As violence rocked the peace process in Northern Ireland in February, an inter-communal group from another conflict zone, Sri Lanka, addressed a forum arranged by For a Change in London. The scale of carnage in Sri Lanka's civil war between Tamil separatists and the Sinhalese majority is far higher than that in Northern Ireland.

Britain, where more people are living longer and alone than ever before, may need up to 4 million new houses, prompting fears of rural destruction. But what about renovating existing housing stock? Michael Smith finds out how Birmingham's largest housing estate is being rescued from urban decay.

French businessman Jean Fayet has never jibbed at taking risks. He talks to Michael Smith about conscience, cars and the economic crisis in Asia:

Yukihisa Fujita is a Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and the Deputy Director General of the Democratic Party of Japan's Global Citizens' Bureau.

The writer has asked to remain anonymous.

Mary Lean meets the British World War II veterans who are calling for reconciliation with Japan.

Jacky Brandt is 'not like other bosses'.

Healing is a community effort