🌊 Running for CE without Beijing's blessing

COVID-19 cases hit a new record in Hong Kong

Good morning.

Had 雞煲 HK style chicken pot last night and it was as delicious as it was last week. I added Chinese sausage to add that extra bit of culinary happiness. If anyone’s curious about making it for themselves at home, I’m more than happy to send you the recipe – just shoot me a message!

Jasmine Lee’s book is free @jasmineisms

Last night’s 雞煲 HK style chicken pot 🤤 Would love to experiment with a tofu/cauliflower version of this!

— Jasmine Lee

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On Today’s Tide

Politics | CE hopeful has “no way to liaise with Beijing”.

COVID-19 | Penny’s Bay to open up for low-risk patients.

Events | That Beer Thing

Behind the paywall:

Transportation | MTR changes its evening schedule.

Media | Consumer watchdog opens new awards event category, says it can succeed without HKJA.

Crime | Man arrested over brother’s murderer. A police officer follows two women home.

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Chief Executive hopeful joins race with “no way to liaise with Beijing”

Checkley Sin. Video source: RTHK.

Checkley Sin, the only individual to officially announce that he will run in the Chief Executive race in March, shared that he did not receive Beijing’s blessing to take part in the election.

According to what Sin shared at Monday’s luncheon at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, he was motivated to participate after an unfortunate personal situation occurred, saying he doesn’t “want to waste [his] time", the rest of [his] life”.

He said that the LegCo elections last year and one of Xia Baolong’s (HK and Macau Affairs Office chief) speeches made him think that anyone could do the job, including himself. He said he received encouragement from two friends with who he spoke before deciding to make his announcement.

“I have no way to liaise with Beijing or any other thing.”

— Checkley “deeply optimistic” Sin

“[Will] a guy with long-time working experience in the government or the public sector be a good CE? I don’t think so.”

— Checkley “an impatient boxer in the ring” Sin

Amongst his policy suggestions were he to become the next Chief Executive include using land on Lamma and flattening mountains for hotels, housing, and a prison.

During this luncheon, he replied to a reporter’s question concerning what he would say to Xi Jinping if elected with another question: “Your question is also quite dangerous for me. Can you ask me after the lunch? I will reply to you later”.

What a star this one is.

In other political news: the government is accepting a new round of applications under the Basic Law Promotion Activity Sponsorship Scheme & Basic Law Promotion Research Sponsorship Scheme. The scheme is looking to support ways to raise public understanding of the Basic Law.

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Penny’s Bay centre opening for low-risk COVID-19 patients

As of today (Tuesday 8 February), the Penny’s Bay quarantine centre will be pivoting to function as a community isolation facility for patients with COVID-19 who are at low risk. The government hopes this strategy will alleviate stress on hospital isolation wards.

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating 614 additional #COVID19 cases, of which 607 are locally infected and seven are imported

news.gov.hkHK sees 614 more COVID-19 casesThe Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating 614 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 607 are locally infected and seven are imported.

New cases: 614

Local infections: 607

Imported cases: 7

Preliminary positive COVID-19 cases confirmed yesterday from overnight lockdowns include: Mei Sau House, Sha Tin (5); Hing Tai House, Tuen Mun (15)

The lockdown in Tuen Mun’s Leung Kit House has been extended due to the finding of over 50 preliminary positive cases.

A residential block in Fu Yuet House in Sham Shui Po went into overnight lockdown yesterday night after COVID-positive sewage was found. Expect this operation to end at 10 AM today.

Residents from three buildings in Kowloon will be evacuated due to concerns that the virus is spreading within the building on certain levels. From RTHK:

“In a statement, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said residents of units 15 on the 26-35th floors of Kai Yan House at Kai Tin Estate in Lam Tin; those living in units 03 and 04 on floors 21-28 of Him Tat House in Kwun Tong’s On Tat Estate; as well as residents of units 12 on the 20-28th floors of Willow House at So Uk Estate in Cheung Sha Wan will be moved to a quarantine centre.”

The government ordered testing for those who were present at 85 specified premises. See the Annex for details.

Know someone who could use quick daily COVID updates? Tell them about High Tide.

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Events

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We’ll throw in a free month of Paid High Tide for yourself or a friend!

That Beer Thing - Equilibrium vs Range: Beer Judge Livestream

luigi_drinks

A post shared by Luigi Coradduzza (@luigi_drinks)

Get hopped up - our Leader of the Week, Luigi, alongside other beer connosieurs will be livestreaming a battle of the beers, blind tasted, this Wednesday evening. Free to watch and guaranteed to learn something whether you’re already a beer geek or just wanting to see them get drunk.

Where: online (link to stream here)
When: Wed 9 Feb, 9pm

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