Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) expressed deep concern over Hong Kong's High Court ruling related to the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, a spokesperson said Tuesday.

The Court of First Instance of the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) ruled on Monday that some provisions of the ordinance were incompatible with the Basic Law of the HKSAR and therefore were invalid.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. and South Korean officials have publicly acknowledged the allies remain far apart in negotiations for increasing South Korea’s contributions to the costs for maintaining the American military presence on its soil.

U.S. negotiator James DeHart said the U.S. side decided to cut short a meeting that lasted less than two hours Tuesday, because Seoul’s proposals “were not responsive to our request for fair and equitable burden sharing.”

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on Hong Kong protests (all times local):

1 p.m.

China has appointed a new police chief in Hong Kong in a further illustration of the central government’s broad powers over the territory’s institutions.

The new chief, Chris Tang Ping-keung, said rebutting fake accusations against police and reassuring the public about the force’s mission would be among his priorities.

HONG KONG (AP) — About 100 anti-government protesters remained holed up at a Hong Kong university Tuesday as a police siege of the campus entered its third day.

City leader Carrie Lam said 600 people had left the Hong Kong Polytechnic campus, including 200 who are under 18 years old.

Police have surrounded the university and are arresting anyone who leaves. Groups of protesters made several attempts to escape Monday, including sliding down hoses to waiting motorcycles, but it wasn’t clear if they evaded arrest.

VIENTIANE, Nov 18 (NNN-KPL) – A Key tunnel of China-Laos railway, has been drilled through by China Railway No. 8 Engineering Group (CREC-8), near the ancient Lao capital of Luang Prabang, some 220 km north of the capital, Vientiane.

With the roar of the excavator, the last piece of rock was crushed in the 1,001-metre-long Houay Han No. 1 Tunnel, of China-Laos railway on Sunday, and the completion was 43 days ahead of schedule.

Beijing, Nov 18, AFP/GANASHAKTI: China confirmed on Monday that its first domestically built aircraft carrier had sailed through the Taiwan Strait for "routine" training and tests after Taipei accused Beijing of intimidation around upcoming elections.

The ship, which has yet to be named, is Beijing's second carrier and will add massive firepower to its navy once it is officially put into service, as the country faces tensions with self-ruled Taiwan and regional neighbours around the disputed South China Sea.

18 November 2019; AFP: Cambodian opposition figure Kem Sokha, freshly freed from house arrest, will still stand trial for treason, strongman premier Hun Sen said Monday.

Kem Sokha, 66, is the co-founder of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved ahead of widely criticised elections last year.

18 November 2019; AFP: Europe's stock markets mostly fell Monday as traders kept tabs on the US-China trade war situation, dealers said.

"Stock markets in Europe are mostly showing marginal losses today as the bullish sentiment has cooled," said David Madden, market analyst at trading firm CMC Markets.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Monday it was not interested in meaningless talks with the United States just so President Donald Trump had something to boast about, urging an end to what it called a policy of hostility if the United States wanted dialogue.

The comment by senior North Korean official Kim Kye Gwan, who is a former vice foreign minister, came after Trump on the weekend called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to “act quickly” and hinted at another meeting.

BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese aircraft carrier passed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday to conduct scientific research tests and routine training in relevant waters of the South China Sea, according to a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

The organization of the cross-regional tests and training of the homemade aircraft carrier is a normal arrangement in the process of aircraft carrier construction, is not aimed at any specific target and has nothing to do with the current situation, spokesperson Cheng Dewei said.