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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Rosanna La-Falce

Pavel Durov’s arrest could impact free speech, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Over the last few years the social media and messaging app Telegram has become increasingly popular. It’s different from other apps, like WhatsApp and Facebook, partly because it allows you to create massive groups, of up to 200,000 people. But the app has also faced criticism relating to disinformation, and the sharing of conspiracist, neo-Nazi, paedophilic, or terror-related content.

On Wednesday Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was placed under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into organised crime on the app. BBC tech reporter Graham Fraser tells us what we need to know about Telegram, and this investigation.

Telegram has often been used by pro-democracy protesters, including in Hong Kong. The BBC’s Fan Wang explains.

And there has been a massive reaction to Durov’s arrest in Russia. The BBC’s Karine Mirumyan tells us why the Russian military, and government, use the app - and whether this arrest could impact the war in Ukraine.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Mora Morrison and Zofia Louise Editor: Verity Wilde

For the past 100 years diamonds have been the ultimate symbol of love, luxury and opulence. But then, a darker side to them was exposed. Diamond mining was shown to have links to conflict, human rights abuses and state corruption, putting off a lot of consumers. Lab-grown diamonds then appeared on the market as a more eco-friendly, ethical and cheaper alternative, but do they have the same appeal?

We speak to Caroline Steel, a BBC Science presenter, about what makes the gems so precious and the science behind how diamonds are formed.

We also hear from Shingai Nyoka, a BBC Africa reporter, about Africa’s relationship to diamond production, and the discovery of the second-largest mined diamond in Botswana in August.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The war in Gaza has lead to a surge in settler violence. Extreme Israeli settlers are the perpetrators behind the attacks. Not only have they become more aggressive, Israeli settlers have also seized more and more land.

One spokesperson from Peace Now, an Israeli organisation that monitors settlement growth, says Jewish extremists in the West Bank are exacerbating an already tense and volatile situation, and making it harder than ever to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. So will these settlements will permanent? The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell explains.

On Wednesday Israeli forces launched a "counterterrorism operation" in the occupied West Bank which includes air strikes and ground troops in several Palestinian towns and cities - including in Jenin and Tulkarm.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

With the Olympics over the eyes of the sporting world are back on Paris once again ahead of the start of the Paralympic Games.

More than 4000 athletes will be competing for 549 medals over the next two weeks in sports such as Boccia, Swimming and Wheelchair Rugby.

We hear from Egyptian swimmer Malak Abdelshafi on what it means to represent her country at the games.

And BBC Sport’s Peter Harding tells us what sports and which athletes to watch out for.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Josh Jenkins, Adam Chowdhury and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Last week the newly announced CEO of Starbucks landed in hot water when it emerged that he’d be commuting from his home in California to the Starbucks headquarters in Washington using a private jet. The 1,600 km, three-hour commute stoked a wave of criticism online.

It’s not the first time a public figure has come under fire for their eye-watering air mileage; earlier this year media outlets began scrutinising Taylor Swift's carbon footprint after a student began posting her flight information online by using publicly available data to track the take-offs and landings of privately owned planes belonging to the rich and famous. Her lawyers threatened to sue him, saying that the tracking amounted to "stalking." In 2022, Twitter banned the same student’s profile after Elon Musk accused him of sharing his "assassination coordinates".

But when a four-hour private flight emits as much as the average person does in a year, climate campaigners say that the cost to the planet is not worth the convenience.

BBC business reporter Charlotte Edwards unpacks the Starbucks CEO’s controversial commute and lifts the curtain on the business of luxury air travel. And our climate and science reporter Esme Stallard explains the environmental cost of the industry.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Kevyah Cardoso and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

This week we’ve had the release of what is, right now, the most popular game in the world - but it’s not a new version of GTA or Minecraft - this one is from China and it’s called Black Myth: Wukong. There are predictions it’s going to make hundreds of millions of dollars - and it now has more than two million active online players.

It’s been made by a relatively small Chinese company called Game Science and it’s the first time a game from the country has managed to break through internationally on this scale.

The BBC’s Kerry Allen, a China media analyst, describes the gaming industry in China - and the various restrictions gamers there face. And Mel Ramsay, a BBC journalist and video games expert explains why the game has become so popular inside and outside China - and some of the controversies around it.

Also, Kirk McKeand, a video games journalist in the UK who has played Black Myth: Wukong, gives us his take.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Emily Horler, Emilia Jansson and Alex Rhodes Editor: Verity Wilde

The Somali Parliament recently passed the National Disability Act. Twelve percent of the population in Somalia are estimated to be living with a disability. People with disabilities in Somalia have less access to formal education and higher rates of unemployment. This new law aims to protect their rights, make sure they get equal opportunities in jobs, education, and healthcare, and help reduce the stigma they face.

Fardowsha Hanshi, a BBC journalist from Somalia, explains what life is like in Somalia for people living with a disability and talks about her own experience of disability. She tells us what activists hope this new law will achieve. BBC journalist Ellis Palmer describes where the first disability legislation came from - and why implementation and individual advocacy is key.

And we hear from Kenyan Wilson Macharia, who is visually impaired and sued a company in Kenya for discrimination.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Emilia Jansson and Lizzy Bella Editor: Verity Wilde