Nearly 200 countries have agreed a new global deal on climate change at COP28 in Dubai. It’s the biggest step forward on climate since the Paris Agreement in 2015.

For the first time, countries are calling for a move away from fossil fuels, but the language is far weaker than many wanted.

Our Climate and Science reporter, Esme Stallard, walks us through the details of the deal. What could mean for our futures?

We also hear from three BBC Monitoring journalists: Rupsha Mukurjee, who covers India; Padmaja Venkataraman, who reports on China; and Rose Njiroge, who covers sub-saharan Africa. What scores out of 10 does this COP get from India, China and Africa?

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On Monday, India’s Supreme Court upheld the government’s 2019 decision to revoke Article 370. That’s a law that previously gave the region of Jammu and Kashmir special status within India to make its own laws.

Umang Poddar, a reporter in the BBC Delhi Bureau, explains why Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked the law and what it means.

Plus: Is it a good idea to take a social media detox? Luis from the What in the World team tells us about a recent study that suggests some drawbacks.

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Pope Francis is not your standard pope. He’s talks about climate change, he has a more liberal stance on divorce and he’s even weighed in on hot-button political topics like migration. But it’s his softer stance on LGBTQ+ issues that has proved to be one of the most controversial parts of his papacy, even within the top levels of the Vatican. The BBC’s Sofia Bettiza and Reha Kansara give us some background on the man himself. And we take the pod to Church to chat about the Pope’s legacy with LGBTQ+ Catholics.

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Grammy award-winning rapper Young Thug is currently on trial for gang-related charges in Atlanta, US. Prosecutors claim that the rap label he founded, Young Stoner Life (YSL) Records, is a front for an organised crime syndicate responsible for ‘75-80% of violent crime’ in the city.

His lyrics have been used as part of the evidence against him. But some argue that this raises concerns about freedom of artistic expression and racism.

Benita from the What in the World team explains how Young Thug rose to fame and legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff - who went viral recently as ‘Meghann Thee Reporter’ - explains what we’ve heard from the trial so far. She also discusses how the new RAP (Restoring Artistic Protection) Act could restrict how lyrics are used in court in future cases.

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We’re back at COP28, discussing ways to help you cope with climate anxiety. The ever present threat of climate change can feel overwhelming and can have a negative impact on your mental health - it’s called climate-anxiety (some people call it eco-anxiety). So how can you deal with these feelings? BBC climate reporter Georgina Rannard sat down with three activists at COP28; Baliqees Salaudeen from Nigeria, Ana Gabriela Mejía Silva from Ecuador and Saad Uakkas from Morocco, to discuss their strategies.

We also chat about flaring with BBC filmmaker Owen Pinnell, who’s made two BBC documentaries about it. What is it, what are the health effects if you live near to where it takes place and how easy is it for countries and companies to stop doing it?

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This podcast has been updated

Tanzania is coping with the aftermath of severe floods and landslides, which killed dozens of people in the northern Hanang region.

Shem Otieno, a BBC reporter in Nairobi, explains how rescue workers and the Tanzanian government are responding. We also hear from hydrology expert Wouter Buytaert, who explains how droughts can make landslides more likely. Three survivors also recount their experiences.

Also: the BBC’s Maria Clara Montoya tells us about Daddy Yankee’s retirement.

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Essequibo is part of Guyana in South America - it’s got lots of oil and dense rainforests.

But last Sunday, Venezuela voted to claim it in a referendum. There’s been a dispute over the region for a really long time but it’s bubbled up more recently when oil was discovered in Essequibo's offshore waters.

Rachelle Krygier, a BBC reporter from Venezuela, gives us the history behind this land dispute and also explains how the referendum campaign played out on TikTok. Anselm Gibbs, a journalist with the BBC based in Trinidad and Tobago, tells us how people living in Essequibo are reacting to the referendum result.

Also in this episode, our video games expert, Andrew Rogers, takes us through the new Grand Theft Auto trailer and what gamers can expect from the latest instalment when it’s released in 2025.

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Russia’s Supreme Court has banned the “international LGBT movement" and declared it an “extremist organisation.” The ruling does not criminalise being gay. However, it will make the work of all LGBTQ+ organizations, as well as any related political activity, difficult.

Sergei Goryashko from the BBC’s Russian service explains the reasons behind the Supreme Court ruling. We also get reactions from three LGBTQ Russians.

Finally we hear from Ksenia Kuleshova, a documentary photographer who has been working with and observing the queer community in Russia for several years.

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41 men were working underground in a tunnel in India when a nearby landslide caused part of it to cave in, trapping them inside. They were rescued after 17 days. BBC South Asia Correspondent Samira Hussain explains why it took so long - and what questions the authorities are facing in the aftermath.

Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team describes what being trapped underground for ages can do to your mental and physical health.

And Maimuna Jabbie from The Gambia and co-lead of The Great Green Wall is one of the young delegates at COP28. The Great Green Wall aims to create an 8000km ‘wall of trees’ spanning the entire width of the African Continent. Maimuna tells us about the initiative and what she’s hoping to achieve at the climate summit.

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It’s that time of year again where world leaders, business execs and loads of lobbyists and activists gather for a few weeks to try to make concrete plans to reduce emissions globally and compensate countries worst affected by climate change - it’s COP28 and hopes are high.

This year it’s taking place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, one of the biggest oil producers in the world. And the President of COP is the head of the country’s state oil company.

BBC climate reporter Georgina Rannard is at COP28 - she explains what it is and what’s going to be discussed. We hear from two young activists; Yabtsega Getachew from Ethiopia and Shreya KC from Nepal.

Marco Silva, a BBC climate disinformation reporter debunks some myths about climate change you might have seen on your social feeds.

Also: As Virgin flies the first big passenger plane using 100% alternative fuels across the Atlantic, we ask BBC Transport Correspondent Katy Austin how big a deal is this? And how green are these alternative fuels?

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