Hong Kong leader defends elections after largest pro-democracy party shut out

The Democratic party, the city's largest pro-democracy party, failed to secure enough nominations under new rules introduced by authorities

Hong Kong's leader has defended the rules for upcoming local elections as open and fair, even though an electoral overhaul means the city's remaining pro-democracy activists won't be part of the race.

The city's largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic party, will be absent in December's district council election for the first time since its establishment in 1994.