Chippenham & Beyond original

Chronicling the bloody campaign by Amercian forces for control of the city of Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad. Eye witness accounts recall the struggle that developed into a trial of strength with the insurgents and an ordeal for the people of the city.

Do you enjoy winding people up? Find out more about the term 'wind up' in this week's Real English.

More than ninety per cent of final year midwifery students are struggling to find a job, according to a survey by The Royal College of Midwives. This comes at a time when birth rates are rising and the Government has announced measures to recruit extra midwives. Jane talks to Helen O’Brien, who qualified more than two years ago but still hasn’t been able to find a post as a midwife. They are joined by Louise Silverton, Deputy General Secretary of the RCM and Alastair Henderson of NHS Employers - which represents NHS Trusts on workforce issues - to discuss how this situation has come about, and what can be done to rectify it.

Jane discusses a range of the week's topical issues with freelance writer at the Telegraph and mother of 5, Cassandra Jardine, the journalist and feminist campaigner Julie Bindel and the stand-up comedian and feminist writer, Kate Smurthwaite.

Visit Britain the national tourism agency has launched an accreditation scheme to make it clearer what spas offer. Fiona McAuslan reports on how spas have changed and developed over the years.

Do you sometimes get confused about whether to use an adjective ending in '-ing' or '-ed'? We're challenging Deniz from Turkey to make correct sentences using this grammar.

On Behind Every Great Man this week Dr Margaret Cook's guest was Julie Wilson Nimmo, Balamory's Miss Hoolie and on Pain of the Game Stephen Hendry told Bryan Cooney why he had to choose between romance and snooker.

What is culture and why is it so difficult to define? These are some of the questions Marc Beeby tries to answer in this week's programme.

Granny has invariably been the first port of call when help is needed to look after the youngest in the family and in the past she would probably have lived nearby which made it a viable arrangement for all. But now it seems, as extended families live further apart, some grandmothers are commuting on a weekly basis across the country in order to care for their grandchildren and in doing so, effectively standing in as live in nanny. It seems for more and more parents, the ‘long distance granny nanny’, represents an ideal solution to the high cost of professional childcare. But is too much today being asked of grandma’s role? Sheila McClennon is joined by grandmother and comedy writer Jan Etherington, and working mother, Kate Dixon, to hear their views.

The author joins Jenni to talk about Baby Love - the chronicle of her pregnancy in which she reflects on her changing relationships with her partner, her mother and her growing baby.

Last week, the British press reported the story of 17 year old Rand Abdel-Qader who was killed by her father after she became infatuated with a British soldier who was serving in the south of the country. Such ‘honour killings’ are becoming more common in Iraq. The police in Basra claim that as many as 15 women a month are murdered for breaching Islamic dress codes. Iraqi women claim that over the past five years they have lost their freedom of movement, the right to dress as they please and their legal standing. Jenni discusses these issues with a member of the Iraqi parliament – Sunni MP Shatha al Obosi - and with Nadje al Ali – Director of Gender Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

A new fleet of black cabs is set to hit London's streets – the difference being they’ll be powered by electric, not diesel. The new green machines will be significantly cheaper to run than the traditional taxis – but according to The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, their cost might well put drivers off.

Today sees the opening of the Paralympics World Cup in Manchester. The event is now in its fourth year and it is the fourth time the city has played host. Peter White gives us the details.

Sue Arnold and Vidar Hjardeng join Peter to discuss their favourite current chillers in our crime audio-book review.

The soprano talks about her new role as the Merry Widow. The Lancashire born soprano, Amanda Roocroft, has had a dizzying opera career. Having received critical acclaim for her role in Cosi Fan Tutti, Amanda was strongly tipped in the 1990’s to be the next diva. However, at a critical point in her career she cancelled performances as Arabella scheduled for Covent Garden in 1996. She is now back on form, wowing audiences and critics alike with her performances as Jenůfa and Káťa Kabanová. Jenni talks to Amanda about her latest role - that of the Merry Widow with the English National Opera.

Anna Jones looks at several common phrases which can be used to agree with someone in an informal conversation.

Libby Purves is joined by Parkinson's sufferer Tom Isaacs who completed a walk around Britain's coastline & has written a book about it;actor Simon Williams who is appearing in the West End;celebrated violinist Ruth Waterman who talks about her book When Swan Lake Comes to Sarajevo and academic Dr Berta Joncus describes musical society at the time of Handel in the exhibition Handel and the Divas.

John McCarthy talks to architectural historian Dan Cruickshank about the joys and perils of travelling the globe. And around the Auvergne region of France on a donkey with Andy Merrifield- John finds out how to achieve donkey enlightenment.

Following the death of his mother, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard cried and kissed his black arm band after scoring a penalty during Chelsea's Champion League clash with Liverpool. It was an act of affection that has won him new fans. But why are we so surprised by this public display of emotion? Jenni discusses the mother and son relationship with William Sutcliffe, the author of 'Whatever Makes You Happy', and mother and journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.

According to recent research almost a third of girls aged between 11 and 19 have practised some form of self harm. The report found that these behaviours, which involve cutting, burning, poisoning or punching themselves, are more prevalent than previously thought. To find out why so many girls are resorting to this and to discuss what can be done to help them, Jenni is joined by the author of the report, Consultant in Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr David Kingsley, and by Sarah Brennan, acting Chief Executive of the charity YoungMinds, which is dedicated to improving the mental health of children and young people.