Last week the Taliban regime in Afghanistan reversed its promise to allow girls to return to secondary school after the ban 7 months ago. It's a story that has a particular resonance for BBC Afghan's Shazia Haya, who covered it for BBC Pashto. She was evacuated from Kabul last August and now works with the team in London.

Ukraine seen from Hong Kong
In Hong Kong's 2019 pro-democracy protests, mass screenings of a documentary about the Ukrainian protests of 2013-4, Winter on Fire, gave encouragement to Hong Kongers to continue their fight, and forged an unlikely connection between Hong Kong and Ukraine. Benny Lu of BBC Chinese reports on how the war in Ukraine is being seen in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Sri Lanka’s deepening crisis
Sri Lankans are becoming increasingly angry and frustrated about an economic crisis which has brought empty fuel stations, long power cuts and even delayed school exams because of paper shortages. BBC Sinhala’s Ranga Sirilal explains the causes, and describes the impact on daily life.

(Photo: Afghan women protesting with banners for education rights in Kabul, 2022. Credit: Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP via Getty Images)