BBC News with David Austin.
The United Nations is withdrawing all non-essential staff from Syria because the worsening conflict. UN Agency has been a key source of the humanitarian aid for hundreds of thousands of Syrians. Jim Muir reports.
Damascus is increasingly reassembling a city under siege, fighting around the international airport has halted practically all international flights for several days. With fighting taking place in many of the capital suburbs, the UN has announced is withdrawing all non-essential international staff and humanitarian missions outside Damascus will be halted for the time being. To compound the picture of the rapidly worsening situation, the Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is reported to have already left the country even before reports that he had been dismissed, ostensibly for making statements out of the line with government policy.
The European has also said it reduced activities in the capital Damascus to a minimum. A White House spokesman, Jay Carney has said the US had increasingly concerned that Syria might be considering using chemical weapons in the conflicts with rebels. He said the US will be keeping a close eye on the Syrian government.
I think the President made clear that the use of the weapons was a red line. We are monitoring the situation in Syria closely, and we are monitoring the regime's chemical weapon stockpiles. We believe that with the regime's grip on power loosening, with its failure to put down the operation through conventional means, we have an increased concern about the possibility of the regime taking the desperate act of using its chemical weapons.
Earlier, Syria again denied that it would use chemical weapons against its own people.
It's been announced in London that Prince Willam's wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby. Under proposed new rules, the baby will become the third in line to the British throne. Here's Peter Hunt.
The Duchess of Cambridge is in the very early stages of her pregnancy when she began to feel unwell today, she travelled with her husband to the private King Edward VII hospital in London. Even though she's not passed 12-week point, her official's new that one she had been admitted, they'll have to made the news public. As with Willam Kate's wedding, this pregnancy will be played out on the private and very public stage. Their first child would be third in line to the throne, and one day, whether it's a boy or a girl, the child would be head of the state of Britain and, as things stand, 15 other countries.
The United States has urged Israel to reconsider plans to build thousands of new settler homes in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. The White House called the move counterproductive to peace efforts with the Palestinians. Several European countries including France and Britain summoned Israeli ambassadors to complain about the plans. Israel, meanwhile has rejected international criticism saying it will continue to stand by its vital interests.
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The top body of judges in Egypt, the Supreme Judicial Council has said it will oversee the referendum on the controversial draft constitution in two weeks time. The decision comes a day after another group of judges, the Judge's Club, urged its members not to preside over the poll. Their move was a part of protests to President Mohammed Morsi's decree given himself near absolute power.
The Army of Democratic Republic of Congo has reentered Goma, two days after rebel forces withdrew from the city. The rebel, M23 movement pulled out of this strategic border town under an agreement brokered by regional powers after occupying it for nearly two weeks. Gabriel Gatehouse reports.
The soldiers were welcomed with cheers and singing outside their barracks, in other quarters they were met largely with indifferences as they took up positions around town. For the past 48 hours only UN peace keepers and a small contingent of Congolese police men have been tasked for trying to maintain law and order in this city of up to a million people. On Saturday, a group of armed men attacked the refugee camp in Goma's western edge, ripping and looting as they went, it wasn't clear exactly who the attackers were. Rebel forces camped out on the outskirts and threatened reenter the city if the Congolese government doesn't aim into negotiations.
A man in the Netherland has died a day after he was chased and beaten by teenage footballers taking part in a youth match, in which he officiated as the linesman. It's believed Richard Nieuwenhuizen suffered head injuries. Three players aged between 15 to 16 have been detained.
Scientists in London believed they've identified the gene which make some people more susceptible to binge drinking. The researchers from the King College say the gene appears to boost levels of the brain chemical dopamine, when alcohol is drunk. Dopamine governs feelings of pleasure and reward. The scientists say their discovery could help predict which people are at greatest risk of alcohol abuse.
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