Top of the Morning: Top US Official for Africa Dispatched for Congo Peace Talks; Protests in Dhaka

Top stories from the DAWNS Digest global news aggregation service and mobile app

Top State Department Official for Africa Dispatched for Congo Peace Talks

The USA is stepping up its engagement on the crisis in the DRC with the deployment of Assistant Secretary of State Johnny Carson to the region. “‘The president is updated through the Presidential Daily Briefing on the developments there in the Congo and is obviously very concerned about the violence and the loss of life, [said White House Spokesman Jay Carney]’…‘We’ve been very clear that we want to see all outside support for M23, for any of these groups, come to an end,’ said Nuland, who also said Secretary Carson is working with leaders from Rwanda, Congo and Uganda to negotiate a cease-fire and withdrawal of the rebels before the violence escalates. ‘We want to see a cease-fire. We want to see a pullback to July lines,’ said Nuland. ‘We want to see a sustainable process of negotiation and discussion of the status of the eastern Congo with all the stakeholders.’” (ABC http://abcn.ws/QmmwQQ)