A Cambodian school director has become the first person to be arrested on charges of insulting the monarchy after posting comments on Facebook critical of the authoritarian government. The law protecting the monarchy was passed in February. Critics say it further erodes freedom of speech and political activities, already under stress from Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government. Police say Khieng Navy was arrested in his home Saturday and could face five years in prison if convicted. He is accused of posting comments online that allegedly insulted King Norodom Sihamoni by suggesting he was behind the November court decision to disband the main opposition party to benefit Cambodia’s enemies. Sihamoni is a constitutional monarch with a minimal role in public affairs, while Hun Sen exercises almost absolute control over politics.
Pakistan: Heavy rainstorms kill 15
Officials in Pakistan say violent rainstorms in the northwest have caused at least 15 deaths and injured dozens. Latif Khan, a senior disaster management official, says Sunday that most of the deaths from the severe weather overnight were caused by the collapse of mud and stone walls and houses. He says the heavy rains also caused flash flooding in some places. Another official, Inayatur Rehman, said the roof of a seminary collapsed in the Bajur tribal region, killing six children and injuring nine. In the cities of Nowshera and Peshawar, motorists were killed and wounded by falling billboards and downed electrical cables. Khan says rescue and relief operations are ongoing, meaning the toll could rise.
Afghanistan: Militants attack gov’t building, 4 dead
Militants attacked a provincial government building in eastern yesterday, killing at least four people, according to provincial officials. Attahullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the provincial governor of Nangarhar province, said the building belonging to the provincial finance directorate in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. He said there were at least two explosions followed by a gunbattle that was still underway, adding that security forces have surrounded the building. Inamullah Miakhial, spokesman for the Nangarhar hospital, said at least 30 people were wounded. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Both the Taliban and a local Islamic State affiliate have carried out numerous attacks in Nangarhar.
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