New York - After weeks of rising violence in Sudan's war- ravaged western province Darfur, the situation has calmed down over the past three days, according a joint report released Monday by the African Union and United Nations , which share peace-keeping operations. Nonetheless, tension was still high after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir expelled aid groups from the region in retaliation for an arrest warrant issued against him in March by the International Criminal Court for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Khartoum  - Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir remained defiant on Sunday on his trip to Darfur, the western Sudanese region where he stands accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Addressing a rally in al-Fashir, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur province and the site of sprawling camps where tens of thousands of people displaced by fighting in the area have gathered for aid hand-outs, al-Bashir cast himself as standing against an international conspiracy after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest last week.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's announcement of an immediate ceasefire in the troubled western region of Darfur.

Al-Bashir said the fighting should stop between the government's armed forces and warring factions and called for an effective monitoring mechanism to monitor the ceasefire. He also called for the disarming of militia forces.

Nairobi/Khartoum  - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Wednesday announced an immediate ceasefire in the conflict-ridden western province of Darfur.

"I hereby announce our immediate unconditional ceasefire between the armed forces and warring factions provided that an effective monitoring mechanism be put into action and be observed by all involved parties," the Sudan Tribune quoted al-Bashir as saying.