Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir today rejected the deployment of UN troops in Darfur, saying they were not required and that African Union troops could maintain order in the war-wracked region of western Sudan.

The United Nations and African Union envoys for Sudan agreed to work “hand-in-hand” to try to bring all the warring parties to the peace table and convince them there is no military solution to the Darfur conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people.

Europe’s tortuous efforts to pull together contributions for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon could edge forward tomorrow when EU diplomats meet to coordinate positions after Italy’s conditional offer to lead the force.

The new UN Human Rights Council offers a “great new chance” for the United Nations to renew its struggle for global human rights, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today.

The US Defence Department yesterday identified the three Guantanamo detainees who committed suicide, saying one had ties to al-Qaida, another fought for the Taliban and a third had been cleared for transfer to another country.

In a widely expected vote, the UN General Assembly has approved a recommendation from its main budget committee to block reform proposals that would have given Secretary-General Kofi Annan more budget power.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly yesterday to replace its discredited human rights body with a new Human Rights Council, ignoring US objections that not enough was done to prevent abusive countries from becoming members.

Six years after appearing in the Ryder Cup Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin almost certainly lost his place on the European tour today.

England’s Jonathan Lomas, with only one European Tour victory in more than 350 starts, continued to battle for the lead in the Mallorca Classic – along with a player for whom it meant far more.

IRISH golf fans are in for a real treat at Carton House today when the Nissan Irish Open hots up.

Klas Eriksson has provisionally made it a three-way tie at the head of the Nissan Irish Open at Carton House.

Anti-war protesters literally spelled out their message to the US President tonight – Bush Go Home.

Graeme McDowell is best of the Irish at the Spanish Open so far, tied in forty-second place at three under par.