News

Music is present in daily life and classical musical is no longer restricted to concert halls. The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents concerts in different cultural venues this weekend, namely at the Tap Seac Gallery on Friday, 24 February at 6pm and at the Macao Museum of Art on Sunday, 26 February at 3pm, filling these magnificent venues with classical music and also offering the public an artistic experience simultaneously visual and aural. Admission is free and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The first concert “Music In Tap Seac Gallery” will be held on Friday at the distinctive historic Tap Seac Gallery, featuring two string quartets, namely Mozart’s Divertimento in F Major and Haydn’s String Quartet in B flat Major. On Sunday, OM moves to the Macao Museum of Art to present the concert “Music in the Macao Museum of Art”, featuring Danzi’s Wind Quintet in A Major, Op. 68 No.1 and Ibert’s Three short pieces, offering music aficionados refined chamber music performances. The performances aim to integrate arts with music and promote a cultural ambience in the community.Admission to these two concerts is free. For details and enquiries about the concerts’ programmes, please call IC through tel. no. 2853 0782, during office hours, or visit OM’s webpage at www.om-macau.org.
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The “Macao Special Administrative Region Travel Alert System”, published today (20^th of February) on the Chief Executive Order n.º26/2017, will take effect on the 7^th of March, 2017. It is the responsibility of the Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) to manage the said Alert System.The fundamental content of the Travel Alert System is as follows: Events such as threats of a new type of terrorism, technological accidents and natural catastrophes are some of the examples that showcase the importance that the tourism industry needs to adapt and be prepared to face, at any moment and without prior notice, a crisis situation which may compromise the safety of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) residents who plan to or are travelling abroad.Therefore it is of extreme importance the implementation of a Macao SAR Travel Alert System which allows for an easy and timely dissemination of information about crisis situations, emergencies or catastrophes affecting different parts of the world, in order to raise the awareness of the population and to facilitate their decision when traveling abroad.The Travel Alert System covers 77 countries or travel destinations which are the preferred travel destinations of Macao residents, as shown in Table 1. The categorization is in three different levels and identified by the numbers 1, 2, and 3 as shown in Table 2. Level 1 represents an imminent threat to personal safety. Macao residents planning to travel or already in the destination should be alert and vigilant towards their own safety. It is suggested to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect their personal safety. Level 2 represents that the threat to personal safety is elevated. Macao residents planning to travel to or already in the destination should reconsider the travel at this time. It is suggested to avoid non-essential travel to the destination. Level 3 represents the presence of an extreme threat to personal safety. Macao residents planning to travel or already in the destination should be aware of the severity of the situation and limits that any official assistance can be provided there. It is advised to avoid travelling to the destination and in certain situations, follow the advice issued by the Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) to leave the destination. (Given the fact that Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are part of the People's Republic of China, these are not covered by the Travel Alert System).Factors that will be taken into consideration when issuing, cancelling, raising or lowering the levels of the travel alerts are the danger levels of the social-economic fabric, the political frame of the destinations that can constitute simple or complex scenarios (with multiple dangers), the concrete situation, the degree of threat to personal safety, threat duration, whether the affected destination is sought after by Macao residents, or whether the threat is targeted towards tourists as well as any travel alerts issued by Mainland China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and other neighboring regions.Information to the public regarding the issuing, cancellation, elevation or reduction of the levels of the travel alerts will be disseminated in the form of press releases by the Government Information Bureau and also via the website of the Tourism Crisis Management Office.Although this Travel Alert System was insightfully prepared, it merely serves as an indicator of the emergency status in order to raise the awareness of each individual on the subject of self-protection, and it does not constitute as any form of guarantee for safety. The Travel Alert System does not have a prohibitive nature and it is up to each individual to decide or adjust their travel plan according to the information provided.With the implementation of the Travel Alert System, the GGCT advises Macao residents before traveling to purchase comprehensive travel insurance, with coverage option for the Macao SAR Travel Alert System, international emergency medical evacuation coverage, and to also verify with their insurers in case of any doubts regarding the terms and conditions of their insurance coverage.The Travel Alert System is the result of a relatively extended period of analysis and research by various public and private entities, including the Macao Government Tourism Office, the Monetary Authority of Macao, the tourism industry, the insurance industry, the Tourism Crisis Management Office and its members.* Attachment
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The 9th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia (SIGGRAPH Asia 2016) successfully took place at The Venetian Macao from 5 to 8 December 2016. The 2016 edition was held under the theme “Key to the Future”, with a new Virtual Reality (VR) Showcase being introduced to SIGGRAPH Asia for the first time this year. The four-day event attracted more than 6,000 delegates from more than 50 countries and regions, including industry professionals, academics and technology enthusiasts. Both the organiser and the event manager said they were satisfied with the effectiveness of the event, recognising the importance of the hardware and software of Macao’s convention and exhibition industry, which makes the city well equipped to host international meetings.‘Oscars’ of the computer animation sector held in MacaoThe Conference Chair of SIGGRAPH Asia, Hongbo Fu, said that SIGGRAPH has gained outstanding success in North America since it was first held in 1974. An Asia edition was first held in 2008 and it soon became a renowned platform in the high-quality computer graphics techniques sector, and its awards are now likened to the “Oscars”. The 2016 edition introduced a new Virtual Reality (VR) Showcase to SIGGRAPH Asia for the first time, in order to explore emerging trends and applications in virtual reality, contributing to the ability of the industry to bring new technologies to market.More than 6,000 delegates from over 50 countries and regions attended SIGGRAPH Asia 2016. Mathias Kuepper, the event manager and Managing Director of Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, said he was satisfied with the results of SIGGRAPH Asia 2016. Mr Kuepper added that the organisation for the event had been highly professional throughout the process. He noted that the event would contribute to the growth of the local convention and exhibition industry, as well as showcasing that particular exhibiting sector’s latest creative technology, along with information and research that features the latest trends of the market. The professional organisational support for the event is one of the reasons why the related conferences and seminars recorded a high attendance, facilitating communication and business collaboration among the participants, added Mr Kuepper.Large-scale conventions promote development of various industries in MacaoBoth Mr Fu and Mr Kuepper pointed out that SIGGRAPH Asia is an annual event that rotates around the Asian region. Macao was chosen to host the 9th edition thanks to the city’s favourable policies regarding entry visas. This helps to attract visits from specialists coming from Mainland China, the United States, the United Kingdom and several other Asian countries and regions. According to both Mr Fu and Mr Kuepper, large hotels in Macao are easy to reach, with major ports of entry well connected to local communities via public transport. Such arrangements not only save time, but also make it very suitable for international events, they added. They also noted the city is well served by food and beverage outlets, shops and leisure and entertainment facilities.The hosting of SIGGRAPH Asia in Macao would help promote the development of the city’s tourism industry, as well as create fresh opportunities for various other industries in Macao; particularly for the computer graphics sector and for the convention and exhibition industry to collaborate, enabling them to communicate and learn from overseas institutions, said both Mr Fu and Mr Kuepper. They added that local enterprises could also make use of SIGGRAPH Asia as a platform to explore the available market for their services and try to expand it, including potentially to the international arena.Macao is to host several international, large-scale events in the coming months, starting with the annual prominent event of the environmental sector – the “2017 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition” (MIECF). Other events include: the “iGaming Asia Congress 2017” conference and exhibition – an event that covers several segments of the gaming sector and is organised by the Asian gaming industry, social platforms and mobile app companies; the “2nd International Exposition of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Ancient Art Macao - China” – an event that will gather renowned academics and collectors from around the world jointly to explore topics on intangible cultural heritage; and the “39th Asia Pacific Dental Congress 2017” – an event that will host medical professionals from 30 countries and regions. For more information, please visit the official website of MICE at http://www.mice.gov.mo/tc/.
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A Orquestra de Macau (OM) do Instituto Cultural apresentou no dia 19 de Fevereiro, na Igreja de S. Domingos, o concerto “Ning Feng Interpreta Elgar” integrado no Ciclo Virtuosos Brilhantes da OM. O jovem maestro de Taiwan Tung-Chieh Chuang, vencedor do Concurso Internacional de Regência Nicolai Malko, dirigiu neste concerto o internacionalmente renomado violinista Ning Feng e a OM na interpretação do romântico Concerto para Violino e Orquestra em Si menor de Edward Elgar, uma obra de estilo romântico do compositor britânico dos séculos XIX e XX. Neste seu regresso ao território, Ning Feng ofereceu uma magnífica actuação aos aficionados de música de Macau, orientando ainda pessoalmente a “Hora de Música - Master classde Violino com Ning Feng” no 17 de Fevereiro, no Auditório do Museu de Arte de Macau. Esta actividade atraiu a participação e o intercâmbio de numerosos estudantes e entusiastas de violino.O Concerto para Violino e Orquestra em Si menor de Elgar, com melodias líricas é um concerto considerado de grande dificuldade. Ning Feng interpretou-o com o seu estilo particular, demonstrando virtuosismo com uma perfeita execução tanto no andamento mais lento como nos momentos climáticos do concerto. E na última metade do terceiro andamento, o violinista tocou em pizzicato tremolo, uma técnica particular de pizzicato dos instrumentos de cordas, com acompanhamento de orquestra, que deixou no público a chorar por mais e uma sensação de que os 50 minutos de duração do Concerto se esgotaram num instante. De seguida, o internacionalmente premiado maestro Tung-Chieh Chuang dirigiu a Suite o O Pássaro de Fogo (1919) de Stravinsky, permitindo, graças à sua extraordinária interpretação, o público sentir na pele a determinação do príncipe na luta contra o diabo, e experienciar os estimulantes sons do impressionismo francês presentes nesta peça.Antes do concerto, a OM organizou especialmente a actividade “Hora de Música - Master class de Violino com Ning Feng”, orientada por Ning Feng, a qual veio, assim, alargar os horizontes musicais e experiências de actuação dos participantes. Após a actuação, realizou-se ainda uma sessão de autógrafos com o violinista, muito procurada pelos aficionados.No próximo dia 4 de Março o OM apresenta, pelas 16:00 horas, no Teatro Dom Pedro V, a “Festa Musical de Fim-de-Semana – Música com Pintura de Areia”. Ma Wing Cheung, um artista famoso em pintura na areia originário de Hong Kong, e a OM irão apresentar, aliando música clássica e desenhos na areia, um espectáculo inovador misturando diversas expressões artísticas. Os bilhetes, já em número limitado, estão à venda aos preços de MOP120 e MOP100. Linha directa de reserva de bilhetes: 2855 5555. Para mais informações e detalhes sobre o programa, é favor contactar a OM através do telefone n.º 2853 0782, durante o horário de expediente, ou visite a página electrónica da OM em www.om-macau.org.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that 34% of the interviewed restaurants & similar establishments reported a year-on-year growth in receipts in December 2016, up by 4 percentage points from November owing to an increase in visitors. Among them, 57% of the Chinese Restaurants and 24% of the Local Style Cafes, Congee & Noodle Shops recorded a year-on-year increase in receipts, up by 2 and 8 percentage points respectively from November. Meanwhile, the proportion of interviewed restaurants & similar establishments that reported a year-on-year decline in receipts (44%) dropped by 6 percentage points from November, with the corresponding proportions of Japanese & Korean Restaurants and Local Style Cafes, Congee & Noodle Shops decreasing by 19 and 10 percentage points.As regards retail trade, 42% of the interviewed retailers reported a year-on-year growth in sales in December 2016, up by 3 percentage points from November. All of the interviewed Leather Goods Retailers and 50% of the Department Stores recorded a year-on-year increase in sales, the same proportions as in the previous month.Moreover, 47% of the Watches, Clocks & Jewellery Retailers, 44% of the Supermarkets and 22% of the Motor Vehicle Retailers reported a year-on-year rise in sales, up by 5, 22 and 11 percentage points respectively; meanwhile, the corresponding proportion of Adults' Clothing Retailers went down by 10 percentage points. On the other hand, 49% of the interviewed retailers recorded a year-on-year decrease in sales, down by about 5 percentage points from November, with the corresponding proportions of Supermarkets, Department Stores and Motor Vehicle Retailers falling by 22, 13 and 11 percentage points respectively.The interviewed restaurants & similar establishments were relatively optimistic about their business prospects in January 2017 when the Lunar New Year took place, with 30% anticipating a year-on-year rise in receipts, up by 10 percentage points when compared to December 2016. By contrast, 37% of the restaurants & similar establishments predicted a decline in receipts, down by about 4 percentage points from the previous month. Among the various types of restaurants, 57% of the interviewed Chinese Restaurants anticipated a year-on-year rise in receipts, up notably by 27 percentage points from the preceding month; meanwhile, the proportion of Western Restaurants that expected a decrease in receipts rose by 15 percentage points from the previous month to 50%.Retailers expected a slight improvement in their business in January 2017. The proportion of interviewed retailers that anticipated a year-on-year increase in sales in January rose by 2 percentage points to 25% when compared to December 2016. Leather Goods Retailers were more optimistic, of which 80% expected their sales to increase year-on-year; moreover, 40% of the Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles Retailers, 38% of the Adults' Clothing Retailers and 38% of the Department Stores anticipated a year-on-year growth in sales. Meanwhile, the proportion of retailers that anticipated a decline in sales decreased by 3 percentage points to 38%, with the corresponding proportions of Department Stores and Cosmetics & Sanitary Articles Retailers dropping by 25 and 20 percentage points respectively.The sample of the Business Climate Survey on Restaurants & Similar Establishments and Retail Trade was selected based on the receipts of the establishments, comprising 167 restaurants & similar establishments (accounting for 53% of the industry’s receipts) and 135 retailers (accounting for 70% of the industry’s receipts). The Survey results reflect only the business performance and expectations of the sample restaurants and retailers, where no extrapolation of results has been conducted.
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A team of faculty members and students from the University of Macau’s (UM) State-Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI (AMS-VLSI Lab) presented their research findings at the 64^thIEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) held in San Francisco, the United States. Six papers from UM were accepted at this year’s conference, making the university one of the top institutions with the most papers presented at the 64^th ISSCC. This shows international recognition of UM’s leading position in the field in Asia.A total of 208 papers were accepted at this year’s conference. Among them 11 are from the Greater China region, with 6 from UM, 4 from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and 1 from Analog Devices Inc. The papers deal with five broad subjects, namely wireless communication, RF circuits, digital structure and system, data transformation, and analogue circuits.Lei Kameng, a doctor of microelectronics and Macao Fellow at UM, received the Pre-doctoral Achievement Award from the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society at the conference, in recognition of his outstanding research in the field. Two other PhD students from the lab were invited to make presentations in the Student Research Previews sectionUM professors U Seng-Pan and Mak Pui-In, deputy director and associate director (research) of the lab, have been invited to serve as members of the Technical Programme Committee of the ISSCC, which has four members from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. The other two members are from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Fudan University, respectively. In addition, Prof U is currently the China Representative of the ISSCC Technical Programme Committee, responsible for the coordination of ISSCC activities in China.Organised by the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society and internationally recognised as the Chip Olympics, the ISSCC is the most prestigious international conference in the field of semiconductor integrated circuits, with a rigorous paper selection process. It is also the world’s largest and highest-level conference on solid-state circuits, representing the latest trends in global solid-state circuit research and development. This year’s conference attracted more than 3,000 chip designers from around the world.
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ inFebruary on 17 February for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets in São Lázaro and São Lourenço Parishes.The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones.With reference to the local seven parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations.For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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Organized by the Macau Society of Biomedical Engineering and co-organized by Communications Museum, the 2017 exchange trip to Chengdu for teachers will be held during the Easter holidays from April 13 to 16, 2017. Through this activity, teachers will learn about the development and prospects of Biomedical Engineering in Chengdu. As a result, it is hoped that more students will be encouraged to select the related fields when they further their studies. Teachers and professionals of related areas are welcomed to join. As it is first come first served, interested participants should complete their online registration at the museum website (http://macao.communications.museum) before 10:00pm on February 27.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 5,132 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold as per Stamp Duty record in the fourth quarter of 2016, and the total value of transactions was MOP29.33 billion, up by 62.1% and 70.4% respectively quarter-to-quarter. Purchase and sale of residential units totalled 3,575 at MOP23.38 billion, up by 49.0% and 60.7% respectively. Driven by the release of large-scale housing estates, the transaction volume and value of pre-sale residential units surged by 187.6% and 157.7% respectively. The transaction volume of parking spaces also soared by 138.0% to 1,316 cases, with more than half of the parking spaces being pre-sale units.The average price of residential units was MOP95,044 per square metre of usable area in the fourth quarter, up by 7.3% quarter-to-quarter. The average price of pre-sale residential units increased by 4.7% to MOP123,609 per square metre, with that in Coloane, the Macao Peninsula and Taipa rising by 23.1%, 6.5% and 1.1% respectively. Many of the pre-sale residential units purchased and sold were in Baixa da Taipa (378 units), Coloane (325 units), Cidade & Hipódromoda da Taipa (80 units), with an average price of MOP122,461, MOP127,235 and MOP127,461 respectively per square metre.The average price of existing residential units increased slightly by 0.1% quarter-to-quarter to MOP81,360 per square metre, with that in the Macao Peninsula and Coloane rising by 6.4% and 21.2% respectively while that in Taipa dropping by 9.1%. Many of the existing residential units purchased and sold were in Baixa da Taipa (428 units), NATAP (272 units) and Areia Preta & Iao Hon (233 units), and the average price was MOP86,983, MOP96,674 and MOP74,355 respectively per square metre.Analysed by year of completion, most of the transactions were residential units built between 21 and 30 years ago, totalling 1,188 units (147 in Baixa da Taipa, 141 in Areia Preta & Iao Hon), and the average price increased by 3.4% quarter-to-quarter to MOP72,543 per square metre. For the 504 residential units completed between 11 and 20 years ago (151 in Baixa da Taipa, 78 in NATAP), the average price went up by 4.1% to MOP79,910 per square metre. The average price of the 423 units completed over 30 years ago (81 in Barca, 59 in Areia Preta & Iao Hon) was MOP53,691 per square metre, up by 7.3% quarter-to-quarter. The average price of the 239 units completed within 5 years or less (46 in NATAP, 36 in Baixa da Taipa) was MOP117,062 per square metre, down by 9.1% quarter-to-quarter.Analysed by usable floor area, there were 1,644 residential units with a floor area of 50.0 to 99.9 square metres, and the average price rose by 11.2% quarter-to-quarter to MOP90,256 per square metre. Among the 1,251 small-sized residential units with a floor area of less than 50 square metres, the average price grew by 22.3% to MOP88,288 per square metre.The average price of office units was MOP108,397 per square metre, up by 15.9% quarter-to-quarter, while that of industrial units fell slightly by 0.4% to MOP51,483 per square metre.The volume and value of real estate transactions in 2016 increased year-on-year; a total of 14,108 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold, amounting to MOP74.13 billion, up by 44.4% and 43.5% respectively. Purchase and sale of residential units totalled 10,170 at MOP58.76 billion, up by 70.2% and 75.7% year-on-year. The total values of pre-sale residential units (1,710) and existing residential units (8,460) were MOP16.26 billion and MOP42.5 billion respectively.The average price per square metre of usable area of residential units (MOP86,342) in 2016 decreased slightly by 0.6% year-on-year. The average price of those in Taipa (MOP98,696) and Coloane (MOP110,761) rose by 0.7% and 6.5% respectively while those in the Macao Peninsula (MOP77,276) dropped by 4.5%. The average price of existing residential units (MOP78,145) rose by 0.9% year-on-year while that of pre-sale residential units (MOP118,304) fell by 1.0%. The average price per square metre of office units (MOP100,057) and industrial units (MOP47,568) decreased by 11.8% and 5.9% respectively year-on-year.In the fourth quarter of 2016, there were 4,249 real estate purchase and sale contracts signed, involving 4,254 properties, up by 14.7% quarter-to-quarter; meanwhile, 3,821 mortgage contracts were signed, involving 5,818 properties, up by 28.7%. For the whole year of 2016, a total of 14,215 real estate purchase and sale contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (14,292) went up by 36.0% year-on-year; moreover, 13,282 mortgage contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (18,529) rose by 11.8%.As regards construction in the private sector, gross floor area of construction of new buildings totalled 221 thousand square metres in the fourth quarter, providing 1,344 units (1,303 are residential units) and 1,114 parking spaces for cars upon completion. Gross floor area of buildings completed totalled 83 thousand square metres, altogether providing 111 units (100 are residential units) and 289 parking spaces for cars.For the whole year of 2016, gross floor area of construction of new buildings totalled 868 thousand square metres, providing 5,122 units (4,957 are residential units) and 3,882 parking spaces for cars upon completion. Gross floor area of buildings completed was 192 thousand square metres, altogether providing 498 units (404 are residential units) and 551 parking spaces for cars.

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Prof Rui Martins and Prof Mak Pui-In, from the University of Macau’s (UM) State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI (AMS-VLSI Lab) and Faculty of Science and Technology, recently gave an Invited Distinguished Seminarat Qualcomm, San Diego, United States. Qualcomm is a world-leading chip maker for mobile phones. One of their former PhD students, Dr Yan Zushu, is currently working at Qualcomm.The three-hour seminar, titled ‘N-path Filtering Techniques for SAW-less Radios’, was fully supported by Qualcomm. The topic is highly relevant to future mobile phone development with more affordable hardware in terms of silicon chips. After the seminar, Qualcomm and the AMS-VLSI Lab will keep in touch for possible future collaboration, and Qualcomm has opened internship positions at its headquarters in San Diego to students from the AMS-VLSI Lab, with possible financial support.Prof Martins and Prof Mak’s former PhD student Dr Yan Zushu has been working at Qualcomm since his graduation from UM in 2014. Dr Yan is currently a senior engineer involved in a number of cutting-edge projects using the most advanced sub-10nm FinFET CMOS technology.
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