大象传媒

Did economics create the conditions for the riots, or was it partly down to lead-based paint? We consider some less well known challenges facing America's urban poor. We hear from one inspiring urban campaigner, Munir Bahar, who says the black community needs to do more to help itself, and another, Ruth Ann Norton of the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, who believes leaded paint in the US city's deteriorating housing stock may also be contributing to the problems.

Our Latin America business correspondent, Daniel Gallas, also reflects on poverty levels in South America, and how dodgy government statistics, especially in Argentina, are doing nothing to help the problem.