Sunday marks 25 years since the US Senate ratified the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. That convention entered into force in 1951 but the US Senate refrained from ratification until 1986. Why? Adam Jones is a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia and author of "Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction."

The American public is famously divided on almost every issue: from politics to war to the place of religion in society. But in the past five years there is one cause that has united Americans of liberal and conservative leanings and of Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths: outrage over the ongoing conflict in Sudan's Darfur region. Since former Secretary of State Collin Powell identified the conflict in Darfur as a genocide in 2004, we've been up in arms and out in the streets, demanding an end to abuses by the Sudanese government. But how much has our advocacy actually achieved? And can we accurately call Darfur a genocide? The Takeaway talks to Mahmood Mamdani, a professor of Government at Columbia University and author of the book, Saviors and Survivors: Darfur, Politics and the War on Terror.

At least thirteen aid agencies have been kicked out of Darfur, Sudan this week. That's after the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in the region.

Just this morning, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued a warrant for the arrest of the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. This is the first warrant ever issued against a sitting head of state and nations neighboring Sudan are nervous about the repercussions. The ICC's warrant could bring al Bashir to trial for his government's actions in Darfur, including seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court did not find enough evidence to bring an indictment on genocide. For more we turn to the BBC's Africa editor Martin Plaut.

For more on the trial of Omar al-Bashir, listen to our earlier interview with the BBC's Karen Allen.

Later today the International Criminal Court will announce whether it is issuing an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the western province of Darfur. The warrant is issued, it will be the first time the ICC has sought the arrest of a sitting head of state. While some may think this is a good first step towards justice in Darfur, neighboring nations are urging the court not to act over fears it will worsen tensions in the region. For more we turn to Karen Allen, the BBC's East Africa Correspondent, who is just back from Khartoum, Sudan.

UPDATE: The BBC's Martin Plaut brings us the verdict.

Sudan's troubled Darfur region has been in turmoil for years in a dispute that has killed over 300,000 people and displaced more than 2.2 million. Now there is word that the Sudanese government has signed a tentative agreement that could pave the way towards a cessation in violence. For more we are joined by the BBC's Karen Allen in Nairobi.