Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m
Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m
Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m
Im stephen sackur. For more than two decades, the anc has been south africas impregnable political structure, but now cracks are appearing. At least 30 anc mps defied the party whip and supported a No Confidence Motion against party leader and National President , jacob zuma. Cue bitter recriminations. My guest today is pravin gordhan, the man President Zuma sacked as Finance Minister in controversial circumstances earlier this year. Does the anc need to be broken up to enable south africa to thrive . Pravin gordhan, in johannesburg, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Long distance as it might be. Lets consider what is happening in your country today and particularly the fallout from the motion of No Confidence against president jacob zuma, which didnt succeed, but got 177 votes, which was significant. It clearly included a substantial number of anc mps. How toxic is the atmosphere inside the anc as a result of that vote . There certainly is an active debate and d
Im stephen sackur. For more than two decades, the anc has been south africas impregnable political structure, but now cracks are appearing. At least 30 anc mps defied the party whip and supported a No Confidence Motion against party leader and National President , jacob zuma. Cue bitter recriminations. My guest today is pravin gordhan, the man President Zuma sacked as Finance Minister in controversial circumstances earlier this year. Does the anc need to be broken up to enable south africa to thrive . Pravin gordhan, in johannesburg, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Long distance as it might be. Lets consider what is happening in your country today and particularly the fallout from the motion of No Confidence against president jacob zuma, which didnt succeed, but got 177 votes, which was significant. It clearly included a substantial number of anc mps. How toxic is the atmosphere inside the anc as a result of that vote . There certainly is an active debate and d