Good morning.

If you haven’t kept up with my adventures in Spain, you’re missing out! Daily updates are on Twitter and frequent photos go up on Instagram as well.

Jasmine Lee’s book is free @jasmineisms

Santiago de Compostela Diary/Accountability Thread Day 1 • Did Duolinguo Spanish audio lessons • Got a ride to the supermarket – one of the nicest I’ve been to in a while • Made a chorizo pasta that is supposedly popular in Spain • Airbnb host said my Spanish accent is good

11:45 PM ∙ Apr 13, 2022

— Jasmine Lee

On Today’s Tide

1. Protests | Occupy founder Benny Tai pleads guilty.

2. COVID-19 | New cases and lockdown updates.

3. Media | Human Rights Press Awards suspended.

4. Events | Theatre kids rejoice!

Behind the paywall:

1. Politics | A senior member of a leading polls institute leaves Hong Kong.

2. Protests | Rioting convictions for anti anti-mask law protesters. Tiananmen vigil organisers in court for the first time in months. And more.

3. Government | Government employment subsidies to come next month. LegCo schedules some second readings.

4. Business | Salon chain files for IPO in Hong Kong. Imports from Canada and France on hold. And more.

5. Environment | New fleet of KMB electric buses. And… SHARK!?

6. Crime | Arson incident and a woman arrested for infanticide.

7. Appointments | Police force confirms its new Deputy Commissioner.

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Benny Tai pleads guilty to illegal election spending

Protests

RTHK English News @rthk_enews

The co-founder of the Occupy movement, Benny Tai, pleaded guilty to illegal election spending in the run-up to #HongKong's 2016 Legco polls, for placing newspaper ads to promote his strategic voting scheme

news.rthk.hkBenny Tai pleads guilty to illegal poll spending - RTHKThe co-founder of the Occupy movement, Benny Tai, on Monday pleaded guilty to illegal election spending in the run-up to the 2016 Legco polls, for pla...

5:36 AM ∙ Apr 25, 2022

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Benny Tai, the Occupy Movement’s co-founder and former law professor, pleaded guilty to illegal election spending during the campaign period before the 2016 LegCo elections. The spending in question refers to six newspaper ads he placed in Ming Pao and Apple Daily to advertise his strategic voting scheme in support of the pro-democracy candidates running for the legislative council. According to the District Court, this is not legal as Tai was neither a candidate nor a candidate’s election expense agent.

The advertisements were part of Tai’s “ThunderGo” plan, which aimed to help democratic candidates win over half of LegCo’s seats. You can learn more about ThunderGo here.

See more updates on Hong Kong’s protest cases behind the paywall:

COVID in HK

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating 431 additional #COVID19 cases, of which 242 were detected by nucleic acid tests and 189 were identified via rapid antigen tests news.gov.hk/eng/2022/04/20…

12:50 PM ∙ Apr 25, 2022

• New cases: 431

  • 242 detected by PCR test, 189 by RATs

  • 16 imported

• Deaths: 18

• Tests are required for people who were present at 40 specified places.

• Lockdown updates:

  • Two residential blocks were put into lockdown in Sha Tin and Tuen Mun.

  • Two positive COVID-19 cases and two undetermined cases were found at Lok Chuen House at Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin after an overnight lockdown.

Human Rights Press Awards cancelled

Media

Shibani Mahtani @ShibaniMahtani

Yesterday I resigned from the FCC's press freedom committee after three years on the committee, two of them as a board member. As a former winner and judge of the HRPA, I feel nothing but the deepest regret and do not stand by this decision

fcchk.orgImportant notice from the PresidentDear Members, I write to inform you that the FCC Board met on Saturday, 23 April, and, after a lengthy discussion, regretfully decided to suspend the Human ...

9:59 AM ∙ Apr 25, 2022

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The Foreign Correspondents’ Club will not hold its 26th annual Human Rights Press Awards this year, saying that the Club did “not wish unintentionally to violate the law” by hosting the event. The winners were scheduled to be announced on 3 May, meaning that several journalists and media members are likely disappointed that they no longer have the honour of making a LinkedIn post on their latest award for clout (I know I would).

Several press freedom committee members at the FCC have resigned after the announcement, including Shibani Mahtani, Timothy McLaughlin and Mary Hui.

“As a former winner and judge of the HRPA, I feel nothing but the deepest regret and do not stand by this decision … It is an award that meant something not only to Hong Kong but journalists across Asia who covered some of the most consequential developments in the region last year."

— Shibani Mahtani, Southeast Asia and HK bureau chief for Washington Post

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Events and deals

Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes

• Watch The Open Couple live!

Event Description: “In this farce about sexual politics in marriage, a man persuades his suicidal wife that an open marriage is politically correct and embarks on dalliances with younger women, to her dismay and fury. After deciding to be on her own, the tables are turned when she confesses to a new man, Nobel prize nominated professor and inspired singer-songwriter, it is the husband who becomes suicidal.”

Shoutout to The Open Couple’s director and High Tide subscriber Ryan King for sharing the event!

auroratheatrehk

A post shared by Aurora Theatre (@auroratheatrehk)

When: 11-14 May at 8 PM

Where: HKRep Black Box, 8F, Sheung Wan Civic Centre, 345 Queen’s Rd Central, Sheung Wan

Price: $250

Get your tickets

For more local events, check out yesterday’s High Tide.

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