The Interview

Dmitry Muratov, journalist: Putin can’t claim victory in Ukraine

"There are repressions, political repressions, against freedom of speech, against elections, against the rights of citizens to hold mass events. To such an extent that we don't know what the real public mood is.” The BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg meets Dmitry Muratov one of Russia’s most prominent independent journalists. For more than 30 years, he has been one of Russia’s staunchest defenders of independent journalism, and one of the Kremlin’s most outspoken critics. Dmitry Muratov co-founded Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper known for exposing corruption and human rights abuses - work that has come at a cost, with several of its journalists murdered. In 2021, Muratov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts “to safeguard freedom of expression.” Since then, Russia’s war in Ukraine has brought an even greater crackdown on dissent and independent media. In this exclusive interview, he talks about journalism under Putin, the war in Ukraine and the fight to keep telling the truth. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Russia’s nuclear envoy Mikhail Ulyanov, UNICEF chief Catherine Russell and music legend Ringo Starr. 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: Steve Rosenberg Producers: Ben Tavener and Farhana Haider Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk [TheInterview@bbc.co.uk] and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Dmitry Muratov. Credit: Europa Press News via Getty Images)

Yemi Alade, singer: I wanted to be a mega superstar

“I just knew that I wanted to be a mega superstar and I didn't know how…I feel like Africa chose me before I even chose Africa, and I feel music chose me before I chose music.” Nkechi Ogbonna speaks to Nigerian singer and songwriter Yemi Alade about becoming one of Africa's biggest music stars and a trailblazer who has helped take Afrobeats to the world. Alade has collaborated with artists including Beyoncé and became the first female African Afrobeats artist to surpass 100 million views on a single music video. She's now touring the continent to promote her latest album. Alade reflects on the challenges women face in Africa’s music industry, myths around success and some of the difficulties she’s faced touring on a Nigerian passport. Thank you to the Focus on Africa team for its 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 Gugu Zuma-Ncube and Thuli Zuma, executive producers of South Africa Netflix hit ‘The Polygamist’, legendary musician Paul McCartney, and ballet star Carlos Acosta. 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: Nkechi Ogbonna Producer: Cordelia Hemming Editor: Damon Rose (Image: Yemi Alade. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images)

Sonam Wangchuk, Indian activist: Hunger strike for education reform

“This movement was by young people who had hardly anything to lose. We had no fear and that's what spread across the country and today people are raising their voices. This time it stopped at the education ministry, but if this continues, I think the younger generation may not stop at just education.” Rajini Vaidyanathan speaks to Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose 26-day hunger strike made him a central figure in youth-led protests over leaked exam papers. The anger about leaks broadened into frustration over limited opportunities for young people, and the demonstrations became one of the biggest public displays of dissent against Narendra Modi’s BJP government. Sonam ended his fast after receiving assurances on education reform. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan later resigned, one of the key demands from the protestors. He explains his belief that non-violent protest can influence those in power, the physical risk you take if you stage a hunger strike, and why the movement may not stop at education. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and author Maggie O’Farrell. 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: Rajini Vaidyanathan Producer: Osman Iqbal Editors: Farhana Haider and Damon Rose (Image: Sonam Wangchuk. Credit: Getty)

Carlos Acosta, dancer: Ballet is for everyone

“It's very important that we expose this work early on, so that people from different cultures see ballet as a way of a career. But in the 1990s or 2000s, it was pretty much closed, we didn't have - even in school - a lot of black ballet dancers from which to choose from. But now, obviously, things have moved on. Now, diversity is at the top of every director's agenda… it's great that we’ve seen a big shift and we see the right kind of representation of the world as we have it today, on stage.” Michael Berkeley speaks to ballet star Carlos Acosta about his life and career. Born in 1973, Acosta grew up in a poor part of Havana, where he was the 11th child in a very large family. He began training at the National Ballet School of Cuba at 9 years old, and quickly rose to prominence. At 18, he became the youngest principal dancer at the English National Ballet. After gaining further international experience, Acosta joined the Royal Ballet in 1998 - making it his home for nearly two decades, and performing every major classical role. Such was his impact, in 2014 he received a CBE in Queen Elizabeth’s honours list for services to ballet. Now the Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, he’s fostered some unexpected collaborations, including a show based on the music of the city’s heavy rock legends Black Sabbath, as well as classics like Swan Lake and the Nutcracker. Thank you to the Private Passions 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 filmmaker Sir Christopher Nolan, music icon Chaka Khan, 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: Michael Berkeley Producers: Ben Cooper and Clare Walker Editor: Damon Rose Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk [TheInterview@bbc.co.uk] and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Carlos Acosta. Credit: Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Srinivasan Muralidhar: The trauma of Palestinian children

‘When it comes to humanitarian crisis, we should not allow children's future to be subject to geopolitics. We can't say that there are politically compulsions as a result of which we are allowing children to die of starvation. We can't say there are political compulsions because of which we are allowing children to die of want of medical aid. So the request before the Security Council was this. Cannot all countries agree on the minimum norms of humanitarian aid?’ Jugal Purohit speaks to Srinivasan Muralidhar, a lawyer turned judge in India for over four decades, in November 2025, he was appointed by the UN to lead an independent International Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The commission examined alleged Israeli violations against Palestinian children from the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023 to October 2025. In June 2026 it published its 94-page report. Israel did not cooperate or provide information to the commission. It rejected the report and disputed its conclusions after publication. The report found that Israel had deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, as well as war crimes in the occupied West Bank. Srinivasan Muralidhar talks about how the commission documented and verified the evidence of violations against children, the challenges it faced in establishing the facts, and the key conclusions it reached in its report. This episode of The Interview contains discussion of the killing of children and other consequences of 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 the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, former Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, and the author Maggie O’Farrell. 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: Jugal Purohit Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Justine Lang Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk [TheInterview@bbc.co.uk] and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media. (Image: Srinivasan Muralidhar. Credit: BBC)