The European Unions 27 member states emerged from an intense four-day and four-night summit on Tuesday branding a huge virus recovery plan and a trillion-euro long-term budget.

Here are five key points about what German Chancellor Angela Merkel called an impressive response to a historic recession and the worst crisis in the European Unions history.

The 750-billion-euro coronavirus rescue is a package of loans and more controversially grants, to help hard-hit countries through the recession triggered by the epidemic.

The sum will be borrowed on the markets by the EU executive, the European Commission, and is thus based on the biggest ever issuance of joint European debt.

This was once taboo for Germany, and was resisted this time by an even more frugal coalition of the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Finland.

But, despite Dutch leader Mark Rutte and Austrias Sebastian Kurz warning this would amount to forming the dreaded transfer union of well-run countries subsidising big spenders, it was approved.

Leaders like Frances President Emmanuel Macron who were pressing for more joint debt hailed the move as a historic step forward for the union and for its single currency.

At base what we are building is a common solidarity, and thats unprecedented as the budgetary function that Europe needs to become a geo-political power, he said.

Rutte, however, stressed the temporary nature of the arrangement, insisting it was a one off to respond to the virus crisis.

The original Brussels plan for the rescue package would have seen 500 billion euros distributed as non-repayable grants, subsidies from the EU to its poorer members.

Resistance from the frugals saw this bargained down to 390 billion, with a further 360 billion issued as loans.

Of the grants, 312.5 billion will go to investment plans drawn up by national governments, and the rest to EU-led programmes, such as rural development, research and the green transition.

The amount each country will be eligible to receive will be determined by a weighted formula: 70 percent of the total to be determined by a resilience rating taking into account population and long-term unemployment, and 30 percent based on how much GDP has been lost because of the virus crisis.

The national programmes submitted by member states will be studied by the EU executive, the European Commission, and afterwards approved by a qualified majority of member states a minimum of 55 percent of capitals representing 65 percent of the population.

Because the frugals remain reluctant to allow their more indebted southern neighbours to spend joint funds without labour market reform, there will also be an emergency brake.

If a group member states it is unhappy with a national plan, they can thus call it in for discussion at a European Council summit but it is not clear whether this amounts to a full veto.

The European Unions seven-year budget or Multiannual Financial Framework that begins on January 1 is now set at 1,074 billion euros, 20 billion less than planned before the epidemic.

The European Parliament will still have to approve the sum.

It now includes a special five billion euro reserve to help the countries and sectors most affected by Brexit.

And it will be more flexible in allowing money to be moved to traditional regional support programmes and agricultural subsidies, and away from more recent areas of EU interest.

Nevertheless, EU spending must be in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change and the effort to build a carbon neutral economy by 2050.

Key to persuading the frugals to put aside their concerns about southern overspending was a decision to boost the rebates that some net contributors receive on their EU dues.

Denmarks annual refund climbs to 377 million euros, up 91 percent on the figure planned before the summit. The Netherlands climbs 22 percent to 1.92 billion, Austria is up 138 percent to 565 million and Sweden 34 percent to 1.07 billion.

Germany did not need persuading to accept the deal, and its annual rebate remains at 3.67 billion.

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Five things to know about the EU virus recovery plan - Macau Business

The Macao Government Tourism Offices (MGTO) Macao Ready Go promotional video showcases Macao as an ideal destination gearing up to welcome visitors from around the world in the future.

MGTO also spotlights the Macao Ready Go e-platform (www.macaoreadygo.gov.mo/en/) which collates the special administrative regions special tourism-and-related offers, and highlights Macaos battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic together with the rest of the world through a documentary video, the statement noted.

Through its Digital Showroom, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) seeks to provide the travel trade with networking opportunities. MGTO invited a multitude of local hotels and travel agencies to build their profiles in the Digital Showroom to showcase their products and services via multimedia tools. The Digital Showroom is also equipped with a messaging system that enables discussion among industry participants from near and far for collaboration and partnership arrangements, the statement pointed out.

Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association is a nonprofit association dedicated to fostering the sustainable tourism development across the Asia Pacific region. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, PATA launched the virtual event Dream to Travel Festival, providing an online platform for the travel trade community worldwide to meet experts, gain fresh insights and showcase products from across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Access to the festival is free for all. For registration and further information, visit dreamtotravel.pata.org.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)PHOTO Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO)

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Macao 'ready to go' in promotional video and e-platform - Macau News

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the online appointment system for the local governments NAT scheme had become fully booked in a short time on Tuesday morning due to todays lifting of Guangdongs quarantine requirement.

The NAT programmes main testing station at the Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On opens daily between 10 am and 7 pm the Health Bureau (SSM) could initially test up to 6,000 people per day in its NAT scheme, which is carried out in collaboration with a third-party testing institution Kuok Kim (Macau) Hygiene Examination Company Limited, before its testing capability was raised late last month to 16,000 people per day.

Tuesday afternoons statement pointed out that Macao currently can test up to 16,000 people per day in its NAT scheme, while in reality 4,000 to 6,000 people have been tested per day in recent days.

The local government has warned that large crowds of travellers have recently occurred at Macao border checkpoints to Zhuhai because many of them only converted their Macao Health Code into a Guangdong Health Code when crossing the border.

Tuesday afternoons statement said that residents still would need time to familiarise themselves with converting their Macao Health Code into a Guangdong Health Code, adding that therefore the Health Bureau has decided to maintain the current quota of 5,000 people per day for the NAT schemes online appointment system, with the aim of preventing large crowds at the Zhuhai-Macao border checkpoints. The statement pledged that the Health Bureau will increase the number of daily appointment places in a timely manner after residents have become familiar with the conversion of the two health codes.

During Tuesdays press conference, Alvis Lo Iek Long, a clinical director of the public Conde de So Janurio Hospital Centre, said that the local authorities are discussing with their mainland counterparts the possible simplification of the conversion of the Macao Health Code and Guangdong Health Code on the holders smartphones.

Lo also said that the local government planned to add one more NAT testing station to meet the rising needs for COVID-19 testing, possibly at the Macao Forum complex in Zape.

Meanwhile, Lo said that the Health Bureau will arrange for casinos workers including dealers, cage workers and security guards to undergo one-off nucleic acid tests in phases.

No local COVID-19 case has been confirmed in Macao for 107 days. Only one of the 46 COVID-19 patients is still in hospital.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)PHOTO Exmoo

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Government NAT scheme fully booked 'in short time' - Macau News

Does Macau need better tourists or does it need to bet more on the high rollers? Is the future of tourism in China or abroad?

MB July 2020 Special Report | CrossroadsofMacautourism

It is known that the former Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture had an easy time producing soundbites.

But when, just over a year ago, Alexis Tam said that, we have to attract better tourists who come to Macau to appreciate our world heritage, our culture and gastronomy, they come to consume, to stimulate the economy, the phrase was far beyond the headlines that occupied the news at the time.

The sentence itself summarizes many of the questions that mark the crossroads of Macaus tourism at this time: diversification is necessary, but how can we attract these tourists? Are there enough new tourists interested in Macau to make the local economy viable? Saying these tourists are better suggests the ones that exist are bad, namely the high rollers (or from the premium sector as they are usually called; those who come to gamble and leave a lot of money)?

What truly needs to happen for Macau to achieve real longterm growth is to wean itself off its dependency on the mainland. Only when that happens will we achieve true diversification, states Macau businessman Ben Lee, Managing Partner, IGamiX Management & Consulting Ltd.

At first glance, Mr Lees phrase sounds like a utopian dream.

But he understands that it doesnt. It is a mission impossible only if we maintain our current mindset.

What truly needs to happen for Macau to achieve real longterm growth is to wean itself off its dependency on the mainland. Only when that happens will we achieve true diversification Ben Lee

Imported labour skills and knowledge

To wean ourselves off the mainland he explains, would require two factors. The first is the political dimension i.e. the mainland tells us that they are no longer feeding us and that we have to learn to sink or swim.

The second thing that has to happen is that, we must vacate our position of labour supremacy and accept that Macau needs a whole lot of imported labour skills and knowledge to be able to diversify our economy away from gaming. Our current management and knowledge base is increasingly being skewed towards gaming rather than away from it. And to reinforce what he says, he cites the example of Singapore where, with a population ten times that of Macau, constantly refreshes their labour pool to evolve and maintain their prominence as an international destination.

Andrew Pearson, Founder and Managing Director of Intelligencia Limited, also understands that in general, the Chinese who come to Macau are not very sophisticated and are not prepared to spend the money that American and European consumers are.

But Mr Pearson explained to Macau Business that this doesnt call into question the idea of tourist diversification. Its about evolution, he stated, comparing the first set of Chinese gamblers, a few decades ago, with the Chinese tourists who come now. They are a completely different breed. Las Vegas didnt evolve into a world class capital of fine dining, high-end bars, raging nightclubs, and musical residencies overnight, he adds, it took decades for Vegas to evolve into a mecca of high-end nightclubs, expensive restaurants, and DJ residencies that are now proving to be massive financial drivers. Its all about entertainment and the Chinese will evolve just as the Americans and Europeans did, and Macau must continue to push for diversification.

Contrary to Ben Lee, Andrew Pearson understands that Macaus advantage is still the 50M people within a fifty-mile radius of here, and this is a bigger advantage than ever because of the recent pandemic.

Why is this?

The answer is the high rollers, the premium mass, and the Grind as some have dubbed them. I like to joke that the high rollers exist in a rarefied world, Never have so few meant so much to so few, I jokingly say, i.e., the high rollers who frequent the junket rooms drop small fortunes every time they land in Macau. However, the casinos and junket rooms are having to offer increasingly generous incentives to get them to play, and the casinos are finding that the premium mass is where the profit is.

VIP/premium segment has to be our short term recovery solution

VIP and premium mass customers made up of only one percent of visitors in 2018, yet drove around 70 per cent of total Gross Gaming Revenue.

When the suspension of the IVS and group tours is lifted, it is unlikely that Macau will want to see the sort of traffic we used to have pre-Covid, and we have also seen our Chief Executive talking up IVS as our immediate focus. Ergo, the low traffic/high value VIP/premium segment has to be our short-term recovery solution out of sheer practicality, adds Ben Lee.

David Green, the founder of Macau Newpage Consulting, a specialist on regulations in the sector, stated last May that Macau is in a better position than its main rival, Las Vegas, to overcome the crisis in the gambling sector, because it has substantial financial reserves and it can count on the VIP gamblers.

It is for these reasons that some people, in addition to the mass market, defend a clear bet on the VIP market.

Macau should distinguish itself from other competing destinations by providing differentiated gaming service products, is the opinion of Zheng Gu, from the College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Enhancing its traditional VIP room operations is an effective way to achieve this goal. Implementing such a revenue management strategy, Macau will be able to preserve its risk-taker market and minimise the revenue risk posed by upcoming competition in the region, he wrote in a research paper called Product Differentiation: Key to Macaus Gaming Revenue Growth.

At same time, Macau is a unique market unlike any other jurisdiction, such as Manila, Singapore, Sydney or even Las Vegas for the simple fact that we dont have a bank of local residents able to visit the casinos anytime they like without constraints of any form, explains Ben Lee to Macau Business, it is naturally unsurprising that the top strata of mainland Chinese society are the ones to have the greater means and flexibility to gamble more frequently and at greater levels than the mass.

Historically, the VIP segment has always been the first to rebound, as the players in that segment are the ones with not only the financial means but more importantly the flexibility in terms of personal schedule, to travel whenever they want, add Mr. Lee, stating Mass [market] historically lags behind VIP somewhere from six months to twelve, however the question of the comfort level we raised before [Covid-19], will pose the biggest barrier to normalisation of the market. Social distancing in some form of other will likely remain, and will present new challenges for mass market focused operators for some time to come.

Tourists spend little

There is only a slightly significant correlation between GDP in Macau and visitor expenditure, say two Chinese researchers. This may indicate that more attention should be paid to how to raise the level of visitor expenditure, and this means tourists could and should spend more when they visit the MSAR.

Wang Jingwen and Liang Mingzhu, from Jinan University, conclude that a better transportation system, female consumption and cultural tourism products are, the key points associated with high pulling function [affecting] visitor expenditure. These findings may provide strategic insights for diversifying Macau tourism development, with the aim of achieving a greater economic impact and competitive advantage under the guiding of positive features of the consumer society.

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To VIP or not VIP, that's the question - Macau Business

Indias federal health ministry said Sunday that 543 new deaths due to COVID-19 and 38,902 more cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 26,816 and total cases to 1,077,618. This is the highest single-day spike in terms of new COVID-19 cases in the country so far. According to ministry officials, 677,423 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement, and the number of active cases in the country right now is 373,379.

Presently the country has entered Unlock 2.0 phase, though restrictions remain in full force inside the COVID-19 Containment Zones. Commercial international flights to and from India are suspended until July 31. Even as the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, human trials of vaccine COVAXIN developed by Bharat Biotech has started at a government-run hospital PGI Rohtak in northern state of Haryana on Friday. Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts, tweeted the states Health Minister Anil Vij.

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India records highest daily spike of COVID-19 infections - Macau Business

Major airports within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) would achieve consolidation into a single airport cluster by 2025 under a proposal issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.Officially, the GBA has nine cities and two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) by political categorization.The multi-jurisdiction area has three major airports in Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. In 2019, the three airports handled nearly 198 million passengers combined.In addition, the Macau International Airport focuses on regional passenger flights, while its neighbor, the Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, focuses on mainland passenger destinations.The five airports have been competing for airspace, as they are so closely located.Authorities within the Greater Bay Area have called for a comprehensive plan to make better use of the positioning of each airport. This would help to remove competition between them, while fostering a degree of aviation specialization.The five airports are holding regular meetings to discuss various topics, with specialization and competition among them.The central proposal, which has now been released, has two goals, to be achieved in two phases.Phase 1 will see the realization of a Greater Bay Area airport conglomerate in 2025. Before which, in 2022, GBA airports should achieve greater interactions and dynamics between them.Phase 2 will see infrastructure implemented by the conglomerate by 2035. The airports should be able to operate on a world-class level with safe, green, smart, human and synergetic qualities, according to the proposal.During the years outlined in the proposal, the central administration will further clarify the functions of each airport, in order to achieve their diversified goals.For example, the Macau airport will focus on developing into a service-oriented airport. In addition, the mainland civil aviation authority has showed support for the opening of the civil aviation market in Macau.It also hinted that the Hong Kong airport will remain as the leader of global freight in the Greater Bay Area. AL

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Cluster of GBA airports proposed to take effect by 2025 - Macau Daily Times

The international community has urged the Group of Twenty (G20) to step up and play a bigger role as the global economy continues to suffer repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there remains great uncertainty on the global economic outlook, the unprecedented actions taken by the G20 countries and others have helped to avert a much worse outcome, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva said Saturday at the conclusion of a virtual meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

As we enter the next phase of the crisis, further policy action will be required, as well as increased international cooperation, she said.

Georgievas call for further actions from the G20 was seconded by World Bank Group President David Malpass, who, during the meeting, urged the G20 countries to extend the time frame of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) through the end of 2021.

Weve made a great deal of progress with DSSI in a short period of time, but more needs to be done, said the World Bank chief, calling the effort one of the key factors in strengthening global recovery.

In response, G20 officials have vowed on Saturday to take immediate and exceptional measures to address COVID-19.

We will consider a possible extension of the DSSI in the second half of 2020, taking into account the development of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, G20 officials said in a statement.

The statement highlighted that the G20 will continue to facilitate international trade and investment and to build the resilience of supply chains to support growth, productivity, innovation, job creation and development.

Meanwhile, public health response remains vital. IMF chief Georgieva called it the main priority to protect people, jobs, and economic activity.

Across the world, countries have implemented exceptional measures to support individuals and workers. These lifelines should be maintained as needed and, in some cases, expanded, she told the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors.

Jeffery Sachs, professor of sustainable development and professor of health policy and management at Columbia University, said in a recent article that all G20 countries need to cooperate on global-scale policies to overcome the health crisis.

Noting that an epidemic is a social phenomenon and needs a social response, the U.S. economist urged all people to be cautious until the pandemic is suppressed.

That means wearing face masks in public places, keeping a prudent distance from others, and monitoring ourselves and our close contacts for symptoms, he wrote.

As South Korea, Japan, and China have shown, the virus can be suppressed that is, new cases can be brought to near zero if this basic logic is followed, he said.

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G20 urged to play bigger role in COVID-19 response - Macau Business

The captain of an Italian-flagged ship is to be tried for allegedly forcing migrants back to Libya, in the first such case in Italy, documents seen by AFP show.

The Asso 28 supply ship picked up 101 migrants near an oil and gas rig in international waters, before taking them to the port of Tripoli and handing them over to the Libyan coast guard, according to prosecutors in Naples.

The captain and a representative of the Augusta Offshore company that owns the ship are accused of violating international laws that forbid the forced return of people to countries where they or their rights are at risk.

Libya is not considered a port of safety under international law.

The rescue took place on July 30, 2018 near the Sabratha platform which isoperated byMellitah Oil & Gas, a consortium of Libyas National Oil Corporation and Italys ENI.

Among those pulled from the unseaworthy dinghy were five minors and five pregnant women.

Despite the rescue taking place on an Italian-flagged ship which was under Romes jurisdiction, no call was made to Italys Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), the documents show.

The Augusta Offshore company at the time said the rescue had been coordinated by the Marine department of Sabratha, in conjunction with a representative of the Libyan coast guard who had boarded the Asso 28.

Eni said it had been coordinated by the Libyan coast guard.

Investigative reporter Nello Scavo for the Avvenire newspaper, who first wrote about the case, said Italian prosecutors had found no trace of a Marine department of Sabratha, or evidence that the Libyan MRCC had been alerted.

The ships register also showed no mention of a Libyan official on board, he said.

Prosecutors in Naples have taken into evidence audio recordings of radio contact that day between the Asso 28 and the Open Arms charity rescue ship, which had requested details on the migrants position and condition.

Nicola Fratoianni, MP and the leader of the Italian Left party, who was on board at the time as an observer, told AFP Saturday that the Open Arms had warned the ASSO 28 that returning the migrants to Libya was illegal.

They (the Asso 28) first said they had had an order from their boss on the Sabratah platform, a platform ENI works on, and then they said the rescue had been coordinated by the Libyan authorities.

No attempt was made to identify the migrants, check their health, verify whether the minors were unaccompanied, or ask those rescued if they were seeking asylum, all of which violate international conventions, the prosecutors claim.

Fratoianni described it as an explicit collective pushback on the part of a ship flying the Italian flag.

The trial was key to getting to the truth behind too frequent episodes in the central Mediterranean, he said.

Not just the infinite tragedies, drownings, deaths, but also the illegal pushbacks, which go against all international laws.

A trial date has yet to be set but is expected to be after the judiciary August summer break.

by Ella Ide

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First Italy trial over 'migrant pushback' to Libya - Macau Business

The Three Gorges reservoir in central Chinas Hubei Province has seen the second flood along the Yangtze River in 2020, the largest one arriving at the reservoir so far this year.

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the inbound flow of water reached 61,000 cubic meters per second while the outbound flow was 33,000 cubic meters per second, with 45 percent of floodwater withheld in the reservoir, according to the China Three Gorges Corporation.

Three lower floodgates of the Three Gorges Dam opened to discharge the floodwater on Saturday morning, with various parameters of the dam at safety levels.

After withholding rounds of floodwaters, the water level of the reservoir has reached 160.17 meters, more than 15 meters higher than the flood limit level.

It is expected that this round of floods will recede after it peaked on Saturday, but a new round of floods is forecast to arrive around July 21, according to the corporation.

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Massive flood arrives at China's Three Gorges reservoir - Macau Business

MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) is a favorite for investors who want exposure to the lucrative gambling industry. The company is known for its iconic properties like the MGM Grand, the Bellagio, and the MGM Grand Cotai, which are located in the world's biggest gaming districts: Las Vegas and Macau.

This geographic diversification can be a boon in good times, but it has become a challenge during the coronavirus pandemic due to recent travel restrictions in southern China and Macau.

Shares are down around 50% year to date, significantly underperforming the S&P 500. However, MGM is poised for a comeback.

China has eased its travel restrictions on Macau, marking the beginning of the return of visitors to the gambling hub. On the U.S. side of things, the company will be a major contender in the fast-growing sports betting industry thanks to its strong brand.

Image source: Getty Images.

China's Guangdong province has eased travel restrictions on visitors returning from Macau. This is an important development for the struggling gaming hub, thus boosting the fortunes of Macau-exposed casino operators like MGM Resorts as well.

Guangdong (the main point for mainland Chinese guests to Macau) previously required tourists returning from the city to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon reentry -- a restriction that sent Macau's gambling revenue down a staggering 97% to just $89.7 million in June.

As of July 15, authorities have lifted some of those restrictions for travelers who can provide a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours before reentry into Guangdong.

Despite the good news, investors shouldn't expect Macau's gambling revenue to soar back to its previous levels anytime soon as China's tourism industry is still weak. But this latest move marks an inflection point -- the beginning of the recovery for Chinese gambling.

MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle believes Macau will recover quickly once travel restrictions are loosened. And in the company's first-quarter earnings call, he highlighted plans to diversify revenue streams with non-gaming options such as hotel suites and room products in that region. MGM China had $800 million of liquidity at the end of April, providing a sizable cushion despite burning through $1.5 million of cash daily. MGM China CEO Grant Bowie was also optimistic, indicating MGM can do okay with lower traveler volume as the super-profitable premium market (high-rollers) should come back first. Bowie added, "The demand is there -- the opportunity for them to travel is the only thing they're looking for."

MGM earned around 23% of its fiscal 2019 revenue in China, so the region will be key to the company's performance going forward.

On the home front, MGM Resorts is pursuing a massive growth opportunity in legalized sports betting, an industry projected to expand at a compound annual rate of 8.8% through 2024. With many tourists still wary of visiting casinos during the pandemic, MGM has an opportunity to promote the adoption of its mobile gaming platforms as a safer way to gamble.

The company has partnered with U.K.-based gambling operator GVC Holdings to develop BetMGM, a mobile app that offers wagers on professional and collegiate sports as well as regular casino games. MGM has also partnered with Yahoo! Sports and Buffalo Wild Wings to help boost the popularity of its platform in states where such gambling is legal.

Most recently, BetMGM signed a multi-year deal with the Denver Broncos that will include the NFL's first in-stadium sports betting lounge. Partnerships like this will help introduce MGM's sports betting platform directly to dedicated sports fans.

However, MGM is not the only company looking to corner the lucrative sports betting industry. It will compete with fast-growing rivals like DraftKings, which is offering customers non-traditional betting options like esports and simulated leagues while major sports remain suspended due to the pandemic. With its first-quarter revenue jumping 30% to $89 million (and 60% pre-COVID), Draftkings demonstrates what's possible in the sports betting space.

As BetMGM expands into new states, the company is positioned to leverage its established brand and partnerships to claim market share in this $100 billion industry.

The company remains a world-class name in gambling and entertainment. With some patience, MGM stock is a good way for investors to bet on a recovery in the tourism industry while the cost of entry is still low.

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2 Reasons to Buy MGM Resorts - The Motley Fool

The bodies of at least 23 people have been found in a hidden grave close to a police base on the outskirts of the western Mexican city of Guadalajara, local authorities said Friday.

The people deployed to the site have found 23 bodies, as well as four bags with various items of evidence, and three of the bodies have been identified, said the Jalisco state prosecutors office in a statement.

The statement said the mass grave had been found on Monday.

The families of the three people so far identified have been informed, the office added.

The burial pit was found between two residential properties and only three blocks from the police station of El Salto, on the outskirts of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco.

It is between two houses where people are living. You have to ask, why didnt they report something? said Guadalupe Aguilar, a coordinator for the FUNDEJ organization that looks for missing people in the country and which monitors digs carried out by the authorities.

The investigators found evidence that crimes were committed on the property related to the disappearance of people, the official statement said.

On July 2, investigators wound up work on another grave in the nearby municipality of Tlaquepaque, where they found 86 bags containing human remains.

And 10 days ago, the authorities resumed work on another burial site in the municipality of Tlajomulco, also on the edge of the city, where last January they found 500 bags containing human remains from an estimated 48 people. Those excavations had been suspended in March due to the coronavirus.

The large number of bodies being found in the state follows bloody turf wars between the powerful narco-trafficking group known as the Jalisco New Generation cartel and rival groups, as well as internal disputes within the gang itself.

The Mexican government said Monday that there are 73,201 people missing in the country, most of whom have vanished since the country launched a major offensive against the cartels in 2006.

Since then 6,625 bodies have been found in hidden burial pits.

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At least 23 bodies found in mass grave in Mexico - Macau Business

Union Gaming upgrades Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) to a Buy rating from Hold with the Macau recovery expected to begin tomorrow amid relaxed quarantine rules.

"We expect the initial recovery will be in the premium mass and VIP segments and anticipate a flight to asset quality for both investors and consumers. As we have seen so often in the past, we expect the shares of Wynn Resorts/Macau to lead the initial recovery in the Macau names," writes analyst John DeCree.

DeCree reminds that the recovery won't be instantaneous. "While alleviating border restrictions in Guangdong is a solid first step, well look forward to more good news hopefully later this summer on reinstating IVS and green health code reciprocity with Hong Kong," he notes.

Shares of Wynn Macau (OTCPK:WYNMF)closed up 6.56% today in Hong Kong. Wynn Resorts are0.15% higherpremarket in the U.S. after yesterday's sizzling 9.63% rally.

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Wynn Resorts expected to lead out Macau recovery - Seeking Alpha

Las Vegas is still struggling with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Customer numbers are still low and events are still being cancelled.

By: Mark Patrickson

Casinos in Nevada reported record losses for the second month in a row. April and May have shown a 99.4% drop from the same months last year. Hopefully when the figures are reported post-reopening we will see some kind of return to sustainable levels.

The 2020 Global Gaming Expo has been cancelled. The American Gaming Association and their partner Reed Exhibitions announced the news that the worlds biggest such event could not possibly take place under these conditions.

The Expo has been the mainstay convention for gamers for the last 20 years with around 30,000 people attending every year.

Herv Sedky, Reed Exhibitions Americas President said:

We arrived at this decision after thoughtfully engaging with national, state, and local public health authorities, as well as exhibitors and buyers who have shared industry observations and priorities. Ultimately, it became clear that proceeding with an in-person gathering simply was not feasible.

One piece of good news for Las Vegas poker rooms was the return of multi table tournaments. The South Point Casino will spread its usual four Monday tournaments from next week. There is no other news on other casinos following suit for now.

With the COVID-19 precautions getting politicised around the world there is still a battle going on in Las Vegas about compulsory wear. Only a week ago Mike 'The Mouth' Matusow ranted publicly about not having a choice, even comparing the struggle to the My body, my choice abortion movement.

Caesars, Las Vegas Sands, and MGM Resorts have all given a public warning that any of their employees will be fired on the spot if seen not wearing one during work.

All Nevada casinos are facing a threat of heavy fines for non-compliance. State governor Steve Sisolakwas reportedly furious when a report landed on his desk indicating only 49% compliance. He said:

If these concerning reports on noncompliance continue, I will not hesitate to take swift and decisive actions next week directed at targeted industries or areas that are experiencing concerning COVID-19 trends and non-compliance.

It would be a disaster for Las Vegas if another round of enforced closures was implemented.

The Bellagio Casino took a $250k hit when an employee incorrectly offered bets for Chinese and Korean baseball games that were already in progress.

Around 50 bets were taken until the mistake was spotted. One punter won $137,107.38 with a 10-team parlay but it isnt known yet if regulators will force the casino to pay up. Usually when it comes down to human error like this the law sides with the gamblers.

It has been said that gamblers will normally be banned from the property if they do not decline the winnings.

Macau has posted nine consecutive months of records revenue losses. The former Portuguese colony is a gambling Mecca for Asia but even before COVID-19 hit things were on the slide.

June saw a $89.7 million profit for all casinos which is as bad as what is happening in Nevada. A 97% year-on-year drop.

Things arent going to pick up in Atlantic City anytime soon after state governor Phil Murphy banned smoking, eating, and drinking in all New Jersey casinos.

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa has now chosen to refrain from reopening until the situation changes.

The news for poker players in Brazil is good as tournaments prizes will now not be taxed. The Brazilian Series of Poker organisers Stack Eventos Esportivos went to court to challenge a municipal service tax.

The way the law is written makes it unclear if a tax for gross billings of services includes poker prize pools. Now the Sao Paulo court has clarified the matter.

BSOPs technical director, Devanir Campos, said:

Its a decision that leads to the growth of our sector in Brazil, as it provides a broad legal understanding of the functioning of the ecosystem of such a new sport in our country.

This ruling will work wonders for the growth of poker in South Americas largest country. The potential for growth is now phenomenal.

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Coronavirus Still Wreaking Havoc in Las Vegas and Macau, Multi Table Tournaments Return, and Brazilian Poker Gets a Tax Break - HighstakesDB

Scuffles broke out as thousands of mainly young and black-clad Thai protesters converged on Saturday at Bangkoks Democracy Monument, in the citys rowdiest anti-government protest in years.

Thailand, a kingdom whose rambunctious politics is defined by coups and often deadly street protests, is facing an unprecedented economic shock due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the economy in freefall, anger against a government stacked with elderly former generals and supporters of the royalist establishment is bubbling.

The crowd sang vitriolic anti-government rap songs and waved placards denouncing the administration of former army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha and calling for the abolition of the Thailands strict royal defamation law.

The government doesnt care about us, so either we come out or we lose anyway, said 18-year-old student called Sang, giving one name only.

The laws protect the rich and leave the people with nothing.

Placards against the royal defamation law dubbed 112 after the criminal code it falls under protects Thailands monarchy and its unassailable and super-rich King Maha Vajiralongkorn from criticism.

We have to come out, we have nothing else left, added Sangs friend Mee, also wearing the black uniform of the protesters, which several said was borrowed from the pro-democracy protests that rocked Hong Kong last year.

Hundreds of police tried to block off access to the Democracy Monument, whose concrete concourse was suddenly filled in on Saturday afternoon with pot plants.

Scuffles broke out as protesters tipped over metal barriers and forced their way through police lines to hold a noisy rally at the memorial, which was built to mark the 1932 revolution that established a constitutional monarchy.

Analysts say the kingdom is slipping back towards absolutism under the reign of Rama X and the hardline royalist generals around him.

Saturdays protest could be the largest since the countrys 2014 coup, led by former army chief Prayut.

The years since have seen the economy cramp up, freedoms shrink under new laws and Prayut reinvent himself as an elected premier under a constitution the army drafted.

Thailands previous tit-for-tat rounds of political street politics were led by pro- and anti-establishment billionaires with large political machines.

But leaders of the nascent student and youth movement say their activism is organised organically across social media, where anger fuels top trending daily Twitter hashtags against the government.

Thailands economy is forecast to lose up to 10 percent this year due to the pandemic which has floored tourism and exports, battering the middle and working classes.

Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to be jobless when they graduate in September.

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Scuffles and song as Thai youth protest in Bangkok - Macau Business

Major airports within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) would achieve consolidation into a single airport cluster by 2025 under a proposal issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Officially, the GBA has nine cities and two Special Administrative Regions (SARs) by political categorisation.

The multi-jurisdiction area has three major airports in Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. In 2019, the three airports handled nearly 198 million passengers combined.

In addition, the Macau International Airport focuses on regional passenger flights, while its neighbour, the Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, focuses on mainland passenger destinations.

The five airports have been competing for airspace, as they are so closely located.

Authorities within the Greater Bay Area have called for a comprehensive plan to make better use of the positioning of each airport. This would help to remove competition between them while fostering a degree of aviation specialisation.

The five airports are holding regular meetings to discuss various topics, with specialisation and competition among them.

The central proposal, which has now been released, has two goals, to be achieved in two phases.

Phase 1 will see the realisation of a Greater Bay Area airport conglomerate in 2025. Before which, in 2022, GBA airports should achieve greater interactions and dynamics between them.

Phase 2 will see infrastructure implemented by the conglomerate by 2035. The airports should be able to operate on a world-class level with safe, green, smart, human and synergetic qualities, according to the proposal.During the years outlined in the proposal, the central administration will further clarify the functions of each airport, in order to achieve their diversified goals.

For example, the Macao airport will focus on developing into a service-oriented airport. In addition, the mainland civil aviation authority has showed support for the opening of the civil aviation market in Macao.It also hinted that the Hong Kong airport will remain as the leader of global freight in the Greater Bay Area.

(Macau Daily Times/Macau News)

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Cluster of GBA airports proposed to take effect by 2025 - Macau News

Figures released Thursday by Macaus Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau (DICJ) show local casino operators generated gaming revenue of just MOP3.23b (US$404.9m), down 95.6% from the same period last year, a comparative golden age that had yet to hear of something called COVID-19.

On a year-to-date basis, total gaming revenue (including lottery, sports and race betting) totaled just under MOP40b, down from MOP150b in the first six months of 2019.

VIP baccarat revenue totaled a mere MOP1.5b in Q1, also down 95.6% year-on-year. Mass market baccarat fell 96.4% to just over MOP1b. Both verticals were also shadows of their Q1 2020 selves, a period that featured around five weeks of pre-COVID activity.

Mass market gaming revenue (including slots) totaled MOP1.73b in Q2, down 95.5% year-on-year, but enough to maintain its market share lead (53.5%) over VIP, marking the sixth straight quarter in which VIP baccarat has taken a back seat to its less flashier cousin. VIP baccarats share of the overall pie slipped nearly two points from Q1.

Casino operators are praying for a reversal of fortune in Q3 following this weeks news that Chinas Guangdong province was dropping its 14-day quarantine requirement for individuals arriving from Macau. Local officials said there were about 1,600 arrivals at Macaus border checkpoints on Wednesday, around 60% higher than the day before.

However, Beijing has yet to authorize the resumption of issuing Individual Visit Scheme permits for mainland residents, leaving many analysts skeptical of any significant short-term rebound for Macaus gaming revenue.

Gamblers who do choose to visit Macau casinos will be subject to COVID-19 testing both upon arrival and before returning to the mainland. Mandatory testing of frontline casino staff is also underway, although untested staff will still be allowed to work while awaiting their turn to be swabbed.

Macaus downturn has similarly impacted the special administrative regions crime statistics, as the Financial Intelligence Office recently reported 31.2% fewer suspected money laundering cases in the first half of 2020. The Office said the decline was primarily due to a decline in suspicious transactions at Macau casinos.

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Macau casinos the last place VIP gamblers wanted to be in Q2 - CalvinAyre.com

The year 2020 is a tremendous challenge to the governance of China not only because of the outbreak of Covid-19 but also the ongoing floods in many provinces, counties, towns and villages along the Yangtze River, including Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Chongqing.

Since the flood season began in June, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources reported on July 13 that 433 rivers witnessed water levels rising beyond the warning levels, affecting many lakes such as Dongting, Poyang and Taihu. About 33 rivers envisaged water levels risen to their highest levels.

The Ministry of Emergency Management revealed that rainfall had broken its record since 1961, leading to the death of 141 citizens and economic losses of 60 billion yuan.

In comparison with the floods that killed 431 people in 1991, 4,150 people in 1998 and 164 people 2016, the number of deaths in the ongoing floods is kept at a level temporarily lower than the 2016 situation. The 2020 flooding are affecting the livelihood of 37,890,000 people, influencing the upper and lower streams of the Yangtze River, including Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.

The 1998 floods were regarded as the most serious ones in the history of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), affecting 2.23 billion people, killing 4,150 citizens and leading to economic losses of 25.5 billion yuan.

As early as May 19, President Xi Jinping requested in the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) meeting that all the government departments concerned must shoulder the responsibility of preventing, monitoring and preparing for the upcoming floods. He stressed that provincial and local governments had to control Covid-19 on the one hand and to enhance flood-controlling measures on the other. President Xi urged all the provincial and local authorities to repair flood-prevention work, increase logistical supplies, enhance food storage, and organize simulation exercises and training to protect the lives of ordinary citizens.

After the floods occurred in many places along the Yangtze River in June, the PSC meeting on June 28 was characterized by President Xis instruction that provincial and local governments must implement the responsibility system in flood control, and that they must combine flood supervision with not only the organization of flood relief but also the evacuation of flood victims to safe places. Adopting multiple measures, provincial and local authorities were urged to lay down the foundation of reconstruction work.

When the flooding became serious, President Xi during the PSC meeting on July 12 demanded that all party secretaries and government leaders must go down to the grassroots levels to comprehend the flooding situation, and that they should become front-line cadres leading the ordinary people to control floods, to build up temporary levees, to strengthen existing dykes and dams, and to assist the victims. He emphasized the importance of mobilizing party cadres, the Peoples Liberation Army (PAP), the Peoples Armed Police (PAP), and the need for all departments at various levels to coordinate among themselves effectively.

Five days later, on July 17, President Xi again in the PSC meeting appealed to need for all provincial and local authorities to strengthen flood control work, to consolidate logistical supplies and to prepare for the worst-case scenarios.

While the central governments leadership remains decisive and prompt, there are several features in the current politics of controlling flooding in China.

First and foremost, the seriousness of flooding questions the performance of local governments in flood prevention and control. Mainland meteorologist Luo Jingjie has regarded climate change and the rising water levels as the main factors shaping the ongoing floods. Moreover, a former chief engineer of the Ministry of Water Resources, Cheng Xiaotao, pointed to the problems that more waters were released from the dams at the upper streams, and that there was a lack of experiences in managing water levels in various rivers and streams.

Cheng added that many rivers and streams belong to the jurisdictions of different local governments and administrative precincts, which traditionally have their vested interests and which lack sufficient coordination and cooperation in dealing with flood-prevention work. According to Cheng, the upper streams of Yangtze River lacked large-scale reservoirs to control water flows, while the dykes located at the middle and lower rivers are made up of mud. The current floods exert tremendous pressure on the lower rivers and streams, where the water levels have been exacerbated by sustained heavy rainfalls. He suggested that all local governments should enhance monitoring and coordination work.

In recent years, urbanization has been proceeding so quickly in many places along the Yangtze River that it is not matched by a corresponding improvement of the water drainage systems, which remain old and outdated in many regions. Hence, the current floods impact 6 million people in Jiangxi and endanger the city of Wuhan.

An engineer from Taiwan, Li Hongyuan, pointed out that while the Three Gorges Dam remains solid and crucial, the capacity of underground water drainage systems in many places remains inadequate, and that this predicament may take 20 to 30 years to improve.

Second, the mass media have remained very weak in covering the ongoing floods, unlike the 2008 Sichuan earthquake during which the media played a crucial role in making the developments transparent and helping the rescue and relief work. Critics have observed that thePeoples Dailyonly carried two reports on the floods in June and President Xis remarks on June 28 were a turning point that propelled the mainland media to be much bolder in covering the floods.

The relatively weak mass media in China is perhaps a reflection of its oscillating role from boldness to cautiousness in reporting Covid-19 from January to the present. After all, the media have been ordered to follow the line of the Chinese Communist Party loyally. Since July, the mainland social media have seen more reports of the flooding developments. Overall, the politically tight atmosphere in China is perhaps an obstacle to the increased awareness of the citizens and groups in coping with flood control.

Third, the PLA and PAP were swiftly mobilized to rescue the flood victims and to consolidate levees in many places. From July 9 to 15, at least 4,800 members of the air force were sent to different places, carrying sandbags to rebuild dykes and providing more logistical supplies. About 24,000 soldiers from the PLA and PAP were dispatched to assist flood-controlling work in Jiangxi province. Many PLA soldiers from Army Groups 81, 82 and 83 were mobilized to help various cities in Anhui and Hubei provinces. Some of them used rafts to go into submerged homes to rescue citizens, while the Communist Youth League was mobilized to rebuild and strengthen the levees at Hubeis Huangshi city where a lake witnessed an unprecedented 20 meters of water level. On July 14, State Councillor Wang Yong, who was also the chairman of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, underlined the importance of strict precautions against dikes and reservoirs breaches as well as waterlogging. Clearly, full-scale mobilization could be seen in many provinces after President Xis major speech on June 28.

Fourth, the deployment of high technology to deal with flood detection and control can be seen. Drones were used to detect water levels of rivers and reservoirs; special tractors were used to release 3,000 cubic meters of water per hour from flooding areas; high-speed robot boats were utilized to rescue flood victims and each of them can accommodate four persons; 5G instrument has been combined with Virtual Reality so that the headquarters monitoring floods can comprehend the situation of flooding and rescue work; and new mobile naval bridges have been used to transport engineering equipment and facilities to repair breached dykes and levees. The Chinese satellites have been used to take clear pictures of different places plagued by flooding, enabling the authorities to control the floods and rescue citizens more effectively and efficiently.

In short, while the central government in Beijing has been reacting quickly to the flooding situation in various places, the main weakness of Chinas battle against seasonal floods remains the coordination and efforts of local governments. The relative weakness of local governance was revealed in the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020, but it has perhaps been exposed again in the ongoing challenge to prevent, minimize and control the extensive floods.

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OPINION-The Politics of Flood Control in China - Macau Business

An eye-catching headline in a local newspaper exposes the dangers of believing what you read when it comes to advertising or marketing. How to catch your reader, client or customer is a key feature of promoting your product or service; how to do it?

Opinion | Keith Morrison Author and educationist

One way is to impress your reader with namedropping and making text impenetrably replete with high-sounding phrases. But it doesnt necessarily work. Take this example from Bhaskar, writing in 1994: Hegel served only to replicate in his actualistic monovalent analytic reinstatement in transfigurative reconciling dialectical connection, while in his hubristic claims for absolute idealism he inaugurated the Comtean, Kierkegaardian and Nietzschean eclipses of reasons, replicating the fundaments positivism through its transmutation route to the superidealism of Baudrillard. Brain torpor is setting in. Im lost. I think Ill put that back on the bookshop shelf.

Or how about this one: We incorporate data, machine learning and analytics alongside a strong behavioural science and visual design capability to provide lasting value across all the projects we deliver (https://mudano.com/why/). Spare us.

Or how about going for a piece of talking-up jingoism: attach the word solutions to everything. Ask yourself how many times is it really meaningful or simply sleight-of-hand hyperbole? For example, fictitiously speaking: bathroom redesign for customized, client-centred living solutions: paint; international luxury-living solutions for your own designer bedroom: new curtains; revolutionary innovatory solutions to information-age management: spreadsheets; health-giving, protective vitalizing solutions to promote your childs well-being: formula milk. Try attaching the word solutions to sales-talk; it seldom fails to expose the nonsense at work in promotional statements, where problems are conflated mistakenly with ideas.

There seems to be a restricted code of grotesque terms which seem to be de rigueur in promotion-speak from a cabal of cognoscenti, in which deliver, solutions, value (or, better still, value-added), maximize, win-win (or, even better, win-win solutions) and innovative or their cognates frequently figure. Look at this: our core strengths are the combination of our consulting expertise, technical skills, and product development capability to provide government and commercial organizations with innovative solutions to maximize business values (http://win-winsolution.com/). Yawn.

Talking of solutions, how about making claims that bring a tear of laughter to the cheeks of readers? A Macau newspaper reported that the solution to the pandemic crisis in Macau, discussed in Macaus Legislative Assembly, is tourism diversification, which could include sport tourism and medical tourism. Really? Adding the word tourism to other possible solutions to the pandemic in Macau deflates any cachet of tourism.

But wait; in Macau, how about other kinds of tourism solutions: environmental mess tourism; roadwork tourism; hole tourism; congestion tourism; stink tourism; crowd tourism; how not to build a light rail system tourism; how to wait for ages in a hospital tourism; how to go round endless government departments to get an answer tourism; how to be squashed in supermarket tourism; how to survive a bus ride tourism? Appending tourism to a statement does not necessarily make it more attractive or add anything worthwhile.

My point is very simple: be real and realistic in what to say and plan when promoting Macau. If Macau really is to become the much-talked-about World Center of Tourism and Leisure other than for gambling, a bit of quaint heritage visitation, and eating, then we must staunch the flow of over-statement, of selective statements, and of claiming the impossible.

Maybe George Orwell had it right when he remarked that advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket. For Macau to diversify its tourism needs more than a few high-sounding terms; it needs to have something real to offer, and I simply do not see this in the suggestion of sports or medicine.

With some very high profile exceptions, sports events and medical tourism are typically restricted to participants rather than tourists. And, anyway, I thought that the solution to the pandemic crisis was to halt the pandemic, in which the Macau government has excelled to date, not to diversify tourism. Silly me.

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OPINION - Macau's Solution to the Pandemic Crisis - Macau Business

A Beijing supporter displays a placard during a protest against the U.S. sanctions outside the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong yesterday

On Monday, it was the South China Sea. On Tuesday, it was Hong Kong. On Wednesday, Huawei and human rights.The Trump administration appears to be accelerating a push to define China as a strategic threat, a worrying trend for the countrys leaders as the ambitions of a rising economic and military power collide with Americas.A senior official accused the U.S. this week of using the Hong Kong issue to try to obstruct Chinas development.Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad in a meeting in Beijing that threats of U.S. sanctions and the withdrawal of special trading privileges for Hong Kong are not about democracy and freedom in the semi-autonomous territory but an attempt to contain China.I want to warn the U.S. sternly that any bullying and unfairness imposed on China by the U.S. will meet resolute counterattack from China, and the U.S. attempt to obstruct Chinas development is doomed to failure, he said, according to an account carried by state media.Behind the tough words is growing concern. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech last week that U.S.-China relations face their most severe challenge since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1979. He asked if bilateral relations will be able to stay the course after a more than four-decade voyage.At one level, the Trump administrations attacks on China are seen as election-year politics, an attempt to woo voters and distract them from problems at home. President Donald Trump has sought to blame the coronavirus outbreak on China, rather than on any shortcomings in how his government dealt with it.But Americas differences with China go beyond Trump. The tone could change if he is not re-elected in November, but the underlying issues will remain.Ahead of the election, the factors leading to a possible free-fall in relations are becoming more intense, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in China.After the U.S. elections, a window might emerge for serious dialogue, but the overall situation will not be reversed, he said. He added that he doesnt see a strategy the two governments could adopt to ease tensions.The two countries have a fundamental divide in their thinking. The U.S. has always hoped that China would become more democratic as its interactions with the rest of the world grow. Chinas long-ruling Communist Party says the two should respect their differences.China and the U.S. should not seek to remodel each other, Wang said in his speech. Instead, they must work together to find ways to peaceful coexistence.The divide is playing out in Hong Kong, where the U.S. and other Western democracies have grown increasingly concerned over Chinas imposition of a security law that is seen as a threat to freedom of speech and the right to protest.China views outside pressure on Hong Kong and other human rights issues as interference in its domestic affairs.Branstad expressed to Zheng deep American concern about Chinese decisions that erode fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, according to a statement posted on the U.S. Embassy website yesterday.It said Branstad explained the Trump administrations finding that the city of 7.5 million people is no longer sufficiently autonomous from China to merit special treatment in trade. He also called on China to restore Hong Kongs liberties.Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act on Tuesday, a law that sanctions officials who undermine the citys autonomy, as well as an executive order affirming an earlier decision to eliminate the preferential trade treatment.That followed a declaration by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday that the U.S. would not recognize most of Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea. On Wednesday, Pompeo said the U.S. would ban employees from Huawei and other Chinese companies who aided alleged human rights abuses in places such as Chinas Xinjiang region.The U.S. has interfered with Chinas internal affairs and harmed Chinas interests on the issues of Xinjiang, Tibet and the South China Sea, further exposing its nature of naked hegemony, Zheng told Branstad.While Zheng urged the U.S. not to go further and further on the wrong path, Branstad called on China to refrain from any further erosion of Hong Kongs autonomy.Chu Yin, a professor at the University of International Relations, offered a glimmer of hope. He said frictions between nations always rise during times of economic slowdown.Chinas foreign diplomacy is facing grave and complicated challenges, but the situation will improve a lot with the easing of the epidemic situation and the recovery of the economy, he predicted. KEN MORITSUGU, BEIJING, AP

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As Trump attacks, China sees a worrying trend for its future - Macau Daily Times

A patriotic education base is being set up at the Handover Gifts Museum of Macao and slated to be ready by the end of the year, Tsang Hio Ian, who heads the Education and Youth Affairs Bureaus (DSEJ) Documentation, Information and Public Relations Centre, said on Thursday.

Tsang made the remarks at a press conference after this years second plenary meeting of the government-appointed Youth Affairs Committee, which was held on the bureaus premises on Thursday.

Tsang said that the base would include an exhibition area, a training area and a multimedia theatre. The base will be a venue for schools and organisations to learn more about the importance of educating local residents about the Loving the country and loving Macao concept.

Cheong Man Fai, who heads the Youth Department, told reporters that the budget for setting up the base was 2.5 million patacas. Cheong added that the base will show movies and host conferences to educate youth about patriotism.

Cheong pointed out that there will be translations for non-Chinese speakers to learn about patriotism.

Meanwhile, during the press conference, Choi Man Chi, the acting head of the Youth Departments School Sports and Youth Activities Division, said there were around 29,000 people registered for the bureaus summer activities, and 24,000 people had already signed up for them. Over 99 per cent signed up via online platforms.

The press conference did not elaborate as to whether those who registered could still sign up for activities, or when the activities begin.

Choi underlined that the bureau has implemented a raft of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including rescheduling and class-size reductions, to ensure the participants safety.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)

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Patriotic education base to open at Macao Handover Gifts Museum - Macau News