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ASIA / PACIFIC Page 4 n THE ASIAN REPORTER July 21, 2014 LG Display unveils 18” flexible display By Youkyung Lee AP Technology Writer S PROTECTING WILDLIFE. Retired Chinese basketball star Yao Ming, left, talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry about his efforts against international wildlife trafficking while the two participated in an event about combatting the trade of animal remains during the U.S.- China “Strategic and Economic Dialogue” held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jim Bourg, Pool) Rejected! Yao Ming says no to wildlife trafficking By Bradley Klapper The Associated Press B EIJING — Yao Ming is putting on a full-court press against wildlife trafficking. The former National Basketball Association star, a Chinese basketball icon, is working with top American and Chinese officials to stamp out global trade in endangered species and their parts. Yao, who retired from basketball in 2011, has focused much of his efforts against shark fin consumption and elephant ivory use. Yao says, “We are not the only creatures on earth.” Joining him was U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in Beijing for this year’s “Strategic and Economic Dialogue” with China. The U.S. and China are top destinations for wildlife trafficking. Kerry praised Yao’s work and called ivory “today’s blood diamond” — a lucrative trade for international criminals with wide-ranging consequences for nature and local populations. EOUL, South Korea — LG Display Co. has developed an 18” flexible display that can be rolled into the shape of a thin cylinder, a step toward making a large display for flexible TVs. The South Korean dis- play-panel maker said the flexible display has a resolution of 1200 pixels by 810 pixels and maintains its function when it is rolled up. While that resolution would fall within the range of high-definition, images on the display would not look as sharp as the latest flat displays that boast ultra-high definition. LG touted its technology as a significant advance, saying the cylinder’s diam- eter would be just 2.4 inches. It means LG Dis- play could produce televi- sions that are larger than 50 inches diagonally and can be rolled up. It is based on OLED technology, an advanced display that can show images in richer colors. South Korean display makers are striving to gain an edge in flexible display technology as they see it as a way to set their products TECHNOLOGY ROLLUP. An employee at the LG Display Co. demonstrates an 18” flexible display in Se- oul, South Korea. The South Korean display-panel maker says it has developed the 18” flexible display that can be rolled into the shape of a thin cylinder, a step closer to making a large-size display for flexible televisions. (AP Photo/LG Display Co.) In the picture provided apart from their rivals in said its technology would China, Taiwan, and Japan. make large TVs portable by LG, it is possible to see They also hope the novel and it is up to the TV hands through the display. form gives consumers a makers how they expand A spokesman for LG Dis- play said it is possible to reason to buy a new gadget. the use of the technology. The South Korean com- view images on the trans- Last year, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG pany also unveiled a semi- parent display from the Electronics Inc. each opaque display. Though it front and from the back. By 2017, LG aims to released a smartphone is not as transparent as with a curved display to glass, that’s the direction develop a flexible and show off their technological the company is heading. transparent display that LG named it the measures more than 60 prowess. But it is unclear how the transparent display saying inches diagonally, Kang In- transparency has byung, head of LG Dis- nascent technology would its make handsets or improved from existing play’s R&D Center, said in a statement. televisions more useful. LG technology. 700 protest South Korean factory closure in Myanmar YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — More than 700 workers protested in front of the South Korean Embassy in Myanmar to demand officials help them after a Korean-owned factory closed without paying their wages. The workers from the Master Sports Footwear Factory in Yangon said the owner closed the plant illegally and without notice in May and has left the country. They are demanding that the Korean ambassador help them. They said they were having trouble paying their rent and wanted assistance in finding new jobs. After an elected government took office in 2011 in Myanmar, industry has grown and foreign investment poured in during the wake of western nations dropping most of the sanctions they had maintained against the previous repressive army regime. Factory workers’ strikes and protests have increased markedly. The new government instituted economic reforms, including the legalization of labor unions. The workers said they have contacted not only the embassy, but also the Labor and Social Security ministries, parliament, and the opposition National WAGES WITHHELD. Myanmar blue-collar workers shout slogans as they march in the suburbs of Yangon, Myanmar. About 700 workers who lost their jobs when a South Korean owner of a footwear factory abruptly shut the factory down marched to the South Korean Embassy in Yangon shouting slogans and demanding wages and compensation. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) League for Democracy for assistance but grassroots people or workers. It’s all because they cannot handle the rule of law had received no help. “This is because the government never and there is even more corruption and bias stands for the grassroots people,” said U on the part of government officials and the Htay, a lawyer for the workers. “They businessmen. The only victims are the never stand for the protection of the workers and grassroots people.” Japan high school baseball looks to save pitchers Continued from page one tournament for the summer tournament. The 17-year-old Anraku, who experienced pain in his right elbow last year, is no stranger to the type of marathon pitching performances that are legendary in Japanese high school baseball. In 2013, Anraku threw 183 pitches in one game at the Koshien high school baseball tournament after a 137-pitch outing the previous day. “High School coaches in Japan will argue if the core mechanics are good, then a pitcher won’t hurt his arm throwing every day,” said author Robert Whiting, who has written several books on Japanese baseball. Whiting points out that Tanaka’s former pitching coach with the Rakuten Eagles thinks the American obsession with pitch counts is a bad thing. Starting pitchers in Major League Baseball generally are limited to no more than 100 pitches per outing. One idea the high school baseball officials are pondering is a system similar to that used at the baseball tournament at the Beijing Olympics in which teams started with runners on first base and second base from the 11th inning on. The high school federation sent out a questionnaire to its 4,000 member schools in mid-July seeking feedback on the proposals. Many in Japan consider 250-pitch outings to be character building. Despite his injuries, Matsuzaka has said he feels more comfortable the more he throws. Even in professional baseball in Japan, pitchers throw on the sidelines in between innings to stay warm. International AIDS conference honors victims of jet crash MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An international AIDS conference opened in Australia over the weekend with a tribute to several delegates who were killed en route to the gathering when their plane was shot down over Ukraine. Officials at the opening ceremony for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne held a moment of silence for the six AIDS researchers and activists killed aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. All 298 people on board the plane died when it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile last Thursday as it flew over rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Among the passengers was prominent Dutch researcher Joep Lange, former president of the International AIDS Society, and World Health Organization spokesman Glenn Thomas, based in Geneva. Around 12,000 scientists and activists from 200 countries are attending the con- ference to discuss the latest developments in HIV and AIDS research. The president of the International Aids Society, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, dedicated the conference to those who were killed, and a candlelight vigil will be held Tuesday to commemorate their lives. Condolence books were also being passed around for attendees to sign. “It’s a really important time for what we think everyone needs, which is a space to grieve and to respect the six members of our community that died on MH17,” con- ference co-chair Sharon Lewin said. Go paperless! Read The Asian Reporter – exactly as it’s printed here – online! Visit <www.asianreporter.com> and click the “Online Paper (PDF)” link to download our last two issues.