Irene Khan, the first woman and Muslim to head Amnesty International, and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, on the global state of human rights.

Islam, immigration, and Europe’s demographic revolution. We’ll look at the new face of Europe.

War crimes, genocide and the rule of law. A documentary tracks the struggle on four continents for the International Criminal Court.

Iran votes in a charged election. We turn to Tehran to examine the aftermath.

Forget the SATs. Forget the “top college” rat race and high-priced American schools. Writer Maya Frost says it’s time for American students to go global, look abroad, and get a global education, for less.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with President Obama. Two countries, two new leaders, two agendas. We’ll look at what’s next for the U.S. and Israel.

We’ll talk with Washington Post national security columnist David Ignatius about Tehran and Washington and his new spy thriller, “The Increment.”

Hash farmers, sex therapists, young bloggers. We’ll go behind the scenes in the Middle East with New York Times correspondent Neil MacFarquhar.

President Obama lifts all restrictions on Cuban American travel and remittances to Cuba. We’ll ask what that may mean for Cuba, and Cuban Americans.

Earthquake in Italy. The president, all over. Gay marriage rolls on. And Somali pirates take an American hostage. Our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines.

A young African economist says “no thanks” to aid for Africa — that it hurts the continent. We’ll stage a debate.

With President Obama across the Atlantic for the G20 summit, we’ll ask Europeans how they see the way out of the global economic crisis — and whether America can still lead.

As Mexican drug cartels reach as far north as Anchorage, and drug kidnappings rock Phoenix, we’ll look at Mexico’s raging drug war, north and south of the border.

The author of “Lipstick Jihad” talks about her new book, “Honeymoon in Tehran,” and the struggle of young Iranians under Ahmadinejad.

The Atlantic’s James Fallows is back from China as America transfers power to a new president. We’ll ask how it all looks to the China maven.

Admiral William Fallon, head of U.S. Central Command until last year, gives us his read on threats, and opportunities, now in the Middle East and beyond.

Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of State. We’ll listen in to proceedings and talk about a new day in U.S. foreign policy.

Top thinkers — economist Laura Tyson and world watcher Noah Feldman — survey the horizon for 2009.

Israeli, Palestinian, and U.S. analysts on what’s next for Gaza — and the Middle East.

Crunch time on Tibet. China smacks down autonomy. Tibetans talk of independence. The Dalai Lama says be careful. We’ll look into the Himalayas.