Briefs | IFT enrolls students from mainland China

The Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) is enrolling mainland Chinese students for the first time. IFT plans to enroll 100 mainland students, which will create a group occupying 20 percent of the school’s total enrollment quota for this year. Mainland high school junior students can apply for IFT’s programs if their national Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gaokao) final scores reach a specific grade threshold which grants them access into China’s key universities. Students may also apply if they have obtained special awards in China’s provincial, national, or international levels, or if they have a recommendation from their school’s rector.

Former IC head not guilty of corruption

The Court of First Instance ruled the former head of the Cultural Heritage Department of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheong Cheok Kio, not guilty of corruption, according to the Chinese press. Cheong was reported by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) under suspicions of using his power in the IC (in 2007) to outsource a contract to a company where his wife was a shareholder. Cheong has been through a four-month trial at the court. The court’s judge, Kan Cheng Ha, after announcing the verdict, told Cheong “even though I don’t know how you are going to behave in the future, I hope you can learn a lesson.”

Avian influenza: man in critical condition in Jilin

According to information released by the Macau Health Bureau (SSM), citing reports from the Chinese health authorities, a new case of human infection by the avian influenza (H7N9) virus has been reported. The man, aged 34 and from Jilin province in mainland China, is reportedly being treated at a hospital in the Jilin province and is in critical condition. Since September 2016, infections have been registered in several provinces, including: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Shanghai, Guangzhou (Guangdong), Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Shandong, Liaoning, Henan, Sichuan, Guangxi and Congqing, Beijing, Gansu, Tianjin, Jilin and Tibet. According to the health authorities, there were two confirmed cases in Macau, one of which was contracted abroad, with the first case occurring in mid-December last year. In February this year, an outbreak of the virus was detected in live poultry by the sanitary inspection authorities in Nam Yue Wholesale Market. Since then, the sale of live poultry have been suspended in Macau.

Costa Nunes Yearbook launches

The Parents and Guardians Association of D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten launches today the D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten Yearbook for the academic years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. The launch ceremony is to be held on April 26 at 6:15 pm, at the D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten, located at Avenida Sidónio Pais. The ceremony will be attended by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam. A copy of the Yearbook will be offered to every child who has attended Kindergarten during the school years in question. The Times is a media partner of the book.

Event marks Int’l Jazz Day

An event commemorating the International Jazz Day in Macau will be held on Saturday at the Casa Garden Auditorium. Organized by the Macao Jazz Promotion Association (MJPA) and Association for the Promotion of Cultural Activities (APAC), with the support of the Oriente Foundation. The event includes a video projection of selected moments from the 2016 Global Concert, which was held in Washington, and featured two Washington-based bands and an open jam session. The International Jazz Day was established in 2011 as an initiative of UNESCO and has since led to a growing number of events around the world. The celebration usually ends with a great jazz show, known as the Global Concert, including a large international cast featuring many of the most outstanding contemporary jazz artists. This year, the Global Concert will take place in Havana, Cuba.