The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement's (SPLM) minister for oil in the national government in Khartoum has come under fierce criticism for voicing his support to maintain the unity of Sudan.

"I’m a unionist in the footsteps of a unitary leader [late SPLM leader] John Garang de Mabior. We studied for PhD together at the University of Iowa. But I consider myself his disciple. The reason for this was that I was, initially, a separatist. But Garang convinced me on the virtues of one Sudan," Deng said in an interview with the London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper during a private visit to Washington.

The statements by the minister have angered both politicians and ordinary people in southern Sudan. A member of the SPLM in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly in Juba, Arop Madut, criticized the comments made by Lual Deng, describing him as somebody who behaved as if he did not eat three meals a day in his life time until he became the minister of oil in Khartoum.Read more

Manute Bol (October 16, 1962 – June 19, 2010) was a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. Bol was indisputably the tallest player ever to appear in the National Basketball Association. Bol was born in Gogrial, Sudan. He was the son of a Dinka tribal chief, who gave him the name "Manute," which means "special blessing."

President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Chief Justice John Wol Akech

Bol started playing basketball in 1978 and played in Sudan for several years with teams in Wau and Khartoum. In 1985 Bol joined NBA, Washington Bullets, USA. He played in the NBA for ten years, from 1985 - 1995.

Manute Bol died on on 19 June 2010 in a Virginia hospital, USA, after battling with kidney failure... Read more

The newly appointed ministers of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) were sworn in on Wednesday 23 June 2010 by the Southern Sudan Chief Justice, John Wol Akech, before the President of the semi-autonomous region, General Salva Kiir Mayardit, and his deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Chief Justice John Wol Akech

Notable new appointees are the SPLM Secretary – General Pagan Amum and Southern Sector SPLM Secretary Dr Anne Itto who have been appointed Ministers of Peace and CPA Implementation and Cooperatives and Rural Development respectively.... Read more

81-year-old Prahladbhai Jani, survival of a Hindu ascetic, claimed to be not taking food or water and not passing stool or urine for over 70 years, has baffled the medical fraternity and now defence experts are studying about the miracle man to emulate the practice for soldiers.

Experts of Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), in collaboration with the doctors of the city-based Sterling Hospital, have launched an observational study of the 81-year-old Prahladbhai Jani alias 'Mataji', who is living in a cave in the temple town of Ambaji in Gujarat's Banaskantha district...Read more

Al-Bashir won with 68 per cent of the ballot as the presidental candidate for the Government of Sudan and Salva Kiir Mayardit won with 93 percent of the votes as the presidental candidate for the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) in the 2010 elections.

Col Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro is the only elected independent candidate for the position of Governor in Western Equatoria State, GoSS.

The Newly Elected Governors of the GoSS elections are:

#	State	Governor	Party
1.	Centeral Equatoria	Clement Wani Konga	SPLM
2.	Western Equatoria	Joseph Bakasorow	Independent
3.	Lakes State	Chol Tong	SPLM
4.	Jonglei State	Kual Manyng	SPLM
5.	Uper Nile State	Simon Kun	SPLM
6.	Eastern Equatoria	Louis Lobingo	SPLM
7.	Northern Bahar algazal (Awiel)	Paul Malong	SPLM
8.	Warab State	Nyandeng Malek	SPLM
9.	Western Bahar al Gazal	Razek Hussien	SPLM
10.	Unity State	Taban Deng Gai	SPLM

Read more

Juba, future capital city of an independent southern Sudan

It’s possible the referendum will be delayed; it’s possible Khartoum will choose to fight another war rather than let the south go; it’s possible the international community will get last-minute jitters over the rupture and try to thwart it. If none of that happens, south Sudan will become the world’s newest country as early as next July (following a six-month transitional period). But what kind of country? Plenty of places have been rebuilt after devastating wars, but nowhere has a nation-state been built from nothing in six years. “This is still bare-bones stuff,” said one British aid worker. “You’re looking at society before civilisation.” Read more

The deadly Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has taken refuge in areas of south Darfur, Sudan, controlled by the Government of Sudan. The possibility of rekindled collaboration between LRA leader Joseph Kony and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir - both wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, or ICC - should alarm policymakers and demands urgent international investigation and response.

The LRA originated in northern Uganda during the late 1980s. In addition to committing widespread atrocities in Uganda, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s the LRA served as a proxy for the Sudanese government in its war with the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA, in southern Sudan. In 2005, Kony publicly stated that the Bashir government supported the LRA as a proxy force to destabilize the south, a charge that Khartoum continues to deny despite considerable evidence to the contrary...Read more

Presidential hopefuls in Sudan, Africa's largest country, began campaigning on Saturday for the first multi-party poll since 1986, with the nation wondering whether an end might be in sight to incumbent Omar al-Bashir's many years in power.

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir during an official function in Karari, north of Khartoum. Facing off against 11 candidates in the first multi-party poll since 1986, his days of presidency might be drawing to a close.

After being pushed back twice, the presidential election is set to take place on April 11, alongside legislative and regional polls. Bashir, who seized power in 1989 with support from Islamists, is facing off against 11 other hopefuls, including the first woman ever to aspire to the presidency, and the two-time former prime minister he ousted. Read more

JOHANNESBURG - News that President Jacob Zuma, 67, has fathered his 20th child out of wedlock with the daughter of a World Cup organiser has sparked furious debate about the place of polygamy in modern South Africa.

South Africa President Jacob Zuma

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it,” said Rose Masetla, 37, a domestic worker in Johannesburg’s upmarket Rosebank neighourhood. “I am disappointed and hurt, I mean he is the president.”

Mr Zuma on Wednesday said he had taken responsibility for his actions, formally acknowledging his paternity of the child born in October to the 39-year-old daughter of his long-time friend Irvin Khoza, one of the top organisers of the World Cup. Read more

The question in Sudan today is no longer will the South secede but rather what will happen when the South secedes. All the signs suggest that secession has now become inevitable and claims that certain parties are working towards promoting unity and taking steps to make Southerners vote for the option of unity and reject the option of secession are nothing but empty slogans that are completely detached from reality.

There were opportunities to support the unity option but they were wasted by delays and political wrangling, which might have further convinced the Southerners to seize the opportunity instead of continuing in a partnership in which there is a lack of trust in the other partner in government and instead of remaining in a situation that might bring back war once again in a fiercer and more destructive manner than ever before. Read more

The Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) abruptly announced that it will not take part in the South Sudan legislative elections unless the dispute over census results is sorted out, a senior official said today.

Deng Alor who is also the foreign minister told Reuters in an interview from Addis Ababa where he is taking part in the African Union (AU) summit that it is not in the interest of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) not to resolve the issue.

“It has to be resolved otherwise the south will not participate in the elections of national parliament,” Alor, who is an SPLM leading figure, told Reuters. “I’m confident that this issue will be resolved because it is not in the interest of the National Congress that the south does not participate in the elections at the level of national parliament” he added.

The SPLM has disputed the census results in the entire country and pressed for scrapping it for the purpose of determining the geographical constituencies. Read more

The wide-ranging discussion on Sudan's situation covered the need to promote and protect the peace process, forthcoming national elections in April 2010, violence and human rights violations against people in Sudan and the referendum on independence for the south of the country in January 2011.

   - Lords Hansard: Sudan debate
   - Parliament News: Sudan: Lords debate

In the House of Lords Members may table questions for debate, usually up to two hours and a half, on a specific issue or matter of concern. A minister responds on behalf of the Government.

The NHS has some new advice for people struggling to schedule a fitness routine into their daily lives - a workout between the sheets.

According to the NHS Direct website, "sexercise" can lower the risk of heart attacks and helps people live longer. Endorphins released during orgasm stimulate immune system cells, which also helps target illnesses like cancer, as well as wrinkles, it states.

Sexual health experts said such claims could not be scientifically proven. "It's good to see the NHS are promoting sexual wellbeing," Dr Melissa Sayer told the Guardian newspaper. Read more

On Wednesday 22nd, July 2009, the Hague court readjust the boundaries of Sudan's disputed oil-producing Abyei region - ceding the key oilfield areas of Heglig and Bamboo outside Abyei and placing them in the north Sudan district of Southern Kordofan. (Includes links to documents and map details) ... Read more

Michael Jackson has died at the age of 50. One of the world's most recognizable entertainers, Jackson is best known for Thriller. His incalculable musical legacy lives on.

Click here to watch some of his best videos

The superstar died Thursday, just as he was preparing for what would be a series of 50 concerts starting July 13 at London’s famed 02 arena. Jackson had been spending hours and hours toiling with a team of dancers for a performance he and his fans hoped would restore his tarnished legacy to its proper place in pop... Read more