Hong Kong election defies expectations of turnout drop amid anger over deadly fire

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s election on Sunday saw a near-record-low turnout after the city’s worst fire in nearly 80 years prompted anger against its China-backed authorities, but voter participation edged higher than in the previous vote four years ago. Only candidates vetted as “patriots” by the government were allowed to run for the global financial hub’s 90-seat legislature. Voting hours were extended and new polling stations opened to encourage people to vot