What in the World

Two reporters help us to reflect on the legacy of this women’s football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Sergi Forcada Freixas watched the game in Madrid in a fan zone and Katie Falkingham watched it in Manchester. She also breaks down some of the key facts of the history of women’s football and who she thinks are the biggest legends of all time.And the BBC’s Nadine Yousif takes us through the impact of Meta’s news ban on people trying to evacuate the Canadian wildfires.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

Skinny shaming can be just as harmful as fat shaming.We recently covered fat shaming on this podcast following allegations against Lizzo. Body image is a hot topic on social media and some celebs, like Ariane Grande, have been hitting back when people comment on their bodies. BBC reporter Ashley Lime wanted to look into skinny shaming in Kenya. Ashley talks about her experience of people commenting on her size. We also hear how skinny shaming impacts men, like 27-year-old Solomon Buchi from Nigeria. And we learn about the mental health effects of skinny shaming from Ugandan psychologist Leona Buhenzire. Plus, why has news disappeared from Instagram in Canada? The BBC’s Nadine Yousif explains. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Ashley Lime Producers: Mora Morrison, Adam Chowdhury and Julia Ross-Roy Researcher: Dan Eboka Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Parts of Hawaii have been devastated and Canada is having its worst wildfire season on record. Are wildfires getting worse? Are they happening more frequently? BBC climate reporter Georgina Rannard explains. Thomas Grübler, founder of Orora Tech, explains how they use AI to detect wildfires more quickly, to prevent them spreading. With speculation on Tiktok that lasers started the wildfires in Hawaii, BBC climate disinformation reporter Merlyn Thomas does some fact-checking. Plus, Jacqui Wakefield looks into a curious story about blond twitter bots fan-girling the United Arab Emirates. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes and Julia Ross-Roy Researcher: Dan Eboka Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

South African runner Caster Semenya won’t be at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It’s because she has differences of sexual development - or DSD - and isn’t allowed to compete in any track events without taking testosterone-reducing drugs.But what is DSD? And why is it stopping Caster from competing? Celestine Karoney from BBC Sport Africa explains.Plus, we’re joined by Frances Mao who talks us through recent 'Mudjima' knife crimes in South Korea. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

The podcast explores how women's rights in Afghanistan have changed since the Taliban regained power, discussing topics such as rigid dress codes, education bans, job restrictions, and the current state of women's rights under Taliban rule. It includes personal accounts and fears of living under the Taliban's oppressive rule, as well as the hopes and aspirations for the future of Afghan women in football.

Over three billion people around the world play video games and the industry is worth roughly $350 billion dollars. However, do we understand the relationship between the games we play and our mental health?Alex Rhodes is joined by the BBC’s Laura Cress to find out. They chat with psychologist and game designer Doctor Kelli Dunlap to understand whether violent video games actually lead to violence in real life, and she gives us her three tips on how to manage our mental health when it comes to gaming.Sky Tunley-Stainton from gaming charity Safe in our World explains what they are doing to help the mental health of gamers and people working in the gaming industry. Plus, BBC Culture reporter Annabel Rackham gives us an update on the writers’ and actors’ strikes that have bought Hollywood to a halt.Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health are available at bbc.co.uk/actionlineEmail: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex Rhodes with Laura Cress Producers: Adam Chowdhury, Emily Horler, Mora Morrison, Benita Barden and Dan Eboka Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

Hip-hop is celebrating its unofficial 50th birthday. The genre has had a massive influence on everything from fashion to politics to culture. It’s a global phenomenon which continues to evolve - with artists like Nicki Minaj and Jay-Z driving it forward. So, what is hip-hop’s legacy at 50?To help explain its origins and relevance today we’re joined in the studio by Nicholas-Tyrell Scott, a London-based music journalist. We also hear from South African kwaito star Moonchild Sanelly, and from fans in Ghana, the U.S. and Germany about why they love hip-hop.Switching gears, we learn more about the “body check” controversy at the recent Miss Universe Indonesia pageant. Pijar Anugrah, a BBC journalist in Jakarta, explains how police are investigating the allegations of sexual harassment and how pageant officials have responded.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison and Dan Eboka Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

Hannah is joined by BBC reporter Favour Nunoo in Accra, Ghana to present this episode. Some of the biggest names in football, like Sadio Mane, Rúben Neves and Karim Benzema have been bought by Saudi clubs this summer, to play in a league that is ranked 68th in the world in terms of quality. BBC Sport reporter Sam Harris tells us why. Is this just another example of ‘sportswashing’? Abdirahim Saeed from BBC Monitoring explains what that means. We’ve been hearing a lot about inflation - and now deflation in China - but what is it? BBC Asia Business Correspondent Nick Marsh joins the conversation - and Favour tells us what it’s like for people in Ghana.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Favour Nunoo Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Adam Chowdhury and Benita Barden Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

Around 60 million adults around the world vape but governments are trying to crack down by putting bans in place. New Zealand and Australia are two of the latest countries to introduce restrictions.What are the health risks to vaping and how does it compare to smoking cigarettes? Why are so many countries looking to restrict vaping and is there evidence to show that bans work?The BBC’s Laura Foster, Dr Stewart Beggs, Freddie Dawson from ECigIntelligence, and Priyansha Gupta, a law student from Rajasthan, all help us to try and answer those questions.And we have a quick update on that meeting discussing deforestation in the Amazon.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Emily Horler Producers: Alex Rhodes, Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66% in July 2023 compared to a year earlier. The news comes as leaders from eight South American countries are gathering in Belem to discuss how to protect the rainforest. The BBC’s South America Correspondent Katy Watson is in Brazil and tells us what she’s been hearing. We also look at Lyme disease following Bella Hadid’s recent Instagram post that details her struggles with the disease. Our Health and Science Correspondent James Gallagher explains the cause and symptoms. And our friends at BBC Reel speak to Iranian-American novelist Porochista Khakpour, whose memoir “Sick” describes the difficulties and expense of living with the condition. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden, Adam Chowdhury, William Lee Adams Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir