Thai spy pardoned in Cambodia   3 months after slaying, Yale lab tech goes missing   Kanji meaning 'new' picked to best characterize year 2009+   Asian editorial excerpts -2-+   Japanese government adamant whaling will continue, Okada says+   LEAD: Cambodia's king pardons Thai engineer convicted of spying+   Thai spy pardoned in Cambodia   LEAD: Nov. consumer sentiment down for 1st time in 11 months+   Cambodia's king pardons Thai engineer convicted of spying+   Israel arrests leader of protests against barrier   Stolen Seattle totem pole found near Salem, Ore.   Activist: China black jail guard convicted of rape   LEAD: Japanese morning newspaper headlines+   Nikkei rebounds to finish above 10,000 on weaker yen, China data+   Japan city girls hit rice paddies, in style   AP NewsAlert   U.S. teens ignore laws against texting while driving   Patenting melon juice? Not if India gets its way...   Rio appoints new iron ore envoy, denies Hu link   Nov. consumer sentiment down for 1st time in 11 months: Gov't+