The Interview

What is journalism for? To inform and bear witness, uncover inconvenient truths and hold power to account? Those are surely values most of us share, but have we collectively lost faith and trust in the news and those who report it? Stephen Sackur speaks to Alan Rusbridger- who edited the UK’s Guardian newspaper for 20 years in the midst of a digital revolution, which transformed the news business forever. If the established media is no longer trusted, who is to blame?(Photo: Alan Rusbridger in the Hardtalk studio)

Will post Brexit Britain be left behind in the race to reach new scientific frontiers? Stephen Sackur speaks to Graham Turnock, Chief Executive of the UK space agency. Britain’s exit from the European Union has generated intense scrutiny of borders, tariffs and trade. But the shock waves will spread much further. A complex web of scientific collaboration and partnership is in jeopardy – most obviously in the field of space and satellite technology. The UK stands to be frozen out of the Galileo project which will deliver a European rival to the American GPS system.

Deploying troops overseas, whether to fight or protect, is a costly business. It is one of the reasons why throughout history, wars and long term military commitments have often been contracted out to private operators – mercenaries – whose methods, personnel and costs can be very different. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Erik Prince, the founder of the Blackwater security contractor used by the US Government in Iraq until things went badly wrong. A decade on, he is pitching to replace the US military in Afghanistan – is it an idea President Trump might just buy?

'Sense the party's thought, obey the party's words, follow the party's lead' are the words printed in red on a building at an internment camp in Xinjiang, China. It is one of the country's wealthiest provinces, and also one of its most restive. It has one and a half per cent of China's population, yet over 20 per cent of its arrests. Meanwhile, there are reports of over a million people currently in detention. The Government says the camps are needed to "re-educate" the people. Nury Turkel, chairman of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, disagrees. Uyghurs, an ethnic group who practice Islam, say Xinjiang has become a giant prison. Yet armed groups have killed hundreds in recent years, and the US and UK among others have placed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, based in the region, among those they call terrorists. Is he being duped, or is China duping the rest of the world?

HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur is in Italy to speak to Matteo Salvini, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and arguably the most important populist politician in Europe today. He has risen to power with strident denunciations of immigration and the European Union. What does his success mean for Italy and Europe?Image: Matteo Salvini (Credit: Reuters)

Does Spain's new government have any fresh solutions for the country's problems? HARDtalk speaks to Spain’s Foreign Minister Josep Borrell about a tumultuous year for the country, dominated by the prolonged political stand-off in Catalonia and a series of scandals in Madrid which eventually saw the centre-right government fall and the socialists take over.Image: Josep Borrell (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Stephen Sackur is in northern Italy for the annual discussion of global politics known as the Ambrosetti Forum. High on the agenda for many European politicians are the challenges posed by Vladimir Putin's Russia. Arkady Dvorkovich was until this spring Russia's Deputy Prime Minister. Amid the mutual suspicion and the sanctions, is there any way to avert deepening hostility between Russia and the West?Image: Arkady Dvorkovich (Credit: Reuters)

Has the internet left every one of us dangerously exposed? HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to Michael Chertoff, former US Secretary of Homeland Security during the Bush Administration and now a leading thinker on cyber-security. Most of us have embedded the internet and smart technology in our lives. We might like to believe we’re autonomous digital citizens, but what if our behaviours are now being monitored, and modified by private and state actors over which we have no control?Image: Michael Chertoff (Credit: Getty Images)

In the turbulent recent history of the Middle East, has there ever been a time when Israel has seemed more powerful – militarily, diplomatically and economically? Israel has the fulsome support of the Trump Administration and also has common strategic interests with Saudi Arabia and Arab nations preoccupied with perceived threats from Iran. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon. Is Israel making wise choices from its position of strength?Image: Danny Danon (Credit: European Photopress Agency)

In troubled times like these, does art really matter? Stephen Sackur is in Ramallah, more than five decades after the Israeli occupation of the West Bank began, to meet perhaps the most renowned Palestinian artist of his generation, Suleiman Mansour. His paintings have come to define a sense of Palestinian identity.

The pictures are chilling – a handful of people in the German city of Chemnitz giving Nazi salutes. They were among thousands who took to the streets to demonstrate against immigrants after an Iraqi and a Syrian were arrested following a fatal stabbing. Some of the protesters chased down people they believed were immigrants. All this comes as politicians struggle to agree how to handle the migrant crisis in Europe. HARDtalk speaks to German MEP David McAllister, who chairs the European Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs. Have European leaders ignored the threat from the far right for too long?Image: David McAllister (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Zeinab Badawi is in Washington for an exclusive interview with the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta. He has been holding talks with President Trump at the White House on trade, investment and security. But how can President Kenyatta invite investors to Kenya when the country remains mired in corruption which pervades all walks of life and enriches the few at the expense of the many?Image: Uhuru Kenyatta, pictured in October 2017 (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Could a trade war escalate between the US and some of its trading partners? It’s not an easy time to be involved in international trade, with the world’s two biggest economies- the US and China trading insults and imposing tariffs on each other. Beijing says it is reporting Washington to the World Trade Organisation. The current tensions were sparked by President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on billions of dollars on imports from China, the EU, Canada and Mexico. HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, which is co-owned by the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations. Her mandate is to help small and medium businesses in developing countries participate in global trade. But with an international trading system that some believe is discredited and outmoded, is she pursuing the wrong ambitions?

Stephen Sackur is in Bogotá for an exclusive interview with Colombia’s new President Iván Duque. He is a youthful centre-right technocrat who faces momentous decisions early in his Presidency. Will he uphold his predecessor’s fragile peace deal with the FARC guerrilla group? How will he respond to the economic and humanitarian crisis unfolding in neighbouring Venezuela? President Duque is a relative political novice in a volatile region and he is about to be sorely tested.Image: Iván Duque (Credit: European Photopress Agency)

World figures have been paying tribute to the former UN secretary-general and Nobel laureate Kofi Annan, who has died at the age of 80. HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi spoke to him in April at a special event to mark his birthday and the tenth anniversary of the Kofi Annan Foundation. In a career spanning six decades at the United Nations, he held several senior positions including two terms as Secretary-General. There were high points such as the award of the Nobel Peace Prize as well as tragic events such as the Rwandan genocide and the Srebrenica massacre of Bosnian Muslims. But what were his biggest worries and did he have any regrets?Image: Kofi Annan (Credit: Getty Images)

Never before in the history of humankind have we had so much information, so many facts at our finger tips, and yet much of what we think we know is wrong. What on earth is going on? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Bobby Duffy, social scientist, opinion pollster and managing director of the Ipsos Mori Social Research Institute. How can we the people make informed decisions if we're not truly informed?

A tiny proportion of Muslim women in Britain wear the burqa or niqab; forms of dress which keep the face partially of fully covered. Nonetheless, those women find themselves at the heart of a sometimes bitter argument about religion, values and tolerance in Western society. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to the Islamic scholar and imam- Taj Hargey, who has long stirred controversy amongst fellow Muslims by condemning the burqa and demanding a new form of Islam. Will his ideas ever gain traction in the Muslim community?

When Iran’s President Rouhani was convincingly re-elected last year, Iranians seemed hopeful their living standards might improve. However, inflation, poverty, water shortages and corruption are all things that appear to be getting worse. Now, Iran is again facing US sanctions after President Trump walked away from the nuclear deal with Tehran. Stephen Sackur speaks to Iranian political analyst and erstwhile nuclear talks adviser Mohamed Marandi. Is Iran on the brink of an economic and political crisis?(Photo: Professor Mohamed Marandi)

The Christian religion is divided on issues of sexuality; not least the degree of acceptance and inclusion offered to gay men and women of faith. Amid the fierce theological arguments are stories of individuals torn between their faith and sexual orientation. Stephen Sackur speaks to Vicky Beeching, a popular Christian singer-songwriter, turned public advocate for LGBT rights, whose remarkable story has seen her described as one of the most influential Christians of her generation. Has she found peace after years of turmoil?(Photo: Vicky Beeching in the Hardtalk studios)

Stephen Sackur speaks to Dutch MEP, Sophie Int’ Veld, deputy to the European parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator. British Prime minister Theresa May is running out of time to avoid the Brexit cliff edge. Her proposals for a post Brexit trade deal with Brussels got short shrift from the EUs chief negotiator – she seems to be hoping to get more joy from some of Europe’s national leaders. But with every passing day the prospect of a no deal, potentially chaotic Brexit grows more real. Is Brexit brinkmanship a game no one can win?(Photo: Dutch MEP, Sophie Int’ Veld)

Anger is a powerful force in politics and there's a lot of it about. Donald Trump, Brexit and a host of populist movements have been fuelled by anger with the way things are. Where does it come from? How best to respond? One much discussed, provocative perspective comes not from a politician but the Canadian clinical psychologist, Jordan Peterson, whose defence of traditional values has won him a worldwide following. Is his diagnosis liberating or dangerous?(Photo: Dr Jordan Peterson. Credit: Carlos Osorio/Getty Images)

Zeinab Badawi speaks to Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesia's Minister of National Development Planning. President Widodo of Indonesia was recently re-elected to a second term in office and he says he has big ambitions to raise the standard of living of his people. Indonesia is the most populous country in South East Asia and has the biggest economy. But it faces a series of challenges from poor infrastructure to corruption and extreme income inequality. He is in London to try and attract investors, but is the government doing enough to tackle its problems?

It was front page news around the world when a mass grave was discovered at a Mother and Baby Home in Ireland. The remains of almost 800 babies were found. But research by Paul Redmond showed that this was only "the tip of the iceberg". He collected evidence of high death rates at homes for illegitimate children across Ireland and also claimed the catholic nuns who ran them were trading in adoptions; being paid to send children to the United States for adoption often against the mother's wishes and sometimes without her knowledge. He was born in one of those homes and adopted before he was a month old. Now he feels he has a duty to expose what went on.(Photo: Paul Redmond in the Hardtalk studio)

The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Zeid Al Hussein, is stepping down in August after four years in the post having said he doesn’t want a second term. In an exclusive interview the veteran Jordanian diplomat tells Zeinab Badawi why he didn’t want to stay in the job. After being criticised for being too outspoken – especially about the US president Donald Trump’s policies – was he too vocal to be effective in promoting human rights globally, or is that just what the job demands?Image: Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

In August it will be 20 years since more than 200 people were killed when simultaneous truck bomb explosions were carried out on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Zeinab Badawi speaks to the acclaimed Kenyan film-maker Wanuri Kahiu who made an award winning film on the tragedy. Her latest film depicting a lesbian love affair however has been banned in Kenya. What does her film making tell us about African society today and how they are viewed by wider audiences?(Photo: Director Wanuri Kahiu attend the screening of Leto at Cannes Film Festival. Credit: Dominique Charriau/WireImage)

Is Australia redefining what it means to be a good bloke? Stephen Sackur speaks to internationally acclaimed author Tim Winton whose prolific output of fiction is rooted deep in the soil and the shoreline of his native western Australia. His latest novel, The Shepherds Hut, focuses on a troubled young man wrestling with demons, and it comes at an opportune time with the Me Too movement demanding an end to ingrained sexism, misogyny and toxic masculinity.)(Photo: Tim Winton in the Hardtalk studio)

Stephen Sackur speaks to Elmar Brok, MEP - the longest serving member of the European parliament and a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. The EU is bedeviled by problems that simply won’t go away – from Brexit to immigration to an increasingly vexed relationship with the Trump Administration. Germany is the EU’s most powerful economy, but is its political clout on the wane?(Photo: Elmar Brok prior to the beginning of the EU foreign ministers meeting on the constitution in Brussels, 2004. Credit: Thierry Monasse/AFP)

There are growing concerns that India, the world’s most populous democracy is in the grip of a divisive brand of populism. The ruling BJP Hindu nationalist party has been accused by the country’s 180million plus Muslims of treating them as second class citizens. India may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women because of the high risk of sexual violence. Stephen Sackur speaks to India’s Law and Justice Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is at the centre of many of these storms. Is India facing its darkest hour since independence?(Photo: Ravi Shankar Prasad, Law and Justice Minister for India)

Stephen Sackur speaks to Hameed Haroon, CEO of the Dawn Media Group. In just a few days’ time Pakistanis will go to the polls to elect a new Government. Democracy rather than military dictatorship is becoming a habit. Or is it? Accusations are flying inside the country of military meddling - intimidation of critical media voices, and tacit support for friendly politicians. Is Pakistan's democracy in danger?(Photo: Hameed Haroon, CEO of the Dawn Media Group)

How far will Trump take his love of disruption? Stephen Sackur speaks to Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Media Inc. President Donald Trump seems to value his gut instinct more than expert advice; and appears to respect raw power more than traditional alliances. This is not a President ready to make nice with Europe simply because of shared values. Amid the constant churn of Administration staff his informal advisers seem to know him best - like long time Trump ally and conservative media mogul Christopher Ruddy.(Photo: Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Media Inc)

For nearly three decades the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has been locked in a bitter dispute with neighbouring Greece over its name. There’s a Greek province called Macedonia. Last month the two countries signed a historic accord to change the name of this small Balkan state to the Republic of North Macedonia - subject to a referendum. The agreement paves the way for Macedonia to join the EU and Nato. This would be a welcome step for a country that is one of the poorest in Europe. But challenges from nationalist hardliners, the opposition and the President signal stormy times ahead for the social democratic government. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. Does he have what it takes to change hearts and mind and set his country on a path of greater prosperity?(Photo: Prime Minister Zoran Zaev speaks at signing ceremony renaming Macedonia to Republic of North Macedonia, 2018. Credit: Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP)

HARDtalk goes to the Hay Literary Festival in Wales, where we are joined by an audience to meet a world-renowned specialist in death. For many of us, it is the hardest subject of all to think and talk about - yet for author Sue Black, it is the very business of life. She's a professor of forensic anthropology, whose ability to read the clues and stories in human remains has made her a world renowned investigator. What does she see when she looks death in the face?Image: Sue Black (Credit: BBC)

HARDTalk is in Jerusalem, an ancient city which arguably stirs more passion, argument and hostility than any other. Israel claims all of it as its eternal, undivided capital - a claim at odds with international law and much world opinion, but boosted by President Trump's decision to move the US embassy there. Stephen Sackur talks to Jerusalem's two term mayor Nir Barkat. Can Israel conclusively win the struggle for Jerusalem?Image: Nir Barkat (Credit: Getty Images)

Sarah Montague speaks to Ben Rhodes who was Deputy National Security Adviser for President Barack Obama. During his time at the White House he developed such a close bond with the President that he earned a reputation for being able to anticipate his thinking and administration insiders described him as the single most influential voice shaping American foreign policy aside from Obama himself. So how does he feel about the new occupant of the White House and what he has done with their legacy?(Photo: Ben Rhodes speaks about the President Obama's upcoming trip to Cuba during a daily press briefing at the White House, 2016. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

The internet is perhaps the defining technological advance of the last fifty years. It has opened up a new world of possibilities, but what if it also represents an existential threat to humanity? That is the alarming possibility raised by computer scientist Jaron Lanier. He is no tech-phobic sensationalist; he is a Silicon Valley insider who was a hugely influential pioneer in Virtual Reality and a consultant to some of the biggest tech giants. In what ways are we sowing the seeds of our own destruction?(Photo: Jaron Lanier in the Hardtalk studio)

Since the beginning of 2018, the Iranian Government has locked up a number of environmental scientists and campaigners. One respected conservationist was found hanged in his cell in what the authorities said was a suicide. What is going on? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to Kaveh Madani, a scientist invited back to Iran from an academic post in London to be deputy head of the Environment Department. He got caught up in the crackdown and fled Iran in April. Why has environmental activism become so dangerous in Iran?(Photo: Kaveh Madani)

When historians write their versions of Donald Trump’s extraordinary ascent to the Presidency, prominence will surely be given to the former Director of the FBI James Comey. He was a Republican hired by a Democratic President, whose handling of two key investigations; into Hillary Clinton’s emails and allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, polarised America. His recent memoir was a withering condemnation of the man who fired him, President Trump. But has James Comey sullied his own reputation by stepping into America’s political swamp?(Photo: FBI Director James Comey testifies before the House Intelligence Committee hearing into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. Credit: Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

One issue more than any other that is polarising European politics and dividing the European Union is migration. In Germany, it threatens Angela Merkel’s grip on power, whilst from Italy to Austria and Hungary and Poland, it is driving policies which threaten to smash any continental consensus. Stephen Sackur speaks to Karin Kneissl - the foreign minister in Austria's right wing, nationalist coalition government. Are Europeans finding their authentic voice or is a dangerous brand of populism poisoning politics?(Photo: Austria's Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl arrives for a cabinet meeting in Vienna, Austria, 2018. Credit: Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters)

Can Kazakhstan move beyond one party rule? Stephen Sackur talks to the chairman of the Kazakh Senate, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The country's shiny new capital city, Astana, tells you plenty about the country’s oil wealth and its big ambition to be Central Asia’s regional powerhouse. But all of this cannot mask a nagging question - what happens in this country when the long serving President Nursultan Nazarbayev finally leaves power?(Photo: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (L), chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan's Parliament. Credit: Alexander Shalgin\TASS\Getty Images)

Mary Lou McDonald is the leader of Sinn Féin - the party of Irish Republicans in the Irish Republic and in Northern Ireland. Ireland is going through a period of extraordinary change. Social attitudes have shifted profoundly on abortion, gay rights and the role of the Catholic Church. Now Brexit poses a challenge to the island, north and south. Can Sinn Féin take advantage?(Photo: Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald after delivering a keynote speech for the first time during the annual party conference. Credit: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

The new Ethiopian government is making dramatic reforms in the country: the state of emergency had been lifted, the military and intelligence chiefs have been replaced and opposition politicians have been released en masse from prison. One of those released is Andargachew Tsege a prominent opposition leader from the organisation Patriotic Ginbot 7. He had been on death row in an Ethiopian jail for four years. Will his group renounce violence and will he go back to Ethiopia to help build the country's future?(Photo: Andargachew Tsege)

Rodrigo Duterte has been President of the Philippines for two years. His war on drugs has cost thousands of lives, with his human rights record attracting international condemnation, and prompting charges of authoritarianism. Yet he has an approval rating unheard of in most democracies. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to former Chief Justice of the Philippines- Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was removed from the Supreme Court by her fellow justices. Was that a victory against official corruption or a devastating Duterte-inspired blow to democracy?(Photo: Ousted Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno waves to supporters. Credit: Ted Aljibe/AFP)

Stephen Sackur speaks to Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive officer of the Afghan unity Government. The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has ordered an unconditional ceasefire in the army's military campaign against the Taliban. But Afghans can be forgiven for being sceptical. The pause is for just two weeks. The Taliban has given no sign it will respond in kind; and the broader security, economic and political condition of the country remains parlous. Does he and President Ghani have a coherent plan for rescuing Afghanistan?

With Brexit the main preoccupation for politicians in Britain, the opposition Labour Party has announced a shift in policy which would see the UK retaining most of the elements of its current relationship with the EU. It wants Britain to have full access to the single market and stay a member of the customs union. But that does not go far enough for some staunchly pro-EU members of the party who want Britain to stay part of the European Economic Area. HARDtalk’s Zeinab Badawi speaks to Labour MP and prominent EU campaigner Chuka Umunna about challenging the Conservative government and his own Labour Party leadership on Brexit.Image: Chuka Umunna (Credit: Press Association)

It's hard to imagine how the US-Russia relationship could be any more dysfunctional. Each accuses the other of consistently malign action and intent. 'Worse than the Cold war' was the way it was described by Russia's foreign minister. And yet, the two presidents, Trump and Putin, appear to have some regard for each other. What does it all mean? HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to former US ambassador to Russia, and Obama adviser- Michael McFaul. How deep does the poison in the relationship run?(Photo: Michael McFaul in the Hardtalk studio)

The National Assembly in Pakistan has been dissolved ahead of the general election in late July. Just as eyes were turned on him when he was a top international cricket star, much attention is focussed on Imran Khan who abandoned sport for the far less gentlemanly arena of Pakistani politics. He established his own party- the Movement for Justice Party, more than 20 years ago and says he wants to create a new Pakistan. In the last elections in 2013, his party came third. So can he make it to the position of Prime Minister this time round? And is he the right person to steer Pakistan given criticisms about his performance?(Photo: Imran Khan on Hardtalk)

Sarah Montague speaks to biochemist Jennifer Doudna. Crispr Cas9 has been described as the greatest biological breakthrough in decades. It is a gene editing tool and the hopes that rest on it are immense - that it can be used to cure cancer and other intractable diseases, stop mosquitoes carrying malaria, create drought resistant crops and food that does not rot, even that it can recreate extinct animals. What does she make of the breathtaking pace of innovation since her discovery and does she fear where it may lead?

Zeinab Badawi speaks to the British writer and commentator Ed Husain, who believes the gulf between Islam and the West is widening and that westerners see the religion as something to be feared rather than understood. He spent several years as a radical Islamist and then turned his back on jihadism and has written about his own personal journey as well as trying to explain why people join extremist groups. Now he is calling on moderate Muslims to reclaim their religion from the extremists. But is he oversimplifying a complex issue and playing into the hands of Islamaphobes?(Photo: Ed Husain in the Hardtalk studio)

For more than fifty years Les Hinton was the right hand man of one of the most powerful press barons of modern times - Rupert Murdoch. Hinton was a top executive at News Corp during some of its most tumultuous times. He has just lifted the lid on his time at the corporation in a new memoir. How much personal responsibility does he bear for some of the excesses at News International like the phone hacking scandal in the UK and did he have a career he can be proud of?

Zeinab Badawi speaks to Egyptian activist and writer Dr Nawal El Saadawi. She has been described as the Arab world's leading feminist. She is a medical doctor, writer, activist, campaigner and outspoken political critic. She was banned from speaking in the Egyptian media and imprisoned under the government of President Sadat for her outspoken views. How much freedom of expression is there currently under President Sisi? And what about the status of women in Egypt today?(Photo: Dr Nawal El Saadawi)