Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir - Omar Abdullah
In a special edition of Hardtalk recorded in front of an audience in India's capital Delhi, Stephen Sackur talks to one of the country's most intriguing politicians. Omar Abdullah is Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, a long disputed territory once described by former US president Bill Clinton as the most dangerous place on Earth. Is there any hope of Kashmir becoming a place of peace not conflict? Omar Abdullah has been Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for five years, following in a family tradition. His grandfather was the state's first prime minister and his father served as chief minister too.Picture: Omar Abdullah (left) with presenter Stephen Sackur
29 Jan 201423min
Finance Minister of India - Palaniappan Chidambaram
India has experienced unprecedented growth. Why does poverty persist?Picture: Palaniappan Chidambaram, Credit: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images
27 Jan 201423min
Finance Minister of Cyprus - Harris Georgiades
When Harris Georgiades became Finance Minister of Cyprus a year ago some said he had been handed poisoned chalice. He has had to preside over tough austerity measures that are driving poverty levels in the country. The economy is shrinking, unemployment will perhaps reach 20% this year and wages are being slashed. These were the tough conditions of a 10 billion Euro bailout granted last year with the Troika of the European Central Bank, the EU and the IMF to avoid a collapse of the banking system in Cyprus. So why then does the Finance Minister believe that the economy is proving more resilient than expected? Is he being too optimistic?Picture: Harris Georgiades, Credit: AP Photo/Petros Karadjias
24 Jan 201423min
Former Minister, Freedom and Justice Party, Egypt - Yehia Hamed
It is three years since the uprisings collectively known as the 'Arab Spring' claimed their biggest prize – the ousting of Hosni Mubarak who had ruled Egypt for thirty years. The previously banned Muslim Brotherhood produced the country's first ever democratically elected president. Six months later he too was deposed. The Brotherhood has since been designated as "terrorist" with its leaders thrown in jail or in exile. One of those is Yehia Hamed. He was investment minister in a government, critics say, put its own interests ahead of the economic crisis which precipitated its downfall. A new constitution has just been overwhelmingly approved by Egyptians - elections are promised within months. With the Brotherhood telling its supporters to "topple the leaders of the treacherous military coup", isn't the Brotherhood encouraging the violence it professes to abhor?
22 Jan 201423min
British Energy and Climate Change Secretary - Ed Davey
The British government is 'going all out for shale'. Those are the words of the Prime Minister about his plan to allow companies to try to extract shale gas from deep underground. It's a contrast to most European countries - many have banned it until they are convinced it can be done safely without damaging the water supply. Sarah Montague speaks to Britain's Energy and Climate Change secretary - the Liberal Democrat Ed Davey. If we want clean, green and affordable energy, what role should fracking have?(Picture: Ed Davey, Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
20 Jan 201423min
US Defence Secretary, 2006 - 2011 - Robert Gates
In a special edition of Hardtalk recorded in New York City, Stephen Sackur speaks to the former US Defence Secretary Robert Gates. In his newly published memoirs he gives the inside story on arguments and tensions inside the Obama White House – particularly over Afghanistan. He has called his book Duty but are some of his revelations an act of disloyalty?
17 Jan 201423min
President of the European Court of Human Rights - Dean Spielmann
Eight hundred million Europeans’ fundamental rights and liberties are supposed to be safeguarded by the European Court of Human Rights. It is an institution steeped in European idealism and ambition, but does it work? Hardtalk speaks to the President of the Strasbourg based court Dean Spielmann. Critics condemn it as an undemocratic, unaccountable infringement on national sovereignty - do they have a case?(Photo: President of the European Court of Human Rights, judge Dean Spielmann. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)
15 Jan 201423min
UN Rapporteur, Counter-terrorism and Human Rights - Ben Emmerson QC
When a US drone kills a jihadi militant in Pakistan has a law been broken? What if the missile kills women and children too? Who can be held to account? Hardtalk speaks to Ben Emmerson, the British lawyer addressing these questions for the United Nations. He says drone strikes and other exceptional counter terror measures simply breed more terror - but does this liberal lawyer really know what's best in the struggle to make the world a safer place?(Photo: Ben Emmerson QC, 2012. Credit: Matrix Chambers HO)
13 Jan 201423min
