What in the World

Gaming disorder: What are the signs to look for?

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The World Health Organisation now officially recognises gaming disorder as a mental health condition - when someone’s gaming behaviour becomes so se...

Why buying a house feels impossible if you’re young and single

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to the United Nations, Africa’s urban population is projected to triple by 2050, with over 60% of 2.5 billion people living in cities. Thi...

Russia has fined Google more than all the world’s money

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

$20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That’s how much a Russian court has fined Google for restricting Russian state media channels on Yo...

How Donald Trump won the US presidential election

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump will return to the White House in January 2025, after defeating Democrat rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. The...

Why is the flooding in Spain so bad?

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Floods have swept through Valencia on Spain’s eastern coast, causing death and destruction in their wake. It’s the worst flooding in Europe this c...

Why "biopiracy" was a big talking point at COP 16

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

COP 16 — the United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity — recently concluded in Colombia. ...

Is Africa the next big player in esports and pro gaming?

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Gaming is growing in Africa. As the continent’s booming youthful population get better access to smart phones and internet connectivity improves, so...

Why some young people are fed up with the “black tax”

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The practice of sending money to family in other countries - known as remittances - is widespread. The World Bank estimates that over $650 billion was...

South Africa: Chris Brown gig shines light on violence against women

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Brown is performing in South Africa for the first time since 2015 this December. Tickets for his concerts sold out Johannesburg's FNB Stadium in...

Could abortion rights swing the U.S election?

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, abortion remains a central issue in U.S. politics. The backlash from the ruling that allows s...

Why young people are leaving France for Senegal

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A growing number of young people born in France are choosing to leave the country. Many of them are moving to their parents’ countries of origin in ...

Why women footballers are taking on an oil company

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 100 professional women's footballers have signed an open letter urging Fifa to drop the Saudi oil giant Aramco as a sponsor over humanitaria...

Why is labiaplasty on the rise in Brazil?

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A quick warning before listening: in this episode we’re talking about female genitals, in quite a lot of detail.Brazil has the highest number of pla...

Are the Yazidis any closer to justice?

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ten years ago, in 2014, militants belonging to the Islamic State group in Iraq killed and captured thousands of Yazidi people in what would later be c...

Why has Ivory Coast banned student unions?

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Ivorian government has announced the dissolution of all student unions following the killing of two students, a crime attributed to the powerful S...

Are attitudes towards India’s caste system changing?

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

India’s caste system, one of the world’s oldest social hierarchies, has shaped lives for centuries, granting privileges to some while oppressing o...

Liam Payne: Why One Direction fans are so heartbroken

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The death of One Direction star Liam Payne has shocked the world, and there’s been a huge outpouring of grief. Many details about the British singer...

*EXTRA EPISODE* Hamas leader dead: What does this mean for the war in Gaza?

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re bringing you an extra episode of What in the World. Israeli troops have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza. He is described as the maste...

Israel, Lebanon and UN peacekeepers - what’s going on?

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tensions between Israel and the United Nations over its peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon have escalated in recent weeks. UN peacekeepers sa...

US election: Why money matters to young voters

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s less than three weeks until the US election where voters will decide who they want their next president to be: either Kamala Harris or Donald T...

Jupiter’s moon: Will we discover alien life beneath the ice?

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday after Hurricane Milton forced a delayed launch, a spacecraft that will hunt for signs of alien life on one of Jupiter’s icy moons blasted ...

How illegal gold mining impacts Ghana

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, Ghana has been Africa's leading producer of gold. Most of its mining takes place legally. But small-scale, illegal gold mining — known ...

How do election polls work?

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

2024 is a huge year for elections, with more than 60 countries holding national elections and over half the world’s population voting. With each ele...

Why does Malawi have such high rates of cervical cancer?

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause genital warts but often doesn’t have any symptoms. It’s the leading ca...

How is Rwanda managing the Marburg virus outbreak?

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In September, Rwanda detected its first ever outbreak of the highly infectious Marburg virus. Since then there have been more than forty confirmed cas...

How is climate change affecting sport?

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the BBC’s Green Sport Awards celebrated athletes from around the world who are using their sporting profile to make change towards a more...

How has life changed in Israel and Gaza?

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One year ago, Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an cross-border attack on Israel. It was the deadliest day in Israel’s history: Around 1,200...

Does Moo Deng have pretty privilege?

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Moo Deng, a two-month-old baby pygmy hippo, is Thailand’s unexpected new it girl. She’s now a viral sensation and is attracting huge queues at Kha...

Iran: What you need to know

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday night, Iran fired 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. The Iranian military said it was in response to Israel’s assassinations of the Hezbol...

How matcha tea took over the world

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably seen people drinking matcha everywhere lately. It really seems to be a case of matcha this, matcha that. But does all the hype match...

How modern slavery hides in plain sight

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to the International Labour Organisation around 1 in 150 people globally, are trapped in modern slavery.While some may think of slavery as a...

Israel-Lebanon: What next?

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Friday, Israeli fighter jets dropped dozens of bombs on Lebanon’s capital Beirut, killing Hezbollah’s long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Other...

How do you get a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame?

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 2,700 stars are embedded into the pavement on the Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, in Los Angeles in the US. Marilyn Monroe, Zac Efron, ...

Should museums give back looted treasures like the Benin Bronzes?

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An indigenous red-feather cloak was recently returned to Brazil from a museum in Denmark - where it had been on display for hundreds of years. There a...

How a North Korean defector became a K-pop idol

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty-four-year-old Yu Hyuk is a North Korean defector who is about to make his debut as an idol in 1VERSE, the first K-pop band to include North Kor...

Who is Sri Lanka’s new leader?

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anura Kumara Dissanayaka has just been elected as president in Sri Lanka’s first election since its economy collapsed in 2022. The National People's...

Can a crystal bring humans back to life in case of extinction?

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Time capsules preserve artefacts and memories so that people in the future can learn about a particular time in the past. Now scientists at the Univer...

P Diddy: What are the charges against the hip-hop mogul?

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two years ago, rapper and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs threw a lavish 53rd birthday party at his $61m mansion in Beverly Hills. A host of stars line...

How did thousands of pagers simultaneously explode in Lebanon?

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week thousands of pagers and walkie talkies exploded all at once in Lebanon. Dozens were killed and thousands injured. These gadgets were used t...

Why has badminton become code for sex in Hong Kong?

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sex education is a hot topic around the world. In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau has released teaching materials that suggest teenagers who want to h...

The second Trump assassination attempt and the Secret Service

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Sunday authorities say a second attempt was made on the life of Donald Trump. A gunman was allegedly hiding in the bushes on one of Mr Trump’s go...

Why SpaceX sent a billionaire to walk in space

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

American entrepreneur and billionaire Jared Isaacman has become the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space. According to Time magazine, he ...

Wildfires and drought in Brazil - what does it mean for the Amazon?

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Huge parts of Brazil are on fire. And it’s not just the drier areas. It’s the wetlands and the rainforests, too. Smoke from the fires can even be ...

How are attitudes to sickle cell changing?

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder caused by abnormal red blood cells. It can cause sudden bouts of severe pain, as well as fatigue, a stroke,...

Has the US given up on gun control?

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week in the US State of Georgia 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly walked into his Apalachee High School, took out a gun and shot two students and t...

Why YouTubers are hitting burnout

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

YouTube might seem like an easy way to make money, but hungry algorithms and nasty comments are leading to fatigue and depression. Hannah chats to Wil...

How dangerous is it to be part of the opposition in Venezuela?

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Venezuela’s opposition candidate, Edmundo González, has arrived in Spain after being granted asylum. He’d spent weeks in hiding following a dispu...

How to make a fake language for movies and TV

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of films and TV shows like Game of Thrones, Dune, and Shadow and Bone have their own languages, and some are so complex that they have lore and ...

Is university worth the cost?

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some university students in Kenya have been protesting a new funding model which, they say, favours the rich. The government says the changes are need...

Are we too obsessed with celebrities like Chappell Roan?

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chappell Roan has posted on TikTok about "creepy behaviour" she's experienced in person and online. She’s one of this year’s most successful popst...

Class of ChatGPT?

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of students around the world will be starting a new term of school or university this month. And one thing they might notice is more conversa...

Are more men wearing makeup?

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The market for men’s beauty and grooming is blowing up, with more masculine beauty products on the shelves than ever before. It’s not uncommon to ...

Why has the founder of Telegram been arrested?

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pavel Durov’s arrest could impact free speech, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.Over the last few years the social media and messaging app Tel...

Are diamonds losing their sparkle?

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the past 100 years diamonds have been the ultimate symbol of love, luxury and opulence. But then, a darker side to them was exposed. Diamond minin...

Israeli settlers are seizing land in the West Bank. Will it be permanent?

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The war in Gaza has lead to a surge in settler violence. Extreme Israeli settlers are the perpetrators behind the attacks. Not only have they become m...

Paris Paralympics 2024: Let the games begin!

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the Olympics over the eyes of the sporting world are back on Paris once again ahead of the start of the Paralympic Games. More than 4000 athletes...

How bad are private jets for the environment?

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week the newly announced CEO of Starbucks landed in hot water when it emerged that he’d be commuting from his home in California to the Starbuc...

Black Myth: Wukong - what does it tell us about Chinese gaming?

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’ve had the release of what is, right now, the most popular game in the world - but it’s not a new version of GTA or Minecraft - this ...

What’s it like living with disability in Somalia?

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Somali Parliament recently passed the National Disability Act. Twelve percent of the population in Somalia are estimated to be living with a disab...

How a Disney+ contract led to arguments around a woman’s death

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A legal battle has been raging after a woman suffered a severe allergic reaction and died at Disney World Orlando in Florida. The restaurant she ate a...

Why are some passports worth more than others?

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Research shows that people in Africa are disproportionately rejected for visas over other nationals. While passport holders from Singapore can sail st...

How a hospital murder led to India’s doctors going on strike

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor in India, there have been protests across the country. She was killed at work. Doctors held a nat...

Stunt philanthropy: Who is it really good for?

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

MrBeast is the world's biggest YouTuber with more than 300 million subscribers. He’s built an empire partly through so-called “stunt philanthropy,...

Diplomatic immunity: What happens when things go wrong?

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A school girl in Zimbabwe was recently killed in a road accident which involved a US diplomat. Ruvarashe Takamhanya’s family are calling for the per...

Cocaine sharks: Why are marine animals being tested for drugs?

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sharks off the coast of Brazil recently tested positive for cocaine in lab research by The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. It was the first study to detect c...

Ukraine takes the fight to Russia

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, Ukrainian soldiers have advanced 30km inside Russia. President Zelensky says Ukraine is...

Paris Olympics Q&A: From viral mishaps to the Noah Lyles photo finish

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have officially come to an end. Among the memorable moments are things like: that outstanding 100m photo finish, the...

How AI is changing K-pop

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

IITERNITI, formerly Eternity, is a South Korean pop group created entirely by artificial intelligence. The group first launched back in 2021, and now ...

Why do some of Africa’s most promising start-ups fail?

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are loads of podcasts about entrepreneurship, setting up a business or start-up, being your own boss and making money. According to the American...

How the search for Miss South Africa turned ugly

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old law student, has been facing online abuse since becoming a finalist in Miss South Africa 2024. Chidimma is South Afr...

How did student protests bring down Bangladesh's Prime Minister?

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are celebrations in Bangladesh following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation after weeks of violent unrest. Many have described the pas...

Oh rats! How cities from New York to Mombasa are taking on pests

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Animals are essential in maintaining ecosystem balance, but in some cases they can have the opposite effect. In the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya, au...

Why are more people having surgery to be taller?

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Leg-lengthening surgery was once reserved for people with a serious injury or physical deformity. But now more people are undergoing the procedure sim...

Venezuela elections: What you need to know

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thousands of Venezuelans have been protesting after President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in the country's disputed election. The opposition says ...

Your questions answered — from vaccines to vacations in North Korea

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dearest gentle listener: It’s our first birthday! To celebrate one year of our What in the World podcast, we asked you what burning questions you ha...

Will Nigeria leave Afrobeats behind?

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Afrobeats originated in Nigeria and Ghana, starting to get popular in the 2010s. It’s generally seen as a blend of West African music styles with We...

How South Sudan's basketball team is making history at the Paris Olympics

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

South Sudan — the world’s youngest nation — endured the longest civil war in Africa. Now, in their debut Olympic Games, its men’s basketball t...

How do you clean up an oil spill?

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines is racing to contain the oil from a tanker that sank on Thursday in the midst of heavy rains from Typhoon Gaemi. It was carrying 1.5 m...

How green are the Olympics?

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Olympics have a huge impact, in many ways. Whether that’s tears, screaming at the TV, or inspiring you to take up rhythmic gymnastics. There’s...

Sunscreen is safe - here’s why…

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

White cast, nostalgic smell, never quite rubbed in enough. Yep, that’s sunscreen. It can be the stuff of nightmares when sand is involved. But recen...

Why are the Taliban welcoming tourists to Afghanistan?

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, Afghanistan attracted 7,000 tourists from abroad. That’s despite many governments warning citizens not to visit the country because it’...

Joe Biden has dropped out, so now what?

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After vowing that nothing could stop him from running for re-election, US President Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endors...

How do I become an Olympian?

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of us dream about becoming a professional athlete and the ultimate athletes in sport are at the Olympic Games. But what does it take? The Olympi...

Why are students in Bangladesh protesting?

18 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Since the start of the month, university students have been protesting across Bangladesh, asking for quotas in government jobs to be removed. 30% of r...

Mpox: What does the new strain mean for you?

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new strain of the mpox virus is spreading quickly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and experts say it is the most dangerous variant they have se...

The Ambani wedding and India’s super rich

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend, traffic in a key part of Mumbai came to a standstill to make way for a convoy of VIP guests attending one of the year’s most talked ab...

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Saturday evening someone tried to kill Donald Trump. The former president was giving a speech at a political rally in Pennsylvania when a gunman to...

How are people making music in prison?

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

JailTime is a record label that aims to get prisoners away from crime and into the music industry. It operates from a studio in New Bell prison, a hig...

Will AI really be worth the cost?

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last 18 months the world has gone pretty crazy about AI. Apple has been jumping into the space and Samsung is forecasting higher profits than...

Why are some places fed up with tourists?

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After the Covid pandemic, global tourism numbers have been on the rise again, but so are concerns about the impact of tourism.We will take you to Spai...

Tetanus Vaccines: What you need to know

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s loads of misinformation online about vaccines. For years, there have been false claims about the tetanus jab causing infertility. One of our...

Why France’s election result was a surprise

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Sunday night, a surprising exit poll was announced for France’s parliamentary election. It showed that the New Popular Front was about to win the...

Are we falling out of love with dating apps?

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Match have changed the way many of us date, offering convenience, choice and connection at your finger tips. T...

How do crowd crushes happen?

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday 2nd July, over 120 people died in a crowd crush at a religious event in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. According to police reports, the...

Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons: What's the difference?

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hurricane Beryl has been tearing through the southeast Caribbean and is now moving towards Jamaica. It’s expected to reach Mexico after.Hurricanes f...

Space Jams: Why is it so tricky to blast off from Earth?

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A growing number of private companies are wading into the global race for space dominance. Space X, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, Axiom, Vast and Boei...

Why the strength of the US dollar has a big impact on you

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You might not live in the US but the value of America’s currency most likely affects how much you pay for stuff, wherever you are. In this episode w...

Is Uganda and Tanzania’s oil pipeline worth the human impact?

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The East Africa crude oil pipeline - also known as EACOP - is facing ongoing backlash. The pipeline, which will pass through Uganda and Tanzania, is b...

Julian Assange: Who is he and what did he do?

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Julian Assange, one of the world’s most notorious hackers and the face of the website Wikileaks, is now a free man. He’s been in a high security p...

How do you evacuate whales from a warzone?

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A pair of beluga whales have been evacuated from the besieged city of Kharkiv in Ukraine. They were taken to Europe’s largest aquarium — the Ocean...