🌊 Some things happened yesterday
🌊 Some things happened yesterday
*nods enthusiastically*
Good morning,
Here’s a free PSA: now that the weather’s getting (a lot) warmer, please mind how you store your food. This is coming from me watching a ton of scary YouTube videos and getting (perhaps overly) paranoid over environments of bacteria being unknowingly fostered.
So, as a rule, ⚠️don’t⚠️ eat anything that smells or tastes funky, or that’s been left out in the open without proper coverage for too long.
(^^not sponsored by the FEHD, see below to get this top tier inside joke)
Fun fact: the olfactory (smell-related) sense is the most primordial out of all the senses, given that it’s the only one with a direct route to the brain that bypasses the thalamus, so I reckon we should probably trust evolution on this.
Now that I’ve finished going all Bear Grylls on you, today’s recipe is…homemade bubble tea! It’s honestly a lot easier than I thought it would be, and super refreshing- great for this weather. Just don’t leave it out too long. Follow the FDA’s consumption guidelines. I mean it, dearly beloved dudes (trying out new fandom names, how’s this one?)
-Charlotte
On Today’s Tide
News | Mild financial crisis- no, not that kind
COVID
Politics | Follow-up on June 4th
China |
“I live!”- potential COVID resurgence for Shanghai
Afghanistan appeals to China for aid with forest fire
Events
Behind the paywall:
Culture |
Advocates say former spy building deserves better protection
Hong Kong Palace Museum- grand exhibition coming soon
International | First missile strike on Kyiv in weeks
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“Glitch” temporarily freezes bank accounts
Yep, a big bank oopsie was caught on file today as online banking services and ATMs by HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank were temporarily offline for several hours today. Its millions of customers in HK couldn’t access their accounts from around 11:30am until resumption of normal services from ~1pm onwards.
As always, technical issues were the culprit with this case, and both companies apologized for any inconvenience caused.
COVID in Hong Kong
COVID-19 in Hong Kong
New cases: 515 (42 imported)
Total cases: 1,215,153
New deaths: 4
Total deaths: 9,386
COVID infections go 📈
You guessed it, infection numbers are rising again with the bar clusters that have been seen popping up and more restrictions being lowered. A HKU study shows chances of an upward trend following, which is Not Concerning At All.
Seeing how common bar clusters are now, I thought it might be helpful to keep a tally just like our official COVID one above for your reference:
Shuffle nightclub : 69 (+27)
Linq bar : 78 (+13)
Zentral : 37 (+2)
Iron Fairies : (+6)
FEHD standards go 📈
We’re still on the same topic here- a spokesperson for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that the FEHD would continue to boost their inspections city-wide and take enforcement actions against catering premises and other premises not complying with the current social distancing measures.
471 catering premises in total and 166 other premises were inspected by the FEHD on June 4th, while they also initiated prosecution procedures against several operators of catering premises and bars.
June 4th update
A total of 6 people were arrested after June 4th in connection with wanting to mark what happened in Tienanmen Square 33 years ago.
Overseas events take up the torch, with HKers in Britain, Prague, the US and Taiwan making efforts to commemorate this event in history through mass gatherings and seminars.
Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International has accused HK’s police of attacking the right to freedom of expression. More on this SCMP article.
Potential Shanghai COVID burst
Like a persistent, destructive toddler, COVID just won’t quit. Upon the detection of 3 (three!!!) new community infections, the 25 million residents of Shanghai all received a warning from the local health authorities. After the 2-month-long lockdown was lifted on June 1, this new warning stated that businesses and lives could be upended again if there was a resurgence of the Omicron variant.
The community infections “scattered across the city” could lead to widespread transmission chains, says health commissioner Wu Jinglei. Total community infections since the lockdown lift have amounted to 13.
Let’s hope that it stops there.
Wanted: forest fire aid. Contact Afghanistan for inquiries
12 days- that’s how long a forest fire has been burning in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province. The lack of equipment from local firefighters hasn’t been enough to stop the blaze, which was why, as Afghanistan’s friendly local neighboring country, China will likely send a team from China International Search and Rescue to help.
Events and deals
Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes
For more local events, check out yesterday’s High Tide.Events and deals
Support Harbour Times, our friends and partners by attending these events! Let everyone know who sent you by tagging @harbourtimes
ReThink returns 5-6 Oct
Read our full press release on the event here.
As a High Tide subscriber, you get to enjoy super-early-bird prices until 4 Sep (already expired for everyone else in early May).
Sign up here using the code HTP22 for 25% off!
As chosen by our LoTW Luke Samtani: I follow a vegan plant-based diet, undoubtedly, I'm excited about Hong Kong's biggest and most diverse vegetarian and green living expo that will take place in June.
Where: HKCEC
When: 10-12 Jun (latest rescheduling)
Entry: Free (advanced registration; $20 walk-in)
Sha Tau Kok Partially Opens to Tourists
The border town of Sha Tau Kok is partially opening up to tourists. Located within the Frontier Closed Area, Sha Tau Kok is normally only accessible with a special travel pass. But now local tours can visit the longest pier in Hong Kong and several other small Hakka islands on Fridays and weekends.
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