Hong Kong third-quarter GDP shrinks 3.2%, confirms depth of recession
Hong Kong confirmed on Friday its economy plunged into its first recession in a decade in the third quarter, weighed down by increasingly violent anti-government protests and the escalating U.S.-China trade war.
Labour’s McDonnell says broadband plan is the limit of nationalization plans
A plan to nationalize parts of BT to provide free broadband to everyone in Britain marks the extent of the opposition Labour Party’s nationalization policy, its finance spokesman John McDonnell said on Friday.
Renamo’s appeal to have election result annulled dismissed: Mozambique’s top court
Mozambique’s top court has dismissed opposition party Renamo’s application to have the results of its recent general election dismissed – a scenario Renamo has said could result in violence in the country just months after an historic peace deal.
Pentagon’s Esper says it is crucial South Korea pays more for U.S. troops
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper pressed South Korea on Friday to pay more for the cost of stationing U.S. troops in the country and to maintain an intelligence-sharing pact with its other Asian ally, Japan, that Seoul is about to let lapse.
UK’s Labour vows to nationalize some of BT in free broadband plan
Britain’s opposition Labour Party said it will nationalize telecoms provider BT’s fixed line network to provide free full-fiber broadband for all if it wins the Dec. 12 election.
BT CEO says Labour’s plan for free broadband may cost £100 billion
Britain’s opposition Labour Party’s plans to nationalize parts of telecoms provider BT’s network and provide free full fiber broadband may cost more than 100 billion pounds ($127 billion), BT chief executive said.
Vietnam jails music teacher for 11 years over ‘anti-state’ Facebook posts
A court in Vietnam jailed a music teacher for 11 years on Friday for a series of posts on Facebook that the government said were “anti-state”.
Hong Kong and China condemn attack on justice secretary as protests paralyze city
The Chinese and Hong Kong governments condemned on Friday an attack by a “violent mob” on the city’s justice secretary in London, the first direct altercation between demonstrators and a government minister during months of often violent protests.
Pentagon’s Esper says crucial South Korea pay more for U.S. troops
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper pressed South Korea on Friday to pay more for the cost of stationing U.S. troops in the country and to maintain an intelligence-sharing pact with its other Asian ally Japan that Seoul is about to let lapse.
Japan monarch spends symbolic night with goddess to end throne rituals
In the chill pre-dawn hours of Friday, Japan’s Emperor Naruhito emerged from a shrine compound where he had spent a symbolic night with the sun goddess from whom conservatives believe his family descends, completing the rituals of his accession.
