News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise import fell by 40.1% year-on-year to MOP4.22 billion in March 2020, of which imports of Mobile phones, Gold jewellery and Watches declined by 78.0%, 76.6% and 61.3% respectively. On the other hand, imports of Other textile made-up articles, which comprised mostly face masks, surged by 365.2%. Total merchandise export amounted to MOP1.08 billion, down by 9.0% year-on-year. Value of re-exports (MOP941 million) went down by 12.2%, with that of Machines, apparatus & parts reducing by 46.2%. Meanwhile, value of domestic exports (MOP139 million) rose by 20.6%, with that of Garments jumping by 1,015.5%. Merchandise trade deficit in March totalled MOP3.14 billion.
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The CCAC detected a case where persons in charge of a local education centre and almost 200 residents allegedly defrauded subsidies from the Continuing Education Development Plan. The education centre involved offered cash kickbacks to the persons who applied for the courses it launched. As a result, it successfully obtained the relevant subsidies granted by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ). The alleged scam involved a sum of more than MOP1 million.
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To support the development of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the University of Macau (UM) has formulated a strategic research blueprint for the integration of science, technology, humanities and social sciences. While continuing to develop disciplines with a competitive edge, UM will also give priority to some emerging disciplines, with increased support for interdisciplinary subjects that cover humanities, social sciences, and science and technology, in order to meet the current trends in society. UM’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) aims to create a university-level, cross-faculty research platform. In the initial stage, the institute will develop three signature research clusters, namely Chinese civilisation in multicultural mèlange, convergence of humanities and sciences, and Macao from a global perspective. The institute recently launched a Fellowship Scheme to attract world-class talent in related fields.
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Due to the impact of novel coronavirus pandemic, many performers will not be able to visit Macao. The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) decided to cancel the “Children’s Day Concert: Conductor’s Spellbook” and the Concert “Italian Romance”.
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With the great support of the central government and the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the University of Macau (UM) focuses on the major needs of Macao and the country and vigorously promotes the development of innovative technology by making full use of its advantages in order to foster a source of innovative technology for the sustainable development of the Macao SAR. On the strength of its past research achievements, UM has established a ‘3+3+3’ research blueprint, under which the university actively establishes new platforms for technology and innovation and vigorously promotes interdisciplinary research in order to create a momentum for technology-driven development.
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Since the suspension of classes due to the epidemic situation, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) has been communicating closely with schools, paying attention to the health and safety of all the teaching and non-teaching staff as well as students, and has repeatedly called on teachers, school staff and students who were in countries/regions other than Macao, Zhuhai or Zhongshan to return to their place of residence as soon as possible. In this way, aside from ensuring their health and safety, it can also help prepare well for the resumption of classes. In accordance with the current plan for resumption of classes, senior secondary schools will resume classes from 4^th May. If teaching and non-teaching staff as well as students are still in countries/regions other than Macao, Zhuhai or Zhongshan, they must undergo a 14-day quarantine and take the nucleic acid test.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the general unemployment rate for January-March 2020 increased by 0.2 percentage points to 2.1% from the previous period (December 2019-February 2020), climbing above 2.0% for the first time since April-June 2012; the unemployment rate of local residents was 2.9%, up by 0.3 percentage points. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate held steady from the previous period at 0.8%.
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