Stephen Sackur speaks to the Hong Kong lawmaker Dominic Lee. He is a staunch defender of the Beijing-inspired national security crackdown, which has all but eliminated Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. But is China undermining Hong Kong’s desirability to traders and investors?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Jasvinder Sanghera, who as a child escaped a forced marriage and has been a lifelong advocate for survivors of abuse. She was hired by the Church of England to help them confront abuse allegations. But she and they are now at odds. What went wrong?

Stephen Sackur speaks to exiled Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy. He has tried and failed to engineer the downfall of the country's ruler, Hun Sen, for decades. Now Hun Sen’s son is taking over. Few in Cambodia expect anything significant to change, including the relative impotence of the opposition. Has Sam Rainsy been comprehensively outmanoeuvred?

(Photo: Cambodian opposition figure Sam Rainsy speaks during a press freedom event at the Gran Melia Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia, 19 May, 2023. Credit: Ajeng Credit: Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters)

Stephen Sackur speaks to the leading British playwright and screenwriter Lucy Prebble. Her credits include Enron and The Effect in the theatre, and Succession and I Hate Suzie on television. In an era of polarising culture wars and with perceived threats from AI, are writers feeling a deep sense of unease?

Stephen Sackur speaks to the pioneering performance poet John Cooper Clarke. He was once dubbed the bard of punk and all his life he’s used words, rhythm and rhyme to find humour and truth in the chaos of everyday life. Where does his word magic come from?

Stephen Sackur speaks to the UK’s former environment minister Lord Goldsmith. He resigned from Rishi Sunak’s government, accusing the prime minister of being uninterested in the environment. Since then, the government has approved new oil exploration. Is a green backlash reshaping politics?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Nathan Law, the exiled Hong Kong democracy activist who’s now a wanted man with a million-dollar bounty on his head from the territory’s Beijing-backed authorities. Has China’s systematic repression effectively eradicated dissent in Hong Kong?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Ukrainian rockstar Andriy Khlyvnyuk. After the all-out Russian invasion, he swapped his guitar for a gun. When he does sing now, it’s always for his country’s cause. What is this war doing to Ukraine’s culture and spirit?

Stephen Sackur speaks to the former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. He was ousted from power last year but thinks he can stage a comeback in elections scheduled for the autumn. Is Pakistan facing a period of political chaos?

Stephen Sackur speaks to Kwame Kwei-Armah, artistic director of the Young Vic theatre in London. His work poses questions about race, identity, equality and justice. In an era of political polarisation, are audiences prepared to engage?