The Mishal Husain Show

After almost six weeks of war, how did Pakistan manage to get the US and Iran to talk? Amid a still-fragile situation in the Middle East, that question sits at the heart of this conversation with Maleeha Lodhi. She has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington, as well as to the UK and United Nations. For her, the Islamabad talks mark a moment of wider significance, as the middle powers demonstrate their capacity to influence geopolitics.Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview02:55 - Pakistan as a peacebroker05:00 - Field Marshal Asim Munir and President Trump07:49 - Pakistan and Iran10:00 - Economic pain in Pakistan13:40 - Israel and Lebanon14:45 - “I'd like to be optimistic”19:30 - US miscalculations22:00 - “US dominance is fading”23:00 Middle powers can “shape geopolitics”23:53 - Is China a winner? 29:00 - Trump’s Board of Peace29:50 - “Common ground can be found” Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lionel Shriver has often tackled complex or contentious issues in her fiction. From school shootings in We Need to Talk About Kevin to economic collapse in The Mandibles.  Her new novel, A Better Life, is the story of a family home taken over by outsiders. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Shriver discusses the sociological concerns behind the story, which she says is a metaphor for the increase in undocumented US immigration during the Biden administration.  Shriver is a regular columnist for The Spectator, a conservative UK magazine. The link between the writing styles in that publication and her novel also feature in this episode. In the written version of this conversation, you’ll find more information on how Mishal Husain researched and prepared for this interview, including her own notes, data, historical context and further quotes from Lionel Shriver. www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview 02:27 - Inspiration for A Better Life03:39 - Extended adolescence06:32 - A metaphor for America10:21 - Shriver’s political journey12:42 - Declining populations17:02 - ICE tactics20:34 - From North Carolina to Northern Ireland22:57 - Rebelling against church24:30 - Transgender debate30:07 - Why Shriver left the UK 32:26 - Muslim immigration35:32 - Novels versus columns40:12 - Writing for shorter attention spans41:30 - Shriver’s recovery from illness Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With attention fixed on the potential developments between the US and Iran, could the Israeli government be forced to end the war earlier than it might like? The last few weeks have seen daily air strikes by Israel on Iran, and retaliatory attacks that have killed and injured Israelis. The wider picture is of two and a half years of constant conflict, particularly in Gaza. In this conversation, Mishal Husain speaks to Shira Efron, who has been a Middle East analyst for the last 20 years and is now Distinguished Chair for Israel Policy at RAND. They discuss Israeli public opinion on Iran, the extent of the military operation in Lebanon and what’s at stake in the Israeli election due later this year. 02:25 - Life in Tel Aviv 04:42 - Israeli public opinion on Iran 06:24 - “A feeling of deja vu”07:42 - Netanyahu's calculation09:17 - Will elections go ahead?10:59 - Did the Mossad get it wrong? 12:44 - American public opinion14:24 - US and Israeli relations18:24 - “There's one boss and this boss is President Trump”20:11 - The future of Lebanon23:52 - “Everyone forgot where Gaza is”31:21 - Smotrich’s plan33:44 - “We are seeing a shift to the right”37:37 - Looking ahead to 2028 Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Representative Ro Khanna of California helped force Donald Trump to release the Epstein files. Now he wants to end the war with Iran. Earlier this month, the Democratic Congressman joined forces with Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a Republican, on a War Powers resolution seeking to halt the military action, though it ultimately failed in the GOP-controlled House. Speaking to Mishal Husain almost three weeks after the US and Israel began coordinated attacks on Iran, Khanna says he believes that  opposing war in the Middle East and taxing billionaires could unite progressives and disaffected Trump voters.02:57 - Hearing Epstein’s name for the first time05:18 - Forcing the release of the Epstein files 10:07 - Holding this Epstein class accountable11:05 - A new found confidence 11:59 - Hoping for a split in MAGA? 12:43 - “It’s a coalition that’s gonna win”14:24 - Stopping the war in Iran 15:53 - Trump’s “looking for an off ramp to end the war”17:21 - Increasing pressure on Trump over Iran 19:50 - Could Cuba be next? 21:21 - Khanna’s grandfather was an Indian MP23:15 - Running for president in 2028? 24:58 - Taxing billionaires30:08 - A progressive coalition34:06 - “You can't help but be hopeful about the American story”Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the intensity of the US-Israel bombing campaign, Iran’s regime, now under a new supreme leader, hasn’t given President Donald Trump the “unconditional surrender” he’s seeking.Mishal Husain speaks with Vali Nasr, a professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a preeminent scholar on the Islamic Republic. His life has been shaped by the story of Iran over the last 50 years, starting when his family fled amid the 1979 revolution.His life’s work has been to study the region and its relationship with the US. He’s also worked  as an adviser to the US State Department during the Obama administration.Nasr explains why Tehran believes time is on its side in the war, and that a prolonged conflict may only strengthen Iranian nationalism.02:34 - Why Iran is “prepared to suffer more”06:28 - What drives the new ayatollah10:03 - How Iranians view the US and Israel12:07 - War will last “longer” than Trump hopes14:00 - School strike, destruction of heritage sites15:35 - Lessons from the Iran-Iraq war19:03 - “This is the final battle”20:17 - Impact of US sanctions22:40 - Will Iran pursue a nuclear bomb?26:02 - Iran’s experience of foreign intervention28:27 - Can Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah, succeed? 30:48 - Nasr’s experience fleeing Iran in 197935:15 - Mood among Iranian-Americans39:32 - Iran’s “rightful place in the world” Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewSubscribe today on Apple Podcasts and SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Within 24 hours of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, a host of other countries were drawn into the latest conflict in the Middle East. Iran retaliated by targeting sites in Israel and across the Gulf, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as Iraq, Oman and Jordan. Israel, meanwhile, has carried out air strikes on Lebanon and sent in ground troops as it seeks to dismantle Iranian ally Hezbollah.For this conversation, Mishal Husain has turned to an expert on the broad sweep of Middle East politics. Bernard Haykel is a professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. Born in Lebanon, he is known for weaving together knowledge of history, religion and social change across the region. His forthcoming book is about contemporary Saudi Arabia and its leader, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, with whom he is in regular contact. 02:45 - “I was not surprised”03:40 - The Iranian retaliation09:00 - The three scenarios in this conflict11:00 - “This regime will survive”13:20 Protests after Khamenei's death 15:35 Did MBS encourage the strikes on Iran? 18:40 The Saudi Air Force will get “involved”21:30 Trump and MBS25:00 MBS “doesn’t want wars”27:00 Saudi competition with UAE29:18 MBS is “a bit like Elon Musk”30:30 MBS is an authoritarian 33:00 The US has a “role to play” in the Middle East Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewContact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, one of his first acts was to sign an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization. The administration's rupture with the WHO began in Trump’s first term, when relations deteriorated as the Covid-19 pandemic set in.  In this conversation with Mishal Husain, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reveals he remains in close contact with US Secretary of Health and Human Services  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. despite that break. He also talks about the lessons learned from Covid and why the WHO is still waiting for answers from China as it seeks to understand the origins of the virus. Beyond the politics of global health, Ghebreyesus opens up about his own childhood trauma and why the death of his brother in 1970 makes the fight against preventable disease personal for him. 02:51 - Being a child of war 06:25 - Working in conflict zones08:07 -  “War and disease are old friends”09:34 -  “Don’t forget the invisible enemy”11:35 - How far away is the next pandemic? 12:48  -  US withdrawal from the WHO14:50 - Covid and China16:50 -  Personal attacks from the US18:16  - The US flag has been returned 18.51 Argentina is leaving the WHO21:22 - Was Covid a lab leak? 22:49 - Waiting for answers from China 26:46 - Vaccine skeptics27:26 - Texting RFK Jr. 28:56 - “My brother died”31:06 - “He could have survived”33:46 - “Defunding mRNA research is the wrong decision”34:20 - Will MAHA work? 37:27 - A message for President Trump39:26 - “Viruses get advantage when we are divided” Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“KPop Demon Hunters” is the brainchild of Korean-Canadian animator Maggie Kang. It’s Netflix’s biggest-ever film and follows Rumi, Mira and Zoey, members of the girl band Huntrix, as they battle to save the world from dark forces.  As you’ll hear, Kang grew up loving Korean pop music long before it was globally cool and forged a Hollywood career on films including “The Lego Ninjago Movie” and “Kung Fu Panda 3.” In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Kang explains how she had always hoped a story about Korea would one day come her way. But it never did, so she came up with her own. Kang is in the middle of a life-changing moment. Her movie has already scored wins at the Golden Globes and the Grammys, and now all eyes are on the Oscars. The extraordinary thing is that no one expected “KPop Demon Hunters” to be such a smash hit. Husain asks Kang what it’s been like adjusting to all the attention, and of course whether there’s a sequel in the works. 03:06 - “A global phenomenon”04:17 - The screaming fans05:01 - The movie theater screenings 06:49 - Pitching “KPop Demon Hunters”09:27 - Living between two cultures12:04 - Growing up as an “outsider”16:34 - Kang’s first animation book 17:16 - “I liked to draw” 18:21 - Recording the voiceover, over and over20:11 - The story of “Golden” 21:39 - Rumi, Mira and Zoey in “Golden”23:00 - Waiting for “the tingles”25:25 - “We kinda worried it was a little cheesy”27:27 - Helping the world find Korean culture29:30 - Choosing the title for a “kooky” movie34:20 - A message from Kang to the fans34:48 - “There’s a sequel, surely?”35:14 - Live action “KPop Demon Hunters”? 37:01 - “I’m still very grounded”37:22 - Diving back into the sequel? 38:00 - “Wow! You are going to the Oscars!” Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/mishal Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Feb. 19 arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles, puts the British Royal Family into uncharted territory. The former Prince Andrew was detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office after further details emerged of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. For this bonus episode, Mishal Husain speaks to Allegra Stratton, a contributing editor to Bloomberg who previously worked for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.  She’s also joined by Harry Wilson, a reporter on Bloomberg UK’s finance team who’s been involved in reporting on Epstein’s emails and has previously broken stories about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. They discuss Andrew’s business links and the significance of today’s events for the monarchy and the UK.  Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This winter has been exceptionally brutal in Ukraine. Already the coldest in more than a decade, it’s been made worse by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that have left millions with no heating and intermittent power. As Russia’s war approaches its fourth anniversary, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is under intense pressure from Donald Trump to hold elections and accept a peace deal within months. But inside Ukraine and among its allies, there remains deep skepticism that Vladimir Putin is truly interested in a durable peace. Celebrated writer Andrey Kurkov has lived the  reality of the wartime winter in his home city of Kyiv. Best known for his 1996 novel “Death and the Penguin,” set in post-Soviet Ukraine, Kurkov also has written extensively about the current war, publishing three volumes of diaries alongside his fiction. While he’s been determined to remain in Ukraine throughout the conflict, he says the present conditions have been too much to bear. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, he talks about his hopes for peace and how he  plans to return to Kyiv in the spring.02:54 Situation in Kyiv: “Winter allied with Russia”04:53 Four years since full-scale invasion07:12 Ukraine is “fragmented”09:12 “Writing nonfiction is a duty”12:03 “Nobody’s winning”14:20 Kurkov’s relationship with Russia17:47 How the war changed Kurkov and his country20:19 Kurkov’s message to the Munich Security Conference21:53 Capitulation “camouflaged” as a peace deal24:15 Support for Zelenskiy in Ukraine26:15 Corruption scandals: “I’m very angry”2:49 “I hope the war will be over this year”31:43 Observing the war as a diarist33:14 Humor as a “psychological defense”35:17 “We are part of Europe” Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewContact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Illustration: Uli Knörzer for Bloomberg; Photo: Leonardo Cendamo for GettySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2007 when he was UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband delivered an address to the Labour Party conference. He described a world with “fewer countries at war” and “more democracies than ever before.”Two decades later, with that vision further from view, Miliband is head of the New York-based International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest aid agencies. Its “Emergency Watchlist” cites 20 urgent crises, from Haiti to Sudan and the Middle East to Myanmar. The group finds itself increasingly constrained by widening conflict and shrinking government aid.The IRC role, however, gave Miliband new purpose after his bid to lead Labour ended in dramatic and personal fashion when in 2010 he lost to his own brother. Now he sees his old friends and rivals back in power, forced to make decisions he finds painful. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Miliband discusses the current state of politics in the UK, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. He talks about Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” and his old boss, former Prime Minister Tony Blair. They also discuss Miliband’s family heritage. 02:30 - His refugee parents and link to work at IRC08:09 - Growing up, democracy “seemed like the norm”08:59 - 2007 speech at Labour Party Conference10:54 - Mark Carney’s 2026 speech at Davos12:49 - “America will no longer be Atlas”13:49 - “More autocracies than democracies in the world today”14:26 - “A revolution in America’s role in the world”15:42 - IRC work on the US-Mexico border17:55 - IRC’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist: Sudan and the Occupied Palestinian Territory18:36 - “Remediation of desperate suffering is our business”19:06 - “If you talk to the people you have hope.”23:31 - Jared Kushner’s plans for Gaza26:21 - Tony Blair and the Board of Peace32:12 - Cuts to foreign aid34:55 - “Challenging period” for UK Labour, Starmer36:06 - Threats from Reform and Andy Burnham39:07 - What next for Miliband?40:28 - Relationship with Hilary Clinton Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Illustration: Uli Knörzer for Bloomberg; Source Photo: Jose Sarmento Matos/BloombergSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The killing of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis has made January a dark month for many across America. Both Alex Pretti and Renee Good were quickly labeled “domestic terrorists" by the Trump administration, which accused them of endangering the lives of law enforcement. Video evidence soon appeared to contradict government claims, but it’s still a label that filmmaker Laura Poitras says she finds chilling. Poitras has been producing and directing documentaries for more than 20 years, winning both an Oscar and a Pulitzer Prize for her 2014 work “Citizenfour,” which focussed on the whistleblower Edward Snowden and mass surveillance. She too has her own experience of being regarded as a threat by the US government and says she was on a terrorist watch list for years. Her latest film, which this week was nominated for a BAFTA, profiles renowned US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. “Cover-Up,” on Netflix, traces Hersh’s life from his early days in Chicago through his scoops of the 1960s to his current journalism on Substack. It’s a story of media both past and present. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Poitras also reflects on the role of citizen journalism in documenting government violence in places like Minneapolis.02:53 - “Legendary investigative journalist” Seymour Hersh05:35 - Poitras and Hersh’s Iraq connection06:40 - US public “failed by our legacy media”09:06 - Cycles of impunity09:50 - Criticism of Hersh’s journalism11:30 - Hersh quits the film15:00 - Hersh’s early life 16:19 - Poitras’ lens on America17:40 - Parallels between Iraq and Venezuela19:30 - “Regime change” in Venezuela 20:20 - Poitras under surveillance23:00 - Leaving the US24:40 - Edward Snowden and NSA secrets28:15 - “I’m very happy he’s not in a US prison”32:00 - “Cover-Up” and the present day33:33 - “Whistleblowers face the consequences”35:00 - “Citizen journalists” 37:00 - Mishal speaks to Poitras for a second time38:00 - Alex Pretti and the violence in Minneapolis39:30 - “Domestic terrorist”40:17 - “Journalists have an obligation”40:50 - A tipping point for ICE?  Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYSYou can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewContact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rutger Bregman knows what appearing at Davos can do for your profile. His reputation was made when he went there in 2019 and attacked the rich. The clip went viral.  A historian and author originally from the Netherlands, Bregman has been focused on elites ever since, most recently in his book Moral Ambition, and in a series of lectures on the BBC, after which he accused the organization of censoring his views on Donald Trump. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, we hear more about his worldview, which is more nuanced than some might expect. He discusses how he is impressed by entrepreneurs, favors action over commentary and is putting his book profits toward building a community that furthers his beliefs. 00:00 - Introducing Rutger Bregman 02:30 - The rise of AI07:53 - Wasted talent 09:22 - I want to pull my hair out10:05 -  European leadership 11:14 - Europe is weak 12:25 - Ideals are worth little without power 13:45 - Building a movement 17:40 - Mamdani and populism 21:00 - The God shaped hole 25:12 - Elon Musk the entrepreneur26:08 - The BBC and Trump 30:49 - A new form of feudalism33:56 - Small groups can change the world 35:14 - The best place to thinkWatch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Donald Trump’s plan for Venezuela? Does he have one? Will he go beyond threats in supporting the uprising in Iran or invading Greenland? Jeanne Shaheen has been in the US Senate since 2009 and is now the most senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee. Her position has given her access to information most lawmakers don’t have. She’s also known as someone prepared to work with Republicans. Indeed, she was one of the eight Democrats who joined the GOP to end last year’s government shutdown over healthcare subsidies that have since been allowed to expire. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Shaheen talks about how she’s hoping to reassure traditional American allies shaken by Trump’s attacks and threats as part of a Congressional delegation to Denmark this week. Closer to home, she discusses healthcare, the cost of living and the future of the Democratic party ahead of the midterms. 02:38 - US operation in Venezuela04:47 - Military action on Greenland?06:00 - Has Trump already damaged NATO?07:11 - Is Trump emboldened? 08:13 - Maduro replaced by another “repressive dictator” 12:20 - Trump and Iran13:31 - Tariffs and China15:21 - Bipartisanship in a polarized era18:17 - “I share that frustration”20:20 - The future of the Democratic party24:00 - Disquiet amongst Republicans24:55 - Healthcare and the shutdown27:25 - Policy differences with her daughter30:35 - Life after the Senate31:55 - Optimism for the future?Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend:www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/mishal Subscribe to Bloomberg Podcasts: https://bit.ly/BloombergPodcasts Visit us: https://www.bloomberg.com/podcasts For coverage on news, markets and more: http://www.bloomberg.com/video Illustration: Uli Knörzer for Bloomberg; Source Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu/Getty ImagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump’s tough talk about China and tariffs can be traced back in large part to economist Peter Navarro. A well-known China hawk, he has written books arguing Beijing poses a threat to the US economy and its national security.Navarro is a loyalist who has served as a key trade adviser in both Trump administrations. In between, he spent four months behind bars for refusing to comply with a Congressional subpoena tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.It is Navarro who stands behind Trump’s sweeping tariffs against China and other nations, levies that have in some cases raised prices for US companies and consumers. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, recorded in Bloomberg's Washington studio, Navarro discusses the US relationship with China and an upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the administration’s use of emergency powers to levy tariffs. They also look ahead to this year’s midterm elections and back at the controversial Vanity Fair profile of Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.  00:00 - Introduction from Mishal Husain02:16 - Navarro’s bond with President Trump05:04 - Navarro’s journey from Democrat to MAGA Republican08:01 - Time in Federal prison09:36 - US-China relationship12:21 - Navarro’s advice for Europe13:22 - Trump diplomacy15:35 - Allowing Nvidia to export advanced chips to China17:49 - Delivering for working class Americans20:08 - Rubio-Vance 202821:57 - Addressing affordability concerns23:38 - Manufacturing jobs: “We can’t wave a magic wand”26:45 - Supreme Court ruling30:17 - Cost of tariff refunds31:15 - “It's not a job, it's a mission” Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kara Swisher has followed the story of Silicon Valley for three decades, having started work as a tech journalist at a time when few people were interested in the beat. But through relationships she built with the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and many others, she became a formidable voice, and eventually more of a commentator and critic. Swisher now hosts the podcasts Pivot and On with Kara Swisher. Following a year in which Silicon Valley titans lined up behind Donald Trump, she tells Mishal Husain what she thinks 2026 will bring. Swisher unpacks fears of an artificial intelligence bubble, why she’s paying attention to robotics and what life after Trump may be like.02:16 - You would be “stupid” to ignore the AI bubble05:40 - The promise of AI07:16 - Swisher’s first download09:30 - “Serious wealth creates real problems”14:20 - Steve Jobs was an “adult” 17:15 - “What Tesla did was astonishing”20:30 - The influence of Peter Thiel22:20 - Generational shift in tech 23:30 - “You couldn’t have started an Uber now”26:15 - Swisher’s paying attention to robotics in 2026 29:30 - What Swisher learned from Silicon Valley31:50 - Swisher’s move into podcasting 35:40 - Life after Trump and why she’s watching KPop Demon HuntersWatch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYSFind Mishal’s conversations with the godmother of AI Fei-Fei Li and CEO of Microsoft AI Mustafa Suleyman here:https://link.podtrac.com/1wqpj1f8 You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewContact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.netSubscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the year draws to a close, we are bringing you one of Mishal Husain’s biggest conversations of the year, in full. In May 2025, Elon Musk joined Bloomberg's Qatar Economic Forum, in a rare media appearance.He remains as consequential a global figure today, as he was then, even if he is no longer working with Donald Trump.Within 10 days of this conversation, he had left DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, and soon after that he was publicly trading insults with the president.Musk talked about Tesla, his ambitions for SpaceX and Starlink and his political spending. Note: This episode was recorded with a remote guest in front of a live audience, and as a result, the audio quality may vary. 02:31 - Mishal Husain introduces Elon Musk03:21 - A week in the life of Elon Musk 04:25 - The future of Tesla 9:19 - Attacks on Tesla showrooms11:35 - The future of warfare14:30 - “I’m in no rush to go public”17:30 - OpenAI 20:45 - Regulating AI24:00 - “I’m simply an advisor”26:30 - Starlink29:44 - “Your question’s absurd”31:26 - DOGE33:15 - US Agency for International Development37:20 - Political spending Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lynsey Addario’s life work means  taking great risks to tell other people’s stories. She is a Pulitzer Prize winning war photographer who has been abducted twice while documenting conflicts from Afghanistan to Ukraine and Sudan. There aren’t many women in her field. In a new National Geographic documentary called “Love+War,” currently streaming on Disney+, she lets us into that world, one she’s made her profession for three decades. Addario shows how she adjusts from a work environment of grave danger and high-adrenaline to being a mother making the school run and spending time with her sons. In this conversation, she tells Mishal Husain, why she believes her job is to “bear witness” and how she came to it. She remembers the first time she used a camera and shares how her childhood prepared her to walk into any situation and connect with anyone, from soldiers to refugees and civilians living through extreme times.This interview contains descriptions of abduction, violence and sexual assault which some listeners/viewers may find distressing.02:27 - Love+War03:34 - The turning point 06:00 - Learning about the risks07:00 “I don’t want to do this for a living”09:19 - Being held in Fallujah11:20 - On embed in Afghanistan 14:31 - Operation Rock Avalanche15:43 - Dealing with the emotion16:50 - The daughter of hairdressers in Connecticut17:44 - Getting her first camera19:30 - Planning a “shoot-list” 21:51 - Russian strike on Ukraine17:30 - Being held hostage in Libya31:02 - Survivor’s guilt33:30 Life at home36:30 - Social media and fake images 40:18 - Switching offWatch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interviewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mustafa Suleyman co-founded AI lab DeepMind when he was just 26 years old. Four years later, it was acquired by Google for a reported $400 million. He is now head of Microsoft’s AI unit, where he just unveiled a new superintelligence team tasked with creating an AI that can outperform humans at all tasks.In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Suleyman talks about the decisions society has to make about AI, the white-hot war over tech talent and the competition with other tech bros.  00:00 - Introduction from Mishal Husain02:20 - Suleyman’s daily use of AI04:52 - Stoicism and the magic of AI05:50 - Defining superintelligence07:35 - The AI Wild West09:20 - Humans misusing technology11:43 - Promise of abundance, universal basic income14:30 - Suleyman’s family and decision to drop out of Oxford19:37 - "Decisions we make may have very lasting consequences”21:04 - Exploring the ‘broligarchy’22:28 - His view of Sam Altman and Open AI24:11 - Conversations with Demis Hassabis about Gemini 326:15 - “I’m sort of a centrist these days”28:09 - AI containment and the role of government 29:58 - Microsoft’s revised deal with OpenAI: “It is a shift for us”31:42 -The talent war and ‘Zuck’s’ pay packages34:12 - Circular deals in AI: “Watching it carefully”36:22 - “I really want to nail medical superintelligence”37:36 - Suleyman on using AI for emotional support40:21 - The UK lacks the “hustle culture” of Silicon Valley42:13 - AI news reporters: “We’re exploring everything” Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salman Rushdie was nearly killed when he was stabbed 15 times on stage in upstate New York in 2022. His injuries were so severe that he lost an eye. It was an attack that came decades after he was first subjected to death threats over his novel, The Satanic Verses.Once he had recovered, he found he was unable to write fiction. However, after publishing an account of what happened to him, the stories returned, with five brought together in his latest book, The Eleventh Hour.In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Rushdie talks about free speech, the family connection they both share and the places he’s called home, from India to Britain and the US. 02:30 - “Don’t waste your time”04:40 - Writing as a form of optimism05:00 - Starting out as a writer 08:00 - Meeting E.M. Forster as a teenager10:00 - “You write the story to find out what story you’re writing”11:15 - Writing Midnight’s Children 12:46 - The family connection between Salman Rushdie and Mishal Husain14:35 - The women in the family16:00 - Getting together as a family17:55 - Returning to India to write about childhood20:30 - Reclaiming India 22:55 - India today and Prime Minister Modi24:24 - “If you’re paying attention you see things coming”24:50 - The family reacts to Midnight’s Children26:44 - A farewell to India?28:45 - Before and after the fatwa31:30 - Defending free speech32:25 - Banning books in the US34:30 - Zohran Mamdani’s campaign38:50 - The next novel40:25 - “I’m a bit clumsier”Watch this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0Ns_wjGlmjlPz0cded0nTYS You can find the written version of this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.