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^FINANCIAL MARKETS

Asian shares advance as investors await US-China trade moves

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher in Asia today after the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high.

Investors were awaiting developments on the China-U.S. trade front after President Donald Trump cast doubts over a Chinese official's comments on gradually rolling back tariffs as negotiations progress.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.8% today, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.4%. South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.8%.

The Shanghai Composite index picked up 0.2% while Australia's S&P ASX/200 shed 0.3% to 6,753.00. Shares rose in Taiwan and most of Southeast Asia.

On Wall Street yesterday, the S&P 500 lost 0.2% to 3,087.01 and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%, to 8,464.28.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was an outlier and eked out another record, rising less than 0.1% to 27,691.49.

^SOUTHWEST AIRLINES-SAFETY

Safety officials probing records of work on Southwest jets

DALLAS (AP) — Federal regulators have threatened to ground dozens of Southwest Airlines jets if the airline can't confirm that the planes, which it bought used from foreign operators, meet all safety standards.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it has validated some major repairs to the planes, and it's asking Southwest for more frequent updates until Southwest completes documenting maintenance on jets that have yet to be inspected.

Southwest says repairs on some used Boeing 737 jets it bought from foreign owners since 2013 were done but not properly classified. It downplays any risk to safety.

But the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Peter DeFazio of Oregon, says he is skeptical that all 49 planes yet to be inspected are airworthy.

^BRAZIL-UNEMPLOYMENT

Brazil launches job program amid mass unemployment

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has launched a jobs program largely based on tax reductions as the country struggles to put more than 12 million people back to work.

Brazil's pension and labor secretary said Monday that the administration aims to create 1.8 million jobs for people ages 18-29 and almost 1 million other jobs by the end of 2022.

The jobs package comes amid stubborn double-digit unemployment as well as violent protests elsewhere in South America, including Chile, stemming partly from economic difficulties.

^CHINA-WORLD BANK-XINJIANG

World Bank cuts back project in China's restive Xinjiang

BEIJING (AP) — The World Bank is cutting back a $50 million project in China's restive Xinjiang (shihn-jahng) following a review prompted by allegations of abuses.

A statement from the bank dated Monday said it would close a component of the project to support five public vocational colleges involving partner schools that were the subject of the abuse claims.

It said although visits to the partner schools "did not substantiate the allegations," they were too widely dispersed to be properly monitored for adherence to bank standards.

While the partner schools account for just 1% of the project's financing, the move is politically significant because China has been criticized for confining more than 1 million members of Muslim minority ethnic groups in Xinjiang.

China says they are being offered training to reduce poverty and extremism.

^BURGER KING-EUROPE

Burger King brings a plant-based Whopper to Europe

UNDATED (AP) _ Burger King is introducing a plant-based burger in Europe. But it's not the Impossible Whopper that's been a hit with U.S. customers.

Instead, a Dutch company called The Vegetarian Butcher will supply the new soy-based Rebel Whopper. It goes on sale today at 2,400 restaurants across Europe.

The Impossible Whopper — made by California-based Impossible Foods — attracted many new U.S. customers to Burger King when it debuted this spring. It's now available nationwide, and Burger King is testing a kids' version and other options.

But the Impossible burger hasn't been approved for sale in the European Union because it contains genetically modified ingredients. A spokesman for the Dutch government confirmed that Impossible Foods submitted an application last month and is awaiting a ruling from the European Food Safety Authority.

^CHINA-SINGLES DAY

China's Alibaba, JD report booming Singles Day sales

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com reported nearly $70 billion in sales Monday on Singles Day, an annual marketing event that is the world's busiest online shopping day.

The day was a temporary relief to retailers that face fading demand as Chinese consumers tighten their belts, anxious over slowing economic growth and the tariff war with Washington.

University students created Singles Day in the 1990s as an alternative to Valentine's Day for people without romantic partners. Alibaba adopted it as a marketing tool a decade ago.

The creators picked Nov. 11 because the date is written with four singles - "11 11."