Southern Sudan set to split from North Sudan at Midnight

North Sudan has said that it will recognize Southern Sudan as an independent nation when the country succeeds tonight at midnight.

The new country has been gearing up for independence celebrations, but the situation is tense as questions over borders are unresolved, clashes continue, and both countries remain intrinsically linked for oil revenue. 

The UN Security Council has approved 7,000 peacekeeping troops for Southern Sudan, after several aid agencies expressed concern earlier this week that numbers would be reduced. Meanwhile, North Sudan rejected an extension of the 10,400 member UNMIS peacekeeping force which has been in place since 2005. The Khartoum government requested all U.N. troops out of the north.