NY shares renew record closing highs www3.nhk.or.jp

Key US stock indexes renewed their record closing highs on Friday due to hopes for the year-end shopping season.

Putin presents Russian passport to Hollywood actor Seagal www.reuters.com

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday presented a Russian passport to U.S. actor Steven Seagal, and said he hoped it would serve as a symbol of how the fractious ties between Moscow and Washington are starting to improve.

Tony Blair says Brexit can be stopped www.cnn.com

Tony Blair says that Britain's departure from the European Union is not etched in stone.
In an interview with the New Statesman, the former British prime minister said the process could be halted.
"It can be stopped if the British people decide that, having seen what it means, the pain-gain cost-benefit analysis doesn't stack up," Blair told the magazine.
The former Labour Party boss believes that parliament -- or the British people -- will in the end be allowed to pass judgment on the specific exit deal negotiated with the EU.
That puts him at odds with Prime Minister Theresa May, who has rejected calls for a second referendum, while insisting that "Brexit means Brexit." She's also appealing a court ruling that parliament should have a vote before the formal exit negotiations begin.
May has committed to triggering the legal exit process by the end of March. That will set off two years of frantic negotiations over the terms of Britain's exit from the trading bloc.
Blair makes the case for a public evaluation of whatever deal is negotiated. Will Britain retain access to the EU's giant free trade area? Or will it be forced to go it alone and negotiate new trade deals with Europe and the rest of the world?
"Why wouldn't you keep your options open? Why wouldn't you say, 'We took this decision, we took it before we saw what its consequences are; now we see its consequences, we're not so sure?' " he asked.

The public got its first official look at the cost of Brexit on Wednesday. The U.K. will be forced to borrow an extra £58.7 billion ($72.6 billion) over the next five years because of an economic slowdown triggered by the exit, according to estimates published by the Office of Budget Responsibility.
The independent government agency said growth will slump to just 1.4% next year -- the weakest rate since 2009.
Blair, who has expressed a desire to reengage in policy debates in the U.K., cited the example of a deal offered to Nissan (NSANY) following the referendum. In exchange for continued investment in the U.K., May is believed to have offered the Japanese automaker certain commitments.
But the specifics of the deal remain a closely held government secret.
"I don't know what the terms of that deal are, but we should know," Blair said. "Because that will tell us a lot about what [the government is] prepared to concede in order to keep access to the [EU] single market."

Blair won three consecutive general elections, the last in 2005. He was the Labour Party's longest serving prime minister but faced fierce criticism over his decision to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Now he is intent on returning to policy debates by leading a resurgence of the center-left.
"You've got to learn the right lessons of Brexit, Trump and these popular movements across the Western world," he said. "Otherwise you're going to end up in a situation where you seriously think that the populism of the left is going to defeat the populism of the right. It absolutely won't."

Asahi to produce beer in Europe www3.nhk.or.jp

Asahi Group Holdings is set to become Japan's first beer maker to produce a flagship product in Europe.

Business booms at Trump Tower, nearby retailers hit by security and crowds www.reuters.com

Bailey White, 13, stood patiently in line with her little brother Keaton at the gift store inside the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue on Wednesday afternoon, each clutching a stuffed terrier named Charlie that cost $35 per item.

The beagle, with a Trump monogram on its white bandana, was modeled on the pet dog of Eric Trump, the son of President-elect Donald Trump. It was one of the few items left on the shelves of the store, which had sold out of that morning's fresh batch of red "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" t-shirts by noon.

Bailey and Keaton, 10, however, were happy with their score. The children, who had traveled to New York from Florida originally for the Thanksgiving Day Parade, told Reuters they were huge fans of Donald Trump, listing at the top of their reasons his commitment to reduce illegal immigration. Or, as the younger brother puts it, "To stop bad guys from getting in our country."

As businesses around the president-elect's glitzy New York home have had to deal with extra security and crowds reducing foot traffic sales in the lead up to Fifth Avenue’s busiest shopping weekend, Trump souvenirs have been flying off the shelves at the billionaire's gift store.

Trump supporters like the White siblings and their mom Laura have proven to be a boon for at least one of the his businesses in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. presidential election.

In just one hour, a Reuters reporter counted at least 100 people crowding the shop located on the lower level of the Tower to buy hats, pins and more. Many were disappointed to find the $30 dollar red "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" hat and all campaign t-shirts out of stock.

Just one door over, a single salesman sat in dim lighting in the middle of the day at a New York City souvenir store, also in Trump Tower, greeting visitors with, "Looking for Trump merchandise?" before redirecting them.

When asked if the number of visitors inside the Trump Tower had increased since the presidential results, a security guard in the building replied: "One hundred percent."

Outside, where some of the world's most well-known retailers spend more on rent than in just about any other city, shoppers had to fight through security, crowds and media packs to enter the Gucci store or tony jeweler Tiffany's.

Rosalia Betancourt, 69, first trekked to Trump Tower two days after Trump was elected in search for the eponymous red hat. They were sold out.

When Betancourt, who moved to New York from Venezuela more than four decades ago, braved holiday crowds a week later on Wednesday, she had to leave empty-handed once again.

"It's all right" she said. "I guess I'll go online. It just has to be red."

Sari Nielsen, 71, was waiting at the Trump Cafe next door to the shop for the crowds to die down.

"I want to buy my nephew Pete a Trump golf hat for Thanksgiving," said Nielsen, who moved to New York in 1975 from Argentina.

Shoppers also had the option of buying Trump cufflinks, blankets, bags, perfume, candy, books authored by members of the family and more.

The line shortened somewhat during lunchtime when visitors turned their attention to the Trump Grill, which does not offer reservations but a $25 dollar fixed-price meal.

Trisha Williams, 50, of San Jose, California also made the trip to New York for the parade with her son Cayden, 8, who stayed up and watched the election. The two stood outside the Trump Tower with their gold Trump store bags.

"We wanted to experience it all and buy some merchandise," Trisha said.

But many of the items she wanted to buy were not available.

"They didn't really have very much," Trisha said noting that a saleswoman at the store gave her a card outlining how she can make purchases online and that she's already followed her advice.

"I wanted a jacket with a Trump logo and a t-shirt, but they didn't really have anything left."

(Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Leela de Kretser and Diane Craft)

China will defend WTO rights if Trump moves on duties: Official www.chinadaily.com

China will defend its rights under World Trade Organization tariff rules if US President-elect Donald Trump moves toward executing his campaign threats to levy punitive duties on goods made in China, a senior Chinese trade official said on Wednesday.

2017 hunting quotas approved www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ On Wednesday, the cabinet approved thequota for hunting in 2017. It permitted hunting 68 male bighorn sheep, 75 male ibexes, 32 otters, 10 roe deers, 10 boars, 100 gazelles and 400 game birds, for special purposes, and 500 taimens for sport fishing.

Insurer to cover virtual currencies www3.nhk.or.jp

Dalai Lama's visit hurt the political foundation of China-Mongolia relations www.gogo.mn

ULAANBAATAR (GoGo Mongolia/ANN) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China has issued three statements this year regarding the 14th Dalai Lama's visit to Mongolia.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama paid his 9th visit, with the last being in 2011, to Mongolia on November 18-22.
A day after his arrival, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama greeted devout Mongolians at the Gandantegchinlen Monastery, the centre for Buddhism in Mongolia, on November 19. On the next day, His Holiness delivered a unique teaching to his Mongolian followers reaching over 10 thousand people, jammed in the 5,000-seating capacity sports complex of Buyant Ukhaa.
The purpose of his teaching in Ulaanbaatar was to enhance Mongolia’s benefaction, and therefore, to diminish the obstacles and traverses in Mongolia’s path to prosperity.
Moreover, The Dalai Lama took part in a discussion called 'Science and Teachings of the Buddha.'
The 14th Dalai Lama had first visited Mongolia in 1979. When he arrived back in 2002, the Chinese side had protested the visit and had closed the border with Mongolia for two days.
In 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China released three statements with regard to the 14th Dalai Lama's Visit to Mongolia.
Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia U. Khurelsukh was scheduled to pay a working visit to China to attend the inter-governmental meeting to be held on November 28. However, the Chinese side has indefinitely postponed the meeting on mining and energy.
Spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Geng Shuang's delivered remarks explaining the reason for cancelling the meeting.
"We have expressed our solemn position on Dalai's visit to Mongolia. The erroneous action taken by the Mongolian side on Dalai's visit has hurt the political foundation of China-Mongolia relations and has exerted a negative impact on the development of bilateral relations. The Chinese side requires the Mongolian side to genuinely respect China's core interests and major concerns, take effective steps to remove the negative impact caused by its erroneous action and bring the China-Mongolia relations back to the track of sound and steady growth," he said.
Earlier, on November 20, Shuang had stated that in sheer disregard of China's repeated dissuasion, Mongolia had insisted on inviting the 14th Dalai Lama for a visit. The Chinese side is dissatisfied with and opposed to this step.
He added that the 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion, with the aim of breaking Tibet away from China. The Chinese side firmly opposes any anti-China separatist activities conducted by Dalai in any capacity or name in any country and opposes all forms of contact by officials of any country with him.
China has urged Mongolia to see through the nature of the Dalai clique, respect China's core interests and major concerns and take concrete actions to remove the negative effects, so as to prevent the disruption of the sound development of China-Mongolia relations.
However, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ts.Munkh-Orgil has given a statement on the Dalai Lama`s visit. “The Government of Mongolia has nothing to do with the visit”, he stated.
Moreover, he emphasised that the 9th visit of the Dalai Lama to Mongolia is taking place at the invitation of the Center of Mongolian Buddhists – The Gandantegchinlen Monastery, and is a solely religious courtesy.
He added that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ts.Munkh-Orgil`s visit to China and Russian-Mongolian-China trilateral ministers meeting have cancelled.
In regards, we will discuss with China on the cancellation of these meetings, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.

TPP's death hurts America and helps China + Russia www.cnn.com

America is receding from the global economic stage, opening the way for China to take a lead role and a supporting one for Russia.
Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a controversial trade deal, wasn't taken well by world leaders.
"The TPP without the United States is meaningless," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.
Others had another message: We'll move on without you and strike alliances with other nations.

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"Another agreement can take its place, but not with U.S. participation," Peru President Pablo Pedro Kuczynski told Russia's state-run news outlet RT on Nov. 11. "It would include China, and Russia as well."
Trade is a top priority for many world leaders, especially Kuczynski. Last weekend, he hosted the APEC conference, a trade summit that drew President Obama and China's President Xi Jingping, along with leaders from Latin America and the Asia Pacific.
A day after APEC ended, Trump announced he would withdraw from TPP the day he arrives at the White House. That's not going over well with the 21 world leaders of APEC.

"We reaffirm our commitment to keep our markets open and to fight against all forms of protectionism," the leaders said in a joint statement.
As America under a new leader backpedals on doing business with other nations, China and Russia appear poised to fill the gap. China is already pushing its own trade deal known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It includes many countries, such as Japan and Australia, that would have been in TPP.
If RCEP succeeds, China would be in a stronger position to lead a bigger free trade area in the future. Already in Asia, some countries, like the Philippines, are aligning themselves with China.
Chinese officials are also welcoming Latin American nations to RCEP, a clear pick up from the rubble of TPP.
And it makes sense. China and even Russia are already vying to take away American influence from Latin America, a region once considered the U.S.' backyard according to experts.
China and Russia have made major investments in Latin America in recent years.

China's state banks have poured $120 billion in investments into Latin America since 2005, according to the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank in Washington. Since 2008, Russia has sent military arms to Venezuela, Brazil and Bolivia, among other nations, while cutting an oil exploration deal with Mexico, according to R. Evan Ellis, a professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College.
Even though China's growing ties to Latin America have been rocky at times, Trump's withdrawal from TPP may smooth that out.
The path ahead remains unclear but the rest of TPP nations are willing to strengthen trade ties without America.
"Concrete damage to U.S. interests has already been done," Eric Farnsworth, vice president at Council of the Americas, said referring to two Asia-focused trade agreements: the RCEP and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), another potential trade deal that would include nations in Latin America, southeast Asia and Australia.
"The U.S. retreat on TPP has breathed immediate life back into" those deals, says Farnsworth, who attended the APEC meet in Lima, Peru.