The Interview

To their critics they're publicity hungry blasphemers; to their minds they are feminist punk rockers protesting against what they say is Russian president Vladimir Putin's authoritarianism and sexism. When three members of the Russian band Pussy Riot were jailed in August, there was an international outcry. They were found guilty of hooliganism for staging an illegal performance early this year in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Pyotr Verzilov, the husband of one of the jailed activists, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. Is Pussy Riot's high media profile the result of their shock tactics rather than real political clout?(Image: Members of the female punk band Pussy Riot (R-L) Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich sit in a glass-walled cage during a court hearing in Moscow. Credit: REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Files)

14 Syys 201223min

For years, it's been one of the biggest questions in sport. Did Lance Armstrong - the seven time winner of cycling's greatest race, the Tour de France - dope? Is the man who beat cancer to become one of the greatest sporting figures ever - a cheat? Armstrong has denied wrongdoing. But now a former teammate and roommate of Armstrong's, Tyler Hamilton, has produced the most detailed and wounding set of allegations yet. Is Hamilton self-serving and greedy, as Armstrong insists? Or a shaft of light on a sport that's been mired in murk?(Image: US cyclist Tyler Hamilton. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

12 Syys 201223min

The future of the Gulf state of Bahrain remains uncertain after 18 months of street protests inspired by the Arab Spring. Some of the most outspoken Bahraini critics of the ruling Al Khalifa family are behind bars, violent clashes between police and demonstrators continue. Maryam Al Khawaja is a prominent human rights campaigner, whose father was sentenced to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the government. Who will win the fight for Bahrain's future?

10 Syys 201223min

The 2008 banking crash prompted a prolonged crisis of confidence in the financial institutions and markets that underpin Western capitalism. Governments on both sides of the Atlantic have tried to recalibrate the balance between risk and reward and to encourage genuine wealth creation rather than short term speculation. Xavier Rolet is the CEO of the London Stock Exchange Group. Have financial markets learned the right lessons from recent history?(Image: Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive of the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Copyright London Stock Exchange press office handout)

7 Syys 201223min

The grim threat of renewed conflict hangs over the Democratic Republic of Congo. An armed rebellion in the East - on the Rwandan border - has already forced hundreds of thousands to flee. The DRC army is in disarray and the Kinshasa government has been undermined by allegations of electoral fraud and corruption. Stephen Sackur talks to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Raymond Tshibanda. What hope is there for the Democratic Republic of Congo?(Image: Democratic Republic of Congo's Minster for Foreign Affairs Raymond Tshibanda. Credit: JUNIOR D.KANNAH/AFP/GettyImages)

5 Syys 201223min

Tarek al-Hashimi is in a very strange position: he is Iraq's vice president but right now he is a de facto fugitive in Turkey. He is being tried in absentia on charges of sponsoring death squads inside Iraq. The conflict in Syria is fuelling sectarian tension across the Middle East. In neighbouring Iraq a political and security crisis has deepened in the last year. What hope is there for justice or peace in a region in the grip of sectarian strife?(Image: Iraq's Vice President Tarek al-Hashimi. Credit: AFP / Getty Images)

30 Elo 201223min

While some Arab states are actively funding the Syrian opposition, the West has publicly refused to provide arms. The US, in particular, has been criticised for its reluctance to get involved beyond talks and diplomacy. Brian Sayers is a lobbyist for a US-based non-profit organisation. The Syrian Support Group has been given the green light by the US Treasury to raise money for the Free Syrian Army despite the fears that the FSA might have links to extremist groups in the region. The Syrian Support Group insists that the money raised will not get into the wrong hands. How can they be sure?(Image: Brian Sayers)

28 Elo 201223min

Maajid Nawaz is a British born Muslim who became a radical Islamist. He was arrested and imprisoned in Hosni Mubarak's Egypt but when he emerged from prison he renounced his former views and launched a campaign to counter Islamist ideology. To some he's a truth teller, to others a traitor. Stephen Sackur asks him to explain his extraordinary transformation.

27 Elo 201223min