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In today’s bulletin: 4 Hong Kong pro-democracy legislators disqualified following China ruling Beijing escalates crackdown on fintech giants Germany claims Thai King did not violate country’s legislation Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble to begin from Nov 22 Key Minister Suga’s bid to close use of ink stamp Hanko, and more.

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4 legislators disqualified by Hong Kong as China moves to quash dissent

Hong Kong disqualified 4 opposition legislators shortly right after China’s Parliament handed a resolution letting the island’s govt to do so, without heading through the courts.  

China’s go, the most up-to-date to suppress dissent subsequent months of anti-governing administration protests past year, will very likely raise fears about Hong Kong’s autonomy as promised under the ‘one place, two systems’ system when the city was handed more than to China by Britain in 1997.  

A statement issued by the Hong Kong metropolis federal government said the legislators – Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok, Kwok Ka-ki and Kenneth Leung – ended up expelled from the assembly for endangering national stability. It did not elaborate.

The four ended up amongst the dozen legislators who have been disqualified from standing in a legislative election a couple of months back for numerous causes, like colluding with foreign forces. The election has been postponed.

Delve deeper 

Hong Kong opposition to quit as China moves to quash dissent

China moves to tame Hong Kong opposition with ‘patriotism’ exam

China escalates crackdown on fintech giants, following Ant

China’s major banking watchdog tightened controls on fintech giants these as the Ant Team to curtail monopolistic tactics, in a go that has shaken up the industry.

China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission’s Vice-Chairman Liang Tao stated at a press meeting these days that fintech corporations will be issue to the similar supervision and risk administration needs as financial institutions. The regulator will step in to probe unfair levels of competition, he stated.

The briefing arrived a working day soon after China laid out comprehensive rules for Internet organizations. The new regulations established a framework to suppress anti-competitive conduct such as colluding on sharing sensitive consumer knowledge, alliances that squeeze out scaled-down rivals and subsidising providers at beneath charge to remove competitors. The moves have led to a tech selloff wiping out far more than US$200 billion (S$269 billion) of worth.

Examine more: 

Chinese state creditors soar right after Ant receives ‘bitten’ by regulators

Germany finds no proof in opposition to Thai King

The German authorities has discovered no proof of wrongdoing by Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, media studies stated currently, citing a International Ministry assertion. 

Hundreds of Thai protesters had submitted a letter to the German Embassy in Bangkok asking authorities to examine if the Thai King experienced exercised royal authority all through his time in Germany, in violation of the country’s law.  

The report reported nothing unlawful had been identified while the Thai King was in Germany. Meanwhile, the King frequented the country’s north-east and wrote messages of national unity and enjoy, as he fulfilled with individuals.

Singapore-Hong Kong air journey bubble from Nov 22

Asia’s two foremost money centres will get started their two-way air vacation bubble on November 22, enabling travellers to fly both techniques following using Covid-19 checks, in-lieu of serving quarantine or continue to be-home notices.

The scheme will get started with 1 flight a day into each metropolis with a quota of 200 travellers per flight, Transportation Minister Ong Ye Kung declared currently. This will be increased to two flights a day from Dec 7. 

There will be no constraints on the goal of travel, and no need for a managed itinerary. The arrangement will be suspended for two months if the 7-working day shifting normal of the each day variety of unlinked Covid-19 scenarios is a lot more than 5 in either Singapore or Hong Kong.  

Also study: 

Preparing to fly to Hong Kong? Here is what you need to have to know prior to booking a flight from Singapore

HK tightens entry guidelines for all arrivals, other than from China

PM Suga tries to stamp out ink stamp ‘Hanko’

Japanese Prime Minister Yushihide Suga, who has made it his precedence to digitise the nation, faces a complicated challenge – how to stop the use of the humble ink stamp recognized as Hanko. In a country, noticed as futuristic and tech-savvy, the use of paper files is rampant and approval is frequently hand-stamped. In actuality, during the pandemic, quite a few officials had to return to operate basically to physically stamp the paperwork.

In other news…

India’s Modi passes very first election take a look at with Bihar acquire: Indian Primary Minister Narendra Modi and his nationalist Bhartiya Janata Celebration cleared the first political check due to the fact the pandemic struck the nation, with a acquire in Bihar elections, displaying that the lockdown did not make as well substantially of an affect on his rule. The final vote rely saw the ruling alliance pull forward with 125 seats in the 243-member state assembly. The opposition grouping received 110 seats.

Vietnam rebukes Netflix, others about tax payments: Vietnam’s details minister has accused international streaming companies like Netflix and Apple of skirting their tax duties, which is unfair for domestic corporations. Overseas streaming companies, which have merged revenues of almost just one trillion dong (S$58.1 million) have never ever paid tax in Vietnam, the facts and communications ministry stated.

Myanmar’s opposition concerns election final results: Myanmar’s military services-backed opposition occasion, the Union Solidarity and Growth Bash, has claimed it does not recognise the election effects. The Nationwide League for Democracy has claimed it was primary in most of the seats.  

Thanks for looking through the Asian Insider & The Straits Situations. We’ll be back with you tomorrow.  

Shefali