Othman, who is a appointed last October, succeeds to Sima Samar, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan. Last June, Sudan had attempted to lobby the UN Human Rights Council to end Sima Samar's mandate and the scrutiny over the human right situation on its territory.

But the 47 member council decided to

The former Nigerian foreign minister, Ibrahim Gambari who served recently as top United Nations envoy for Myanmar, has been appointed by UN Secretary General and AU AU Chairperson last December as Joint Special Representative and head of the joint African Union-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), effective 1 January 2010.

He succeed the Congolese Rodolphe Adada

The fighting broke out in the New Fangak area of Jonglei last Monday after a dispute between two Nuer everyone of them living in a different village populated by the two ethnic groups; the quarrel involved neighbors from both sides where nine people were killed.

However, the fighting erupted again when

Last month the Africa Bureau Director of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said East African refugees are flocking into eastern Sudan at the rate of 1,800 each month.

Eastern Sudan is one of the oldest refugee situations in UNHCR's history. The international refugee agency has been in this country working in the eastern region for 40 years.

The number of infiltrators in the eastern

The Sudan Liberation Army led by Abel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) last week ttok the control of Gulu in Jebel Marra in south Darfur saying it meant to stop repeated attacks and bombing by the Sudanese army. Also the government troops attacked rebel positions in Fruk in North Darfur killing 18 people as the assault occurred during the crowded market day.

January 13, 2010 (JUBA) - The two major partners in the Sudan's Government of National Unity are discussing the possibility of increasing the number of national parliamentary seats for Southern Sudan as the deadline nears for submission of final lists bearing the names of candidates to the National Elections Commission.

Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan Riek Machar Teny of the SPLM (left), and Vice President of Sudan Ali Osman Taha (right) of the NCP, on Tuesday, January 12, in Khartoum

January 12, 2010 (BOR) - Administration and residents of Hai Machuor in Bor town where Bor Public Primary School is built told the Sudan Tribune that they are relieved of a "burden" after France Total Oil Co. erected permanent schools structures.

Bor Public headteacher poses for a photo in front of one the classrooms blocks funded by France Total Oil Co. in Bor twon on Monday Jan. 11, 2010 (Photo By Philip Thon Aleu - ST) As part of community support programs in Jonglei state, the French oil exploring

January 10, 2010 (Kampala) - The Ugandan has tabled Operation Light Thunder's (OLT) achievements for the year 2009, the tabling come one year after the Armies of Uganda, south Sudan and DRC allied together to disarm General Joseph Kony and his vicious fighters.

Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye (photo Richard Ruati) The Spokesperson of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye has said that "the military operation against Joseph Kony and his Lords Resistance Army rebels in the Central African Republic,

January 6, 2010 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese army has resumed daily bombardments in Darfur since the beginning of the New Year killing some five civilians in the restive region, a rebel group said today.

Darfuri women walk through the ruins of Sirba village, ransacked during a government offensive to retake the area from Darfur rebels, near West Darfur's capital el-Geneina, February 21, 2008. (Reuters) The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said Wednesday Sudanese military Antonov aircrafts bombed on daily basis civilian and