Good morning,

Despite the absolute disaster of a heatwave across England, I hopped on the only train to Leeds to meet with our Social Media Memeager for a face reveal:

Cyril Ma @Cyrildoesthings

Anyway, all things aside it was nice to see @harbourtimes' memeager-in-chief Marion after about 3 years in Leeds. Whenever you see one of our memes on High Tide or Instagram, that's her. Our whole new visual design is basically her idea too. Only good thing about the North!

10:02 PM ∙ Jul 18, 2022

She’s the only person who understands my very specific instructions of “oh can you like put a Hong Kong flag on that template where the guy says the thing”.

— Cyril

On Today’s Tide

1. Politics | $1.38 million legal fees for first NSL conviction

2. COVID | No mail to Macau

3. Media | John Lee and Journos ‘on the same boat’

4. Events

Behind the paywall:

1. Arts | Jackie Chan shoots film in destroyed Syrian town

2. Environment | Greenpeace urges better no-disposable cutlery plan

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Million dollar legal challenge

Motorcycle-riding, flag-waving Tong Ying-Kit, the first person charged under the NSL, has been given a $1.38 million bill for three legal challenges he put to the courts during his sentencing.

His first challenge was for a challenge that his detention instead of bail was unlawful (writ of habeaus corpus). This was turned down and he was asked then to pay legal fees.

His second challenge was a judicial review on not having a jury for his case, instead only having three government-appointed national security judges. The review was considered, but ultimately sided with the government that NSL cases do not need juries. However, his fees were waived as the courts decided the judicial review had a “a strong public interest element”.

However, Tong then appealed his review to which the court said he was “pursu[ing] a plainly unarguable appeal after losing”.

And so he had to pay up that time.

Tong, who is currently already behind bars, has said that he has no funds to pay and this would bankrupt him.

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COVID in Hong Kong

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is looking into 3,182 additional locally acquired #COVID19 cases, of which 1,185 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 1,997 via rapid antigen tests that were verified

news.gov.hkHK reports over 3.1k virus casesThe Centre for Health Protection says it is looking into 3,182 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 1,185 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 1,997 via rapid antigen tests that were verified.

11:55 AM ∙ Jul 18, 2022

COVID-19 in Hong Kong

• New cases: 3436

• Total cases: 1,297,772

• New deaths: 3

• Total deaths: 9,440

No mail to Macau

All mail from HK to Macau has been suspended due to Macau’s rising COVID cases.

Jabs for 3 and under

New Covid-19 Expert Advisory Panel member Lau Yu-Lung will be meeting with other advisors in the coming weeks to see whether it’s possible to give Sinovac to under-3s. He expects that toddlers can get their first shot around September and their second in October.

Sinovac is currently available from 3 and up, with BioNTech 5 and up.

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I’m in the same boat as John and I don’t know how I feel about that because we’re not really that close idk

At an online talk celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Handover, CE John Lee said that Hong Kong is now at a “key moment” between stability and prosperity, and hoped that the journalistic and media community will join him in “presenting the narrative of Hong Kong”, referring to his campaign promise to “tell the Hong Kong story well.

“We have to publicise the successful experience of One Country, Two Systems to the world, and Hong Kong’s extraordinary achievements under its unique advantages […] We need to use all possible means, from newspapers, TV [and] radio to the internet, new media and social media, to promote the competitiveness of Hong Kong from all directions”

John “apparently my uncle” Lee

John Lee continued saying that the media community are all part of the “same family” and “in the same boat” as him.

I am currently on a train and not a boat, sorry for being late.

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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

Seminar Study in Poland!

During the Education and Careers Expo, the HKTDC invites you to the Seminar Study in Poland, held by Mr. Aleksander Dańda!

During this seminar, you will learn why Poland is an attractive place to study and live. It will also present you with the opportunity to ask the questions concerning the process of getting your student visa for Poland. Click here for more information!

Where: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center
When: 21st to 24th July
How much: Free!

• Craft Logic 1 Year Anniversary

Our HT x partner Craft Logic celebrates their one year anniversary later this month on 24 July. Free craft beers and rare bottle sharing, lucky draws, discounts on other products.

And best of all - supporting local businesses and supporting us local media.

Where: Craft Logic, Central
When: 24 July, 18:00-22:00

• European Union Film Festival 2022

This year, the EUFF has the pleasure to present a selection of 18 European films which have never been screened in Hong Kong before.

This year's German film DEAR THOMAS (Lieber Thomas) is a powerful biopic from Andreas Kleinert about one of Germany’s most important writers, shot in black and white, and featuring a tour-de-force performance from Albrecht Schuch.

When: 30th July
Where: PALACE ifc
How much: 95HKD

Book your tickets here!

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