Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Hong Kong students hunker down as government dismisses curfew rumors

Pro-democracy protesters paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day on Thursday, forcing schools to close and blocking highways, as students built campus barricades and stockpiled weapons and the government dismissed rumors of a curfew. Thousands of students hunkered down on several campuses, surrounded by piles of food, bricks, petrol bombs, arrows with heads wrapped in cladding, catapults and other homemade weapons.

Flaming arrows and petrol bombs: Inside Hong Kong protesters' 'weapons factories'

Under a November full moon, hundreds of young people dressed in black set about turning several of Hong Kong's top universities into fortresses, well stocked with improvised weapons. At City University, protesters used ping pong tables, potted plants, furniture, sports equipment, and bamboo to form a network of barricades to block roads and fortify the entrances to the student residence complex.

U.S. ready to use 'full range' capabilities to defend South Korea

A top U.S. military officer reaffirmed on Thursday that the United States is ready to use the "full range" of its capabilities to defend South Korea from any attack, a joint statement after a meeting with officials in Seoul said. Senior U.S. defense officials are gathering in Seoul for annual meetings as the two countries face intensifying threats from North Korea to stop joint military drills and for the United States to change its approach in denuclearization talks.

Pope tells tech companies they are responsible for child safety

Pope Francis said on Thursday that technology company executives and investors must be held accountable if they put profit before the protection of children, including from easy access to pornography on the web. Francis spoke at the start of a Vatican conference on "Promoting Digital Child Dignity" that brought companies like Apple Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google, Microsoft Corp and Facebook together with child protection groups and law enforcement and judicial officials.

Saudi Arabia discussing Yemen truce in informal talks with Houthis: sources

Saudi Arabia is intensifying informal talks with the Iran-aligned Houthi movement on a ceasefire in Yemen, sources familiar with the discussions said. The talks were launched in Jordan in late September, three of the sources said, with Riyadh taking sole responsibility for military efforts by the Arab alliance fighting in Yemen after the exit of its main partner, the United Arab Emirates.

Morales' shadow looms large in Bolivia as clashes test new leader

Bolivian security forces clashed on the streets of La Paz with supporters of unseated president Evo Morales on Wednesday, firing tear gas to clear crowds who hurled rocks and set fires in a test to Bolivia's new interim leader. With Morales thousands of miles away in Mexico City after he resigned under pressure on Sunday, crowds of his supporters carrying colorful flags and banners marched in the capital while his party's lawmakers looked to unseat Jeanine Anez, the Senate vice-president who stepped in on Tuesday.

UK PM Johnson makes green investment election pledge

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to increase Britain's target for offshore wind power and ensure no home is more than 30 miles (48 km) away from a electric vehicle charging point in an attempt to woo green voters ahead of a Dec. 12 election. Environmental issues have become a policy battle ground for the election, with thousands protesting this year across the country for tougher climate goals alongside the Extinction Rebellion and school strikes by children raising awareness.

Macron faces ghost of 'Yellow Vest' past in Christmas run-up

Agostinho Barreto has stowed away his neon yellow vest and stopped occupying road junctions in protest against the burden of high French taxes. But the garage owner still seethes with anger at the mention of President Emmanuel Macron. Fed up with of punishing living costs and the squeeze on his finances, Barreto a year ago joined strangers on a roundabout near Fontainebleau in a nationwide campaign against diesel tax hikes. The protests across France swiftly morphed into a broader revolt against Macron.

Four killed, 52 wounded in Baghdad protests: police, medics

Iraqi security forces killed at least four people on Thursday and wounded more than 50 as they tried to push protesters further back to their main camp in central Baghdad, police and medical sources said. On Thursday morning, three protesters died after tear gas canisters directly struck them in the head and another died in hospital from wounds from a stun bomb fired by security forces, the sources said.

Lebanon's Aoun hopes a government is formed in the coming days

Lebanon's President Michael Aoun on Thursday said on his official Twitter account that he has hope in the possibility of the formation of a new government in the coming days. The demands of the protesters will be among the first goals of the incoming government, Aoun said.