Hong Kong icon on trial

Former media mogul Jimmy Lai is in court for trial on pro-democracy protests [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Welcome to Balance of Power, bringing you the latest in global politics. If you haven’t yet, sign up [here](. Hong Kong’s No. 1 national security target is getting his day in court after more than 1,000 in prison. A guilty verdict could see Jimmy Lai die behind bars. The [trial of the former media mogul]( has come to symbolize Beijing’s determination to crack down on political dissent in the city after sweeping anti-government protests in 2019. For some, Lai is the last defender of democracy. As he entered the court, there were signs of muffled emotion in the public gallery where more than 100 people gathered to witness the trial: Some teared up and others silently waved support as he briefly smiled at the crowd. Among them was JC, who queued for 12 hours overnight: “I want him to know he’s not alone.” With the threat of any large-scale political protest now firmly quashed, the problem for Hong Kong’s government is not Lai’s supporters in the city but those overseas. The 76-year-old’s case resonates well beyond those at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court today. The presence of diplomats from the US, UK and French consulates, among others, underscores just how closely Western governments are scrutinizing the case. Lawmakers from Washington to Westminster and Brussels are already voicing their criticism. The risk for Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee is that the case — which may see Lai handed a life sentence — becomes yet another geopolitical flashpoint, destabilizing the fragile easing of tensions between China and the US. There was no official word if the global dimensions of the case came up when Lee met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing today. Instead, Xi commended him for taking Hong Kong from “[chaos to order](.” — [Rebecca Choong Wilkins]( Jimmy Lai at a protest in Hong Kong in August 2019. Photographer Justin Chin/Bloomberg Global Must Reads Any call for a cease-fire with Hamas is a “prize for terrorism,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said after France, the UK and Germany [urged efforts toward halting the war]( as the civilian death toll mounts. International pressure is steadily intensifying against Israel in the third month of the war, including from the US, which is prodding the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to shift tactics. Third-party candidates are emerging as a potentially crucial obstacle to reassembling President Joe Biden’s winning 2020 coalition in the battleground states likely to decide the US presidency next year. 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Criminal lawyers protest in central London in June 2022. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg Thanks to the 49 people who answered Friday’s quiz and congratulations to James Fabe, who was the first to name Venezuela and Guyana as the two South American countries in a dispute over an area rich in oil. More from Bloomberg - [Economics Daily]( for what the changing landscape means for policy makers, investors and you - [Green Daily]( for the latest in climate news, zero-emission tech and green finance - Check out our [Bloomberg Investigates]( film series about untold stories and unraveled mysteries - [Bloomberg Opinion]( for a roundup of our most vital opinions on business, politics, economics, tech and more - [Next Africa](, a twice-weekly newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed Explore more newsletters at [Bloomberg.com](. Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? 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