THE International Criminal Court yesterday charged Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir with three counts of genocide in Darfur, a move that will pile further diplomatic pressure on his isolated regime.

Sudanese government and rebel officials signed an agreement today promising to end the 21-year civil war in Sudan by the end of the year.

SUDANESE Arab militiamen rape women and young girls in a violent campaign intended to hurt, humiliate and drive black Africans from the troubled western region of Darfur, a human rights organisation said yesterday.