What in the World

PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders affecting women globally; affecting roughly 13% of women who have a menstrual cycle. The World Health Organization has estimated that up 70% of women with PCOS worldwide do not know they have this condition. Symptoms can include irregular periods, fertility issues, weight gain, acne, excess hair growth and insulin resistance. There is no cure.
And now Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is officially being reclassified as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
The new name reflects growing recognition that the condition involves much more than ovarian cysts alone. It’s actually a complex endocrine condition (to do with hormones) which affects the whole body. Experts hope that the name change will lead to a better focus on treating and reversing some of symptoms. Global health reporter Dorcas Wangira in Kenya explains what we know about the condition. And we hear from Professor Helena Teede, from Monash Univerity in Australia, who led the name-changing initiative.
Jenef Ngombo, 25 from the UK and Chelle Robotham, in Florida USA, share their experiences of PMOS/PCOS and tell us what they think about the name change.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Shakira Abdi and Julia Ross-Roy
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been banning social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X. Recently the government also extended the ban to Telegram, one of Russia’s most popular messaging apps. It’s cracking down on VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and it’s introduced a new state-backed app called Max, which comes downloaded on any new phone.
Authorities say these internet crackdowns are needed to “ensure security” and disrupt Ukrainian drones. But some say this is actually all about censorship - and that the government is trying to extend its control over the internet. So - how are these bans affecting Russians that rely on the internet everyday?
BBC Monitoring journalist Clare Denning joins us to break down why the Kremlin is restricting access to the internet and how Russians are reacting to the crackdown.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Sarah Coop and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde

Around half of the world’s languages are in danger of disappearing, according to UNESCO. Languages often become endangered when parents stop talking in them to their children, when schools no longer offer them on the curriculum - or when governments don’t recognise them as official languages that need to be protected. Campaigners are calling for more efforts to preserve them - and the history, heritage and culture they carry - and they’re using an unlikely tool: AI. But there are concerns that artificial intelligence could actually create more language inequality, because it’s mainly trained on a handful of dominant languages.
So, could AI stop endangered languages from going extinct? Or will it speed up their demise?
Journalist and author Sophia Smith Galer joins us to explain how languages become endangered, how AI is being used to combat this and the risks of using the technology to preserve languages. And we hear from Ivory Yang in the US, who built an AI tool to help preserve her grandmother’s endangered language, Nüshu.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams
Video producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Mosquitoes are frequently called the world's deadliest insect. They kill more people every year than any other creature by spreading diseases like malaria, West Nile virus and Zika. In an effort to combat the disease carrying-bug in the U.S., Google is creating an army of sterile male mosquitoes by infecting them with bacteria. It’s hoped that over time these mosquitoes will lower the population of mosquitoes that carry some illnesses.
James Gallagher, BBC health and science correspondent, explains how the process works and the reasons Google is interested in this area of research. We also hear from Dorcas Wangira, a global health reporter, about the release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Djibouti. She explains why it’s important to engage with local communities about the issue.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Stefania Okereke
Editor: Verity Wilde

South Africa has seen weeks of protests against illegal immigrants. Some of these protests have turned violent and people have been killed. The country is grappling with deep tensions around immigration and identity.
Houses have been burned, shops damaged and looted, and people have been forced to leave their homes. There have been reports of vigilante groups checking the documentation of foreign nationals and forcing small businesses run by non-South Africans to close.
Countries like Ghana and Nigeria have even been evacuating their citizens from the country.
So what’s behind these recent protests? And what are authorities doing to try to reduce illegal migration in South Africa? BBC correspondent Mayeni Jones explains.
We also hear what South Africans and migrant workers living in the country make of the protests.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams, Julia Ross-Roy and Stefania Okereke
Editor: Verity Wilde.