Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities barred high-profile pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong from an election, and the city’s leader ruled out political solutions before the end of the violent protests gripping the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

The developments Tuesday were likely to further widen divisions in Hong Kong, which has been wracked by more than four months of unrest driven in part by demands for political reform. Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, also warned that the Asian financial hub was on the brink of an economic recession.

LHASA, Oct 28 (NNN-XINHUA) – Over 8,000 tonnes of goods have been cleared to be exported to Nepal, through Zham port, in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, since it reopened in May.

According to the Xigaze government, an estimated 8,052 tonnes of goods, worth over 100 million yuan (about 14.1 million U.S. dollars), were exported via Zham, after the land port to Nepal resumed cargo transport on May 29.

Apples accounted for nearly one-third of the total trade, followed by other agricultural products, as well as, shoes and clothing, the local government said.

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte on Monday lashed out at Vice President Leni Robredo for criticizing his war on drugs, and offered to put her in charge of law enforcement.

The president has a frosty relationship with opposition leader Robredo, who was elected separately from Duterte, whose drugs crackdown has killed thousands, stirring global alarm, although polls show strong domestic support for the campaign.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong has fallen into recession, hit by five months of anti-government protests that erupted in flames at the weekend, and is unlikely to achieve any growth this year, the city’s Financial Secretary said.

Black-clad and masked demonstrators set fire to shops and hurled petrol bombs at police on Sunday following a now-familiar pattern, with police responding with tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

BEIJING (AP) — China said Monday it hopes the U.K. can quickly identify the 39 people who were found dead in the back of a sealed truck in what British officials have called one of the country’s deadliest cases of human smuggling.

British police initially believed the victims were Chinese, but later acknowledged that details around the bodies in southeastern England were still evolving. Up to 24 Vietnamese families have since reported missing relatives whom they fear to be among the dead.

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street higher Monday as investors looked ahead to a crowded week of corporate earnings, a possible U.S. interest rate cut and other potentially market-moving events.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong all rose as fears about U.S.-Chinese trade tension and Brexit receded.

Markets shrugged off soft earnings from U.S. companies including Boeing and Caterpillar. Some 160 more companies are due to announce this week including Alphabet, Apple, Facebook, General Electric and Exxon Mobil.

YANGON, Oct 27 (NNN-MNA) – At least 27 police and some civilians were seized by an armed group, in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, an official from the Military True News Information Team said.

A water vessel running from Sittwe to Buthidaung township was intercepted and the passengers, including some police officers on board, were seized by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rathedaung township around 10:30 a.m. local time, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the True News Information Team.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Sunday said it’s running out of patience with the United States over what it described as hostile policies and unilateral disarmament demands, and warned that a close personal relationship between the leaders alone wouldn’t be enough to prevent nuclear diplomacy from derailing.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kongers were set to rally Sunday over concerns about police conduct in monthslong pro-democracy demonstrations, including exposing police dogs to tear gas during chaotic confrontations with protesters.

Organizers planned a demonstration at a waterfront park on Sunday afternoon.

Hong Kong police have faced criticism for heavy-headed tactics including tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and a water cannon to subdue protesters who have hurled bricks and firebombs.

DO THANH, Vietnam (AP) — One family received a final text from their daughter saying she couldn’t breathe and was dying. Another grieving family set up a makeshift altar for their missing daughter who paid $10,000 in hopes of pursuing a career as a nail technician in Britain. A desperate father is searching for his son, who frequently calls home but hasn’t since last week.