In Brief

* DARFUR CRISIS – Darfur rebels were in Khartoum for the first time since signing a peace deal with the Sudanese government last month to end three years of conflict in the western region.

* US WARNS KOREA – The United States could consider new sanctions against North Korea if it goes ahead with plans to launch a long-range missile, US ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer said. Schieffer said that a test by the communist state would be a “very, very serious matter” that could be brought before the United Nations Security Council.* TROOP WITHDRAWAL – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced that coalition troops will withdraw from the southern province of Al-Muthanna next month.* PALESTINIAN CRISIS – Palestinian factions sought to find agreement on how to end a political crisis, deadly clashes and fiscal meltdown in a deal that could implicitly recognise Israel and avert a July referendum.* IRAQ UNREST – At least 11 people were killed in Iraq, four of them by a car bomb in Baghdad where a massive security crackdown entered its sixth straight day.* SOMALI FIGHTING – The Islamic alliance in control of key areas of Somalia warned of fresh fighting in the shattered country if Ethiopia, which it has accused of launching a military incursion, refused to withdraw its troops.* SRI LANKA TALKS – Sri Lanka invited Tamil Tiger rebels to negotiate peace and save their collapsing ceasefire as two more soldiers were reported killed in a weekend of violence that left over 50 people dead.* ANGLICAN DIVISIONS – Anglicans faced stark divisions after a woman radical took over the US branch and an English Bishop warned that Anglicanism was in danger of splitting into “two religions”.Three years of deepening differences between liberals and conservatives among the world’s 77 million Anglicans were sparked by the consecration of openly gay American bishop Gene Robinson and the blessing of same sex marriages in Canada.- Nampa-AFP-ReutersSchieffer said that a test by the communist state would be a “very, very serious matter” that could be brought before the United Nations Security Council.* TROOP WITHDRAWAL – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced that coalition troops will withdraw from the southern province of Al-Muthanna next month. * PALESTINIAN CRISIS – Palestinian factions sought to find agreement on how to end a political crisis, deadly clashes and fiscal meltdown in a deal that could implicitly recognise Israel and avert a July referendum. * IRAQ UNREST – At least 11 people were killed in Iraq, four of them by a car bomb in Baghdad where a massive security crackdown entered its sixth straight day.* SOMALI FIGHTING – The Islamic alliance in control of key areas of Somalia warned of fresh fighting in the shattered country if Ethiopia, which it has accused of launching a military incursion, refused to withdraw its troops.* SRI LANKA TALKS – Sri Lanka invited Tamil Tiger rebels to negotiate peace and save their collapsing ceasefire as two more soldiers were reported killed in a weekend of violence that left over 50 people dead. * ANGLICAN DIVISIONS – Anglicans faced stark divisions after a woman radical took over the US branch and an English Bishop warned that Anglicanism was in danger of splitting into “two religions”.Three years of deepening differences between liberals and conservatives among the world’s 77 million Anglicans were sparked by the consecration of openly gay American bishop Gene Robinson and the blessing of same sex marriages in Canada.- Nampa-AFP-Reuters