Hajj — the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca — took place last week during an extreme heatwave. Officials in Saudi Arabia say that at least 1,301 people died. Most of them had not obtained official permits to enter the country to perform Hajj, which all Muslims must do at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able. Without proper documentation, pilgrims cannot access amenities like air conditioned tents and buses.

Zeinab Hussein Dabaa, a journalist with BBC Arabic in Cairo, explains how the expense of Hajj leads many pilgrims to pursue what’s called “unofficial Hajj,” despite Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on the practice.

We also hear from Hina, a pilgrim from Pakistan. She describes what it was like to perform Hajj as temperatures soared past 51C.

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Young Kenyans are leading demonstrations against a controversial finance bill, organising via TikTok and X. They are unhappy about proposals to raise taxes on sanitary pads and mobile money transfers, amongst other things. A protestor shares her motivation for taking to the streets.

We hear from Anita Nkonge a BBC reporter in Nairobi, who tells us what the protests are about. And BBC business reporter Jewel Kiriungi explains why President William Ruto wants to raise taxes. She also describes how tax rises a year ago have affected how people feel now.

The government has often defended the tax measures as necessary to reduce the country’s national debt of nearly $80bn.

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Hollywood has gone into overdrive trying to guess which celebrities are using weight loss drugs. Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Schumer, and Rebel Wilson have all talked openly about taking them - and there have been loads of rumours swirling around Kim Kardashian.

These drugs are often known by their brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, made by the Danish company Novo Nordisk. Who are these drugs meant for and how effective are they? Kevyah Cardoso from the What in the World team explains. We also hear from someone who is taking these weight loss drugs.

BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher describes how these drugs, known as semaglutides, work. And TikTok doctor Dr. Austin does some myth busting for us, including if Ozempic babies are a thing.

A black market has grown up to supply people who want to use so-called 'skinny jabs' for cosmetic reasons. BBC journalist Pria Rai tells us about her investigation.

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For decades China has used pandas as a way to improve diplomatic relations with other countries. Now, China’s Premier has offered Australia two, to replace the zoo's existing pandas. BBC Sydney Correspondent Katie Watson explains.

We also speak to the BBC’s Jack Lau in Hong Kong about China’s history of panda diplomacy and the significance of the animal to the country.

And we hear from Katharina Marie Sperling, who is the Head of Wildlife Conservation Program at Berlin Zoo, about the costs involved in keeping them and their characteristics.

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Nigeria is Africa’s economic powerhouse - so why are so many young people trying to leave and find opportunities in other countries? It’s become so common there’s even a word for it: Japa.

Last year, Nigeria’s immigration service issued a record number of passports - almost 2 million.

So when we were in Lagos we spoke to the BBC’s Faith Oshoko, who explained what drives young professionals to move abroad.

And we chatted to students - would they ever Japa? And would they come back?

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Nuclear power counts for just ten percent of the world’s total power supply and only 33 countries currently have nuclear power stations. But those numbers could soon change as China rushes to build new nuclear facilities and as African countries consider building their own.

Jordan Dunbar from the BBC podcast The Climate Question explains how nuclear power works, describes its benefits and drawbacks, and assesses whether it could ever be seen as a green form of energy.

Many people are nervous about leveraging nuclear power, partly because of the infamous disasters at nuclear sites like Three Mile Island and Fukushima. Alex from the What in the World team runs us through what happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986.

South Africa is the only country in Africa with a nuclear power plant — the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station near Cape Town. But ten other African countries — including Nigeria and Uganda— are looking into getting a plant of their own. Kevyah from the What in the World team explains why some African nations are considering a nuclear future.

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South Korea’s Buldak noodles are super spicy - and Denmark’s food regulator has now recalled some types of them, saying they could cause "acute poisoning". The company behind the noodles says there are no quality issues. They’re used in extreme food challenges that often go viral online. So we decided to try them ourselves and they were FIERY!

The BBC’s Health and Science Correspondent, James Gallagher, explains why spicy food can make us feel all hot and bothered, how to combat the side effects, and takes us through some common myths about spice.

And one of our BBC colleagues, Akwasi Sarpong, tells us how a tiny bit of extremely hot sauce caused some drama at work.

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She may be one of music's biggest stars, but it turns out even Billie Eilish is not immune to being ghosted. The ‘Bad Guy’ singer recently opened up about her experience on a BBC podcast, and it got us thinking about why ghosting feels so pervasive and hurtful.

So, in this episode, we’re chatting about all things ghosting: where the term came from, what it means, and why it makes us feel so bad. We hear from listeners in Colombia, Nigeria, the United States and France who have been ghosted - or done the ghosting. And Sylvia Anim - a psychosexual therapist in London - shares tips on how to look out for yourself if it happens to you.

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Despite the latest data showing fewer women are dying in childbirth globally, maternal mortality remains a huge issue for women across Africa. The World Health Organization says that more than two thirds of maternal deaths across the world happen in the continent. Chad and South Sudan rank the highest for maternal mortality, followed by Nigeria, one of the richest countries in Africa.

Dorcas Wangira, the BBC’s Africa Health Correspondent, explains the major causes of maternal death and what efforts are being made towards prevention and reducing rates. She also tells us about the specific issues faced by Nigeria and Kenya.

Plus, we speak to Isata Dumbuya, a trained midwife who moved back to Sierra Leone from the UK to improve maternal healthcare. Sierra Leone successfully reduced their maternal mortality rate by 60% and she describes exactly how they achieved this.

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Being a feminist in South Korea is often associated with being a man-hater. And people who are thought to look like feminists - by for example having short hair or not wearing makeup - can be ridiculed, or even attacked.

Rachel Lee, a journalist based in Seoul, explains why anti-feminist sentiment is growing among young men, how this plays out online, and what the government is doing to protect women. Investigative journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou talks us through the Burning Sun scandal - which saw some K-pop stars imprisoned for crimes against women.

And we unpack the 4B movement, which is currently doing the rounds on TikTok.

Note: This episode mentions sexual abuse.

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