Daily Archives: February 12, 2021

Thea Fischer of the WHO team arrives at the VIP terminal of the airport to leave at the end of the mission in Wuhan

A World Health Organization team left China yesterday after gaining some new insights into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that has now killed more than 2.3 million people worldwide but with the major questions still unanswered.The visit was politically sensitive for China which is concerned about any allegations it didnt handle the initial outbreak properly and has been closely watched around the world.Team member Peter Daszak sounded an upbeat note on arriving at the airport at the end of the four-week trip to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the first COVID-19 cases were detected in December 2019.We have clear leads on what the next steps should be, he said. We know a lot more after the work thats been done.The teams major conclusions seemed to confirm what most researchers had already surmised about the virus. The visit was never expected to definitively pinpoint the origin of the pandemic an undertaking that, based on others, could take years.Heres a look at the theories the team explored during their visit:

THE BATSThe mission to Wuhan did not change a major theory about where the virus came from. Scientists think bats are the most likely carriers, and that they passed it on to another animal, which passed it on to humans. While there are other possibilities a bat could have infected a human directly, for instance the path through a second animal remains the most likely scenario, according to the WHO team and its Chinese counterparts. The question is what animal and where.

THE MARKETThe Huanan Seafood Market, which had a cluster of cases at the start of the outbreak, has long been suggested as a possible place humans first became infected. The market dealt mainly in frozen seafood but also sold domesticated wildlife. That included rabbits, which are known to be susceptible to the virus, and bamboo rats and ferret badgers, which are suspected of being susceptible. At the WHO missions closing news conference Tuesday, one team member said some of these animals have been traced to farms or traders in regions that are home to bats that carry the virus that is the closest known relative of the one that causes COVID-19.That finding could put renewed focus on the market. Chinese health officials have downplayed the markets role, noting that only surfaces at the market tested positive for the virus, not any of the animal products. A Chinese official said Tuesday that it appears there were cases elsewhere in Wuhan around the same time as the market cluster, so it remains possible the transfer of the virus from animals to humans happened elsewhere.

THE LABThe conclusion of the Chinese and international experts was that it is extremely unlikely the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a lab with an extensive collection of virus samples. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were among those who floated that possibility prompting angry denials from China. And most experts have long been skeptical of it.In making its determination, the team said that such leaks are extremely rare and theres no evidence the virus existed in that lab or any lab anywhere in the world when the pandemic began. It also reviewed safety protocols at the institute, leading the team to conclude it was very unlikely that anything could escape from such a place, WHO team leader Peter Ben Embarek said.

THE COLD CHAINThe joint investigation left open the possibility that the virus could have been spread to humans through frozen food products, a bit of a surprise as foreign experts have generally played down the risk.Its a theory that has been widely promoted by Chinese officials, who have detected the virus on imported frozen food packaging and seized on that to suggest the virus could have come to China from abroad.WHO team member Marion Koopmans noted that it still wouldnt answer the question of where the virus came from originally. Its not the cold chain by itself, that cannot be, she said at the airport. The virus has to come from somewhere.

THE DATAThe mission has been dogged by questions about how much freedom China would give the researchers to visit the places and talk to the people they wanted to. In the end, they appeared satisfied with the arrangements, at least in their public comments. Team member Thea Koelsen Fischer said she did not get to see raw data and had to rely on an analysis of the data that was presented to her. But she said that would be true in most countries. MDT/AP

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Explainer | What the WHO coronavirus experts learned in Wuhan - Macau Daily Times

Acting Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett (right) leads Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the lead Democratic House impeachment manager, and other impeachment managers, walk through the Rotunda to the Senate for the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump

House Democrats will begin two days of arguments in Donald Trumps second impeachment trial, trying to convince skeptical Republicans that the former president alone was responsible for inciting his mob of supporters who broke into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and interrupted the presidential electoral count.The arguments today [Macau time] from the nine Democratic impeachment managers for the House, which impeached Trump last month, will come a day after the Senate voted to move ahead with the trial even though Republicans and Trumps lawyers argued that it was unconstitutional because Trump had already left office. All Democrats and six Republicans disagreed, arguing that there is legal precedent for the trial and that there should be no exceptions for impeachable behavior in a presidents last months in office.While Democrats won yesterdays vote, it also signaled that they will not likely have the votes for an eventual conviction, since they would need a minimum of 17 Republicans to vote with them. Democrats say they know they are arguing the case uphill, but they are holding out hope that they will convert more Republicans by the final vote.What to watch as the Democrats prosecute their case for incitement of insurrection:

DEVASTATING CASE AGAINST TRUMPThe Democrats are trying to take advantage of senators own experiences, tapping into their emotions as they describe in detail and show on video what happened as the mob broke through police barriers, injured law enforcement officers, ransacked the Capitol and hunted for lawmakers. Democratic aides working on the impeachment team said that they think they have a devastating case against the former president, and that they will prosecute it like a criminal trial.Yesterday [Macau time], as they argued that the trial was constitutional, they strayed from their arcane arguments about historic precedent and the Federalist Papers to show a video that took senators through a visceral, graphic timeline of Jan. 6, starting with Trumps speech to supporters in which he told them to fight like hell to overturn his defeat. It juxtaposed Trumps words with what was happening inside and outside the building as supporters broke in, showing violence and jeers aimed at police and lawmakers. The carnage led to five deaths.Similar video evidence is expected today, as they begin arguments on the merits of the case including some that hasnt been seen before, according to the aides, who requested anonymity to discuss the managers plans.

TRUMPS TEAM GETS A REDOTrumps lawyers had a bad day yesterday, as Trump fumed at their performance and GOP senators leaving the trial criticized their arguments as random, disorganized and perplexing. Trump felt that the team, especially lead lawyer Bruce Castor, came off badly on television and looked weak compared to the Democratic prosecutors, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.On Friday, they will get another chance, starting what is likely to be two days of arguments that last into the weekend. They plan to argue that Trump did not incite the violence, that rioters acted of their own accord and that the former president is protected by freedom of speech.While the Democrats have appealed to the senators emotions, Trumps lawyers have tried to tap into raw partisan anger. David Schoen, who spoke after Castor, criticized statements from Democrats that he said were also inciting violence, and told the chamber that the Democratic prosecutors are fueled by a hatred of Trump and fear that they will lose power.

REPUBLICANS TO WATCHSix Republican senators voted with Democrats not to dismiss the trial on constitutional grounds. Those senators so far appear the most likely to vote to convict Trump.The six senators, most of whom have harshly criticized the presidents behavior, are Susan Collins of Maine, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.Cassidy was the only one who did not side with Democrats in a similar vote two weeks ago. He said after the vote that he thought Democrats had a better argument and that Trumps team had done a terrible job. He said he will watch the additional arguments as an impartial juror and then decide whether to convict.Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who voted to dismiss the trial, is retiring in 2022 and has also said he has an open mind about conviction. MARY CLARE JALONICK, WASHINGTON, AP

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USA | What to Watch: Democrats to argue Trump alone incited mob - Macau Daily Times

Macaus gross gaming revenue (GGR) contracted in the first week of February compared with the same period in January 2021, driven by the continual pressure stirred up by recent Covid-19 outbreaks in China, according to a statement recently published by Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd, as cited in GGRAsia.The investment research and institutional asset management company forecasts MOP1.5 billion in GGR, equivalent to USD187.8 million, during the first week of February.This translates to a month-to-date average daily rate (ADR) of MOP215 million, down 17% and 76% from ADR MOP259 million and ADR MOP906 million in the same period in January 2021 and February 2019, respectively.The brokerage also attributed the month-to-month GGR downtrend to the typical slowdown in the week before the Spring Festival.The travel advisory issued by the municipals government in China impelling people to stay put during Lunar New Year has had a dispiriting effect on reported travel intention among mainland travelers, further impeding GGR performance in the first week of February.Analysts at Bernstein is expecting reduced visitation into Macau for at least the next few weeks, as some mainland travelers have postponed their original trips during the holiday period to after the holiday.Despite the brokerages forecast, some chiefs of Macaus casino conglomerates have still been sanguine about business during Chinese New Year (CNY).President of Sands China Ltd Wilfred Wong was among them. He stated in the opening ceremony of The Londoner Macao on February 8 that the group has high expectations regarding tourist arrivals in CNY.Despite the travel entreaty, we believe there will still be a lot of tourists [visiting Macau] from Guangdong Province. But still, tourist arrivals will come down to how many Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) permits will be approved for the holiday, he added.Echoing Bernsteins projection, Wong is anticipating a slight delay in the peaks of hotel room bookings to periods beyond CNY. Prior to the pandemic, spikes in occupancy had habitually fallen within the first three days of the holiday.Wynn Macau Ltd president and executive director Ian Coughlan also delivered his view about CNY on an earnings call on February 4, saying that the recent fall in Covid-19 case numbers in China, following some spikes in late-December and January, is very positive for the citys tourism sector.Coughlan said he is eyeing an occupancy rate on par with that of Golden Week in October last year.But certainly, [Covid-19 outbreaks in China have] affected bookings throughout town. So were probably looking at more like an October Golden Week situation than the Christmas and western New Year period, he said.He also believes the impact of recent outbreaks in China will be temporary, considering that the virus has been contained and vaccination has commenced.Wong stated earlier that Macaus vaccination rollout will help to increase travel confidence and propel the citys tourism industry forward.In Macau, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng and other key authorities received their first dose of the inactivated vaccine, developed by Chinas state-owned pharmaceutical company Sinopharm Group, yesterday on February 9. The vaccination rollout for prioritized groups started yesterday. Vaccination for the general public will start on February 22.

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Gaming | Bernstein projects weaker revenue in first week of Feb - Macau Daily Times

A recently published survey has found that 11.5% and 6.3% of residents have experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively, during the later stage of the epidemic last year.Conducted by the University of Macau (UM), the survey was conducted online between August and November 2020. The survey used self-administered assessment tools commonly used in epidemiological surveys on mental health problems, investigating symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue.In the end, a total of 1,005 residents completed the assessment.According to the results, 58% of the participants were concerned about Covid-19 related news, and 75.3% self-identified as strictly enforcing personal precautions.Additionally, 70.1% reported that the epidemic had a moderate to severe impact on their daily lives, and 7.7% experienced great financial loss.During the later stages of the pandemic, 26.4% reported experiencing moderate to severe fatigue, and 6.4% were experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of insomnia.Several surveys on the prevalence of mental health conditions among Macau residentshave recently been issued.A similar survey was conducted by the The General Union of Neighborhood Association of Macao. The majority of respondents were students, and close to 26% of them had considered ending their lives in the past three months.Late last month, a student who fell from a building garnered the attention of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), which announced the governments establishment of a taskforce involving several government bureaus, two education associations and Caritas Macaus Life Hope Hotline, in the hopes of protecting vulnerable members of the society.Meanwhile, the researchers from UM found, using multivariate analyses, that the participants who were not concerned about news regarding the pandemic, had suffered great financial losses because of the pandemic, those who were single, and those felt that the pandemic had a great impact on their daily lives were more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, anxiety or insomnia.The study has also found that most of those who were experiencing symptoms were not inclined to seek help from mental health services. Only 27.6% to 39.1% of the participants said they had tried to seek support using hotlines, the internet, medical institutions, or other services.Studies conducted by the Fuhong Society of Macau and UM last year showed that Chinese cultures high regard for saving face contributes to why people are hesitant to seek help. The Macau SAR has not yet overcome the stigma of mental illness, which has discouraged people with mental health concerns from seeking help.These individuals are afraid that they will be seen as weak and fragile, and as having a hard time overcoming what they perceive as a shameful matter.In a statement regarding the recently-released survey results, the UM team concluded that the overall mental health status of those surveyed was stable during the later stage of the epidemic.The statement urged residents to seek professional treatment in a timely fashion when they experience mental health problems. In addition, relevant service providers should receive professional training as soon as possible, in order to identify mental health problems during the early stages and provide appropriate assistance.The UM team also called for more publicity and promotion of mental health services, and the promotion of knowledge related to mental health maintenance, psychological counselling, and crisis intervention.These are part of a bid to minimise the negative impacts of the pandemic on peoples mental health.

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University calls for promotion of mental health services - Macau Daily Times

A total of 1,537 new companies were registered in Macau in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020, up by 101 year-on-year, according to the latest figures provided by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).Among them, new wholesale and retail trade companies and business services companies totaled 595 and 401, respectively.During Q4 2020, the total value of registered capital declined by 58.1% year-on-year to MOP142 million. Meanwhile, there were 182 firms in dissolution, and the value of registered capital of these companies amounted to around MOP80 million.Macau contributed MOP76 million, or 53.4%, of the total capital of the newly-established firm during this period. Capital from Hong Kong amounted to MOP34 million.Capital from mainland China totaled MOP29 million, of which 48.9% came from the Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities.Analyzed by shareholders combination, 1,142 new companies were set up by Macaus shareholders and 146 were considered joint ventures between shareholders in Macau and other countries or regions.For the year of 2020, the number of newly-registered firms amounted to 5,695, dropping by 445 year-on-year. The total value of registered capital contracted by 85.8% to MOP607 million. In total, 685 companies were in dissolution and the value of registered capital of these companies was MOP250 million.

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Rise in number of new companies in Q4 2020 - Macau Daily Times

The vaccination for Covid-19 will be available for the general public as early as February 22, the Coordinator of the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center, Leong Iek Hou announced yesterday during the weekly briefing on the pandemic situation.Leong added that all residents not included in the first phase targeting frontline workers and other people considered at high risk of contagion (which starts today), can schedule the time and date to have their first dose of the vaccine administered to them from today at noon, through the online booking system organized by the Health Bureau (SSM).The second phase will be open to all residents who can receive the vaccine free of charge. From tomorrow noon they can start scheduling. [For these people] the vaccination will start on February 22, Leong said.He added, Previously we have opened our booking system for the frontline workers, and from today [yesterday] at 5 p.m. it will be also open for the priority people and people who are considered at high risk of exposure such as airliners cabin crew members, casino workers, public transportation drivers and workers from logistics companies that have contact with parcels, namely frozen goods, and workers from nursing homes, among others that are also considered in this category, as well as the people that need to travel abroad to areas of high risk.The official also informed that people who experience difficulties in using the online platform to book their vaccination time can go to one of the eight information points for the Social Welfare Bureau to make the booking.The doctor noted that there is no current date for the implementation of the third phase of the vaccination plan that includes most of the non-resident workers (TNR), foreign students, non-residents serving prison time in Macau, and other people who are allowed to stay in Macau on a special visa.We are going to open the third phase for the TNRs and also the other people that are currently staying in Macau but, obviously, we need to observe the implementation of the first and second phases, and then we will decide when we will open for such people, Leong said.In response to media questions, Leong explained that this third phase will only include the TNRs who are not considered a high risk of contagion, as those who are considered a high risk will be included in the first phase alongside residents.If the TNRs are considered in the priority group, they can already start the booking. If not, they need to wait [for the third phase], Leong explained.He further noted that booking for the first phase is mostly conducted through entities such as the government departments and other institutions and companies supplying a list of the people considered high risk and thus who should be vaccinated first.Leong also noted the order from the Chief Executive (CE) published yesterday in the governments official gazette, which establishes the rules for the vaccination and who is entitled to get it free of charge.The order notes that while access will also be granted in the third phase to former TNRs who are currently stranded in Macau due to travel restrictions, these people will have to pay 250 patacas for each dose of the vaccine; 500 patacas total.The same applies to other people in Macau, for instance, those holding visas attached to family members. For such individuals, access to the vaccine will be granted for the same price.Only tourists will not be able to access the vaccines in Macau, the order from the CE clarifies.Questioned on the fact that the CE order notes only people aged from 18 to 60 years are eligible for vaccination, Dr Alvis Lo, medical director of the Conde de So Janurio Hospital, explained that this is a general limitation for the Chinese pharmaceutical Sinopharm vaccine being used, which contains the inactivated virus.Nevertheless, Lo noted that people aged over 60 who are considered in good health and have a high risk of being exposed to the virus can also be considered on a case-by-case basis.Leong reaffirmed that the order of the CE is directly applicable only to this type of vaccine and not any the others, saying: When the other vaccines arrive, there will be another order from the CE stating the rules of access to them.

Insurance that aims to provide a safety net in case of severe reactions or side-effects to receiving a Covid-19 vaccination has been obtained by the government, the health authorities announced yesterday during the weekly Covid-19 briefing.Questioned on the topic, Dr Alvis Lo, medical director of the Conde de So Janurio Hospital said that the government, after considering 10 proposals which it received from the insurance sector, chose the coverage provided by the Portuguese Insurance Company Fidelidade, a company that is part of Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) group.Lo said that the insurance will work as an auxiliary guarantee in case of severe side-effects that can lead to death or permanent disability, adding that the coverage of the insurance is of 1 million patacas in such cases.The medical doctor also added that the insurance will be suitable and effective for all people aged between 16 and 85 years old, noting that if a person is over 70 years old, the coverage is reduced by 50% to 500,000 patacas.The insurance will have its normal coverage active for one year after the vaccination, a duration that in the cases of people over 70 years old is also reduced to a period of three months, Lo explained.In response to media questions on the efficiency and safety of the vaccine, he remarked that the vaccine will start to be administered from today, having followed very strict rules for its approval and release to the market.I believe that there will not be many problems occurring because many studies have been done to ensure the safety and efficiency of this vaccine, he concluded. RM

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Covid-19 | Vaccination for all residents kicks off on February 22 - Macau Daily Times

The Macau government has added Gaodong Town, in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, to the list of places in mainland China that will require individuals to quarantine upon arrival. Currently, the quarantine measure also applies to several subdistricts in two districts of Shanghai, including Huangpu and Baoshan. Four cities in Heilongjiang, three cities in Hebei, various districts in Beijing and three cities in Jilin are also included on the quarantine list.

The number of pataca and renminbi cards in the fourth quarter of 2020 advanced year-on-year by 4.8% (to 1,044,312) and 7.6% (to 358,178) respectively, according to data from the Monetary Authority of Macao. The number of Hong Kong dollar cards dropped year-on-year by 6.6% (to 91,342). The total number of debit cards issued by banks in Macau reached 1,789,030, a growth of 2.3% over the previous quarter and an increase of 10.1% from a year ago.Credit card credit limits granted by banks also reached MOP43.6 billion, up 2.6% from end-September 2020 and 9.9% from end-December 2019.

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City adds Gaodong Town to the list of zones requiring quarantine - Macau Daily Times

A US school shooting survivor has said he is launching a pillow-making company in an attempt to bankrupt a controversial Donald Trump ally who pushed baseless claims that Novembers presidential election was rigged.

David Hogg, 20, survived the 2018 mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida that left 17 people dead. He went on to co-found the March For Our Lives movement campaigning nationally for reform of Americas lax gun control laws.

In a series of tweets Thursday and Friday, Hogg said software engineer William LeGate had offered to help him start a pillow company with the aim of taking customers from the firm My Pillow.

My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell became a household name as the My Pillow Guy thanks to his hammy television ads in which he stars as the main pitchman. But he has stirred controversy thanks to his relationship with Trump.

Photographs taken of Lindell last month while Trump was still in office appeared to show the 59-year-old businessman carrying documents into the White House suggesting the then president could declare martial law after what he claimed was widespread vote rigging.

What if we put MyPillow out of business @davidhogg111? LeGate said on Twitter.

Today we started a pillow company, tomorrow we change the world, Hogg later Tweeted.

Hogg, who currently attends Harvard University, said the nascent pillow company did not yet have a name as they were still working on trade mark stuff.

Twitter banned Lindell from the platform last month for repeated violations of our Civic Integrity Policy.

Hogg is frequently targeted by conservative figures, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican congresswoman who was sanctioned by the House of Representatives on Thursday for her extremist rhetoric.

In a 2019 video, she called Hogg a coward after she followed him down a Washington street and harangued him with questions about gun laws.

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US shooting survivor starts pillow fight with pro-Trump businessman - Macau Business

From lawsuits in San Francisco to threats of a remote learning lockout in Chicago, US officials are ramping up the pressure on teachers and their unions to reopen schools that have been closed for almost a year due to Covid.

Education professionals are fighting back, insisting that the dangers of sending teachers many elderly and at-risk back to classrooms alongside hundreds of students is too great until vaccinations are completed.

The row has escalated amid mounting frustration from parents forced to stay home some 11 months to look after children, and multiplying examples of school dropouts and psychological issues especially in disadvantaged communities.

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics southern California chapter joined a growing chorus calling for immediate reopenings.

A large majority of the 1.5 million students in L.A. County has not been physically in a classroom in nearly a year, it said in a statement.

This sad consequence of the pandemic should be addressed immediately with the reopening of schools.

Keeping children out of class does more harm than good, even in Covid times, the branch representing some 1,500 health workers said.

On Wednesday, new US federal health chief Rochelle Walensky reiterated the point at a White House press briefing.

Vaccinations of teachers is not a prerequisite for safely reopening schools, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, pointing to increasing data showing it is safe to so do.

Children under the age of 12 do not appear to transmit the coronavirus as readily as adults, while their symptoms tend to be less severe, many experts now say.

The consensus now is that reopening schools does make sense, Eric Toner, a Johns Hopkins Center for Disease Control specialist, told the Los Angeles Times.

But that consensus is disputed by many education workers on the ground, including the 300,000-member California Teachers Association.

No one wants to be back in classrooms with students more than educators, who know there is no equal substitute for regular in-person learning, spokeswoman Claudia Briggs told AFP.

For that to happen, there must be multilayered safety measures in place, including adequate ventilation, smaller class sizes, testing and tracing programs, she said.

School districts have made very clear that they do not have the resources, Briggs added, pointing to a lack of funding.

Concerns have been amplified by the rapid spread of new, potentially more contagious variants of the virus in the United States.

For these and the myriad reasons, we have to get shots in the arms of all employees who are required to report in-person and before the students return to campus, said Briggs.

In the absence of any centralized order, the status of school reopening varies hugely between US states, and between public, private and religious school types.

But an estimated half of the 55 million US school students are still to set foot in a classroom, 11 months since the coronavirus forced schools to close nationwide.

In Chicago, the nations third-largest school district, teachers and the city council are locked in battle, threatening strikes and a lockdown of remote learning systems respectively.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has warned the ongoing turmoil is causing catastrophic disruption to the school system.

Lawsuits against schools and teacher unions are multiplying across the country.

This week San Francisco sued its own school board, which is independently elected and is resisting reopening even as 90 percent of classrooms in neighboring Marin County have returned.

More than 54,000 San Francisco schoolchildren are suffering. They are being turned into Zoom-bies by online school. Enough is enough, said City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

President Joe Biden, upon taking office, said he wants most schools to be ready to reopen by the end of April, setting aside $130 billion under his plan to combat the pandemic.

But the plan has yet to be adopted by Congress, and vaccination programs look set to take far longer meaning that, if teachers remain opposed, Bidens timetable could be in jeopardy.

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US in tug-of-war with teachers over reopening schools - Macau Business