What in the World

Afghanistan has just come out of an internet blackout, which paralysed businesses, banks and airports and cut people off from their friends and family. People in the capital Kabul celebrated in the streets when the Taliban government finally switched it back on. So what do we know about why it was shut down in the first place? And what impact did it have on women in the country, where the Taliban has banned girls over the age of 12 from receiving an education? Alia Rajai from the BBC’S Afghan Service explains.It’s not uncommon to hear about the internet being shut down for political reasons, like during elections, protests and times of civil unrest. Felicia Anthonio from Access Now, a non-profit organisation which campaigns for digital rights, tells us how common internet blackouts are around the world. Plus, Jacqui Wakefield, a BBC tech reporter breaks down how governments can turn off the internet.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Maria Clara Montoya and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

In 2017 a cruise ship called the Caledonian Sky was sailing near the Raja Ampat islands in Indonesia when it ran aground in the shallow waters and got stuck. The coral reef was severely damaged. Raja Ampat is one of the world’s most popular dive sites and a national park. The accident caused a serious loss of marine diversity and affected the livelihoods of the islanders, who rely on fishing and tourism. After a long investigation, an out of court settlement was reached, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And this money has been used to repair the coral reefs, with the indigenous population playing a crucial role. Normally coral can take years and years to grow back, but this project is already yielding results, after just a few months. We chat to Lesthia Kertopati, a BBC journalist in Jakarta, about this multi-million dollar coral reef restoration project.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

It is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio AKA Bad Bunny’s year. In January, he released Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, his sixth album, with great reception from audience and critics and a heavy influence of Puerto Rican culture and sounds. In July he started a two-month gig residency in San Juan, which has boosted the island's economy, and in November he will start a world tour that is largely sold out. In a twist of events, he will play the US after all, but for one night only. He's been confirmed as the headliner for next year's NFL Super Bowl halftime show in California. It’s a huge deal every year- in 2024 it had about 124 million viewers in the US, making it the most watched broadcast since the 1969 Moon landing. In a recent interview Bad Bunny ruled out an American tour out of fear that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents could do raids at his concerts. The BBC's Nathalie Jimenez tells us more about this Super Bowl announcement and Bad Bunny's success. We also hear from Fiama, from Puerto Rico, who's been lucky enough to see one of his shows. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden, Maria Clara Montoya and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

In Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, two countries in central Asia between Russia and China, there is a so-called tradition of bride kidnapping. Young women are abducted, often in broad daylight, and taken to a man’s house, where they are pressured into accepting his marriage proposal. It’s illegal in both countries but recently the president of Kazakhstan announced a law to further crack down on it and increase the penalties for the perpetrators.In this episode Malika Burieva, a content creator who covers central Asia, explains where this practice comes from and why people do it. Kubat Kasymbekov, from the BBC Kyrgyz service, tells us how two high profile cases of bride kidnapping led to protests and calls for action and why so few cases get to court.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish may not have much in common, but they do share one thing: asking fans to put their phones away at their concerts. Across the world of music, more artists and venues are asking people to stop filming every moment of the gig and instead, live in the moment to have an authentic experience. However, some artists say fans filming their best moments can help them go viral and boost their careers.Adam Chowdhury from the What in the World team explains what’s happening on the dance floors around the globe.We hear from DJs who support no phones on the dance floor. South Korea’s Marcus L tells us about the no-phone rules at club FAUST - the venue he co-founded in Seoul. Plus, German DJ duo Tube & Berger have released a single called ‘No Phones’ which they say is a “protest song” against the use of phones at gigs.One feature of the world-famous Berlin nightlife is its broad ban on phone usage on its dance floors. Caitlin from the Renate & ELSE clubs tells us why most clubs in German capital don’t allow people to use cameras at their venues.And London DJ Dwayne Parris Robinson explains why he prefers people to have their phones out capturing the best moments whenever he’s behind the decks.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Adam Chowdhury and Abiona Boja Editor: Emily Horler

#Rapture has been trending on TikTok. Some believe that the Rapture is when Christ’s followers will be taken up to Heaven, while those who do not follow him will be left behind on Earth, changing life for humans forever. It isn’t a belief held by all Christians, however. The Rapture is closely linked to evangelism, in particular its believers based in the US.But the Rapture is also talked about across Africa. And it was a pastor from South Africa who claimed to have seen Jesus in a vision. He said the Rapture would take place on either 23rd or 24th September 2025. The BBC’s Makuochi Okafor talks us through everything we need to know about the Rapture. Plus, we hear from Hannah in the US about why she was so worried about it.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Jem Westgate, Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

A study published earlier this year showed that cutting the working week to four days instead of five significantly improved people's wellbeing. So why hasn’t it become the norm yet? We’re joined by Sofia Bettiza, the BBC’s Global Health reporter, who breaks down all the data we have about the four-day work week, and tells us how reliable it is. Plus we hear about how work culture differs across countries like South Africa and Japan.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Harriet Oliver

PLAVE is your average hit-making K-pop group, but with a twist: its members are virtual avatars. There are real-life performers behind the characters, who control their voices and dance moves using motion capture technology, but their identities are kept secret. Despite their anonymity, a South Korean court has sided with the group after they sued a social media user for insulting comments they posted online about the avatars. Each member was only awarded around $70 US dollars, but the case is one of the first of its kind and sets an important precedent. So what does this mean for how we interact with virtual bands online in the future? The BBC’s Rachel Lee, based in Seoul, breaks down everything you need to know.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Maria Clara Montoya and Chelsea Coates Editor: Harriet Oliver

Australian koalas are having a hard time in the wild. As many as 80% of some populations in eastern Australia have chlamydia and it can be deadly. They’re also facing habitat loss from urbanisation and natural disasters. In areas like New South Wales, they're listed as endangered - meaning that they're at risk of becoming extinct.BBC reporter Tiffanie Turnbull tells us about some of the recent moves the Australian government has made to towards koala conservation. And how a newly approved vaccine has shown promising results in stopping the spread of chlamydia in koalas. Plus we also hear about the plans to create the Great Koala National Park. Two campaigners, Paula Flack and Darcie Carruthers who were involved in making the park happen, tell us their thoughts on the final result. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Jem Westgate Editor: Emily Horler

Imagine if you took a trip abroad and in an effort to extend your stay, you unknowingly sign a piece of paperwork that makes you a front line soldier. That’s what Evans Kibet, a 36 year old runner from Kenya claims happened to him in Russia. He’s now a prisoner of war in Ukraine. BBC journalist Akisa Wandera tells us what we know about his case currently.Citizens of Somalia, Togo, Cuba and Sierra Leone have also been documented as prisoners of war by Ukrainian forces. But how are they recruited in to fighting for the Russian army? BBC’s Vitaliy Shevchenko from Ukrainecast tells us more about the methods Russia is using to get people all over the world to fight for them in the Russia-Ukraine War.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Harriet Oliver

Don’t worry if you haven’t watched The Summer I Turned Pretty, this episode is a great introduction! And fear not, there will also be no spoilers - we won’t tell you what happens.Choosing between two love interests is a classic plot line in series and films. The big one people are talking about right now is in The Summer I Turned Pretty. Fans are Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad - they’re two brothers who the main character, Belly, is interested in.The BBC's Lola Schroer tells us about how some fans are so into the show, they’ve sent the actors online abuse for choices the characters have made in the series. She also talks us through how the weekly episode release is building the show’s hype and success.Hayley Clarke, BBC journalist and series mega fan, dives into embracing romance in fiction. Plus we hear from people in Hong Kong and Delhi who organised parties to watch the series 3 finale. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Rwanda has made it easier for teenagers to access reproductive health services with a new law. If you’re aged 15 in the country, you’ll be able to start the contraceptive pill or get condoms through a medical professional without your parents’ permission. Those in favour say it’ll help tackle teen pregnancy, which some lawmakers have called a national crisis. But it’s also sparked backlash from religious communities and social media commentators. BBC Africa’s Health correspondent Dorcas Wangira explains the new law and the arguments for and against it. We also hear what sex education is available in Rwanda, and how big of an issue teen pregnancy is.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Borderlands 4 is now out after a six year wait and Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to come out in 2026 after more than a decade. It’s one of the most anticipated video game sequels. Gaming is one of the biggest industries in entertainment, with budgets that rival Hollywood. Developers come up with impressive graphics and endless missions. But that level of detail also delays releases. Is that the only reason, though? Peter Gillibrand, a BBC reporter, explains what else is behind this. And the BBC's Laura Cress shares what she has been playing recently and her take on games taking longer to land. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Applying for jobs is TOUGH. First you’ve got to find the adverts and openings, then there’s the mental energy and time required to put in an application - and that’s before you get to the nerve wracking interviews. But some of us are finding that process even harder than normal - putting in loads of applications and never hearing back. Some recent studies suggest that AI is a contributing factor, with younger workers being replaced by AI in some industries.Companies like Amazon and Duolingo have said using AI is going to lead to a reduction in their workforce. We hear some of your experiences in the current job market. BBC business reporter in New York, Nathalie Jimenez explains which sectors are most affected by the adoption of generative AI - and what you can do to try to adapt. Plus Varun Mayya, a YouTuber and the founder of generative AI company Aeos tells us what the situation is like in India - and how AI is changing how his company operates. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Jem Westgate Editor: Verity Wilde

Protesters in Nepal were demonstrating against corruption, nepotism, and a social media ban which they said limited their freedom of speech. But the protests turned violent and officials say 72 people died in the unrest, including three police personnel.Gen Z groups leading the protests distanced themselves from the destruction, saying they had been "hijacked" by "opportunists".BBC journalist, Emily Atkinson, explains the #NepoKids movement and we hear from a Gen Z protester for her views on what happened.And Phanindra Dahal from BBC Nepali, takes us through who interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki is.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Emily Horler and Jem Westgate Editor: Verity Wilde

On Wednesday 10 September Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a university campus in Utah. Charlie Kirk was a conservative activist who founded the student organisation, Turning Point USA. It aims to spread conservative ideas in liberal universities and now has chapters at more than 850 colleges. Kirk became known for his controversial views and was accused of being racist, misogynistic and trans-phobic. He held open-air debates on campuses across the country, where he tried to win people over to his thinking. Clips of these conversations were posted on his social media accounts and often went viral. Turning Point USA played a key role in the get-out-the-vote effort for Donald Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election. He was also widely credited with helping to register tens of thousands of new voters. BBC reporter Nathalia Jimenez explains Charlie Kirk’s appeal to young Americans and how he managed to become so ubiquitous online. And we hear from students who followed him and debated with him. Audio of Charlie Kirk used courtesy of Turning Point. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Julia Ross Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

The Tea Dating Advice app blew up in the US earlier this year - it let women run background checks on men - to see if they were married, using fake identities, or even registered sex offenders.But in July, that backfired. Hackers broke into the app and leaked women’s photos and personal data online. Within hours, online misogynist groups online made several websites to humiliate the women who'd signed up.Jacqui Wakefield, our Disinformation Reporter, takes us through what happened and what men and women think of the app. A spokesperson for Tea app said they were "working to identify and notify users whose personal information was involved and notify them under applicable law" and that affected users would be "offered identity theft and credit monitoring services".Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross Roy and Emily Horler Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Kim Ju Ae is reportedly around 13-years-old, but she could be the next leader of North Korea. There is huge speculation about why her father, Kim Jong Un, would choose her over her siblings, and what this could mean for the future of the world’s most secretive country. So what’s going on here? And how does North Korea even choose its successors?The BBC’s Rachel Lee breaks down everything we need to know. Plus, a very special guest (Hannah’s dad) joins us to share whether he would entrust Hannah to succeed him if he ruled a country. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

The Mercator projection, a map that’s been around for over 450 years and which most people use, distorts size. It stretches land masses farther from the equator. It can make Greenland looks the same size as Africa, when in reality Africa is actually around 14 times bigger. Campaigners want schools, organisations and governments to use a different one - the Equal Earth map. And now the African Union, which represents all 55 states on the continent, has endorsed the “Correct the Map” campaign.The BBC’s Makuochi Okafor explains some of the arguments for switching to a different map and also the wider implications of showing Africa as smaller than it really is.Moky Makura, from Africa No Filter, tells us what her organisation is hoping to achieve with the Correct the Map campaign. Plus Edwin Rijkaart, known to his YouTube subscribers as Geodiode tells us why we use the Mercator projection in the first place. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden, Chelsea Coates and Abiona Boja Editor: Verity Wilde

TikTok is full of people doing the choreography to Charlie XCX’s Apple dance - as well as many other dances. But can you get in trouble for copying someone’s routine online? Well, not if you’re doing it for fun on your page, but potentially yes if you’re a company using it for profit without the artist's permission. Copyright law can be super confusing, so we sat down with Tony Iliakostas to demystify it. Tony - also known as @theipprofessor TikTok - is a professor in entertainment and Intellectual Property Law at New York Law School. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and William Lee Adams Editor: Verity Wilde