The International Criminal Court (ICC) may eventually issue a warrant of arrest on indicted Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Friday he would seek arrest warrants next week in a new probe into war crimes in Darfur -- his first into acts by Sudanese rebel groups.

Egypt called on Tuesday for the International Criminal Court to delay for a year any war crimes indictment against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, while efforts are under way to end fighting in Darfur.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit made the comments after a rare visit to Sudan by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday when he discussed the Darfur conflict with Beshir.

Organisers fined the Australia team for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 172-run defeat against India in the fourth Test, which ended in an Indian victory and series win on Monday.

Organisers fined the Australia team for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 172-run defeat against India in the fourth Test, which ended in an Indian victory and series win on Monday.

Cricket chiefs said Wednesday that they want answers from Pakistan over their appointment of former captain Salim Malik as national youth coach, as one of his former teammates resigned in disgust.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Tuesday he was keeping a close eye on the DR Congo`s rebel-threatened east, focusing on allegations of killings, rape, looting and other crimes.

Former Congolese rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba will appear before the International Criminal Court in December for a hearing to confirm war crimes charges against him, a statement said Friday.

`The confirmation of charges hearing in the case ... will take place from December 8 December to December 12, 2008,` the court said in a statement.

The Czech parliament on Wednesday recognised the International Criminal Court after years of hesitation about whether the court might violate the country`s constitution.

The lower house approved the 1998 treaty establishing the ICC, which handles serious crimes against humanity and war crimes, more than three months after the upper house took the same decision.

ICC president David Morgan said Wednesday the result of the controversial 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan could be reconsidered after pressure from Marylebone Cricket Club.

The Marylebone Cricket Club, the game`s rule-makers, asked the International Cricket Council on Sunday to overturn the result of the 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan.

The result of the forfeited Test match was changed from an England win to a draw by the ICC in July but the MCC said the move contravened the laws of cricket.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar accused match referees on Wednesday of singling out Asian players after Zaheer Khan was fined at the end of the second Test against Australia.

Khan was docked 80 percent of his match fee by International Cricket Council (ICC) referee Chris Broad on Tuesday for an outburst against outgoing batsman Matthew Hayden during the Mohali Test.

The International Criminal Court asked the Democratic Republic of the Congo Tuesday to explain what it has done towards securing the arrest of four Ugandan rebel leaders wanted for war crimes.

The International Criminal Court on Tuesday left African militia leader Thomas Lubanga in a legal limbo by backing the suspension of his landmark trial but refusing to order his release from detention.

Lubanga, who is accused of using child soldiers in his private army during the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict, must wait for a new hearing to decide whether he should go free.

The International Criminal Court Tuesday upheld the suspension of the war crimes trial of Congolese militiaman Thomas Lubanga, but declined to order his release.

It dismissed an appeal by the prosecution against a decision to indefinitely suspend the trial, the ICC`s first, but said this did not necessarily mean Lubanga should be freed from the tribunal`s custody.

Concerned by dwindling spectator interest in Test matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday said it was looking into ways to jazz up the long version of the game.

`We are quite concerned at lack of spectator interest in Tests,` ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said here at a press conference.

The West Indies will host the World Twenty20 Championship in 2010, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced here on Saturday.

The event will be held in place of the Champions Trophy that was to be hosted by West Indies in 2010, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said at a press conference.

The International Criminal Court`s appeal chamber will Tuesday rule on a prosecution appeal against the release of Congolese militiaman Thomas Lubanga, whose war crimes trial is on hold.

`The Appeals Chamber will hold a public hearing to deliver judgments on the appeals of the prosecutor,` the ICC said in a statement Friday.

Judges at the International Criminal Court have sought more detail from the prosecution in its bid for an arrest warrant for Sudan`s President Omar al-Beshir for genocide, the tribunal said Monday.

The prosecution had been given until November 17 to provide `additional supporting materials`, it said in a statement.

Pakistan`s new cricket chief on Thursday expressed his delight over the rescheduling of the Champions Trophy, saying it would open doors for more world-class cricket in the troubled nation.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday rescheduled the biennial eight-nation tournament, which was postponed this year amid security concerns in Pakistan, to next September.

The International Cricket Council said Wednesday it had decided to reschedule the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan, postponed this year amid security concerns, to next September.

The ICC said in a statement the tournament would go ahead between September 24 and October 5, 2009, with the matches being played in just one city in Pakistan, rather than the two mooted for this year.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 11, 2008 (AFP) - Afghanistan clinched the World Cricket League Division Four title on Saturday and then claimed they are good enough to play alongside the game's giants at the 2011 World Cup.

A brilliant spell of spin bowling from player of the tournament Mohammad Nabi helped Afghanistan clinch the divisional crown with a 57-run win over Hong Kong.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 10, 2008 (AFP) - Afghanistan crushed Italy by 93 runs on Friday to secure a fifth win in five matches and secure promotion to the Division Three of the World Cricket League.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Afghanistan made it four wins out of four when they defeated Hong Kong by four wickets in the World Cricket League on Wednesday.

PARIS, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - France told a senior Sudanese envoy Tuesday that Khartoum must cooperate with the international community to end violence in Darfur and bring to justice two suspects wanted for war crimes.

'In all of these areas, France expects actions,' Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told Nafie Ali Nafie, an advisor to Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court renewed calls Monday
for the arrest of Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony following
attacks by the Ugandan rebel group on Congolese citizens.

THE HAGUE, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court renewed calls Monday for the arrest of Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony following attacks by the Ugandan rebel group on Congolese citizens.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 5, 2008 (AFP) - Afghanistan's push towards a place at the 2011 World Cup continued on Sunday when they thrashed Jersey by 124 runs to make it two wins in two matches in the World Cricket League Division Four.

Batting first, Afghanistan made 203 for 9 in 50 overs and then bowled out Jersey for 79, a performance which delighted their coach, Kabir Khan.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 4, 2008 (AFP) - Hong Kong and Afghanistan both enjoyed winning starts to their World Cricket League Division Four matches here on Saturday as they took steps closer to the 2011 World Cup.

ACCRA, Oct 3, 2008 (AFP) - Leaders of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries on Friday called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor to suspend efforts to indict the Sudanese President on genocide charges.

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 3, 2008 (AFP) - Players from war-torn Afghanistan hope to take another step closer to the 2011 World Cup when they tackle five other contenders in the latest qualifying round which starts here on Saturday.

WASHINGTON, Oct 1, 2008 (AFP) - An independent US group is to carry out unprecedented studies to determine whether Myanmar's military rulers, accused of rampant human rights abuses, have committed international crimes.

THE HAGUE, Oct 1, 2008 (AFP) - Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court sought to persuade a panel of judges Wednesday to grant their request for a genocide arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir.

A closed hearing was held at the court's seat in The Hague in the morning for the prosecution to present evidence to back up the request for a warrant.

THE HAGUE, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - The International Criminal Court ruled Friday there were sufficient grounds to prosecute two Congolese militiamen for war crimes and crimes against humanity, paving the way for a trial.

A panel of pre-trial judges 'decided to commit Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui for trial,' a court statement said.

THE HAGUE, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - The International Criminal Court ruled Friday there were sufficient grounds to try two militiamen accused of seeking to wipe out an entire village in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

A panel of judges 'decided to commit Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui for trial,' for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a court statement said.

THE HAGUE, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) - The International Criminal Court ruled Friday there were sufficient grounds to try two militiamen accused of seeking to wipe out an entire village in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003.

A panel of judges 'decided to commit Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui for trial,' for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a court statement said.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is resisting attempts by European and African powers to back off a genocide case against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir.

Moreno-Ocampo, at the United Nations General Assembly to press his message, told AFP that politics and the mission of the ICC should not mix.

THE HAGUE, Sept 22, 2008 (AFP) - The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court heads for New York this week seeking backing for his bid to try Sudan's president Omar al-Beshir for war crimes, the tribunal said.