Turkmenistan's authoritarian president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow mysteriously vanished for a few weeks, while his country faced economic crisis. Then he reappeared. What happened? Ed Butler asks what is going in this Central Asian nation, considered one of the world's most secluded after North Korea. The president's life and superhuman deeds normally dominate state television, so did his brief disappearance from the airwaves herald ill health or a fall from power? If so, who might succeed him? And how will any new leader tackle the gas-rich country's cash crisis and food shortages? The programme includes interviews with Bruce Pannier of Radio Free Europe, Rachel Denber of Human Rights Watch, Ruslan Myatiev of Turkmen.news, and Adam Hug of the Foreign Policy Centre. Producer: Laurence Knight (Picture: Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow performs his song Karakum on state television; Credit: Hronika Turkmenistana via YouTube)

The singing president who disappeared

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We speak to the Armenian entrepreneur behind the popular photo editing app used by millions on Instagram, and by businesses too.  Mr Avoyan tells us about his childhood, growing up in a country which only gained independence when he was in his 20s. He tells us how this liberation set free his entrepreneurial spirit, and why he relocated his company from Armenia to the US. Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw (Image: Hovhannes Avoyan)

Business Daily meets: Picsart CEO Hovhannes Avoyan

As modest fashion week starts in Istanbul, we look at the growth of this area of the fashion industry. Long considered a faith-based choice, it is gaining in popularity, proven by the modest-friendly options that many leading brands now offer.   We hear the thoughts of retailers and designers on why more women are choosing to dress modestly. And content creator Maha Gondal explains how she's bringing her take on modest fashion to her thousands of followers.  Plus we look at what can go wrong when brands try to cash in on what they see as a lucrative market.  Presented and produced by Megan Lawton (Image: Woman wearing a maxi dress with long sleeves, standing in front of a wall covered with foliage. Credit: Getty Images)

Modest fashion: Inside a $300bn industry

What happens when your favourite movies and TV shows fall off streaming sites?  We find out why, speaking to industry insiders, and those preserving our film and TV titles.  Plus, we speak to a US-based writer whose programme has disappeared to find out what the impact is on creators when their work no longer exists online. (Image: Man watching TV next to a dog. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Matt Lines

When films disappear

Earlier this year, on International Women's Day, the Irish electorate was asked to vote in two referendums on changing Ireland's constitution regarding family and care.  One of those questions was whether they wished to remove a reference to the role of women in the home, which some view as being out-of-step with modern Irish society.  A lot has changed since the constitution was written in 1937. Ireland is now among the highest-ranking countries in Europe for gender equality. However, in both referendums, voters rejected the bid for constitutional change.  In this programme, Leanna Byrne travels back to her home city of Dublin to explore Ireland's story when it comes to women, the family and work; speaking to Irish women about their experiences over the decades to now.  (Image: From left to right Niamh O'Reilly, Lorraine Lally and Rena Maycock, who spoke to the BBC World Service in Dublin in March 2024.)  Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

Where is 'a woman's place' in Ireland today?

More of us are searching for cheaper and efficient ways to power and heat our homes.  As energy prices remain high, what about taking matters into your own hands and putting solar panels on your roof, or putting a small wind turbine in your garden?   Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey (Image: A wind turbine on a roof of a house in Amsterdam. Credit: Getty Images)

The singing president who disappeared

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