Hardtalk

HARDtalk speaks to the most successful Olympic sailor of all time - British four-time gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie. In September he was part of Team USA which enjoyed a spectacular victory against Team New Zealand at the America's Cup in San Francisco. But sailing is becoming more and more expensive - with critics saying it is now a niche sport funded by billionaires and enjoyed by the few. How can its appeal be broadened?

As part of BBC World's 100 Women Series, HARDTalk's Zeinab Badawi spoke to Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonini, in front of a live studio audience at the BBC in London.

Imagine a world where robots can think and feel like humans. HARDtalk speaks to pioneering American scientist Professor Rosalind Picard, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has advanced the capability of computers to recognise human emotions. In the future, could robots fitted with intelligent computers perform tasks such as caring for the elderly, or fight as soldiers on the battlefield and, if so, what are the ethical implications?

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 5 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?

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. A political memoir by Damian McBride reveals some dark and ugly truths. He was the spin doctor for the former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. He tells Hardtalk how he routinely used smears, leaks and a host of dirty tricks to serve his master's interests and undermine his enemies.

HARDtalk speaks to John Limbert, the US state department's point man on Iran in President Obama's first term, and one of the US diplomats held hostage in Tehran 34 years ago. What are the chances of overcoming three decades of hostility between the US and Iran?

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's 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?