Women and girls in Afghanistan have been excluded from much of the working world, as well as from the chance to get an education.

Many are finding ways to bring in an income for their families, but a 48-hour internet shutdown threatened this recently.

We hear the experiences of shopkeepers, tech workers and charity bosses in the country.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Producer/presenter: Hannah Bewley

(Photo: Afghan women in burkas walk along a road in the Argo district of Badakhshan province, 28 August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

Thailand’s Pichaya Soontornyanakij, widely known as Chef Pam, was this year named the best female chef in the world by a panel of more than 1,000 gastronomists assembled by 50 Best, a food and drink sector brand. She’s the first Asian woman to win that award.

Gideon Long meets her at her Michelin-starred restaurant in Bangkok, in a building which has deep personal meaning for her and which she and her family have lovingly restored.

She takes him on a tour of the gastronomic delights of Bangkok’s Chinatown and tells him about her Thai-Chinese heritage and the challenges of the restaurant business.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

(Image: Thai chef Pichaya Soontornyanakij at her restaurant in Bangkok.)

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping subsidies for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. He has called attempts to boost green energy in the US the "Green New Scam".

We head to Middletown, Ohio, where a hydrogen-powered furnace for the steel mill, which was subsidised under the Biden administration, has been cancelled under President Trump. Supporters of the new furnace say it would have made a much cleaner plant in the town and created many jobs.

We hear from residents, community leaders, and economists, and ask - what happens when industry clashes with politics?

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Presenter: Erin Delmore

(Picture: Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works in Middletown, Ohio, in 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

What happens when a controlling partner takes over your income and spending?

More countries are now recognising the harm that economic or financial abuse can cause, but it's still a but it’s still a huge problem - particularly for women.

Could financial institutions be doing more to help?

Produced and presented by Felicity Hannah

(Image: A woman lying back in a chair with her head in her hands. Credit: Getty Images)

The country has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the region - we hear how businesses and politicians are adapting to the situation.

We visit a cafe exclusively employing women aged over 50, and hear about the sectors trying to change attitudes to maintain productivity.

Produced and presented by Jane Chambers

(Image: Senior hvac technician checking air conditioning unit pressure with manometer in Chile. Credit: Getty Images)

The French government has launched a campaign against what it calls “the last discrimination”: ageism.

It’s one that a lot of people in the country consider to be justified, and which makes it about three times more difficult to get a job interview. But it’s costly.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email us at [email protected]

Presented and produced by John Laurenson

(Picture: Job-seeker, Geraldine Coquand.)

Thirty years ago, India made its first mobile call. Back then, Rahul Vatts was just starting out at India’s telecom giant, Airtel.

Now the company’s Chief Regulatory Officer, he’s witnessed the country transform into one of the world’s largest digital markets. We hear about his career journey and learn how new technology is being rolled out in rural parts of India.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

(Picture: Rahul Vatts.)

Is the dream of home ownership slipping out of reach for many Americans?

Prices are climbing, supply can’t keep up with demand, and high interest rates are keeping sellers on the side-lines.

Tariffs and rising construction costs are squeezing builders too, piling more pressure on families and the economy.

We hear from first-time buyers, builders and real estate agents all trying to navigate the changing market.

Produced and presented by Monica Miller

(Image: A family look at a new home in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

Once a niche product for runners, footwear that makes you feel like you’re not wearing any is now crossing into the mainstream.

We’ll hear from fans chasing everyday health benefits as well as from brands in the UK, India and US. And we’ll ask whether the barefoot movement is here to stay…

Produced and presented by Helen Ledwick

(Image: Barefoot shoes on display at a 'try on' event in Birmingham, UK)

In the early 2000s, the country had one of the biggest real estate booms seen anywhere in the world - at its peak accounting for 30% of GDP.

But in 2020 that quickly started to unravel. Now, the largest Chinese companies are being taken to court and dismantled, and property bought by ordinary citizens who invested in real estate has plummeted in value.

What went wrong, and how does the crisis affect the rest of the world?

You can get in touch with the programme by emailing us at [email protected]

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

(Picture: A China Evergrande property development is in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, in August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)