Inside Story

Does the increasing violence in Sinai pose a security threat to Egypt and Israel? nside Story, with presenter Stephen Cole, is joined by guests: Said Sadek, a political sociologist at the American University in Cairo and a specialist on the Sinai peninsula; Menachem Hofnung, a professor of political science at the Hebrew University, who is also the author of the book Democracy, Law and National Security in Israel; and Riad Kahwaji, the director of the institute for near east and gulf military analysis.

We discuss whether presidential elections can make a difference for the conflict-scarred nation.

Old wounds appear to be opening between Russia and the US over Moscow's decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden.

Alex Rodriguez, the star player of one of America's oldest and most successful baseball teams, the New York Yankees, has been suspended for 211 games for a suspected use of banned drugs.It is the latest in a series of scandals that has hit the sporting world recently. Is the punishment for Rodriguez harsh enough? Who is responsible for the use of performance-enhancing drugs? What are the implications of the doping scandal on the game? And what does it take to put an end to doping?

As Morsis's supporters are still out on the streets demanding change, we ask, have efforts to solve the crisis failed?

How real is the threat posed by al-Qaeda 15 years after it bombed US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania?

As tension between India and Pakistan flares up again, we examine the impact on attempts to resume formal peace talks.

As Morocco's king revokes a controversial pardon for a paedophile, we examine the problem of sex tourism in the kingdom.

We examine the connection between a series of prison breaks and the closure of Western embassies across the Middle East.

We look at the challenges facing Iran's new president and ask whether he will usher in an era of moderation and reform. Inside Story, with presenter Hazem Sika, is joined by guests: Meir Javedanfar, the co-author of 'The Nuclear Sphinx of Tehran: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the State of Iran'; and Ghanbar Naderi, a journalist with the Iranian state-run newspaper, Kayhan International.

Is the country's campaign to curb undocumented immigration racist and discriminatory?

US soldier Bradley Manning has been convicted of espionage for leaking thousands of classified documents. Some 700,000 documents were passed to the anti-secrecy site Wikileaks, including US diplomatic cables and classified battlefield reports from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is the court ruling a curb on freedom of speech or defending national security?

Zimbabwe's long-serving president, Robert Mugabe, is seeking to extend his 33 years in power. Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 and Mugabe was named prime minister. He has been the country's only known leader since, and Mugabe is determined that will not be changing - for now at least. So, will the landmark polls see Mugabe continue to hang on to power, or mark the dawning of a new era for Zimbabwe? To discuss this, Inside Story, with presenter Mike Hanna is joined by guests: Petina Gappah, a lawyer and award-winning author on Zimbabwean culture; Nhlanhla Dube, spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change, and George Shire, a scholar and commentator on Zimbabwe, who has written articles expressing support for Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.

As the US has coaxed the two sides back to the negotiating table, we ask whether there is hope for a final solution. Inside Story, with presenter Mike Hanna, is joined by guests: Daniel Levy, the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations; Hussein Ibish, a senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine; and journalist and author Ben White.

Can a successful elections help reunite and jump start a country plagued by war, divisions and poverty? Mike Hanna is joined for this Inside Story by Coumba Bah Traore, founder of SOS Démocratie, a civil society organisation set up to engage Malians in the democratic process; Sylvain Touati, research fellow at the Africa Programme at the French Institute for International Relations, and Michae; Amoah, a research associate at the Centre for African studies.