World Views | Greece’s tremors spread toward Spain and Italy

One reason European Union officials are allowing Greece to toddle dangerously close to the cliff top of exiting the euro is their oft-asserted belief that the situation is ring-fenced. A Greek default

Thursday, June 18, 2015 – edition no. 2337

* Scholar says gov’t needs ‘to carefully strike a balance’ on smoking ban * Tourism forum focused on Latin America * Cultural fund beneficiaries announced * Hong Kong democrats hold ranks   DOWNLOAD

The Buzz | UnionPay expands Hong Kong presence

China UnionPay Co. acquired a stake in Hong Kong’s Joint Electronic Teller Services Ltd. as the bank-card payments processor seeks a greater presence outside the mainland. UnionPay has become a

Study | Nazi propaganda left life long mark on German kids

Anti-Semitic propaganda had a life long effect on German children schooled during the Nazi period, leaving them far more likely to harbor negative views of Jews than those born earlier

World Briefs

NEPAL Avalanches in Nepal’s northern mountains injure five army rescuers and force the suspension of a search for bodies in a trekking village that was buried during April’s devastating earthquake. BANGLADESH’s

CE departs for Beijing | Local marine sovereignty to come at year-end

Chief Executive Chui Sai On has pledged to protect the government’s social welfare packages in order to safeguard residents’ initiatives from being impacted by the economic downturn caused by shrinking

Forum needs further promotion in lusophone countries

The consul general of Mozambique to Macau, Rafael Custódio Marques, believes that Forum Macau’s purposes and activities need to be further promoted within Portuguese-speaking countries. On the sidelines of a press

Education | Schools set up group for gender equality

Ten local universities and colleges have recently set up a joint group in order to formulate a set of guidelines for gender equality and the prevention of sexual harassment. The Tertiary

Gaming operators united | Employees favor keeping smoking lounges, survey says

Macau’s six gaming operators commissioned a study on the full smoking ban from international audit firm KPMG. The survey shows that 66 percent of surveyed casino employees agree with keeping

US-based union issues letter to Beijing on junket regulation

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) has sent a letter to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) highlighting the flaws in Macau’s regulation of junket

Galaxy Phase 2 launch softer than expected

Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., which last month opened Macau’s first new casino projects in three years, said gambling at its recent expansion has been weaker than expected. Business at the second

15 prisoners with flu symptoms quarantined

The Macau Prison has placed a total of 15 male inmates aged from 28 to 47 under quarantine after they all showed flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough and sore

Multinational calls for increased safety in construction industry

  Hilti Corporation, a Europe-based multinational company that develops, manufactures, and markets products for the construction industry, has sent a letter to the Secretary for Economy and Finance requesting the improvement

16 idle land plots excluded from gov’t recovery list

One third of the 48 idle plots of land that were attributable to leaseholders have been exempted from the revocation of concessions by the government, the Secretary for Transport and

Monetary Authority hosts int’l meetings

The Monetary Authority of Macau (AMCM) is hosting the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) meetings, which kicked off on June 15 and will run until June 19. The international

Redfoo promises to rock City of Dreams pool party

  American party rapper Redfoo, best known as part of the musical duo LMFAO, is set to fly to Macau for the City of Dreams’ Splash pool party on July 11,

Two Nobel laureates at UM

The University of Macau is organizing two lectures on medical chemistry this coming July 10 and 11 on the ground floor of its multi-functional hall, with two Nobel Laureates invited

Etihad Airways commences daily Hong Kong service

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, yesterday announced the start of daily services to Hong Kong. To mark the carrier’s increased frequency, its yesterday morning flight to

Chinese workers at Uniqlo supplier strike over firings

Hundreds of factory workers at a Chinese supplier to Fast Retailing Co. are striking over the dismissal of some of the employees, forcing production to shut down, a labor rights

Corporate Bits | MGM macau achieves gold status in ‘macao green hotel award’

The award was launched in 2007 and aims to raise awareness of the importance of environmental management in Macau’s hotel industry, and also provides a platform for showcasing efforts, learning

Hong Kong | Boom-to-bust stocks show challenge of Shanghai link

Wild gyrations in Hong Kong share prices are raising concerns that a new trading link with mainland China is a conduit for questionable trading practices that could undermine the city›s reputation as

South China Sea | Gov’t says island building to finish soon

China will complete land reclamation projects on its disputed South China Sea territorial claims as planned within days, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday, in an apparent bid to reassure its neighbors over moves

Hong Kong | Beijing official: Rejection of election plan hurts prospects

Hong Kong faces a “very worrying” future should lawmakers fail to pass a China-backed bill to overhaul elections in the city, a Chinese official said ahead of a planned legislative

Australia | Abbott brushes off Indonesia people smuggling concerns

Prime Minister Tony Abbott sought to brush off Indonesian concerns that Australia paid people smugglers to turn around boats carrying asylum seekers, saying his government is taking a moral approach

South Korea | Schools reopen despite widespread MERS fear

The death toll continued to mount in South Korea’s MERS outbreak yesterday even as schools reopen and people recover from the virus. Nineteen people have died in the largest outbreak of the disease

India | After lead scare, Nestle to destroy USD50m worth of noodles

Nestle India said it will destroy instant noodles worth 3.2 billion rupees (USD50 million) following a sales ban imposed by Indian food safety authorities for unsafe levels of lead. India’s food safety panel banned

Philippines | Muslim rebels lay down arms to reinforce peace deal

The largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines handed over dozens of assault weapons yesterday in a symbolic gesture to reinforce a peace pact stalled by a public outcry over

USA | Jeb Bush confirms 2016 bid

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush launched a White House bid months in the making with a vow to win the Republican presidential nomination on his own merits. Bush is unquestionably

Refugee crisis | Police in helmets drag migrants from French-Italian border

Italian police in riot gear forcibly removed a few dozen African migrants yesterday who had been camping out for days at Italy’s Mediterranean border with France in hopes of going

Egypt | Court confirms death sentence for Morsi

An Egyptian court yesterday confirmed a death sentence handed to ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi over a mass prison break during the 2011 uprising that eventually brought him to power. Morsi,

Yemen | Al-Qaida confirms US strike killed leader of affiliate

A U.S. airstrike has killed Al-Qaida’s No. 2 leader, who commanded its powerful Yemeni affiliate, dealing the global network its biggest blow since the killing of Osama bin Laden and

This Day in History | 1974 IRA bombs parliament

The explosion is suspected to have fractured a gas main and a fierce fire spread quickly through the centuries-old hall in one of Britain’s most closely-guarded buildings. Scotland Yard detectives have

Offbeat | Indonesia: Thousands refuse to leave volcano danger zone

Thousands of villagers are refusing to leave their homes on the slopes of one of Indonesia’s most volatile volcanoes despite warnings that it is poised for a powerful eruption. Mount Sinabung,

Kimmo Timonen will retire a champion

Kimmo Timonen got the Stanley Cup from Jonathan Toews and raised it high above his head, unleashing a cathartic roar in concert with the raucous United Center crowd. In the final game

Chicago beats Tampa Bay 2-0 to win Stanley Cup

The Chicago Blackhawks won their third NHL Stanley Cup in six years by beating Tampa Bay 2-0 on Monday (US time) to take the series 4 games to 2. Patrick Kane

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