The Interview

French newspapers will no longer publish pictures of the perpetrators of jihadist atrocities - in an effort to ensure they're neither glorified, nor humanised. HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to a journalist who sees his mission differently. Norwegian Paul Refsdal has spent thirty years filming up close and personal from inside militant groups around the world, often at great personal risk - he was held hostage after filming with the Taliban in 2009. Last year he spent weeks with a small group of would be suicide bombers in Syria. Do we really need to see the Wests enemies this close up?

10 Aug 201623min

Stephen Sackur speaks to Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Omar Zakhilwal. When Ashraf Ghani became president of Afghanistan two years ago he talked of new diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan, aimed at ending the war with the Taliban. As so often before hopes have been dashed. The war goes on, relations between Kabul and Islamabad have soured and the Afghan people still live with a dysfunctional government and broken economy. Is Afghanistan beyond salvation?(Photo: Omar Zakhilwal, 2013 Credit: Aamir Qureshi)

8 Aug 201623min

Stephen Sackur talks to Babatunde Fashola, Nigeria's Minister for Power, Works and Housing. Will his country ever realise its full potential?

4 Aug 201623min

Zeinab Badawi speaks to Sabrina de Sousa, an ex-CIA spy who faces extradition from Portugal to Italy to serve a prison sentence for her alleged role in a CIA extraordinary rendition case when an Egyptian terror suspect was seized in Milan 13 years ago. She denies involvement. Last year she visited Portugal against official advice and was detained by the authorities there. She is awaiting extradition to Italy where she faces a prison sentence. Has she been abandoned by the CIA or is she the agent of her own misfortune?(Photo: Sabrina de Sousa)

1 Aug 201623min

Zeinab Badawi speaks to Shahbaz Taseer, Pakistani businessman, recently released by the Taliban after nearly five years of captivity, during which he endured constant torture. He is the son of the former governor of Punjab who was assassinated in 2011 for his opposition to tough blasphemy laws. Has the vision of a tolerant, secular Pakistan been lost?(Photo: Shahbaz Taseer in the Hardtalk studio)

27 Jul 201623min

Stephen Sackur talks to the film and TV producer Tony Garnett . Watching TV is something pretty much all of us do for news, sport and entertainment, but how much of what we stare at on the box do we actually remember? His subjects of homelessness, illegal abortion, police corruption point to his radicalism - he uncovered dark corners of British life. How much of his motivation came from the dark corners in his own life?(Photo: Tony Garnett in the Hardtalk studio)

27 Jul 201623min

Zeinab Badawi speaks to Mehmet Simsek, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister. The attempted coup in Turkey may have been crushed but has it exposed weaknesses in the hold in power of President Erdogan? Around 15,000 personnel from the military, police, judiciary and civil service have either been arrested or relieved from duty. Is President Erdogan, the target of the coup, too polarising a figure for Turkey and becoming a liability for the ruling party?(Photo: Mehmet Simsek speaking about his country's budget, 2014. Credit: Altan/AFP/Getty Images)

20 Jul 201623min

Venezuela's economy is in meltdown. It's shrinking faster than any other country in the world. Inflation is at nearly 500% and most people say they can no longer afford to buy enough food. Maria Corina Machado has led street protests and is calling on all Venezuelans - including the military - to force President Maduro to resign. He is accusing her of plotting a coup.

18 Jul 201623min