Inside Story

We look at the human disaster unfolding as European & American economic reforms wreck havoc with societies. Joining Ghida Fakhry to discuss this Inside Story is David Stuckler, co-author of the research and book, ‘The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills’, Aris Sissouras, from the Institute of Social Policy in Greece, and George Kratsas, an economist and specialist on EU regulations.

Barack Obama, the US president, and Enrique Pena Nieto, his Mexican counterpart, are set to meet this week in the Mexican capital. The meeting between the two American leaders comes amid reports that Mexico City is shifting its security strategy, and shutting Washington out of its counternarcotics operations. In February, Pena Nieto unveiled a series of policy initiatives that would shift Mexico's strategy toward tackling drug cartel crime. In February he promised to invest billions of dollars in social programmes to address the root causes of crime. Througout the election campaign Pena Nieto emphasised violence reduction over the military crackdown favoured by Felipe Calderon, his predecessor, that has resulted in so many tens of thousands dead. Perhaps most worrying for the US is the curtailing of resource and intelligence sharing between the US and Mexican law enforcement officials. On Sunday, the Washington Post revealed just how integral the US and its security agencies have been in driving Calderon's War on drugs, which began in 2006. That seems to be changing, much to the relief of those who have long argued that the violence that has been unleased - more than 60,000 deaths in five years - is unsustainable. On Monday, the director of Human Rights Watch for the Americas wrote to President Obama criticising his administration for its complicity in human rights violations associated with the war on drugs. At a White House press conference on Tuesday, Obama said he does not yet know if bilateral relations will change. Inside Story Americas, with presenter Shihab Rattansi, discusses with guests Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch's America's division, who has just returned from a meeting at the White House, Jose Cardenas, former State Department official specialising in Latin American affairs and Sanho Tree fellow at the Institute for Policy studies and directs their drug policy project.

Can the Asian giants settle a decades old score to end hostilities from the Second World War? Inside Story, with presenter Jane Dutton, discusses the chances of both Russia and Japan expanding their ties despite their ongoing territorial dispute with guests: Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, project director on North East Asia for the International Crisis Group and a specialist on Chinese foreign policy; Dimitry Babich, a political analyst who writes for Russia Profile Magazine; Tomohiko Taniguchi, cabinet secretariat at the prime minister's office. Taniguchi is currently traveling with the Japanese prime minister to Moscow.

Can the UN keep the peace and pacify a resurgent rebellion as France's mission draws down? David Foster speaks to Mahamadou Djeri Maiga, from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad; Francois Gere, founding president of the French Strategic Analysis Institute; and Lydie Boka, who heads up StrategiCo, which focuses on risk analysis in Africa.

Will Musharraf's political ambitions grind to a halt over his complicity in Pakistan's first female PM's death? Inside Story with Mike Hanna discusses with Zahid Ebrahim, a lawyer and advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; Makhdoom Babar, president and editor-in-chief of the English publication, The Daily Mail Pakistan; and Talat Masood, a former military general of the Pakistani Army.

Global vaccination programmes are offering children a better start in life. It is universally recognised as one of the most successful and cost effective health programmes in the world. Immunising children against a range of diseases that can cause serious illness, disability or death. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that immunisation prevents up to three million deaths every year, but it says an estimated 22 million children worldwide are missing out on basic vaccines.

Government forces storm a protest camp, igniting a wave of violence across the country. It is raising fears of a return to sectarian fighting that left tens of thousands dead just a few years ago.

Ethnic unrest in Myanmar casts a wider spotlight on Buddhist-Muslim tensions in south-east Asia. The president of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, is warning of a wider fall-out, which could fuel growing inter-faith unrest across the region. Security forces in Myanmar have been accused of a vicious campaign of ethnic cleansing against minority Muslims. But a report by Human Rights Watch has also raised concern about who was at the heart of much of the violence, and in many cases, it says Buddhist monks were either involved or even leading attacks against Muslim communities.

We discuss a Human Rights Watch report that alleges government involvement in the violence against minority Rohingya.Inside Story's Ghida Fakhry is joined by guests: Maung Zarni, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, and founding member of the Free Burma Coalition; Alistair Cook, a visiting research fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore; and Mike Harris from the Index on Censorship, an international organisation that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression.

The voice of protest is growing ever stronger across Gulf states, as activists gain in confidence from the Arab uprising, but Gulf rulers are maintaining an equally strong response, in the name of national security and stability.Kuwaiti opposition leader Mossallam al-Barrak has been sentenced to five years in prison for insulting the country's Emir.

Robert Mugabe has been addressing supporters in Harare, as Zimbabwe celebrates independence from Britain. It is something he has been doing now for more than three decades. And at 89 years old, it seems he has no plans to stop. Mugabe plans to contest elections scheduled for later this year. Addressing crowds at the national sports stadium in Harare, he urged Zimbabweans to vote peacefully, to confound what he called foreign critics.But there is both optimism and anger going into the presidential poll. A referendum on a new constitution was successfully carried out last month. A resounding 95 percent backed the new charter. It imposes a limit of two five year terms on the office of president. It strengthens human rights, and calls for impartiality in the police and the military. But many Zimbabweans say even now, they have yet to enjoy the fruits of indepenence.

Three of Pakistan's main political parties have been singled out as legitimate targets for attacks, throwing campaigning for parliamentary elections into a deadly chaos. The threat has come from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) - the Pakistani Taliban. The parties concerned are considered secular, with no religious leanings.

We question the notion that imitation goods are the pariahs of industry that manufacturers say they are. Inside Story's Hazem Sika is joined by guests: Giovanni Broussard, from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime which produced the report on transnational orgsanised crime in the Asia-Pacific region; David Wall, a professor of criminology at Durham University. David also co-wrote the EU-funded report on counterfeit goods, which suggested there were actually some benefits to buying fake luxury items; and Athar Hussain, director of the Asia Research Centre at the London School of Economics.

We examine the ongoing issues facing a fragile peace as rebels attack at the heart of the government machine. Hazem Sika is joined by guests: Augustine Mahiga, the United Nations special representative for Somalia, and head of the United Nations political office for Somalia; Abdurahman Hosh Jibril, a Somali member of parliament, and former minister of constitutional affairs and reconciliation; Laetitia Bader, a researcher with Human Rights Watch and Abdi Aynte, director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies.

The Palestinian prime minister has resigned after a simmering feud with the President Mahmoud Abbas. Salam Fayyad leaves an economy in crisis and the government in disarray, just as the US was making a new push for peace in the Middle East.