that there are quantitative (by numbers, figures or monetary amounts) measurements as well as qualitative measurements of how companies contribute to society in the form of CSR.

What has been questioned by the legislators, and probably the public, is largely in terms of monetary contributions given by gaming operators to society. Everyone is certainly reminded of the 35% special gaming tax on operators gross income plus another 4-5% for social, infrastructure and other contributions. Most likely, people are seeking to find out whether, under the new gaming law, this 4-5% contribution will be increased. It is natural that the public will focus on this so called CSR contribution, but when the money goes to the coffer and whether it is spent in an effective and efficient way, is entirely another issue.

Back to the main issue of how to measure CSR. This is a difficult question but there are already what we called measurements of social performance/contributions (MSP/C) worldwide. It is not difficult for one to have access to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the so-called sustainable shares versus the sin stocks. If a business is listed on a particular stock market, it must fulfill certain ESG (environmental, social and governance) requirements and disclosures. For example, members of MICSRGC have already conducted research using the Social Contribution Value per Share (SCVPS), which is a numerical indicator of how much an enterprise is contributing towards the main stakeholders, such as the investors, government, customers, and suppliers; and taking into account the negative impacts business operations may have on the environment. Our research has also indicated that this kind of quantitative measurement can be informative to investors, giving them good indicators and criteria for investing in sustainable businesses. At present, the SCVPS is only disclosed by companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. We believe that it is applicable to companies listed on other stock markets.

What about the qualitative side of CSRmeasurements? I would like to share an experience of our institute, MICSRGC, being involved in an upcoming public award for responsible entrepreneurship. The Deignan Award for Responsible Entreprenuership is a newly set up form of recognition for businesses in Macau and Hong Kong (especially small-and-medium-sized enterprises) which have attained the award criteria and have performed in an outstanding way in terms of CSR, sustainability, ESGs, and business ethics. The event is co-organized by the Wofoo Foundation Limited in Hong Kong, the Macau Ricci Institute, and a number of key organizations including the University of Saint Joseph, the Hong Kong International Institute of Educational Leadership as well as the Center for Catholic Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In shaping the award criteria, MICSRGC assisted in operationalizing the five core or foundational values of Alfred Deignan, S.J., namely Respecting Human Dignity, Respecting Fairness, Respecting the Environment, Respecting Business Ethics, Respective the Disadvantaged, plus enhancing value which looks into social innovativeness and crisis management. The award is open for applications and the judging panel includes respected names in the social, business and philanthropy areas in Macau and Hong Kong. Every foundational value of the award has to be substantiated by evidence qualitative as well as quantitative thus the inspiration behind this article. It is worth looking forward to seeing how the nominees contribute toward CSR and related issues like sustainability, ESG and so on.

In drafting the award criteria, MICSRGC (with the unconditional help of our academic members and volunteers) has referred to various awards on CSR, business ethics, and business excellence in other countries and regions. CSR is not dependent on the monetary amount any large corporation has spent on public relations or marketing. The message is simple and clear: Good deeds are difficult to measure, but if we measure them, we need to be vigilant and not be swayed by extravagant forms and impressive titles.

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OPINION - Quantitative and Qualitative Measurements of CSR: Figures and Descriptions - Macau Business

Macau E&M Holding (HKG:1408) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 67% over the last three months. Given that stock prices are usually aligned with a company's financial performance in the long-term, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely to see if they had a hand to play in the recent price move. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Macau E&M Holding's ROE today.

Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company's management is utilizing the company's capital. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

View our latest analysis for Macau E&M Holding

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Macau E&M Holding is:

11% = MO$26m MO$236m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each HK$1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made HK$0.11 in profit.

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features.

At first glance, Macau E&M Holding seems to have a decent ROE. On comparing with the average industry ROE of 8.0% the company's ROE looks pretty remarkable. For this reason, Macau E&M Holding's five year net income decline of 2.6% raises the question as to why the high ROE didn't translate into earnings growth. Therefore, there might be some other aspects that could explain this. These include low earnings retention or poor allocation of capital.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Macau E&M Holding's earnings seems to be shrinking at a similar rate as the industry which shrunk at a rate of a rate of 2.6% in the same period.

Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. Has the market priced in the future outlook for 1408? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report

Despite having a normal three-year median payout ratio of 40% (where it is retaining 60% of its profits), Macau E&M Holding has seen a decline in earnings as we saw above. So there might be other factors at play here which could potentially be hampering growth. For example, the business has faced some headwinds.

On the whole, we do feel that Macau E&M Holding has some positive attributes. Yet, the low earnings growth is a bit concerning, especially given that the company has a high rate of return and is reinvesting ma huge portion of its profits. By the looks of it, there could be some other factors, not necessarily in control of the business, that's preventing growth. While we won't completely dismiss the company, what we would do, is try to ascertain how risky the business is to make a more informed decision around the company. You can see the 4 risks we have identified for Macau E&M Holding by visiting our risks dashboard for free on our platform here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

The rest is here:

Is Macau E&M Holding Limited's (HKG:1408) Recent Stock Performance Influenced By Its Fundamentals In Any Way? - Simply Wall St

This article was originally published here

J Affect Disord. 2022 May 17:S0165-0327(22)00575-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.061. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has greatly impacted individuals mental health and quality of life, network analysis studies of associations between symptoms of common syndromes during the pandemic are lacking, particularly among Macau residents. This study investigated the network structure of insomnia, anxiety, and depression and explored their associations with quality of life in this population.

METHOD: This online survey was conducted in Macau between August 18 and November 9, 2020. Insomnia, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life were assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version, respectively. Analyses were performed to identify central symptoms and bridge symptoms of this network and their links to quality of life.

RESULTS: 975 participants enrolled in this survey. The prevalence of depressive, anxiety and insomnia symptoms were 38.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 35.5%-41.5%), 28.8% (95%CI: 26.0%-31.7%), and 27.6% (95% CI: 24.8%-30.4%), respectively. Sleep maintenance had the highest expected influence centrality, followed by Trouble relaxing, Interference with daytime functioning, Irritability, and Fatigue. Five bridge symptoms were identified: Sleep problems, Restlessness, Irritability, Severity of sleep onset, and Motor activity. The insomnia symptom, Sleep dissatisfaction, had the strongest direct relation to quality of life.

CONCLUSION: Insomnia symptoms played a critical role in the distress symptom network regarding node and bridge centrality as well as associations with quality of life among Macau residents. Close attention to these symptoms may be critical to reducing risk and preventing exacerbations in common forms of distress in this population.

PMID:35594975 | DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.061

Continue reading here:

Network analysis of depression, anxiety, insomnia and quality of life among Macau residents during the COVID-19 pandemic - DocWire News

Myanmar exported more than 144,034 metric tons of rice and over 106,912 metric tons of broken rice in April, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) on Saturday.

The country exported those rice to 22 countries including Cameroon, China, Angola, the Philippines and Poland, while it exported the broken rice to eight countries including Belgium, China and Spain, official data showed.

The MRF said Myanmar has shipped over 244,826 metric tons of those exported rice and broken rice in April via sea routes, while it has exported the rest 6,120 metric tons of those rice and broken rice via land border gates.

During the countrys six-month interim budget period, which started on Oct. 1 last year and ended on March 31 this year, Myanmar exported more than 1.4 million metric tons of rice and broken rice, official figures showed.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeast Asian country has been shipping most of its exported rice and broken rice via sea routes, said the MRF data.

In Myanmar, rice is the most cultivated crop followed by beans and pulses as second most cultivated crops, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Myanmar exports its rice to China, Japan, European Union countries, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, African countries and Middle Eastern countries, according to the MRF.

Continue reading here:

Myanmar exports over 144,034 metric tons of rice in April - Macau Business

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday sued former Wynn Resorts CEO Stephen Wynnseeking to compel him to register as a foreign agent. The lawsuit alleges the casino mogul lobbied Donald Trump in 2017 on behalf of the Chinese government, which sought the return of an exiled businessman.

In the complaint filed in federal court in Washington D.C., the Justice Department said Wynn engaged in those efforts at the request of Sun Lijun, a former Vice Minister of Chinas ministry of public security, and did so to protect the operations of casinos in Macau owned by Wynns company. The government in Macau had restricted the number of gaming tables and machines that could be operated at Wynns casino, the complaint alleges, and he was scheduled to renegotiate licenses to operate casinos in 2019.

The action marks the first affirmative civil lawsuit under FARA in more than three decades, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division, said in a statement Tuesday, referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Bloomberg reports.The law, which has been invoked in criminal cases, requires individuals to register with the U.S. attorney general before lobbying on behalf of foreign nationals.

The department said it had advised Wynn repeatedly over the last four years to register under FARA, and it is suing now because Wynn refused to do so.

Wynns lawyers rejected the charges and said they would contest the suit. Steve Wynn has never acted as an agent of the Chinese government and had no obligation to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Reid Weingarten and Brian Heberlig said in a statement. We respectfully disagree with the Department of Justices legal interpretation of FARA and look forward to proving our case in court.

The Justice Department brought a civil lawsuit against Wynn because charging him with a criminal violation would have required the government to prove he willingly violated the law, according to Bloomberg.

Elliott Broidy, a former Trump fundraiser who pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying, sought Wynns help on behalf of Sun, according to the lawsuit. Broidy had been cooperating with prosecutors in their investigation of fugitive businessman Jho Lows push on behalf of China for the U.S. to extradite Guo Wengui, a wealthy exile who criticized Chinas government.According to the court filing, Wynn told Trump during a June 2017 dinner about the Chinese governments desire to have the businessman removed from the US, and gave the mans passport photos to Trumps secretary.

The case is Attorney General of the US v. Stephen A. Wynn, 1:22-cv-013712, US District Court, District of Columbia.

Steve Wynn stepped down from Wynn Resortsin 2018 after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. In March, the Nevada Supreme Court said a lower court lacked jurisdictional standing when it ruled in 2020 that state gaming regulators dont have jurisdiction over Wynn after he left Wynn Resorts on his own. The seven justices unanimouslyruled that Clark County District Court JudgeAdriana Escobarshould not have decided the matter because the Nevada Gaming Commission had not yet ruled on a 2019 request by the Gaming Control Board to have Wynn declared formally unsuitable to hold a gaming license.

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Steve Wynn sued by US to force his registration as a Chinese foreign agent after alleged lobby to protect Macau operations - Yogonet International

Chinas total box office earnings this year have reached 15 billion yuan (2.22 billion U.S. dollars), largely generated by films released during the week-long Spring Festival holiday ending on Feb. 6.

Topping the yearly revenue chart was The Battle at Lake Changjin II with 4.06 billion yuan, according to data from film data platforms.

The Battle at Lake Changjin II is a sequel to the 2021 film The Battle at Lake Changjin, Chinas top-grossing title of all time that earned a whopping 5.77 billion yuan.

Set during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), The Battle at Lake Changjin tells the story of Chinese Peoples Volunteers fighting bravely in freezing weather as part of a vital campaign at Lake Changjin, also known as Chosin Reservoir.

Comedy Too Cool To Kill came in second with 2.62 billion yuan. Nice View, also a domestic feature, ranked third with 1.38 billion yuan, immediately followed by animated film Boonie Bears: Back to Earth that raked in 971 million yuan.

The top four earners were all released on Feb. 1, the Spring Festival or Chinese New Years Day.

It took 139 days for the yearly box office total to hit the 15-billion-yuan milestone, much slower than last year due to COVID-19.

See the rest here:

China's yearly box office total hits 15 bln yuan - Macau Business

Malaysians have an increasingly positive perception of China in 2022 compared to 2016, according to a Kuala Lumpur-based opinion research firm.

A study by Merdeka Center found that adult Malaysians view China more favorably, citing personal experiences, Chinese investments in Malaysia and future cooperation as among the factors that have contributed to an increased positive perception, the research firm said in a statement on Thursday.

Of those surveyed, 70 percent of the respondents perceived relations between Malaysia and China as good, compared with 67 percent in the 2016 survey.

When asked which countries helped Malaysia the most during the COVID-19 pandemic in the past two years, China stood out at 50 percent, followed by the United States at 12 percent, Saudi Arabia at 6 percent, Britain at 3 percent, and Japan at 2 percent.

China provided various forms of aid during the pandemic with vaccines being the most high profile item. Malaysia also uses several Chinese developed vaccines, including Sinovac, which is being filled and finished in Malaysia.

This survey was carried out in cooperation with the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya, with the data collection being carried out from March 17-26 this year.

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Positive perception of China grows among Malaysians - Macau Business

The human and climate induced threats to flamingos which inhabit Kenyas alkaline Rift Valley lakes have mounted, hence diminishing the migratory birds population, local officials and scientists have said.

Caroline Mwebia, the deputy park warden at Lake Nakuru National Park, said that habitat destruction, climatic stresses, pollution and predation have emerged as existential threats to the survival of flamingos.

Some of the challenges facing flamingos are related to habitat degradation, pollution of wetlands and fluctuation of lake water levels, Mwebia told Xinhua at Lake Nakuru National Park, a world renowned flamingo habitat located 200 kilometers northwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

According to Mwebia, Kenyas alkaline Rift Valley lakes are crucial habitation for flamingos and other migratory birds, where they feed on alga bloom, insects and crustaceans and later fly back to Lake Natron in neighboring Tanzania to breed.

She said the migration of flamingos from Lake Natron to Lake Nakuru and other Rift Valley lakes including Elementaita, Bogoria and Magadi peaks from April to June.

Mwebia said that Kenyas alkaline lakes are a popular destination for two flamingo species, greater and lesser flamingos, amid plenty of food including the blue-green algae and a host of invertebrates.

She noted that unpredictable weather patterns have disrupted migration of flamingos from Tanzania to Kenya, adding that curbing lake pollution and increased public education is key to strengthening protection of the migratory birds.

Evelyn Silali, the assistant research technologist at Lake Nakuru National Park said that rapid urbanization, habitat loss and fragmentation and declining lake water quality have escalated threats to survival of flamingos.

Silali said that Kenya has domesticated international treaties on protection of migratory species as part of concerted efforts to save flamingos which sustain tourism besides stabilizing ecosystems.

She added that the government has focused on public awareness campaigns, evidence-based research and pollution mitigation in large water bodies as part of efforts to boost conservation of flamingos.

Paul Gacheru, the Sites and Species manager at Nature Kenya said the country should leverage some policy and legal instruments, reconfigure infrastructure development in order to minimize threats to flamingos and other iconic migratory birds.

In particular, Gacheru said that the flight path for the flamingos should be protected to avert encroachment while engaging local communities to conserve wetlands is key to boost population of the migratory birds.

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Kenyan scientists sound alarm over threats to flamingos - Macau Business