Journalists booked in Pak for ‘false claims’ against army
Lahore, Dec 13: Pakistan government on Friday booked dozens of journalists and vloggers, including a first Pakistani Sikh TV anchor, for allegedly propagating false claims against the army in connection with the deaths of supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alleged that the journalists and vloggers fanned provincialism, supported the ongoing campaign to boycott of army products and raised questions on the alleged killings of Khan’s supporters during the November 26 protests. The development comes days after authorities booked 150 suspects and arrested 22 of them, mostly belonging to Khan’s party, for allegedly propagating against the army on social media on the killings of the party workers in Islamabad on November 26. (PTI)
China’s military silent on its recent activity around Taiwan
Beijing, Dec 13: China’s military kept silent Friday on its large deployment of naval and coast guard ships off Taiwan this week, with its top spokesperson quoting an ancient strategist instead. Taiwanese officials have said that China was simulating a blockade with one string of ships off the island and a second one farther out at sea, in waters between Japan’s Okinawa islands and the northern Philippines. The Chinese Defence Ministry’s first public comment on the activity was essentially a no comment. (AP)
Teen stabs Thai-Australian schoolmate to death in fight
Bangkok, Dec 13: A 14-year-old has been arrested on charges alleging that he stabbed a Thai-Australian schoolmate to death in a fight after having an ongoing feud, police in Thailand said Friday. The suspect told investigators he and the victim harboured a mutual dislike from school and they agreed via the Line messaging app to meet outside a grocery store near their homes on Tuesday in Sattahip in Chonburi province, said police Col. Tanapol Klinkesorn, director of the Sattahip police station. The suspect appeared to have lost the fight because the other boy was bigger, but the suspect rushed to his car to grab a cooking knife and stabbed the victim in the back, Tanapol said. The boy was found lying at the entrance to the store with the knife in his back and its broken handle on the ground. (AP)
Ontario to restrict electricity exports to US
Toronto, Dec 13: Canada’s most populous province may bar American-made alcohol in addition to restricting electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota if Donald Trump imposes sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products, a senior official has said. The official said that the provincial government is contemplating restricting Ontario’s liquor control board from buying American-made alcohol. Ontario is also considering restricting exports of critical minerals required for electric vehicle batteries and preventing US-based companies from the government’s procurement process. (AP)