Sudan's President Pardons Teddy Bear Teacher

LONDON, Dec. 3 -- Sudan's president on Monday pardoned a British school teacher sentenced to two weeks in jail for allowing her students to name a teddy bear Muhammad, ending a delicate diplomatic tangle with what Prime Minister Gordon Brown called a victory for "common sense."

President Omar al-Bashir pardoned Gillian Gibbons, 54, of Liverpool, after meeting with two Muslim members of Britain's House of Lords, Nazir Ahmed and Sayeeda Warsi, who had traveled to the predominantly Muslim African nation to lobby for her release.

"This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding," Ahmed told reporters in Khartoum after the decision was announced. He said Gibbons was to be released Monday.

Gibbons's case caused international outrage and strained relations between Britain and Sudan, whose government is under intense international pressure over the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. Government officials and many British Muslim leaders said they believed Sudan's prosecution of Gibbons was a reaction to that pressure, particularly the upcoming arrival of a U.N.-backed peacekeeping force in Darfur...

This from the Washington Post.

Kids name their class teddy bear 'Muhammad,' teacher arrested

A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan

accused of insulting Islam's Prophet,

after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad

SUDAN -Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.

Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints.

The BBC has learned the charge could lead to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.

Officials from the British embassy in Khartoum are expected to visit Ms Gibbons in custody.

"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition," an embassy spokesman said.

The spokesman said the naming of the teddy happened months ago and was chosen by the children because it is a common name in the country.

"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it," he said.

The school has been closed until January for fear of reprisals.

This from the BBC.