What in the World

Serena Williams is making a comeback to tennis at 44 years of age. She is one of the greatest players of all time. She’s won 23 Grand Slam titles - the second highest tally by a woman in the sport’s history. She’s the highest earning female athlete of all time. She was world number one for 319 weeks. And the stats go on and on. Now, she wants to add to them.
Four years after leaving the sport and after giving birth to her second child, the American will play in the doubles at Queen’s Club in London next week - a warm-up tournament on the road to Wimbledon. However, she is attempting something almost no tennis player has done before - returning to the game in their mid-40s and going up against much younger players. How well can she perform?
Ben Rothenberg, a tennis journalist who runs the Bounces podcast, joins us to explain the significance of Serena’s comeback and the challenges she might face.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Verity Wilde

New forecasts show that the developing El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean could be one of the strongest on record. The weather phenomenon could be so strong, scientists and the UN are describing it as a “Super El Niño” or “Godzilla El Niño.” And with that comes warnings of record global temperatures and huge potential humanitarian impacts.

But what exactly is El Niño and its sister phenomenon La Niña? BBC Climate & Science correspondent Georgina Rannard breaks it down. She also explains the origins of their names, why it can lead to flooding in some regions and droughts in others, how it relates to climate change, and what people can to do prepare for its consequences.
We also hear from Drishti in India and Santiago in the US for how they’re being affected.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Emily Horler

Influencers like Andrew Tate popularised the so-called manosphere — the network of websites, forums and social media influencers that promote "traditional" masculinity. In their thinking, men hold a dominant role in a relationship and women are subservient.
BBC World Service Disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield recently spent a year following El Temach and Andrew Kibe — two of the most influential manosphere figures in Latin America and Africa — for her BBC Africa Eye documentary Manosphere Messiahs. She explains why their message resonates with so many young men, the consequences that can have on women and how manosphere content is driving men and women apart.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Emily Horler

Some women in China are unhappy with how brands are making women’s clothing. Posts on the social media site Xiaohongshu show just how awkward the sizing can be. A video of a tiny dog squeezed into a size L women top went viral as proof that brands label tiny clothes as much bigger than they actually are. Now many women are turning to menswear for its durability, quality and low cost. BBC Chinese reporter Eunice Yang explains the trend in detail.
This isn’t just happening in China. Gender and age in fashion have been getting more blurred. Fashion Psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell explains why we could all benefit from shopping in any department.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Emily Horler

According to the World Health Organization, around 1 in 5 people will develop cancer during the course of their lifetimes. We usually associate the disease with getting older - but doctors are warning that some cancers are becoming more common in people in their 20s and 30s too.
Data shows that bowel and breast cancer are the most common cancers for young adults, with others such as thyroid and ovarian cancer on the rise too. So, what’s behind this?
BBC Health and Science correspondent James Gallagher explains why we are seeing more young people being diagnosed with cancer - and the new treatments scientists are finding to combat the disease. We also hear from Lauren McDermott in Canada, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 22. She shares her story and tells us why she is encouraging other young people to advocate for their health if they are showing symptoms.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Verity Wilde