Good morning.
Cyril thinks that Muji is a local business and not part of gentrification. Go tell him if you agree in the comments.
โ Jasmine Lee
On Todayโs Tide
Art | Political cartoonist leaves Hong Kong.
COVID-19 | Restriction relaxation still planned for May.
Weather | Bad weather for the long weekend.
Events | Prove your art world survival skills with this board game!
Behind the paywall:
Bonus | What you didnโt know about Ah To.
Education | Penalties proposed for students who put university reputation at risk.
National Security Law | 11 pro-democracy figures to plead guilty to subversion.
Business | Hong Kong has fewer multimillionaires than before.
Crime | Door spitter sent to jail, upskirting study, doxxing arrest, and more.
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Political cartoonist leaves Hong Kong
Art
Just a day after learning that a senior pollster left Hong Kong for the UK, pro-democracy cartoonist Ah To announced his departure to what looks like the UK (one can see Londonโs scenic backdrop in his latest Instagram post). Ah To is known for his satirical cartoons covering local politics over the last 11 years and has felt the pressure mounting against him and his work due to the shift in Hong Kongโs political atmosphere in recent years. On Facebook, he would not be able to continue making his art while living in HK without โgreat mental stressโ, and he has โno alternative but to leave.โ
โThinking about my family members in Hong Kong who I may not see again, my comrades who are in jail or pending trial, the readers who have been supporting me and my wife who was forced to flee with meโฆ I feel very guilty,โ
โ Ah To, political cartoonist
Other artists who have left Hong Kong for similar reasons include manga artist Tony Lu and performance artist Kacey Wong.
When Ah To wasnโt drawing satirical cartoons on politics he worked on an endearing side project, which Cyril will share behind todayโs paywall.
Cross your fingers for eased restrictions next month
COVID-19
Are you ready for a summer of fewer COVID restrictions? The government will be keeping (for now) to its plan to continue letting up social distancing measures towards the end of May.
"We will continue to press ahead with the three-stage relaxation that I have announced on March 21, unless there is a sudden surge in Covid-19 infection cases, but that looks quite unlikely based on our observations and the experts' advice.โ
โ Chief Executive Carrie Lam
Keeping my fingers crossed for you all ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ๐ค๐ผ


COVID-19 in Hong Kong
New cases: 347 (84 fewer than Monday)
205 detected by PCR test
142 detected by RATs
12 imported infections
Deaths: 7
Testing is required for those who were present at 40 specified places.
Overnight lockdowns: Six COVID-19 cases were found in block 13 of Yuet Wu Villa in Tuen Mun and Cypress House of Kwong Yuen Estate in Sha Tin.
The medical teams performing the at-home COVID vaccinations for the elderly and disabled have begun serving the 7,900 people who have already made their appointments.
160,000 employers are expected to apply for the upcoming round of the employment support scheme pandemic wage subsidies. Registration opens on Friday.
Stormโs a-coming!
The weather is usually Cyrilโs bit on the weekends, but this canโt wait. Expect a windy and rainy long weekend and for temperatures to go down to a low of 21 degrees by Monday as the Observatory predicts a tropical cyclone will be passing through the city.
Events and deals
Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes
TODAY | Science Talks are Women Talks
Part 1 of Science Talks are [Women] Talks kicks off today! Join a panel of speakers this afternoon to engage in the conversation of โWomen in Climate Scienceโ. Speakers include professors from the University of Hong Kong and a senior researcher from the Centre of Evolutionary and Functional Ecology.
Date: 27 April (Wed)
Time: 4:30pm to 6:00pm (HKT) | 10:30am to 12:00pm (CET)
THURSDAY | Board Game: Surviving the Art World
Think you have what it takes to make it in the cutthroat art world? You can prove it tomorrow night at this upcoming board game event, brought to you by Goethe-Institut Hong Kong. (tag us on Instagram and Twitter if you go @harbourtimes).
When: 28 April (Thursday), 7-9 PM
Where: Library, Goethe-Institut Hong Kong
For more local events, check out yesterdayโs High Tide.
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