Government

The Interview

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The Interview

BBC World Service
Edi Rama Podcast

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Edi Rama Podcast

Edi Rama
Global Security Briefing

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Global Security Briefing

The Royal United Services Institute

19 MAY

1

Daniel Noboa, Ecuador President: A war on gangs

“This is a war. We will treat it as a war, and first thing that we want is the war to end. We want peace. We want a better life for our people, especially for our youth.” Caitriona Perry speaks to Ecuador President Daniel Noboa about his hard-line military crackdown on violent criminal gangs, which has involved measures that human rights groups warn could pose a risk to civil liberties. President Noboa, who is one of the world’s youngest leaders, has warned about the levels of crime faced in Ecuador. He claims that due to its location between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest producers of cocaine, it has become a major location for drug-trafficking gangs. He talks about the attempts that have been made on his life, and the threats his family have faced. He calls on the cooperation from other countries to help fight international crime organisations. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Volodymyr Zelensky, Azar Nafisi and Julia Gillard. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Caitriona Perry Producer: Ellyn Duncan, Chloe Ross and Cordelia Hemming Editor: Farhana Haider Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Daniel Noboa. Credit: Getty)

19 May

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23 min
17 MAY

2

Fatima Bio, Sierra Leone First Lady: Speaking up

BBC journalist Megha Mohan speaks to Sierra Leone’s first lady, Fatima Bio, about escaping child marriage at the age of 13, rebuilding her life as a refugee in London, and her rise to become one of the country’s most outspoken public figures. Since becoming first lady, Bio has transformed the role in Sierra Leone, campaigning publicly on issues including child marriage, sexual violence and period poverty. To supporters, she is a refreshing voice in politics, who speaks up for women and girls, while others say she has overstepped her remit and that she is too vocal and too involved in the running of her husband’s party. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Megha Mohan Producer: Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose and Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Fatima Bio. Credit: Getty Images)

17 May

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23 min
16 APR

3

The Epstein survivors speak

Victoria Derbyshire speaks to survivors of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting a trial for sex trafficking. The interview took place in Washington DC, two weeks before Melania Trump, US First Lady, gave an unexpected press conference at the White House where she called for congressional hearings for the Epstein survivors. Millions of documents, emails and photographs are now in the public domain and show Epstein’s connections to high profile figures from politics, business and royalty. In this interview, which some listeners may find upsetting, Chauntae Davies, Joanna Harrison, Jena-Lisa Jones, Wendy Pesante and Lisa Phillips share their experiences, and discuss the impact that the abuse has had on their lives. Thank you to the Newsnight team for their help in making this programme. If you’ve been affected by this programme, you can reach out to Befrienders Worldwide for help by visiting befrienders.org The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Victoria Derbyshire Producers: Katherine Hodgson, Charlotte Sexton, Carys Nally and Ben Cooper Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

16 Apr

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23 min
31 MAR

4

Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality

Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids. has devoted her life to advancing human rights and equality, first in her home country Uganda, and then on the global stage: “We live in a complex world, a challenging world. I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality, and I continue to do so. It's maybe a tough environment, but I do not change my position. I don't alter it at all.” Part of the pro-democracy movement in Uganda, she is now a critic of the country’s leadership and what she believes to be the wrongful arrest and detention of her husband Kizza Besigye. And as the leader of a global organisation charged with co-ordinating the response to HIV Aids, she is having to weigh up funding cuts, a loss of trust in the UN and increasing global conflict. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Joy Phumaphi of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and artist Tracey Emin. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Catherine Byaruhanga Producers: Clare Williamson and Osman Iqbal Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Images: Winnie Byanyima Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP)

31 Mar

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23 min
5 APR

5

Eric Idle, comedian: Nothing is off limits in comedy

“I think there's nothing off limits [with comedy] because it's subconscious, it's examining things. I find it quite interesting. And Monty Python was particularly good at not allowing ourselves to be censored, although people tried with ‘The Life Of Brian’... But that’s what made it a hit.” John Wilson speaks to English comedian, writer, musician and actor Eric Idle about his life and career. He’s best-known for being a founding member of the comedy troupe Monty Python, writing and performing across their four television series and their films, including ‘The Life Of Brian’ and ‘The Meaning Of Life’. Idle is also behind the Tony Award-winning musical ‘Spamalot’, based on the film ‘Monty Python and The Holy Grail’. It ran twice in London’s West End and on Broadway, and has also been staged in 14 countries around the world. Thank you to the This Cultural Life team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Mexican actor Diego Calva, tennis champion Martina Navratilova, and global music icon Stevie Wonder. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: John Wilson Producers: Ben Cooper and Edwina Pitman Editors: Justine Lang and Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Eric Idle Credit: Sarah Jeynes/BBC)

5 Apr

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12 min
2 APR

6

Jeremy Hansen, astronaut: Moon mission shows best of humanity

“I hope humanity will stop for a moment when four humans are on the far side of the moon and be reminded that we can do a better job as humans of just lifting each other up. Not destroying, but creating together.” Rebecca Morelle and Tim Peake speak to Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen ahead of the launch of Artemis II. Hansen is one of four crew members of NASA’s latest mission into Space. Launching from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, Artemis II will be heading to the Moon and will circle it before returning home. Although they won’t be landing, it’s the first time in over half a century that humans have ventured to the Moon. If the mission is successful, it’ll result in some historic firsts: Hansen will become the first non-American to leave low-Earth orbit with crewmates Christina Koch the first woman and Victor Glover the first person of colour to do so too. Thank you to the 13 Minutes team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Ugandan human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenters: Rebecca Morelle and Tim Peake Producers: Ben Cooper, Alex Mansfield and Sophie Ormiston Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Jeremy Hansen Credit: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)

2 Apr

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23 min
10/11/2025

7

Sir Salman Rushdie, author: Writing fiction in a time of lies

James Coomarasamy speaks to acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie as he publishes his first work of fiction since surviving a near-fatal attack in 2022, by a man armed with a knife, who is now serving 25 years in prison. The Eleventh Hour, his new collection of novellas and short stories explores mortality, farewells and even the afterlife. They feature a rich cast of characters - a musical prodigy in post-Partition Mumbai, a ghost with a secret at a Cambridge college and a young writer caught in a Kafkaesque nightmare in modern-day America. Sir Salman speaks candidly about the threats to free expression, the rise in book bans across the US, and the political climate shaped by figures like Donald Trump. He reflects on the pressures facing writers and readers in a time of disinformation and growing censorship. We discuss fiction’s power to illuminate truth and why, after everything, he remains committed to the freedom to imagine. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: James Coomarasamy Producer: Nigel Doran and Farhana Haider Editor: Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Sir Salman Rushdie. Credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

10/11/2025

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23 min
25 MAR

8

What is Driving Turkey's Foreign and Security Policy Agenda?

As the Middle East is facing grave uncertainty against the backdrop of what is being called the 'Third Gulf War', Ankara is managing an uneasy relationship with Iran. Turkey is projecting itself as a more consequential regional actor across a variety of regional security spaces and is often described as a 'middle power'. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Dr Neil Melvin is joined by Dr Burcu Ozcelik, RUSI Senior Research Fellow, to analyse Turkey's relationship with Iran and the main limits of Turkey's regional approach to diplomacy. This episode explores: · How Turkey approaches peacebuilding in the Middle East. · What Turkey's regional role is across different theatres in the Caucasus, Somalia and Iran. · The limits of eastern Mediterranean security architecture that excludes Turkey. · What British and European policymakers should learn from Turkey's approach to diplomacy. This podcast episode is part of a policy series for the 'Turkey's Peacebuilding in a Disordered Middle East' project of the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) network. The Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin is funded by Stiftung Mercator and the Federal Foreign Office. CATS is the curator of the CATS Network, an international network of think-tanks and research institutions working on Turkey.

25 Mar

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49 min
22 MAR

9

"Vajzat e Kinës së Re”

Episodi 11, Sezoni 6

22 Mar

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49 min
26/11/2025

10

A New US Approach to the Caspian Region?

Dr Eric Rudenshiold joins Neil Melvin to examine regional change, great-power competition and Washington's renewed engagement within the Caspian region. The Caspian region is being reshaped by new political and economic dynamics as Central Asia and the South Caucasus deepen regional cooperation and navigate the competing ambitions of Russia, China and a newly engaged US. President Trump's first presidential-level C5+1 summit marks a notable shift in Washington's approach to a region long viewed as peripheral. In this episode of Global Security Briefing, Neil Melvin is joined by Dr Eric Rudenshiold, Research Director at the Caspian Policy Center and former NSC Director for Central Asia, to assess how regional actors are adapting to changing power balances and what Washington's renewed focus could mean for future stability and connectivity. The discussion explores: Emerging geopolitical and economic trends across the Caspian Russia's and China's evolving roles and competing integration projects Growing regional cooperation and expanding Caspian links The impact of US re-engagement and whether it signals a lasting shift

26/11/2025

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48 min

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