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What in the World

Need good weather for your birthday? Want a date to go well? Maybe you’ve got exams coming up or want a promotion at work and need some good vibes. An 'Etsy witch' might be able to help… 
There are loads of online witches on platforms, like eBay and Etsy, offering spells to help us with everything from love to money. But do they actually work? And why has witchcraft become so popular online? 
Morgan from The Divine Eyes shop explains how she casts her spells, while we hear from people who’ve turned to online witches for help. Plus, William Lee Adams from the What in the World team explores the taboos surrounding witchcraft around the world.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Liv Cleal
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Would you use an 'Etsy witch'?

Kylian Mbappé - the French football superstar sometimes nicknamed a ‘Dictator’ online - has found himself at the centre of a scandal in China this week, after mentioning one of the memes made about him. It shows his face on the body of Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader, and on a French talk show, when Mbappé describes it, he refers to Mao as a dictator.
The backlash against Mbappé has been huge. He’s been dropped by major Chinese brands, shops have pulled football shirts with his name off the shelves, and the state broadcaster has even stopped showing La Liga matches. Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga - the Spanish league - have all apologised.
So how did a joke about meme become so controversial in China - and what does it tell us about censorship in the country? Kerry Allen, the BBC’s China Media Analyst, talks us through it all - and we hear from the BBC Global China Unit’s Shawn Yuan, who explains how censorship in China is changing.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams
Editor: Verity Wilde

Why Kylian Mbappe has been cancelled in China

For weeks, the city of Busan in South Korea has been playing host to an unexpected visitor. A Dusky shark nicknamed Bukangi. She swam into a canal in the city and simply won’t leave, despite efforts from experts to try to coax her back to the to the open sea. 
Those attempts to move her have been live-streamed and Bukangi has become something of a celeb in Busan. There’s merchandise of her, posters with her as a cartoon have been put up and she’s been made the city’s un-official mascot. 
Bukangi has helped boost visitors to the city - but what does she tell us about climate change? We hear from the BBC’s Jake Kwon, who’s in Busan,  about the impact she’s had on the city, shark enthusiast @SarahShark tells us all about Dusky sharks and our climate reporter Esme Stallard explains why she might be there in the first place. 
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Mollie Perella
Producers: Emma - Louise Amanshia and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

What Bukangi the shark in South Korea tells us about climate change

Snap elections in Serbia have resulted in the toppling of the long-term leader, Aleksandar Vučić, as protest movement ‘The Student List’ won a decisive victory over the weekend. 
 
Over the last two years, students have protested against the government after a concrete roof collapsed outside of a train station and 16 people were killed. Lots of people saw the disaster as a result of corruption and negligence in the country.
 
We hear from people on the streets of Belgrade celebrating this new era. But how did this win come about? Who will lead the country? And what is next for Serbia? 
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Emma-Louise Amanshia
Producers: Emily Horler and Abigail Akerman
Editor: Verity Wilde

How student protesters won against Serbia's Vučić

El Niño has been strengthening for several months now and is already having a significant impact on global weather patterns.
Countries including Indonesia, India and the United States have been experiencing droughts, floods and heatwaves in line with projections about how extreme weather events will be supercharged by the phenomenon.
The World Meteorological Agency says the record-breaking El Niño will strengthen further and persist until at least 2027.
BBC reporter William Lee Adams speaks with BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas. She explains five ways its impact is already being felt around the world. Plus we hear from people experiencing the impact of extreme weather events in Singapore, India and Japan.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Emma-Louise Amanshia
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Emily Horler

Five ways El Niño is affecting weather around the world

After drinking alcohol, some people don’t just have a headache - they feel guilt, dread, low mood and a deep sense of embarrassment. 
It’s known as ‘hang-xiety’ or hangover anxiety, and science backs up that it’s a real phenomenon. Alcohol affects all systems in the body, including the brain. so it can cause psychological symptoms.
Millie Gooch, author of Hangxiety and speaker breaks down how the nervous system and brain are impacted when the effects of alcohol wear off. She also tells us how hangxiety played a role in her sobriety journey. 
We also hear about some people’s experience with anxiety, and how it changed their relationship with alcohol.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

Hangxiety: Why some people experience anxiety after drinking alcohol

Protests are still ongoing across France, but now it’s no longer just about schools. People of all ages are protesting over a high cost of living. But there was violence and riots over the weekend, with thousands of arrests.
Dramatic pictures of wreckage, fires and police clampdowns have spread online and have had a huge response internationally. But what exactly is happening and why have things shifted since earlier protests this month? We hear from BBC reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis, about what has caused this intense shift.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk 
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

How have the protests in France changed?

Have a look at the label in the clothes you’re wearing today. Chances are, you’re wearing some polyester. It’s the most- produced synthetic fibre on the planet and it’s having a bit of a moment on socials. In a bad way…people are giving it up and swapping for more natural fibres. 
You might’ve seen claims that polyester is linked to diseases like cancer and can cause fertility issues. But how worried should we be? Professor Mohamed Abdallah from the University of Birmingham breaks it down for us and Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains how we can make better clothing choices. 
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and Emily Horler
Editor: Verity Wilde

Why polyester is in its flop era

Is educational content about women’s reproductive and sexual health being removed or restricted on social media apps? Content moderation tools are meant to flag specific words and imagery that breach platform guidelines, like showing nudity or explicit content, but posts that use clinical terms like ‘vagina’ are getting blocked too. BBC reporter, Ashitha Nagesh has been speaking to charities, campaigners and businesses about this issue.
We hear from three creators, Dr Aziza Sesay, Samantha Hadadi and Gigi Engle about their experience of being shadowbanned on social media and how it’s impacted their work.
And Martha Dimitratou is the founder of Repro Uncensored, a non profit that tracks censorship online, she tells us how this is impacting content creators on a global scale.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

Why the word ‘vagina’ is getting blocked on social media

What began as a peaceful protest in Albania turned violent in October, as students took the lead, setting buildings on fire and clashing with police. They are demanding better university conditions, greater opportunities for young people – and an end to what they describe as a corrupt government.
This all goes back to a proposal to build a huge, luxury tourist resort in Zvërnec, where there’s a flamingo reserve. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is among the investors. But locals were unhappy at the impact the proposals would have on the flamingos and the nature in the area. So, they began to protest. 
The Flamingo Movement has grown, and crowds are now chanting not just about the environment, but schools, jobs and living standards. We hear from some protesters, including 23-year-old activist, Brunela, who has become known as “the girl who started the revolution”. And Rita Behadini from the What in the World, breaks down the political landscape of Albania. 
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella, Baldeep Chahal and Rita Behadini 
Editor: Verity Wilde