A new draft resolution circulated within the United Nations Security Council urges warring parties in southern Sudan and western Darfur province to reach peace agreements, promising international support and possible debt forgiveness.

THE United States has vetoed an Arab-backed resolution demanding Israel immediately end military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and withdraw its troops, saying the measure was “lopsided and unbalanced” and “absolves terrorists in the Middle East”.

The United States has vetoed an Arab-backed resolution demanding Israel immediately end military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and withdraw its troops, saying the measure was “lopsided and unbalanced” and “absolves terrorists in the Middle East".

Israeli and Palestinian security officials have begun indirect contacts aimed at ending a major Israeli offensive in northern Gaza.

The UN envoy to Sudan urged the government to accept an international monitoring force with more than 3,000 troops to help prevent escalating militia attacks in the violence-wracked Darfur region.

The United Nations will have to rely on the US-led multi-national force in Iraq for security for its new envoy in Baghdad because no countries have offered troops for a separate UN protection force, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.

The United Nations Security Council has given Sudan 30 days to stem the Darfur conflict or face the prospect of diplomatic and economic sanctions.

America said it would consider changes to overcome opposition to a draft UN resolution on Sudan, but insisted that the threat of sanctions must be clear if the Sudanese government failed to stop the bloodshed in Darfur.