Yes, the situation in Darfur has been - and I think still is terrible. But last Friday a peace deal was reached; and as I write, the UN Security Council is meeting to discuss sending a larger, better equipped and "more robust" UN peacekeeping force than is currently there. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4753421.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4751751.stm on the general situation there see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3496731.stm (updated May 7) http://hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=darfur (Human Rights Watch) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/africa/2004/sudan/default.stm (updated May 8) http://www.protectdarfur.org/ (campaign) http://www.darfurgenocide.org/ (campaign) http://www.savedarfur.org/ (petition here -- is this George Clooney's group?) http://www.uk2.msf.org/UKNews/Letters/MerielRosser.htm (MSF worker's account) I cut Lawrence's post because of the nasty stuff about Irene, Mike and Simon. Judy Evans, Cardiff