
The professional wrestling company WWE and the Mixed Martial Arts company UFC have merged in a giant deal that has created a new organisation called TKO Holdings. The WWE and UFC are quite different and fans of the brands aren’t sure what this deal will mean for them or the future of the sports.
Alex from the What in the World team explains the differences between the UFC, which is a real combat sport, and the WWE, which is a scripted form of entertainment.
BBC business journalist Tom Gerken explains the incentives behind the merger, and BBC Sport reporter Paul Battison assesses whether the scripted and non-scripted formats will appeal to existing fans.
We also hear from Nicole Vaziri, the daughter of WWE wrestler The Iron Sheik. She tells us what it was like growing up with the former heavyweight world champion and explains how different he was from the villainous character he portrayed in the ring.
Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Alex Rhodes Producers: Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Editors: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks
The emergence of micro dramas led to transformation of China’s entertainment industry, cutting costs for sets and boosting jobs for newer actors. There were early estimates that the micro-drama market would be worth $14bn by 2027. But now the emergence of AI tools has changed things once again. Actors and sets can be generated with AI, so production has accelerated and costs have lowered even further. The quality of the content has also massively changed thanks to the uncanny visuals AI can make.
We speak to BBC Global China Unit’s Mengchen Zhang about how this is affecting actors in China especially. We also hear about concerns around rights and the use of people’s likeness in this style of content.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emma Louise Amanshia, Benita Barden and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde
Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, is already making headlines. Shot entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras, it’s got a star-studded cast including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong'o. The epic has also had a huge box office opening, earning nearly $260 million worldwide - that makes it one of the year's biggest releases so far.
But not everyone is celebrating. From casting choices to its portrayal of Greek mythology, the film has sparked debate and criticism online. We speak to BBC Culture's Nicholas Barber to break down the controversy and explain why so many people are talking about it.
Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Chelsea Coates and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde
Loads of young men watch porn and there are plenty of studies that suggest it can be bad for mental health and relationships. Some governments have restricted access to porn sites, and there’s a growing movement towards cutting out porn.
Freddie Woodward is a British Diver and quit porn two years ago. He tell us why he did it.
Some people have healthy relationships with porn but there is some misinformation online and even harmful claims about sex, porn and masturbation. Jacqui Wakefield, our Global Health Correspondent, takes us through some of these claims.
Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Eleanor Sly Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde
A monkey with striking orange lips and a black furry coat has been officially recognised as a new species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was first spotted back in 2008, but at the time researchers only managed to capture a blurry photograph, leaving many questions unanswered. Years later, after extensive fieldwork and research, scientists have finally confirmed it as a species new to science. They've named it “Colobus congoensis”, while local communities have long known it as “Likweli”.
Our BBC Science Correspondent Victoria Gill reveals what makes this monkey so special and how researchers finally solved the mystery of its identity.
Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde
