11. Waiting to go

29 June 2001

The second of this two-part series exploring the lives of Palestinian refugees, this film is set in Lebanon, where - unofficially - there are 250,000 Palestinian refugees. Barred from working, they also have limited access to medical care and higher education. Many have been in Lebanon for 53 years.

12. A fistful of rice

29 June 2001

Nine out of every 10 children in Nepal suffers from some form of malnutrition. Paradoxically, it's because malnutrition is so widespread that it's also invisible, unnoticed. This is particularly true of protein energy malnutrition, or PEM as it's known - a condition officially defined as being short and underweight for age, but which, in reality, is a devastating inter-generational cycle of lost potential, both physical and mental.

13. Patently obvious

29 June 2001

Protection of intellectual property is the lifeblood of today's new knowledge economy. But while the benefits to multinational pharmaceutical or telecommunication companies are obvious, what relevance do World Trade Organization patent regulations have for developing countries?

14. The other side

29 June 2001

Over the last century hundreds of thousands of Mexicans have crossed the border to the United States in pursuit of jobs and a better life. But in the new millennium, that journey to the other side has become increasingly perilous and the costs are starting to outweigh the benefits.

15. The miller's tale

29 June 2001

Bread originated in Egypt. The first loaf ever was baked by a miller who'd fallen asleep before putting his biscuit mix in the oven, and woke hours later to find the yeast in the wheat flour had risen - and he had discovered the art of bread-making. Egyptians today are fiercely protective of the quality of their bread, and deeply suspicious of any attempts to tamper with it. This presents a headache for government ministers trying to persuade their countrymen of the benefits of fortifying their bread with iron - a staple practice in Western countries for over 50 years.

Earth Report City Specials

20 June 2001