Podcast appearances and mentions of helen grady

Hundreds of thousands of young people have greeted the Pope for World Youth Day in Lisbon. Find out why it matters to UK Catholics who have travelled there. Hear from the ex-Catholic nun, who cast off her habit to work as a nurse, an author, and finally a stand-up comic. Kelli Dunham has a show at the Edinburgh Fringe that takes in her past lives as well as difficult topics like grief and death. Morocco play France on Tuesday having made it to the last 16 of the Women's World Cup in their debut appearance. Last Sunday, the Moroccan defender Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab at the World Cup. We'll consider some of the challenges facing Muslim women in football. Dr Robert Jones, founder of the Public Religion Research Institute in Washington DC explains why Trump's indictment shows no sign of affecting his popularity with white Christian evangelical voters. Last week the Taliban in Afghanistan issued photographs of a giant bonfire of musical instruments. Is their crack-down on music and singing just strictly-applied Islamic principle? Or is it – as some have called it – ‘cultural genocide'? Hear from a British Imam and Afghan musician Elaha Suroor. PRESENTER: William Crawley PRODUCERS: Catherine Murray and Louise Clarke EDITORS: Tim Pemberton and Helen Grady

This week marks the fourth anniversary of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, when militants inspired by the Islamic State group targeted Catholic churches and hotels in a series of attacks. 269 people were killed and more than 500 were injured. This year, alongside the grief and mourning at commemoration events, there is anger among survivors, human rights groups and the Catholic Church. They accuse the government of not doing enough to investigate the attacks and hold those responsible to account. They're a cornerstone of life at Oxford University, the three academic terms: Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity. At Cambridge, it's Michaelmas, Lent and Easter. Other universities have also given their terms traditional Christian names.  But Swansea University has just become the latest to rename its terms using secular names instead. They believe the old Christian labels no longer resonate with their students. But it's caused a backlash, with some arguing that there's nothing wrong with recognising Christian roots. We hear the arguments for and against switching to secular names. Part of the history of the holocaust has been rediscovered in the Lake District, where a group of Jewish children stayed to recuperate after being freed from Nazi concentration camps in 1945. Archaeologists from Staffordshire University have found everyday items, such as a tube of toothpaste, from the time when the young people known as the ‘Windermere Children' stayed in the area. One of the survivors shares his extraordinary story with us. After being rescued from the Nazis, he described his new home in England as “paradise”. Producers: Jonathan Hallewell and Louise Clarke Presenter: Emily Buchanan Production co-ordinator: David Baguley Editors: Tim Pemberton and Helen Grady

Pope Francis is cracking down on an old Latin form of the Catholic mass. The Tridentine Rite has become an unexpected battleground in a Catholic culture war over the future direction of the church. Now bishops must seek permission directly from the Vatican before it can be celebrated, those who love the old mass fear it could soon disappear from church life altogether. Reporter Orla O'Brien talks to both sides in this bitter 'liturgy war'. It's 20 years since coalition forces began airstrikes in Iraq. The hostilities damaged many religious and historic sites sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and saw artefacts stolen from the country. Dr Rozhen Kamal Mohammed heads up a team that works alongside religious groups to recover and restore this vital heritage, and she updates us on the work that's been done and the problems they are encountering. New academic research has uncovered the spiritual lives of some sex workers. Although many spiritual texts represent sex work in a negative way, 11 workers of different religions, interviewed by an academic from Nottingham Trent University, believe their faith is compatible with their spirituality and use their religion in different ways in their work. This month marks three years since the first Covid lockdown. Young people especially found it hard to deal with their mental health during lockdown. Now a documentary called "Young in Covid: Routes to Recovery", explores how a group of young people in Bradford used faith as a means to cope with the effects of the pandemic. Jassa Singh and Marium Zumeer speak to us about handling sickness, bereavement and finding an anchor in their Sikh and Muslim faiths. Presented by William Crawley. Produced by Bara'atu Ibrahim and Julia Paul. Studio managers: Sue Stonestreet and Simon Highfield Production co-ordinator David Baguely Edited by Helen Grady.

This week's Dum Tee Dum tune is from Michael and Anwyn Wieloch and on this episode, we are lucky enough to hear contributions from Witherspoon, Jen our Ambridge Pony Club, Panto Martin, Helen Grady and Claire from Clapham! Plus: Tweet of the week from Purple Pumpkin and we have a social media round-up from Sue!Please call into the show using this link: https://www.speakpipe.com/dumteedum Do keep your call to a maximum of two minutes. The minimum age for contributors is 18.To support the show visit us at: https://www.patreon.com/dumteedum See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our towns and cities are facing an existential crisis. The rise of online shopping has left gaping holes in high streets. And if hybrid working takes off, some economists predict a dramatic 'zoom shock' as workers spend less time and money in city centres. What seems like a crisis could be an opportunity to reinvent our cities and 'Level Up' struggling towns. But are we ready to seize this moment? Helen Grady meets local leaders embracing this moment of change - from the Teesside town bulldozing a shopping centre to create a park to the US community paying remote tech workers to relocate. She hears how big cities like Manchester are enticing people back to the office. And she asks if we're about to see a move away from city-led growth to a model where jobs and prosperity are more evenly spread between towns and cities. Producer and presenter Helen Grady Editor Jasper Corbett

Are court backlogs creating miscarriages of justice? When the UK locked down, so did its court system, adding to a backlog that’s left defendants, witnesses and victims facing long waits for trials. Helen Grady speaks to people inside the justice system to find out how it’s coped with the pandemic - from delays in making courts covid-secure to a lack of PPE and overcrowding in prisons. We hear stories from prisons under lockdown and talk to lawyers who fear delays are leading to abuses of the criminal justice system. Producer: Rob Cave

In which we discuss the financial struggles of being a theatre company (and accidentally visit a magical fantasy island to overthrow an evil witch). Les Dennis is our special guest. Full Credits | Music listings | Transcripts | Artwork Also featuring Mariam Bell, Joanna Bending, Jade Croot, Paul Dodds, Helen Grady, Siubhan Harrison and Ashlea Kaye. Artwork by Rosina Al-Shaater. | Twitter: @threescompany | Instagram: @threescompanyuk| Facebook: /threesco #AdventureDepartment #fantasy

This month activists all over the world have taken over city centres, demanding urgent action to halt climate change. They say we need to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2025. Most people think that's impossible. But scientists are warning that if we want to stop global warming, we need to cut our CO2 emissions fast. So how soon can the planet achieve carbon zero? Helen Grady speaks to: Chukwumerije Okereke, professor in Environment and Development at Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading and director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (AE-FUNAI), Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, Nigeria; Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland; Roger Pielke Junior, Professor at the University of Colorado; Rachel Moncrief, deputy director at the International Council on Clean Transportation Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton (Photo: Wind turbines in California USA. Credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

An icon of Italian design; a centrepiece of a community; a tragedy waiting to happen? When the Morandi bridge opened in 1967, it was one of the longest concrete bridges in the world, connecting the port of Genoa with the rest of Italy and Italy with northern Europe. Built during the post-war economic boom, it was the centrepiece of Italy’s plans to modernise its roads and was a proud symbol of the country’s engineering and architectural expertise. But all that came to a tragic end in August last year when a section of the bridge collapsed killing 43 people and leaving 600 people without a home. Helen Grady speaks to people whose lives have been touched by the bridge from the moment it was built to the moment it collapsed. And she asks how such a vital piece of infrastructure, carrying thousands of cars and lorries every day, could be allowed to fail. Producer Alice Gioia (Image: Flowers placed on railings near the collapsed Morandi Bridge in Genoa. Credit: BBC/Alice Gioia)

An icon of Italian design; a centrepiece of a community; a tragedy waiting to happen? When the Morandi bridge opened in 1967, it was one of the longest concrete bridges in the world, connecting the port of Genoa with the rest of Italy and Italy with northern Europe. Built during the post-war economic boom, it was the centrepiece of Italy’s plans to modernise its roads and was a proud symbol of the country’s engineering and architectural expertise. But all that came to a tragic end in August last year when a section of the bridge collapsed killing 43 people and leaving 600 people without a home. Helen Grady speaks to people whose lives have been touched by the bridge from the moment it was built to the moment it collapsed. And she asks how such a vital piece of infrastructure, carrying thousands of cars and lorries every day, could be allowed to fail. Producer Alice Gioia Translations by Rachel Johnson, Alice Gioia and Helen Grady Voiceovers by: Shaun Mason (Davide Capello) Gemma Ashman (Mimma Certo) Greg Jones (Emmanuel Diaz) Neil Koenig (Remo Calzona) Jim Frank (Alessandoro Campora) Jonathan Griffin (Carmelo Gentile) Will Kirk (Danilo Toninelli) Andrew Smith (Paolo d'Ovidio)

In August, Jessica Hurst wrote to the media asking them to investigate how her dad’s debts of just under £12,000 became a bill of just under £73,000. Nigel Hurst killed himself eighteen months ago after learning that bailiffs were to repossess his family home. It was the bailiff who found him. Student, Jessica, was left with a pile of debt recovery letters and bank statements which she hoped would hold the clue to his financial troubles. After an old school friend offered legal advice, Jessica has persuaded the creditors to reduce their demands back to a manageable level. How did they do that? And what did they learn in going through the process? Helen Grady - who reported on the case for File on 4 - asks Jessica about the response to the programme. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this programme and would like details of organisations which offer advice and support, you can visit BBC Action Line or you can call for free, at any time, to hear recorded information 0800 066 066 You can also get help from … https://www.samaritans.org/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/ Presenter: Helen Grady Producer: David Lewis Editor: Andrew Smith

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, is at the centre of a storm over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This week the Crown Prince broke his silence and denounced the killing. But with Donald Trump calling it “the worst cover up ever” and Western leaders threatening sanctions, will his path to the Saudi throne be blocked? Helen Grady finds out how the young prince – now aged 33 – came to power so quickly. A Washington-based analyst tells us why he’d argue the Crown Prince is a reformer, but not the kind the West thought he’d be. And we talk to a Middle East expert about whether she thinks the Khashoggi killing has damaged Mohammed bin Salman’s reputation. Producers Smita Patel & Oliver Jones Editor Penny Murphy

In August, Jessica Hurst wrote to the media asking them to investigate how her dad’s debts of just under £12,000 became a bill of just under £73,000. Nigel Hurst killed himself a year ago after learning that bailiffs were to repossess his family home. It was the bailiff who found him. Student, Jessica, was left with a pile of debt recovery letters and bank statements which she hoped would hold the clue to his financial troubles. File on 4 reporter Helen Grady takes up Jessica’s challenge. Her findings include the fact that councils are increasingly enforcing council tax debts, often using aggressive tactics which have been outlawed or become outdated in the private sector. And that bankruptcy can trigger a series of punitive charges - including some paid directly to the Government - which can make a manageable debt unmanageable. The charities interviewed for this programme that provide free debt advice are … www.stepchange.org www.nationaldebtline.org capuk.org If you are feeling emotionally distressed and would like details of organisations which offer advice and support, visit BBC Action Line or you can call for free, at any time, to hear recorded information 0800 066 066 You can also get help from … https://www.samaritans.org/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/ Presenter: Helen Grady Producer: David Lewis Editor; Andrew Smith

Why it's far too early to write Silvio Berlusconi's political obituary. Kate Adie introduces stories from correspondents around the world. With a general election in March, James Reynolds finds some familiar faces on the campaign trail in Italy but will the grey men triumph? In Tanzania, it's idle machines and empty buildings that greet Helen Grady as 'mitumba' or cheap, imported, second-hand clothes are destroying the local textile industry. Auliya Atrafi is in northeastern Afghanistan in a village where few working-age men remain - many are now in prison in Iran sentenced to death for smuggling drugs. Jannat Jalil ponders presidential gifts, Franco-Chinese relations, and horse-diplomacy. And Lindsay Johns returns to Martinique to mark the death of a woman he once called mom.

Sarah Mullally, appointed this week as the first woman Bishop of London, the third most senior position in the Anglican Church. A former nurse and senior civil servant, she was ordained in 2001. Her surprise appointment followed a brief spell as Bishop of Devon in Crediton. She's expected to attract criticism from more conservative elements of the Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical elements of the church. Mark Coles profiles the most senior woman in the Anglican Church. Produced by Helen Grady and Siobhan O'Connell.

Emily Buchanan hears from John Ponitfex from the charity Aid to the Church in Need. He's just returned from Nineveh Plains where he says thousands of Christians to are returning home now that Daesh have been forced out of the area. What is the future they are facing? What impact has the recent Referendum on Kurdish independence had on them? The Tohono O'odham are a federally recognised American Indian Nation in South Western Arizona. The word Tohono O'odham means 'desert people.' Prior to the mid 19th century their lands stretched right across the Sonoran desert into Mexico. Since then, a 62 mile border has divided the community in two, but this border has been semi-permeable with tribal members continuing to travel to their ancestral lands. President Trump's plan for a fortified wall threatens that. Penny Boreham reports. The leaders of the Provinces within the Anglican Communion meet in Canterbury on Monday. Three of them will stay away because they believe they can no longer remain in fellowship with the Anglican church in USA and the Scottish Episcopal church who have approved gay marriage, and with Canada which looks set to do so. Sanctions against the SEC are likely to be announced on Tuesday. The BBC's Religious correspondent Martin Bashir is following the conference. Helen Grady reports from Italy where Muslims are struggling to find places to pray together, and Trevor Barnes reports on the impact of the Balfour Declaration on religious communities in the Middle East. Producers Rosie Dawson and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Series Producer: Amanda Hancox Photograph by Phia Saban.

Unlike Christianity and Judaism, Islam is not recognised in Italy. There are only eight officially recognised mosques and that is despite being home to the fourth largest Muslim population in Europe. The recent government crackdown on the estimated 2,000 makeshift ‘garage’ mosques across Italy has led to mass protests. The government have introduced a new ‘National Pact for an Italian Islam' but Muslims in Italy argue it’s not enough, the government though claims, it is a step forward in the recognition of the faith. Helen Grady visits the officially recognised Great Mosque of Rome, Europe’s largest mosque. Speaking to its Imam, he tells her that since February he is now being told he needs to preach his sermons in Italian even though no other religious group is made to do this. Presenter: Helen Grady Producer: Claire Press Picture: Claire Press / Helen Grady

For generations those who, for biological reasons, don't fit the usual male/female categories have faced violence and stigma in Kenya. Intersex people - as they are commonly known in Kenya - were traditionally seen as a bad omen bringing a curse upon their family and neighbours. Most were kept in hiding and many were killed at birth. But now a new generation of home-grown activists and medical experts are helping intersex people to come out into the open. They're rejecting the old idea that intersex people must be assigned a gender in infancy and stick to it and are calling on the government to instead grant them legal recognition. BBC Africa's Health Correspondent Anne Soy meets some of the rural families struggling to find acceptance for their intersex children and witnesses the efforts health workers and activists are making to promote understanding of the condition. She also meets a successful gospel singer who recently came out as intersex and hears from those who see the campaign for inter-sex recognition as part of a wider attack on the traditional Kenyan family. Helen Grady producing.(Photo: Apostle Darlan Rukih, an intersex gospel singer)

For generations those who, for biological reasons, don't fit the usual male/female categories have faced violence and stigma in Kenya. Intersex people - as they are commonly known in Kenya - were traditionally seen as a bad omen bringing a curse upon their family and neighbours. Most were kept in hiding and many were killed at birth. But now a new generation of home-grown activists and medical experts are helping intersex people to come out into the open. They're rejecting the old idea that intersex people must choose a gender in infancy and stick to it and are calling on the government to instead grant them legal recognition. BBC Africa's Health Correspondent Anne Soy meets some of the rural families struggling to find acceptance for their intersex children and witnesses the efforts health workers and activists are making to promote understanding of the condition. She also meets a successful gospel singer who recently came out as intersex and hears from those who see the campaign for inter-sex recognition as part of a wider attack on the traditional Kenyan family. Helen Grady producing.

Kate Adie introduces correspondents' stories from China, Venezuela, Italy, Cote d'Ivoire and Kosovo. As the news of Donald Trump's victory in the US Presidential election sinks in around the world, former China correspondent Celia Hatton reflects on how the whole story of his campaign has been spun in the Chinese media - and whether it's dampened or sharpened the public's appetite for more democracy at home. James Copnall takes in the new air of bustling, business-friendly Cote d'Ivoire - a country which seems keen to leave its recent political crises behind it. The eclectic, insurgent Five Star Movement has shaken the political landscape of Italy and Helen Grady weighs up what it's offering voters as they prepare for a referendum on changing the Italian constitution. Amid the escalating chaos and often-alarming news in Venezuela, Daniel Pardo concentrates - for once - on the nation's brighter sides. And Andrew Gray gets on the supporters' bus with the passionate fans of Europe's newest national footaball team: Kosovo.

How do Catholics in Kenya view the Church's controversial rules on sex and the family? Helen Grady reports from Kenya and speaks to Archbishop of Nairobi Cardinal John Njue, who takes an uncompromising approach to his Church's rules about sex. She also speaks to young professionals, DJ NRuff and a lesbian mother passing as heterosexual for fear of rejection.

Pope Francis has opened up debate about his Church's most controversial teachings - on sex and the family. He's raised hope among those who'd like the Roman Catholic Church to change its stance on issues like homosexuality, divorce and birth control. But can he meet their expectations? In the first of a three-part series, Helen Grady reports from Austria, where priests and ordinary Catholics are already pushing the boundaries of doctrine. In Vienna, she meets Clemens Moser and Charlotte Leeb, a young couple who, although devout Catholics, are breaking Church rules by living together as an unmarried couple. And Wolfgang, a gay man who spent six years training to be a Roman Catholic priest, tells Helen about his decision to leave the Church he loves because of its opposition to homosexual relationships. In the village of Bad Mittendorf, deep in traditionally-conservative Alpine Austria, Helen meets parish priest Fr Michael Unger, who's proud of his most famous parishioner, the openly-gay performer Thomas Neuwirth - better known to millions as Conchita Wurst, who won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest sporting a glamorous evening gown - and a beard. And another of Fr Michael's parishioners, Andrea Strimizer, explains how her decision to divorce and remarry means that she's officially barred from receiving Holy Communion, the central rite of the Catholic faith. Back in Vienna, Helen visits the city's seminary, where trainee priest Johannes Eibensteiner explains how he's preparing to minister to Austria's largely liberal flock with gentleness and pragmatism. And she meets the city's Archbishop, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn. A charismatic and influential figure, seen by many as a future Pope, Cardinal Schonborn has developed a special ministry for divorced and remarried Catholics. He says the Church must not lose faith in the traditional Catholic family, but meet people where they are and help them to inch gradually closer towards doctrinal ideals.

Pope Francis has opened up debate about his Church's most controversial teachings - on sex and the family. He's raised hope among those who'd like the Roman Catholic Church to change its stance on issues like homosexuality, divorce and birth control. But can he meet their expectations? In the first of a three-part series, Helen Grady reports from Austria, where priests and ordinary Catholics are already pushing the boundaries of doctrine. In Vienna, she meets Clemens Moser and Charlotte Leeb, a young couple who, although devout Catholics, are breaking Church rules by living together as an unmarried couple. And Wolfgang, a gay man who spent six years training to be a Roman Catholic priest, tells Helen about his decision to leave the Church he loves because of its opposition to homosexual relationships. In the village of Bad Mittendorf, deep in traditionally-conservative Alpine Austria, Helen meets parish priest Fr Michael Unger, who's proud of his most famous parishioner, the openly-gay performer Thomas Neuwirth - better known to millions as Conchita Wurst, who won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest sporting a glamorous evening gown - and a beard. And another of Fr Michael's parishioners, Andrea Strimizer, explains how her decision to divorce and remarry means that she's officially barred from receiving Holy Communion, the central rite of the Catholic faith. Back in Vienna, Helen visits the city's seminary, where trainee priest Johannes Eibensteiner explains how he's preparing to minister to Austria's largely liberal flock with gentleness and pragmatism. And she meets the city's Archbishop, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn. A charismatic and influential figure, seen by many as a future Pope, Cardinal Schonborn has developed a special ministry for divorced and remarried Catholics. He says the Church must not lose faith in the traditional Catholic family, but meet people where they are and help them to inch gradually closer towards doctrinal ideals.

When TATA Steel announced the loss of 900 jobs at their plant in Scunthorpe, one of the first people on site was industrial chaplain Peter Vickers. Bob Walker spent the day with him to hear how he is galvanising support for those affected. Scandals in the NHS, Parliament and religious groups have undermined the public's trust in these institutions. On Monday, Lord Blair chairs a discussion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Chief Rabbi about the challenges religious leaders face. Lord Blair tells William Crawley why he believes organisations have lost the confidence of the public and what they need to do. The battle took place in 1415 near modern-day Agincourt in northern France. King Henry V was victorious. Juliet Barker author of Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England, tells us about the faith driven king A recent report claims the majority of British Jews will be from the ultra-orthodox community by the end of the century. Rosie Dawson visits one of the largest communities in Manchester to explore the changes this could bring. It's been 3 weeks of 'Cardinals clashing' and our reporter Helen Grady has been in Rome observing Church politics during the Synod on the Family. Father Alexander Lucie-Smith and commentator John Thavis debate the direction they think the Church will head after this Synod. A 400 year old Bible that encourages adultery will go on sale next month. The typo caused a scandal when the mistake was discover in 1631 and led to the downfall of the printers. Professor Gordon Campbell looks at this and other unholy printing errors. Producers: David Cook Rosie Dawson Editor: Amanda Hancox.

Why do people all over the world enjoy stories about criminals and the people who bring them to justice? And what do the detective stories of a particular time or place reveal about that culture? From the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes to new South African crime fiction, Helen Grady investigates. (Photo: The shadow of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Credit: Peter Ruck/BIPs/Getty Images)

Ahmed Merabet was one of three police officers killed in the recent terrorist attacks in France. All were honoured as heroes, but it was Ahmed's story which captured France, and the world's attention. As a Muslim who died responding to an attack on a publication which satirised the prophet Muhammed, many saw him as the perfect embodiment of the values of the French Republic and its hopes for the integration of its substantial Muslim population. As France now struggles to figure out how to combat radicalism and promote integration, politicians have called for France's muslims to "choose the Republic", in essence to be more like Ahmed Merabet. At his memorial service, Helen Grady meets Muslims who have come to pay their respects, and follows their lives in the aftermath of the attacks to find out whether they need to do more to be French, or whether the Republic's strong insistence on secularism leaves little place for French Muslims.

Since April, police have recorded 218 racially motivated crimes in Belfast - at least one a day. Family homes have been attacked, a Ku Klux Klan flag has flown and apparently xenophobic slogans were seen on bonfires during the Eleventh Night celebrations in July. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has even launched a special operation to tackle the problem. But who is behind the apparent rise in racist incidents? Helen Grady heads to Belfast to investigate. Why are racist incidents becoming more frequent? And why are they recorded more often in loyalist neighbourhoods?

Gaelic Football is Ireland's most popular sport - there are clubs in every parish of the country. The game is very much part of the Irish identity. But it is losing its lifeblood. And all because of emigration. John Murphy goes to the far west of Ireland, to learn about this uniquely Irish game and hear how clubs are struggling to keep going as more and more young people leave the country, to find jobs abroad. Helen Grady producing.

In 1974, police launched one of the biggest murder investigations Iceland has ever seen. The case was eventually solved when six people confessed to their parts in the murders of two men whose bodies have never been found. Forty years on, a government review has found that the confessions were unreliable and a campaign is underway to quash the convictions. But some of those who were wrongly convicted are struggling to accept their innocence. Simon Cox investigates what's seen by many as a stain on Iceland's justice system and finds out how it's possible to confess to the murder of someone you have never met. Helen Grady producing.

Dieudonne has divided France with his controversial comedy. His shows are sold out, his videos get millions of hits online, and people around the world from firefighters to famous footballers have been photographed doing the 'quenelle', a gesture he popularised. Many fans see Dieudonne and the quenelle as expressing their anger and disillusionment with 'the system'. But the French government has banned his shows and his opponents say Dieudonne is a dangerous anti-Semite who is popularising the ideas of the extreme-right. Helen Grady investigates why Dieudonne has become so popular, and whether his critics are right to claim he's become a 'recruiting sergeant' for the French National Front.

What does the popularity of controversial comedian Dieudonné tell us about France today? Helen Grady meets some of his supporters and those who think he's a dangerous anti-Semite.

The government announced this week that it was bringing it's new help to buy scheme forward to start in a few days time. Its a policy designed to help get the housing market moving. But will it really be a lifeline for hardworking families wanting to get on the property ladder or will it drive up prices and cause a housing bubble? Helen Grady finds out who the scheme is likely to benefit and talks to people trying to buy and sell in York and London.

Critics dubbed the controversial Liverpool Care Pathway the "road to death" and accused the NHS of killing off thousands of elderly patients. Supporters say it has helped terminally ill people have a peaceful and dignified death. The campaign against the Liverpool Care Pathway was fuelled by countless stories in the newspapers of patients being deprived of food and water and heavily sedated. Following the publication in July 2013 of an independent review, the government announced that the Liverpool Care Pathway will be phased out in NHS hospitals in England. But some medical professionals fear the baby has been thrown out with the bathwater. In this programme, Helen Grady looks at the back story - how and why the Liverpool Care Pathway was rolled out, the opposition campaign and the likely impact for patients of the Pathway's demise. She talks to relatives of patients who were on the pathway, doctors and palliative care experts.

Helen Grady profiles Professor Sir Andre Geim who is one of the most unusual scientists working in Britain - perhaps the world - today. This week he was awarded the Royal Society's Copley Medal, believed to be the world's oldest science prize, for his ground-breaking experiments using graphene - thought by many to be the miracle material of the 21st century. He is also a winner of both the Ig Nobel Prize for improbable research and the real Nobel Prize in Physics. "What we should be doing with is Andre," one former boss tells us, "is just give him money to go and play, because by going and playing he's much more likely to come up with something revolutionary". Producer: Mark Savage.

This week's Report investigates the cases of children who are so overweight that their health is at risk. As childhood obesity becomes more common, some experts are asking whether severely overweight children should be removed from their parents. Social workers, family lawyers and health workers tell reporter Helen Grady about cases where obesity has been a significant factor prompting local authorities to step in and take children into care. Producer: Emma Rippon.