What began as a peaceful protest in Albania turned violent in October, as students took the lead, setting buildings on fire and clashing with police. They are demanding better university conditions, greater opportunities for young people – and an end to what they describe as a corrupt government.

This all goes back to a proposal to build a huge, luxury tourist resort in Zvërnec, where there’s a flamingo reserve. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is among the investors. But locals were unhappy at the impact the proposals would have on the flamingos and the nature in the area. So, they began to protest.

The Flamingo Movement has grown, and crowds are now chanting not just about the environment, but schools, jobs and living standards. We hear from some protesters, including 23 year old activist, Brunela, who’s become known as “the girl who started the revolution”. And Rita Behadini from the What in the World breaks down the political landscape of Albania.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mollie Perella, Baldeep Chahal and Rita Behadini Editor: Verity Wilde

Shoes on or off? Laptops in or out? And don’t get us started on the rules around liquids! Getting through airport security never seems to be simple. It’s there for a reason, of course. But there are so many rules and why do they seem to be different everywhere you go?

We’re joined by science journalist and presenter Caroline Steel to talk about everything from the miles long luggage belts our suitcases travel on, how x-ray scanners work, what they’re looking for and whether or not they can ACTUALLY see us naked.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mollie Perella and Baldeep Chahal Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Emily Horler

Singapore’s got a reputation for being one of world’s cleanest cities. But right now, it’s covered in a thick blanket of smog. And it’s recently seen its worst air quality levels for the year. The reason? Fires in nearby Indonesia.

Indonesia’s seen its worst wildfire season in years. Huge areas of land have been burning for weeks. Fires are sometimes lit as a way to illegally clear land to make room for plantations - a process known as ‘slash and burn’. Hot and dry conditions caused by extreme weather mean the fires grow and spread easily.

We hear from people in Singapore and Indonesia about how the fires and resulting haze are affecting their daily lives. Plus, BBC reporters Tessa Wong in Singapore and Liza Tambunan in Indonesia explain how both countries are responding.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Baldeep Chahal and Mollie Perella Editor: Verity Wilde

It’s no surprise more people want to become influencers - a study found that in 2024, YouTube content creators alone contributed £2.2bn to the UK’s economy. But… would you pay thousands to study how to be one?

A growing number of universities around the world, like Arizona State University in the US, have started offering Content Creation courses. We hear from Martyna who is currently studying BA Content Creation at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.

So are these courses the best way to become an influencer? Or are they more about training to go into a career in online marketing?

BBC journalist Megan Lawton takes us through the stats and Daanish (@doctordaanish), a medical doctor and influencer, gives us his take on these degrees.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates Video Producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Emily Horler

There’s just SOMETHING not quite right about that French influencer we’re seeing all over socials. His blonde bob, the suit he wears, and that moustache! His name is Jean Philanthrope, and his videos have wracked up millions of views. But, it turns out, he’s not real. He’s AI and he’s being used to promote a risky type of crypto called a Meme coin.

We speak to BBC Verify’s Marco Silva about how he investigates characters like this, how they work, and what you can do to keep yourself safe from falling for this kind of content. Artist and performer Nadir Josi also tells us his concerns about the ‘copy and paste culture’ of the internet, and what it means for the future of art.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mollie Perella Editors: Emily Horler

Last week, Christa Pike, a death row inmate in the US faced execution via lethal injection for a murder she committed in 1995. But after she was given two full doses of the drug pentobarbital, she survived. At the time of uploading this podcast, she remains awake in hospital and it’s unclear what went wrong with the attempted execution.

We hear the details from BBC reporters in the US, who have been covering this story including Brandon Drenon, Kayla Epstein and Nada Tawfik.

Not long after Pike’s recovery, the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced that an execution by firing squad in Fort Hood, Texas will be livestreamed to the public for the first time. The man on death row is Nidal Hasan, a former US Army major and he shot dead 13 unarmed US soldiers in 2009.

What does this all mean for the future of the death penalty in the US?

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden Editor: Emily Horler

January isn’t the only time for new year’s resolutions anymore. The end of the year is having a moment too - as part of the great lock-in trend. There’s lots of content online about locking in for the last four months of the year - whether that’s working out more regularly, spending less time on your phone, or trying to get that promotion at work.

Some people call it a winter arc, a September reset or the fresh-start effect - why have so many of us decided this is the perfect time for self-improvement? And is striving for optimisation all the time necessarily a good thing?

We hear from Adeja Shivonne, a lifestyle content creator based in New York City, who shares how her great lock-in is going. And BBC journalist Melissa Hogenboom explains what the science says about how to successfully set new goals - and stick to them.

Film and TV show spoilers often come with a warning because people know they can be annoying. But when it comes to footage from concerts and gigs… those rules don’t really apply, as Olivia Rodrigo fans found out when clips of a surprise moment from her ‘Unraveled Tour’ went viral on socials.

You might have saved up for a ticket to see your favourite artist, found the perfect outfit and be counting down the days to the big show, but the chances are that you’ll know what’s going to happen way before you get there. Fan clips of all the biggest moments, the surprises and the special guests are usually shared everywhere online and difficult to avoid. If you’ve been to a concert recently, you might have found it irritating if people are filming huge chunks of the show in front of you. Some artists like Phoebe Bridgers, are even banning phones from their concerts.

We ask if gig spoilers ruin the surprise or actually add to the excitement. And, if they’re not for you, what can you do to avoid them when you’re online? We speak to BBC journalist Riyah Collins who has been looking into this and ask music fans from Nigeria, Australia and the UK what they think.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams Editor: Emily Horler