🌊 Parcel of... protein powder?

The government is getting new add-ons in the form of task forces.

Good morning.

Since nothing can ever be easy here at Harbour Times, I was unsurprised to see the business cards that Cyril surprised me with upon our meeting in the UK.

Jasmine Lee’s book is free @jasmineisms

Thanks for the business cards that contain no typos whatsoever @Cyrildoesthings

— Jasmine Lee

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On Today’s Tide

1. Politics | Policy unit and task forces on the docket for HK’s new administration.

2. COVID | Virus in our mangoes; and the government rejects hundreds and thousands of unemployment subsidy applicants.

3. Health | Doctors plead for a lung donor.

4. Events

Behind the paywall:

1. Society | An old woodworking family business needs help relocating.

2. Crime | Case concerning seditious animations adjourned. Plus, mysterious substance sent to the High Court might just be protein powder.

Become a premium subscriber for just $8US a month – extra daily news and weekend roundups!

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Policy unit and task forces to enhance government operations

Politics

The new administration under Chief Executive John Lee will be setting up a new Chief Executive’s Policy Unit to monitor public sentiment and facilitate unofficial meetings with lawmakers and senior officials on a monthly basis. The goal of these meetings is to build and maintain communication between the two groups.

“Of course I have to take care of public sentiments, the needs of different sectors of Hong Kong, for instance – the aspirations of the middle class as well as the grassroots. I have to be fully aware of all these demands … If I adopt a broad-brush approach, it will create unnecessary problems, so there should be a fine breakdown of different policies that will be thoroughly discussed by my policy unit.”

— Chief Executive John “no broad strokes here” Lee

His administration also plans to put together four task forces that will handle key issues in the SAR. The four issues these groups will handle are:

1. intergenerational poverty among disadvantaged young people (lead by Chief Secretary Eric Chan)

2. land supply (lead by Financial Secretary Paul Chan)

3. district affairs (lead by Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing)

4. the production of public housing (lead by Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong)

These task forces will be lead by senior officials, all listed above.

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Virus ruins our mangoes

COVID-19

Nothing is safe from COVID – not even something as juicy and sweet as the mango.

I feel a little betrayed

200 kilograms of mangoes were disposed of after one of nine samples taken tested positive for COVID-19.

Aaron Busch @tripperhead

COVID-19 cases 🇭🇰 July 6th, 2022 • New local cases: 2,672 📈 (+587) • Cases in hospital: 830 📈 (+2) • New admissions: 113 📉 (-19) • New serious cases: 1 • Total serious cases: 18 • New critical cases: 1 • Total critical cases: 14 • ICU: 2 • New deaths: 1

COVID-19 in Hong Kong

• New local cases: 2,672

• New imported cases: 143

• New deaths: 1

• Total deaths: 9,406

• Compulsory Testing Notice: 73 places

• Of 470,000 applications for the temporary unemployment subsidy scheme, the government has rejected 128,000. This scheme would give a one-off subsidy of $10,000 to the approved applicant.

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Doctors really, really need a lung

Health

Doctors have made an emergency appeal for a lung donation that would go to a 32-year-old woman dealing with a serious heart and lung condition. The ideal donor should be someone who is blood type A or O, a similar height to the patient (149 cm), and under 55 years of age.

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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

• Hong Kong Book Fair 2022

The book fair is back! Now in its 32nd installment, the book fair is the best place to get all your readable needs for the coming year. This year’s theme, as kind of expected, also celebrates Hong Kong’s 25th Anniversary of returning to China - “Reading the World: Stories of Hong Kong”.

When: 20-26 July
Time: Generally around 10am-10pm. Varies by day, check here.
Where: HKCEC
Cost: $10-$25

• OPEN NOW: New Space Museum Dome Show: "Dinosaurs of Antarctica 3D"

Like dinosaurs? Like Antarctica? Well, you’ll love the new 3D Dome show at the Space Museum! From the event itself:

Utilising top-tier computer graphics, the 3D Dome Show "Dinosaurs of Antarctica 3D" reconstructs Antarctica's hidden-greener-past when it was warm and forested with newly-discovered dinosaurs and bug-eyed creatures roaming freely. As we follow the hunt with Cryolophosaurus, the largest known early Jurassic carnivore on Earth, we learn that survival in the prehistoric Antarctica was no easy task.

When: 1 Jul 2022 - 31 Mar 2023
Where: Space Museum
How much: $12 - 32

• ReThink HK returns 5-6 Oct

HT is proud to once again be a media partner for ReThink - HK’s biggest and most exciting sustainability conference. This year’s conference invites more than 300 expert speakers to share their visions and insights, covering important topics like economic progression while coexisting with nature harmoniously, efficient use of resources, transformation to a low-carbon society, and circular economy for future generations.

Sign up here using the code HTP22 for 40% off!

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

ANSWER : Ho is in the back row, 5th from the left. In other words, the guy whose button-down jacket pretty much aligns perfectly with Xi’s blue tie.

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