What in the World

James Clayton, North America Tech Reporter, explains why WeChat is considered riskier than TikTok. Kerry Allen, China Media Analyst, discusses the tightly controlled nature of social media in China and the secret emoji code to avoid censorship. James Reynolds, a BBC correspondent, paints a picture of what Gaza was like before the recent escalation with Israel.

Uncovering the origins and motivations of the 30-year conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the challenging conditions faced by displaced people in the Kivu region, and the role of resource exploitation in fueling the conflict and humanitarian crisis.

Exploring Nigeria's currency devaluation, challenges in currency management, and the impact of borrowing money. Plus, a discussion on the basics of currency markets and the factors influencing currency value. Touching on a news story about a footballer's parents being abducted in Colombia.

Caribbean nations are demanding reparations from former colonial powers for their involvement in slavery. Anselm Gibbs explains the specific demands and forms reparations can take. Akeem Chandler-Prescod describes how the legacy of slavery impacts Barbados and the influence of the racial justice movement in the US. Laura Trevelyan discusses why her family made a donation for economic development in Grenada. The podcast explores the responses of British and French officials and the challenges in quantifying reparations.

Bill Gates, the tech billionaire turned philanthropist, invests huge amounts of money in the climate crisis - and he’s pretty optimistic about how we can avoid the worst impacts. But why? Graihagh Jackson, from The Climate Question, helps unpack some potential solutions. We also hear from Nissa Bek, a climate activist and the founder of Project Mulan in Libya, about ways to get involved - from art to architecture. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes with Graihagh Jackson Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

The podcast discusses the global spread of dengue fever, its symptoms, transmission, and connection to global warming. It explores preventive measures, available vaccines and treatments. Updates on outbreaks in Burkina Faso, Chad, India, and Bangladesh are highlighted, as well as the adaptability of dengue mosquitoes to cooler areas. The challenges of developing a vaccine and the impact of climate change on mosquito populations are also discussed.

China's investment in infrastructure projects in other countries is explored, including successful examples and failed plans. The episode highlights an empty airport in Sri Lanka and a railway to nowhere in Kenya. The challenges of foreign loans and investments and their consequences are discussed, along with the financial challenges faced by the African Football League. Favorite teams and sponsorship controversies in a football tournament are also touched upon.

Learn about why governments construct new capital cities like Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar and Nusantara in Indonesia. Discover the ambitious plans for an eco-city in Saudi Arabia called The Line. Explore the challenges and motivations behind building new cities from scratch and their impact on the environment and population.

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is set to become the biggest tour of all time. From tickets to merch, fans are showing up for Tay Tay and spending the big bucks. Her tours have boosted local economies across the United States and will continue to sell out around the world. Even her relationship with Travis Kelce has helped American Football (NFL) reach a new audience. You may have heard about this ‘Taylor Swift effect’ or Swiftonomics. Erin Delmore, the BBC’s North America Business Correspondent, crunches the numbers for us. We also hear from fans who were at the Eras tour film premiere in Los Angeles. And did you know you can study Taylor Swift at university? Dr Elly McCausland from Ghent University in Belgium tells us more.Spoiler alert: there aren’t any Taylor songs in here - that’s because we sadly don’t have the rights. Sorry!Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks

An explosion at a crowded hospital in Gaza City has killed hundreds of people, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel says the number is much lower. Hamas blames Israel, but Israel says it wasn’t them and points the finger at another group, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They also say it wasn’t them. Shayan Sardarizadeh, from the BBC Disinformation team, tells us how he has been investigating what happened at Al-Ahli hospital, and whether we can say who was behind it (03:26). We also answer some of the main questions people have been searching for online, like what are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with Hesham Shawish, who covers the Middle East for BBC Monitoring (07:25). And we hear from two 18 year olds, in Israel and Gaza (11:57). Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Maria Clara Montoya and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks