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https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/apple-daily-newspaper-edition-sold-hong-kong-78457602>
"HONG KONG — The final edition of Hong Kong's last remaining pro-democracy
paper sold out in hours Thursday, as readers scooped up all 1 million copies of
the Apple Daily, whose closure was yet another sign of China's tightening grip
on the semi-autonomous city.
Across the densely populated metropolis, people lined up early in the morning
to buy the paper, which in recent years has become an increasingly outspoken
critic of Chinese and Hong Kong authorities' efforts to limit the freedoms
found here but not in mainland China. The paper was gone from newsstands by
8:30 a.m.
The newspaper said it was forced to cease operations after police froze $2.3
million of its assets, searched its office and arrested five top editors and
executives last week, accusing them of foreign collusion to endanger national
security.
“This is our last day, and last edition, does this reflect the reality that
Hong Kong has started to lose its press freedom and freedom of speech?” an
Apple Daily graphic designer, Dickson Ng, asked in comments to The Associated
Press. “Why does it have to end up like this?”
The paper printed 1 million copies for its last edition — up from the usual
80,000. On the front page was splashed an image of an employee in the office
waving at supporters surrounding the building, with the headline “Hong Kongers
bid a painful farewell in the rain, ‘We support Apple Daily.’”
While pro-democracy media outlets still exist online, it was the only print
newspaper of its kind left in the city."
Via Lisa Stranger.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
