Geneva - Defiant Sudanese officials confirmed Thursday that the government had kicked several charities out of the country for "violating the law" and "passing information" onto the International Criminal Court, which they accused of being a colonialist body.

The ICC on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan.

Geneva - United Nations General Assembly president Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann on Thursday condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, saying it was politically motivated.

"I am sorry about the decision of the ICC. It is more a decision motivated by political considerations than really for the sake of advancing the cause of justice in the world," the Nicaraguan diplomat said in Geneva.

It would have preferable to let the ongoing peace negotiations on Darfur continue, rather than turn the issue into an international legal matter, Brockmann added.

Geneva - A staff member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) died after succumbing to wounds sustained during a shelling incident in the north of Sri Lanka, the organization said Thursday.

Vadivel Vijayakumar worked as a water technician for the ICRC.

"In recent days he was involved in ICRC-facilitated medical evacuations, helping to bring patients from the makeshift medical facility in Putumattalan to the beach and then on to the ICRC ferry for evacuation to Trincomalee," the group said in a statement.

Geneva  - A representative of the United States addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council Wednesday for the first time since it pulled out of the body in the middle of last year.

The address was made following a pledge from Washington to re-engage with the council, which the previous administration of George W Bush shunned towards the end of his term.

Geneva  - The French car maker Citroen is to unveil the first of its new DS product line in Geneva aimed at the lifestyle generation and competing models such as the MINI and Fiat 500.

The DS Inside, which will be sold as the DS3 next year, has a funky design with powerful front grille and chromed strips on the flank. The B-Pillar has a slightly forward-leaning shape while the C-Pillars disappear under the rear window. The DS stands for Distinctive Series.

Geneva  - Rolls-Royce is previewing the 200EX concept at the Geneva Motor Show which is widely expected to be the new "Baby Rolls" production model scheduled for 2010.

Teaser images show a more streamlined body than the big Rolls-Royce Phantom with a neat grille, narrow LED headlamps, chromed door handles, a prominent C-pillar and seven-spoke 20-inch wheels.