🌊 Google x HK Police

"Quarantine like a stooge": AmCham President announces resignation

Nov 16, 2021

Good morning.

I was never much of a fan of All You Can Eat buffets until I found this nice place that does a great £10.99 sushi and Chinese buffet, which is honestly worth going just to pig out on sushi. I ate at 1:30-3 and will not be needing to eat for the rest of the day.

What’s your favourite AYCE spot? I need to know.

— Jasmine Lee

Today on Tide:

Google removal after HK police’s perusal
COVID news
AmCham President steps down
Boar-ish news and other updates
Experience an eclipse
Paid readers get access to:
The Foodpanda strike saga continues
More COVID-19 updates

Three times Google removed content at HK’s request

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hkfp

[Recap] Google reveals details of 3 instances it removed content at request of Hong Kong police

hongkongfp.comGoogle reveals details of 3 instances it removed content at request of Hong Kong police - Hong Kong Free Press HKFPGoogle has revealed details of three occasions where it complied with requests from Hong Kong police to remove content from its platforms during the first half of 2021, including cases involving a Gmail account, a Google Drive account and a Blogger account. The three removals were part of 18 request…

Google (once just a minimalist search engine) has removed content in the first six months of 2021 at the request of Hong Kong’s police.

The three instances took content off of a Gmail account, a Google Drive account, and a Blogger account for the following reasons:

Google Drive account: Used for blackmail, a Google report said “It contained mostly intimate images of women, as well as some images that appeared to be news photographs of political activities.”
Gmail account: “[Police] claimed was impersonating a senior government official and sending phishing emails to government employees,” posing a cybersecurity risk.
Blogger account: The blogging platform “allegedly [engaged] in doxxing and harassment against police officers and their families.”

Google received 18 removal requests which involved 41 items in total.

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating one additional imported #COVID19 case involving the #L452R mutant strain

news.gov.hk1 imported COVID-19 case detectedThe Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating one additional imported COVID-19 case involving the L452R mutant strain.

New cases: 1 (imported)

Compulsory testing notices have been gazetted for 36 specified premises (scroll down to Annex 1 and 2 for information on the locations and testing facilities).

Where were the three Cathay Pacific staff likely infected? Become a paid subscriber to read more on that and other COVID updates.

AmCham President resigns over strict quarantine regulations

Tom Lasseter @TomLasseter

The president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said on Tuesday she is resigning as she cannot appeal to the city's government to ease COVID-19 restrictions at the same time as having to undergo quarantine herself.

reuters.comHK AmCham president resigns over city’s quarantine rulesThe president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said on Tuesday she is resigning as she cannot appeal to the city’s government to ease COVID-19 restrictions at the same time as having to undergo quarantine herself.

American Chamber of Commerce president Tara Joseph announced her resignation from her post yesterday, citing HK’s tight restrictions on quarantine for foreign arrivals. She commented that it would be hypocritical of her to advocate for a lift in quarantine restrictions if she were to undertake the 21-day quarantine herself upon her return to Hong Kong from the United States.

"It is not in my nature to advocate on something, and then embark on quarantine like a stooge.”
— Tara Joseph, President of AmCham on her departure

Joseph will hold her position at AmCham for six months to allow time for the Chamber to appoint her replacement. She has served in her position since 2017 and apparently has been a follower of us on Twitter for a while. That’s pretty cool. All the best to you, Ms Joseph, if you’re reading this!

Unemployment better than before

And other news stories.

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The seasonally adjusted #UnemploymentRate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.3% for the period between August and October compared to the period from July to September, the Census & Statistics Department announces #HongKong

news.gov.hkJobless rate dips to 4.3%The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.3% for the period between August and October compared to the period from July to September, the Census & Statistics Department announces.

Unemployment in Hong Kong has dropped 0.2% from 4.5% to 4.3% for August to October this year vs July to September.
Feed the boars, face the fines: After a (in my opinion, harsh) decision to kill all wild boars that meander their way into urbanised areas of the city, people caught feeding the boars could face a fine (paywalled) as wild as the pigs themselves.
1,700 schools in Hong Kong are eligible for HK$300,000 in funding (paywalled) to boost their national education programs.
Former 4 June vigil organiser Chow Hang-tung has been denied bail since being charged with inciting subversion.
Travelodge Kowloon Hotel and other buildings in Yau Ma Tei will be converted into a residential development.

Events / Exhibitions etc.

Lunar eclipse live stream: Online

I love a good lunar eclipse. I love it, even more, when I don’t have to leave the house to view it. Please keep in mind that the speakers on the live stream will be speaking in Cantonese, which means that I won’t have a clue what they’re talking about. You might have better luck though.

Speakers: Assistant Curators of the Hong Kong Space Museum
Date: 19 November (Friday)
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Platform: YouTube Channel of the Hong Kong Space Museum