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    Government

    HARDtalk – BBC World Service

    In-depth, hard-hitting interviews with newsworthy personalities.

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    Copyright: © (C) BBC 2021

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    Latest Episodes:
    Omar Zakhilwal: What ideology will prevail in Afghanistan? Sep 01, 2021

    Will pragmatism or zealotry prevail in Afghanistan, as the Taliban grapple with the reality of ruling a broken country? Stephen Sackur speaks to former finance minister Omar Zakhilwal, who has been involved in talks with the Taliban.

    Maggi Hambling: An evolving creative vision Aug 30, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the artist Maggi Hambling. Her works have won international acclaim, but some have also stirred controversy, including a sculpture unveiled in London last year for 18th century feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. How has her creative vision evolved over the last six decades?

    Andrei Kelin: Russia, Afghanistan and the UK Aug 26, 2021

    The chaotic evacuation operation still underway at Kabul airport has put a harsh spotlight on two decades of US and NATO military commitment in Afghanistan. It looks and feels like a strategic defeat, but what does it tell us about the wider geopolitical balance of power? Stephen Sackur speaks to Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin. Is this reverse for the US and her allies a positive for Russia?

    Paula Kahumbu: Saving Africa's wild spaces Aug 25, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Paula Kahumbu, CEO for WildlifeDirect, Kenya. Her campaign to protect elephants and other endangered species asks Kenyans to prioritise protection of the country’s wild spaces – is it working?

    Gedion Timothewos: Ethiopia's civil war Aug 22, 2021

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Ethiopia’s Attorney General Gedion Timothewos. The conflict between government forces and Tigrayan rebels has cost thousands of lives and revived the spectre of famine – is there a way to avert catastrophe?

    Kamila Sidiqi: What future do Afghanistan's women face? Aug 20, 2021

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Kamila Sidiqi, a leading Afghan women's rights campaigner, entrepreneur and government adviser under President Ghani. She escaped from Kabul as the Taliban took over. Is her cause now lost and who is to blame?

    Tobias Ellwood: Britain's Afghanistan exit Aug 17, 2021

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to British Conservative MP and former soldier Tobias Ellwood. Two decades after they were expelled from Kabul the hard-line Islamists are back. US and British troops are scrambling to complete a humiliating evacuation. It looks like an historic defeat for western powers. How damaging could the consequences be?

    Aly Raisman: Are gold medals put above athletes' wellbeing? Aug 16, 2021

    The athletic excellence seen at the Tokyo Olympics will live long in the memory, but so will the moment the brilliant US gymnast Simone Biles chose not to compete to safeguard her mental and physical health. US gymnastics is still reeling from the repercussions of a sex abuse scandal - what can go wrong when results are put above care of individual athletes? Stephen Sackur speaks to Aly Raisman, a multiple Olympic gold medallist who testified about being abused by the team's former doctor. Is there a wider lesson for elite sport in the shame of American gymnastics?

    Getachew Reda: What is the endgame for Tigray's rebels? Aug 13, 2021

    The humanitarian suffering in northern Ethiopia is appalling, as conflict continues on multiple fronts. Tigrayan rebel forces have won a string of victories over the Ethiopian military, and Ethiopia’s prime minister now says all the state's military resources will be deployed to crush the rebels. Stephen Sackur speaks to Getachew Reda, spokesperson for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. With the death toll rising and man-made famine taking hold, what is the endgame for Tigray’s rebels?

    Daryl Davis: Reaching out to the KKK Aug 11, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Daryl Davis, a black musician who has spent four decades trying to talk to America’s most diehard racists, the Ku Klux Klan. He claims to have forged friendships with white supremacists and opened their minds, but is reaching out to the KKK a distraction from the bigger task of dismantling systemic racism?

    Hamid Mir: Is Pakistan a safe place for journalists? Aug 09, 2021

    In the last year, there have been a string of attacks on reporters in Pakistan. The perpetrators remain unknown and unpunished. The government insists Pakistan is a bastion of media freedom. Hamid Mir is a high-profile columnist and TV presenter, a survivor of several assassination attempts, and is currently facing accusations of sedition. Is the state out to silence independent journalism?

    Sir Andrew Pollard: The war on Covid-19 Aug 06, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and a key figure in the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Science has offered up tools to beat the virus - but from vaccine hesitancy to vaccine inequality - are we making the most of them?

    RoseAnne Archibald: Uncovering Canada's dark past Aug 04, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to RoseAnne Archibald, newly elected National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Canada. The truth about the deaths of thousands of indigenous children in schools infamous for abuse and neglect has shocked the world. Why has Canada failed to heal the wounds of a dark past?

    Sir Hilary Beckles: Reparations for slavery Aug 02, 2021

    Zeinab Badawi speaks to the eminent historian professor Sir Hilary Beckles in Barbados. Over three centuries, Africans were transported to the Caribbean to toil on sugar and cotton plantations - a trade that made Britain rich. For decades there have been calls for compensation to atone for the sins of slavery. Sir Hilary is Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission. Can there be justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans?

    Lazarus Chakwera: President of Malawi Jul 30, 2021

    Sarah Montague speaks to the President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera. The preacher turned politician won power last year pledging to create a million jobs and “clear the rubble” of corruption. But a year on, the economy is being hit hard by the effects of Covid, his government admits it has no idea how many jobs have been created and he’s been accused of nepotism. Can President Chakwera keep the promises he made during the election? (Photo: Lazarus Chakwera, President of Malawi in the Hardtalk studio)

    Péter Szijjártó: Is Hungary undermining European values? Jul 28, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. On a range of issues from press freedom to LGBT rights, Hungary routinely ignores the collective interpretation of EU values. Populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban seems to regard his increasingly toxic relationship with the EU’s institutions as a badge of honour and a political asset. But could Hungary's ongoing row with Brussels cost the country dear? (Photo: Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Hamdullah Mohib: Can the Afghan government hold out against the Taliban? Jul 26, 2021

    Since the United States pulled its troops out of Afghanistan at the beginning of July, the Taliban have continued to retake vast swathes of the country. Reports have emerged that they are once again enforcing the same repressive practices of their past rule; including the closure of girls' schools, public beatings and a prohibition on women travelling unaccompanied outside their homes. Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are not making progress and there are real fears of an all out civil war. Sarah Montague speaks to Afghanistan's National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib. Can the Afghan government hold out against the Taliban? Photo: Afghanistan"s National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib in Kabul, Afghanistan, June 2021 Credit: Reuters

    Fikile Mbalula: Is South Africa's government being confronted with its own failure? Jul 23, 2021

    South Africa is facing its deepest political crisis of the post-apartheid era. Days of violence and looting saw more than 200 people killed and thousands arrested. Stephen Sackur speaks to Fikile Mbalula, the country's transport minister. Is the ANC government being confronted with its own failure?

    Laurent Lamothe: Can anything be done to end Haiti's suffering? Jul 21, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to former Haitian Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe. Pity the eleven million people of Haiti; it is hard to think of a nation more comprehensively shattered by many decades of misrule and the ravages of natural disaster. In the latest lurch toward chaos the president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated earlier this month. Who ordered the hit is not clear but a protracted struggle for power seems certain. Can anything be done to end Haiti’s suffering? (Photo: Laurent Lamothe appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Michael Holding: Can sport win its fight against racism? Jul 19, 2021

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Michael Holding, the former West Indies cricket great who is now a prominent voice confronting racism. In England, there’s a fierce debate about how best to root out racism, following vile abuse aimed at black footballers. But it’s an issue confronting many sports. Is this a fight sport can win? Image: Michael Holding (Credit: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

    Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho: Can courage overcome injustice? Jul 16, 2021

    Measured by the number of murders Mexico is the most dangerous country in the world to be a journalist. Eight were killed last year; and countless more suffered threats, intimidation and violence. Stephen Sackur speaks to Lydia Cacho - one of Mexico’s most prominent journalists who - after decades of assaults, death threats and at least one assassination attempt - is currently in exile for her own safety. Her particular focus is the violence done to women in Mexico and the failure of those in power to make good on promises of protection. Can courage overcome injustice? (Photo: Lydia Cacho appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Jess Phillips: What happened to progressive politics? Jul 14, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to one of the leading figures in the British Labour party, Jess Phillips MP. She’s a tireless campaigner against domestic violence and has won plaudits for her direct, from-the-heart style of politics. Across continents and cultures there is a common, and corrosive, political phenomenon – rising anger and alienation amongst voters who feel neglected and ignored by the system. Is there a way out of today's polarised politics?

    James Lovelock: The fragility of life on Earth Jul 12, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to one of the past century's most influential environmentalists, James Lovelock. He introduced us to the Gaia hypothesis – the idea that our planet and all the life on it are part of one dynamic, self-regulating system. Lovelock is now 101 years old and still having big thoughts about the future of life on Earth. Have we humans sown the seeds of our own destruction?

    Writer Lionel Shriver Jul 07, 2021

    In our culture of 24/7 news and trending social media reactions, it sometimes takes a novelist’s eye to chart the deeper, current events swirling beneath society’s surface. Lionel Shriver is a British-based American writer whose fiction has addressed school shootings, obesity, economic crisis and in her latest book, voluntary euthanasia. She’s a contrarian, but is she also a combatant in the western world’s culture wars?

    Christian Happi: Can Africa become a world leader in vaccine development? Jul 05, 2021

    Zeinab Badawi speaks to Professor Christian Happi whose ground-breaking research is helping tackle diseases that kill thousands every year. He gave up a career at Harvard University in the US and moved back to Africa where is setting up a world-class laboratory in Nigeria which will have a pandemic early detection system. He believes Africa could become a global centre of knowledge about infectious diseases such as Covid-19. How realistic is his vision?

    Victor Gao: 100 years of the Chinese Communist Party Jun 30, 2021

    As the Chinese Communist Party marks its 100th anniversary, Stephen Sackur speaks to veteran party loyalist Victor Gao, vice president of the Centre for China and Globalization in Beijing. The party has engineered a remarkable transformation that’s made China a global superpower, but is the level of internal control and repression sustainable?

    Zainab Ahmed: Can Nigeria avert financial meltdown? Jun 25, 2021

    Africa is going through its first recession in more than a quarter of a century because of the global downturn caused by the Covid pandemic. The economic crisis is being keenly felt in Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country. Its 200 million people are struggling with long-standing challenges, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and deteriorating security. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Nigeria’s finance minister, Zainab Ahmed. What is her plan to avert financial meltdown as well as help deliver stability?

    Rawdah Mohamed: Fashion and Muslim women Jun 23, 2021

    Somali-born fashion editor Rawdah Mohamed has taken up a senior role at the soon-to-be launched Vogue Scandinavia. After moving to Norway as a child, she became a model, and in April created a social media storm with a post called ‘Hands off my Hijab’. How far can she use fashion to overturn negative stereotypes of Muslim women?

    REM lead singer Michael Stipe Jun 21, 2021

    Michael Stipe was the lead singer of one of the most influential bands of the last four decades, REM. He was the figurehead of indie rock, enigmatic, serious, political. Now he’s a visual artist, so how has his creative vision evolved?

    Johan Lundgren, EasyJet CEO: Can his business model survive Covid and climate change? Jun 17, 2021

    No industry has been hit harder by the global pandemic than aviation. Cross-border travel is either banned or constrained by tests and quarantines across much of the world. And, in a time full of uncertainty and insecurity, who wants to travel for either business or pleasure? Stephen Sackur speaks to Johan Lundgren, CEO of EasyJet, Europe’s second biggest budget airline. Can his business model survive the double whammy of Covid and climate change? (Photo: Johan Lundgren in the Hardtalk studio)

    Jens Stoltenberg: Is the old alliance ready to tackle new threats? Jun 16, 2021

    President Biden says the US is determined to lead NATO's response to evolving geographical and technological threats. But there have been marked disagreements between alliance members on relations with Russia, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, defence spending and the so-called ‘systemic challenge’ posed by China. Just how united is the West’s military alliance?

    Ben Rhodes: President Biden's foreign policy challenges Jun 11, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama, Ben Rhodes. He has written a new book, After the Fall, reflecting on his time in the White House, the legacy of President Trump and the foreign policy challenges facing President Biden. With the rise of authoritarian, nationalist trends around the world, is the US in any position to lead a much touted global alliance of democracies? (Photo: Ben Rhodes appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Michael Rosen: Surviving Covid-19 Jun 07, 2021

    Last March, the author and educator Michael Rosen was placed into an induced coma after contracting Covid-19. He has now released a dark, sad and uplifting memoir about his experience, but how did he find the poetic in a pandemic?

    Tom Kerridge: Has the pandemic changed the way we eat? Jun 03, 2021

    How long will it take the hospitality business to recover from the pandemic, and is there a new recognition of the link between our food and our health? Stephen Sackur speaks to British chef Tom Kerridge. (Photo: Tom Kerridge sits in his restaurant with Stephen Sackur)

    John Nkengasong: Can Africa meet its vaccination targets? Jun 01, 2021

    Africa appears to have been relatively spared in the pandemic so far, but plans to have at least 30% of the continent's populations vaccinated by the end of 2021 seem far away. Hardtalk speaks to John Nkengasong, the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Doug Gurr: Advocating for planet Earth May 31, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the new director of London’s world-renowned Natural History Museum, Doug Gurr. They still love their ancient fossils here, but the real focus now is on the fragile future of our planet. Has this become a museum on a mission?

    Fawad Chaudhry: Is Imran Khan reneging on his promises to Pakistan? May 27, 2021

    Who holds the reins of power in Pakistan? Prime Minister Imran Khan leads a government elected in 2018; if Pakistan is a genuine democracy, then that’s where power resides. But many government critics say the military dictates much that happens inside the country, particularly when it comes to silencing opposition to the covert power of the so-called deep state. Stephen Sackur speaks to Pakistan’s Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry. What happened to Imran Khan’s pledge to deliver clean, transparent governance?

    Tito Mboweni: How much has Covid damaged South Africa? May 26, 2021

    South Africa is wrestling with a continued health and economic crisis courtesy of Covid-19, but the country’s ruling ANC party is also distracted by internal divisions over corruption. Stephen Sackur speaks to Tito Mboweni, South Africa’s finance minister .

    Ben Hodges: Is America's global power waning? May 24, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to retired US general Ben Hodges, former Commander of the US Army in Europe. The 20th century was in many ways shaped by America’s unrivalled power; two decades into the new century, and it's clear the story arc is shifting. China is projecting its power across the globe, Russia is out to reassert its regional supremacy, and the limits of American power have been exposed from Iraq to Afghanistan. Is the US in danger of losing the race to define the 21st century?

    Vladimir Chizhov, Russia’s Ambassador to the EU May 21, 2021

    Russia’s relations with the West have been poor for some time but now they have reached a new level of hostility. Since the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, new sanctions have been imposed by both the US and EU. The Ukraine conflict, allegations of cyber attack and covert operations – the list of unresolved issues is growing. Stephen Sackur speaks to Vladimir Chizhov, Russia’s Ambassador to the EU. Is confrontation with the West, President Putin’s strategic choice?

    Husam Zomlot: Palestine's balance of power May 19, 2021

    The latest round of conflict between Israel and militant groups in Gaza has left the Palestinian Authority looking sidelined and powerless. Is this a permanent shift in the Palestinian power dynamic? Stephen Sackur speaks to Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK.

    Kaja Kallas: Do Nato and the EU have Estonia's back? May 17, 2021

    When hostility between Russia and the West, is high the Baltic states get nervous. Will membership of the EU and Nato protect Estonia from the possibility of Russian aggression? Hardtalk speaks to Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of Estonia.

    Tzipi Hotovely: Israel's ambassador to the UK May 13, 2021

    The escalating violence between Israel and the militant Islamic groups in Gaza has the potential to inflict terrible bloodshed, but will it change any of the underlying realities in this seemingly endless conflict? Stephen Sackur speaks to Israel’s Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely. (Photo: Tzipi Hotovely in the Hardtalk studio)

    Harry Theoharis: What is in store for European summer holidays? May 11, 2021

    We have reached the point in the Covid pandemic where the impacts of the virus are varying wildly. Here in the UK, infection rates have been contained and a rapid vaccine roll out is having its effect, but in many other countries the situation remains critical. In this patchwork pandemic how much scope is there for a resumption of travel and tourism? Stephen Sackur speaks to Greece’s Minister of Tourism Haris Theoharis. (Photo: Haris Theoharis, Greece's Minister of Tourism)

    Fawzia Koofi: The future for women in Afghanistan May 10, 2021

    Zeinab Badawi interviews Fawzia Koofi, the first woman to lead a political party in Afghanistan, and is part of an Afghan delegation in talks with the Taliban. Yet she is one of their fiercest critics, endures constant intimidation, and has survived several attempts on her life. Why is Fawzia Koofi so worried about the future stability of Afghanistan and its women?

    Mohammed Alyahya: Does Saudi Arabia still have America's support? May 07, 2021

    Month by month, US President Joe Biden is shifting away from Trump-era foreign policy positions. But how dramatic will the pivot be? In the Middle East, there are signs of a changed approach to the region's two oil-rich adversaries Saudi Arabia and Iran; more pressure on the Saudis, more engagement with Tehran. Stephen Sackur speaks to the influential boss of Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya English news channel, Mohamed Alyahya. Have the Saudis forfeited America’s unstinting support? (Photo: Mohamed Alyahya appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Mohamedou Ould Slahi: What is the Guantanamo legacy? May 05, 2021

    Stephen Sackur interviews Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian citizen who was once identified as a high value al-Qaeda terrorist, serving 14 years in America’s Guantanamo Bay prison. He was eventually released without charge, and now a film, The Mauritanian, has been released telling this remarkable story. What is the Guantanamo Bay legacy? (Photo: Mohamedou Ould Slahi appears via videolink on Hardtalk)

    Artists Gilbert Prousch & George Passmore May 03, 2021

    Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore first met as art students in London in the late 1960s and ever since then they've been together as a couple and as an artistic duo. From the beginning they’re own physical presence has been central to their work and they see themselves as living sculptures. They appear in most of their work, wearing their distinctive tweed jackets and ties. Their subject matter is the stuff of daily life in London, including the stuff other artists would never dream of using including bodily fluids, faeces and trash. Over the decades they’ve had work exhibited in many of the world's top modern art galleries and have sold works for millions of dollars. Now in London they’ve presented a collection of lockdown era work entitled New Normal pictures but is there anything normal about Gilbert and George?

    Dmytro Kuleba: Has the Russian threat to Ukraine receded? Apr 28, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba. A few days ago, the Ukrainian Government was pleading for international help to confront the threat of a Russian military offensive from the East, but the feared assault never came. Russia declared its military exercise was over, and began to redeploy its forces. What did Ukraine and the outside world learn from this rattling of Russian sabres? (Photo: Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Sir Peter Westmacott: Are we at peak geopolitical risk? Apr 26, 2021

    Russian troops are massing on Ukraine’s border, while China and the US are locked in Cold War-style hostility. Cyberwarfare makes states, systems and individuals feel newly vulnerable. Stephen Sackur interviews Sir Peter Westmacott - he was Britain’s Ambassador in Washington, Paris and Ankara. Does he think we are at peak geopolitical risk?

    Navalny aide Vladimir Ashurkov: Is Putin about to eliminate his most dangerous opponent? Apr 23, 2021

    The imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny describes himself as a walking skeleton. He’s refusing food in protest at his medical treatment, and thousands of Russians joined protests to show their solidarity. The Kremlin seems intent on destroying Navalny’s movement, irrespective of internal dissent or international condemnation. Stephen Sackur speaks to Vladimir Ashurkov, a key Navalny ally and executive director of his anti-corruption foundation. Is Putin about to eliminate his most dangerous opponent?

    Michael Mann: The new climate war? Apr 20, 2021

    President Biden is promising hundreds of billions of dollars to speed up the decarbonisation of the US economy – the White House wants cooperation with China to make good on the Paris agreement on emissions cuts. Stephen Sackur interviews Michael Mann, one of America’s leading climate scientists. He says a new climate war is unfolding. If so, who are today’s biggest climate enemies?

    Silvia Foti: When truth trumps family loyalty Apr 16, 2021

    Stephen Sackur interviews Silvia Foti, an American writer whose grandfather was a Lithuanian man hailed as heroic patriot who paid with his life resisting the Soviets. But according to his granddaughter, Jonas Noreika was no hero - he had the blood of thousands of Jews on his hands. She’s chosen to speak out, angering many in Lithuania. What happens when truth trumps family loyalty?

    Serj Tankian: System of a Down frontman on activism and music Apr 14, 2021

    Serj Tankian is the frontman of world-renowned rock band System of a Down, but is also an arch advocate for his family’s homeland, Armenia. His passionate views on genocide, war and corrupt governance have won him millions of fans and numerous enemies. What matters more to him: the politics or the music?

    Tsitsi Dangarembga: Are better days coming for Zimbabwe? Apr 12, 2021

    Zeinab Badawi interviews playwright, novelist and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, one of Zimbabwe’s most influential and acclaimed cultural figures. Arrested for her political activism, she says her art gives her a platform to call for change. Is she optimistic about her country's future? What are the prospects for better days in Zimbabwe, when every day is a struggle?

    Amrullah Saleh: Is the Afghan peace process running out of road? Apr 09, 2021

    If Afghanistan is to find a way out of seemingly never-ending war the next few weeks will be critically important. The Biden Administration is pressing the Afghan Government and the Taliban to accept a transition plan based on a ceasefire and power-sharing. It’s a tough sell, given the taliban has intensified its military campaign in recent months. But what’s the alternative? Stephen Sackur speaks to Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh. Is the Afghan peace process running out of road?

    Ken Rogoff: Does Bidenomics make sense? Apr 06, 2021

    The Covid pandemic looks like a watershed moment in global economics. Big Government is back as the failsafe engine of economic growth, as the usual fears such as soaring debt and rising inflation have been pushed aside. Stephen Sackur interviews acclaimed US economist Ken Rogoff, once dubbed ‘the godfather of austerity’. Is he a convert to Bidenomics?

    Barbara Amiel: What do the super-rich owe the rest of the world? Apr 05, 2021

    The proportion of wealth owned by a super-rich elite continues to grow in societies around the world. The glaring disparity between the 'have-mosts' and the 'have-nothings' has fuelled a wave of political anger. Stephen Sackur speaks to the former newspaper columnist, editor, and one-time high society hostess Barbara Amiel, whose recent memoir, wittingly or not, paints an extraordinary, even grotesque, picture of the lives of the wealthy.

    Sir Vartan Melkonian: From Beirut street child to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Apr 02, 2021

    Sir Vartan Melkonian began his life as an Armenian refugee in Lebanon, spending his early years in an orphanage outside Beirut, followed by living rough on the streets for many years. He is now a renowned musician, conductor and composer. Zeinab Badawi hears his remarkable story.

    Erika Lust: Can porn be feminist? Mar 30, 2021

    Porn is one of the biggest drivers of internet traffic and a generator of vast amounts of money, but also an industry in a state of flux. The biggest online porn platforms have been accused of profiting from criminality and abuse. Stephen Sackur interviews Erika Lust - pornographer, feminist and entrepreneur. Is there such a thing as ethical porn?

    Marina Abramović: A remarkable career pushed to the limits Mar 29, 2021

    Much of the art we love is presented via a medium - be it a canvas, a recording or celluloid. Stephen Sackur interviews Marina Abramović, an artist whose primary resource is her own body. In the course of a remarkable career, the world's most famous and garlanded performance artist has pushed herself to the very limits of physical endurance and stirred intense reaction from audiences confronting her eye to eye. Her art and life are one; so what do they tell us?

    Jean-Claude Juncker: Is Covid an unprecedented test of EU cohesion? Mar 26, 2021

    The Covid-19 pandemic has presented the European Union with an unprecedented test of its cohesion and competence. Right now, the scorecard looks decidedly mixed, with many member states facing a third wave of infection while, the vaccination rollout lags far behind that in post-Brexit Britain. Stephen Sackur speaks to the former president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. He once bemoaned a loss of collective EU libido, but is the problem getting worse?

    Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee: Is the concept of ‘one country, two systems’ dead? Mar 24, 2021

    It seems the Biden Administration is putting greater emphasis on human rights issues in its already fraught relationship with China. Will that prompt Beijing to think twice about the crackdown on pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong? Stephen Sackur interviews Regina Ip, Chair of the New People’s Party, member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and one of Beijing’s most loyal backers in the territory. Is the concept of ‘one country, two systems’ dead? (Photo: Regina Ip appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Baroness Minouche Shafik: What do we owe each other? Mar 22, 2021

    The idea of a social contract between the individual and the state is a staple of political philosophy. But what happens when that contract is threatened by forces beyond the control of any government, like a climate crisis or, right now, a global pandemic? Stephen Sackur speaks to Baroness Minouche Shafik, director of the London School of Economics and former top official at the World Bank. Is humanity capable of collective action to meet global challenges?

    Stephen King: Are you afraid of the dark? Mar 19, 2021

    Millions of readers all over the world are drawn to fiction that explores our fears. Horror sells and no-one does it better or more prolifically than Stephen King. He’s written more than 60 books, sold close to 400 million copies - he is the master manipulator of dark places and the paranormal. If you're not a reader you may have seen the Shining, Carrie, Stand by Me - all films based on his stories. He's been writing for half a century – how has our appetite for fear evolved?

    Vjosa Osmani: Acting President of Kosovo Mar 17, 2021

    The legacy of conflict and hate left behind after the collapse of Yugoslavia is not easily overcome. They know that in Kosovo, which declared independent statehood a dozen years ago but has yet to make a lasting peace with neighbouring Serbia. Right now Kosovo is experiencing a major political shift. Stephen Sackur speaks to the country’s Acting President Vjosa Osmani. She is part of a new generation of young, post-war politicians challenging the old guard of the Kosovar independence struggle. She promises clean government and a fresh start, but can she deliver?

    Adar Poonawalla: How to vaccinate the world Mar 15, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the biggest vaccine producer in the world, Serum Institute of India. He went all-in on a production deal with Astrazeneca, and for many of us, the jab we get will have been made by him. He’s a super-rich vaccine visionary; is he driven by more than profit?

    Dr Sasa: Does Myanmar have a democratic future? Mar 12, 2021

    Dr Sasa has a remarkable life story, which has taken him from a remote mountain village in western Myanmar to a place in the international media spotlight as a key spokesman for the political movement intent on reversing February’s military coup. He is from the Chin people - one of many minorities to have suffered long-term discrimination and persecution in Myanmar, or Burma as it was. He was the first child in his village to go to high school. He went on to train as a doctor and has devoted much of his life to improving medical and educational opportunities for the Chin people. For the past decade he’s been an activist in the National League for Democracy. He was with party leader and national figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi just hours before the generals mounted their coup on February 1. She was detained, along with many members of Myanmar’s Government and parliament. Dr Sasa managed to flee to a neighbouring, but undisclosed country. He’s since been appointed as UN representative of the Committee representing the ousted parliament, and is a leading voice in the pro-democracy movement. But with the military continuing to use lethal force against street protests what options do the opponents of the coup really have?

    Jewher Ilham: Fears for her Uighur family in China Mar 10, 2021

    A combination of personal testimony, leaked documents and satellite imagery points to a systematic policy of repression of the Muslim Uighur population of Xinjiang province in China. Jewher Ilham, a young Uighur woman, currently living in America, tells Stephen Sackur about her campaign to save her father who has been imprisoned for the past 7 years. The fate of the Uighurs has become a geopolitical issue - but is anything going to change?

    Evan McMullin: What next for anti-Trump Republicans? Mar 08, 2021

    Despite losing the presidency and both Houses of Congress, Donald Trump still seems to have a chokehold on the Republican party. So what will Republican anti-Trumpers do next: continue the fight from within the party, or get out and create a new one? Evan McMullin is one of the most prominent American Republicans determined to loosen President Trump's grip on the Party, and one of the key organisers and strategists behind the Stand Up Republic group of unhappy Republicans.

    Khin Zaw Win: Protests in Myanmar Mar 05, 2021

    Mass protests against military rule across Myanmar have been met with increasing force, and the death toll is rising. Stephen Sackur interviews Khin Zaw Win, a prominent political prisoner under the previous junta. What do the people of Myanmar want now - and what are they likely to get?

    Valdis Dombrovskis: Is the EU ready to aggressively defend its interests? Mar 03, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President with responsibility for the economy and trade, Valdis Dombrovskis. Protectionism and nationalism are on the rise in global trade. With the US and China locked in strategic competition, is the EU ready to aggressively defend its interests?

    Harvey Goldsmith: Can live music survive Covid? Mar 01, 2021

    Stephen Sackur interviews one of the UK’s top live music promoters, Harvey Goldsmith. One of the many costs of the Covid pandemic means that, in much of the world, we can’t gather to enjoy the arts live; the creative world we used to know may be hard to revive. Has the cultural cost of Covid been ignored?

    Dr Seth Berkley: How to ensure the whole world gets a Covid vaccine Feb 26, 2021

    Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that a vast gulf is opening up between Covid vaccination rates in the richest countries and the poorest. But still the numbers are shocking. While the UK has given 27% of its population a first dose, many nations have yet to inject a single arm. Hardtalk speaks to Dr Seth Berkley, head of Gavi, the Global Vaccine Alliance and key driver of the effort to ensure the whole world gets Covid protection. It is a great ambition; is it achievable?

    Elizabeth Neumann: The battle for the soul of the US Republican Party Feb 24, 2021

    How far does the Republican party need to go to reinvent itself following Donald Trumps defeat in the November Presidential election? Elizabeth Neumann, a former counter terror official in the Trump Administration says she saw America’s far right, white-supremacists as a growing security threat and she felt Donald Trump was fanning the flames of their extremism. In April 2020 she resigned. Now she says she is fighting for what she calls accountability in the Republican party - but has her stand come too late?

    Timothy Snyder: Lessons from history Feb 22, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Timothy Snyder, renowned American historian of totalitarianism and the Holocaust, about the Trump presidency. Professor Snyder believes the former US president and his movement brought America face to face with early stage fascism. Historical parallels may be seductive, but are they useful?

    Douglas Stuart: Stories of tender souls in tough places Feb 19, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the Booker prize-winning author Douglas Stuart. His novel, Shuggie Bain, centres on a boy growing up amid poverty, addiction and intolerance in Glasgow. There are deep parallels with his own life. How does he extract so much love from hardship?

    Yogendra Yadav: Are farmers' protests a defining moment for India? Feb 17, 2021

    Thousands of Indian farmers are keeping up their long-running protest against farm law reform. Stephen Sackur interviews Yogendra Yadav, leader of the Swaraj Party and prominent backer of the farmers’ cause. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has faced down a host of opponents in the past. Is his government versus the farmers a defining moment for India?

    Kirill Dmitriev: Russia's Sputnik V a vaccine for humankind? Feb 15, 2021

    Right now the world is seeing two sides of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The one he wants you to see is the scientifically advanced nation offering the world an effective Covid vaccine known as Sputnik V. The one he’d rather you ignore is the repressive authoritarian state that ruthlessly eliminates those who threaten the status quo. Stephen Sackur speaks to Kirill Dmitriev a Putin ally, the boss of one of Russia’s sovereign wealth funds and a key backer of the Russian vaccine.

    Clément Beaune: Is Covid-19 exposing weaknesses in the EU? Feb 12, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to France’s Europe Minister, Clément Beaune. The European Union faces a huge Covid challenge. The vaccine rollout has been slow, internal free movement is a concern, and tensions with Britain post-Brexit have risen. Is the virus exposing weaknesses in the EU?

    Laurie Santos: Can we learn how to be happy? Feb 10, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to American psychologist Professor Laurie Santos, whose work at Yale University on the science of happiness has won her an audience of millions thanks to her podcast and free online courses. With strict lockdowns in many countries around the world, isolation, economic insecurity, the absence of family and friends, Covid is putting enormous pressure on our mental health. Can we really learn how to be happy?

    Evan Medeiros: How should Biden approach China? Feb 08, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Evan Medeiros, who was President Obama’s top adviser on China policy. Under Donald Trump, US-China relations soured dramatically. A potentially dangerous era of competition and even confrontation beckons. What should President Biden's strategy be towards China?

    Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Has Belarus’s revolution stalled? Feb 05, 2021

    Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya says she won last year’s presidential election in Belarus, and she is still intent on toppling Europe’s last de-facto dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. After months of protests and brutal repression, has Belarus’s revolution stalled? (Photo: Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Credit: Reuters)

    Dr Soumya Swaminathan: Is vaccine inequity undermining the fight against Covid? Feb 03, 2021

    The roll out of Covid-19 vaccines has boosted hopes the virus can be tamed. But it will have to be worldwide effort if it is to be effective, and right now the signs aren’t good. While tens of millions have already been vaccinated in the rich west, the world’s poor are facing a very long wait. The phrase ‘vaccine apartheid’ has already been coined. Stephen Sackur speaks to the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organisation Dr Soumya Swaminathan. Is vaccine inequity undermining the fight against Covid?

    Madawi Al-Rasheed: Can the Saudi Crown Prince's authority really be challenged? Feb 01, 2021

    President Biden has reportedly paused arms sales to Saudi Arabia as his administration reviews relations with its long-time strategic ally. But is there any prospect of external or internal pressure challenging the authority of Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman? Stephen Sackur speaks to exiled opposition activist Madawi Al-Rasheed. What next for Saudi Arabia, reform, repression, or maybe both?

    Thomas Byrne: Ireland's twin challenge Jan 30, 2021

    The new year sees Ireland facing the twin challenges of Covid and post-Brexit economics. How is the country coping? And is Dublin’s strategic vision of Northern Ireland’s future changing? Stephen Sackur interviews Ireland’s Europe Minister, Thomas Byrne.

    Leonid Volkov: Protests on the streets of Russia Jan 29, 2021

    Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is the most resilient opponent Vladimir Putin has ever faced. Navalny survived assassination by Novichok, returned to Russia and is now in a prison cell. Stephen Sackur speaks to Navalny’s chief of staff Leonid Volkov. The opposition movement has supporters willing to take to the streets in anti-Putin protests in Russian towns and cities; but do they have a strategy capable of forcing Putin out of power? (Photo: Leonid Volkov appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Yuli Edelstein: Israel's Covid-19 vaccination programme leads the world Jan 27, 2021

    Israel is leading the world in the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine. More than a million Israelis have had their second dose, the prime minister claims the vast majority of adults will have been immunised by mid march, allowing the country to ease restrictions. Does the Health Minister, Yuli Edelstein, think Israel has shown responsible and ethical coronavirus management? (Photo: Yuli Edelstein appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Lina Khan: Can big tech companies be tamed by US antitrust laws? Jan 21, 2021

    Can and should anything be done to halt the inexorable rise of the global technology giants such as Amazon, Google and Facebook? Over the past decade we’ve seen these tech titans come to dominate data collection, cloud computing, retail, social media and publishing, but now there is pushback from anti-monopoly lawyers and sceptical politicians. Stephen Sackur speaks to the American lawyer Lina Khan, who is at the forefront of the movement to tame big tech. But whose interest is she serving? (Photo: Lina Khan appears via videolink on Hardtalk)

    Kenneth Chan: Is democracy lost in Hong Kong? Jan 20, 2021

    The Chinese government began this year by intensifying its crackdown on the pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong. Amid mass arrests, the surveillance of the media and academia is there any safe space left for those fighting for Hong Kong’s political autonomy? Stephen Sackur speaks to long-time activist in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, Kenneth Chan. Is the fight for freedom in Hong Kong lost? (Photo: Keneth Chan appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Tamara Rojo: Ballet in a pandemic Jan 18, 2021

    Some of the things the Covid pandemic has taken away are easier to quantify than others. The death toll and the job losses make headlines, but the closed arts venues, the lack of shared creative experiences, not so much. But make no mistake, the arts face an unprecedented crisis. HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to Tamara Rojo, the internationally renowned dancer and artistic director of the English National Ballet. Can the performing arts withstand the Covid calamity?

    Alan Dershowitz: Trump's second impeachment Jan 15, 2021

    Donald Trump has secured a unique place in the history books as the first president in American history to be impeached twice. What that means in practical terms isn't clear. There’ll be no Trump trial in the Senate before Joe Biden moves into the White House, but Democrats insist he will be held to account for the assault on the Capitol. Stephen Sackur speaks to the veteran lawyer Alan Dershowitz, part of the defence team in the first impeachment. Will he get involved in the sequel, and how will it play in a divided America?

    Virologist Barry Schoub: South Africa's covid situation 'is bleak' Jan 13, 2021

    South Africa is now grappling with a highly transmissible new strain of Covid-19 that is causing international concern. Stephen Sackur interviews Professor Barry Schoub, virologist and Chair of the South African Government’s Advisory Committee on Covid-19 vaccines. What does the country’s Covid crisis mean for the worldwide effort to end the pandemic? (Photo: Professor Barry Schoub appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Alan Rusbridger: Fact v fiction Jan 11, 2021

    Stephen Sackur interviews Alan Rusbridger, former editor of The Guardian and now a member of Facebook’s Oversight Board. The Covid-19 pandemic is a test of global public health systems, but it also presents a profound challenge to our media and information networks. How do we ensure that fact prevails over fiction? (Photo: Alan Rusbridger appears via video link on Hardtalk)

    Admiral James Stavridis: The aftermath of the capitol riot Jan 08, 2021

    The Trump inspired insurrection on Capitol Hill failed. But the wounds to America’s body politic are now raw and deep. The President remains Commander in Chief with his finger on the nuclear button, but is that tenable for the next two weeks? What are the dramatic death throes of the Trump presidency doing to America’s standing in the wider world? Stephen Sackur speaks to retired US admiral and former Supreme Commander of Nato’s armed forces James Stavridis. How deep is the hole America is in?

    Neil Ferguson: Did the UK get its Covid strategy wrong? Jan 06, 2021

    Stephen Sackur speaks to British epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson, whose early modelling of Covid-19 made him an influential advocate of the lockdown strategy. The UK is back in lockdown and infections are surging. What has gone wrong, and why have other countries done better?

    Hermann Hauser: Is Europe failing to create tech champions? Dec 21, 2020

    The tech sector is fast becoming a battleground where the world’s greatest economic powers, the US and China, are competing for power and influence. Where is Europe in this race to shape the digital future? We speak to Hermann Hauser, a tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist who has profoundly shaped Europe and the UK’s technology sector. Is Europe failing to build its own tech champions?

    Christopher Ruddy: Is the media amplifying division in America? Dec 16, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Christopher Ruddy, CEO of the conservative Newsmax media group and close personal friend of Donald Trump. His network has tried to outfox Fox News by being Trumpier than Trump. The President's unfounded claims of a stolen election might have been great for ratings, but what's it done to America’s body politic?

    Bernardine Evaristo: Is British culture changing? Dec 14, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Bernardine Evaristo, the Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other. In any society, the voices that are listened to, and the stories that are shared, say much about who is deemed to belong and who is excluded. On that basis, Britain is changing, but how deep does the cultural change go?

    David Beasley of the World Food Programme: Is the world set for new famines? Dec 11, 2020

    This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the World Food Programme, the UN agency dedicated to feeding the hungry and fending off mass starvation. This week the award was handed to the body's executive director, David Beasley, in recognition of the agency’s worldwide effort to overcome the challenges of conflict and Covid-19. 2020 has been a terrible year for those experiencing extreme hunger; is there a real danger that 2021 will be even worse? (Photo: David Beasley, director of the WFP appears via videolink on Hardtalk)

    Owase Jeelani: Making life and death decisions Dec 07, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the paediatric neurosurgeon Owase Jeelani. Brain surgery carries with it an awesome burden of responsibility. And within neurosurgery there are particular challenges that take the physical and ethical pressure to an extreme. Imagine doing complex brain surgery on small children; then imagine trying to split conjoined twin babies joined at the head. Mr Jeelani's work has made headlines around the world. How does he deal with the stress of life and death decision-making?

    Ishaq Dar: Pakistan's power struggle Dec 02, 2020

    Imran Khan won power in Pakistan two years ago with a promise to root out corruption and take on the country’s vested interests. So how's it going? Rising food prices and the Covid pandemic have left many Pakistanis feeling worse off, while the anti-corruption drive has become a political battleground. Stephen Sackur speaks to Ishaq Dar, who was Pakistan's finance minister. The country's anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau, alleges he owned assets beyond his means of income, which he denies. He and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are trying to rally opposition to Imran Khan, but how much credibility do they have?

    Anthony Gardner: How will Joe Biden handle foreign policy? Nov 30, 2020

    With Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the presidential election running out of road, attention is increasingly focused on President Elect Biden’s vision of America’s role in the world. Will he revert back to the policies and assumptions that defined the Obama years? Are there lessons to be learnt from Trump's disruption of foreign policy norms? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Anthony Gardner, US ambassador to the EU under Barack Obama. What should the world expect from President Biden?

    Gedion Timothewos: Is Ethiopia sliding into civil war? Nov 27, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Ethiopia’s Attorney General, Gedion Timothewos. Ethiopia’s federal armed forces have launched the final phase of their assault on Tigrayan rebels in the north of the country. International observers have voiced deep concern about possibly devastating humanitarian consequences. This after many hundreds have already been killed, and tens of thousands have been forced to flee three weeks of fighting. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pledged to bring the country together - why has it gone so horribly wrong? (Photo: Gedion Timothewos appears via videolink on Hardtalk)

    Jeremy Hunt: Britain's battle with Covid-19 Nov 25, 2020

    The UK has the highest Covid-19 death toll in Europe and one of the steepest declines in economic output. Opinion polls suggest Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claims of a world-beating governmental response cut little ice with the public. Stephen Sackur speaks to Jeremy Hunt, former Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Mr Johnson’s rival for leadership of the Conservative party. Has the pandemic exposed weaknesses in the country and its leader?

    David Nabarro: How can countries minimise Covid damage? Nov 23, 2020

    This is a bittersweet moment in the global fight against the Covid pandemic. Joy that at least two vaccine trials have produced extremely promising results is tempered by the continued spread of the disease across much of the world. To put it bluntly, the global containment effort has had limited success. Stephen Sackur speaks to Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy for Covid-19. Are countries doing enough to minimise the damage done before mass vaccination changes the game?

    Pawel Jablonski: Why is Poland blocking the EU's budget? Nov 20, 2020

    The EU is facing an internal political crisis. Two members, Poland and Hungary, are blocking the passage of a new budget and a post-Covid recovery package, claiming it includes unacceptable conditions. At issue is the EU's ability to tie funds to members' adherence to core EU values, such as the rule of law. Stephen Sackur speaks to Pawel Jablonski, Poland's deputy foreign minister. Can Poland afford to defy Brussels' will?

    Judit Varga: How far is Hungary prepared to go in its defiance of the EU? Nov 18, 2020

    The EU has long threatened to punish the populist nationalist government in Hungary for a failure to uphold core EU values. So far the threats have been empty, but now there’s a concerted effort to link post-Covid financial aid to compliance with core principles on the rule of law. Stephen Sackur speaks to Hungary’s Justice Minister Judit Varga. How far is Hungary prepared to go in its defiance of Brussels institutions and EU norms? (Photo: Judit Varga via video link on Hardtalk)

    Arancha Gonzalez: How much influence does the EU have? Nov 16, 2020

    In the midst of of a pandemic which has inflicted severe damage on the European economy, it is tempting to see the US election victory of Joe Biden as a boost for the EU. After all, Donald Trump seemed to view Europe more as an economic rival than strategic partner. Stephen Sackur speaks to Spain's foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez. What kind of power and influence can the EU wield on the world stage when it is grappling with a covid-recession, Brexit and deep internal division?

    HR McMaster: Trump and the transition Nov 13, 2020

    Donald Trump hasn’t yet accepted it, but he’ll be out of the White House in January next year. Gone but not forgotten. His legacy can be seen in a divided body politic, strained international alliances and deep uncertainty about America’s geopolitical ambition. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Lt. General HR McMaster, who served as Mr Trump’s National Security Adviser until he was fired in 2018. In terms of America’s role in the world, will the Trump years be seen as an aberration or a marker of underlying change?

    Jack Kingston: What is next for Trump? Nov 11, 2020

    Donald Trump can't and won't bring himself to concede that he lost the Presidential election. Amid the talk of legal challenges in a slew of states the Republican party is under strain - most senior figures sticking with the President, some very publicly backing away. Stephen Sackur speaks to the former Congressman and loyal Trump backer Jack Kingston. What longer term lessons should his party be taking from the imminent loss of the White House?

    Leopoldo Lopez: An opposition leader in exile Nov 09, 2020

    The socialist government of Venezuela presides over an economy in meltdown and a population desperate for change. Yet the country's opposition has failed to build a movement capable of bringing down President Nicolas Maduro. Why? In an exclusive interview, Stephen Sackur speaks to Leopoldo Lopez, the founder of the opposition Popular Will party. Last month, he escaped from Venezuela and found refuge in Spain. Is that the action of a man who has lost faith in the opposition's ability to win their struggle?

    Jacob Bleacher: Putting astronauts back on the moon Nov 04, 2020

    Scientists have discovered water on the sunlit surface of the Moon for the first time. Does it matter? Well, maybe it does. The Moon is back in vogue in terms of space exploration – the US says it will put astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2024. It is supposed to be the precursor to a manned mission to Mars. Stephen Sackur speaks to Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist at NASA. In this time of pandemic and climate change here on Earth, is space exploration a potential lifeline or a massive vanity project?

    Perez Hilton: The 2000s' gossip-in-chief Nov 02, 2020

    Gossip, scurrilous rumour, a fascination with the flaws of the rich and famous: these human foibles are as old as the hills, but the age of the internet has amplified their power. Perez Hilton, real name Mario Lavandeira, can lay claim to being the godfather of online gossip and scandal mongering. He created his showbiz gossip blog 16 years ago, and made a pile of money trashing reputations and inflicting misery on the famous. Now he says he’s sorry, but should we believe him?

    Jim Clyburn: Can Biden win? Oct 30, 2020

    According to the polls Joe Biden is strong favourite to be the next President of the United States. But the party’s leaders bear deep scars from 2016. Donald Trump overcame the odds and beat Hillary Clinton and he claims he can do it again next week. Even if Biden wins does America really know what his presidency would look like? Stephen Sackur speaks to one of the most senior Democrats in Congress, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. Is Democratic party confidence more than skin deep? Photo: US House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee Chairman James E. Clyburn Credit: Getty Images

    Dominique Schnapper on secularism in France after Samuel Paty's killing Oct 28, 2020

    The beheading of a teacher by an 18-year-old outside Paris struck a particularly jarring blow to the French psyche. Samuel Paty was murdered for teaching his students, including young Muslims, about freedom of speech, including the freedom to mock religion. His killing was seen by some as an attack on France’s secular values. Stephen Sackur speaks to Dominique Schnapper, president of a council which advises the government on secularism in education. Is France's government getting its response to this tragedy right?

    Peter Frankopan: Can history offer us any lessons on the coronavirus pandemic? Oct 23, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Peter Frankopan, historian and author of the bestselling book The Silk Roads. There’s plentiful evidence that the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted more serious damage on the US than China. Has the impact of Covid-19 reinforced the notion that global power and influence is shifting to the East?

    Jack Kingston: Can Trump win? Oct 20, 2020

    In a few days time Americans will give their verdict on President Donald Trump. Do they want four more years of Trump in the White House, or will they opt for the other septuagenarian Joe Biden - wholly different in style and worldview? Stephen Sackur speaks to the former Republican Congressman and loyal Trump campaigner Jack Kingston. The polls consistently say Trump is in big trouble. Is there good reason to think they are wrong?

    Jim O'Neill: Is this a time for governments to be bold? Oct 16, 2020

    In every crisis there is opportunity. It is a mantra beloved by business schools and political strategists, but should it offer us comfort as Covid-19 continues to ravage the global economy? Stephen Sackur speaks to Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, erstwhile advisor to the British Government and champion of big measures to revive growth. Is this really the time to be bold?

    Rob Schenck: Can Trump still count on the religious right? Oct 14, 2020

    We cannot know the contents of Donald Trump’s soul, but its fair to say his personal behaviour doesn't point to deeply held Christian belief. And yet the evangelical Christian right is a key pillar of his support base. Could that change in November’s election? Stephen Sackur speaks to Rob Schenck, an influential evangelical pastor and long-time anti-abortion activist who broke with fellow social conservatives over gun control. Can Donald Trump still count on the loyalty of the religious right?

    Volodymyr Zelensky: How is Ukraine's president faring? Oct 12, 2020

    When Ukrainians overwhelmingly voted to make a comedian president, Europeans wondered what the punchline would be. In an exclusive interview, Stephen Sackur speaks to Volodymyr Zelensky, the comic actor who played a president on TV before getting the job in real life. He has had 18 months to make good on his promise to end corruption and find a pathway to peace with Russia. How is he doing?

    Narendra Taneja: How well has India handled the coronavirus crisis? Oct 09, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the national spokesman for India's ruling BJP Narendra Taneja. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dominance of Indian politics is unquestioned but his ability to deliver competent government in a crisis is less certain. India now has the second highest official number of Covid infections in the world, and the real figure is thought to be up to ten times higher. Is Mr Modi’s populist strong man act about to come unstuck?

    Joe Henrich: Is Western society 'weird'? Oct 06, 2020

    The debate between nature and nurture is as old as the hills - is genetics or cultural conditioning the key to understanding human evolution? We speak to Joseph Henrich, a Harvard professor whose fascination with human evolution and anthropology has brought him to a radical conclusion. He says Western societies preoccupied with the individual not the collective are weird, and the cultural power of the West has skewed our view of what is normal. How much do we humans really have in common?

    James Rebanks: Sustainable food in a growing world Oct 04, 2020

    In a special edition of the programme, HARDtalk is in the area known as the Lake District in north-west England. The landscape is beautiful, but is not wild. The fields have been shaped by generations of shepherds and stockmen. Stephen Sackur speaks to James Rebanks, whose farm has been in his family's hands for at least 600 years. In his book - English Pastoral - he advocates for a better kind of farming that is more sustainable and environmentally responsible. But are his ideas compatible with putting affordable food on all of our tables?

    Leroy Logan: How hard is it to root out discrimination in the police? Oct 02, 2020

    The sense of systemic racial injustice in policing that has fuelled the Black Lives Matter movement is shared far beyond the shores of the United States. In Britain, it is two decades since a top level inquiry into London's police force found it to be institutionally racist. How much has really changed? Stephen Sackur speaks to Leroy Logan, who was one of London's top black policemen until his retirement seven years ago. How easy is it to root out discrimination dressed in a police uniform?

    Paolo Gentiloni: Can Europe's economy recover? Sep 30, 2020

    The economic fallout of Covid-19 has been tough, and with new waves of the virus appearing, restrictions on economic activity are being reimposed in many countries. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Paolo Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for the Economy. How confident is he that the world's second-largest economy can make a recovery?

    Yusef Salaam: How to reform the US criminal justice system Sep 28, 2020

    Yusef Salaam was just 16 when he and four other black and Latino teenagers were wrongly convicted of the rape and assault of a woman jogging in New York’s Central Park. Even before their trial the then property tycoon Donald Trump took out newspaper ads calling for the death penalty. The five served out their sentences before being exonerated when another man admitted to the crime. Yusef Salaam says their case is the story of the criminal system of injustice in America. But as anti-racism protests continue, and fears of worse unrest to come, is the chance of real change even more remote than in the America of his youth?

    Leonid Volkov: What next for Russia's opposition? Sep 23, 2020

    As soon as he emerged from his coma Alexey Navalny, the Russian opposition leader apparently poisoned by novichok nerve agent, expressed his determination to return to Moscow. But what future is there for an anti-Putin political movement in a country where dissent is all too often seriously bad for your health? Stephen Sackur speaks to Leonid Volkov, opposition politician and chief of staff to Mr Navalny. Is there any weakening of the Kremlin’s grip on power?

    Thomas Chatterton Williams: Race, identity and power Sep 18, 2020

    Not just in the United States, but across the world the Black Lives Matter movement has prompted debate about race, identity and power. It is a campaign predicated on ideas about what it means to be black and white; but what if those very terms are themselves part of the problem? Stephen Sackur speaks to Thomas Chatterton Williams, a mixed-race American writer and self-declared ex-black man, whose ideas present a challenge to so-called 'woke' culture. How much room is there right now for respectful, thoughtful debate?

    Rafael Grossi: Is the world's nuclear watchdog being undermined? Sep 16, 2020

    What is the point of the world’s nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency? Its task is to ensure that countries intent on developing nuclear power don’t use their programmes as cover for development of weapons of mass destruction. But is the task impossible? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the new IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi. From the continued bitter arguments over Iran, to North Korea, and Saudi Arabia, is the IAEA another example of a global agency undermined by geopolitical division?

    Douglas Ross: Can the new Scottish Conservative leader preserve the UK? Sep 13, 2020

    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces momentous challenges. The coronavirus pandemic, an economic slump and a looming moment of truth for Britain’s relations with the EU. In the midst of this turbulence the future of the United Kingdom itself looks uncertain. Polls suggest increasing numbers of Scots want out of the Union. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the new leader of the Scottish Conservative party, Douglas Ross. Are events playing into the hands of the Scottish nationalists? (Photo: Douglas Ross, newly announced Scottish Conservative leader, talks to media in Forres, Scotland, Britain 5 August, 2020. Credit: Russell Cheyne/Reuters)

    Gitanas Nausėda: Will people power take Belarus in a new direction? Sep 11, 2020

    Will Moscow’s will prevail in Belarus, or will people power take the country in a new direction? Stephen Sackur speaks to Gitanas Nausėda, the president of neighbouring Lithuania. The daily street protests demanding the resignation of Belarus’s authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko haven’t yet tipped the balance against the regime. Lukashenko is still there; the security forces are still doing his bidding. So how is the geopolitics of this going to play out?

    Frank Luntz: Can Donald Trump win? Sep 08, 2020

    With just two months until the US presidential election, the polls show the incumbent Donald Trump trailing Democrat Joe Biden by a significant margin. This is an extraordinary election year marked by a pandemic, economic crisis, street protests over alleged police racism and a toxic political atmosphere. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the veteran Republican party pollster and consultant Frank Luntz. Can Donald Trump win, and should Republicans want him to?

    Laura Kövesi: Can the EU's 'corruption buster' deliver? Sep 06, 2020

    The EU is thought to have lost more than €10 billion to fraud over the last two decades, and yet its anti-fraud and anti-corruption agencies have long lacked the teeth to root out the problem. Could that be about to change? Stephen Sackur speaks to Romanian Laura Codruta Kövesi, the EU's first public prosecutor. She has enhanced powers to tackle transnational crime. But if member states refuse to play ball, how can she succeed?

    UN Secretary General António Guterres: Is multilateralism dead? Sep 03, 2020

    The annual UN General Assembly gets underway this month in New York and this year it will be like no previous one. The coronavirus pandemic means the summit will be held virtually. The medical, social and economic impact of Covid-19 has not only brought much suffering, it is also reshaping the world. HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres. He believes the pandemic is unleashing a tsunami of scapegoating, hate and xenophobia. As the UN marks its 75th anniversary, is it equipped to deal with these unprecedented global challenges?

    Alfre Woodard: The artist and the activist Sep 02, 2020

    Alfre Woodard has had a distinguished acting career, spanning five decades, with roles ranging from Winnie Mandela to a part in hit TV series Desperate Housewives. She grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and for much of her career she has been an activist and campaigner, speaking out against race discrimination in the movie business, and lending her support to the Democratic party. Have her art and her activism merged into one?

    Sam Harris: A place for conversation in an angry world Aug 30, 2020

    Thanks to the internet and the mobile phone our ability to communicate, inform and persuade has never been greater. So why is public debate getting ever more polarising and toxic? Stephen Sackur speaks to the american philosopher, neuroscientist and podcaster Sam Harris whose takes on everything from religion to race generate intense heat. Are extremism and intolerance drowning out reasoned debate?

    Natalia Pasternak: Brazil's battle between science and politics Aug 27, 2020

    The global Covid-19 pandemic has put a fierce spotlight on the relationship between scientists and policy makers. Leaders across the world have responded to the science with everything from respect to scepticism. Foremost amongst the sceptics, president Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, one of the countries hit hardest by the virus. Stephen Sackur speaks to the Brazilian microbiologist Natalia Pasternak who has launched a crusade against her President in the name of science. But is she winning the argument? (Photo: Microbiologist Natalia Pasternak)

    Natalia Kaliada: Where do Belarus activists go from here? Aug 26, 2020

    His people have turned against him in the streets but Belarus's dictator Alexander Lukashenko is still in power and his security forces are still following his orders. So where do the anti-Lukashenko activists go from here? Stephen Sackur speaks to Natalia Kaliada, one of the founders of the Belarus Free Theatre, an artist dissident in exile. Will Belarus's summer rebellion be blown away with the autumn leaves?

    Katie Hill: When a politician's nude photos are leaked Aug 23, 2020

    Zeinab Badawi speaks to the American politician Katie Hill. She was a star of the US mid-term elections in 2018, but barely a year after winning a Congressional seat, she resigned, after reports of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member and after nude photographs of her were published. What does her case tell us about American politics in the MeToo era?

    Kishore Mahbubani: Has Covid-19 weakened the West? Aug 21, 2020

    Increasing tensions between the US and China have plunged relations to the lowest level for decades. This comes at a time when the world is facing its worst recession in living memory due to the coronavirus. Could this lead to a reshaping of the global order? Zeinab Badawi speaks to former Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, who believes that Covid-19 has fundamentally weakened the west. Is he right that this is now Asia's century?

    Abdalla Hamdok: Exclusive interview with Sudan's Prime Minister Aug 19, 2020

    It is exactly a year since a historic power-sharing agreement was signed between the military and civilians in Sudan, after the fall of President Omar al-Bashir. In an exclusive interview, Zeinab Badawi speaks to the civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who heads a transitional government charged with steering Sudan to democratic elections in 2022. Has the euphoria that followed last year's revolution given way to harsh realities and unfulfilled expectations?

    Wu'er Kaixi: China's crackdown on Uighur dissent Aug 16, 2020

    China goes to extraordinary lengths to monitor and mould the lives of its citizens. The most extreme example can be seen in Xinjiang, home to more than 10 million muslim Uighur people; but the principle of stability through authoritarian control applies across the country. Stephen Sackur speaks to Wu'er Kaixi, a Chinese political dissident in exile since the Tiananmen uprising and himself a Uighur. Has China found a way of successfully suppressing dissent?

    Nikol Pashinyan: Peace for Armenia and Azerbaijan? Aug 13, 2020

    One of the worlds most strategically sensitive conflict zones heated up dramatically last month when Armenian and Azerbaijani forces engaged in fighting which cost 17 lives. It is the latest twist in the long struggle over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh and it prompted warnings from Moscow and Washington. Stephen Sackur speaks to Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. He swept to power promising reform, so how come Armenia seems preoccupied with fighting old battles?

    Raoul Nehme: Can Lebanon be saved from collapse? Aug 12, 2020

    After the unimaginable horror of the mega blast which devastated Beirut the people of Lebanon are now forced to live with a zombie government - dead in all but name, not yet replaced. Stephen Sackur speaks to Raoul Nehme, still Lebanon's Minister of Economy and Trade until a new government can be formed. The outgoing Prime Minister blamed the catastrophic situation on deep rooted corruption. Is Lebanon a country beyond rescue?

    Chris Packham: 'Finding the good in the bad' of Covid-19 Aug 10, 2020

    The Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted huge economic damage, but it has also offered the natural world a little bit of respite – room to breathe. What will come next? Will it be a return to the old ways of resource exploitation and consumption? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Chris Packham, one of the UK’s best-known naturalists and environmental campaigners. Are we humans capable of fundamentally changing our priorities? Photo: Chris Packham Credit: BBC

    Vanessa Neumann: Did Venezuela's opposition miss their chance? Aug 07, 2020

    Eighteen months ago, Venezuela seemed to be on the brink of political upheaval. The leader of the National Assembly declared himself president, and 50 countries offered him official recognition. But the ruling party has not been toppled. Nicolás Maduro is still in the presidential palace, overseeing a country deep in economic and healthcare crisis. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Vanessa Neumann, London envoy of the would-be president Juan Guaidó. Did the Venezuelan opposition blow their chance?

    Sir Jeremy Farrar: 'I do believe there will be a vaccine' in 2020 and 2021 Aug 05, 2020

    Amid the talk of spikes and second waves one thing is clear – people predicting an early end to the coronavirus pandemic are indulging in wishful thinking. Can we find a way of living with Covid-19 that respects the science while mitigating the damage being done to our economic and social lives? Stephen Sackur speaks to Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a key scientific adviser to the UK government. How dangerous is the moment we’re in? (Photo: Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust)

    Leader of Ireland's Sinn Fein party Mary Lou McDonald Jul 31, 2020

    Last February the talk in Ireland was of a political earthquake. The nationalist party Sinn Féin won the most votes in the general election and promised to smash the status quo. Well, so much for that. Ireland’s two old established political parties instead formed a grand coalition and are steering the country through the Covid-19 crisis and Brexit. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sinn Féin. Has her party missed its moment? Photo: Mary Lou McDonald Credit: PA

    Angus Deaton: The cost of the 'deaths of despair' Jul 29, 2020

    How do we judge the health of our economic systems? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the Nobel Prize winning economist Sir Angus Deaton who believes it’s about much more than the headline numbers on jobs and growth. He has focused on what he calls the deaths of despair – those attributed to suicide, drug and alcohol abuse – and concludes American capitalism is sick. Now, of course, coronavirus is having its own impact on mortality data. Does capitalism itself need emergency surgery? Photo: 2015 Nobel Prize winner in Economics Angus Deaton Credit: AFP

    Gloria Allred: Epstein victim lawyer Jul 23, 2020

    HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to the veteran lawyer Gloria Allred. She is among the most famous attorneys in the US and her firm handles more women's rights cases than any other in America. For more than four decades her name has been synonymous with feminist causes. She is currently representing victims of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What motivates her and how much has her work brought about real change in America?

    Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: 'No-one will be safe until everyone is safe' Jul 22, 2020

    If Covid-19 spreads across Africa, it could be a catastrophe. Its health systems are already under strain and could buckle under more pressure. Lockdowns have badly affected local economies and pushed millions into poverty. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the chair of GAVI, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. She's also a Covid-19 envoy for the African Union. As the world races to find a vaccine, how will she ensure lower income countries don't get forgotten? (Photo: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Credit: AFP)

    Adam Goodes: How racism drove him from Australian Rules football Jul 20, 2020

    Nowhere has the symbolic power of the Black Lives Matter movement been more evident than in the sports arena. All too often racism undermines the notion of a level playing field. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to an athlete who made a stand. Adam Goodes was a star player in Aussie Rules football. One of the greatest ever players of Aboriginal descent, he quit the game after years of racist abuse. What lessons can Australia and the wider world learn from his experience?

    Husam Zomlot: How could Palestine respond to annexation? Jul 16, 2020

    It’s not clear when, or even if, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to deliver on his promise to annex a large chunk of the occupied West Bank. It’s even less clear what the Palestinian strategy will be if it happens. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the Palestinian ambassador in London, Husam Zomlot. With the conflict at a turning point, does the Palestinian leadership have the vision, imagination and credibility to mount an effective response?

    Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law Jul 15, 2020

    The international outcry prompted by Beijing’s imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong has been long and loud – but will it make any difference? Inside the territory protests have been muted and the main pro-democracy activist movement has disbanded itself. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to one of the co-founders of that movement, Nathan Law. He’s now in self-imposed exile – is China’s Hong Kong strategy working? Photo: Nathan Law Credit: EPA

    Jane Goodall: A life with chimpanzees Jul 12, 2020

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the world-famous conservation activist Jane Goodall. She has made a unique contribution to humankind’s understanding of our closest living animal relatives, the primates, and in particular the chimpanzee. Dr Goodall was in her twenties when she began her meticulous observation of chimp behaviour deep in Africa. Now she’s 86, and still campaigning to protect the natural world. Can the primates and so many other species be saved from mass extinction?

    Ronny Tong: Has China killed Hong Kong's special status? Jul 06, 2020

    Residents of Hong Kong are living with a new reality - a draconian national security law made in China and imposed on the territory with no meaningful consultation. Pro-democracy activists call it the death of the 'one country, two systems' principle established 23 years ago. HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to Ronny Tong, once a pro-democracy politician, now a loyalist of the Beijing-backed Hong Kong government. Has China just killed Hong Kong's special status?

    Nadya Tolokonnikova: Pussy Riot & Russian protest Jul 02, 2020

    Vladimir Putin can now seek to extend his rule in Russia to 2036 thanks to a constitutional referendum, stage managed by the Kremlin. Is there any prospect of an opposition movement ever challenging Putin’s grip on power? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to one of the founders of the Pussy Riot punk protest collective, Nadya Tolokonnikova. What, if anything, can stir Russians to rebel?

    Kathy Sullivan: Exploring space and the Mariana Trench Jul 01, 2020

    The human impulse to explore new frontiers has taken us into space and to the deepest, most remote corners of our own planet. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to one woman who has done both. Kathy Sullivan was the first American woman to walk in space, in 1984. She has just returned from a mission to the deepest point underneath the oceans, the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. She is first and foremost a scientist; as we try to navigate our future, are we properly respecting the science?

    Armando Iannucci: Is this a bad time to be funny? Jun 29, 2020

    It’s the job of the professional satirist to find the funny and expose the absurd in humanity’s most serious endeavours. But are there times when satire just doesn’t work, and is now one of them? Should we be laughing at Covid-19, or at racial discrimination? Stephen Sackur speaks to Armando Iannucci, a hugely successful writer and director of comedy on TV and film, whose credits include Veep, In the Loop and The Death of Stalin. Is there ever a bad time and place to be funny?

    Maria Ressa: Is the press under attack in the Philippines? Jun 25, 2020

    No world leader better epitomises the strong man style of political leadership than President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines. One hallmark of his rule? A visceral dislike of scrutiny from the independent media. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to journalist Maria Ressa who founded the Rappler news website and has just been convicted of cyber-libel in a case that has raised worldwide concern. Is press freedom being strangled by populist politics?

    André Leon Talley: Race, fashion and Vogue Jun 24, 2020

    Since George Floyd died in Minneapolis with a white police officer’s knee on his neck, new conversations about racism and discrimination have begun all over the world. It’s not just about policing, it’s about business, sport, culture – every aspect of life. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to André Leon Talley, who was creative director of American Vogue magazine when the fashion industry was almost devoid of senior black men. He’s just written a controversial memoir of his life in what he calls “the chiffon trenches”.

    Chile Eboe-Osuji: Can the International Criminal Court achieve its goals? Jun 22, 2020

    President Trump has just widened the scope of US sanctions placed on top officials of the International Criminal Court describing the court as an extraordinary threat to the United States. Stephen Sackur speaks to the president of the ICC, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji. It was an institution set up to end impunity for the worst of crimes – is it time to conclude that grand ambition will never be realised? (Photo: President of the ICC, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji)

    Jim McGovern: Can Biden unite the left? Jun 19, 2020

    President Donald Trump is in trouble. Coronavirus has plunged the US economy into recession, the killing of George Floyd has inflamed racial tensions and the president’s poll ratings have slumped. This summer the Democrats can sense an historic opportunity. But are they capable of seizing it? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern – is it enough for Democrats and their presidential candidate Joe Biden to be the party of Not Trump?

    Arancha Gonzalez: Why isn't the world working together? Jun 17, 2020

    Covid-19 has presented governments across the world with a common threat, but the response has been far from united and collaborative. Has the pandemic further weakened the multilateral institutions that were the hallmark of globalisation? Stephen Sackur speaks to Spain's foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez. Is Europe's liberal political elite struggling to cope with a geopolitical reality increasingly defined by nationalism in the US and China?

    Epidemiologist Ian Lipkin: Are we getting the pandemic response right? Jun 15, 2020

    All of us fervently want to believe the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over. Governments around the world are easing lockdowns and focusing on economic recovery. But Covid-19 hasn’t gone away. Infection rates are rising in Latin America, parts of the US and Africa. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the internationally renowned epidemiologist Ian Lipkin, the scientific advisor for the movie Contagion which, nine years ago, predicted a scenario uncannily like this one. Are we getting the real-life pandemic response right?

    Simon Cheng: 'We need to fight for democracy in Hong Kong and China' Jun 12, 2020

    One year ago, pro-democracy street protests began in Hong Kong. At the time, Simon Cheng was an employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong. Last August, he was arrested in mainland China and, he says, interrogated and physically abused. A year on, Mr Cheng is seeking asylum in the UK, and China is about to impose a new national security law in Hong Kong. Will anything stop Beijing imposing its will on Hong Kong?

    Mary Frances Berry: A new era in civil rights? Jun 09, 2020

    Will the waves of protest and anger that have swept through US cities since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis make a lasting difference to race relations? African Americans must surely be sceptical. Racism, discriminatory and violent policing have survived all previous efforts to make real the promises of equality and justice for all. Stephen Sackur speaks to the historian and civil rights activist Mary Frances Berry. What will it take to engineer genuine change? (Photo: Mary Frances Berry Credit: Cheriss May/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

    James Graham: How much do we care about protecting our culture? Jun 08, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to the performing arts. No one knows when audiences will again be able to pack into a theatre to see a show. So what happens to the writers, performers and venues that enrich our lives? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to James Graham, the prolific and hugely successful young British playwright whose work has chronicled our turbulent political times. How much do we care about protecting our culture?

    Rutger Bregman: Are humans essentially good? Jun 05, 2020

    In times of crisis we learn plenty about who we really are – and so it is that the global coronavirus pandemic is revealing truths about humankind – and how we balance self and collective interest. Stephen Sackur speaks to writer and historian Rutger Bregman whose book Humankind: A Hopeful History, is making waves around the world. Do we humans massively underestimate our capacity to change things for the better? (Photo: Rutger Bregman)

    Mário Centeno: Can the Euro survive Covid? Jun 03, 2020

    Europe has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic – now that most countries have controlled the spread of infection and begun to ease their lockdown, does the EU have a coherent strategy for recovery? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the Finance Minister of Portugal and Head of the Eurozone Group of Ministers, Mário Centeno. For all the talk of solidarity, has the virus exacerbated the EUs greatest weakness, economic divergence?

    National General Secretary of India's BJP, Ram Madhav Jun 01, 2020

    In some countries the coronavirus pandemic appears to have enhanced national unity and solidarity, in others it’s exposed deep fault lines. In India the crisis has hit the poorest migrant workers disproportionately hard; it’s also deepened tensions between the Hindu majority and Muslim minority. Is that the fault of the Hindu nationalist BJP government? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the National General Secretary of the BJP Ram Madhav. Is Prime Minister Modi stoking communal tensions even in a national emergency? Photo: BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav Credit: Getty Images

    Raghuram Rajan: Should economies pile up debt to cope with Covid-19? May 29, 2020

    The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged the world economy into a deep recession. How long will it last and what kind of recovery can we expect? That in part depends on what governments do now. Should they be piling up future debt to cope with today’s crisis? Stephen Sackur speaks to the former Governor of India’s Reserve Bank and IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan. Do the old rules of fiscal discipline no longer apply? (Photo: Raghuram Rajan, IMF chief economist)

    Rocco Forte: Can hotels recover? May 27, 2020

    No sector of the global economy has been harder hit by Covid-19 than the travel and hospitality industry. Millions of workers dependent on travel and tourism have been laid off around the world. Stephen Sackur speaks to Sir Rocco Forte, boss of a string of luxury hotels and a powerful voice in an industry chafing under strict lockdown rules. What future is there for an industry that depends on mobility and confidence?

    French Minister for Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire: EU faces 'gravest crisis' May 22, 2020

    When faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union struggled to respond with collective action. The countries first and worst affected, Italy and Spain, complained of a lack of solidarity. Is that changing? The leaders of France and Germany are backing a plan to inject at least 500 billion euros into an economic recovery programme. Stephen Sackur speaks to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. Is the pandemic taking the EU in a new direction?

    Anders Tegnell: Is Sweden the best model for coronavirus response? May 18, 2020

    Much of the world responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with a lockdown strategy. Now there's much focus on finding a sustainable post-lockdown strategy that doesn’t prompt a second wave of infection. Could Sweden be the model? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Sweden’s chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, the architect of a controversial no-lockdown strategy that continues to stir interest across the world. Has it worked?

    David Miliband: President, International Rescue Committee May 15, 2020

    It may be a global pandemic but Covid-19 has hardly united the world around a collective response. We have seen world leaders focus on national self-interest rather than international collaboration. That could spell disaster for those countries least able to cope with a protracted public health crisis. Stephen Sackur speaks to David Miliband, president of the international charity the International Rescue Committee and a former UK Foreign Secretary. What kind of world will emerge from this pandemic? (Photo: David Miliband)

    Luiz Henrique Mandetta: Brazil's sacked Health Minister speaks out May 11, 2020

    While some countries are claiming success in their effort to curb Covid-19, Brazil is increasingly looking like an outlier. The rate of new infections is still increasing, the death toll is mounting, and all the while President Jair Bolsonaro focuses on easing social distancing and reopening the Brazilian economy. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Brazil’s former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta who was fired by Mr Bolsonaro after a series of disagreements. Is President Bolsonaro putting his nation at risk?

    US Democrat Senate Candidate Jaime Harrison: Joe Biden 'bringing calm to the storm we're in' May 08, 2020

    The Covid-19 death toll in the US has gone beyond 70,000 and scientists now expect it to go far beyond 100,000 within the next month. At the same time President Trump is doubling down on his calls for American states to relax the lockdown and get back to work. In this presidential election year dealing with the pandemic is now the dominant political issue. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to senior Democratic party official and candidate for the US Senate Jaime Harrison. Has Covid-19 changed America’s political landscape? (Photo: Jaime Harrison, senior Democratic Party official and candidate for the US Senate)

    Dutch MEP Sophie in't Veld: 'Decline of the EU is possible but it's in our own hands' May 04, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic has presented Europe with a massive challenge – and so far the EU’s response has been found wanting in several key respects. As the death toll has mounted and the economic damage worsened, European solidarity and coordinated action has been questioned by member states like Italy and Spain. Stephen Sackur speaks to the influential Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld. Has Covid-19 exposed the weakness at the heart of the European project? (Photo: Sophie in 't Veld, Dutch MEP)

    Liu Xiaoming: Is China a victim of Covid-19 or the source of the problem? May 01, 2020

    As the global effort to control Covid-19 continues so arguments about culpability for the spread of the pandemic intensify. At the centre of the story is China, where the outbreak began. Did the Chinese government’s impulse to cover up the truth cost the world dear? Or did China respond with admirable determination? Stephen Sackur speaks to the veteran Chinese Ambassador in London Liu Xiaoming. Is China the villain or the hero of this pandemic? (Photo: Chinese Ambassador in London Liu Xiaoming. on the Andrew Marr show, 9 February, 2020. Credit: Reuters)

    Jens Stoltenberg: Has Nato risen to the challenge of Covid-19? Apr 29, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic is a multi-layered global crisis. It starts with public health, but it reaches deep into the world economy and the global security system too. Could Covid-19 fears be used for malign purposes? Will it enhance or undermine multi-lateral institutions? Stephen Sackur speaks to Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato. Has his organisation risen to this massive challenge? (Photo: Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato)

    Yuval Noah Harari: Covid-19 - a new regime of surveillance? Apr 27, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic has presented humanity with an almighty shock. Here we are, with our evermore interconnected, technologically-advanced societies, living in lockdown and fearful for our health and economic futures - thanks to an invisible virus. Stephen Sackur interviews Israeli historian and best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari. What 21st-century lesson can we draw from the spread of Covid-19? (Photo: Yuval Noah Harari lecture on artificial intelligence at the X World Future Evolution 2017, Beijing. Credit: Visual China Group/Getty Images)

    Brian Cox: From poverty to Succession Apr 26, 2020

    Brian Cox, star of the global hit HBO drama Succession, is currently in New York, the US city worst affected by the virus. His long career has taken in everything from King Lear to the ruthless, media mogul Logan Roy in the HBO drama Succession. He defied childhood poverty and tragedy to make it; where does his fierce passion for acting come from?

    David Nabarro: Is the WHO failing its greatest test? Apr 24, 2020

    With nation states across the world struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic, there’s an urgent need for an internationally coordinated response. That’s where the UN agency the World Health Organisation should have a vital role to play; but right now, the WHO is at the centre of a political storm. Donald Trump has withdrawn US funding, accusing the agency of being China-centric. Stephen Sackur speaks to David Nabarro, the WHO special envoy for Covid-19. Is the organisation failing its greatest test?

    Zoltan Kovacs: Is the EU facing its first de facto dictatorship? Apr 24, 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic has prompted governments around the world to take emergency measures. Liberties have been restricted in the name of safeguarding public health, but no European nation has gone further than Hungary in the embrace of authoritarianism. In Hungary, democracy has in effect been suspended indefinitely. Stephen Sackur interviews the country’s State Secretary for International Communication, Zoltan Kovacs. Has Covid-19 ushered in the EU’s first de facto dictatorship? (Photo: Zoltan Kovacs via video link)

    Ola Källenius: Surviving coronavirus's economic shock Mar 27, 2020

    Every day, the havoc wrought by the coronavirus pandemic on public health and on the global economy worsens. Economic activity beyond the barest of essentials has been frozen in much of the world. What on Earth will the economic landscape look like when this is over? Stephen Sackur interviews Ola Källenius, the CEO of Daimler, one of Europe's biggest vehicle manufacturers. What will it take to survive the greatest economic shock in most of our lifetimes?

    Antonio Guterres: How should the UN fight Covid-19? Mar 26, 2020

    Zainab Bedawi talks to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who has described the Covid-19 crisis as "a threat to the whole of humanity". How can the UN help countries fight the coronavirus?

    Margaret Heffernan: Is it time to embrace uncertainty? Mar 23, 2020

    The worldwide spread of coronavirus and its significant negative impact on the global economy represents a powerful illustration of the perils of forecasting. Countries in lockdown, financial markets in turmoil; this isn’t the way 2020 was supposed to pan out. HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur interviews acclaimed writer and businesswoman Margaret Heffernan, who has just published a book on the fallacies of forecasting.

    Laurence Boone: Is enough being done to prevent a recession? Mar 20, 2020

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Laurence Boone, chief economist at the global economic forum, the OECD. Leaders around the world have adopted the language of war to capture the scale of the threat posed by coronavirus. But are they deploying the right weaponry, not just to protect public health, but to prevent a worldwide economic depression? Will we get the dramatic, coordinated, emergency intervention needed to stave off economic disaster?

    Eoin Ó Broin: Will Sinn Fein be part of Ireland's government? Mar 18, 2020

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Sinn Fein’s Eoin Ó Broin. Coronavirus is first and foremost a global health crisis. But its impacts go so much further. The economic damage is deep and worldwide, and political systems face profound challenges too. Ireland is a telling case study. Last month’s election left the country without a stable government. Eoin Ó Broin is a leading figure in Sinn Fein, the party that won the most votes, but failed to form a government. Does political uncertainty now make Ireland especially vulnerable?

    Mufaddal Hamadeh: Is the world indifferent to Syria's sufffering? Mar 16, 2020

    Idlib, Syria’s sole remaining rebel province is on the verge of the biggest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century". So says the UN’s top official responsible for emergency relief. Almost a million civilians have fled their homes since December. Shaun Ley interviews Dr Mufaddal Hamadeh, president of the Syrian American Medical Society. He’s been to Idlib this year, and seen for himself the carnage of war, and how hospitals and clinics which should give sanctuary have been bombed. After nine years of war, have we become indifferent to Syria’s pain?

    Ian Goldin: Will Covid-19 cause a new recession? Mar 13, 2020

    The Covid-19 crisis is not only a threat to people's health and wellbeing, it is already having severe financial consequences, which many fear will result in a crisis of the kind we saw over a decade ago. Zeinab Badawi interviews Ian Goldin, a professor on globalisation and development, who six years ago predicted that the next financial crash would be caused by a pandemic. Will his prophesy come to pass, or can this be averted?

    Congressman Anthony Brown: Is Joe Biden really the best the Democrats can do? Mar 11, 2020

    The US political landscape has shifted dramatically in the last few weeks. The Democratic Party’s search for the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in November now seems likely to end with the nomination of a 77-year-old establishment politician, written off as ‘past it’ just a month ago. Is Joe Biden really the best the Democrats can do? And could the coronavirus crisis change everything? (Photo: Democrat Congressman Anthony Brown)

    William Kentridge: The unnaturalness of apartheid Mar 09, 2020

    Zeinab Badawi is in Johannesburg, interviewing William Kentridge. He is considered one of the world’s greatest living artists. He is versatile, hard-hitting and his talent spans many different genres. How has South Africa’s difficult, violent and racist past influenced his work? (Photo: William Kentridge, Rome, 2015 Credit: Stefano Montesi/Corbis/Getty Images)

    Gabriel Attal: Has the magic worn off France's Emmanuel Macron? Mar 06, 2020

    President Emmanuel Macron’s bold promise to break the political mould in France has collided with reality. His reform plans, from tax to pensions, have stirred a backlash against what protesters call his neo-liberal elitism. And as his internal problems have mounted, so too have doubts about his ability to be the EU’s visionary leader. HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur interviews Gabriel Attal, Minister for Youth and a rising star in the President’s En Marche party. Photo: Gabriel Attal Credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

    David Tait: Speaking out about sexual abuse Mar 04, 2020

    David Tait appeared to have a perfect life: all the trappings of a successful and highly lucrative career in the City of London, a wife and young family at home. But on the inside, he was in turmoil. He suffered sexual abuse as a child, which had catastrophic consequences into his adult life. After a breakdown that nearly cost him everything, he’s dedicated himself to increasing the awareness of abuse against children, and has climbed Everest five times to raise millions for charity. Has David Tait found a way to deal with the pain of the past?

    Mmusi Maimane: Can his new party become a force in South Africa? Mar 02, 2020

    Hardtalk is in Cape Town to speak to Mmusi Maimane, who stood down last October as leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance. In his first major interview to an international broadcaster since he left the DA, Zeinab Badawi asks Mmusi Maimane what his resignation says about the state of politics in South Africa and his ambitions for the new Movement for One South Africa which he hopes will become a new political force in the country

    Professor David Heymann: The fight against coronavirus Feb 28, 2020

    "Get ready" is the message from health experts fighting COVID-19, the coronavirus. At least 80,000 people are already infected in more than 40 countries, and that number is expected to rise. Is the World Health Organisation moving fast enough? We speak to WHO adviser Professor David Heymann.

    Dr Yasser Abu Jamei: Mental health in Gaza Feb 26, 2020

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, director of Gaza’s biggest mental health program. The past few days have seen rising tension in Gaza – Islamist militants fired rockets into Israel; the Israelis responded with air strikes aimed at the Islamic Jihad group. Hardly unusual and certainly not the stuff of international headlines but that in itself is telling. In Gaza conflict is the norm, so too an economic blockade that has long choked the economy. What happens to a people living with trauma and collective despair?

    Alan Dershowitz: Are the rich above the law? Feb 24, 2020

    In the United States all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law, but having money and power helps if you need legal difficulties to disappear. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to lawyer Alan Dershowitz. He's one of America’s most high profile and outspoken lawyers – his long list of past clients includes Claus von Bulow, OJ Simpson, Jeffrey Epstein and, yes, Donald Trump. Prof Dershowitz joined the legal team arguing for acquittal in the recent Senate impeachment trial. He’s a skilled lawyer, has he used those skills wisely? Photo: Alan Dershowitz (Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

    Tarana Burke: What difference has #MeToo made? Feb 21, 2020

    Tarana Burke first coined the phrase MeToo, long before the Harvey Weinstein case. She continues to reach out to marginalised women and girls. What difference has the MeToo movement made to the bigger picture? (Photo: Tarana Burke at New York Fashion Week. Credit: Getty Images)

    Halima Aden: Challenging supermodel stereotypes Feb 19, 2020

    The designer catwalk and the glossy magazine cover are powerful cultural signifiers. Top models who occupy those spaces are deemed to have a look that attracts and sells. But how diverse is that look? How inclusive? Stephen Sackur interviews Halima Aden, a supermodel who challenged a host of stereotypes. She is a refugee from Somalia’s civil war; she’s Muslim and follows a modest dress code. Hers has been an extraordinary journey to international fame and fortune - how has it changed her?

    Agnes Callamard: Investigating the Khashoggi and Soleimani killings Feb 17, 2020

    There are international laws and norms designed to prohibit states from bumping off their enemies, internal or external. But look around the world, and its clear those laws are being violated, often with impunity. Stephen Sackur interviews Agnes Callamard, a renowned human rights investigator who serves as the UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killing. Given the scale of the problem, have her investigations become an exercise in futility?

    Paul Krugman: Nobel Prize-winning economist warns of threat to America’s economic future Feb 14, 2020

    Remember the time when political discourse was founded on those quaint concepts - facts, evidence, and expertise? Now it seems partisanship infects every corner of the realm of ideas, according to Paul Krugman. Stephen Sackur interviews the Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist, whose latest book suggests America’s political and economic future is threatened by zombie ideas peddled largely by America’s conservative movement. Has he become addicted to the partisan warfare he professes to despise?

    Len McCluskey: What's the future of the UK Labour Party? Feb 12, 2020

    Like many of Europe’s long-established parties of the left, the UK Labour Party is in big trouble. In last December’s election, Labour wasn’t just beaten, it was humiliated, losing its grip on working-class heartlands in the midlands and the North. Stephen Sackur interviews Len McCluskey, who will have a big say in the choice of the party’s next leader. He leads the Unite Union, which is Labour’s biggest financial backer. Who can save Labour from a slow death?

    John Kani: Art and activism Feb 10, 2020

    For a generation of black South African artists who came of age in the apartheid era, art and activism were intertwined; the liberation struggle was their life force. Now, a quarter of a century after Mandela became president, things are more complicated. Stephen Sackur speaks to John Kani, a giant of South African theatre. His career spans five decades of acting and writing. He’s been in Hollywood blockbusters, and is currently starring in his own West End play. What drives his artistic vision?

    Ian Blackford: Does the SNP have a winning strategy? Feb 07, 2020

    Ian Blackford is the Scottish Nationalist MP for a vast tract of north-west Scotland, and the leader of the SNP’s 48-strong band of Westminster MPs. He is a prominent champion of the cause of Scottish independence, a cause which represents one of the biggest challenges facing prime minister Boris Johnson over the next five years. Back in 2014, Scotland voted by 55% to 45% to remain in the UK. At the time, it was billed as a ‘once in a lifetime’ decision. But since then, Britain has left the EU – against the wishes of a clear majority in Scotland – and the SNP now argues that this material change in circumstances gives Scots the right to another vote on independence. The SNP's grip on power in Scotland is currently unassailable, so a protracted political stand off between Edinburgh and London seems inevitable. The nationalists have plenty of passion, but do they have a winning strategy? (Photo: SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford during Prime Ministers Questions 2019. Credit: PA)

    Ai Weiwei: Huawei, Hong Kong and being an artist in exile Feb 05, 2020

    China's rise to economic superpower status has not brought with it an opening up of politics or culture. Far from it. The Communist Party has intensified its efforts to suppress dissent of all kinds. Stephen Sackur speaks to China's most internationally-famous artist, Ai Weiwei, who now lives in the UK and not Beijing. He's a refugee and a migrant of sorts, so how has that affected his creative output?

    Lauri Love: The realities of cyber security Feb 03, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to the accused computer hacker Lauri Love. For nations, corporations and all of us as individuals, the age of the internet has heightened vulnerability. Information and data - the most valuable of all commodities - are at risk from hackers, motivated by greed or national or ideological interest. Lauri Love was, from childhood, a gifted computer geek who joined a so-called hacktivist collective. He was charged with hacking secrets from the US military, and narrowly avoided extradition. What does his case tell us about the realities of cyber security?

    Jean-Claude Juncker: What's next for the EU and Britain? Jan 31, 2020

    Britain is at an historic fork in the road - taking the UK in a new direction, and maybe Europe too. Many on both sides didn't think it would come to this, even after Britain's Brexit vote in 2016. But here we are. HARDtalk speaks to Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission through the Brexit drama. What will Brexit mean for Britain and the European project?

    Patrick Suckling: Is Australia becoming a climate pariah? Jan 29, 2020

    Since September 2019, bush fires in Australia have consumed 10 million hectares of land – an area almost the size of England. People have died, homes have been destroyed. The annual season of fires has begun earlier and lasted longer than ever before. Many see it as evidence of climate change, though the government says it’s not as simple as that. Condemned by its Pacific neighbours for inaction, does Australia’s former Ambassador for the Environment fear his nation is becoming a climate pariah?

    Mindu Hornick: Don't let Auschwitz memories erode Jan 27, 2020

    It’s 75 years since allied troops entered the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. The very word Auschwitz still stirs a unique level of horror. It was the place where Hitler’s genocide of European Jewry was industrialised with evil precision. Stephen Sackur speaks to Mindu Hornick, one of the remaining survivors. Now 90 years old, she continues to speak of the past in the hope that we will learn from her experience. That’s her challenge to us: to listen and to draw the right lessons.

    Don Bacon: Will Republicans regret their loyalty to Trump? Jan 24, 2020

    Perhaps it’s misleading to describe the unfolding events in the US Senate as the ‘impeachment trial’ of Donald Trump. After all, this is a process which may well avoid witness testimony, exclude key documents, and involves jurors who drew their conclusions long ago. Nonetheless, it remains an historic moment, likely to have a major impact on US politics. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Republican Congressman Don Bacon. Will Republicans come to regret their unwavering loyalty to Donald J Trump?

    Alexander Blackman: How should crimes on the battlefield be handled? Jan 22, 2020

    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to take steps to protect military personnel from what he describes as vexatious legal claims. It’s a controversial stance as armed conflicts, from Northern Ireland to Iraq, have thrown up serious allegations of criminal wrongdoing by soldiers. Former Royal Marine Alexander Blackman was convicted of murder while serving in Afghanistan in 2011. He served three years in prison and, after a long legal struggle, his conviction was reduced to manslaughter. What does his case tell us about morality and accountability on the frontline?

    Tony Garnett: Making TV with a radical purpose Jan 20, 2020

    The British film and TV producer Tony Garnett died last week, aged 83. In 2016 Stephen Sackur spoke to him about his life and pioneering work which began in the 1960s. The subject matter he tackled included homelessness, illegal abortion and police corruption, and uncovered dark corners in British life. But how much of his motivation came from the dark corners in his own life?

    Seth Freedman: Spying for Harvey Weinstein Jan 17, 2020

    Who polices the shadowy world of private intelligence? HARDtalk’s Sarah Montague speaks to Seth Freedman, who was an investigator for Black Cube, and gathered information for its client, the disgraced media mogul Harvey Weinstein. Does he regret what he did?

    Douglas Silliman: What is Donald Trump's strategy in Iraq? Jan 15, 2020

    Though the fear of imminent war has receded, the Middle East has been profoundly destabilised by the American assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. The unfolding US-Iran conflict will impact the whole region, not least Iraq, where the Iranians are intent on hastening the end of America’s military presence. Stephen Sackur interviews Douglas Silliman, former US ambassador to Iraq until a year ago. Does Trump have a strategy - and if so, what is it?

    Sir Antony Gormley: Britain's most successful sculptor Jan 13, 2020

    Stephen Sackur is at the workshop of Britain’s most successful sculptor, Sir Antony Gormley. His monumental pieces, put in prominent positions in outdoor spaces, have become some of the world’s most famous examples of public art. His inspiration is the human body, in fact, his own body. So what does his work tell us about his relationship with the world around him?

    Vali Nasr: Have strategic realities in the Middle East changed? Jan 10, 2020

    Who’s gained and who’s lost after the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Vali Nasr, US foreign policy scholar and former adviser to the US State Department. Phase one of the fallout from America’s assassination of Iran's favourite General appears to be over. Washington and Tehran are both talking tough while taking a step back from the brink of all out war. For now. What might happen next?

    Ayad Allawi: What if the US pulls out of Iraq? Jan 08, 2020

    America’s targeted killing of Iran’s top general, Qasem Soleimani, has spread new fears of war across the Middle East. The key protagonists are in Washington and Tehran, but the main stage for the conflict may well be Iraq, as Soleimani was assassinated in Baghdad. Iraq is now under intense pressure to pick sides. Stephen Sackur interviews Ayad Allawi, who was the country’s vice-president twice. Does the current crisis spell disaster for Iraq?

    Malcolm Gladwell: Should we trust strangers? Jan 06, 2020

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Malcolm Gladwell, the Canadian author who has been described as America’s most famous intellectual. His latest book, Talking to Strangers, challenges the assumptions we make about trust and truth. But how far can we trust Malcolm Gladwell?

    Andrew Mitchell MP: What will Boris Johnson do next? Dec 20, 2019

    The scale of the Conservative Party triumph in last week's UK election promises to have seismic consequences. Boris Johnson can get Brexit done on terms and a timetable of his choosing, with Parliamentary approval guaranteed. Not since Margaret Thatcher has a Tory leader had such an opportunity to remake Britain. Hardtalk speaks to Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell. Boris Johnson has been handed immense power - what will he do with it? (Photo: Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell)

    Staffan de Mistura: Can the international community still stop wars? Dec 18, 2019

    At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, does anyone still believe in the ability of the so-called ‘international community’ to stop wars, disarm dictators and protect civilians? One can decide by looking at the scale of suffering in Syria, the renewed unrest across the Middle East and the imminent American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Stephen Sackur interviews Staffan de Mistura, who has been a UN envoy in all of those places over the last decade. Is it time to acknowledge the irrelevance of the international peacemakers? Photo: Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura Credit: AFP via Getty Images

    Bill Bryson: US author demystifying the British Dec 16, 2019

    Sometimes it takes an outsider armed with just a sharp eye and curiosity to get us to see ourselves as we really are. That would explain the enduring popularity of the American-born writer Bill Bryson, whose wry take on Britain and the British has generated two best-selling books. From the mysteries of afternoon tea to the power of the human brain, what has Bill Bryson learned from his gentle search for understanding? Photo: Bill Bryson at the Cheltenham Literary Festival Credit: Getty Images

    Aryana Sayeed: Afghanistan’s biggest pop star Dec 13, 2019

    The fight for Afghanistan's future has been joined far beyond the frontlines between Government forces and the Taliban. Stephen Sackur interviews Aryana Sayeed, who is engaged in the struggle by using her own potent weapons: her voice, her songs and a spirit of defiance. She is Afghanistan’s biggest pop star, and has braved death threats to campaign for women’s rights and artistic freedom. Is this a fight she can win?

    Eliot Higgins: Searching for facts in a 'post-truth' world Dec 11, 2019

    Can complex truths be revealed using digital fragments from the worldwide web? Eliot Higgins is the founder of the investigative website Bellingcat, which in recent years has broken a series of scoops. Bellingcat has exposed the depth of Russian military involvement in the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine; it revealed the identities of two key Russian suspects in the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal; most recently, it has provided damning detail about the suspected assassin of a Chechen rebel in Berlin. Has Bellingcat reinvented journalism for our "fake news" age?

    Megan Phelps-Roper: Leaving 'America's most obnoxious hate group' Dec 09, 2019

    Holding placards outside the funerals of dead soldiers, celebrating the death of children after school massacres: Westboro Baptist Church has been called the "most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America". From the age of 5, Megan Phelps-Roper had stood on the picket lines, and carried those hate-filled signs. But as an adult firing off tweets to her online critics, Megan began to doubt. Shaun Ley speaks to Megan Phelps-Roper in London. Can Megan really still regard those who abused her mind, teaching her to hate and to pray for more deaths, as Mum and Dad?

    Daniel Jones: The man who unveiled the CIA’s darkest secrets Dec 06, 2019

    Eighteen years since the 9/11 attack on the United States, and the impact still reverberates even as memories fade. The US Government responded by adopting a counter-terror strategy embracing ‘enhanced interrogation’, a euphemism for torture. Stephen Sackur interviews Daniel Jones, who led a six year investigation into the CIA’s darkest secrets. Now his story has been turned into a movie; but did America cease to care, long ago?

    Behrouz Boochani: Six years as a marooned migrant Dec 04, 2019

    In 2013, the Australian Government adopted a draconian anti-immigration policy, which involved sending all sea-borne would-be asylum seekers to de-facto detention camps in remote Papua New Guinea and Micronesia. Stephen Sackur interviews one of them. Behrouz Boochani is an Iranian Kurd who has written about his extraordinary six-year experience as a marooned migrant. He’s now a prize-winning author, but is his long-term fate any clearer?

    Stephen Sackur is on the road in Zimbabwe Dec 02, 2019

    In a special edition of HARDtalk, Stephen Sackur is on the road in Zimbabwe to witness the effects of change in Southern Africa’s climate. Zimbabwe in the post-Mugabe era is wrestling with an economic crisis, endemic corruption and widespread poverty, which leaves Zimbabweans extremely vulnerable in the face of prolonged drought. Crops have failed, hydro power is down and taps have run dry. Can Zimbabwe adapt to looming environmental crisis?

    Wendell Pierce: A tale of two Americas Nov 29, 2019

    The American TV series The Wire, which methodically dissected America’s war with drugs, was an eye-opener for many. Shaun Ley interviews Wendell Pierce, whose role as Detective Bunk Moreland brought him international attention. Now he’s on stage in London as the protagonist in Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. But it was Hurricane Katrina that defined him, when he rolled up his own sleeves when his childhood home was smashed. After his city’s darkest hour, when help failed to come, did Wendell Pierce fall out of love with America?

    Liu Xiaoming: How will China respond to unrest in Hong Kong? Nov 27, 2019

    Is Chinese leader Xi Jinping facing the most serious challenge of his presidency? The significance of the political unrest in Hong Kong stretches far beyond the borders of its territory. If Beijing cannot quell the calls for freedom in Hong Kong, what does that tell us about the sustainability of its authoritarian rule elsewhere? Stephen Sackur speaks to China’s Ambassador in London, Liu Xiaoming.

    Mangaliso Ndlovu: Can Zimbabwe avert environmental disaster? Nov 25, 2019

    Zimbabwe is wrestling with economic crisis, endemic corruption and prolonged drought. Crops have failed, hydro-power is down, taps have run dry. Also at risk is the country's wildlife population – animals and people are now in a desperate competition for resources. Mangaliso Ndlovu is Zimbabwe's Environment minister. Does his government have a plan to avert environmental disaster?

    Christopher Ruddy: How much trouble is Donald Trump in? Nov 22, 2019

    Will the impeachment proceedings on Capitol Hill derail Donald Trump's presidency? Christopher Ruddy is CEO of Newsmax and a close personal friend of the US president. He has accused Democrats of playing politics with impeachment, while the President himself calls the impeachment inquiry a witch hunt. How much trouble is Donald Trump actually in?

    Author and explorer - Sir Ranulph Fiennes Nov 18, 2019

    Stephen Sackur interviews Sir Ranulph Fiennes. He is an extremist of a very special kind - nothing to do with his political views - but recognition of a lifetime spent embracing physical challenges at the extreme limit of human endurance. He has taken on - and conquered - the polar ice, the world’s highest peaks and the most gruelling deserts. He's been described as one of the world’s greatest living explorers. So what's the motivation for this life of extreme adventure?

    Investigative journalist - Ronan Farrow Nov 15, 2019

    How did a Hollywood insider break the story that took the shine off Tinseltown? HARDtalk's Sarah Montague interviews journalist Ronan Farrow, who won a Pulitzer prize for his investigation of Harvey Weinstein. His revelations about the film producer prompted an outpouring of rage at the way women had been treated, and triggered the #MeToo movement – an attempt at breaking the silence around sexual assault. In his new book Catch and Kill he’s posing difficult questions about the powerful media institutions he says tried to suppress his story.

    Minister for Islamic Affairs in Malaysia -Mujahid Yusof Rawa Nov 13, 2019

    Malaysia has one of Asia’s most vibrant economies - the result of decades of stability and economic growth. It is also a multi-ethnic, multi-religious federation - but the majority ethnic Muslim Malays dominate the country politically. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Malaysia’s Minister for Islamic affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa. Are racial and religious divides threatening Malaysia’s stability and future prospects? There is growing concern that such tensions have been getting worse since a new government took office last year.

    Film director - Ken Loach Nov 11, 2019

    Can cinema change society? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to film director Ken Loach, one of the most lauded and durable directors in the UK film industry. He’s made 27 films and he’s won the biggest prize at Cannes twice for his socially conscious, realist works. His latest is an unrelenting, bleak take on the exploitation of workers in the so-called gig economy.

    Esther Duflo - Nobel Prize-winning economist Nov 08, 2019

    Shaun Ley speaks to the Nobel Prize winning economist Esther Duflo. The experimental trails she ran with two colleagues in Africa and India produced some surprising results. Among their findings: food aid isn’t helping the poor, and the poorest kids don’t need more books, they need more time. A fashionable idea wins the Nobel Prize. But is this really a story of failure of economists to predict the financial crisis, and of economics to offer big solutions?

    Hong Kong’s Secretary for Housing and Transport , 2012 – 2017 - Anthony Cheung Nov 06, 2019

    Last weekend in Hong Kong, metro stations were torched, the Chinese state news agency was attacked, police fired water cannon and tear gas, and 200 people were arrested. That is Hong Kong’s new normal. How long can it go on without a major intervention from Beijing? Is there any way out of the impasse between Hong Kong’s government and pro-democracy protestors? Stephen Sackur interviews former senior official in the territory’s administration, Anthony Cheung. Are Hong Kong’s prospects bleak?

    Richard Haass - President, Council on Foreign Relations Nov 04, 2019

    Donald Trump wants Americans to bask in the afterglow of the killing of the world’s most wanted terrorist, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But many are focused on the daily developments of the impeachment investigation. Both say something important about the way Donald Trump conducts national security and foreign policy. Stephen Sackur interviews former senior US diplomat Richard Haass. Trump horrifies the foreign policy establishment, but does that matter to American voters?

    Campaigner and businesswoman Gina Miller Nov 01, 2019

    Perhaps inevitably, Britain’s unresolved Brexit agony has led to a general election. The current Parliament could not find a path out of the morass, so the people must now elect a new one. Brexit has exposed profound tensions in Britain’s vaunted system of democracy, raising questions about the relationship between the people, Parliament, Government and the courts. Stephen Sackur speaks to businesswoman Gina Miller, who led two legal challenges to the Government’s Brexit strategy and won both times – how come this non-politician has had such an impact on Britain’s political landscape? (Photo: Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller leaves the Supreme Court for the result of a hearing on the prorogation of parliament. Credit: EPA)

    Casey Legler: What does it take to emerge from darkness? Oct 30, 2019

    Imagine having an extraordinary sporting talent, but finding yourself traumatised by the realities of elite-level competition. Imagine being defined by your gender and physicality in ways that crushed your own sense of yourself. Stephen Sackur interviews former Olympic swimmer turned artist, model and now writer Casey Legler about their pain-filled early life, which included a prolonged battle with alcohol and drugs. What did it take to emerge from the darkness?

    Former spy - Willie Carlin Oct 28, 2019

    What was it like to be a spy during the Troubles in Northern Ireland? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to former MI5 agent Willie Carlin. He became an undercover spy within Sinn Féin, the political wing of the IRA, during the so-called 'dirty war'. He was dramatically extracted after his cover was blown. Now he’s written a book - Thatcher's Spy - about his experiences.

    Zohrab Mnatsakanyan - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Armenia Oct 25, 2019

    HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Armenia’s foreign minister. Armenia is a small state with outsize strategic significance in a Caucasus region beset with tension and hostility. Last year popular protests delivered a so-called velvet revolution which saw a new government installed in Yerevan amid ambitious talk of reform. Is Armenia looking east or west for political and economic inspiration?

    Alfred Bosch Oct 23, 2019

    Last week the whole of Europe heard a howl of rage coming from Catalonia. Since Spain’s highest court sentenced nine pro-independence politicians to a collective one hundred years in prison there have been mass, sometimes violent protests across the region which has left hundreds injured. Madrid says there can be no political dialogue until Catalan politicians condemn the violence and rein in the militants. Where does the pro-independence movement go from here?

    Sally Lane and John Letts, parents of Jack Letts Oct 21, 2019

    What will become - what should become - of Jack Letts? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to his parents, Sally Lane and John Letts. Alongside the humanitarian fall-out from Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria, there are grave security concerns - not least what will happen to the thousands of so-called Islamic State militants imprisoned by Syrian Kurdish forces. British-born Jack Letts left the UK in 2014 to live in the so-called IS Caliphate. Since then, he’s had his British citizenship revoked, and his parents have been convicted under UK anti-terror laws for sending him money.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Turkey - Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu Oct 18, 2019

    Is Turkey creating further instability in Syria? HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi talks exclusively to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara. Turkey has been condemned for its recent offensive in northern Syria but it says its operations have been necessary to flush out what it describes as Kurdish terrorists.

    British intelligence whistleblower - Katharine Gun Oct 16, 2019

    What makes a whistleblower? What prompts someone to break ranks, maybe break the law, in order to expose a secret, often at great cost? Stephen Sackur interviews Katharine Gun. In 2003, she worked at the UK’s signals intelligence agency GCHQ. She leaked potentially explosive information about America’s covert effort to sway UN diplomats to support the Iraq war. She risked everything, including prison, in an act that changed her life. Now her story has been made into a movie; but, 16 years on, has her perspective changed? Image: Katharine Gun (Credit: Lia Toby/Getty Images for BFI)

    Professor of Computer Science at University of California, Berkeley - Stuart Russell Oct 14, 2019

    What is the most serious existential threat facing humanity? Artificial Intelligence, warned the physicist Stephen Hawking, could spell the end of the human race. Stephen Sackur interviews Stuart Russell, a globally-renowned computer scientist and sometime adviser to the UK Government and the UN. Right now, AI is being developed as a tool to enhance human capability; is it fanciful to imagine the machines taking over?

    Financier and Brexit backer Stuart Wheeler Oct 11, 2019

    Brexit represents a political gamble played for the highest of stakes. If Britain leaves the EU without a deal there will be significant economic disruption, even the most ardent Brexiteers acknowledge that. But they believe the potential rewards justify the risk. Stephen Sackur speaks to Stuart Wheeler, a successful businessman and lifelong gambler who backed his commitment to Brexit with plenty of his own cash. Has his money given him undue influence over Britain’s future? Image: Stuart Wheeler (Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

    Suede singer-songwriter Brett Anderson Oct 09, 2019

    Rock music inhabits a world of permanent revolution. Today’s biggest bands will most likely be tomorrow’s tired old has-beens. But just occasionally artists and groups find a way of reinventing themselves and outlasting the constant fluctuations in fashion and taste. Stephen Sackur speaks to the singer-songwriter Brett Anderson. His band Suede was hailed as the future of Rock'n'Roll back in the early 1990s. Today they are still making music a generation after Britpop ceased to be a thing. So what keeps him going?

    Brazil's Environment Minister - Ricardo Salles Oct 07, 2019

    The number of forest fires burning in the Amazon rainforest may have dropped since the global alarm was raised in August, but Brazil’s Government is still feeling intense political heat. Stephen Sackur interviews Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, who is in Europe trying to convince sceptics that President Bolsonaro’s government is not prioritising economic exploitation at the expense of environmental protection. How credible are the Brazilian Government’s soothing words? Image: Ricardo Salles (Credit: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images)

    Actor and activist - Jameela Jamil Oct 04, 2019

    Zeinab Badawi interviews British actress, activist and model Jameela Jamil. After breaking into the US with the critically-acclaimed comedy series ‘The Good Place’, she’s been getting attention for her criticism of celebrities like the Kardashians for their promotion of diet products to millions of young women on social media. Is her campaign to make us feel better about our bodies working?

    Daughter of former Chief Minister of Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti - Iltija Mufti Oct 02, 2019

    It has been two months since India revoked the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi still has the territory in a form of lockdown. Political leaders are detained, troops are on the streets and communication links are disrupted. The Modi Government seems confident its dramatic cancellation of a 70-year-old dispensation has worked; but what of Kashmiri feeling? Stephen Sackur speaks to Iltija Mufti, the daughter of former Chief Minister of Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti, who is currently in detention. Do Kashmiris have any choice but to accept their new reality?

    Lawyer - Kimberley Motley Sep 30, 2019

    What have almost two decades of American intervention in Afghanistan achieved? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Kimberley Motley - an American lawyer who went to Kabul in a training capacity and stayed to become a respected litigator fighting for the rights of the abused and the powerless. The death toll in the Afghan conflict far outstrips the losses in Syria and Yemen. But the grim statistics tell only a part of Afghanistan’s story. Does her experience give grounds for hope or despair?

    Former White House Communications Director - Anthony Scaramucci Sep 27, 2019

    Is impeachment a trap for President Trump's opponents? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to Anthony Scaramucci, former Trump cheerleader, briefly his communications director and now an arch critic. The Trump presidency has seen US politics become ever more polarised and partisan. The Democrats decision to begin impeachment proceedings based on emerging details of President Trump’s dealings with the President of Ukraine has intensified the political warfare in Washington.

    President of Microsoft - Brad Smith Sep 25, 2019

    How do we ensure our astonishing technological advances are harnessed for good, not harm? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to the President of Microsoft, Brad Smith. Remember the time when the internet was trumpeted as the tech tool that would deliver us a golden age of knowledge, freedom and democracy? Now we’re in a darker, more cynical place – the digital revolution has generated fears about lost privacy, mass surveillance and systemic misinformation. Have the corporate titans of tech failed us? Image: Brad Smith (Credit: Gary He/Reuters)

    Lebanon's Foreign Minister - Gebran Bassil Sep 23, 2019

    Why is Lebanon dogged by chaos? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to the country’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. Lebanese politics is a world of complex alliances, delicate inter-communal arrangements, and almost permanent instability. Lebanon currently has a functioning government but it’s dealing with a host of deep problems: the economy is a mess, national debt is spiralling and regional conflict threatens to pull the country apart at the seams. Is the current Lebanese government making a bad situation worse? Image: Gebran Bassil (Credit: Clemens Bilan/EPA)

    South Africa's Minister of International Relations - Naledi Pandor Sep 20, 2019

    South Africa's Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor talks about the recent spate of xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Twelve people were killed earlier this month when mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses, mainly in Johannesburg. It follows similar outbreaks in 2008 and 2015 which left dozens of people dead. (Photo: Naledi Pandor (Credit: Mauro Pimentel/AFP/Getty Images)

    Chairman, United Liberation Movement for West Papua - Benny Wenda Sep 18, 2019

    Indonesia has the right kind of assets in terms of population, natural resources and strategic position to be a 21st century superpower; but there are clouds on the horizon. For five decades Jakarta has suppressed a Papuan independence movement, and in recent months tensions have flared into violence. Stephen Sackur interviews Benny Wenda, exiled leader of the West Papuan Liberation Movement. Can he take on Jakarta and win? Image: Benny Wenda (Credit: United Liberation Movement for West Papua/AFP)

    Anson Chan - Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, 1993-2001 Sep 16, 2019

    Extraordinary events have become the norm in the last three months in Hong Kong. The territory has become a cockpit of political protest and sporadic violence as many thousands continue to demand democratic reform. Stephen Sackur interviews Anson Chan; she was the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong during the handover from British to Chinese rule. She is still close to the centre of the storm, as Beijing now accuses her of fomenting the protest. Is Hong Kong’s fragile status quo irretrievably broken?

    Independent MP, UK - Heidi Allen Sep 13, 2019

    Is there any clarity and coherence to the opponents of Brexit? Stephen Sackur speaks to MP Heidi Allen, who quit the Conservative party earlier this year to co-found a new pro-remain centrist party. With Prime Minister Boris Johnson apparently intent on ignoring the will of parliament and exiting the EU at the end of October, the eye of the Brexit storm is fast approaching. Image: Heidi Allen (Credit: Isabel Infantes/AFP/Getty Images)

    French MEP and former Europe Minister - Nathalie Loiseau Sep 11, 2019

    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has positioned himself as the country’s Brexit champion, but his pledge to take Britain out of the EU on October the 31st is in trouble. Parliament has passed a law requiring him to seek a deadline extension from the EU; so either he negotiates a new exit deal in short order, or he attempts to defy the law. How is this British melodrama being viewed in Europe? Stephen Sackur interviews French MEP and former Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau. Has EU patience with British indecision run out? Image: Nathalie Loiseau (Credit: Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images)

    Former UK Lord Chancellor - Lord Falconer Sep 06, 2019

    British politics is in full-on meltdown mode. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lost a series of key votes on Brexit, AND his parliamentary majority. He’s now seeking a general election in mid-October to let British voters decide whether Brexit should happen, come what may, at the end of next month. But will the Labour opposition agree to a snap poll? Stephen Sackur interviews former Labour cabinet minister Lord Falconer. Is Labour in any fit state to win an election amid Britain’s Brexit chaos?

    Sea Rescue Captain - Carola Rackete Sep 04, 2019

    The number of migrants making the sea crossing from North Africa to southern Europe has fallen dramatically in the last two years; tragically, the number of deaths hasn’t declined as fast. Humanitarian activists blame the anti-migration policies of EU member states. Stephen Sackur speaks to Carola Rackete, who defied the Italian authorities to land the rescue-ship Sea Watch 3 in Sicily with 50 migrants on board. To some, she’s a humanitarian hero; but will her actions merely encourage more people smuggling and more suffering? Image: Carola Rackete (Credit: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

    IT entrepreneur and philanthropist - Dame Stephanie Shirley Sep 02, 2019

    Eighty years ago, hundreds of Jewish children were smuggled out of Nazi occupied Europe by train in a covert humanitarian mission which became known as the ‘kindertransport’. Stephen Sackur speaks to Dame Stephanie Shirley, who was one of those children. She went on to live an extraordinary life of achievement and philanthropy, blazing a trail for women in business, science and technology. What lessons can we learn from a woman determined to make the most of a life so nearly extinguished in childhood?

    Gabon's Minister of Forests and Environment - Lee White Aug 28, 2019

    Our planet is haemorrhaging natural resources at an alarming rate. Biodiversity is under threat as forests are felled, wild animals illegally hunted. Stephen Sackur speaks to Lee White, newly appointed Environment Minister in the West African state of Gabon. He is on the front line of the effort to conserve and protect what remains, in a country famed for its tropical forests, its elephants and gorillas, but also notorious for systemic corruption and inequality. Can Gabon find a sustainable balance between the needs of man and nature?

    Mia Khalifa: Former adult actress Aug 26, 2019

    The human preoccupation with sex is nothing new – but the internet has made it so much easier to explore and exploit every shade of desire. The online porn industry makes billions of dollars in profit every year, but the big winners are corporate players, not the women and men performing the sex acts. Stephen Sackur interviews Mia Khalifa; she was briefly a porn actress, garnering worldwide notoriety when she appeared in a sex video wearing the Islamic hijab. After years of threats and insecurity, she’s speaking out; what does her story tells us about the porn industry and 21st century culture?

    Kang Kyung-wha – Foreign Minister, South Korea Aug 23, 2019

    Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed ‘deal maker extraordinaire’, is finding the Korean Peninsula tough going. For all his claims of friendship with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang seems no closer to giving up its nuclear arsenal. America's strategic partnership with South Korea is looking increasingly strained too. Stephen Sackur interviews South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. Her country is currently out of step with both the US and Japan; how vulnerable does that make South Korea? Image: Kang Kyung-wha (Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

    CEO of Philip Morris International - Andre Calantzopoulos Aug 21, 2019

    Tobacco giant Philip Morris International claims it wants a ‘smoke free world’ and the eventual phasing out of cigarettes, hailing its new smoke-free products as the future. But how plausible is that given that globally Philip Morris International still sells almost 800 billion cigarettes a year? The World Health Organisation says there are more than a billion smokers around the world, and that about seven million deaths per year ‘are the result of direct tobacco use’. HARDtalk is in PMI’s research laboratories in Switzerland to talk to the CEO, Andre Calantzopoulos. Are his claims of a smoke free future clever strategic marketing or corporate hypocrisy?

    Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, Deputy Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council Aug 19, 2019

    Zeinab Badawi is at the Presidential Palace in Khartoum where a historic power-sharing agreement has been signed between the military and civilians. General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagolo signed the agreement on behalf of the military. He has been described as the most powerful person in Sudan and is the leader of the heavily armed, well equipped Rapid Support Forces. They have been accused of killing or injuring hundreds of civilians during protests in June and July. Can the military be trusted to stick to the power sharing deal? Photo: Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo Credit: Getty Images

    Co-founder of Extinction Rebellion - Roger Hallam Aug 16, 2019

    Back in 2015, the nations of the world made a formal commitment to keep global warming below 2 degrees centigrade. So much for fine words; global greenhouse gas emissions are still rising. The data suggest the planet is warming at an alarming rate. What to do about it? Stephen Sackur interviews Roger Hallam, the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, a movement dedicated to mass resistance and civil disobedience; how far are these climate rebels prepared to go? Image: Roger Hallam (Credit: Ollie Millington/Getty Images)

    Leader of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement - Shah Faesal Aug 15, 2019

    When the Indian Government revoked the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, it knew outrage would follow; which is why Delhi has the Muslim majority Himalayan territory in a form of lockdown. Stephen Sackur interviews the leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement, Shah Faesal. Since recording this interview, there are now reports that Mr Shah has been detained by the authorities in Delhi and prevented from leaving the country. (Photo: Shah Faesal via video link)

    Director of Antiracism Research and Policy Center US - Ibram Kendi Aug 12, 2019

    For many Americans, Donald Trump’s incendiary tweets aimed at immigrants show him to be a racist and white nationalist. But maybe we exaggerate the importance of Donald Trump’s contribution to America’s problem with race? Stephen Sackur interviews prize-winning writer on race and founder of the Anti-Racist Research Centre in Washington, Ibram Kendi. He says the roots of racism run deep and an honest assessment of their strength has barely begun. Can the US ever fix a problem so intimately bound up with its past? (Photo: Ibram X Kendi. Credit: Getty Images)

    Former Conservative Party leader- Iain Duncan Smith Aug 09, 2019

    The British Government’s Brexit strategy can be summed up in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s three-word phrase: ‘do or die’. As a deal between London and Brussels appears unlikely, what about the alternative? Stephen Sackur interviews Iain Duncan Smith, former Conservative party leader and ardent Brexiteer. Can Prime Minister Johnson deliver a no-deal exit? And what would it mean for Britain’s politics and economy? (Photo: Iain Duncan Smith MP, on the Andrew Marr show)

    Chair of the Irish Senate Brexit Committee - Neale Richmond Aug 07, 2019

    Ireland is bracing itself for the scariest of Halloween nightmares. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to take the UK out of the EU on October the 31st, come what may. That may mean a no deal Brexit, with potentially damaging economic consequences for the UK, but also for EU nations, most particularly Ireland. Stephen Sackur interviews Neale Richmond, Chair of the Irish Senate’s Brexit Committee. Can Ireland prevent itself becoming the collateral damage in a Brussels London showdown? (Photo: Neale Richmond)

    Australian scientist - Tim Flannery Aug 05, 2019

    Meteorologists at the UN say the last four years were globally the hottest on record. Sean Ley talks to one of Australia's most eminent scientists who argues that current warming is 'unparalleled' in 2,000 years. Climate change, he says is happening 30 times faster than the melting of the ice at the last Ice Age. Is the political will to save the planet melting too? (Photo: Prof Tim Flannery in the Hardtalk studio)

    Former British Foreign Secretary - Jack Straw Aug 02, 2019

    The world’s most pressing and potentially dangerous strategic confrontation is playing out in the narrow waterway between Iran and Arabia. The United states is leading efforts to isolate the Government in Tehran. Iran is responding with defiance despite severe economic disruption. Former British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, is a veteran of western diplomatic engagement with Iran. How high is the risk of a calamitous conflict? (Photo: Jack Straw in the Hardtalk studio)

    Leader, Hong Kong Civic Party - Alvin Yeung Jul 31, 2019

    Hong Kong is in uproar. Each weekend for the last two months, thousands of people have taken to the streets. Alvin Yueng, who leads the Civic Party shares their fears. (Photo: Alvin Yeung Ngok-Kiu, of Civic Party. Credit: Dickson Lee/South China Morning Post/Getty Images)

    Albert Woodfox: Life after solitary confinement Jul 26, 2019

    There are some human experiences which most of us find it very hard to get our heads around. Stephen Sackur speaks to Albert Woodfox, who experienced the unimaginable torment of more than four decades in solitary confinement, in a tiny cell in one of America’s most notorious prisons. He was the victim of ingrained racism and brutality inside America’s system of criminal justice. He is now a free man, but what does freedom really mean, after everything he’s been through? (Photo: Albert Woodfox, a former member of the Black Panthers, who was put in solitary confinement at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Credit: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)

    Olafur Eliasson - Artist Jul 24, 2019

    How far can artists and their work change the world? Can artistic endeavour lead to concrete action to mitigate the impact of global warming, or is this fanciful? Zeinab Badawi is at the Tate Modern in London, interviewing award-winning Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson about his new exhibition and why he believes art can be a force for good in the world. Image: Olafur Eliasson (Credit: Neil Hall/EPA)

    Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India - Raghuram Rajan Jul 22, 2019

    Sarah Montague speaks to Raghuram Rajan, until 2016 the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. He says “capitalism is under threat” and if world leaders want to save liberal democracies from a surge in populism they need to give more power to local communities and away from big governments and big businesses. When he left his job as Governor of India’s central bank, he said it was “better to be a doer than an adviser”. Now he is being talked of as one of the front-runners to be the next Governor of the Bank of England. Would he rather do that job than advise in another?

    Mayor of Istanbul - Ekrem Imamoğlu Jul 19, 2019

    Have voters in Istanbul dealt a serious blow to Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan? They’ve elected the opposition to the Mayor's office. A city of 16 million, it was the President's power base. Zeinab Badawi talks to the city’s new Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Image: Ekrem Imamoglu (Credit: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)

    Foreign Minister of Iran - Javad Zarif Jul 17, 2019

    HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi is in New York, for a rare interview with the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who is attending high level talks at the UN. Hostilities between Iran and the US are at a historic high; recently, President Trump said he was ‘ten minutes away from war with Tehran’. Could the two countries stumble into a war? And is Iran raising the stakes in the Persian Gulf after Washington tore up the nuclear deal last year? Image: Mohammad Javad Zarif (Credit: Khalid Al-Mousily/Reuters)

    Nobel Prize-winning economist - Sir Angus Deaton Jul 15, 2019

    Stephen Sackur interviews Sir Angus Deaton, a British-American economist and academic. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics (2015) for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare. He has just launched the Deaton Review with the Institute for Fiscal Studies; a five-year academic investigation into inequalities in the UK, the largest ever conducted. What can Western democracies do to tame capitalism and reduce its worst effects? Image: Sir Angus Deaton (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

    Prime Minister, Greece - Kyriakos Mitsotakis Jul 12, 2019

    Can a new government transform Greece's fortunes? HARDtalk's Zeinab Badawi speaks exclusively to the new Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens. After the centre-right New Democracy party won the elections, he takes over a country traumatised and impoverished by a decade of economic austerity. In his first interview with the international broadcast media since his decisive victory over the populist Syriza party, Zeinab Badawi asks Prime Minister Mitsotakis whether he can deliver on his campaign promises. (Photo:: Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Credit: Milos Bacanski/Getty Images)

    President of the UK Supreme Court - Lady Hale Jul 10, 2019

    Stephen Sackur speaks to Lady Hale, President of the UK Supreme Court. The British legal system has long enjoyed an international reputation for independence, integrity and efficiency. But senior judges, lawyers and police officers are now voicing concern about a judicial system close to breaking point. Is one of the world’s most admired justice systems failing the people it is supposed to serve? Image: Lady Hale (Credit: UK Supreme Court/PA Wire)

    Former UK Prime Minister - Sir John Major Jul 08, 2019

    What kind of country will emerge from the Brexit mess? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Sir John Major, former British Prime Minister. Within weeks the UK's Conservative party will have a new leader and Britain a new prime minister. As with so much in UK politics the battle between Boris Johnson and Jeremy hunt boils down to Brexit; who do Tories believe is better equipped to navigate the political and constitutional crisis that looms as the departure date of October 31st draws near? Image: John Major (Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images)

    US Republican Senator, Florida - Rick Scott Jul 05, 2019

    It's impossible to predict Donald Trump's policy-making and diplomacy. He seeks neither consistency, nor consensus - as is obvious in his approach to China, North Korea, Iran and other challenges at home and abroad. Stephen Sackur speaks to Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida - a key Trump ally back in 2016, who has since parted company with the President on some of his most controversial policies. How effective and how sustainable is the Trump presidency? (Photo: US Senator Rick Scott speaks during Concordia Americas Summit, in Bogota, Colombia, 2019. Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters)

    Former East German sprinter - Ines Geipel Jul 03, 2019

    Doped for decades, East German athletes are still searching for truth and justice. When the infamous Berlin Wall was breached 30 years ago, the darkest secrets of the East German police state were soon exposed. Among them was the systematic, coercive administration of performance-enhancing drugs to thousands of young athletes. It was meant to make them into world beaters, regardless of any damage to their health. Stephen Sackur talks to the former East German sprinter Ines Geipel about the abuse she and others were subjected to in what is now known as the East German doping scandal. (Photo: Former East German sprinter Ines Geipel)

    Actor and activist - Michael Sheen Jun 28, 2019

    Sarah Montague speaks to actor and activist Michael Sheen. Known around the world for his film, television and theatre work, Michael Sheen made his name for his uncanny ability to portray other people, such as Tony Blair, Brian Clough and David Frost. These roles catapulted him into a life far from his home in Port Talbot in South Wales. But it was acting that also brought him back there, where he is now immersed in tackling some of the problems that face a poor community: poverty, debt and homelessness. How does he straddle such contrasting worlds? (Photo: Michael Sheen attending the premiere of Good Omens at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London. Credit: PA MEDIA)

    Chairman of the UK Brexit Party - Richard Tice Jun 26, 2019

    Brexit - not just an event, now a whole political movement. At the end of May, with its leader Nigel Farage at the helm, the Brexit Party swept the board in the European Parliament elections, demeaning the UK’s governing Conservative Party. Five years ago, the same triumph for Nigel Farage, albeit leading a party with a different name. Shaun Ley interviews Richard Tice, chairman of Mr Farage’s party and one of its MEPs. With many experts predicting a costly, bitter departure from the European Union, did the triumph of the Brexit Party bring the United Kingdom and its politics into discredit? Image: Richard Tice (Credit: Andy Rain/European Photopress Agency)

    US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and Communications - Robert Strayer Jun 24, 2019

    How dangerous is the superpower rivalry in technology and information? Currently there’s much focus on the tensions between the US and China over the Chinese tech giant Huawei. Soon 5G networks will be a critical part of our world in transportation, power supply, payment systems and so much more. Washington says the Chinese can’t be trusted because they may use their technology infrastructure for spying. Beijing says this is nonsense. HARDtalk's Zeinab Badawi talks to the US top official on cyber information and security, Robert Strayer. He’s on a mission to dissuade Europeans from doing business with Huawei. But is Washington losing the cyberwar? Image: Robert Strayer (Credit: Shawn Thew/EPA)

    Senior adviser to President Obama (2009-2017) - Valerie Jarrett Jun 19, 2019

    How much responsibility should team Obama take for the course American politics has taken since they left centre-stage? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Valerie Jarrett, former advisor to President Obama. It is one of the great puzzles of American politics: how voters could make history by putting Barack Obama in the White House – twice – and then elect Donald Trump as his successor. Valerie Jarrett is a close friend and adviser to Barack and Michelle Obama from early days in Chicago, all the way through the White House years. How will historians view the Obama legacy?

    Writer - Thomas Keneally Jun 17, 2019

    Is Australia still a country wrestling with its identity? HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to Australian writer Thomas Keneally. He's the author of more than 30 novels including Schindler’s Ark, which won him the Booker Prize and was turned into an Oscar winning film. Much of his writing addresses the themes of culture and identity, and Australia’s modern and ancient heritage.

    Cardiac surgeon - Samer Nashef Jun 10, 2019

    There is something special about the human heart. We live with, and by, its constant beat. We invest it with our deepest feelings. So naturally we reserve something like reverence for the surgeons who try to fix them when they are broken. Samer Nashef has chosen to write with honesty about the highs, lows and limitations of life and death surgery. He spoke to Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur at the Hay literary festival in Wales.

    Bas Eickhout, Dutch MEP, GreenLeft Party Jun 07, 2019

    Political power inside the European Union is no longer going to be easily stitched up between the two big blocks of centre left and centre right. After last month’s European parliamentary election, Europe's Green party will wield significant influence in the next round of EU deal making. Hardtalk speaks to the Green candidate for Commission President, Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout, and asks him how much the Greens are prepared to compromise. Image: Bas Eickhout (Credit: Marcel van Hoorn/European Photopress Agency)

    US Democratic Party funder - Tom Steyer Jun 05, 2019

    As Donald Trump and family revel in the pomp and circumstance of a state visit to London, his staunchest political opponents continue to plot a pathway to impeachment. Stephen Sackur interviews Tom Steyer, a Californian hedge fund billionaire turned deep-pocketed backer of liberal causes, who is funding much of that effort. His focus was climate change, now its impeachment. He’s a powerful force in the Democratic Party – but is he in danger of pushing the party in the wrong direction? Image: Tom Steyer (Credit: Stephen Lam/Reuters)

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