Brandi Carlile, singer-songwriter: I believe in the separation of church and state

Israelis and Palestinians seem to have given up on the idea of negotiating a compromise peace. From Jerusalem to Gaza mutual mistrust is deep and getting deeper. Israel's unilateral approach is embodied in settlement building on occupied land. The Palestinians, meanwhile, are seeking international recognition of their claim to statehood. Hardtalk speaks to Robert Serry, the UN Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Has the time come to admit that the 'peace process' is an unhelpful fiction?(Photo: Robert Serry, the UN Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process)

3 Joulu 201423min

Hardtalk speaks to the man who has been called America’s greatest living crime writer. Through works such as the Black Dalia and LA Confidential, James Ellroy has created a uniquely dark portrait of America. His is a nightmare vision of crazed killers and corrupt cops. He writes of what he knows – his own mother was murdered when he was a child. So is that simple, terrible fact the key to understanding all the words he has ever written?(Photo: Writer James Ellroy. Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for AFI)

1 Joulu 201423min

Have the United States and Iran blown their best chance of striking a deal to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for a lifting of sanctions? And, is it now only a matter of time before Iran becomes a nuclear power? The deadline for talks has been extended, but Republicans take control of the US Congress in January and with an election coming up in Iran, those opposed to a deal will have more sway. Hardtalk speaks to Vali Nasr, a Middle East expert who used be an adviser to President Obama's administration. So what is Obama getting so wrong? And could it mean that Iran ends up with nuclear weapons and changes the balance of power in the Middle East?(Photo: Dr Vali Nasr testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

28 Marras 201423min

Hardtalk speaks to Pervez Musharraf, former army chief and president of Pakistan. He thought he could ride a wave of popular support back into power on his return to Pakistan. Instead, he found himself facing separate charges of treason and murder. How did Pakistan's former strong man get things so wrong? What will his fate tell us about where power lies in today’s Pakistan?(Photo: Pakistan's former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

26 Marras 201423min

Ebola is wreaking havoc on three west African nations - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The official death toll is beyond 5000, the real victim-count is almost certainly much higher. The virus brings with it a lethal cocktail of fear, fractured communities and economic misery. Hardtalk speaks to Dr Geraldine O’Hara, a specialist in infectious diseases who has just returned from a stint working with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) in Sierra Leone. What is the key to beating Ebola?

24 Marras 201423min

Sir Nicholas Winton is now 105 years old, when he was just 29 he helped rescue more than 600 mostly Jewish children from Nazi persecution in Czechoslovakia. He hates being labelled a hero, but Sir Nicholas Winton is living proof that individuals can make an extraordinary difference - what motivated him?

21 Marras 201423min

Just how far is Vladimir Putin prepared to push, in his high stakes confrontation with the West over Ukraine? New allegations of Russian military incursions prompted Ukraine's president to talk of all-out war, and western leaders to threaten more sanctions. Hardtalk speaks to Mikhail Kasyanov, who was Russian prime minister in Putin's first presidential term, and is now a diehard opponent. Do most Russians remain confident their president knows what he is doing?(Photo: Mikhail Kasyanov. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

20 Marras 201423min

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is 90 years old. His grip on power is still tight but it won’t last forever. In recent months the jostling for the succession has turned into a public punch-up - adding to the uncertainty in a country beset with political and economic problems. Hardtalk speaks to Zimbabwe's Tourism Minister, Walter Mzembi. He wants to put an end to his country's international isolation. How can that happen while the old guard remains in place?(Photo: Walter Mzembi. Tourism Minister, Zimbabwe. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

17 Marras 201423min