Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

(Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Friday it is addressing Indonesia’s safety recommendations following calls for better cockpit systems and oversight by U.S. regulators, and after the country blamed design flaws for a deadly Lion Air 737 MAX jet crash.

In its final report released on Friday, Indonesian regulators criticized the design of the anti-stall system known as MCAS, which automatically pushed the plane’s nose down, leaving pilots fighting for control.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China called on Britain on Friday to seek “severe punishment” for those involved in the deaths of 39 people, believed to be Chinese nationals, found in a truck container near London, as a major state-backed paper said Britain should bear some responsibility for the case.

Paramedics and police found the bodies of 31 men and eight women on Wednesday on an industrial estate at Grays in Essex, about 20 miles (30 km) east of the British capital.

SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) sent a notice to South Korea offering to discuss the removal of facilities in the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang, South Korea's unification ministry said Friday.

The DPRK delivered the notice earlier in the day to the unification ministry and Hyundai Group, which participated in the inter-Korean tour project, saying the DPRK would build and launch its own tour project in Mount Kumgang.

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Friday, after Wall Street indexes posted modest gains, cheered by solid profits and forecasts from U.S. technology companies.

Global uncertainties over the U.S.-China trade war and Brexit weighed on investor sentiments.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 inched up less than 0.1% in morning trading to 22,747.98. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6% to 6,734.40. South Korea’s Kospi was little changed, inching down to 2,085.45. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dipped 0.5% to 26,674.40, while the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.5% to 2,925.55.

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Oct 24 (NNN-Bernama) — The MyAQSA Foundation (MyAQSA) has gathered evidence and statements from witnesses to be submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors at the end of this year to allow Israel to be charged with crimes against humanity.

MyAQSA special delegation head Lukman Sheriff Alias said during a meeting in The Hague in May, the ICC had recommended for the gathering of evidence and witnesses that could be used to drag Israel to the court.

24 October 2019; AFP: The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods -- one of multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a "white terror".

Since late August, eight well-known pro-democracy figures have been beaten by unknown assailants as fear swirls that some "triad" crime networks have flocked to Beijing's cause after five months of protests.

BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chief of United Nations (UN) Country Team in China has spoken highly of the cooperation between China and the UN.

"The UN has always seen itself as a partner of China," said Nicholas Rosellini, UN Resident Coordinator in China.

"We have very good cooperation with China in terms of implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inside China, and international development cooperation such as the Belt and Road Initiative," Rosellini told Xinhua. "China is a champion of the SDGs."

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Thursday accused U.S. officials of maintaining hostility against Pyongyang despite a “special” relationship between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump and urged Washington to act “wisely” through the end of the year.

The statement issued by Foreign Ministry adviser Kim Kye Gwan was clearly referring to an end-of-year deadline set by Kim Jong Un for the Trump administration to offer mutually acceptable terms for a deal to salvage their diplomacy.

23 October 2019; AFP: The heir to the Samsung empire returns to court this week for a retrial over a sprawling corruption scandal that could see him return to prison and deprive the world's largest smartphone and chip manufacturer of its top decision-maker.

23 October 2019; AFP: Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong's beleaguered Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest.

The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city.

So far, the Chinese central government has given its support to her and the Hong Kong police, calling the demonstrators "rioters" and condemning the violence.