Judo is a powerful practice that cultivates discipline, resilience and community. It's also an incredible test of physical and mental strength. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two top female judo competitors to find out what it takes to be an elite athlete.Tina Trstenjak is a recently retired Slovenian judoka and Olympic gold medallist in the women's 63 kg category at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She has also secured multiple World and European Championship titles, solidifying her status as one of the top competitors in her weight class. recently retired, she works for the International Judo Federation as an expert and referee observer. Sandrine Billiet is from Belgium and has also competed for Cape Verde internationally including at the 2019 World Judo Championships and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She says judo sustained her through her teenage years and the long illness of her mother. She works for the World Olympians Association.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Sandrine Billiet courtesy International Judo Federation. (R) Tina Trstenjak credit Gabriela Murgeanu-Sabau.)

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to ‘Tine Zekis from the US and Hira Ali from Pakistan, two career coaches seeking to understand and reexamine what imposter syndrome really means, as well as offer their advice on how to overcome it.‘Tine Zekis has dedicated her career to helping women of colour succeed in the workplace. In 2022, she founded an organisation which provides women with key insights on salary negotiation, career moves and imposter syndrome called Getting Black Women Paid. ‘Tine is the author of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome at Work: The Black Woman's Guide to Conquer Perfectionism, Stop Overthinking & Thrive in Your Career. Hira Ali had been feeling symptoms of imposter syndrome long before discovering the term existed. It wasn’t until her article for The Huffington Post about the topic went viral that she realised just how pervasive the experience is, and began mentoring and coaching others. She is the author of two books: Her Way To The Top: A Guide to Smashing the Glass Ceiling and Her Allies: A Practical Toolkit to Help Men Lead Through Advocacy. Produced by Elena Angelides (Image: (L) 'Tine Zekis credit Noor Naseer. (R) Hira Ali credit Sabiha Hudda-Khaku.)

Laughter isn't just for fun - it's a powerful tool that strengthens social bonds, enhances group dynamics and fosters emotional connection. It’s also great for our health. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two specialists about why having a laugh works. Professor Sophie Scott is a British cognitive neuroscientist whose research has helped millions of people better understand and appreciate the use of laughter in social interactions. She is the director of the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience where she also runs a lab. Dr Disa Sauter is a social psychologist at the University of Amsterdam who leads the Positive Emotions Project (PEP). This initiative seeks to explore the unique benefits of various positive emotions. A key focus of her work is investigating how laughing can strengthen social bonds and enhance overall well-being.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Disa Sauter courtesy of Disa Sauter. (R) Sophie Scott, credit Small Wardour Studios.)

How do you report on what is going on in your country when it is no longer safe for you to be there? Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women journalists who are living away from their home.Hind al-Eryani is a freelance journalist and human rights advocate from Yemen. She publishes a blog and features in international media like The Washington Post and France’s TV5. She has covered the war in her country, written about women's rights and led a campaign against the use of Gat, a mild narcotic leaf common in Yemen. After facing threats to her life she now lives in Sweden with her daughter.Journalist Nazeeha Saeed, was arrested and detained by Bahraini authorities while covering protests in the country for France 24 TV and Radio Monte Carlo. Nazeeha says she was subjected to torture and abuse, but remained in Bahrain for five years trying to continue her journalism despite attempts to restrict and silence her. She eventually left and now lives in Germany.Producer: Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Nazeeha Saeed, credit Hamza Qabbani. (R) Hind Al Eryani, credit Jesper Anhede.)

Advocates Lilian Olivia Orero and Nighat Dad discuss the scale of online harassment faced by women. They share strategies to combat cyberbullying in Pakistan and Kenya, highlighting the need for digital literacy programs and government actions. The podcast explores women's resilience in reclaiming digital spaces, promoting safe online practices, and the challenges of implementing technology in conservative societies like Pakistan.

In recent years women have overtaken men as the majority on allotments and community gardens. These spaces for growing fruit and vegetables to eat at home have been peaceful places that provide families with healthy food. Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women from Kenya and Ukraine about the appeal of these plots.JC Niala is a writer, academic and creative from Kenya who has written about the history of allotments. Alongside Greenpeace, she has co-created ‘The Waiting List’, an allotment-sized artwork highlighting the significant demand and lengthy waiting lists for allotments. Olia Hercules is a Ukrainian cook and author of the award-winning Mamushka cook book. Raised in rural Ukraine she later moved to London where she missed the fresh tastes of homegrown food. This led her to start the lengthy process of securing an allotment, which she says helps make a place feel like ‘home’, particularly during times of war and displacement. They've written essays for a book celebrating allotment life called This Allotment: Stories of Growing, Eating and Nurturing.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) JC Niala, courtesy of JC Niala. (R) Olia Hercules, credit Joe Woodhouse.)

Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two of the first generation of women to ever fly F16s, Manja Blok for the Netherlands Air Force and Heather Penney for the US Air Force. Manja Blok was the first female operational F-16 fighter pilot in the world. After taking the aviation exam at 19, Manja was told she was unfit to become a pilot and pursued a career as a beautician instead. She tried again at 22 and in 1991, made her F-16 debut in a career that lasted a decade and paved the way for women behind her. Heather Penney joined the US Air Force in the late nineties, after Congress lifted the combat exclusion for women in aviation in 1993. Six months after becoming qualified for combat, Heather was assigned a mission on September 11th 2001 during the attacks in New York and Washington D.C, to intercept hijacked Flight 93.Produced by Elena Angelides (Image: (L) Manja Blok, courtesy of Joni Isreali. (R ) Heather Penney, courtesy of Tim Engle)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two female neurosurgeons to hear about the pressures and rewards that come from working in their intense and male-dominated medical field. Dr. Lola Chambless is an American neurosurgeon based in Nashville. She is passionate about medical education and serves as the Residency Program Director in Neurological Surgery. Dr. Giselle Coelho is an award-winning paediatric neurosurgeon from Brazil who has a PhD from Harvard. She is currently the Scientific Director of the EDUCSIM Institute and works at Sabará Hospital.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Dr. Lola Chambless, credit Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (R) Dr. Giselle Coelho, credit Trianon Clinic.)

A British explorer who transformed travel and travel writing and a Nigerian novelist and travel blogger talk to Ella Al-Shamahi about their adventures around the world.Hilary Bradt co-founded the world's largest independently owned guidebook publisher fifty years ago. She’s been inspiring travellers to go off the beaten track ever since, publishing guides to destinations where no guidebook previously existed, like Uganda, Yugoslavia, North Korea, Eritrea and Madagascar.Lola Akinmade Åkerström is a Nigerian travel storyteller, photographer, speaker and an international author whose books are published in 18 languages. She lives in Sweden, teaches travel writing and is the current editor-in-chief for Slow Travel Stockholm.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Lola Akinmade Åkerström, credit Jessica Wikström. (R) Hilary Bradt, credit Alex Graeme.)

Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from Wales and Goa rescuing people in trouble on the coast. Vivienne Grey was one of the first women to become a crewmember at Little and Broad Haven RNLI in Wales when she started as a volunteer in 1990. She's been involved in more than 120 ‘shouts’ on the lifeboat and is credited directly for saving the lives of eight people. She’s now training coordinator at the lifeboat station and works part-time as a teacher. Vivienne also volunteers with the local Coastguard Rescue Team. Ananyaa Bath is a lifeguard and lifeguard trainer in India. She works for Drishti Marine, a safety and life-saving service, which has 400 life-savers patrolling Goa's 103km coastline.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Vivienne Grey, credit RNLI. (R) Ananyaa Bath, credit Drishti Marine.)