Dhaka, December 18
Hundreds of protesters raising slogans today gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission here demanding the expulsion of its envoy after resolutions were adopted by Pakistan expressing concern over the execution of Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah for 1971 war crimes. The protesters, mainly youngsters and 1971 liberation war veterans, were planning to lay a siege to the embassy as anger mounted all over the country after Mollah was called “a supporter of the undivided Pakistan”.

Mollah was executed on Thursday for genocide during the 1971 war against Pakistan, hours after the Supreme Court rejected his review petition. The Pakistan National Assembly adopted a resolution, saying, “This House expresses deep concern on hanging of a veteran politician of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh for supporting Pakistan in 1971.” Tight security was in place around the Pakistan High Commission complex as several groups demanded the expulsion of High Commissioner Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi.

Bangladesh yesterday summoned the Pakistani envoy and lodged a strong protest against the resolutions adopted by the National Assembly and the Punjab Provincial Assembly and also the remarks made by a senior cabinet minister of Pakistan Government on the verdict of the war crimes tribunals here.

"The Secretary (bilateral affairs at the foreign office) Ambassador Mustafa Kamal conveyed (the envoy) in unequivocal terms that the war crimes trial in Bangladesh is an internal matter," a foreign ministry statement said after Hashmi was handed over a protest note. Thirty-six eminent Bangladeshi citizens including professors, writers and journalists today issued a statement saying,

"The events after war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah's hanging have surprised and frustrated us. Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign state with its own Constitution and law." "Any foreign states or their diplomats in Bangladesh , organisations and ministers should not forget that.

"This kind of act from any state or its representative and international organisations is tantamount to hurting the emotion of Bangladesh's people. ," the statement signed by prominent writer Muhammad Zafar Iqbal said. — PTI

Juba, December 18
Hundreds of people have died and up to 20,000 others have fled to UN bases in days of fierce fighting in South Sudan's army after an alleged coup bid, officials said.

The United States ordered non-essential embassy staff out of the country, the world's youngest nation and awash with guns after decades of war, amid fears of a descent into wider ethnic violence.

In the capital Juba, gunfire still rang out into the early hours today morning,

The government ordered Juba airport to re-open, although regional airlines said they were waiting for security guaranties before allowing flights bound for Juba to take off. “We are waiting for confirmation that the airport is safe," a Kenya Airways official said.

Many of Juba's residents have spent the past two days barricaded in their homes, too afraid to move out. Others used lulls in the sporadic and often intense battles to grab what belongings they could and flee to safer areas.

President Salva Kiir on Monday accused soldiers loyal to his arch-rival, former vice president Riek Machar who was sacked in July, of staging a coup attempt in the oil-rich but impoverished nation, which has struggled with instability since getting independence 2011. — AFP

Singapore, December 18
Civil society volunteers today expressed dismay over the arbitrary decision to deport 52 Indians from Singapore without trial for their alleged role in the December 18 riots and demanded justice for them.

‘Workfair Singapore’, a group of volunteers, also called for a full-fledged probe into allegations of police assault against protesters detained following riots. It said the allegations were extremely grave and deserve the full investigative weight of the authorities.

It also questioned the without trial deportation of 52 Indian nationals and one Bangladesh national related to the riots at Little India, an area of Indian-origin businesses, eateries, pubs and money remittance facilities.

"The arbitrary deportation of these 53 persons raises grave concerns about the rule of law. The controller of work Passes should not have arbitrary powers to revoke work passes without the right of appeal, or the police commissioner to determine culpability," it said.

By deporting these 53 without benefit of trial, the controller has again denied low-waged migrant workers access to justice, it said. "We call on the minister for home affairs to stop the deportation and submit these accused to trial,” it said. — PTI

Beijing, December 18
China on Wednesday confirmed an incident between a Chinese naval vessel and a US warship in the South China Sea, after Washington said a U.S. guided missile cruiser had avoided a collision with a Chinese warship manoeuvering nearby. China's Defence Ministry said the Chinese naval vessel was conducting "normal patrols" when the two vessels "met".

"During the encounter, the Chinese naval vessel properly handled it in accordance with strict protocol," the ministry said on its website. "The two defence departments were kept informed of the relevant situation through normal working channels and carried out effective communication." But China's official news agency Xinhua, in an English language commentary, accused the U.S. ship of deliberately provocative behaviour.

“On December 5, US missile cruiser Cowpens, despite warnings from China's aircraft carrier task group, broke into the Chinese navy's drilling waters in the South China Sea, and almost collided with a Chinese warship nearby," it said. — Reuters

In choppy waters China says during the encounter on South China Sea, the Chinese naval vessel properly handled it in accordance with strict protocol China's official news agency Xinhua, accused the US ship of a deliberate provocative behaviour On December 5, US missile cruiser Cowpens, despite warnings from China's aircraft carrier task group, broke into the Chinese navy’s drilling waters in the South China Sea, Xinhua alleged

Bangkok, December 18
Thailand's Election Commission (EC) today said it could postpone the February 2 snap elections if the political parties agree, even as the opposition Democrat Party is still undecided on whether to field candidates for the polls.

"We are willing to delay (the election) for three months, six months, one year to two years. But first things first: The political parties have to reach an agreement. The second thing is whether it (a delay) is allowed by the law. We, the EC, are the third factor," EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said.

His remarks came after representatives of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), a protest group led by the opposition party, met with the EC yesterday and submitted an open letter calling for the postponement of the election.

The letter said the protesters want political reform to be implemented before another election can be held. — PTI