TUESDAY’S COURT HEARING CAME A DAY AFTER SUDAN’S TRANSITIONAL LEADERSHIP SIGNED A PEACE DEAL WITH SOME OF THE REBEL GROUPS THAT HAD BATTLED BASHIR’S MILITARY AND ALLIED MILITIAS IN DARFUR. BASHIR IS SEPARATELY FACING PROSECUTION OVER HIS ALLEGED ROLE IN THE REPRESSION OF PROTESTS AGAINST HIS RULE, AND IN DECEMBER WAS SENTENCED AT ANOTHER TRIAL TO TWO YEARS IN PRISON ON CORRUPTION CHARGES AND ALSO WANTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ON CHARGES OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE, WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN DARFUR.