What in the World
Episodes
Do false online rumours on birth control have consequences IRL?
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People seem to be turning to social media influencers for advice on what birth control method to use. Some influencers are suggesting that their follo...
Palm oil versus the planet: What can be done?
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Palm oil is found in everything from chocolate to shampoo, pizza, toothpaste and deodorant. It’s hugely popular with food and cosmetics companies be...
Is Syria’s government pushing an addictive party drug?
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A few days ago police in the United Arab Emirates intercepted a huge haul of illegal Captagon pills worth one billion dollars. It’s an addictive par...
How has Mahsa Amini’s death changed Iran?
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One year ago Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman from Iran, died in police custody. The country’s “morality police” had detained her for wearing he...
Why was Storm Daniel so deadly in Libya?
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Devastating flooding has washed away entire neighbourhoods, killing tens of thousands of people in Libya. In this episode, BBC Monitoring’s Amira Fa...
WWE and UFC: Will the merger be a knockout?
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 T...
Will decriminalisation change abortion for women in Mexico?
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The new ruling legalises abortion across all 32 states. Mexico's Supreme Court said the denial of the possibility of a termination violated the human ...
How has Morocco’s earthquake impacted mountain villages?
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rescue efforts are continuing in Morocco following a deadly earthquake. The worst affected areas are remote villages in the Atlas Mountains. Aid worke...
Why are young people fighting for climate action in court?
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The number of climate cases being brought to court has doubled over the last five years (Source: UNEP). There are now over 2,000 cases being brought a...
How a scandal is forcing Germany to reckon with its Nazi past
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The German politician Hubert Aiwanger has admitted to carrying an anti-Jewish pamphlet that mocked the Holocaust when he was a schoolboy. But despite ...
Why are teachers bullied in South Korea?
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tens of thousands of teachers in South Korea have been striking to demand better protection. They say they are so scared of being called child abusers...
Has THAT kiss become a tipping point for women in Spain?
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish national football federation, kissing player J...
Eat, Pay, Love: How is Bali dealing with its badly behaved tourists?
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bali has a problem with badly behaved tourists. Influencers have been caught posing naked on top of sacred mountains, driving recklessly and interrupt...
Coups and Dynasties: Are Africa’s “nepo baby” leaders in trouble?
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For some countries in Africa ruling is very much a family business. Ali Bongo was president of Gabon for 14 years. But that’s nothing compared to ...
How much do we know about North Korea?
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
North Korea has carried out a record number of weapons tests this year. At the end of August it said it fired two short-range tactical ballistic missi...
Why air pollution is keeping some people home
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Poor air quality is now one of the greatest threats to human health. That’s according to a study from the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy In...
Why is there violence in Ecuador?
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ecuador used to have one of the lowest annual murder rates in Latin America. But this year there’s been 3500 murders so far and in the midst preside...
Can reality TV help people talk about mental health?
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From the U.S. to Australia, reality TV show contestants have been discussing their mental health. The same is true for Big Brother Naija, which is cur...
Is the water from Fukushima dangerous?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Japan has started to release more than a million tonnes of treated waste water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The Unit...
Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin and is he dead?
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A plane has crashed in Russia - and everyone on it is said to have died. The Russian authorities say Yevgeny Prigozhin was amongst them. Lots of peop...
Why is the moon’s south pole so special?
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
India's Chandrayaan-3 is the first mission to land near the south pole. One of its main goals is to hunt for water ice. Scientists believe the deep cr...
Why has Somalia banned TikTok?
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Somalia’s government has banned TikTok, Telegram, and online betting website 1XBet.It says it’s to ‘limit terrorists and immoral groups spreadin...
How important was this women’s football World Cup?
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Two reporters help us to reflect on the legacy of this women’s football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Sergi Forcada Freixas watched the ga...
How does it feel to be skinny shamed?
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Skinny shaming can be just as harmful as fat shaming.We recently covered fat shaming on this podcast following allegations against Lizzo. Body image i...
Are wildfires getting worse?
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Parts of Hawaii have been devastated and Canada is having its worst wildfire season on record. Are wildfires getting worse? Are they happening more fr...
Why isn’t Caster Semenya at the World Athletics Championships?
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
South African runner Caster Semenya won’t be at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It’s because she has differences of sexual...
How have women's rights in Afghanistan changed?
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rigid dress codes, education bans and job restrictions. Things have changed a lot for women in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power two years ...
Do video games impact our mental health?
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Over three billion people around the world play video games and the industry is worth roughly $350 billion dollars. However, do we understand the rela...
Why hip-hop's 50th anniversary matters
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hip-hop is celebrating its unofficial 50th birthday. The genre has had a massive influence on everything from fashion to politics to culture. It’s a...
Why are so many footballers going to Saudi Arabia?
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hannah is joined by BBC reporter Favour Nunoo in Accra, Ghana to present this episode. Some of the biggest names in football, like Sadio Mane, Rúben ...
Do vaping bans work?
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Around 60 million adults around the world vape but governments are trying to crack down by putting bans in place. New Zealand and Australia are two of...
Can Brazil end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030?
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66% in July 2023 compared to a year earlier. The news comes as leaders from eight South American countri...
Why is there violence in Manipur?
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Manipur, a state in north-eastern India, has been struggling with violence over the past few months. Clashes between two communities have killed more ...
Why are K-pop stars so secretive about their private lives?
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Blackpink’s Jisoo has announced she’s in a relationship - the 28-year-old K-pop star and actor Ahn Bo-hyun, 35, are "getting to know each other wi...
What is going on with fast fashion?
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The way we buy clothes has massively changed over the past decade - it’s now cheaper and quicker to buy fashionable clothes with the growth of ‘fa...
How is South Korea trying to help its recluses?
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The government in South Korea hopes money will persuade young recluses out of their homes. Hannah Gelbart talks to BBC reporter Hyunjung Kim in Seoul....
How do athletes train around their periods?
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the Women’s World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand, athletes around the world are tracking their menstrual cycles to adapt their t...
How do heatwaves affect your mental health?
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius have been recorded in China and the US and the UN chief says the era of global warming has ended and “the era ...
Welcome to What in the World
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re here to help you work out What in the World is going on. Monday to Friday, join Hannah and the team around the world as they make sense of the...