Former UK Foreign Secretary Douglas - now Lord - Hurd develops Karl Mackie's comments on the rise of mediation in settling commercial and civil law disputes.  Can the same process be applied to political and diplomatic conflicts?

You've just listened to Karl. It's a remarkable story, which he's told very modestly. I think without breaking the rules I could say that more than one of the actual cases he cited were actually mediated by himself. 

Does the new breed of 'superfoods' only come from exotic, faraway lands? 

Louise Ellis investigates

Nutrient packed superfoods are the new buzzword for anyone looking to get that bit healthier. Whether it is the supermarket chains slinging a few whole grains from South America into a salad, or drinks manufacturers adding exotic sounding berries from Tibet into a carton of juice, it seems that everyone is clamouring to get on the superfoods bandwagon.

Take one roof, a ball - and several awesomely talented young men...

Is it time for Lady Penelope to give up her gas guzzler?

By Louis Reynolds

There is a silent, ongoing, global war between motor cars and people. It is silent because, though it kills many times more people than armed conflicts and terrorist acts combined, it seldom hits the headlines in the way they do. It is ongoing because it rages and will continue to rage around us day and night. And it is global because, though it started in the rich world just over a century ago, it has spread throughout the world and is now spreading like wildfire through poor countries.

I have called this war Carmageddon, from Armageddon (n), a dramatic and catastrophic conflict, especially one seen as likely to destroy the world or the human race. This article describes Carmageddon and its four theatres of war.

In the second of her Occasional Newsletters, Sarah Litvinoff offers more tips and techniques for fellow sufferers as she continues to write her next book, The Procrastination Plan.

As I believe that procrastination is not ALL bad (uncomfortable though it is) periodically I'll concentrate on insights into reasons behind your inability to do what needs to be done. Sometimes this is because you are ignoring your wise inner voice, which is communicating with you in the only way it can — by going on strike.

From an outsider's perspective, quitting drinking seems like a process of elimination. It’s not, writes Patrick Meninga.