What in the World

More than 2,700 stars are embedded into the pavement on the Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, in Los Angeles in the US. Marilyn Monroe, Zac Efron, Scarlett Johansson, Ludacris and (just very recently) Batman are all part of the Walk of Fame. Thousands of tourists visit it daily, but there have been questions about who is and isn’t included and if this star-studded road is diverse enough.BBC reporter Sam Granville speaks to us from the Walk of Fame and explains what it takes to get a star and whether it’s still regarded by celebrities as an important legacy. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Gabriela Boccaccio and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

An indigenous red-feather cloak was recently returned to Brazil from a museum in Denmark - where it had been on display for hundreds of years. There are other examples of historic and precious artefacts being returned to their countries of origin. And this is leading to a growing pressure to return more, like the Hoa Hakananai'a, originally taken from Rapa Nui (Easter Island).The BBC’s Zeinab Dabaa in Cairo talks us through Egypt’s calls for the repatriation of three items: Queen Nefertiti’s bust, the Rosetta Stone and the Dendara Zodiac. Ashley Lime, a BBC journalist in Nairobi, explains the significance of the Benin Bronzes - and why some museums are reluctant to let them go.Alongside the campaigns to get valuable and historic items returned, there are also efforts to digitise treasures. Chidi Nwaubani is the founder of Looty, a radical art collective which wants to use augmented reality to create digital versions of artefacts and, in their words, “loot back” treasures. He was speaking to BBC Click. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Mora Morrison Editor: Emily Horler

24-year-old Yu Hyuk is a North Korean defector who is about to make his debut as an idol in 1VERSE, the first K-pop band to include North Korean members. Before defecting to South Korea at the age of 13, Hyuk was so poor that he had to beg on the streets to survive. He initially had a hard time adjusting to the new environment but eventually found solace in music and song-writing. Can music bridge the divide between North and South Korea for defectors like Yu Hyuk? He shares his journey into the competitive K-pop industry. And Yuna Ku, our reporter in Seoul, explains the challenges defectors face in their new country.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Kevyah Cardoso and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Emily Horler

Anura Kumara Dissanayaka has just been elected as president in Sri Lanka’s first election since its economy collapsed in 2022. The National People's Power, the coalition alliance he ran for, drew support by promising to stamp out corruption and improve living conditions. But he faces the challenge of trying to sort out the country’s $92 billion debt.We speak to the BBC’s South East Asia Regional Editor, Anbarasan Ethirajan about what shape the Sri Lankan economy is in and what challenges Dissanayaka’s incoming government may face.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Time capsules preserve artefacts and memories so that people in the future can learn about a particular time in the past. Now scientists at the University of Southampton in the U.K. have come up with an innovative memento: a “memory crystal” that fits in your hand and contains the entire human genome. It’s essentially a manual that defines what makes us human. How could future generations use the genetic information in the crystal? Nimesh Pinnamaneni, the CEO of Helixworks, the company behind this technology, explains. We also hear from the founder of Memory of Mankind, an archive of human memories that’s located in a salt mine in Austria. It aims to preserve a back-up of human civilisation, including the crystal, in case we disappear. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Two years ago, rapper and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs threw a lavish 53rd birthday party at his $61m mansion in Beverly Hills. A host of stars lined up to toast his career with a guest list that included Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Mary J Blige, Kehlani, Tinashe, Chris Brown and Machine Gun Kelly.The party coincided with his 30th year in the music industry - three decades in which he formed his own entertainment empire and changed the sound of hip-hop, both as an artist and a producer for the likes of Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and The Notorious B.I.G. Fast-forward to 2024, and everything has changed.This week, P Diddy was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. He’s pleaded not guilty. The BBC’ Sam Granville explains the case, and if this could be hip-hop’s #MeToo moment. And William Lee Adams from the What in the World team reminds us of Diddy’s career and dominance. This episode contains discussion about sexual assault and harassment. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this episode please contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support for survivors of sexual abuse, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

This week thousands of pagers and walkie talkies exploded all at once in Lebanon. Dozens were killed and thousands injured. These gadgets were used to communicate by members of Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group in Lebanon. Israel is widely believed to be behind these attacks, but Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement. There are fears this could make the ongoing conflict in the Middle East even worse. Speaking from Beirut, the BBC’s Rami Ruhayem talks us through the aftermath of the attack and explains what Hezbollah is and how it started. He also discusses why Israel may have done this. Why was Hezbollah using these old-fashioned devices and how did they explode? The BBC’s cyber correspondent Joe Tidy tells us more (and explains what a pager is). And Gordon Corera, the BBC’s security correspondent, gives us a short summary of other covert operations - and why this one is different. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Sex education is a hot topic around the world. In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau has released teaching materials that suggest teenagers who want to have sex with each other should “go out to play badminton together” instead. The materials also encourage students to “resist” pornography and exercise self-control. That’s opened a discussion about sex education and whether officials understand the needs and concerns of young people.Koey Lee, a BBC journalist in Hong Kong, explains how young people have reacted to the guidance.We also hear from Yuri Ohlrichs - a certified sexologist and expert in sex education at Rutgers. That’s an organisation in The Netherlands that works to improve sexuality education and information for young people. And Yeside Olayinka-Agbola, a sexual health educator in Lagos, Nigeria, explains how she is using apps like Instagram to help young Nigerians get sexual health information they’re struggling to find elsewhere. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and William Lee Adams Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

On Sunday authorities say a second attempt was made on the life of Donald Trump. A gunman was allegedly hiding in the bushes on one of Mr Trump’s golf courses just 500 yards from the US presidential candidate. He was spotted by a Secret Service agent who opened fire at the suspect and whisked Mr Trump to safety. The alleged gunman was later arrested. On this episode we go through the latest about what happened over the weekend, the gunman’s identity and what motivations he might have had. Plus Alex from the What in the World team goes into detail about who the Secret Service are and what we know about how they work. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

American entrepreneur and billionaire Jared Isaacman has become the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space. According to Time magazine, he paid $200million for the privilege. Georgina Rannard, a BBC climate and science reporter, talks us through the mission, including his super suit, and the risks involved. Georgina also updates us on those two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) following technical difficulties. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore spoke at a press event on Friday, where they appeared upbeat and optimistic. We hear about how they’re keeping busy, and the challenges of living in a zero-gravity environment for so long. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: William Lee Adams and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

Huge parts of Brazil are on fire. And it’s not just the drier areas. It’s the wetlands and the rainforests, too. Smoke from the fires can even be seen from space. Brazil has long struggled with wildfires, but they’re getting harder to control. And on top of this, Brazil is also experiencing its worst drought since records began 70 years ago.Leandro Prazeres, a BBC reporter in the capital, Brasilia, explains how bad it is right now and what’s caused the fires. BBC Brasil reporter Giulia Granchi tells us about the wildlife in the affected areas; the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado savannah and the Pantanal wetlands. And Patricia Zanella, a gender activist who represented the Brazilian government’s youth delegation at COP last year tells us what she wants to see from her leaders to tackle these wildfires.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Gabriela Boccaccio Editor: Verity Wilde

Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder caused by abnormal red blood cells. It can cause sudden bouts of severe pain, as well as fatigue, a stroke, even death. It’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, but there’s still some stigma and a lot of misunderstanding around the condition.We hear from Dunstan Nicol-Wilson, who was born with the condition, about what it’s like to grow up with sickle cell, and whether people’s attitudes are changing.Around 80% of sickle cell cases worldwide are in sub-Saharan Africa. Makuochi Okafor, BBC Africa health reporter, tells us how it is inherited and what the symptoms can be. Nigeria has the largest population of individuals with sickle cell in the world, so he tells us how sickle cell is treated there.Also last year the UK became the first country in the world to license a new gene-editing tool known as Crispr, as a treatment for sickle cell disease. Kesewaa Browne, a journalist in the U.K. tells us what treatments are already available and how Crispr could change things.nstagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Last week in the US State of Georgia 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly walked into his Apalachee High School, took out a gun and shot two students and two teachers dead. It’s the 45th school shooting to happen in America this year. With an upcoming election taking place in November is there any desire from the country’s top politicians for change? We speak to the BBC’s North America Correspondent Anthony Zurcher about the complicated laws around gun ownership. And we also hear from campaigner Zoe Touray, who survived the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan in 2021.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes, Benita Barden and Josh Jenkins Editor: Verity Wilde

YouTube might seem like an easy way to make money, but hungry algorithms and nasty comments are leading to fatigue and depression. Hannah chats to William from the What in the World team about his pretty successful side hustle as a YouTuber. He explains why more and more content creators are leaving the platform due to “burnout” and the pressure content creators feel under to pander to the algorithm. We also hear from Roly West, a queer British YouTuber specialising in piercings, tattoos and body modifications and Eugoson Quorch, a tech Youtuber from Nigeria.And Robyn Caplan, Assistant Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, explains how YouTube makes money from its content creators. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with William Lee Adams Producers: Kevyah Cardoso, Julia Ross-Roy and Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde

Venezuela’s opposition candidate, Edmundo González, has arrived in Spain after being granted asylum. He’d spent weeks in hiding following a disputed election which erupted into unrest across the country. He’s said he will continue to fight from the outside. Many believe González is the rightful president, however the official result gave the incumbent Nicolás Maduro another term. With González in exile, what will happen now? The BBC’s Mimi Swaby brings us up to speed and talks us through crackdowns on political opposition in Venezuela.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler and Shiler Mahmoudi Editor: Verity Wilde

A lot of films and TV shows like Game of Thrones, Dune, and Shadow and Bone have their own languages, and some are so complex that they have lore and history. But have you ever wondered how languages like Dothraki are created, or if the actors are just making it up as they go along?We take our questions to married couple Jessie and David Peterson whose shared love of linguistics and making up languages has led to them working for some very famous shows. They talk us through how they come up with languages.And the BBC’s resident gamer, Mel Ramsey, takes us on a journey into gaming and the role that languages like Skyrim's Dovahzul play in bringing games to life for fans.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden, Adam Chowdhury and Shiler Mahmoudi Editor: Rosanna La-Falce

Some university students in Kenya have been protesting a new funding model which, they say, favours the rich. The government says the changes are needed to help with funding issues. The BBC’s Anita Nkonge, based in Nairobi, explains. Many universities around the world are struggling with the cost of living, and this burden is often felt most sharply by students. We know that students have been questioning if university is worth the cost for a while, but now it feels like this debate is hotter than ever. We chat through why uni can be so expensive, as well as the pros and cons of going.Ishan Sharma, a YouTuber from India, dropped out of studying engineering and is now living his best life with no regrets. He shares his story, and tips for people considering a life without a degree. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Alex Rhodes and Zofia Louise Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Chappell Roan has posted on TikTok about "creepy behaviour" she's experienced in person and online. She’s one of this year’s most successful popstars with a growing fanbase, but are some of those fans starting to overstep the mark?Pete Allison, our BBC Newsbeat reporter, tells us what Chappell has been saying.We also look at K-pop fandoms with our Bilingual Reporter, Julie Yoonnyung Lee. There’s even a word in Korean to describe an obsessive fan who invades the privacy of a star - sasaeng.And Veronica Lamarche, a psychologist who has done studies on parasocial relationships, tell us what signs to look out for that your interest in a celeb has turned into an obsession.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Emilia Jansson Editor: Simon Peeks

Millions of students around the world will be starting a new term of school or university this month. And one thing they might notice is more conversations around how education is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT. Some people think ChatGPT is a way to cheat and bypass proper learning, while others are excited about how it could make education more efficient. Tech journalist Rhiannon Williams talks us through both sides of the debate.We also hear from Grace Kejo, a 17-year-old student based in Tanzania, who shares how she uses the tool. And Daniel Herman, a high school English teacher in Berkeley, US, explains how he teaches his students to use it responsibly. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Mora Morrison and Zof Hare Editor: Rosanna La-Falce

The market for men’s beauty and grooming is blowing up, with more masculine beauty products on the shelves than ever before. It’s not uncommon to see men with manicures. And people like Harry Styles, Pharrell Williams and Idris Elba have even launched luxury product lines. It’s estimated that the global male grooming market will be worth $115 billion by 2028. It’s fair to say male beauty standards are changing. We hear from Enioluwa Adeoluwa, a Nigerian influencer known as ‘Lipgloss Boy’, about how practices have changed globally and in Nigeria. We also brush up on make-up for men, and speak to Adrián Ríos about how American beauty influencers are shaking up global standards. Plus if you’re a bloke wanting to change up your look we’ve got some tips for you. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Rosanna La-Falce