Rebels begin phased withdrawal of eastern DR Congo
Days after a pullout deal was reached in neighboring Uganda, Congolese rebels say they have started withdrawing from territory they have captured from government troops in eastern DR Congo as well.
Amani Kabashi, deputy spokesman for the rebel group known as M23, said that rebels were starting to leave Mushake, south of the provincial capital, Goma, on Wednesday.
M23 took Goma after fighting with Congolese troops last week, and since then diplomatic efforts have been made to end the violence. Fighting between the groups has displaced tens of thousands.
M23 military leader Sultani Makenga said his men would leave Goma in three days at the latest and pull back after a deal was struck in Uganda the previous day with an east African regional group, Al Jazeera reports.
Bomb blasts shake Damascus suburb
Two car bomb explosions hit a south-eastern district of Syria’s capital, Damascus, leaving at least 34 people dead and many more injured.
Two communities which have so far not joined the uprising — Druze and Christian — are the majority in the district where the bombs hit.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based activist group, has identified 38 of the 47 victims, although they expect the death toll to rise, The BBC reports.
Egyptian assembly to vote on draft constitution
Despite protests against President Morsi’s assumption of expanded power, a panel has been set to draft a new Egyptian constitution as protests mounted over Egypt’s political future nearly two years after Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow.
President Mohamed Morsi had just last week given the constituent assembly an additional two months until February to complete its work, as protests are mounting over his decision to grant himself sweeping powers until the constitution is ratified.
The panel wrapped up its deliberations on Wednesday and prepared for the voting process which starts on Thursday.
Supporters of the former regime reportedly joined the protests and are now considered as part of the opposition, Al Jazeera reports.
BP suspended from US federal contracts over Gulf disaster
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that due to what they call a “lack of integrity” during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, BP will be temporarily banned from seeking new contracts with the U.S. government.
The order blocks BP from being competitive on new oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico or from bidding on new contracts to supply the Pentagon or other government agencies with fuel.
While the ban does not affect existing business, it raises wider questions about the company’s future in a crucial market. BP is the largest oil producer in the Gulf of Mexico, with more deepwater leases than any other company, according to its website.
BP’s shares fell nearly 2% in London as investors reacted with dismay to the news which puts a major dent in the company’s already battered reputation, The Guardian reports.
Palestinians renew UN statehood bid
Palestinians will, for a second time in as many years, attempt to upgrade their status at the United Nations, a move which could strengthen their statehood claims.
The Palestinian people’s bid will be made for Palestine to become a nonmember observer state at the UN General Assembly.
Such a status would be a benefit to their claims on statehood in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. It would also allow them to join a number of UN agencies, as well as participate in the International Criminal Court.
A simple majority vote in the 193-member General Assembly would be enough for nonmember observer status, bypassing the Security Council where, in the previous statehood bid, the US threatened to use a veto, Al Jazeera reports.