Page 2 n THE ASIAN REPORTER ASIA / PACIFIC October 16, 2017 Russia’s dog-loving leader gets another puppy as gift MOSCOW (AP) — Another summit, another dog. Russian President Vladimir Putin has added a puppy to the litter of canine companions he’s received as gifts. This one is a Central Asian Shepherd bestowed by the president of the ex-Soviet nation of Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov presented Putin with the puppy as a birthday gift. Putin, an avid dog lover, recently turned 65. Putin cuddled Verny, which is Russian for “loyal,” and kissed the pup on the head during a meeting in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Putin previously received a Bulgarian shepherd named Buffy from Bulgaria’s premier in 2010 and an Akita named Yume from a Japanese official in 2012. Konnie, a black Labrador of Putin’s who was famous for terrifying German Chancellor Angela Merkel, died a few years ago. Putin received Konnie as a gift from a Russian official in 1999. The Russian leader also has been given horses and even a tiger. S. Korean lawmaker says N. Korea hacked war plans SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean media are quoting a lawmaker as saying that North Korean hackers may have stolen highly classified military documents, including U.S.-South Korean wartime “decapitation strike” plans against the North. Democratic Party representative Lee Cheol-hee cited unidentified defense officials as saying the hackers stole the plans last year. Neither Lee nor Defense Ministry officials responded to attempts to seek comment. If confirmed, such a hack would be a major blow for South Korea at a time when its relations with North Korea are at a low point. The South has taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward the North’s belligerence amid back- and-forth threats of war between North Korea and the U.S. Lee was quoted as saying the plans included blueprints for attacks to eliminate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. At party meeting, Kim Jong Un’s sister gets promotion TOKYO (AP) — Kim Jong Un has promoted his younger sister to a new post within North Korea’s ruling party. The promotion of Kim Yo Jong came at a meeting of senior party members as North Korea marked the 20th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s acceptance of the title of general secretary of the ruling Worker’s Party of Korea. Kim Yo Jong was made an alternate member of the decision- making political bureau of the party’s central committee. The late Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s “eternal general secretary,” is the father of Kim Jong Un and Kim Yo Jong. Thousands of people, mostly students, packed Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to dance and watch fireworks to mark the anniversary. Earlier in the day, North Korean state media announced that the country’s top leadership had gathered the day before, headed by current leader Kim Jong Un. Kim repeated Pyongyang’s defiance of the U.S. and its determination to push forward its nuclear program, while bringing a “fresh upswing” in the country’s economy to show its strength despite the international trade sanctions and isolation the nuclear program has generated. Kim’s younger sister, believed to be either 28 or 30 years old, was elected as an alternate member of the political bureau of the party’s central committee, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency. She is believed to be one of Kim Jong Un’s closest confidants. They were born to the same mother, Ko Yong Hui. China to allow some drugs based on foreign approvals BEIJING (AP) — China’s government says it will allow use of some drugs and medical devices based on approval by foreign regulators in a move that could help ease access to its healthcare market. The step is one of a series announced to improve access to medical treatments and streamline an approval process that foreign suppliers complain is too slow and complex. The China Food and Drug Administration said some drugs and medical devices that already are approved for use abroad would be allowed in China with unspecified conditions attached. The communist government is in the midst of a marathon effort to expand access to healthcare for China’s 1.4 billion people. At the same time, it faces pressure from trading partners to open its markets for medical technology. NEW KUMARI. Nepal’s new living goddess, Trishna Shakya, age three, is carried by her father while leaving home to go to a temple palace in Kathmandu, Nepal. Shakya has become the new living goddess, called Kumari, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation. She was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital, where she will live until just before puberty. (AP Photo/Bikram Rai) Three-year-old girl becomes Nepal’s new living goddess By Binaj Gurubacharya The Associated Press ATHMANDU, Nepal — A three-year- old girl has become Nepal’s new living goddess, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation. Trishna Shakya was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital where she will live until just before puberty. She was among four finalists from the Shakya clan for the position of living goddess, called Kumari. A panel of Hindu priests took days to select her after checking her horoscope and searching for physical imperfections. As a goddess she should not have any physical flaws. “It is our tradition that after the living goddess reaches age 12, we have to find a new one and the search begins. We have to make sure that the goddess is suitable to bring good fortune for the country,” said Gautam Shakya, a priest in the panel. K “We have found our new Kumari,” he said. Hundreds of followers and devotees lined up to get a glimpse of the girl, dressed in a red dress and covered with flower garlands. Before she left her house in Kathmandu, people lined up to give her chocolates, eggs, sweets, and fruits. The head priest came in a car and took her to the temple palace, where she was carried in after visiting surrounding temples. Her family said they were emotional that their daughter was leaving but also proud. “She is going to be the living goddess. She is just not our daughter but the living goddess of the whole country,” said Bijaya Ratna Shakya, her father. “I am happy, but at the same time I feel like crying.” Soon after Trishna’s arrival at the temple palace, her predecessor, 12-year-old Matina Shakya, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and sup- porters. The ceremony took place on the eighth day of the two-week-long Dasain festival, the main festival in Nepal. China catching up to U.S. in foreign aid flow BEIJING (AP) — China is close to matching the United States as a source of official grants and loans to developing countries, but much of Beijing’s financing serves its own economic interests and yields scant benefits for reci- pients, a multinational group of researchers has reported. The research by AidData, a lab at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, is the most extensive effort yet to measure official financing by China, which releases few details of its aid flows. That has spurred concern about Beijing’s intentions as it tries to expand its global influence to match China’s status as the world’s second-largest economy. China gave or lent $354.4 billion in the 15 years ending in 2014 in Africa, Asia, and elsewhere, compared with $394.6 billion for the United States, according to AidData. It released a database of Chinese financing, assembled from thousands of sources of information, and a study on its impact by scholars from Harvard University, Germany’s Continued on page 4 FREE HOME REPAIRS FOR PORTLAND SENIOR & DISABLED HOMEOWNERS Thais mark one year since king’s death BANGKOK (AP) — Thais marked one year since the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej with formal ceremonies and acts of personal devotion. Formal ceremonies to commemorate Bhumibol were organized at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, where he died, and at Government House and the ornate royal palace. But many ordinary people showed their respects on the streets and at neighborhood markets and temples, kneeling before orange-robed monks to perform a Buddhist merit-making ritual. Many Thais were profoundly saddened by Bhumibol’s death after a reign of 70 years. He was adored as a symbol of stability in a nation frequently rocked by political turmoil. Sands woos Japan with vision of top sports, concert venues TOKYO (AP) — Casino and resorts operator Las Vegas Sands has deployed David Beckham and other top sports, music, and entertainment figures in its effort to woo Japan as it prepares to issue licenses for casinos. Japan’s large and wealthy market is luring big-name casino operators who are sweetening bids with promises of ultra-modern “integrated resorts.” Las Vegas Sands told re- porters in Tokyo its plans include top-class concert and sports venues to lure tourists and revive the country’s leisure industry. Japan’s parliament last year approved a law on “integrated resorts” that is the first major hurdle in allowing casinos to set up shop. Further enabling legislation is expected to take several more years. Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama are among the hopeful licensees. Plumbing l Electrical l Carpentry Call (503) 501-5719 or visit https://reachcdc.org Portland Housing Bureau Interpretation services available Black Pearl Acupuncture Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine are great for: - Acute/Chronic Pain (i.e. neck, back, sciatica & shoulder) - Treating & Preventing the flu and colds - Stress Relief - Headaches/Migraines www.blackpearlacupuncture.com Sita Symonette Licensed Acupuncturist seasymonettea@gmail.com Call to schedule an appointment: (503) 308-9363 505 N.W. Ninth Ave., Portland, OR 97209 Asian Currency Exchange Rates Units per U.S. dollar as of 10/12 Bangladesh Taka· · Cambodian Riel · · China Renminbi · · Fijian Dollar · · · · Hong Kong Dollar · Indian Rupee · · · · Indonesian Rupiah · Iranian Rial · · · · Japanese Yen · · · Laos New Kip · · · Malaysian Ringgit · Nepal Rupee · · · · Pakistani Rupee · · Papua N.G. Kina · · Philippine Peso· · · Russian Ruble · · · Saudi Riyal· · · · · Singapore Dollar · · South Korean Won · Sri Lankan Rupee · Taiwan Dollar · · · Thai Baht · · · · · Vietnam Dong · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 82.047 4033.4 6.5875 2.046 7.8067 65.088 13509 34162 112.2 8310.9 4.2153 104.14 105.05 3.2542 51.535 57.69 3.7503 1.3535 1132.4 153.73 30.173 33.099 22704