Havana Syndrome has confused scientists ever since it first emerged in Cuba in 2016. The mystery illness mostly affects American officials working in embassies abroad. They report symptoms like hearing buzzing and screeching noises, and often experience pulses of pain and intense pressure in their skulls.

Among other theories, people have suggested it’s a side effect from some unknown surveillance technology or the result of microwave weapons deployed by foreign enemies. Others argue it’s likely a mass psychogenic illness — so one that’s all in the mind — resulting from stress.

But some scientists think it might be physical, so there have been studies that look for signs of damage in the brains of people experiencing symptoms. Two of the most recent studies in the U.S. failed to detect any. So what or who is causing this illness?

We hear from Gordon Corera, the BBC’s Security Correspondent, who talks us through the some of the theories.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Gordon Corera Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Simon Peeks

Cookies are a way for organisations to collect data from people who visit their site or app. You might see banners popping up on sites you visit asking you to accept or decline them. Maria Clara Montoya from the What in the World team explains how cookies work and why we often see that choice.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has rolled out a paid-subscription version of their social media sites for users in Europe. If you pay the subscription you don’t get advertisements and Meta says it doesn’t get your data. If you don’t pay, the sites get your data and you see ads. Meta says they’re doing this to comply with European Union laws on data collection.

But some privacy campaigners say people shouldn’t have to pay if they don’t want to share their data. Privacy expert and campaigner Alexander Hanff, known as That Privacy Guy, explains what happens to our data when we browse online.

And Bipana Dhakal, founder of “The Learning Fortress” in Nepal, explains how you can keep your online data safe.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Emily Horler, Maria Clara Montoya and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Plane manufacturing giant Boeing has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Videos of a dramatic door blowout onboard an Alaskan Airlines flight swept through social media in January. BBC reporter Thomas Mackintosh tells us about his chat with Cuong Tran, the man who was just inches away from the hole in the plane.

We also hear from the BBC’s North America Business Correspondent Erin Delmore, who tells us what might be behind the other incidents involving Boeing this year and how the company has responded.

Plus we discuss the allegations of a whistleblower who appears to have taken his own life in between testifying against the company.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Alex Rhodes and Baldeep Chahal Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Some women with afro and curly textured hair use chemicals to straighten their hair. But using these products can lead to burns and skin irritation. And some of the ingredients, like formaldehyde, are carcinogens. Some studies have shown a link between their use and higher rates of some cancers.

Kate Holden, a hair and scalp expert, tells us how chemical straighteners work. Dorcas Wangira, the BBC’s Africa Health correspondent, explains the health effects of using these products. Mary Isokariari from the What in the World team discusses why some women feel pressure to straighten their hair. Chinenye Ézémbu in Nigeria tells us why she chemically relaxes her hair and Deborah William shares her health issues, which she thinks are linked to her use of chemical hair straighteners.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mary Isokariari, Emily Horler and Adam Chowdhury Researcher: Jaidaa Taha Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Idris Elba, one of the actors rumoured to be the next James Bond, is leading a project to turn an island in Sierra Leone into an eco-city. The new plans for Sherbro Island include wind-powered renewable electricity, solar farms and a film studio. The hope is that the island will become a tourist destination for people seeking the sun.

The BBC’s David Waddell spoke to Elba about his new project. David joins us to explain the actor’s motivations and his vision for the city.

But we can’t not mention Akon City! Grammy award-winning artist Akon also has plans to transform a part of Africa. In 2018, the Senegalese-American said he would build ‘Akon City’ on the coast of Senegal. The R&B star said he wanted to create something like Wakanda from Marvel’s Black Panther. However, the project has been hit by delays and has barely got off the ground. Borso Tall, a journalist based in Senegal, takes us though the latest.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Emily Horler

The Philippines is one of the most at risk countries in the world from the effects of climate change. At the same time, it has some of the most expensive energy in Southeast Asia and relies heavily on imported coal. But a recent report by the NGO Climate Analytics found that, by 2050, the Philippines could get its energy entirely from renewable sources.

Is it feasible? Three Filipinos give us their thoughts. Jhesset Enano is a journalist, Mitzi Jonelle Tan is a climate activist and Joshua Miguel Lopez works for Reboot, a youth-led organisation working towards a just energy transition.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Emily Horler

In Cameroon, 62 football players have been suspended from the domestic league for double identification or age fraud. One of them is 17 year old Wilfried Nathan Doualla who was part of the Indomitable Lions squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

There have been claims of age fraud in Cameroonian football for a long time now. Last year, 21 members of their under-17s squad failed age tests. Some of them were found to be in their late 20s and early 30s. But these allegations aren’t just limited to Cameroon - there have also been cases in Ghana and Nigeria.

BBC Sport Africa reporter Oluwashina Okeleji explains why some players lie about their age and how clubs use MRI technology to work out if a player is under 18. Former Premier League footballer and Ghana international Kwesi Appiah talks about his experience of how age impacts players on the pitch. And Alex from the What in the World team chats about other cases of age fraud and age controversy outside football, from gymnastics to Mariah Carey.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Josh Jenkins Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

At least six trans people have been killed in Mexico since the beginning of the year. Human rights groups say that Mexico is the second most dangerous country to be trans, after Brazil.

One of the women killed was Samantha Gómez Fonseca, a trans activist and politician. She was shot multiple times in a taxi in Mexico City. Miguel Fuentes, from the LGTBQ organisation Yaaj, tells us about her life. Naran Sofia Martin del Campo explains the daily challenges that come with being a trans woman in Mexico. And BBC journalist Marcos Gonzalez talks about the culture in Mexico and attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Researcher: Elena Angelides Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan. It's a month of fasting, reflection, community and family time. But this year it feels different.

Iqra Farooq, a BBC journalist in London, explains how people have traditionally marked Ramadan and how the Israel-Gaza war is impacting those traditions.

We also hear from Muslims, from Gaza to Sudan, who discuss how the conflict is affecting them and their families during Ramadan.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

An online storm has engulfed Kate Middleton. Rumour and speculation have swirled ever since she underwent planned abdominal surgery at the start of the year. Kensington Palace said from the beginning that she wasn’t expected to resume Royal duties until after Easter but that did nothing to stop the pressure mounting over a lack of public appearances.

Over the weekend the Palace released a photo of the Princess of Wales with her children but then people started noticing odd details. Soon the press agencies that distributed the photo had issued a “kill notice” - over concerns that it had been digitally altered or edited. Eventually Kate issued a statement on Instagram, admitted “experimenting” with editing and apologised for any “confusion” the picture may have caused.

This PR disaster has done nothing to quell the rumours.

In this episode we break down the timeline of the story so far, the BBC’s Jacqui Wakefield looks into how the image may have been edited and we get some PR tips from crisis management expert Molly McPherson.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes and Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

These days tickets for big music tours and sports events can sell out in a matter of seconds. And not everyone who buys a ticket is planning on going. Touts, scalpers, resellers (whatever you know them as) are using increasingly high-tech ways to snap up all the tickets before real fans get a chance, then selling them on for dizzying amounts.

It’s not just big stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, it’s also huge sports events like the Cricket World Cup, the Superbowl and the Euros.

We hear from Rachel Lee, a reporter in South Korea, and Roxy Gagdekar, a reporter in India, about the scale of the problem in their countries. Plus we speak to Alessandro Moretti, a criminologist who’s spoken to some prolific touts to study their secrets.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Beverly Ochieng Producers: Alex Rhodes, Baldeep Chahal and Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

By the end of March, the Academy Awards and the Grammys will have finished, with hours of dedicate coverage, posts and memes galore. But viewing figures in the US show less people are tuning in. There’s a tendency to highlight the glitziness and importance of these events in the US, UK and Europe, but are award shows held to the same standard everywhere? And do these shows even matter anymore?

Noor Nanji, the BBC’s Culture Reporter and Fan Wang, a BBC Journalist in Singapore tell us about what award shows exist across Asia, and whether winning an award holds the same weight culturally. Nyasha Michelle, a journalist at BBC Africa also gives us a glimpse into Africa’s award show industry.

Plus, what do you have to do behind the scenes to actually win an Oscar? It's not as simple as putting in the best performance. Stars like Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy, Maestro's Bradley Cooper, Killer of the Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone and the studios behind them have been on the campaign trail to try and secure that famous golden statue.

We get some Hollywood insight into what it takes from Jillian Chilingerian, the co-founder of Offscreen Central.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Beverly Ochieng Producers: Alex Rhodes, Adam Chowdhury and Benita Barden Editors: Simon Peeks