Michael McCaul: Is Biden up to facing off with Putin?

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)

8 Kesä 201823min

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)

5 Kesä 201823min

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)

4 Kesä 201823min

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?

1 Kesä 201822min

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)

30 Touko 201823min

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?

25 Touko 201823min

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)

23 Touko 201823min

What does Ireland's abortion referendum say about the country today? On 25 May Irish voters face a choice - by way of a referendum they can either keep a constitutional amendment which outlaws abortion in all but the most exceptional circumstances, or they can change their constitution and pave the way for the legalisation of abortion. Given Ireland's history, culture and religion it is a fierce debate. Hardtalk's Stephen Sackur is joined by two campaigners - Sinead Redmond, an advocate of expanding abortion rights, and Caroline Simons, an opponent.(Photo: Caroline Simons (L) pro-life campaigner and Sinead Redmond (R) abortion rights advocate)

21 Touko 201823min