What in the World

Why is India having a live music boom?

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

India’s live music scene is thriving with higher ticket sales and more concerts from international artists. To meet demand, the country is renovatin...

I eat three steaks a day - how does beef affect climate change?

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we chat with someone who just LOVES steak, and eats it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But Eric’s not the only one who loves beef: ...

How big could women’s basketball get?

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Women’s basketball is more popular than ever. Ratings for the WNBA are growing and the professional league has plans to increase its number of teams...

Why has Iran attacked Israel?

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Iran has carried out direct strikes on Israel for the first time. It’s believed to be a retaliation for a deadly strike on its consulate in the Syri...

What's P-pop and could it rival K-pop?

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

P-pop, or Pinoy pop, is a growing genre of music in the Philippines. It stems from OPM (Original Pilipino Music). You may be more familiar with K-pop,...

Why isn’t enough aid getting into Gaza?

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Famine is imminent in northern Gaza, according to the United Nations. There is some aid going into Gaza, but it’s severely limited and aid workers f...

Is Botswana really going to send Germany 20,000 elephants?

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to elephant conservation, Botswana is the world leader. It is now home to more than 130,000 elephants — or around a third of the worl...

How much can scientists learn from eclipses?

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, millions of people across Mexico, the US and Canada saw a total solar eclipse. That’s when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, ...

Is conscription making a comeback in Europe?

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few decades, most countries in Europe have abolished compulsory military service. But following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the deba...

How can you fix racism in Spanish football?

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Vinícius Júnior is one of the top footballers in the world but recently he broke down in tears when asked about the racist abuse he’s suffered fro...

Elon Musk put a chip in my brain

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the future. There are some people who already live with an implant inside their head. Noland Arbaugh is one of them - he’s paralysed but ...

Who is Senegal’s new President Bassirou Diomaye Faye?

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senegal's democracy was put at risk earlier this year when former president, Macky Sall, tried to hold onto power by delaying elections and putting po...

The unstoppable rise of Temu

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You may have started seeing adverts on your social media feed for a website called Temu. Its motto is “shop like a billionaire” and it sells… we...

Why are chocolate and coffee getting more expensive?

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The cost of cocoa - the key ingredient for making chocolate - has reached an all-time high. In fact, the price has roughly doubled over the past year....

Marina Summers: What’s life like for a Filipina drag queen?

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Marina Summers is one of the top drag queens in the Philippines and she was one of the finalists on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World. Her drag emb...

Can Beyoncé’s new album Cowboy Carter boost black country artists?

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Beyoncé has released her highly anticipated new album, Cowboy Carter. It is a deep dive into the country-western genre. Some critics have questioned ...

Are flying cars finally taking off?

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Flying cars are something that’s straight out of sci-fi films and novels. But despite predictions in the past that we’d all be driving/flying one ...

Are sanctions on Russia actually hurting its economy?

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western countries have ramped up their attempts to stifle Russia’s economy usin...

The secrets of the underwater cables carrying your internet

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

All of these African countries have suffered major internet disruption this month: Ivory Coast, Liberia, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia,...

Havana syndrome: What’s causing it?

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Havana Syndrome has confused scientists ever since it first emerged in Cuba in 2016. The mystery illness mostly affects American officials working in ...

Personalised ads - would you pay to opt out?

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cookies are a way for organisations to collect data from people who visit their site or app. You might see banners popping up on sites you visit askin...

Are Boeing’s planes in trouble?

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Plane manufacturing giant Boeing has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Videos of a dramatic door blowout onboard an Alaskan Airline...

How dangerous are chemical hair straighteners and relaxers?

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some women with afro and curly textured hair use chemicals to straighten their hair. But using these products can lead to burns and skin irritation. A...

Idris Elba’s plan to build a brand new city on an African island

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Idris Elba, one of the actors rumoured to be the next James Bond, is leading a project to turn an island in Sierra Leone into an eco-city. The new pla...

What’s the future of renewable energy in the Philippines?

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Philippines is one of the most at risk countries in the world from the effects of climate change. At the same time, it has some of the most expens...

Why are footballers lying about their age?

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Cameroon, 62 football players have been suspended from the domestic league for double identification or age fraud. One of them is 17 year old Wilfr...

Why are trans people being murdered in Mexico?

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At least six trans people have been killed in Mexico since the beginning of the year. Human rights groups say that Mexico is the second most dangerous...

How are people in Gaza observing Ramadan?

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Muslims around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan. It's a month of fasting, reflection, community and family time. But this year it fee...

Kate Middleton photo: What went wrong?

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An online storm has engulfed Kate Middleton. Rumour and speculation have swirled ever since she underwent planned abdominal surgery at the start of th...

Can ticket touts be beaten?

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These days tickets for big music tours and sports events can sell out in a matter of seconds. And not everyone who buys a ticket is planning on going....

Do we still care about award shows like the Oscars anymore?

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By the end of March, the Academy Awards and the Grammys will have finished, with hours of dedicate coverage, posts and memes galore. But viewing figur...

Why don’t South Koreans want to have kids?

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

South Korea has had the world’s lowest birth rate for several years. And recent figures show that it has dropping even further.Yuna Ku, a reporter i...

Can Senegal’s democracy hang on?

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Senegal has a reputation as being a beacon of stability in West Africa. Even (whisper it) a bit boring when it comes to politics - but in the last few...

Is it worth becoming a doctor in Kenya?

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doctors in Kenya have been on the streets protesting against the state of healthcare in the country. They’re angry about a shortage of staff in hosp...

Why is Kenya sending troops to Haiti?

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Haiti is battling a wave of gang violence. On Sunday armed gangs stormed a major prison in the capital Port-au-Prince. At least 12 people were killed ...

What’s happening to music on TikTok?

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve made a TikTok recently, you might not have been able to add your favourite artist’s music. That’s because Universal, a massive record ...

Were Indian men tricked into fighting on the frontline for Russia?

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shaikh Mohammad Sarfaraz, a young Indian man from Kolkata, thought he’d landed a great job in another country; the pay was good and he believed he’...

Why Tanzania’s Singeli music is getting hearts racing

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Singeli is a style of electronic dance music that developed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the mid-2000s. The genre fuses incredibly rapid beats, with...

How to save a dying language

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are more than 7000 languages spoken around the world. However, nearly 40 percent of them are considered endangered and are at risk of dying out ...

Do hair policies lead to discrimination?

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Darryl George, an 18-year-old student, has been in in-school suspension since August for refusing to cut his dreadlocks. They violate his school’s d...

Who owns the Moon?

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

American company Intuitive Machines has successfully landed its Odysseus robot near the lunar south pole. The US space agency Nasa had purchased room ...

Why are farmers in India protesting?

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Farmers in India are protesting in the country once again, wanting assured prices for their crops. There have already been four rounds of talks with t...

The bandit kidnap crisis in Nigeria

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nigeria is struggling with a kidnapping epidemic. Every year hundreds of people are abducted and held for ransom. The kidnap crisis hit the headlines ...

Why is Thailand making cannabis illegal again? (And what's Coldplay got to do with it?)

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thailand became the first Asian country to make cannabis legal back in June 2022. They are one of the very few nations in the world to let people use ...

Who is left to oppose Putin now?

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alexei Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russia’s government, has died in a Russian prison, just months after he was placed in a high security c...

How can you make award shows like the Oscars more diverse?

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s awards season. We’re talking Grammy’s, Golden Globes, Emmy’s and the Oscars. But, as usual, there’s been controversy about how diverse ...

What’s it like inside El Salvador’s mega-jail?

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rival gangs in El Salvador used to rule the streets. It was one of the most dangerous countries in the world, with a really high murder rate. But now ...

Why can't young people in South Africa find work?

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

South Africa has the most industrialised and diverse economy in Africa. Yet it faces a major youth unemployment crisis with around four in ten young p...

Does chess have a sexism problem?

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix’s award-winning series ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ brought to light some of the sexist attitudes people have towards women competing in chess...

How do you track down stolen art?

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re stepping into the world of art theft. According to the CIA it’s one of the top criminal enterprises in the world. A case was...

What’s being done to protect athletes from brain injuries?

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

American Football, Rugby, MMA, UFC. All these adrenaline-filled sports bring in millions of viewers each year, and athletes put their bodies and brain...

What’s happening with migration across the US-Mexico border?

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of thousands of people are illegally crossing the border from Mexico into the US every month right now. Some of them try to get across the So...

How free are celebs to get political online?

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Social media can be a messy business full of opinions and celebrity influence. But can celebs speak freely online, and what happens when they do?In so...

Is guinea worm about to be eradicated?

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Guinea worm could soon be the second human disease to be eradicated. In the 1980s millions of cases were recorded annually in 21 countries in Africa a...

What’s behind the civil war in Myanmar?

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been three years since Myanmar’s military coup when the army took control of the country, a decade after agreeing to hand power to a civilian...

What’s the new proposed security law in Hong Kong?

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hong Kong’s government has said it wants to pass a new national security law. It comes four years after China imposed sweeping legislation in the wa...

How do the US Presidential elections actually work?

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is our simple(ish) guide to how America picks its president. In November 2024, America will go to the polls to pick the next President of the Uni...

Who is Imran Khan and why is he in prison?

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been jailed for 14 years after being convicted of illegally profiting from state gifts. It’s the second sen...

How is plastic pollution affecting marine animals?

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 171 trillion pieces of plastic are estimated to be floating in the world's oceans. We’ve touched on the extent of the plastic problem befo...

Why is femicide on the rise in Kenya?

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Demonstrations have been taking place across Kenya to protest femicide and violence against women. The demonstrations follow the murder of socialite S...

How do African athletes train for the Winter Olympics without ice?

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nigeria’s youth curling team, the Broomzillas, are Africa’s first curling team to reach a Winter Youth Olympics. Their journey to the 2024 Gangwon...

Have influencers changed perceptions of ADHD?

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

366 million adults worldwide have ADHD as of 2020 - that’s over 6% of the whole population. And more young adults are being diagnosed with the condi...

What’s going on with Pakistan and Iran?

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week Iran carried out an airstrike on Pakistan’s territory in Balochistan. Pakistan responded with an attack of its own. Both sides say they we...

Why did India’s top female wrestler quit before the Olympics?

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wrestling is huge in India. Not just the type with WWE stars like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins - but amateur wrestling, which is an Olympic sport. Bu...

How much does having a baby contribute to climate change?

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are a growing number of people speaking out about their decision not to have children because of climate change. They worry about the environmen...

Should video games be more culturally sensitive?

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time, Ubisoft have released a Prince of Persia game with an option to have all the characters fully voiced in Farsi. It says it wants Pr...

Why are young people leaving Romania?

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Young people seem to be moving away from Romania. In 2000, it had a population of 22.4 million people. But two decades later it had fallen to just 19....

Is circular fashion the answer to clothes waste?

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s estimated that a garbage truck full of clothing is being sent to a landfill every second, with less than 1% recycled into new clothes. One way ...

Super Mosquitoes and how to fight back against malaria

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cape Verde has become the first sub-Saharan nation to be declared malaria-free in fifty years. But mosquitoes, the insects that spread the deadly dise...

Who are the Houthis and why are the US and UK attacking them?

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Houthi, a political and military group in Yemen, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November. They say they’re targeting vessels hea...

Why are Guinness World Records being smashed in Ghana and Nigeria?

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of people have been trying to set new world records in Ghana, with applications flying in since July 2023.Earlier this week a Ghanaian chef, ...

Ecuador: How do you solve the gang problem?

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The notorious leader of Ecuador’s main criminal gang escaped from prison this week - he is still missing. The country’s President declared a state...

Overeducated, underpaid: China’s youth unemployment problem

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than one in five people between the ages of 16 and 24 are jobless in China according to the latest government data. But the figure could be even ...

The dirty secret inside clean tech

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We need precious metals to run green tech but what’s the cost of mining them? Norway has approved commercial-scale deep-sea mining off its shores in...

Ukraine: What’s life like for President Zelensky?

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been nearly two years since Russia invaded Ukraine. Millions of people have fled the country and thousands have been killed. The fighting is st...

Mickey Mouse: Copyrights and wrongs

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Disney’s copyright on ‘Steamboat Willie’, which features the earliest version of Mickey Mouse, expired in the US on New Year’s Day - meaning t...

How to survive a plane crash

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pictures of a burning Japan Airlines plane have been all over the news this week after it collided with a smaller aircraft on a runway in Tokyo. Amazi...

Make it rain: What is cloud seeding?

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Officials in Lahore, Pakistan have been using artificial rain in an effort to lower levels of air pollution. They make it rain through cloud seeding, ...

Can blind dates fix China’s shrinking population?

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

China’s population is shrinking so its government is trying to get more people to have kids by offering financial incentives and its own dating app....

How Vladimir Putin changed everyday life in Russia

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin says he’s going to stand for the top job again in March. He’s been in charge of the country in some way or ano...

Bigfoot, Chupacabras and Yetis: What are cryptids?

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From the Chupacabra to the Yeti, lots of countries and regions around the world have their own myths about strange creatures whose existence has never...

Are billionaires a good thing?

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are more than 2000 billionaires worldwide with a combined wealth of $13 trillion. Some say they’re good for society, others call them a symbol...

The Nile: A big dam problem

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ethiopia says its huge dam upstream on the Nile will generate electricity for millions. But downstream countries like Sudan and Egypt are worried abou...

Kush: The mystery drug that’s got Sierra Leone hooked

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kush is rumoured to contain everything from chemicals used to preserve dead bodies to shoe polish. Nobody really know what’s in it or where it’s c...

Work hard, play hard

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Indian software billionaire Narayana Murthy (the father-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak!) - says that young people in his country should be ha...

Fascination and fear: Why are volcanoes a hot topic?

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A volcanic eruption in the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland has captured the world’s attention. But how dangerous are volcanoes, and how mu...

Sudan: What’s happening in the world’s ‘forgotten war’?

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since April this year the Sudanese army and a rival military group called the RSF, the Rapid Support Forces, have been locked in a civil war that’s ...

Why do farmers in Myanmar and Afghanistan grow opium?

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Myanmar is now the world's largest producer of opium, overtaking Afghanistan. That’s after the Taliban banned the cultivation of opium poppies, whic...

AI deepfake porn: Could I be next?

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As AI technology advances, new image generator apps pop up all the time. Some of these can be used to make deepfake pornography where someone’s face...

Why are STIs on the rise in Europe?

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a concerning rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. That’s according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention ...

BTS: From singers to soldiers

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All members of BTS are now in the South Korean military. This week, lead vocalist Jung Kook joined the rest of the group to enlist - a requirement of ...

Israel-Gaza: How and when might a ceasefire happen?

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been over two months since Hamas attacked Israel. The war between both sides has continued since then, with a temporary ceasefire and pauses in...

COP28: What’s the deal?

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly 200 countries have agreed a new global deal on climate change at COP28 in Dubai. It’s the biggest step forward on climate since the Paris Agr...

Kashmir: What India’s Supreme Court ruling means

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, India’s Supreme Court upheld the government’s 2019 decision to revoke Article 370. That’s a law that previously gave the region of Ja...

How progressive is the Pope?

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pope Francis is not your standard pope. He’s talks about climate change, he has a more liberal stance on divorce and he’s even weighed in on hot-b...

Should rap lyrics be allowed as evidence in criminal trials?

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grammy award-winning rapper Young Thug is currently on trial for gang-related charges in Atlanta, US. Prosecutors claim that the rap label he founded,...

COP28: How to stop your climate anxiety flaring up

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re back at COP28, discussing ways to help you cope with climate anxiety. The ever present threat of climate change can feel overwhelming and can ...

Tanzania floods: What’s it like to live through a landslide?

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tanzania is coping with the aftermath of severe floods and landslides, which killed dozens of people in the northern Hanang region.Shem Otieno, a BBC ...

Why are Venezuela and Guyana locked in a land dispute?

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Essequibo is part of Guyana in South America - it’s got lots of oil and dense rainforests. But last Sunday, Venezuela voted to claim it in a referen...

Why has Russia’s Supreme Court labelled the LGBT movement “extremist”?

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Russia’s Supreme Court has banned the “international LGBT movement" and declared it an “extremist organisation.” The ruling does not criminali...