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Mohamed El-Erian – CEO, PIMCO Jan 25, 2013

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Is it time for the doom-mongers to admit they were wrong about the world economy?

The Eurozone is intact, the US hasn't plunged off that fiscal cliff and even the most stagnant economy of them all - Japan's - is showing signs of life. Could it be that central bankers and politicians are finally ready to take bold decisions in their quest for growth?

Hardtalk speaks to one of the world's most influential investors, Mohamed El-Erian, boss of the massive PIMCO fund management business. Caution or confidence, which is winning out?

Doreen Lawrence Jan 23, 2013

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Stephen Lawrence was murdered in South London on April 22, 1993. Stephen was black – his attackers were white.

The killing and subsequent investigation exposed violent racism on Britain’s streets and institutional racism within the British police force.

Thanks to the tireless campaign of Stephen’s mother – Doreen Lawrence – two of her son’s killers were last year brought to justice.

Laws have been passed and institutions reformed to combat racism but, two decades on, how much has really changed?

(Image: Doreen Lawrence, Credit: Getty Images)

Pascal Lamy – Director General, World Trade Organisation Jan 21, 2013

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As head of the World Trade Organisation for the past eight years, Pascal Lamy has been leading the crusade for global free trade.

The so called Doha round of negotiations designed to spread free trade to the developing world is in limbo. The flagging world economy has prompted a rise in protectionism. Has the march toward trade liberalisation ended in failure?

(Image: Pascal Lamy, Credit: Getty Images)

Kiran Bedi - Senior Female Police Officer in India Jan 18, 2013

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The brutal gang rape and murder of a young woman in Delhi last month has prompted India to confront a disturbing truth: the country is failing to protect women from sexual violence.

Kiran Bedi has seen the problem close up – she was the most senior female police officer in the Indian Police Service when she retired.

Is India ready for the deep-seated changes that would make the country’s women less vulnerable?

Joaquin Almunia – EU Competition Commissioner Jan 16, 2013

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EU officials in Brussels insist the worst of the Eurozone crisis is over; but is that relief premature? Europe's debt mountain still casts a long shadow. Rising unemployment is fuelling anger on the streets. And Europe's biggest nations are divided on the basic question – where next for the EU? Amid this uncertainty, big practical challenges remain – not least for the EU's Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. Short term or long term, is there reason to be confident about the EU?

(Image: Joaquin Almunia – EU Competition Commissioner, Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Rupert Everett - actor Jan 14, 2013

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Rupert Everett achieved success in his early twenties through his acclaimed lead role in Another Country and Dance With A Stranger.

But much of this success was lost in a haze of sexual promiscuity and alcohol.

Later in the '90s he had a fleeting brush with Holywood stardom.

As an openly gay actor in movie business, did sexual descrimation rob him of a chance of becoming an A-list star?

Stephen Sackur talks to Rupert Everett about his career and his film directorial debut about Oscar Wilde.

Lord Heseltine – Former British Deputy Prime Minister Jan 11, 2013

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Half way through its parliamentary term Britain’s Conservative-led coalition government has a growth problem - the economy is flat; possibly heading for a triple dip recession. But how does a government committed to fiscal austerity juice things up?

HARDtalk speaks to Lord Heseltine, a former Conservative Deputy Prime Minister who was last year commissioned by David Cameron’s government to come up with a growth strategy. But are today’s Tory leaders ready to heed this voice of experience?

(Image: Lord Heseltine. Copyright: Press Association)

Mona Eltahawy – Writer and Activist Jan 09, 2013

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Arabs have risen up against their repressive authoritarian rulers, but what will their post-revolutionary societies look like? In Egypt and Tunisia, power has shifted in the direction of political Islam. Is that the culmination of the march to freedom?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Mona Eltahawy, who thinks not. The controversial Egyptian-American writer and feminist says genuine liberation is impossible while Arab men continue to hate Arab women. In this era of uprisings is her message a wake-up call or a dangerous distraction?

Fatih Birol – Chief Economist, International Energy Agency Jan 09, 2013

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Not so long ago it seemed the world’s addiction to fossil fuels would soon be ended by dwindling supply. But that was before fracking, tar sands and deep sea exploration transformed calculations about global reserves of oil and gas. HARDtalk speaks to Fatih Birol - one of the world’s most influential analysts of the global energy market and its effect on the world economy and environment. Is the resilience of fossil fuel supply a cause for celebration, or despair?

(Image: Fatih Birol, Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Ian Thorpe - Australian Swimmer Jan 04, 2013

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Olympic gold medal-winning Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe on his crippling depression.

(Image: Ian Thorpe, Credit: Getty Images)

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