Upcycling the Oceans: Thailand’s effort to rid sea of plastic waste

Rising sea temperatures, overcrowding, pollution and tons of plastic rubbish are damaging the marine ecosystem to such an extent that authorities have no choice but to shut down their popular islands and dive sites to save the ocean.While the Philippines abruptly closed down its idyllic Boracay island last month for a six-month clean-up, Thailand’s Maya Bay, made famous by “The Beach” film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will be off limits to tourists starting from next month to allow the

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Govt consults public on smart city development

The government yesterday launched a 45-day public consultation on the strategies and major infrastructure projects required to develop Macau into a smart city, aiming to build Macau into a sustainable smart city and world city of leisure and tourism.A press conference about the public consultation was held on the premises of the Government Information Bureau (GCS) at China Plaza. The consultation will end on June 30. Two public sessions will be held during the consultation period.The government

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Man smuggles squab meat tied round his legs

The Macau Customs Service said in a statement yesterday that its officers at the Barrier Gate checkpoint caught a local man trying to smuggle squab meat into the city, which was strapped to his legs under his trousers.Squab is a young unfledged pigeon and the flesh of a young pigeon as food.On Monday, customs officers at the checkpoint spotted a man, who was wearing a pair of very loose trousers, walking awkwardly. According to the statement, the officers then stopped him.This undated handout

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Axing of Nam Van land leases is ‘lawful’: Rosario

Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosario said yesterday that the government’s announcement this week to annul the land concessions of 16 plots of land in the Nam Van Lake area was “in line with the law”.Rosario made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony marking yesterday’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day at Macau Tower.The government announced the cancellations of the 16 provisional land concessions in the Official

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Govt proposes changes to arbitration rules

Executive Council spokesman Leong Heng Teng said yesterday that the government has drafted a bill regulating the city’s arbitration procedures, which aims to encourage residents to choose arbitration as an alternative means of dispute resolution.Addressing a press conference at Government Headquarters, Leong said that the council, the government’s top advisory body, has completed its discussion of the bill, which is to replace the city’s current rules on the arbitration process.The bill

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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5G launch ‘won’t lag behind neighbours' : CTT chief hopes

Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT) Director Derby Lau Wai Meng said yesterday she hoped that the launch of the 5G service in Macau will not lag behind its neighbouring regions.Lau made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony marking yesterday’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day at Macau Tower.When asked by the media about the government’s timetable for the launching of Macau’s 5G service, Lau said that her bureau needed to take

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Govt proposes changes to finance leasing rules and its tax benefits

Executive Council spokesman Leong Heng Teng said yesterday that the government has drafted a bill regulating the city’s finance leasing, with the aim of promoting its development.Addressing a press conference at Government Headquarters, Leong said that the council, the government’s top advisory body, has completed its discussion of the bill, which is to replace the existing decree-law on finance leasing which came into force in 1994.The government’s Five-Year Development Plan published in

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Puppet show explores humanity, nature, greed with kids

A puppet theatre depicting the relationship between a boy and a tree through the years is set to get the young audience thinking about nature, greed, fairness or unfairness, and acknowledging mistakes.“When all was green” is a 45-minute production by The Key Theatre form Israel that is designed for an audience from age 5 and above. It will have a daily show at 8 p.m. at the Macau Conservatory Auditorium from today until Sunday, as part of the 29th Macau Arts Festival organised by the

May 18, 2018 | BY admin

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Many taxi complaints over past 2 years: tourism chief

Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said yesterday that her office had received a large number of complaints about the city’s taxis from residents and tourists alike over the past two years.Senna Fernandes made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the Venetian in Cotai on the sidelines of a seminar of the ongoing three-day Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia) which ends today.Senna Fernandes also said that her office had passed complaints about

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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Govt axes land concessions for 16 Nam Van plots

The government announced in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday the annulment of the land concessions of 16 plots of land in the Nam Van Lake area as their provisional land concession already expired on July 30, 2016.According to the gazette, of the 16 plots, three are in Zone A of the Nam Van Lake area, while 11 are in Zone C and 2 are in Zone D. The Nam Van Lake area is located around the Legislative Assembly (AL) building and Macau Tower.According to the Land Law, provisional land

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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Police bust 28 illegal casino money changers

The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested 28 men and women from the mainland at several casino-hotel resorts in Cotai yesterday for illegally engaging in currency-exchange activities, PJ spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said.Lei briefed the media yesterday evening at Galaxy Macau after PJ officers took action to combat unlicensed money-changing activities on the premises or the margins of local casinos.According to Lei, the 28 illegal money changers comprise 18 men and 10 women, aged between 21 and

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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Govt to reveal details of casino bidding process soon: regulator

Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) Director Paulo Martins Chan said yesterday he believed that the government will soon announce the details of its upcoming gaming concession bidding process in the run-up to the expiration of the city’s three gaming concessions and three sub-concessions.Chan made the remarks while speaking to reporters yesterday at the Venetian in Cotai on the sidelines of a seminar of the ongoing three-day Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E Asia) which ends

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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Customs officer on sick leave drives taxi for 4 years: official

An officer of the Macau Customs Service on sick leave was found to have moonlighted as a taxi driver for four years, the website of the Secretariat for Security (GSS) said yesterday.According to a statement on the GSS website, the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) recently informed the Customs Service that the officer had been driving a taxi while on sick leave since March 2014. The statement said information provided by the Customs Service showed that the officer was on sick leave for most

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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Police conduct murder investigation drill

The Judiciary Police (PJ) said in a statement yesterday that in order to enhance the coordination capabilities between its various units in the areas of criminal investigation and forensics, their officers conducted a murder investigation exercise.The exercise took place on an idle construction site in the land reclamation area known as Zone B off Nape.According to the statement, upon receiving a report of a suspected murder case, the Judiciary Police dispatched its officers to the scene and

May 17, 2018 | BY admin

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