As President Barack Obama begins his second term, will the US continue to give mixed messages about Syria?

As Africa becomes the new frontline in the so-called war on terror, have the Europeans learnt from America's mistakes?

What are the real issues facing the region left unresolved by President Obama's visit?

As the global competition for energy heats up, we examine how new players are rewriting the rules of the great oil game.

With the Catholic Church at a crossroads, we examine the changes a new Pope from the global South could bring.

As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama promised transparency and open government yet his administration is one of the most closed governments in US history, described as being worse than even the Nixon administration.The technology and information revolution allows the government to cast its net wider than ever before; collecting data, watching, spying and analysing. As revelations of systemic snooping continue to hit the headlines, Empire asks: who is watching the watchers? Joining us as we unpack some of the known unknowns are Oscar-winning film director Oliver Stone, and war reporters Jeremy Scahill and Richard Rowley. We unravel the psychology of secrets with psychiatrist Justin Frank, the author of Obama on the Couch and Bush on the Couch. We look at the impact of state secrets brought to light with Dana Priest, a leading Washington Post investigative reporter on national security and author of two books, including her most recent Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State. We are also joined by Michael Ratner, president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and an attorney representing Julian Assange and Wikileaks; as well as Evgeny Morozov, an expert on internet and privacy issues, and author of two books: The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom and his most recent: To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism.

As geopolitical shifts grip Latin America, Empire examines what challenges may yet lie ahead.

"Twenty years after the historic signing of the Oslo Accords, there is still no resolution in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Since Oslo, we have seen dozens more summits, countless initiatives and several more agreements. Empire asks, why are the talks long on process, and short on peace? Why have negotiations failed under the sponsorship of the US? And how likely will peace be achieved as long as the United States remains the broker?

Empire examines the role of the US in the Middle East as it contemplates its future and fate in the region.

Empire delves deep into the future of the US, and asks in which state's image will the country be cast.

Empire examines the complexities and big questions that lie ahead for US-Iranian relations.