Hong Kong news site to shut; pro-Beijing lawmakers sworn in

By HUIZHONG WU and ZEN SOO
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — A group of lawmakers loyal to China’s Communist Party were sworn in to Hong Kong’s Legislature on Monday following an election without opposition candidates. That came after yet another pro-democracy news outlet announced it could no longer operate amid a growing crackdown on freedoms in the territory. The former British colony that was returned to China in 1997 was once known as a haven for dissent and freedoms of the press and expression. But the central government in Beijing has clamped down in the last year. That has led to the closure of independent news outlets, the removal of monuments to dissent, and a poorly attended election swept by pro-Beijing politicians. The founders of news outlet Citizen News said the news site will stop publishing on Tuesday.