Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

SEOUL (Reuters) - A top U.S. military officer reaffirmed on Thursday that the United States is ready to use the “full range” of its capabilities to defend South Korea from any attack, a joint statement after a meeting with officials in Seoul said.

Senior U.S. defense officials are gathering in Seoul for annual meetings as the two countries face intensifying threats from North Korea to stop joint military drills and for the United States to change its approach in denuclearization talks.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil rose on Thursday after industry data showed a surprise drop in U.S. crude inventories, while comments from an OPEC official about lower-than-expected U.S. shale production growth in 2020 also provided some support.

Prices, however, were capped by mixed signs for oil demand in China, the world’s biggest crude importer, as industrial output rose more slowly than expected in October, but oil refinery throughput hit the second-highest level ever.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Under a November full moon, hundreds of young people dressed in black set about turning several of Hong Kong’s top universities into fortresses, well stocked with improvised weapons.

At City University, protesters used ping pong tables, potted plants, furniture, sports equipment, and bamboo to form a network of barricades to block roads and fortify the entrances to the student residence complex.

BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent China-smearing remarks were just another display of the hubris and bias of some Washington politicians when it comes to the differences between the two countries.

In an Oct. 30 speech at the Hudson Institute in New York and on multiple other occasions, Pompeo repeatedly hyped up the so-called "China challenge." He defamed China's political system and policies, bombarded China on human rights, and attempted to drive a wedge between the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong residents endured a fourth day of traffic snarls and mass transit disruptions Thursday as protesters closed some main roads and rail networks while police skirmished with militant students at major universities.

Police said protesters shot several arrows at them near Hong Kong Polytechnic University. None of the officers were injured, and six arrows were seized at the scene, police said.

Life in this city of 7.5 million has been strained as thousands of commuters have been unable to get to work or endured lengthy commutes.

MANILA, Nov 13 (NNN-PNA) – Tourist arrivals in Asia grew faster than anywhere else in the world, a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report said today (Wednesday).

The report, titled The Asian Economic Integration Report 2019/2020: Demographic Change, Productivity, and the Role of Technology, also disclosed that, international tourism receipts hit a record 368 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.

“Inbound tourists from both Asia (up by 10.3 percent from 2016) and non-Asia (up by 8.2 percent) contributed to the high growth in Asian tourism,” the report said.

BEIJING, Nov 13 (APP): The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is giving serious thoughts to establish a regional bank to synchronize digital payment gateways using local currencies in an effort to boost e-commerce within the Eurasian bloc while also reducing its dependence on external platforms, such as Maste-rcard and Visa.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stocks sank Wednesday after President Donald Trump threatened more tariff hikes on Chinese imports if talks aimed at ending a trade war fail to produce an interim agreement.

Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia all declined.

Trump said Tuesday agreement on the “Phase 1” deal announced last month “could happen soon.” But he warned he was ready to raise tariffs “very substantially” if that fails.

BEIJING (AP) — A sharp escalation of violence in Hong Kong is once again raising the question of how China’s central government will respond: Will it intervene, or allow the chaos to persist?

The Liaison Office, which represents mainland authorities in Hong Kong, said Wednesday that actions in the semi-autonomous territory were “slipping into the abyss of terrorism.” It pointed out that a man was set on fire Monday during an argument with demonstrators, leaving him in critical condition.

HONG KONG (AP) — Police increased security around Hong Kong and its university campuses Wednesday as they braced for more violence after sharp clashes overnight with anti-government protesters.

Many subway and rail stations were closed for the morning commute as protesters blocked train doors from closing and vandalized train cars. Classes were suspended at universities, and parents of school students were advised they could keep their children home.