John Simpson on the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan; Hugo Speer on starring as Captain Treville in The Musketeers; flood defences; science in Bacon's Theory.

The BBC's World Affairs editor John Simpson takes listeners calls and explains the shifting state of power in Afghanistan as the Taliban make advances and British & American troops prepare to leave the country later this year. Plus British soldiers who've served in Afghanistan discuss their experiences of the conflict and their efforts to improve the lives of the civilian population.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson faces up to angry residents in Somerset over how best to tackle the problem of flooding, and actor Hugo Speer talks about his role as Captain Treville in the TV adaptation of The Musketeers.

And Simon Watt & Matt Parker join Richard to answer listeners science-related questions and discuss some of the week's news stories from the world of science in Bacon's Theory.