A growing number of countries have said they could recognise Palestine as a state. What does a Palestinian state mean? And why is this one of the most divisive issues on the planet? In recent weeks France has joined the list of countries that think that a Palestinian state should be recognised. Canada and the UK say they may do it the same, if conditions aren’t met by Israel.

The BBC’s Chief International correspondent Lyse Doucet explains some of the issues involved and why the situation is so complex.

Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Albinism is a rare genetic condition that reduces melanin; that’s the pigment that gives colour to your skin, eyes, and hair. The condition can make people more vulnerable to skin cancer and it can also cause problems with vision. There’s a history of discrimination and stigma. Journalist and disability advocate Teejay Ameen talks about his experience of growing up in Nigeria with albinism and how it compares to the UK, where he lives now. Makuochi Okafor, BBC Africa Health reporter, explains what support exists in Nigeria for people with albinism and whether attitudes are changing. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Stefania Okereke, Benita Barden, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Agronejo is a relatively new genre of Brazilian music. It draws on Brazil’s ever-popular traditional country music, sertanejo but adds a modern twist adding pop, electronic, funk or hiphop.

Crucially agronejo, like sertanejo, celebrates the Brazilian rural and farming lifestyle. The music videos - with farmers in cowboy hats, bling watches, and expensive tractors - are getting millions of views online. Some of the most famous artists are Us Agroboy, Ana Castela, Luan Pereira and DJ Chris no Beat.

But critics say the agricultural industry, or “agrobusiness”, is using the genre to sell an idealised vision of the sector and distract from its environmental impact. The musicians and the industry reject this. Marco Silva, a BBC journalist specialising in climate disinformation, who has made a documentary about this, explains the inspiration behind agronejo. We hear some of his interview with Us Agroboy. And we discuss the environmental impact of Brazil’s agriculture sector and whether this music gives an accurate portrayal of the industry.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Maria Clara Montoya and Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

In June 2025, a Europe-wide law enforcement operation shut down Archetyp Market, the longest-running illegal drug marketplace on the dark web. 300 officers were involved and assets worth €7.8 million were seized. It’s estimated that Archetyp had over 600,000 users worldwide, with a total transaction volume of at least €250 million, mainly offering illegal drugs for sale, like cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines and synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

BBC Cyber correspondent Joe Tidy explains how the dark web and these marketplaces work as well as what we know about how the police were able to track down Archetyp’s vendors and moderators.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emilia Jansson and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Sinkholes are holes that suddenly appear in the ground. They can be any size but some are enormous. Some have swallowed cars, parts of buildings and even people. There are terrifying videos online of football pitches being sucked into the ground, or the resulting huge circular chasms in the middle of cities. They are found all over the world but some parts of the world are more prone to them than others.

In this episode BBC climate and science reporter Esme Stallard answers our questions about what causes them - and whether you can predict if one is going to happen.

In China, the sink holes there are actually different from the rest of the world. Devra Willingham, from the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in the US, tells us why and what it’s like to go into one.

And we examine if climate change is making sinkholes more common.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Outer space is starting to get crowded. Private companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are launching rockets regularly, thousands of satellites now orbit Earth, and celebrities like Katy Perry are signing up for space tourism.

There’s talk of more missions to the Moon, and Elon Musk is even hoping for human landings on Mars, within the next decade. But while space tech is racing ahead, the laws that govern it are lagging behind. In fact, there’s only one major international law, the Outer Space Treaty - but that was made ages ago in 1967.

In this episode we hear from three people studying space law; Andre Kwok, a recent graduate at the Australian National University, and Judith Jahnke from Sweden and Martina Elia Vitoloni from Argentina, both at McGill University in Canada. And BBC journalist Freya Scott-Turner explains what laws we already have and why it’s been difficult to agree on more.

Archive material provided by British Pathé.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Freya Scott-Turner and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

What if countries could sue each other for wrecking the climate? Well, that’s now a real possibility after a decision by the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice (the ICJ). The court made the decision after a group of young law students from low-lying Pacific islands on the frontlines of climate change started a campaign in 2019. But critics say it will be hard to untangle who caused what when it comes to climate change — and that they’re already making good progress when it comes to reducing harm to the environment.

BBC Climate and Science Correspondent Georgina Rannard talks us through what this decision means and how it could impact future climate cases. And we hear from two of the young campaigners who helped bring this case to the ICJ, who tell us what this decision means to them and their communities.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

Period tracking apps help you track your menstrual cycle, so you know when to expect your period. They’re growing in popularity worldwide, with the three most popular ones racking up over 250 million downloads between them. But studies show that some women might also be using them to avoid getting pregnant.

One of the apps, Natural Cycles, has been approved in the US to be used as a contraceptive. The company claims it is 93% effective at preventing pregnancies, when used perfectly. So why are more people turning to these apps? Are they safe to use as a contraceptive and what are the risks?

Sexologist Rayka Kumru from Turkey explains why these period tracking apps are becoming so popular and the privacy concerns around using them. Dr Francesco Rampazzo, a lecturer in Demography at the University of Oxford, tells us more about where period tracking apps are getting the most downloads.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates, Benita Barden and Emilia Jansson Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Harriet Oliver

Violence has flared up again in Syria, this time in the southern province of Suweida. Fighting has broken out between the government forces and two minority groups: the Druze and the Bedouins. It’s not the first time that the stability of the country has been shaken since the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad last December. But it signals the challenges the new government faces - not just from internal violence, but from its neighbours. Israel launched air strikes on Suweida and the Syrian capital, Damascus, and says it will only hold a US-backed ceasefire if the Druze are protected. So, what’s behind this conflict - and what does it mean for the future of Syria?

We speak to BBC Monitoring journalist Tess Mallinder Heron, to explain who the different groups involved in the fighting are and what’s behind the dispute. And we hear from our BBC Middle East Correspondent in Damascus, Lina Sinjab, who tells us what life has been like for people in Syria since the fall of Assad’s regime - and how the new government is trying to maintain control in Syria.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

Dozens of coastal cities — from Jakarta to Manila — are sinking at a worrying speed. Climate change, too much water being pumped out of the ground for drinking and the type of land cities are built on all contribute to the problem. But people around the world are coming up with innovative ways to tackle this.

Aghnia Adzkia, a BBC journalist based in Jakarta, shares why Indonesia’s capital is particularly vulnerable, and how people there are trying to protect themselves. BBC climate correspondent Georgina Rannard explains the link between climate change and rising sea levels. And we hear from people helping their local communities to adapt, such as architect Kunlé Adeyemi, who designed a floating school in Lagos.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Chelsea Coates, Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya Video Journalist: Adam Chowdhury and Jem Westgate Editor: Verity Wilde

Wafcon — or the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations — is heating up. Ahead of the final this Saturday in Morocco, only four teams out of twelve remain: Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco and Ghana. The tournament first took place in 1991 and since then, it’s taken off, with the Confederation of African Football reporting that more that more people are tuning in to watch every twist and turn of the competition. It’s given football stars from across the continent a chance to show off their skills on the world stage - and put the spotlight firmly on the women’s game.

So which team will get to hold up the cup this year? And how is the tournament changing attitudes to women’s football across Africa?

BBC Africa sports reporter Celestine Karoney explains how the tournament has changed over the years and what challenges female players still face. And the BBC’s Sara Menai updates us on the latest from the tournament as the last four teams battle it out for the cup.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Editor: Emily Horler

If someone talks about Cuba does it make you think of cigars and classic cars? Or maybe you think of limited freedom of speech and Che Guevara?

We’re talking about Cuba because its minister for Labour, Elena Feitó Cabrera, was forced to resign after she said there was no such thing as ‘beggars’ on the island. What’s the situation with homelessness?

We’re running through some of the top claims we’ve seen about Cuba online with Will Grant, our Cuba Correspondent, and break down how much truth there is behind them.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde