š Free Tide: Olympics champions prioritise mental health
CE says Professional Teachers' Union is "hijacking" education sector
Good morning
Apparently thereās a tropical storm coming? HKO predicts thunderstorms and rain, and the Standby Signal No. 1 will likely remain in force throughout the morning. Stay safe and dry, everyone.
~ Kyna
Chinese gold medalist discusses struggle with depression
āI have to really take care of my mental state,ā said Shi Tingmao, a four-time diving champion for China in the Olympics. Shi was fresh off her second gold in the Tokyo Games when she revealed her struggles with mental health during a recent press conference.
The Olympian said she had considered quitting after her form regressed last year, but ultimately realised that āI really love diving [and there was] no way that I could give it up.ā Shi also struggled with not being able to see her family for over a year because of her training schedule.


Famed artistic gymnast Simone Biles has also prioritised her mental wellbeing and pulled out of several events in the Tokyo Games.
COVID news


Coronavirus in Hong Kong
New cases:Ā 3 (imported)
Total cases:Ā 11,991 cases so far (64 active cases, 212Ā total deaths, 11,715 total recovered)
Civil servants, school staff, care home workers and members of the Hospital Authority must now get vaccinated or undergo compulsory testing. This also applies to workers who come into contact with recent incoming travellers.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam also mentioned that at a date to be announced, all arrivals would be required to present a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of their flight.
Border control is also being tightened to create an āanti-epidemic barrierā. Read about it on todayās Paid Tide.
What you need to know onā¦
The Education Bureau (EDB) cutting ties with the Professional Teachersā Union (HKPTU):
The Chief Executive accused the body of āhijackingā the education sector. Lam also asserts that the body has left many people with a negative impression of the cityās teachers and āviolated [their] professionalism.ā
This comes after Chinese state media like Xinhua and the People's Daily described the PTU as a āpoisonous tumour that must be rooted outā. Lam denies that the severed contact had anything to do with this criticism, however.
Lam says this is a lesson learned from the extradition bill protests, where āthousands of students didn't have the awareness to abide by the law.ā
The HKPTU expressed disappointment with the governmentās decision and said it would be āa loss to the entire industryā. According to their statement, the organisation emphasises the positive role trade unions play in āprotecting the rights and interests of employees and improving policiesā.
Donāt you just hate when students and educators engage in civil society?
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