Page 2 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
ASIA / PACIFIC
February 18, 2019
Briton sentenced to six months for slapping official
DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A British woman has been sentenced to six
months in prison on charges of slapping an immigration officer on the
Indonesian tourist island of Bali after missing her flight due to an expired visa.
Video showing Auj-e Taqaddas purportedly cursing and hitting an officer at
Bali’s international airport went viral last year. She has been sentenced and will
appeal. The footage appears to show the 43-year-old throwing a lengthy tantrum
after being asked to pay a fine of $4,000 for overstaying her visa and missing her
flight. She was charged with violent behavior against a government official.
During the trial that began in December, Taqaddas, who pleaded not guilty, said
the video had been edited.
Hong Kong police destroy WWI grenade found in potatoes
HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong police bomb squad has destroyed a World
War I-era hand grenade found at a food-processing facility in a shipment of
potatoes from France, according to news reports. Employees reported a
suspicious object encased in mud at the facility in Tseung Kwan O district in the
New Territories, according to the Sing Tao Daily newspaper and other outlets. A
bomb squad concluded the 2.2-pound object was a hand grenade, possibly made
in Germany. Officers moved cars and piled sandbags around the grenade, then
detonated it, according to Sing Tao, the Observer, and other outlets. No injuries
were reported. Sing Tao said police found no sign of criminal activity.
Blast in Chinese fireworks shop kills five at start of new year
BEIJING (AP) — An explosion at a fireworks shop in southern China killed
five people at the start of Lunar New Year celebrations, news reports said. The
shop in Rong’an county in the Guangxi region west of Hong Kong operated
without required fire safety and business licenses, the Xinhua News Agency
said. Investigators blamed the explosion on the shopkeeper, identified only by
the surname Zhang, setting off fireworks outside the shop at 2:00am, according
to Xinhua. It said five people were killed but gave no other details. Zhang
survived and was detained by county authorities, the newspaper Beijing Youth
Daily reported. Such disasters occur regularly in China, where the traditional
new year is celebrated by setting off billions of firecrackers. But the number
reported has fallen sharply in recent years as authorities banned fireworks in
cities and tightened controls on producers and vendors.
Philippine agents arrest journalist critical of president
MANILA, The Philippines (AP) — Philippine authorities have arrested the
head of an online news site that has criticized the president’s policies. Maria
Ressa, who was selected by TIME magazine last year as one of its Persons of the
Year, was arrested over a libel complaint which Amnesty International has
condemned as “brazenly politically motivated.” President Rodrigo Duterte’s
government says it was a normal step in response to a private complaint.
Rappler Inc., the news site which Ressa heads, says National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) agents served the warrant and she was escorted to NBI
headquarters. Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra said Ressa was indicted in
early February. Rappler is one of several news agencies deemed critical of
Duterte’s policies, including his anti-drug campaign that has left thousands of
suspects dead.
Prada to create diversity council after blackface outrage
MILAN (AP) — Prada has announced a diversity council aiming to “elevate
voices of color within the company and fashion industry at large” in response to
recent accusations about racism. The luxury fashion house said the group will be
chaired by artist and activist Theaster Gates and film director Ava DuVernay.
The council will work to develop “diverse talent” and create more opportunities
for students of color. Prada had to apologize and withdraw bag charms that
resembled black monkeys with exaggerated red lips after critics said they
depicted racist caricatures of black people. The controversy intensified after a
similar misstep by Gucci. Director Spike Lee has said he would wear neither
Prada nor Gucci until they included black designers.
Japan cancels port call by warship in S. Korea amid row
TOKYO (AP) — Japan says it cancelled a port call in South Korea by its main
warship during a multilateral naval exercise as relations between the two Asian
neighbors fall to their lowest level in recent years. The Defense Ministry said it
would not send the helicopter carrier Izumo to Busan in southern South Korea in
April. The ministry said Japan plans to participate in the rest of the exercise and
hopes that bilateral ties will improve constructively. Japan and South Korea,
both key allies of the United States and close economic partners, are locked in
disputes involving alleged military provocations as well as wartime history.
PIG PARTY. Girls display piggy banks at the start of events leading to celebrations held in honor of the Year of the Pig
at Manila’s Lucky Chinatown Plaza in Manila, the Philippines. Asia welcomed the Lunar New Year with visits to temples,
family banquets, the world’s biggest travel spree, and more. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Asia welcomes Year of the Pig with
banquets, temple visits, and more
the three-week period around the holiday.
Chinese set off billions of fireworks to
celebrate the new year. An explosion at an
illegal fireworks shop in southern China killed
five people. Investigators said it was triggered
by fireworks set off by the shopkeeper outside
the shop.
In Bangkok, people lit incense sticks and
burned paper money and other symbolic
offerings for deceased relatives despite
government appeals to avoid contributing to
smog.
Some shopkeepers sold symbolic ballots to
burn as offerings following official promises of
an election this year, the first after four years
of military rule.
In the North Korean capital, Pyongyang,
visitors left bouquets of flowers at statues of
former leaders Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim
Jong Il.
Continued from page one
of Earth park.
An actor portraying an emperor bowed
before an altar with dozens of people in
ceremonial dress behind him.
Acrobats and drummers also performed.
Vendors sold toys branded with the British
cartoon character Peppa Pig, which is
enjoying a surge of popularity for the Year of
the Pig.
“My wishes for new year are a promotion, a
raise, and finding a boyfriend,” said a
spectator, Cui Di, a 28-year-old employee of a
foreign company.
The holiday in mainland China is marked by
the biggest annual travel boom as hundreds of
millions of people visit their home towns or
travel abroad.
The railway ministry forecast mainland
travellers would make 413 million trips during
q
39 die, dozens sick in India from drinking spurious liquor
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — At least 39 people
have died and another 27 have fallen sick from
drinking cheap spurious liquor containing
toxic methanol in several villages in northern
India, according to officials.
Senior police officer Ashok Kumar said 26
died in two separate incidents in the state of
Uttar Pradesh, 190 miles east of the capital of
New Delhi, while 13 others died in the
neighboring state of Uttarakhand. The
majority of the deaths were reported from the
village of Balpur in Uttarakhand.
Kumar said victims consumed liquor during
two customary functions, adding that the
post-mortem and initial forensic reports
suggested that the brew was laced with
methanol.
Police arrested eight suspected bootleggers
while the provincial governments have
suspended 35 officials including 12 police.
Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are
common in India because the poor cannot
afford licensed brands. Illicit liquor is cheap
and often spiked with chemicals such as
pesticides to increase potency.
Illicit liquor has also become a hugely
profitable industry across India where
bootleggers pay no taxes and sell enormous
quantities of their product to the poor at a
cheap rate.
GRASS-FED
BEEF FOR SALE
Hong Kong seizes $8 million in ivory, pangolin scales
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong customs officers have intercepted an illegal
shipment of pangolin scales and ivory tusks worth more than $8 million. Acting
on a tip from mainland Chinese authorities, local officials found the haul in a
refrigerated container labelled as frozen meat from Nigeria. Officials said the
smugglers kept the temperature low to better disguise the smell of the illicit
cargo. Police arrested two people in connection with the seizure. The scales of the
anteater-like pangolin have for centuries been highly valued in traditional
Chinese medicine, while ivory tusks are a cherished decorative craft material in
Asia. Trading in both is banned under most circumstances. Under Hong Kong
law, trading in endangered species can be punished by up to 10 years in prison
and a fine of $1.3 million.
Call (503) 980-5900 for details
GRASS-FED & GRASS-FINISHED BEEF
Farm-raised in Newberg, Oregon
Beef available as:
q Quarter cow q Half cow q Whole cow
Beef is processed by a Portland butcher.
Pickup available in March at N.E. Sandy Blvd. location.
Asian Currency
Exchange Rates
Units per U.S. dollar as of 2/15
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 · · ·
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83.593
3979.5
6.768
2.0969
7.8479
71.359
14130
42024
110.54
8575.3
4.083
114.71
138.8
3.3614
52.45
66.47
3.7502
1.3575
1125.7
178.65
30.834
31.23
23274