If you’re a Barca fan, you might want to look out for a small change to the players’ kits that’s coming soon. The Democratic Republic of Congo has struck a four-year sponsorship deal with FC Barcelona, that will see “DR Congo - Heart of Africa" emblazoned on the back of their training shirts from the start of next season. The deal reportedly cost the country around 50 million dollars and includes a training camp in Spain for 50 young Congolese players, according to the Sports Minister. But it’s also faced criticism at home and abroad, as the DRC continues to struggle with poverty and political instability.

BBC journalist Emery Makumeno joins us from Kinshasa to explain the reasons the country has given for making the deal and the issues its own football league is facing. BBC sports journalist Daniel Austin explains how sports sponsorship works and what it reveals about money, image, and influence in sport. And we hear from football fans in the DRC, who share what they think of the deal.

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

At least 30,000 of the 350,000 known plant species on our planet are edible, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, but only 170 species of plant are cultivated for food on a large scale. As climate change affects plant yields and disease threatens some of our most popular crops (bananas, we’re looking at you), scientists say we need to explore so-called “forgotten foods” to diversify the crops we grow. But what are they — and what are some of the opportunities and challenges of growing them at scale?

BBC Climate and Science correspondent Georgina Rannard explains why food security is such an important issue - and the solutions scientists are finding to tackle this. Kew Gardens ethnobotanist Philippa Ryan, from the UK, tells us about some examples of forgotten foods. And BBC Africa business correspondent Jewel Kiriungi explains why seed sharing - a practice to help preserve crop diversity - is banned in Kenya.

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

If you look at the list of box office hits from the past year, you’ll see lots of live action versions of children’s and young adult films, and even film adaptations of video games. Films like A Minecraft movie and Lilo and Stitch.

Last year Inside Out 2 led the global box office earning $1.69 billion, and 6 out of the top 10 movies were animated - it’s a big jump up from the year before. Previously action and comedy films seem to dominate, but this year, ‘The Naked Gun’ is only the second big-screen comedy to hit cinemas.

Why are kids films and remakes of familiar films are doing so well at the moment? Megan Lawton chats to us about why this might be and what it might say about Hollywood.

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

Botox - or Botulinum toxin injections - has become mainstream. It’s no longer for the super-rich and A-list celebrities. As it’s become cheaper and more beauticians on the high street are offering it, its use is starting to become more widespread and normalised. Influencers are open about (some of) the non-surgical procedures they’ve had done. Why has it become so popular?

BBC Health and Wellbeing reporter Annabel Rackham explains how these anti-wrinkle injections work (the most common of which is the product Botox) and how they differ from other “tweakments” like filler. We also discuss the potential risks of getting these injections as well as a recent case of hospitalisations after fake Botox was used. And what to be aware of if you’ve decided you want to get it done.

BBC Africa Health correspondent Dorcas Wangira explains the rising demand for non-surgical beauty procedures in Kenya and why the authorities there are trying to crack down on unlicensed clinics and spas and practitioners with no registration.

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

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