12 YEARS A-CHANGIN’ Double Down!

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MACAU HAS AGAIN SEEN A RISE IN ITS MAGNITUDE 2.2 EARTHQUAKE THE PUBLIC WILL STILL BE ASKED TO POPULATION DENSITY EVEN AS THE WEAR FACE MASKS WHEN GOING OUT TERRITORY MANAGED BY THE SAR FELT YESTERDAY IN SECOND EVEN IF THE GUARANTEED SUPPLY CONTINUED TO GROW IN 2019 TREMOR THIS YEAR SCHEME ENDS SOON P2 P5 P4

AP PHOTO HO IAT SENG RETHINKING North Korea is saying nothing so far about outside media reports that leader Kim Jong Un may be unwell and there’s renewed P3 POLICY ADDRESS worry about who’s next in THE UNIVERSITY MODEL line to run a nuclear-armed country that’s been ruled by the same family for seven decades. Questions about Kim’s health flared after he skipped an April 15 commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung. More on p8 AP PHOTO

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it put the Islamic Republic’s first military satellite into orbit, dramatically unveiling what experts described as a secret space program with a surprise launch yesterday that came amid wider tensions with the United States. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch of the satellite, which the Guard called “Noor,” or light.

Indian government forces killed four rebels in a gunbattle in disputed Kashmir during a stringent lockdown to combat the coronavirus, the Indian army said yesterday. The fighting broke out in a village in southern Shopian district as counterinsurgency police and soldiers raided a house on a tip that militants were AP PHOTO hiding there. AP PHOTO Life returns to the India said yesterday that it plans to Yangtze as Wuhan manufacture thousands of wristbands that will normalizes monitor the locations P7 CHINA and temperatures of coronavirus patients and help perform contact tracing. The wristband project aims to track quarantined patients and aid health workers and those delivering essential services. Carrie Lam reshuffles cabinet More on backpage P6 HONG KONG page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo 澳門 23.04.2020 thu

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

Young couple faces criminal charges due to fraud case Macau sees rise in

A young Macau couple is facing criminal charges for an alleged scam concerning the population density in 2019 delivery of department store vouchers. The HE population density of main suspect in this case is the husband, Macau, one of the most aged 34, who is suspected of having deceived T densely populated places in at least seven victims into “investing” in

the world, has risen to 20,400 BEITLER DANIEL department store cash vouchers. According people per square kilometer of to the first victim, the suspect sold him cash vouchers for a department store in Macau. land, according to the gover- Initially, the deals were all honest. However, nment’s Statistics and Census the suspect subsequently persuaded the Service (DSEC). That marks an first victim to invest six million patacas to increase of 400 more than in buy the vouchers for an even lower price 2018, the data released yester- and with a 3% interest rate. The money was day shows. later all spent on the suspect’s investment Macau’s population rose to in Cambodia. The Judiciary Police later 679,600 people last year, equa- identified evidence that suggested the ting to an increase of 12,200 suspect’s wife was also involved. from 2018. Meanwhile, Macau’s total Group takes advantage land area was 32.9 square ki- lometers in 2019. The growth of healthcare of the city’s land area did not voucher grey area catch up with that of the po- A group of 12 Macau local residents is pulation, even as city’s three tructure, including sanitation, persisted, having not changed were recorded out of every suspected of fraud involving the collection principal areas – Macau, Tai- transportation and housing.” for many years. However, in 1,000 people, marking an in- of thousands of identification cards to pa and – all recorded However, it also noted se- contrast to the gender distri- crease of about 0.03 percenta- dishonestly cash out healthcare vouchers. increases, although at varying veral advantages to crowded bution of the overall popula- ge points. The group has three masterminds, including rates. cities. The report cited studies tion, among all newborns, the- The life expectancy for the a doctor, an owner of a Chinese medicine According to 2019 data com- which show that residents of re were 106.5 male babies to period covering the past three pharmacy, and an owner of a food products piled by the United Nations, highly populated cities tend to every 100 female babies born. years was 83.8 years overall. shop. Last year, the group cooperated to the Macau SAR is the world’s be healthier and happier. Slightly more than one-ten- Women in Macau tended to collect local residents’ identification cards in second-most densely popu- Also disclosed in the DSEC th of the city’s population was live longer than men, as life exchange for sums equivalent to 30% to 40% lated jurisdiction after Mo- data release yesterday, the aged 65 or above. A similar expectancy for males was 80.8 of government’s healthcare voucher. At one naco. Singapore is the third- average residential area per portion of the population was years and 86.7 for females. point, the doctor’s clinic used 27 healthcare most densely populated place, person in Macau remained aged 14 or under. The middle- Tumors were the most vouchers within one hour, amounting to an while Hong Kong is fourth. stable throughout 2019, at 221 -range age group amounted to common cause of death in appointment time of less than three minutes A report by the World Eco- square feet or about 20.5 squa- three quarters of the total po- Macau, with circulatory sys- per appointment. This situation triggered nomic Forum noted that den- re meters per person. pulation. tem diseases – closely connec- the Health Bureau’s suspicion. Since last sely populated areas “present With regards to other popu- In 2019, 8.9 babies were ted to cardiovascular diseases May, the shop has collected over 11,000 problems for governments lation metrics for the year of born out of every 1,000 peo- – following. The two causes of identification cards, cashing out nine million and policymakers, as they look 2019, the tendency for females ple, virtually unchanged from death are responsible for near- patacas in total. to provide adequate infras- to outnumber males in the city 2018. Meanwhile, 3.4 deaths ly 63% of local deaths. AL

Man nearly falls to sex scam second time

A young local man has almost fallen victim, for the second time, to the same type of sexual service scam. The man, unemployed Lawmaker concerned about and aged in his 30s, came in contact with an unknown online. The two started talking online on April 5. On April 17, at 8 employees of offshore organizations p.m, the man engaged in a video chat with the woman. During the talk, she claimed she AWMAKER Lei Chan U existing offshore institutions 1,700 workers. will happen within these en- could provide him paid sexual services for 800 Lhas asked the local gover- to the income tax exemption As of May 10, 2019, 43 of tities. patacas. The two reached an agreement for nment for an update on the until December 31, 2020, with these organizations had elec- The Macao Trade and In- a deal to take place at noon on April 18. On operation of offshore organi- the exception of any profits ted to stay in Macau with vestment Promotion Institu- the scheduled day, the man arrived at Estrada zations in Macau, more spe- arising from intellectual pro- amended businesses, 20 de- te and the Labour Affairs Bu- do Repouso as agreed, to meet up with the cifically on the future of the perty, which are governed by cided to end their businesses reau are allegedly conducting woman. He had given her his personal phone employees working for these specific regulations. in Macau, and the rest had quarterly surveys of these of- number. However, the woman contacted him via phone, asking him to buy 3,000 game organizations. The law also encoura- not made a decision. fshore organizations. points (equivalent to 800 patacas) from a Law no. 15/2018 “Repeal ges offshore institutions to Lei pointed out that the The local government convenience store nearby. Still haunted by of the legal regime of the continue their development operation amendment re- amended the city’s offsho- his previous experience with a similar crime offshore services” was pub- in Macau by expanding or lated to these organizations re service law in response to involving sexual services and game points, lished in the Official Gazette amending their businesses raises concerns for the af- the appeal of international the man called off the deal. In response, on December 27, 2018. The or changing their company fected employees amid the organizations seeking to eli- the woman threatened to have him crippled law terminates the applica- names after their offshore li- Covid-19 outbreak. He wan- minate cross-border tax eva- and killed. Horrified by the threats, the man tion of offshore licences and censes expire. ts the local government to sion and profit shifting, while reported the case to the police authority. introduces a number of facili- The law concerns a total of explain these organizations’ proactively improving trans- Previously, in July 2016, the man fell victim to tations, which mainly include 355 offshore service organi- current operations, and then parency in taxation across a similar case, losing 12,650 patacas. the continued entitlement of zations in Macau and affects asked if a large-scale layoff jurisdictions. JZ

www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION MANAGING EDITOR_Daniel Beitler [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Leanda Lee, Severo Portela, Sheyla Zandonai ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Emilie Tran, Irene Sam, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, Jacky I.F. Cheong, Jenny Lao-Phillips, João Palla Martins, Joseph Cheung, Julie Zhu, Juliet ADDRESS Av. da Praia Grande, 599, Edif. Comercial Rodrigues, 12 Floor C, Risdon, Linda Kennedy, Lynzy Valles, Paulo Cordeiro de Sousa, Renato Marques, Richard Whitfield, Viviana Seguí MACAU SAR Telephones: +853 287 160 81/2 Fax: +853 287 160 84 DESIGNERS_Eva Bucho, Miguel Bandeira | ASSOCIATE CONTRIBUTORS_JML Property, MdME Lawyers, Advertisement [email protected] +18,000 PokerStars, Ruan Du Toit Bester | NEWS AGENCIES_ Associated Press, Bloomberg, MacauHub, MacauNews, Xinhua For subscription and general issues: [email protected] | Printed at Welfare Printing Ltd Like us on facebook.com/mdtimes SECRETARY_Yang Dongxiao [email protected] send newsworthy information and press releases to: [email protected] website: www.macaudailytimes.com.mo www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 3 thu 23.04.2020 澳門 MACAU

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Higher Education Bureau; the la- tter created just one year ago to replace the former Tertiary Edu- cation Services Office. Questioned on that topic by lawmakers, the Chief Executive noted that Macau currently has only ten higher education ins- titutions with a relatively small number of students, which is even lower than the number of local students who are studying abroad. The Chief Executive stated that he considered that having a standalone entity to manage this small matter was a “waste of resources.” At the same time, he expres- sed his belief that with the mer- ging of the two education bu- reaus into one, there will be a greater interconnection of ideas, measures, and policies that span HIGHER EDUCATION throughout all education sec- tors, hinting that this might also contribute to creating conditions for more local students to choo- se local institutions over those Ho Iat Seng aims to turn abroad. “We need to take into account that even if the number of stu- universities into businesses dents is low, the number of tea- chers [and other staff] is high. RENATO MARQUES support over 100,000 of those.” We need to find a balance and to The situation is aggravated by We cannot continue to take local education to a higher HE Macau government the fact that many of these stu- ” level,” said Ho. aims to turn higher edu- dents are not local residents and spend so many resources On the sidelines of the event, cation into a new indus- their academic qualifications lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho try that can contribute and training will never be put to on students from the told the media that in his opi- Tto the local economy. The infor- the service of Macau society. mainland who afterward nion, the reason many choose to mation was revealed in a reply “We cannot continue to spend study abroad is the lack of quality from Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng so many resources on students will not even stay in Macau. of local universities and also the at the Legislative Assembly on [mostly] from the mainland who lack of options in terms of career Tuesday during a question and afterward will not even stay in HO IAT SENG paths offered by their tuition. answer session with the legisla- Macau and work in Macau,” the “If you want to have a more te- tors about the Policy Address. Chief Executive said, adding, aiming to receive a high-quality Oxford despite not being a very chnical career you need to study Ho said that contrary to the that due to the hefty support education and who are able to large country, according to Ho. abroad as local universities are trend in previous years, higher from the government, local ins- pay for it. The Chief Executive said that all oriented to the same types of education has to be seen as a titutions are currently charging “There are many people in- the government would carefully courses,” he said. self- sustaining business and the students tuition fees “that are terested in coming to Macau to consider the studies and expe- Coutinho suggested the gover- cannot continue to exist at the lower than some kindergartens study. We need to balance this riences offered by the U.K. to nment prioritize these technical expense of the government. in China.” matter. We need to develop this develop new policies regarding subjects at local institutions to According to the Chief Execu- For Ho, it is time for the insti- into an industry,” he said, giving higher education. first give Macau students the op- tive, “each student [at local ins- tutions to change their mentality the example of the U.K., which One of the measures from the tion of studying locally, instead titutions] costs around 250,000 and become a high-quality edu- has several highly reputable uni- new government for this year of working to attract wealthy stu- patacas per year and we need to cation system desired by those versities such as Cambridge and is the merging of the Education dents from the mainland.

POLICY ADDRESS POLICY ADDRESS CE prefers to study universal No plan yet for 85 square suffrage at a better time kilometers of new waters

RENATO MARQUES “I did not introduce this tion of the electoral system ACAU Chief Exe- This will be the principal area for further land re- matter in the Policy Ad- is the right path to follow, it Mcutive Ho Iat Seng role of the Coordinating clamation were rejected NE of the topics that dress Report for 2020 be- is not a priority at the mo- has said that his admi- Commission for the Ma- by Macau government Olawmaker Sulu Sou cause [we] just started this ment as Macau is facing se- nistration still does not nagement and Develop- officials, who found little considers missing from Ho mandate and we do not yet veral important challenges have a plan to define the ment of Maritime Juris- of the 85 square kilome- Iat Seng’s Policy Address for have enough of a founda- due to the current economic next steps in the use of diction Areas, according ters suitable for this pur- 2020 is political reform. tion to start this discussion,” conditions resulting from 85 square kilometers of to the government. pose. Questioning the Chief answered Ho. the Covid-19 outbreak. maritime jurisdiction In March 2017, the go- Ho hinted during his Executive (CE) at the Legisla- “I was never against the “I agree that this is the placed under the SAR’s vernment of Chui Sai On Policy Address this week tive Assembly question and idea of universal suffrage direction we are heading management by China’s announced the creation that Macau has reached answer session on Tuesday, and I agree that people have towards but we need to have State Council in Decem- of the aforementioned the limits of what can be Sou heard that Ho Iat Seng is the right to vote but I do not the right timing. For the time ber 2015. commission to study the achieved with land re- supportive of the idea of im- think this matter is a priori- being, the economic reco- According to a state- possible economic uses clamation. Describing plementing a system that in- ty for the Policy Address for very is more important,” Ho ment issued yesterday by of the maritime area and the reclamation as “too cludes universal suffrage for this year.” said. “I am not saying that the government, Ho said to issue guidelines for its slow,” the Chief Executi- the CE position but stated Furthermore, the CE ex- you are not right, but we that Macau will continue future use. ve believes a better land that this is not the best time plained that although he need to do something very to study how to best uti- Initial proposals to use solution can be arranged to address such a matter. thinks that the democratiza- different first.” lize the maritime area. some of the maritime with nearby . DB page 4 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 23.04.2020 thu

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

Leong Iek Hou, coordinator at the local Center for Disease Con- trol and Prevention, added that BLOOMBERG the Macau version of the Health Code Scheme will very likely be founded on the existing electronic health declaration. Both officials said a formal an- nouncement will be made once the information is ready. Separately - and also annou- nced during yesterday’s press conference - recovered patients outside of Macau have shown the presence of antibodies following an infection with Covid-19. Whe- ther this antibody is effective in blocking further infection is, however, unknown, Lo said. The local health authority has not mo- nitored local recovered Covid-19 patients with regards to the exis- tence of antibodies. As of yesterday, the city has been free of new Covid-19 cases for a total of two weeks. Excluding cases infected by an imported case, known in the mainland as “related imported cases”, the city has been clear of new infections for 25 days. Meanwhile, two more patients have recovered from the disease Public still asked to wear masks, and have been discharged from the hospital. They were both even if supply scheme ends transferred to the Public Health Clinical Center for recovery qua- ANTHONY LAM daily press conference yesterday, time to consider the discontinua- affordable in Macau. rantine. where he was questioned about tion of the scheme. The scheme, “Even if price speculation ha- They are a 37-year-old Filipi- FTER hinting that the cen- the end of the scheme. he said, was a successful project ppens, I believe local people, in- na non-resident worker and a Atralized mask supply scheme He stressed that residents that has been favored by resi- cluding the government, will not 44-year-old male local. The for- might come to an end in the futu- should not misinterpret the go- dents. However, following the hesitate to report it,” the doctor mer has stayed in the hospital re, Lo Iek Long, medical director vernment’s future termination of resumption of work in many ci- stated with confidence. for 28 days. Her hospitalization of the Conde São Januário Hos- the scheme, if it occurs, and think ties on the mainland, the doctor Furthermore, Lo disclosed that and treatment amounted to a pital, clarified that the scheme’s that mask wearing is no longer thinks masks have now become the government is working with 15,000-pataca bill. termination does not imply that necessary from then on. more accessible. mainland authorities on measu- The latter, on the other hand, wearing masks will no longer be He said the necessity of wea- Indeed, he has checked pri- res that can facilitate cross-border has been hospitalized for 25 days. necessary. ring masks was “not about the ces himself and found many travels. The mechanism will likely The cost of his therapy will be bor- The doctor made the clarifica- mask scheme,” but “about the places were selling boxes of 50 be the “Health Code Scheme,” al- ne by the government, according tion at the Novel Coronavirus Res- condition of the pandemic.” masks at 150 patacas. He thinks ready in effect on the other side of to legal stipulations on the treat- ponse and Coordination Center’s He added that it is the right that price point is considered the border. ment of contagious diseases.

Propaganda piece features Macau woman and her good mainland life STAFF REPORTER Renmin Hospital of Wuhan returned to Wuhan by him- cluding that she has a habit University in the Depart- self. On March 16, Sou joi- of taking several pieces of HE People’s Daily has ment of Anesthesiology. ned her husband with her chocolate to work. Tpublished a feature The People’s Daily report two young children. The She also has no fear story about a young woman presented the story surrou- first day after her return the moment she puts her born in Macau who has nding Sou’s engagement on from Macau, Sou went back doctor’s coat on, and does been fighting the coronavi- the frontline of Wuhan’s Co- to work. everything out of instinct rus at its source in Wuhan. vid-19 battle, emphasising The feature story then that she developed during The story seeks to present the sentiments of “Loving detailed how Sou prepared her medical studies. gher than that of Wuhan? for doctors who wish to im- the ideal that Macau resi- the Country and Loving herself for a Covid-19 pa- When mainland news It’s a question Sou has been prove,” Sou replies, accor- dents are delighted to be Macau” from a Macau re- tient at 2 a.m. in the mor- outlets interview people asked many times,” reads ding to the report. contributing to healthcare sident. ning. from the two SARs, the re- the report. Sou said that her family work in the motherland. According to the report, Sou “didn’t show a hint ports generally reach the “If I only think of mo- did not enthusiastically en- Sou is a Macau resident Sou and her mainland hus- of hesitation,” immediately conclusion that Macau ney, I will not be a doctor. dorse her choice to study who graduated from Hou band, surnamed Lei, who is assisting the patient with a and Hong Kong residents I stayed in Wuhan mainly at Wuhan University out of Kong School in 2006. In her co-worker, left Wuhan ventilator, according to the live well in the mainland for advancing my medici- fear that she would stay in that same year, she pur- on January 22 in order to propaganda report. “Soon, China and that they also ne knowledge. I think, as a mainland China once she sued a degree in medicine spend the Lunar New Year the patient’s vital signs ba- find mainland China better doctor, that it is fairly im- had her own family and ca- at Wuhan University, be- in Macau. sically returned to stable than the two SARs. portant to get contact with reer over there. “Now, I want ginning her life in mainland However, the next day, levels,” the report says. “Why don’t you return medical cases. Macau has to tell them. There is no- China. After completing Wuhan announced the The article also notes se- to Macau to be a doctor? a small population and a thing to worry about. I am her studies, she commen- lockdown. In light of the veral other idiosyncrasies of Macau’s income should be small number of medical very well in mainland China ced her employment at the situation, Sou’s husband the Macau-born doctor, in- at least several times hi- cases, which is not helpful and in Wuhan,” says Sou. www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 5 thu 23.04.2020 澳門 MACAU

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER Hong Kong dollar reaches lower limit for first time since 2016 ONG Kong’s currency Hstrengthened to the li- mit of its trading band for the first time since 2016, BLOOMBERG increasing the likelihood of intervention by the city’s de facto central bank. To defend the peg, which allows the city’s currency to move in a narrow range of 7.75 to 7.85 against the greenback, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has sold the equivalent of $760 widening gap between local The currency will likely million of its currency so borrowing costs and those stay close to 7.75 throu- far this week. That’s the first in the U.S., rather than in- ghout the second quarter, case of intervention on the vestor confidence in Hong said Stephen Chiu, an fo- strong side of the band sin- Kong’s outlook. The interest reign-exchange and rates ce 2015. rate spread makes the local strategist at Bloomberg In- The Hong Kong dollar is currency more appealing to telligence. pegged to the U.S. dollar in hold versus the greenback, Hong Kong has suffered a band that ranges between and is the reverse of the si- a double blow of economic 7.75 and 7.85 to the U.S. tuation that prevailed in re- disruptions from wides- dollar. In turn, the Macau cent years. pread anti-government pro- pataca is fixed to the Hong “We may see the curren- tests last year and the coro- Kong dollar at an exchange cy pair frequently touching navirus pandemic in 2020. Minor earthquake rate of 1.03. As the Hong 7.75 in the coming sessions Fitch Ratings on Monday Kong dollar is pegged to the to trigger intervention,” said downgraded Hong Kong’s greenback, both special ad- Carie Li, an economist at long-term, foreign currency ministrative regions essen- OCBC Wing Hang Bank Ltd. debt to AA- from AA, with a felt in Macau tially import U.S. monetary Local interest rates will fall, stable outlook. The ratings policy, even if local rates she added, predicting the agency said the city’s real don’t always track those one-month tenor will likely gross domestic product is across the Pacific. slide toward 1% after the expected to fall by 5% this yesterday morning Appreciation in the city’s end of April from the cur- year after a 1.2% decline in currency is a reflection of a rent 1.59%. 2019. magnitude 2.2 dia user. mainland experts assu- DB/BLOOMBERG earthquake As of 2 p.m. yesterday, red the reliability of the ad was detected the SMG had received Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Ma- yesterday at more than 15 enquiries cau Bridge, which has 11:35A a.m., according from citizens. reportedly been designed to information released Meanwhile, the Hong to withstand earthquakes by the Meteorological Kong Observatory re- of up to an intensity of and Geophysical Bureau ceived reports of people magnitude 8.0. (SMG). in the neighboring SAR In October last year, The epicenter was lo- feeling the earth tremor, an earthquake of magni- cated approximately 21 even though it only lasted tude 5.2 in Yulin, Guangxi kilometers southwest of a few seconds. The ob- at 10:55pm was felt in the Macau. servatory said it recorded Macau SAR, five minutes Some social media reports from 1,200 people after it occurred. The epi- users confirmed that they detailing their personal center was registered as had felt the tremor, thou- accounts of the quake. being 315 kilometers nor- gh most had attributed This is the second ear- thwest of Macau. the noise or movement thquake with magnitu- Many areas of Macau to something other than de 2.0 or above recorded and were affected, seismic activity. within 100 kilometers of but the tremor lasted “I thought I just felt di- Macau this year. only around six seconds. zzy while waiting for the The last one occurred There were no reports of bus but apparently it was at 6:55 a.m. on January 5 any injuries or damage. the earthquake,” said one of this year, with magni- Meanwhile, a 6.4-mag- netizen. tude 3.5, in the seas un- nitude earthquake struck “Was that an earth- der the administration of off the east coast of Japan quake?” wrote another. “I the Xiangzhou District in yesterday. felt it earlier, [but] I thou- Zhuhai. The authorities The epicenter of the ght this building was the in Guangdong Province earthquake was 41.7 ki- only thing that moved.” recorded two aftersho- lometers beneath the Pa- A third said they thou- cks, with the most severe cific seabed, less than 50 ght it was a thunders- reaching magnitude 2.1. kilometers off the coast torm. Although severe ear- of Miyagi prefecture, the “I think this is the se- thquakes are rarely seen U.S. Geological Survey cond or third time that in Guangdong Provin- noted on its website, ra- I’ve felt an earthquake ce, minor ones are quite ting the risk of casualties here in Macau. Seems common. and damage as low. like it’s occurring more Following previous No tsunami warning often,” said a social me- minor earthquakes, was issued. LV page 6 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo CHINA 中國 23.04.2020 thu

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

lawmakers over filibustering in the Legislative Council.

AP PHOTO Nip, the incoming civil services chief, apologized earlier this week for causing “confusion” and “mi- sunderstanding” with a series of contradictory news releases from the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau attempting to ex- plain a claim by China’s Liaison Office that it has the authority to supervise Hong Kong’s local affairs. His replacement, Tsang, meanwhile, received fresh scru- tiny for giving a recent interview with a portrait of Xi over his shou- lder. Under Tsang’s watch, the im- migration department in 2018 denied a visa renewal for Finan- cial Times journalist Victor Mallet after he hosted an event at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club featuring the founder of a banned pro-independence party. More recently, Hong Kong barred entry by Human Rights Watch Executi- ve Director Kenneth Roth weeks HONG KONG after the Chinese Foreign Ministry threatened unspecified sanctions against the group. The Constitutional and Main- Carrie Lam replaces five land Affairs Bureau is responsible for overseeing a legislative elec- ministers in cabinet reshuffle tion in September that could give the pro-democracy opposition a NATALIE LUNG Lam told a news conference cally large and often violent pro- anti-corruption campaign, was stronger platform to block initia- to discuss the moves Wednesday tests that erupted in opposition to made head of the Liaison Office tives backed by Beijing. The Com- ONG Kong Chief Executive that she hoped the changes would Lam’s effort to allow the transfer of in Hong Kong, while Xia Baolong munist Party’s Central Committee HCarrie Lam replaced five se- help lay the ground for the finan- criminal suspects to the mainland. was named director of the overar- last year also signaled a greater fo- nior officials, including the minis- cial center’s recovery from a year While Lam has said her gover- ching Hong Kong & Macau Affairs cus on Hong Kong’s civil service, ter overseeing ties with Beijing, of protest and pandemic. She left nment deserves the blame for the Office. urging more measures to teach in the biggest cabinet reshuffle unchanged more high-profile po- “entire unrest,” Chinese President The appointments will likely “patriotism” to public officials. since hundreds of thousands of sitions such as chief secretary and Xi Jinping has continued to back do little to assuage public oppo- Lam said Wednesday that the demonstrators took to the streets the finance and justice ministers. her and she has refused calls to sition. Police over the weekend reshuffle was “completely and en- demanding her resignation. “This reshuffle is aimed at resign. Lam’s approval has risen arrested more than a dozen pro- tirely unrelated” to recent events. Lam named Immigration Di- taking us forward,” Lam said. The from historic lows in part due to minent pro-democracy activists, She deflected a question about rector Erick Tsang to replace Pa- appointments were announced her early success in managing the while Beijing’s agencies in Hong the Xi portrait, saying Tsang was trick Nip as Secretary for Consti- earlier by China’s official Xinhua coronavirus outbreak, with 18% Kong are waging a war of words chosen because of his capabili- tutional and Mainland Affairs and News Agency, which said that the supporting her in a Hong Kong against the city’s opposition ties. BLOOMBERG appointed Nip to lead the Civil State Council had approved the Public Opinion Research Institute Service Bureau - two agencies at nominations, as required for all survey released Tuesday, compa- the center of Beijing’s demands top positions in Hong Kong. red with 9.1% in February. for greater political loyalty from The move comes as the city ta- The reshuffle follows Xi’s own Hong Kong’s top ministers the former British colony. The ckles a second wave of coronavi- shakeup of the agencies who Erick Tsang Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary heads of the Financial Services rus cases while trying to soften the oversee Hong Kong, which was Patrick Nip Civil Services Secretary and the Treasury Bureau, the In- pandemic’s blow to the economy. guaranteed a “high degree of au- Christopher Hui Financial Services Secretary novation and Technology Bureau Hong Kong has also been battered tonomy” after its return to Chi- Alfred Sit Innovation and Technology Secretary and Home Affairs Bureau were into recession by the U.S.-China nese rule in 1997. Luo Huining, Caspar Tsui Home Affairs Secretary also replaced. trade war and months of histori- a cadre known for executing Xi’s

China ponders late May date for NPC after virus forced delay HINA is considering cording to the people, who vene the legislature, they des in the first quarter, with would suggest more stimu- Some 3,000 members of Cholding its highest-pro- asked not to be identified. added. GDP shrinking 6.8% from lus measures to come, whi- the NPC had been expected file annual political mee- That would be shorter than The spokesperson’s of- a year ago. The economy le a lower target would su- to convene in early March ting in late May, according normal. fice of the NPC Standing is expected to expand 3% ggest authorities are going for the meetings. They were to people familiar with the The Chinese People’s Committee didn’t imme- in 2020, according to a to be conservative about delayed in February by the matter, after it was postpo- Political Consultative Con- diately respond to faxed Bloomberg survey of eco- stimulus. Standing Committee as the ned for the first time in de- ference, an advisory body questions. nomists. The gathering holds government fought to con- cades amid the coronavirus whose annual meeting is China uses the meeting China’s top leaders sof- greater symbolic impor- tain the virus, which emer- pandemic. held in conjunction with to unveil its annual econo- tened their tone on the im- tance this year in showing ged in Hubei province late The gathering of China’s the NPC, will gather from mic targets, defense spen- portance of reaching speci- that China is getting back last year. legislature, the National May 21 to May 27, two ding projections and other fic growth targets this year to normal following the This year, the NPC is People’s Congress, usually Hong Kong broadcasters key policy decisions or during the latest Politburo outbreak, even as much also expected to delibe- runs for about two weeks reported over the weekend, changes. This year’s econo- meeting on April 17, saying of the U.S. and Europe re- rate on a draft Civil Code, in Beijing and is attended citing unnamed sources. mic target announcement the nation is facing “unpre- mains on lockdown. The consisting of sections on by President Xi Jinping and The NPC Standing Commi- will be closely watched af- cedented” economic dif- country has 82,788 confir- property, contracts, perso- other top leaders. At least ttee, which is set to meet in ter the pandemic pushed ficulty and signaling that med coronavirus cases, as nality rights, marriage and one set of dates being con- Beijing April 26-29, will de- China’s economy into its more stimulus was in the global infections top 2.5 family, inheritance and sidered is May 23-30, ac- cide the final date to con- first contraction in deca- works. A higher GDP target million. torts. BLOOMERG www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 7 thu 23.04.2020 疫病大流行 PANDEMIC

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

SAM MCNEIL, WUHAN

ATHED in golden late- AP PHOTO -afternoon light, Chen Enting snapped a pho- to of his ticket to com- Wuhan embraces Yangtze River Bmemorate his first ferry ride across the Yangtze River after a 76-day quarantine ended in the Chinese city where the corona- as virus-hit city reopens virus pandemic began. The reopening of ferry servi- ces on the Yangtze, the heart of life in Wuhan for two millennia, was an important symbolic step to get business and daily life in this city of 11 million people back to normal. Wearing goggles, gloves, a homemade mask and a black trench coat, Chen was checked by security guards in protective suits and bought a 1.5-yuan (20- cent) ferry ticket. He boarded with a dozen other passengers, some pushing electric scooters, and found a bench at the front beside a red flag with a yellow sickle. He sprayed the seat with disinfectant before sitting. “The ferry on the Yangtze Ri- Wuhan to get access to central the 1950s, according to a report to Shanghai by way of Nanjing, contaminated the station, and ver is a symbol of Wuhan’s peo- China’s populous market. from the time by The Associated another ancient inland city. on April 11, high-speed trains ple,” said Chen, a 34-year-old The metropolis was formed Press. Shipping, however, plunged began leaving Wuhan for Bei- cost engineer and Chinese Com- from three ancient cities — Wu- Meandering 6,300 kilometers after the coronavirus outbreak jing again. The ferry system had munist Party member. chang, Hankou and Hanyang from Tibet’s Tanggula Moun- started in Wuhan late last year opened a few days before. “The choppy river symboli- — at the meeting of the Yangtze tains to the East China Sea, the and led to a strict lockdown of Chen Xianming, a 70-year-old zes the force of life,” he said, as and Han rivers that grew toge- Yangtze is the longest river in the city. Traffic near Wuhan fell veteran of 26 years in appliance the sun set behind the Tortoise ther. Asia and the world’s third-lon- by as much as 70%, according sales, knew that would save him Mountain TV Tower. “Although “If you are in Wuchang, you gest. to HawkEye 360, a company in money. Paying for taxis across Wuhan had such an ordeal, it can go anywhere under heaven,” It and the Yellow River in the Virginia that follows radio com- the bridge had cut into profits. will flow away just like the ri- said Ji Li, a University of Hong north are the “ rivers of munications and ships’ satellite- “We should be thrifty,” Chen ver and receive exuberant vi- Kong historian, quoting a tradi- the nation,” much like Ameri- -linked tracking beacons. said as he secured boxes on a tality.” tional saying. ca’s Missouri and Mississippi or Traffic is back to less than half motorized tricycle he uses to Wuhan was one of China’s The emperor Kublai Khan vi- Eastern Europe’s Danube. It is its pre-outbreak level, the com- make deliveries. most important centers under sited in the 13th century when also the site of the Three Gorges pany says. Most of Wuhan is thinking inward-looking dynasties that China was part of his Mongol Dam, the world’s biggest hy- Mao’s face, etched in a giant the same way and tightening its had little interest in foreign tra- empire and Shanghai was a droelectric project. gold coin, perches atop a stone belt after factories, restaurants, de and carried out commerce fishing village of a few thousand The Yangtze stars in countless obelisk in the Bund, the river- shopping malls, cinemas and and politics over the country’s people. poems, songs and history- front former center of Western almost every other business ex- vast river networks. In the mid-19th century, -making events, including the business activity and now a tou- cept supermarkets were shut for The city was eclipsed by the Wuhan became, along with third century “Battle of Red Cli- rist spot. On it is etched a poem 2 1/2 months. Jittery consumers explosive rise of Shanghai, Hong Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao, ffs,” which was fought by one of by Mao calling for a bridge to be aren’t spending much. Manu- Kong and other coastal cities af- one of a series of “treaty por- China’s wiliest strategists, Zhuge built across the river. facturing has yet to get back to ter the ruling Communist Party ts” where China’s Manchu ru- Liang. The story, involving ar- That bridge was finished in normal levels. set off a trade boom by laun- lers were forced to give Western mored battleships, has been tur- 1957, cementing Wuhan’s re- But the public has returned to ching market-style economic powers trading privileges and ned into a traditional opera and naissance as a transportation the banks of the Yangtze, known reforms in 1979. exempt their people from local a 2008 blockbuster movie direc- hub by connecting rail networks in Mandarin as Chang Jiang, or Today, Wuhan is regaining its laws. ted by John Woo. in northern and southern China. Great River. status as an economic dynamo A rebellion began on Oct. Today, Wuhan produces agri- That connection is one rea- Couples wearing masks walk as Chinese leaders shift empha- 11, 1911, in Wuhan that spread cultural chemicals, 6% of China’s son the coronavirus spread so hand-in-hand. Fishermen flick sis from exports to developing across the country and led to the cars, and components for smar- fast. long rods out across the bab- more sustainable growth based breakup of the Manchu empire tphones, industrial machinery Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood bling waters. Joggers run past on domestic consumer spen- and the founding of President and optical devices for markets Market, where scientists suspect picnickers. People fly kites sha- ding. The city government says Sun Yat-sen’s Republic of China. in Europe and North America. the virus might have jumped ped like butterflies, birds, lan- more than 300 of the world’s The Yangtze’s water is “very Skyscrapers loom above parks from a bat to humans, is next terns and fighter jets. A ship’s 500 biggest companies, inclu- sweet,” communist leader Mao and ancient temples. door to the Hankou Train Sta- horn blares. ding Microsoft Corp. and Honda Zedong said after he swallowed Ships carry goods 700 kilo- tion. “Wuhan reopens,” Chen said. Motor Co., have operations in a mouthful while swimming in meters (450 miles) downriver Authorities have since de- “This is a day of remembrance.” AP AP PHOTO page 8 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo PANDEMIC 疫病大流行 23.04.2020 thu

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER Trump says ‘we don’t know’ this day in history how Kim Jong Un is doing AP PHOTO

1984 Scientist finds Aids virus

The discovery of a virus which may cause Aids, the fatal disease sweeping through America, has been hailed as a “monumental breakthrough” in medical research. The development was announced in Washington by US Health Secretary Margaret Heckler. She said the virus was a variant of a known human cancer virus called HTLV-3. A blood test has also been developed, which, she said, would be available within six months, preventing the tragedy of transfusion patients contracting the disease through tainted blood products. She also suggested that a vaccine to prevent Aids mi- ght be ready for testing in two years’ time. “Today’s discovery represents the triumph of science over a dreaded disease,” she said. Aids, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, weakens the immune system, leaving its victims open to a series of wasting diseases. Those people who appear to be more at risk of contracting Aids include homose- xuals, haemophiliacs, drug users and those who have received blood transfusions. Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump inside the demilitarized zone in June 2019 It has been causing widespread panic in the United States, where 4,000 people have been infected since the discovery of the disease in 1981. Almost half have MARIO PARKER ther the state broadcaster secrets, known by a han- nal stability, as well as for died. & JIHYE LEE nor the official Korean Cen- dful of people in the inner talks with the U.S. over the The findings in the United States are similar to the dis- tral News Agency mentio- circle of leadership. While country’s nuclear arsenal. covery in France last week of a virus called LAV, although .S. President Do- ned new public appearan- North Korea had scaled Kim, who took power in French researchers stopped short of saying it was defi- nald Trump said ces by the leader, although down major events as it ba- 2011 following his father’s nitely the one which causes Aids. he doesn’t know they continued to publicize ttles the coronavirus pan- 17-year reign, developed Reaction to the news among victims was philosophi- Uabout Kim Jong his messages to dignitaries demic, speculation about the capability to deliver cal. Bob Scheckey has lived with the disease for two Un’s health after American around the world. Kim had been growing a nuclear warhead to any years - far longer than his doctors predicted. He wel- and South Korean officials “I just hope he is doing since his unprecedented part of the U.S. before en- comed the news from Washington, but said a possible gave differing accounts on fine,” Trump said. “I had a absence from April 15 ce- gaging in direct talks with vaccine was too far off to offer comfort. the North Korean leader’s very good relationship with lebrations for the birthday Trump over his arsenal and “I am working with people with Aids on a daily basis,” he condition after he was Kim Jong Un and that is to of his grandfather and state sanctions imposed on the said. “To hear that there is a possible vaccine that could conspicuously absent from the benefit of the country. founder Kim Il Sung, one state. come out in two or three years is no good news for these a major celebration. That is not a bad thing, of the biggest days on the While there’s been litt- people. Most of the people we’re working with now will “I wish him well, we’ve that’s a good thing, and I country’s calendar. le time for him to groom a be dead by that time.” had a good relationship,” would like to see him be Even the most well-in- successor, Kim raised the Trump said Tuesday in res- well. We will see how he formed North Korea exper- status of his younger sister Courtesy BBC News ponse to a question about does. Again, I don’t know ts find it hard to tell what’s Kim Yo Jong as a key player Kim at a White House. The that the reports are true.” happening in the secreti- in the secretive state. She U.S. president said “we Trump and Kim have ve state. The Daily NK, a was thrust into the global don’t know” if the reports gone from trading insults Seoul-based website that spotlight when she served In context about Kim’s health deterio- in 2017, when North Korea gathers information from as envoy to the 2018 Winter rating are true, adding that was testing nuclear wea- informants inside the iso- Olympics in Pyeongchang, The HTLV-3 virus was discovered to be the same as he might reach out to che- pons and missiles that cou- lated nation, separately re- South Korea, and became the LAV virus discovered in France. To avoid confu- ck on him. ld deliver them to the U.S., ported that Kim underwent the first member of the im- sion, it was re-named HIV in 1987. An estimated 24 million people, both homosexual U.S. officials said Mon- to striking up what Pyon- a “cardiovascular surgical mediate ruling family to vi- and heterosexual, have died of Aids since the disease day they were told Kim was gyang officials describe as procedure” and was now sit Seoul. emerged in the United States. It has now reached in critical condition after “mysteriously wonderful mostly recovered. “We can’t completely rule pandemic proportions in some parts of southern Afri- undergoing cardiovascular chemistry” after meeting North Korea’s state me- out his sister yet, although ca, where two million died in 2001 alone. surgery last week and they three times since a summit dia reported on April 11 it would be unprecedented No successful vaccine has yet been developed, al- though billions of dollars have been spent trying. were unsure of his current in June 2018. Despite the that Kim attended a Poli- for their system causing Only eight potential vaccines are currently being health. Meanwhile, South unprecedented talks and tburo meeting of the ruling much confusion because tested on humans, and just one, developed by US firm Korean President Moon the bonhomie between the Workers’ Party. The next she’s a woman, but on the VaxGen, has reached end-stage trials. Jae-in’s office said that Kim two, there have been no day it said he inspected a other hand, she’s part of the The trials were held in North America, Europe and was conducting “normal indications that Kim has military unit, but didn’t re- Mt. Paektu bloodline,” said Thailand and involved thousands of volunteers at high risk from Aids. activities” in a rural part slowed down his produc- veal the date of that visit. Duyeon Kim, a senior advi- But preliminary results announced in November 2003 of the country assisted by tion of weapons of mass There have been no state ser for Northeast Asia and from the AIDSVAX trial in Thailand showed it does not close aides and no special destruction. media reports since them Nuclear Policy at the Inter- work. movements were detected. The health of Kim, on him at any event. national Crisis Group, refer- Nevertheless since the start of the HIV epidemic, a Kim continued to be overweight and a heavy Any leadership crisis in ring to the mountain seen series of drugs have been developed which signifi- cantly prolong the lives of people who are HIV posi- absent from North Korean smoker, is one of North Ko- North Korea could have as the symbol of Kim family tive. state media yesterday. Nei- rea’s most closely guarded ramifications for regio- rule. BLOOMERG www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 9 thu 23.04.2020 資訊／娛樂 INFOTAINMENT

MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER

YOUR STARS The Born Loser by Chip Sansom

Aries Taurus

Mar. 21-Apr. 19 Apr. 20-May. 20 Your curiosity might be getting Someone is back on the scene, the better of you right now. Your and they might have a hard time quest to know all the answers all adjusting to the fact that you have the time has led you down a path much more influence than you that just might be a dead-end did when they first worked with street. So, why ask why? you.

Gemini Cancer

May. 21-Jun. 21 Jun. 22-Jul. 22 Start exploring the places, people, It will make a bigger impact and things that are foreign to you, on their life than yours, and from food to music to politics. it will make you feel good to What other countries have to brighten someone’s life that way. offer will suddenly be fascinating Random acts of kindness always to you. feel good. SUDOKU WEATHER Leo Virgo MIN MAX CONDITION Jul. 23-Aug. 22 Aug. 23-Sep. 22 Easy Easy+ CHINA If someone already knows what Your regular way of doing things Beijing 22 blowing dust you’re going to ask before you might not change today, but it 11 ask it, you should move on to a might feel different. Something Harbin 3 16 cloudy different person who isn’t always has changed in you, and it’s giving your first stop when you’re in you a fresh perspective on your Tianjin 9 19 drizzle need. daily life. Urumqi 9 17 drizzle Xi’an 25 clear Libra Scorpio 12 Lhasa 3 15 overcast Sep.23-Oct. 22 Oct. 23-Nov. 21 Chengdu 16 28 overcast They’ve been through this all Find a person who intimidates Chongqing 19 29 cloudy before, and their experience has you a little bit, whose methods taught them lessons that they think of thinking or working are odd Kunming 10 28 clear you should learn - and they’re right! to you. Then observe them for a Nanjing 29 cloudy Make sure you’re all ears when this while and see whether or not they 15 friend starts to get serious. have new things to teach you. Shanghai 16 27 overcast Wuhan 15 29 cloudy Sagittarius Capricorn Medium Hard Hangzhou 12 29 cloudy Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Dec. 22-Jan. 19 Taipei 16 24 cloudy The way you interact with The next time the urge to do Guangzhou 16 27 cloudy strangers could impact your day something negative pops up as you in a very big way. If you choose to go about your usual routine, take a Hong Kong 20 27 cloudy ignore everyone you don’t know, detour. Changing your plans today your day will be uneventful and will go a long way toward helping you typical. resist any bad behavior tomorrow. WORLD Aquarius Pisces Moscow 1 8 drizzle Frankfurt 0 8 cloudy Jan. 20-Feb. 18 Feb.19-Mar. 20 Paris 2 10 clear You truly value the people you have Trying to gain insight from in your life right now, so set aside your dreams right now will London 5 13 cloudy some time to get to know them only be a waste of your time. better. Video chat with a new friend. Instead, if you want to figure New York 3 10 cloudy Inserting yourself into someone things out, look at your life else’s life is easy right now... realistically.

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MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER BLOOMBERG The Art of Giving Lurdes de Sousa *

Modern philanthropy and globalization

virus that vanishes with some droplets of soap A has put the world into lockdown, caused national health systems to collapse, created one of the greatest depressions in modern times and even brought the price of crude oil to such negative rates that crude oil sellers in the US have actually started paying buyers to take the black gold off their hands… Covid-19 has killed globalization as we know it, some argue, or at least brought it to a standstill as the disruption may continue until a vaccine is adminis- trated globally. Globalization is not a new phenomenon; it has existed for centuries since traders travelled vast dis- tances in ancient times to buy commodities that were rare in their homelands. To put it in simple terms, it is a term used to describe the increasing connectedness of world cultures and economies. Praised for decades, especially as we entered the fourth wave of globalization, the advantages of globa- lization, we were told, translated into raising output in countries, raising productivity, creating more jobs, raising wages, and lowering prices of products in the world economy. Covid-19 travelled around the globalized world and as a direct consequence, raised a debate over whether globalization is a beneficial force in reducing inequa- Snapchat says app usage lities. “Coronavirus: they tell us it’s a great leveler… it’s not (…) It’s much harder if you’re poor” a BBC pivot tells us in a touching, yet revealing report. accelerating with What we previously saw in globalization as powe- ring economic growth and allowing the spread of ideas people in lockdown to improve people’s lives turned into a cruel reality, as global issues such as pandemics erode communities SARAH FRIER Chief Executive Officer Evan engaged with an augmented- and widen the gap between the elite and the rest of the Spiegel said his company has -reality feature every day during world. So, we may ask: has a little virus that vanishes NAPCHAT’S parent com- enough cash to continue hiring the first quarter. Spiegel said the with droplets of soap killed globalization? Quite pro- Spany reported a jump in daily and investing in research and company has been seeing more bably not, but once this is over, there will surely be users and said it expects to keep development despite the eco- interest from brands using AR in much debate about whether globalization has redu- growing as people turn to mes- nomic slowdown caused by the their ad campaigns - for exam- ced or increased inequalities, and it will certainly be saging apps to stay connected virus. After a 2017 IPO, Snap’s ro- ple, makeup companies that mi- a most interesting debate to follow. It’s time to recall during the coronavirus pande- cky performance and lackluster ght need to let users try on a pro- and learn from Confucian philosophy, “When wealth mic. Shares surged as much as growth forced Spiegel to cut sta- duct virtually before they buy it. is centralized, the people are dispersed, when wealth 22% in late trading. ff, change the focus of the adver- The company’s shares clim- is distributed, the people are brought together”. Snap Inc. said the app’s po- tising business and raise more bed as high as $15.12 in exten- Despite the tragic consequences and sad momen- pularity is accelerating, with money by selling convertible ded trading following the report. ts humankind is facing, one thing this episode has Snapchat reaching an average bonds. “The many difficult tran- Snap stock closed at $12.44 in shown us it that globalization has never been more of 229 million daily users in the sitions and changes we made New York, marking a 24% decline meaningful. We are living a unique moment of history first quarter, compared with the as a business over the past few for 2020. The company’s upbeat when we can say that we are together as one, that we 224 million analysts projected, years have positioned us well for announcement also lifted shares have never been closer to each other, in pain, solida- according to Bloomberg consen- the challenges ahead,” he said in of social-media rivals Twitter Inc. rity, compassion. All around the world, mother nature sus estimates. With many users the company’s remarks. and Facebook Inc., which have has come back to life and philanthropy, charity and sheltering in place and spending Now, Snapchat has become yet to report earnings. kindness initiatives have been spreading spontaneou- more time on their smartpho- a vital tool for people stuck at Snap may be more insulated sly… even a 99-year-old war veteran was able to rai- nes, activity is also on the rise, home with no way to see friends from the downturn than Fa- se £27 million for Britain’s National Health Service… Snap said Tuesday in prepared in real life or venture out for en- cebook and Twitter because it That’s the most beautiful expression of philanthropy remarks. tertainment. The app, mainly doesn’t have as many small ad- as the love of humankind. The Santa Monica, Califor- used for friends to chat through vertisers, said Jim Cridlin, global It is too early to draw conclusions about faith in glo- nia-based company said it’s too photos that disappear, has also head of innovation and partner- balization but what we can already see is that the little soon to know whether the surge become more popular for other, ships at WPP Plc’s Mindshare virus has definitely reshaped globalization towards in usage will boost revenue, be- more solitary features, like ga- media agency. “Those larger ad- new trends and, paradoxically or not, this global di- cause advertisers are expected to mes and short TV series on the vertiser budgets are more stable sease has brought forth the best of humankind. trim budgets during the global company’s Discover page. With than small business advertisers, Covid-19 outbreak. First-quar- TV studios losing the ability to and their businesses are more ter sales jumped 44% to $462.5 film traditional shows, the shor- likely to remain open,” Cridlin *President, Associação Internacional million, also topping analysts’ t-form content might see greater said in a note following Snap’s de Filantropia (Macau) predictions, and Snap said reve- adoption. report. 國際博愛協會 (澳門) nue growth in the current period Snapchat has also seen broa- The company’s first-quar- has slowed but not stopped. In der use of its augmented-reality ter net loss narrowed to $305.9 [email protected] the first few weeks of April, reve- face filters, which let people chat million, or 21 cents a share, from nue was up 15% from a year ear- while appearing as talking rolls of $310.4 million, or 23 cents, a year Macau Daily Times is the official media partner of the Associação lier, Snap said. Still, the company toilet paper, or with virtual cats earlier. Excluding certain items, Internacional de Filantropia (Macau). said it’s not providing forecasts on their heads. The company the loss was 8 cents a share. for the current period. said an average of 75% of users BLOOMBERG www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 11 thu 23.04.2020 隔離 QUARANTINE

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PANDEMIC AND CHILL Netflix adds a cool 16 million subscribers ETFLIX picked up near- ago, Netflix has built up a deep ca- ly 16 million global talog that can feed viewer appeti- subscribers during the AP PHOTO tes even though the pandemic res- Nfirst three months of the ponse has shut down production year, helping cement its status as on many new shows. one of the world’s most essential That stoppage could hurt Ne- services in times of isolation or tflix as well, although analysts at crisis. Canaccord Genuity believe its vi- The quarter spanned the be- deo library will serve as a “content ginning of stay-at-home orders in moat” that can keep most compe- the U.S. and around the world, a titors at bay. response to the coronavirus pan- One notable exception is Walt demic that apparently led millions Disney Co., whose recently laun- to latch onto Netflix for entertain- ched streaming service is also sto- ment and comfort when most had cked with perennial classics, espe- nowhere to be but home. cially for children who have even Netflix more than doubled the more free time than usual. quarterly growth it predicted in That’s one of the big reasons January, well before the COVID-19 Disney’s service has amassed 50 outbreak began to shut down million subscribers and why Net- many major economies. It was the flix is basking in another resurgen- biggest three-month gain in the ce in popularity. Netflix predicted 13-year history of Netflix’s strea- confinement a little more bearab- gh they soon fell back. One reason: the same time last year. Netflix ear- it will add 7.5 million subscribers ming service. le,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said The strengthening U.S. dollar will ned $709 million in the first quar- from April through June. That’s The numbers — released Tues- while speaking to investors during likely depress the company’s reve- ter, nearly tripling its profit from nearly three times more than its day as part of Netflix’s first-quar- a video call from a bedroom. nue from outside the U.S., which last year. average springtime gain of 2.7 ter earnings report — support a Investor optimism about Net- could dampen gains from some of Even though it faces plenty of million subscribers during the growing belief that video strea- flix’s prospects propelled the com- its fastest growing markets. competition, Netflix appears bet- past seven years. ming is likely to thrive even as the pany’s stock to new highs recently, Currency effects also limited ter positioned to take advantage of Hastings praised Disney’s fast overall U.S. economy sinks into its a sharp contrast with the decline in Netflix revenue growth to 17%, for the surging demand for TV shows start in streaming as “stunning” first recession in more than a de- the broader market. a total of $5.8 billion, even thou- and movies largely because of its in his video call with investors. cade. Netflix’s shares initially surged gh the company ended March head start in video streaming. “My hat’s off to them,” he said. “Our small contribution to the- in after-hours trading after the firs- with nearly 183 million worldwide Since beginning its foray into “We are both going to do great se difficult times is to make home t-quarter report came out, althou- subscribers, a 23% increase from original programming seven years work.” MDT/AP

ad China calls virus lawsuit the brought by US state ‘very absurd’ BUZZ China yesterday slammed a lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. against other countries typically don’t go anywhere because U.S. state of Missouri over the coronavirus pandemic as “very absurd.” law generally prohibits them. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the legal action The Chinese government has strenuously denied accusations that has “no factual and legal basis at all” and repeated China’s defense officials delayed reporting on the extent of the outbreak in the cen- of its response to the outbreak, which has largely subsided in the tral Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, despite reports that worries country where it was first detected. over political stability were placed above public health concerns. The lawsuit alleges that Chinese officials are to blame for the pan- “This so-called lawsuit is very absurd and has no factual and legal OPINION demic that has sickened around 2.5 million worldwide, thrown tens basis at all,” Geng said at a daily briefing. Since the outbreak began, of millions out of work and devastated local economies, including China has proceeded in an “open, transparent, and responsible World Views in China. manner” and the U.S. government should “dismiss such vexatious Daniel Moss, Bloomberg Missouri’s action is likely to be largely symbolic, since lawsuits litigation,” he said. Singapore proves there’s no textbook virus response As people stay home, AP PHOTO Once lauded as a beacon in the fight against Co- vid-19, Singapore reached an unenviable milestone this week: the most cases in Southeast Asia. Earth turns wilder Soaring infections suggest rapidly tightening restric- tions on social and economic activity are unlikely to Lebanon A Palestinian cease anytime soon; the prime minister said Tuesday and cleaner woman from Syria has that schools and most workplaces will remain closed become the first refugee until June 1. The struggle to contain this pandemic living in a camp in Lebanon even in a well-run, rich nation casts doubt on whether to test positive for the AP PHOTO any country can become a global standard-bearer. coronavirus, the U.N. Singapore has 9,125 coronavirus cases as of Tues- agency for Palestinian day, a tenfold increase in just three weeks, though refugees said yesterday. It has reported just 11 fatalities. That’s a blip compared triggered a spate of testing with Indonesia’s 616 deaths, the Philippines’s 437 and to determine whether Thailand’s 48. The bulk of new infections are from the other residents have been migrant-worker community, which resides in tightly infected. packed dormitories. These laborers hold many of the lower-paid jobs vital to Singapore’s first-world eco- Cameroon’s President Paul nomy. Biya has acknowledged While the surge likely reflects more comprehensi- that the military massacred ve testing than neighbors, this is an uncomfortab- innocent people, including le position for a place that usually runs like a Swiss women and children, in watch. In return for its strong executive powers, the a northwestern village elected government has long provided policy stabili- in February after the ty, predictable decision-making and maintenance of government first denied health and wealth. Per capita income is among the it. A statement from Biya’s highest on the globe and Singapore’s health system is office said the president has in the top 10 worldwide, according to a 2019 Bloom- asked for legal action. Three berg analysis. soldiers have already been Singapore’s attention to procedure can chafe, but arrested. its methodical approach is often preferable to the ha- phazard administration that can characterize much of Southeast Asia. That’s part of what’s made the past few weeks so jarring. N unplanned grand ex- says conservation scien- burning of fossil fuels, this AP PHOTO Having navigated through Severe Acute Respiratory Aperiment is changing tist Stuart Pimm of Duke pollution is short-lived, so Syndrome in 2003, the government warned its citi- Earth. University. “This is giving the air gets cleaner quickly. zens early of the risks from Covid-19. Singapore was As people across the glo- us an opportunity to magi- Compared to the pre- among the first to restrict arrivals from China; tem- be stay home to stop the cally see how much better vious five years, March air perature screenings at offices and restaurants became spread of the new coronavi- it can be.” pollution is down 46% in European Union leaders are commonplace by February. For months, the govern- preparing for a new virtual rus, the air has cleaned up, Chris Field, director of Paris, 35% in Bengaluru, ment urged citizens only to use masks if unwell. But summit to take stock of the as the case count rose, the government changed its albeit temporarily. Smog the Stanford Woods Insti- India, 38% in Sydney, 29% damage the coronavirus tune, and stopped discouraging healthy people from stopped choking New De- tute for the Environment, in Los Angeles, 26% in Rio has inflicted on the lives wearing them. That later evolved into an order: Wear lhi, one of the most pollu- assembled scientists to as- de Janeiro and 9% in Dur- and livelihoods of the bloc’s a mask, or risk fines and prosecution. (Children under ted cities in the world, and sess the ecological changes ban, South Africa, NASA citizens and to thrash out a two and exercisers have been exempt.) India’s getting views of si- happening with so much measurements show. more robust plan to revive It wasn’t until the government’s early April “circuit ghts not visible in decades. of humanity housebound. Cleaner air has been their ravaged economies. breaker” — the term lockdown is frowned upon — Nitrogen dioxide pollution Scientists, stuck at home most noticeable in India that schools were shut. By that point, more than 160 nations had taken this step. The new restrictions also in the northeastern United like the rest of us, say they and China. On April 3, resi- closed most businesses, aside from essential servi- States is down 30%. Rome are eager to explore unex- dents of Jalandhar, a city in AP PHOTO ces. Fines are administered for people perceived to air pollution levels from pected changes in weeds, north India’s Punjab, woke be breaching distancing rules; social gatherings with mid-March to mid-April insects, weather patter- up to a view not seen for people outside your household have been outlawed, were down 49% from a year ns, noise and light pollu- decades: snow-capped Hi- even inside private homes. Restaurants can sell food ago. Stars seems more visi- tion. Italy’s government is malayan peaks more than for takeout or delivery, but loitering is prohibited. UK Britain’s Parliament went ble at night. working on an ocean expe- 100 miles away. After months of gradual limits on activity, officials back to work Tuesday, and hit the fast-forward button. New curbs were unveiled People are also noticing dition to explore sea chan- Stanford’s Field says the political authorities had a Tuesday, at the halfway point of the initial month- animals in places and at ges from the lack of people. he’s most intrigued by in- message for lawmakers: Stay -long circuit breaker that was scheduled to end early times they don’t usually. “In many ways we kind creased urban sightings of away. A few dozen legislators May. Access to wet markets and supermarkets will Coyotes have meandered of whacked the Earth sys- coyotes, pumas and other sat, well-spaced, in the be restricted. Residents are advised to go out alone, along downtown Chicago’s tem with a sledgehammer wildlife that are becoming Commons, and agreed on rather than with family members, and stick close to Michigan Avenue and near and now we see what Ear- video social media staples. arrangements for lawmakers home. to ask questions from home San Francisco’s Golden th’s response is,” Field says. Boar-like javelinas congre- For its part, Singapore has never laid claim to being using videoconferencing a model in the battle against the virus, though Prime Gate Bridge. A puma roa- Researchers are tracking gated outside of an Arizo- program Zoom, beamed Minister Lee Hsien Loong did note that the World med the streets of Santia- dramatic drops in traditio- na shopping center. Even onto screens erected around Health Organization lauded its response in a Mar- go, Chile. Goats took over nal air pollutants, such as New York City birds seem the wood-paneled chamber. ch 12 address. In an interview with CNN later that a town in Wales. In India, nitrogen dioxide, smog and hungrier and bolder. month, host Fareed Zakaria invited Lee to explain the already daring wildlife has tiny particles. These types In Adelaide, Australia, New Zealand While most country’s success. The premier balked at any talk of become bolder with hun- of pollution kill up to 7 police shared a video of a countries are working victory and predicted a long struggle. “I know this has on ways to contain the gry monkeys entering ho- million people a year worl- kangaroo hoping around a not been an easy time for everyone,” Lee said Tues- coronavirus, New Zealand day. “We are making progress, but we have not yet mes and opening refrigera- dwide, according to Health mostly empty downtown, has set itself a much more succeeded.” tors to look for food. Effects Institute president and a pack of jackals occu- ambitious goal: eliminating Perhaps the best lesson from Singapore is that the- When people stay home, Dan Greenbaum. pied an urban park in Tel it altogether. And experts re is no single playbook to combat an adversary that Earth becomes cleaner and The air from Boston to Aviv, Israel. believe the country could pull disregards boundaries. Even the most efficient and wilder. Washington is its cleanest We’re not being invaded. it off. The virus “doesn’t have risk-averse countries have been sideswiped. The pan- “It is giving us this quite since a NASA satellite star- The wildlife has always been superpowers,” said Helen demic responses of the future may wind up splicing Petousis-Harris, a vaccine extraordinary insight into ted measuring nitrogen there, but many animals are together the most effective steps taken around the expert at the University world — unfortunately, that’s a template we may not just how much of a mess dioxide, in 2005, says NASA shy, Duke’s Pimm says. They of Auckland. “Once see for years to come. [Abridged] we humans are making atmospheric scientist Bar- come out when humans transmission is stopped, it’s of our beautiful planet,” ry Lefer. Largely caused by stay home. MDT/AP gone.”