A woman in South Darfur displaced by the violence.
Woman in Darfur displaced by the violence.
Image © Refugees International
It's been a good week for peace. On the heels of Uganda's truce, which has raised hopes for a return to normalcy for millions in the war-ravaged north of that country, the UN announced Thursday it was ready and willing to deploy a powerful peacekeeping force to the Darfur region of Sudan. This step, which humanitarian groups have been urging for months and Africa Action reports on in today's news section, could save thousands of lives and provide the space for negotiations to bring a lasting peace. Also in the news are reports on California's new greenhouse gas law, a call to reopen the aid pipeline to Palestine, and Uganda's plan to help 2 million people return home.

UN peacekeepers are likely headed to Darfur and Lebanon, but how many lives could have been saved--and how much trauma could have been averted--if there was a way to deploy UN troops quickly and efficiently as soon as they were needed? Don Kraus calls for the creation of a standing peacekeeping force in today's analysis section. Plus, in features we look at a new guide to help religious groups join the call to end poverty and today's action alert highlights a mass action against poverty being planned for mid-October. Find out how you can get involved.

Click here to subscribe to OneWorld's Daily Headlines