Showing results by narrator "Stephen Pacey" in All Categories

My empire is of the imagination. These are the words of Ayesha, the mysterious white queen of a Central African tribe, whose dread title, 'She-who-must-be-obeyed', testifies to her undying beauty and magical powers; but they serve equally well to describe the hold of her author, Henry Rider Haggard, on generations of readers.

Rising obesity is causing life expectancy to fall for the first time in centuries, costing the NHS £3. billion a year. So why we are fatter as a nation than we have ever been before? Is obesity a choice or an illness? And why is childhood obesity at epidemic levels? Fat: Eating ourselves to death? Looks at the complex recipe of modern life that leads to obesity and our options for reversing this trend, from individual to national action. Pocket Issue slims down the issue to give you some answers.

Do you know your Hamas from your Hezbollah? What is the fighting about? Does the conflict encourage Islamic terrorism? Can there be peace in the region?

Middle East Conflict tackles the big questions in a pithy pocket guide. In under 110 minutes, you can sound knowledgeable when others don't.

Frequent claims of foiled plots; tighter monitoring of suspects and stronger global terror laws. On the flip side, a new safe haven emerging for terrorists in Pakistan; stories of terror cells springing up throughout North Africa; numerous recruits from Europe's leading universities willing to sign up to the cause. Are Al Qaeda and its affiliates, responsible for the horrific attacks in New York, London and Madrid, finding it hard to be the force they once were, or should we be bracing ourselves for the next outrage?

Drink & Drugs: Culture of Excess? checks in and asks if there is a quick fix. How is Britain handling societal drugs and alcohol usage? And how does this compare with abroad? Are we so different in our indulgence to the seemingly more civilised Europeans?

Cameras that can see through your clothes at 80 paces; council tax rising to cover increased CCTV needs; suggestions that Internet Service Providers should monitor customer usage in the comfort of their own homes; plus ID cards, fingerprint and eyeball recognition on the horizon. In the 21st century is there anywhere to hide? And if not, should there be? Big Brother: Who is watching you? twitches the curtain and takes a hard look at our increasingly hi-tech, zero privacy society.

Bird flu has reached the shores of the UK, and MRSA cases have spiralled in our hospitals. Is a human bird flu pandemic a real possibility? What about MRSA - can it be controlled? Should the UK be doing more to prevent infectious diseases, or does it call for a global solution?

Pandemics takes a look under the covers and finds out if a major outbreak of an infectious disease is a real cause for concern.

Checks the balance of the current global credit squeeze and asks some key questions: How do global money markets work? Why did a US housing market crisis come to put our savings at risk? Is the situation similar to previous booms and busts? Have global governments done enough to alleviate the crunch? Can markets regulate themselves better in the future or is it time to keep our savings under the mattress? Pocket Issue looks behind the hype to uncover the facts behind the headlines.

What is global warming? Is the world really getting hotter? Is it our fault? What might happen and are we too late to act?

Our best-selling backgrounder, Global Warming, tackles the big questions around climate change. In only 120 minutes, this pithy pocket guide will quickly get you up to speed on the world's biggest issue.

What's causing our current high food prices? Is organic food really better for us? Do we care about Fairtrade or food miles? Should we buy locally or from the supermarket?

Eating has been described as the "most political act we do on a daily basis", with our choices affecting our health, landscape, climate, and economy. Food: What Are We Really Eating? lifts the lid on food production and the dizzying array of food choices we face each time we shop.

Oil is running out, fossil fuels pollute - so which way should the UK turn to fuel our future? Is the Uk right to be investing in nuclear power, or should we rely on renewable energy sources? The Energy Crisis tackles the big questions in a pithy pocket guide, helping you to sound knowledgeable when others don't.