Page 2 TH E A S IAN R EPOR T ER AS IA / PAC IF IC Decembe r 15 , 2014 Ko rean A i r L ine s e xec re s ign s o ve r nu t d i spu te SEOUL , Sou th Ko rea (AP ) — A t op ex e cu t iv e o f K o r ean A i r L in e s ha s r e s ign ed am id m oun t ing pub l i c c r i t i c i sm tha t sh e d e lay ed a p lan e ov e r h ow sh e wa s s e rv ed ma cadam ia nu t s . C ompany o f f i c ia l s sa id cha i rman Ch o Yang -h o ha s a c c ep t ed the re s igna t ion o f Ch o Hyun -ah , h i s e ld e s t daugh t e r and an ex e cu t iv e v i c e p r e s iden t . The jun io r Ch o wa s und e r pub l i c f i r e f o l l ow ing m ed ia r ev e la t i on s tha t a r e cen t Ko rean A i r L in e s f l igh t f r om N ew Y o rk t o S ou th K o r ea r e tu rn ed t o th e ga t e be cau se she o rd e r ed a s en i o r c r ew m emb e r o f f th e p lan e . Ch o wa s ang e r ed tha t she wa s se rv ed bagg ed ma cadam ia nu t s in s t ead o f nu t s on a p la t e . Th e a i r l ine apo log i zed f o r in c onv en i en c ing pa s s eng e r s , bu t a l s o sa id i t wa s “na tu ra l ” fo r Cho to fau l t th e c r ew ’ s ign o ran c e o f p r o c edu r e s . 19 cand ida te s in race fo r S r i Lan kan p re s idency COLOMBO , S r i Lanka (AP ) — S r i Lankan P r e s id en t Mah inda Ra japak sa and h i s f o rme r hea l th m in i s t e r w e r e am ong 19 p e op l e wh o hand ed in th e i r n om ina t ion s fo r the i s land ’ s p r e s id en t ia l e l e c t i on n ex t m on th . Th e pap e r s f r om th e 19 we re handed in t o e l e c t i on s c omm i s s i on e r Mah inda D e shap r iya . Ra japak sa ca l led the e le c t i on t o s e ek an unp r e c ed en t ed th i rd t e rm , tw o y ea r s b e f o r e h i s se cond te rm end s . H i s f o rm e r h ea l th m in i s t e r and pa r ty N o . 2 , Ma i th r ipa la S i r i sena , ha s b e c om e h i s ma in cha l l eng e r and h e i s n ow b e ing ba ck ed by the ma in oppo s i t i on Un i t ed Na t i ona l Pa r ty . Th e e l e c t i on i s s ch edu l ed f o r Janua ry 8 . De shap r iya r e j e c t ed ob j e c t i on s ra i s ed aga in s t th e cand ida c i e s o f b o th Ra japak sa and S i r i s ena , say ing th e i r app l i ca t i on s w e r e w i th in th e ru l e s . Bu t th e comm i s s ione r exp r e s s ed c on c e rn ov e r e l e c t i on v i o l en c e tha t ha s b r ok en ou t , and adv i sed cand ida t e s and supp o r t e r s t o r e sp e c t e l e c t i on law s . H e u rg ed m ed ia ou t le t s and gove rnm en t o f f i c ia l s t o a c t impa r t ia l ly and sa id h i s o f f i c e w i l l m on i t o r med ia repo r t ing . S ev e ra l opp o s i t i on supp o r t e r s and th e i r h om e s hav e b e en a t ta cked s in ce S i r i s ena d e f e c t ed f r om Ra japak sa and ann oun c ed h i s cand ida cy . Japane se space e xp lo re r to b low c ra te r in a s te ro id SOMBER CEREMONY .M em b e r s o f s t u d e n t g r o u p s a n d a c t i v i s t s o f s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s p a r t i c i p a t e i n a c a n d l e l i g h t v i g i l t o e x p r e s s s o l i d a r i t y w i t h s u r v i v o r s o f t h e B h o p a l g a s t r a g e d y o n t h e e v e o f i t s 3 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y i n B a n g a l o r e , I n d i a . O n D e c em b e r 3 , 1 9 8 4 , t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e d i e d a f t e r a c l o u d o f m e t h y l i s o c y a n a t e g a s e s c a p e d f r om a p e s t i c i d e p l a n t o p e r- a t e d b y a U n i o n C a r b i d e s u b s i d i a r y i n B h o p a l i n c e n t r a l I n d i a . ( A P P h o t o / A i j a z R a h i ) Ind ian s ma r k ann i ve r sa ry o f Bhopa l d i sa s te r B y R i sh i L ekh i Th e A s s o c ia t ed P r e s s B HOPAL , Ind ia — Ind ian s th i s m on th ma rk ed th e 30 th ann iv e r sa ry o f th e Bh opa l ga s l eak t rag edy w i th p r o t e s t s d emand ing ha r sh e r pun i shm en t s f o r th o s e r e sp on s ib l e and m o r e c omp en sa t i on f o r th e v i c t im s o f th e w o r ld ’ s w o r s t indu s t r ia l d i sa s t e r . On th e m o rn ing o f D e c emb e r 3 , 1984 , a p e s t i c id e p lan t run by Un i on Ca rb id e l eak ed ab ou t 40 t on s o f d ead ly m e thy l i s o cyana t e ga s in t o th e a i r o f Bh opa l , qu i ck ly k i l l ing ab ou t 4 ,000 p e op l e . L ing e r ing e f f e c t s o f th e p o i s on ra i s ed th e d ea th t o l l t o ab ou t 15 ,000 ov e r th e n ex t f ew y ea r s , a c c o rd ing t o g ov e rnm en t e s t i - ma t e s . In a l l , a t l ea s t 500 ,000 p e op l e w e r e a f f e c t ed , th e Ind ian g ov e rnm en t say s . Th i r ty y ea r s la t e r , a c t iv i s t s say th ou sand s o f ch i ld r en a r e b o rn w i th b ra in damag e , m i s s ing pa la t e s , and tw i s t ed l imb s b e cau s e o f th e i r pa r en t s ’ exp o su r e t o c on tam ina t ed ga s o r wa t e r . Th e d i sa s t e r r ema in s an op en w ound in Ind ia , wh e r e many c on s id e r Un i on Ca rb id e ’ s $470 m i l l i on s e t t l em en t w i th th e Ind ian g ov e rnm en t an in su l t . Ram Pya r i , a Bh opa l v i c t im , sa id th e t rag edy haun t s h i s l i f e . “Ev e ry th ing wa s d e s t r oy ed , ” h e sa id du r ing an ev en ing v ig i l . “And my s on s and my daugh t e r - in - law d i ed , my l eg wa s ampu ta t ed . I hav e t o d rag my s e l f . Th e s e k i l l e r s d id n o t h e ed any th ing . Why a r e th ey n o t b r ough t t o c ou r t ? Why a r e th ey n o t hang ed ? ” Un i on Ca rb id e i s n ow a wh o l ly own ed sub s id ia ry o f th e D ow Ch em i ca l C o . D ow say s i t ha s n o l iab i l i ty b e cau s e i t b ough t th e c ompany r e sp on s ib l e f o r th e p lan t m o r e than a d e cad e a f t e r th e ca s e s had b e en s e t t l ed . TOKYO (AP ) — A Japan e s e spa c e exp l o r e r wa s laun ch ed D e c emb e r 3 on a s ix -y ea r round t r ip jou rn ey t o b l ow a c ra t e r in a r em o t e a s t e r o id and c o l l e c t samp l e s f rom in s ide in h op e s o f ga th e r ing c lu e s t o th e o r ig in o f ea r th . Th e exp l o r e r i s expe c ted to r ea ch th e a s t e r o id in 2018 and sp end ab ou t 18 m on th s s tudy ing i t be fo re re tu rn ing in 2020 . Hayabu sa2 , a r e c tangu la r un i t w i th tw o s e t s o f so la r pane l s s t i ck ing ou t o f i t s s id e s , wa s laun ch ed f r om Tan ega sh ima Spa c e Cen te r in sou the rn Japan . Th e ma in un i t m ea su r e s 3 .2 x 5 .2 x 4 .6 he re can be on ly one : No r th Ko rean leade r ’ s name banned f e e t and we igh s abou t 1 ,300 p ound s . Th e r e s ea r ch in c lud e s sh o o t ing a T p r o j e c t i le in to the a s te ro id t o b la s t op en a c ra t e r s o th e exp l o r e r can c o l l e c t r o ck B nam e a s h i s s on t o g e t n ew nam e s and y H yun g - j in K im samp l e s f rom in s ide . A s t e r o id s can p r ov id e ev id en c e n o t ava i lab l e on ea r th Th e A s s o c ia t ed P r e s s d emand ed tha t au th o r i t i e s r e j e c t b i r th r eg i s - ab ou t the b i r th o f the s o la r sy s t em and i t s ev o lu t i on . Japan ’ s spa c e ag en cy t ra t i on s o f n ewb o rn bab i e s w i th th e nam e . EOUL , S ou th K o r ea — In N o r th K o r ea , sa id Hayabu sa2 w i l l exp l o r e th e o r ig in o f s eawa t e r and h ow th e p lan e t wa s Th e o f f i c ia l r equ e s t ed an onym i ty b e cau s e h e th e r e can b e on ly on e K im J ong Un . f o rm ed . wa sn ’ t au th o r i z ed t o sp eak pub l i c ly . H e Py ongyang i s f o rb idd ing i t s p e op l e r e fu s ed t o d i s c l o s e h ow th e in f o rma t i on wa s Ind ia p lan s f i ve - fo ld inc rea se in c lean ene rgy f r om u s ing th e sam e nam e a s th e y oung ob ta in ed . s o lu t e l ead e r , a c c o rd ing t o a S ou th K o r ean (AP ) — Ind ia say s i t i s tak ing b o ld s t ep s aga in s t c l ima t e chang e w i th p lan s f o r ab K im J ong Un mad e h i s in t e rna t i ona l d ebu t f f i c ia l . a f iv e - f o ld in c rea se in r en ewab l e en e rgy capa c i ty . H ow ev e r , env i r onm en t o in la t e 2010 wh en h e wa s awa rd ed a s l ew o f t op Th e m ea su r e app ea r s m ean t t o b o l s t e r a p m in i s t e r P raka sh Javadeka r sa id th e c oun t ry w on ’ t a c t t o cu rb ca rb on em i s s i on s o l i t i ca l j ob s . H i s fa th e r , wh o r ep o r t ed ly p e r s o n a l i t y c u l t s u r r o u n d i n g K im , w h o t o ok su b e cau s e i t f i r s t mu s t pu r su e e c on om i c g r ow th t o e rad i ca t e p ov e r ty . Javad eka r f f e r ed a s t r ok e in 2008 , wa s s e en a s m ov ing ov e r a f t e r th e d ea th o f h i s d i c ta t o r fa th e r , K im fa mad e th e commen t s be f o r e h ead ing t o th e U .N . c l ima t e ta lk s in L ima , P e ru . s t t o hand ov e r p ow e r s o h i s fam i ly c ou ld ru l e J o n g I l , i n l a t e 2 0 1 1 . S e o u l o f f i c i a l s h a v e s a id f Ind ia ha s doub led i t s coa l tax t o 100 rup e e s p e r t on and w i l l u s e th e e s t ima t ed o r a th i rd g en e ra t i on . ongyang a l s o bann ed th e u s e o f th e nam e s o f $9 .4 m i l l ion gene ra ted f o r p r o j e c t s tha t w ou ld b o o s t th e c oun t ry ’ s s o la r p ow e r Py K im J ong I l inh e r i t ed p ow e r in 1994 wh en K im J o n g I l a n d t h e c o u n t r y ’ s f o u n d e r , K im I l capa c i ty to 100 g igawa t t s (GW ) by 2020 . Javad eka r ca l l ed i t a “hug e in c r ea s e ” h i s fa th e r , K im I l Sung , d i ed . Sung . N o r th K o r ea en f o r c e s s t r i c t , s ta t e - o rgan i z ed f r om t oday ’ s 20 GW capa c i ty , r e f e r r ing t o i t a s “a r ea l gam e chang e r . ” Th e S ou th K o r ean o f f i c ia l sa id K im J ong I l pub l i c r ev e r en c e o f th e K im fam i ly , wh i ch Be i j ing ban s smo k ing in pub l ic space s in ea r ly 2011 o rd e r ed c i t i z en s w i th th e sam e C o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 4 BE IJ ING (AP ) — Be i j ing ha s ad op t ed a sm ok ing ban in a l l ind o o r pub l i c spa c e s , in c lud ing wo rkp la c e s and pub l i c t ran sp o r t . Th e o f f i c ia l X inhua N ew s Ag en cy repo r ted tha t th e ban w i l l g o in t o e f f e c t in th e cap i ta l c i ty o f 21 m i l l i on A cupun c tu r e and H e rb a l M ed i c in e p e op l e on June 1 and ca r ry a f in e o f up t o 200 yuan ($32 .50 ) . Th e S tand ing a r e g r e a t f o r : C omm i t tee o f Be i j ing Mun i c ipa l P e op l e ’ s C ong r e s s pa s s ed th e d ra f t r egu la t i on . Un i t s pe r U .S . do l la r a s o f 12 /13 i . e . n e c k , b a c k , - A cu t e /Ch r on i c P a in ( Ch ina i s home to the mo s t sm ok e r s o f any c oun t ry , w i th 300 m i l l i on sm ok ing and s c i a t i c a & s h o u l d e r ) Bang lade sh Taka····77 .575 740 m i l l ion expo sed to s e c ondhand sm ok e ev e ry y ea r . X inhua r ep o r t ed th e h e f l u a n d c o l d s - T r e a t in g & P r e v en t in g t Cambod ian R ie l ····4069 .9 - S t r e s s R e l i e f numb e r o f smoke r s in B e i j ing a l on e ex c e ed s 400 ,000 p e op l e . Th e n ew S i ta Symone t te Ch ina Renm inb i ····6 .1883 - H e ad a ch e s /M i g r a in e s L i c e n s e d A c u p u n c t u r i s t r egu la t ion s a l so ban ou td o o r t oba c c o adv e r t i s em en t s a s w e l l a s on TV and in F i j ian Do l la r······1 .9704 sea symone t tea@gma i l . com www .b la c kpea r la cupun c tu re . com f i lm s and new spape r s . Hong Kong Do l la r · · · 7 .7512 S B l a c k P e a r l A c u p u n c t u r e Japane se pape r reg re t s u se o f te rm ‘ se x s la ve s ’ TOKYO (AP ) — Japan ’ s b igg e s t n ew spap e r ap o l og i z ed in p r in t f o r u s ing th e t e rm “ s ex s lave s ” in i t s Eng l i sh - languag e ed i t i on t o d e s c r ib e A s ian w om en f o r c ed in t o Japane se m i l i ta ry - run b r o th e l s du r ing W o r ld Wa r I I . Th e c on s e rva t iv e Y om iu r isa id in a r t i c le s in Eng l i sh and Japan e s e tha t i t wa s inapp r op r ia t e t o hav e u s ed the ph ra se and o th e r s imp ly ing th e w om en w e r e c o e r c ed t o p r ov id e s ex . Th e new spape r iden t i f i ed 85 a r t i c l e s w i th “ s ex s lav e s ” o r s im i la r exp r e s - s i on s b e tween 1992 and 2013 . R igh t -w ing a c t iv i s t s hav e a l ong - runn ing campa ign aga in s t the t e rm , ma in ta in ing th e w om en w e r en ’ t f o r c ed . A g ov e rnmen t inve s t iga t i on in th e ea r ly 1990 s c on c lud ed tha t many o f th e “ c om f o r t women , ” a s they a r e o f f i c ia l ly kn own , “w e r e r e c ru i t ed aga in s t th e i r own w i l l ” and “ l ived in m i se ry a t c om f o r t s ta t i on s und e r a c o e r c iv e a tm o sph e r e . ” Bu t th e inv e s t iga t ion found n o p r o o f in o f f i c ia l d o cum en t s , and c on s e rva t iv e s hav e u s ed tha t to a rgue the i r ca s e . Th e e f f o r t s t o d eny c o e r c i on hav e s ou r ed r e la t i on s w i th S ou th Ko rea , whe re s om e o f th e w om en cam e f r om . Ca l l to s chedu le an appo in tmen t : (503 ) 308 -9363 505 N .W . N in th A ve . , P o r t land , OR 97209 New Owne r s New l y remode led A l l new equ ipmen t . B e lm o n t E c o L a u n d r y h a s l a r g e c a p a c i t y w a s h e r s a n d d r y e r s , p e r f e c t f o r t h o s e c om f o r t e r s , s l e e p i n g b a g s , b i g f am i l y l o a d s , w o r k c l o t h e s , a n d m o r e ! Y o u ’ l l g e t y o u r l a u n d r y d o n e i n r e c o r d t im e , l e a v i n g y o u t im e t o s p e n d w i t h f am i l y a n d f r i e n d s . V i s i t u s a t B e lm o n t e c o l a u n d r y . c om f o r m o r e d e t a i l s . 4 7 2 5 S E B e lm o n t S t . O p e n d a i l y 8 t o 1 0 A s ian Cu r rency E xchange Ra te s Ind ian Rupee······62 .295 Indone s ian Rup iah · · · 12467 I ran ian R ia l······26683 Japane se Yen ·····118 .75 Lao s New K ip ·····8083 .9 Ma lay s ian R ingg i t · · · 3 .4955 Nepa l Rupee ······99 .651 Pak i s tan i Rupee ····100 .51 Papua N .G . K ina····2 .5707 Ph i l ipp ine Pe so·····44 .575 Ru s s ian Rub le ·····58 .281 Saud i R iya l·······3 .7534 S ingapo re Do l la r····1 .3139 Sou th Ko rean Won · · · 1103 .1 S r i Lankan Rupee · · · 131 .17 Ta iwan Do l la r ·····31 .314 Tha i Bah t ·······32 .829 V ie tnam Dong ·····21388