The U.K. foreign secretary said on Thursday that he hopes "common sense" will prevail in the case of a British teacher on trial in Sudan after naming a teddy bear Muhammad.

A British school teacher in Sudan was arrested today after allowing her students to name a teddy bear after the Islam prophet Muhammad, a charge that carries 40 lashes and up to six months in prison.

An outbreak of Rift Valley fever has killed up to 100 people in Sudan and is threatening the lives of many more. For humans, contracting Rift Valley fever is often fatal, as there is no effective vaccine and the disease is easily spread from animals to people.

Sudan's Government has announced a unilateral ceasefire at the start of talks with several rebel groups from Darfur to try to end four and a half years of war in the province.

An attack by Darfur rebels on a Chinese oil facility in Sudan has cast further doubt on Darfur peace talks planned for this weekend. Darfur rebel groups have vowed to launch more assaults on oil installations across Sudan, after 20 Government soldiers were killed and two foreign workers taken hostage at a Chinese-run oil facility.

Witnesses say government-backed militias have attacked a South Darfur refugee camp over the past three days, killing six people and injuring 14 during their search for rebels from Sudan's Darfur region.

The fate of hundreds of refugees from Sudan's Darfur region rests in the hands of Britain's House of Lords. The highest British court, the Law Lords, is to decide within the next few weeks whether it is safe to return three Darfuri asylum seekers to Sudan.

Thailand will send 800 peacekeepers to Sudan's western province of Darfur where they will join United Nations and African Union peacekeeping units at the end of the year, Thai media said Wednesday.

Rebel forces in Darfur say that at least 40 people have been killed after government troops attacked a town controlled by the Sudan Liberation Army.

Rebel forces in Darfur say that at least 40 people have been killed after government troops attacked a town controlled by the Sudan Liberation Army.

Moves underway in the US Congress to impose new sanctions against Sudan have met opposition from the Bush Administration, which is telling legislators the restrictions could derail diplomatic efforts. Two well-placed officials testified at yesterday’s Senate Banking Committee hearing on a bill encouraging US states to divest from companies doing business with Sudan.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said Friday his government is ready to announce a cease-fire with rebel forces. During a visit to Rome, al-Bashir said the truce will coincide with the start of peace talks over the conflict in Darfur.