Inside Story

Street battles are continuing in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli as the unrest in neighbouring Syria spills over across the border. But the violence between supporters and opponents of the government in Syria has taken on a sharp sectarian edge. Could these localised conflicts spark nationwide violence, especially in a country that remains largely fragmented? Guests: Kamel Wazne, Naim Salem, Basem Shabb.

Meles Zenawi, the Ethiopian prime minister, died at the age of 57 after more than two decades in power. As preparations for his funeral gets under way, what's next for the country and region? Guests: David Shinn, Jawar Mohammed, Farah Abdul Samed.

Can yet another attempt to install a strong central government after years of chaos really succeed this time? Mike Hanna speaks to Jamal Osman, Afyare Elmi & Abdi Ismail Samatar.

In what's been described as his Evita Peron moment, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has criticised everything from the media to global politics, but gave no indication of his future plans.Jane Dutton speaks to Khawar Qureshi, Douglas Murray & Anthony Timmons.

India has accused Pakistan of fuelling ethnic tensions in the country over the last few weeks by fabricating threatening messages sent by mobile phones and over the internet that triggered a panic among migrant workers in southern Indian cities, leading to thousands fleeing their homes. Are the allegations true and how will this affect ties between the troubled neighbours? Guests: K C Singh, Subir Sinha, Ahmed Quraishi.

Police who shot and killed 34 striking miners say they fired in self-defence. But what was behind this brutal police crackdown and how will it play out politically in South Africa? Guests: Patrick Craven, David Wilson, and Zweli Mnisi.

Japan has decided to deport the Chinese activists who landed themselves in the middle of a territorial dispute. At the heart of it is a chain of islands under Japanese control that is also claimed by Taiwan. Commerce and energy needs are among the key factors driving the dispute. How will this affect relations between Asia's two biggest economies? Guests: Andrew Leung, Bruce Klingner, Brett Bull.

With the battle for Syria waging for over a year, the world now realises that a close may not come soon. Shiulie Ghosh speaks to Elias Farhat, Samir Altaqi, Fawaz Gerges.

Myanmar's Rohingya community is one of the world's most persecuted minorities who have been denied citizenship in their own country for decades. More than a million Rohingya are currently caught in a cycle of violence and poverty. Hundreds of thousands more are being denied access to aid in neighbouring Bangladesh. Why is this community such a pariah group? Guests: Mohamed Noor, Tridib Deb, Benjamin Zawacki.

Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's president, has only been in power for two months but it would appear he is keen to stamp his authority on Egypt. In a move that surprised the nation, he dismissed Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi, the chief of armed forces, and his number two General Sami Annan. Tantawi had been in the post for more than 20 years. So, is it the beginning of a transition to civilian rule in Egypt? Or is it just the Muslim Brotherhood tightening its grip on the country? And what role will Egypt's wealthy military play in the future?

Three US marines were shot dead by an Afghan worker at an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) base in Southern Afghanistan. And another three US marines from a Special Forces unit had been killed earlier in the day in the same area by a uniformed Afghan police officer. NATO refers to these incidents as "Green on Blue" killings - indicating they are carried out by Afghan police and soldiers or individuals wearing the uniforms. The same police personnel and soldiers trained by and supposedly working hand in hand with ISAF. During 2008, such attacks took place only once or so a year but this year, they have been averaging one per week. And in just the past week, six NATO military died in three separate attacks.

A British businessman poisoned in a Chinese city. The alleged killer: the wife of a man who was eyeing one of the nine seats at the highest level of political power, the Communist Party politburo. Was this killing connected in any way to political events, and could it, indeed, impact the election of a new generation of Chinese leaders?

Egypt has sent more troops, tanks and armoured vehicles in response to the Sinai border attack that killed 16 soldiers on Sunday. Both Egypt and Israel blame 'militants' in Gaza for the attack. The claim could hurt ties between Hamas and Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian president. It has also raised concerns over whether Egypt can secure the Sinai region. Guests: Menachem Hofnung, Sameh Fawzi, Ghazi Hamad.

The M23 rebel group is establishing its own administration, complete with ministers, committees and local councils in eastern DR Congo in a bid to present itself as a new type of Congolese army – as a stabilising and liberating force. At the same time eastern and central African nations have agreed to deploy a joint force to handle the escalating crisis. Is military action the best fix? Guests: Mvemba Dizolele, Marie-Roger Biloa, Jason Stearns.

How can poor nations compete when Olympic glory seems bound to the amounts richer nations devote to sports? David Foster speaks to Wolfgang Maennig & Victor Matheson.