Hong Kong disqualifies independent lawmaker from legislature

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities have ousted an opposition legislator from his seat after finding him to be insufficiently loyal amid Beijing’s tightening grip on the semi-autonomous city. The government says Cheng Chung-tai of the populist Civic Party was disqualified from the legislature on Thursday. He was one of two remaining opposition lawmakers left in the legislature after the pro-democracy camp of legislators resigned en masse last year following the disqualification of four of their colleagues. Hong Kong’s legislature is currently comprised of mostly pro-Beijing lawmakers following the departure of the pro-democracy camp.