US shopping malls, once a mainstay of American life, are in decline. Forty malls have closed since 2020, while more than 230 department stores have closed in the same time period, according to Green Street, a real estate analytics firm. But where there is change, there is also opportunity. After Burlington High School in Vermont had to close its doors because dangerous chemicals were found, the school hopped into a site vacated by Macy’s department store five years earlier. The children now ride the escalator to class. Elsewhere, malls have been converted into offices, casinos or large healthcare facilities. We explore the surprising second life being offered to these temples of consumerism. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: William Kremer Series producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Anne Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Email: [email protected] Image: Pupils at a school in a department store.

As humanity expands further and further into the wild areas of the world, they are increasingly coming into conflict with the creatures that live there. One of those animals is the elephant. When tensions flare with these huge creatures, lives can be lost on both sides. We investigate the people trying to resolve these conflicts in a peaceful, bloodless way - like the farmers placing beehives on their fences in Kenya to ward off elephants looking to eat their crops. Because despite their size, it turns out that elephants are scared of bees. And in India, we meet a woman who is making trying to make sure people get the compensation they deserve when animals damage their land - so they don't let their anger out on the animals. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Michael Kaloki Reporter/producer: Lizzy McNeill Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Anne Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Email: [email protected] Image: An African elephant (Credit: Getty Images)

How do you help older people, and particularly those with dementia, to remain independent for longer? In Singapore, where dementia affects roughly 1 in 10 people over 60, the government are betting that the re-designing neighbourhoods with an aging population might just be the answer. Reporter Craig Langran visits the Singaporean suburb of Nee Soon – an area of public housing which has been overhauled by a team of healthcare experts, designers, and residents – and looks at some of the other innovations in elderly care taking place in the country. And we look at a village in France where everything has been designed especially for people with dementia. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Penny Murphy Email us: [email protected] Image: Leong Leng Nan and Ng Ha Dui

Many of the world’s most violent conflicts happen in the midst of some of its most valuable natural wildernesses. But protecting these areas’ biodiversity cannot happen until the fighting stops. We look at how nature itself can be used to help build that peace, with a project in Colombia training former guerrilla fighters to create their own ecotourism initiatives. They are protecting nature while integrating the former fighters back into society, following the end of Colombia’s civil war in 2016. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Zoe Gelber Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Penny Murphy Email: [email protected] Image: Former FARC member Cesar

The menopause is something half the world’s population goes through. But despite this, it’s still not much talked about - and in some places, remains taboo. Which means many women hit this stage of life not understanding what’s happening to them. We join a menopause cafe where people share experiences face-to-face, try out an app giving Indian women practical advice, and hear about workshops in Argentina where women learn how to replace expensive menopause products with cheaper items like coconut oil. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Ann Hepburn and Claire Bates Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Penny Murphy Email: [email protected] Image: Rachel Weiss at a menopause cafe