The Hague - The International Criminal Court in The Hague has denied that it has issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the Dutch news wire ANP reported Thursd

New York/The Hague  - A panel of judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague has decided to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, The New York Times reported, citing court lawyers and diplomats.

The court has notified United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon that a warrant will be issued, officials at UN headquarters in New York told the Times.

Nairobi  - A Ukrainian ship laden with tanks and other armaments freed by Somali pirates last week is expected to arrive in the Kenyan port of Mombasa on Thursday, but controversy still surrounds the destination of its military cargo.

The MV Faina was released on Thursday, following months of complicated negotiations, after a ransom believed to be around 3.5 million dollars was paid.

But with the first stage of the drama over, all eyes are now turning to the arrival of the vessel and its cargo of 33 T-72 tanks, munitions and small arms in Kenya.

Kenya's government say that the arms shipment is bound for its own military.

Nairobi/Khartoum - The Sudanese military has taken a rebel-held town in the restive Darfur province days after warning UN peacekeepers to leave to avoid being caught in fighting.

A Sudanese army spokesman said Wednesday that government forces had taken Muhajiriya from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement, which itself seized the town last month.

However, the rebel group said it had retreated from the town to prevent civilians from being killed in the crossfire and bombing raids.

The Sudanese government on Sunday asked peacekeepers from the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur to quit the town.

New York - The comprehensive peace agreement between the Sudanese government and southern Sudan would unravel unless the two sides take steps to implement it, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday in an progress report.

The 2005 agreement ended a decades-long civil war between the Muslim-led Khartoum government and Christian groups in the south, with the inclusion of southern leaders in the Khartoum government. But key benchmarks in the deal remain unfulfilled, including north- south border demarcation, disarmament and census.

Nairobi/Khartoum - United Nations and African Union peacekeepers are to remain in a rebel-held Darfur town despite an impending attack from Sudanese government troops, the UN mission peacekeeping mission said.

The Sudanese government on Sunday asked peacekeepers from the joint UN-AU mission (UNAMID) in Darfur to quit the town of Muhajiriya.

Sudan wants to take Muhajiriya from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which seized the town last month.