🌊 Lai legal drama
Good morning.
If you haven’t seen the unofficial Chief Executive inauguration of John Lee countdown made by intern Charlotte, well here you go:
You can’t say we don’t treat you.
— Jasmine Lee
On Today’s Tide
Crime | Former Next Exec granted immunity to testify against Jimmy Lai.
COVID-19 | 200-strong birthday bash gone wrong.
Events
Behind the paywall
Crime | LegCo bicycle trespasser gets to pedal off with discharge.
Transport | Public meets the East Rail Line extension.
Law | Judges told to regulate their own social media behaviour.
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Former Next Digital executive gets immunity to testify against Jimmy Lai
Crime
Former chief operating officer at Next Digital Limited, Royston Chow, has agreed to testify as a witness against Jimmy Lai (founder of Next and Apple Daily) on Monday in a fraud trial case. In exchange, Chow has been granted immunity from prosecution. Prior to this deal, Chow was facing one count of fraud.
To agree to testify against your former boss is pretty savage, that’d be like me agreeing to rat out Andrew Work to escape persecution and prosecution. As a faithful former intern of HT, I could never imagine doing that to him.
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200 bad boys get busted over breaking COVID-19 rules at b-day bash
COVID-19
A big birthday party held for a triad leader was brought down when police raided a seafood restaurant and handed out fines of over HK$1 million to over 200 people for breaching social distancing rules. For those who may not know, the current limit on banquet dining is to groups of 20.
Coronavirus in Hong Kong
New cases: 234 (42 imported)
113 detected by PCR tests
121 detected by RATs
Compulsory Testing Notice: 41 specified places
Cluster updates:
+2, 11 total - two people who went to a meeting at a private kitchen in Kwun Tong
+4, 56 total - diners of Sky Cuisine restaurant in Sheung Wan
+1 - customer of Sun Mong snooker club in Hung Hom
Nine sports centres and Tai Kok Tsui public library have reopened after being temporarily closed due to the virus.
According to a study by the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University, unvaccinated people who have had Omicron have developed weaker antibodies to virus variants compared to those who are vaccinated and also caught Omicron.
Vaccination records from Ecuador, Kenya, the Seychelles and Venezuela will be recognised by the Hong Kong government tomorrow (18 May).
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