Hardtalk

The International diplomatic effort to push Syria's warring parties to the negotiating table continues - as does the mission to eliminate the Assad regime's stockpile of chemical weapons. But all the while the suffering of Syrian civilians intensifies. Hardtalk speaks to David Nott, a British surgeon recently returned from five weeks practising frontline medicine in rebel-held Syrian territory. He calls it the most troubling experience in his 20 years of crisis care. In a conflict such as Syria's, how much difference can a courageous doctor make?

Vladimir Putin rules Russia with ruthless efficiency. Opponents and potential rivals know they are engaged in a dangerous game, and for proof they need look no further than the fate of Mikhail Khodorkovsky: once Russia’s richest man, an oligarch who crossed the Kremlin and who’s been a prisoner for the past decade. Stephen Sackur talks to his son Pavel Khodorkovsky. His father is due to be freed next year but can Vladimir Putin afford to let him go?

What do we want from the movies we see? Judging from the global box office returns the answer is escapism, superheroes and awesome special effects. But that’s not how all A-list Hollywood directors make their name. Hardtalk speaks to Paul Greengrass who makes taut, tense films that aren’t always easy to watch. His biggest hits were the Bourne movies starring Matt Damon, his most intense film was probably United 93, based on the events of 9/11, and his new release is about Somali pirates. How does he juggle truth, art and entertainment?

Thanks to Edward Snowden, America's cyber-spy turned leaker, we now know US intelligence agencies backed by the British secretly monitor electronic communications all over the world. In Britain, Snowden's revelations have prompted a ferocious argument between self-styled defenders of liberty and pillars of the security establishment. Hardtalk speaks to Sir Malcolm Rifkind, chairman of the UK parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee. Is the security state a potential threat to those it's supposed to protect?Picture: Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Are winds of change blowing across Iran? The Islamic Republic's new president, Hassan Rouhani, has engineered a diplomatic opening with the United States. There's optimistic talk of compromise on the nuclear stand-off and an end to Iran's international isolation. Where would that leave die-hard opponents of the regime? Stephen Sackur speaks to Reza Pahlavi, exiled eldest son of the late Shah of Iran and spokesman for the self-styled Iran National Council. Does a figure steeped in Iran's past have a role to play in its future?

In Britain healthcare is state-funded, free at the point of delivery to all citizens. The National Health Service is routinely described by politicians of all stripes as one of the country's greatest treasures. But the NHS's reputation has been damaged by recent shocking revelations of failings in patient care. Hardtalk speaks to the Chief Executive of NHS England, Sir David Nicholson. Is his health service capable of meeting the shifting demands and daunting financial challenges of 21st Century healthcare?

Is it time to mourn the death of Egypt’s revolutionary dream? Civilians lead the government but real power lies with the armed forces. Emergency law, military courts, the outlawing of the Muslim Brotherhood - the list of repressive measures invites comparison with the darkest days of the Mubarak era. Hardtalk speaks to Egyptian writer and political activist Ahdaf Soueif. She is part of a movement trying to re-open the road to revolution. But is it too late?

Thanks to money, media rights and commercialisation, cricket, a game of proud tradition, has been transformed into a multi-billion dollar sporting commodity. The cradle of this cricketing revolution has been India, home of the Indian Premier League – the world’s richest cricket tournament. Hardtalk speaks to Lalit Modi, the creator of the Indian Premier League. He has since been banished from cricket, and his native India, amid allegations of corruption and dodgy dealing. Is greed killing cricket?

Opinion polls in Britain suggest public faith in politics and politicians has plummeted in the last decade. Why? A lot of powerful reasons lie within the pages of a dark political memoir written by Damian McBride. He was the spin doctor for former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and routinely used smears, leaks and a host of dirty tricks to serve his master's interests and undermine his enemies. In the past Damian McBride never let the truth stand in his way. What about now?

For the second time in his presidency Barack Obama is eyeing the 'reset button' in his diplomatic toolkit. With Russia it misfired, so when it comes to Iran, what are the chances of overcoming three decades of hostility? Hardtalk speaks to John Limbert, the state department's point man on Iran in Obama's first term - and one of the US diplomats held hostage in Tehran 34 years ago. Are the US and Iran ready for the difficult decisions that would truly reset relations?

Many dozens have died in the Nairobi shopping mall siege raising questions both inside Kenya and elsewhere as to the nature of future terror attacks - who will carry them out, and where? Hardtalk speaks to counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen. He has worked in just about every conflict zone across several continents, including in Somalia, Kenya and Syria. Is the world in danger of underplaying the current terrorist threat?

Those who think the worst of the Eurozone crisis is over should consider what is happening in Greece. Public sector job cuts have prompted a new wave of strikes, a third bailout seems likely as the government wrestles with its crippling debt burden, while poverty and extremist violence threaten the country's social cohesion. Hardtalk speaks to Greece's controversial Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis - is Greece still in a state of slow motion collapse?

It is many a young boy’s dream to become a professional footballer. Understandable given the riches and the adulation on offer to the biggest stars in the world’s most popular sport. But behind football's flashy facade there are real problems - racism, corruption and amongst some players, dangerous levels of depression. Hardtalk speaks to Clarke Carlisle, newly retired professional footballer and chairman of England’s Professional Footballers’ Association. Is there a cure for the sickness in football?

Draw up a list of the biggest bands in the history of rock and roll and a remarkable number of them will be British. There’s The Beatles and The Rolling Stones of course, but also Pink Floyd, whose albums ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ and ‘The Wall’ remain rock classics. Stephen Sackur speaks to Roger Waters, who was a dominant figure in Pink Floyd until he quit in 1985. He is still performing and he remains the most controversial of rock stars. So what motivates him?Picture: Roger Waters, Credit: Torben Christensen/AFP/Getty Images

In the late 1970s the film director Roman Polanski admitted to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. He spent 42 days in prison then fled the United States because he feared being given a longer sentence. Much has been said and written about what happened, but we’ve hardly heard anything from the girl herself. Hardtalk is in New York to speak to the woman at the centre of the decades-old scandal, Samantha Geimer. How has her life been affected by that event nearly 40 years ago?

What now for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and its political wing the Freedom and Justice Party? Rarely has the fall from power of a party been so quick, dramatic and violent. Since President Morsi’s removal by the army, thousands of the Brotherhood’s members and supporters have been arrested, including most of its senior leaders. Hardtalk speaks to Abdul Mawgoud Dardery, a member of the now suspended parliament. What is the Brotherhood’s next move?

Vladimir Putin appears to be relishing his role at the centre of the diplomatic manoeuvring over Syria - it reinforces his image as the strong man in the Kremlin. But just how strong is he? A recent round of Russian municipal elections gave the anti-Putin movement a much needed morale boost. Hardtalk speaks to the opposition activist and former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov. Is there any serious challenge to the supremacy of Putinism?Picture: Garry Kasparov, Credit: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images

Hardtalk is in Italy to speak to the Italian Prime Minister, Enrico Letta. He is trying to hold together a fragile coalition of left and right, including the party of Silvio Berlusconi, while pushing through a programme of economic reforms designed to stimulate an economy still reeling from the Euro crisis. With the situation in Syria straining international relations, can Mr. Letta keep his government together?

Economists have spent years bemoaning the long-term stagnation of the advanced economies and drawing unflattering comparisons with the dynamic growth in the emerging economies, but is it time to change the tune? The US economic motor is showing signs of life, just as nervousness is sweeping across financial markets from Jakarta to Brasilia. Today's guest is leading American economist and former Obama adviser Peter Blair Henry. He has just written a book about the turnaround in relations between rich and emerging nations but is it already out of date?

Six years ago a young English student Meredith Kercher was murdered in Perugia, Italy. The investigative and judicial process which followed was fundamentally flawed. Two people, Meredith's American flatmate Amanda Knox, and Knox's boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito spent four years in prison convicted of Meredith's murder. Two years ago they were acquitted on appeal; later this month they will be retried by a fresh appeal court in Florence. Hardtalk speaks with Raffaele Sollecito. His story has made lurid headlines around the world – but how will it end?Picture: Raffaele Sollecito, Credit: BBC