What in the World

South Africa has seen weeks of protests against illegal immigrants. Some of these protests have turned violent and people have been killed. The country is grappling with deep tensions around immigration and identity. Houses have been burned, shops damaged and looted, and people have been forced to leave their homes. There have been reports of vigilante groups checking the documentation of foreign...

Work feels more uncertain than it has in years. Layoffs, AI disruption, hiring freezes and a tough job market are leaving many people out of work or stuck. So instead of hopping jobs for better pay or new opportunities, more people are doing the opposite. They’re staying put, even if they’re unhappy. It’s called “job hugging”. But is it a smart move in an unstable world, or could it hold you back...

Serena Williams is making a comeback to tennis at 44 years of age. She is one of the greatest players of all time. She’s won 23 Grand Slam titles - the second highest tally by a woman in the sport’s history. She’s the highest earning female athlete of all time. She was world number one for 319 weeks. And the stats go on and on. Now, she wants to add to them. Four years after leaving the sport and...

New forecasts show that the developing El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean could be one of the strongest on record. The weather phenomenon could be so strong, scientists and the UN are describing it as a “Super El Niño” or “Godzilla El Niño.” And with that comes warnings of record global temperatures and huge potential humanitarian impacts. But what exactly is El Niño and its sister phenomenon L...

Influencers like Andrew Tate popularised the so-called manosphere — the network of websites, forums and social media influencers that promote "traditional" masculinity. In their thinking, men hold a dominant role in a relationship and women are subservient. BBC World Service Disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield recently spent a year following El Temach and Andrew Kibe — two of the most influen...

Some women in China are unhappy with how brands are making women’s clothing. Posts on the social media site Xiaohongshu show just how awkward the sizing can be. A video of a tiny dog squeezed into a size L women top went viral as proof that brands label tiny clothes as much bigger than they actually are. Now many women are turning to menswear for its durability, quality and low cost. BBC Chinese r...

According to the World Health Organization, around 1 in 5 people will develop cancer during the course of their lifetimes. We usually associate the disease with getting older - but doctors are warning that some cancers are becoming more common in people in their 20s and 30s too. Data shows that bowel and breast cancer are the most common cancers for young adults, with others such as thyroid and ov...

The cockroach has become an unlikely symbol for millions of Gen-Zs in India, thanks to the Cockroach Janta Party - a satirical collective posting online. Nearly 40% of graduates aged 15-25 in India are jobless and many of them are frustrated or disillusioned with politics. So, it didn’t land when India's Chief Justice Surya Kant compared the unemployed to “parasites and cockroaches”. He later clar...

The war in Iran is doing something years of climate summits haven’t managed to - pushing some countries towards renewable energy, fast. That’s because ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have been pretty much blocked for months, since the war began. Thousands of oil tankers are stranded near the Strait, which is one of the world’s most important channels. And it’s particularly affecting Asi...

President Trump has issued an executive order to speed up reviews into psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, LSD, and Ibogaine. Psychedelics are banned in the US in the vast majority of circumstances, but scientists are looking at the drugs and their possible therapeutic benefits for serious mental health conditions. Ibogaine comes from a shrub native to west Africa and is used ceremonially in Gabon....

Tourism is a vital part of the economy for many Caribbean nations, from Jamaica to Grenada to the Bahamas. In fact, the United Nations says the Caribbean is the region of the world that’s most dependent on tourists. The sector supports millions of jobs — from barmen and waiters to cab drivers and chefs — and many of these roles go to women and young people. But what happens when developers close o...

Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket allow people to make trades against future events - which can range from when the US and Iran might sign a permanent peace deal and sports results, to whether a politician will mention a certain phrase in a speech. These sites have surged in popularity over the past year, hosting more than $44 billion in trades. But they bring up all sorts of ethical questi...

The World Health Organisation has declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern. Officials say there are now over 600 suspected cases, and over 139 suspected deaths. This latest outbreak presents a series of difficulties for health officials. The outbreak is driven by a new strain of the virus called Bundibugyo, for w...

Most of the world’s call centres are based in India and the Philippines, but major hubs are also on the rise in other regions - especially in Latin America. In countries like Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, thousands of young people work in this industry to earn money while they’re studying. They mainly answer customer services calls coming from the US, trying to solve their problems and dealing with...

After an explosive public feud with Kendrick Lamar, Drake is back with a triple-solo album release. The three albums - Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour - contain a blend of music genres across 43 different songs. The albums have sparked a mixed reaction from fans and critics, but they have already helped Drake become the most streamed Spotify artist of 2026. BBC Newsbeat’s Peter Gillibrand expla...

For the last few days, international headlines have been dominated by stories about Donald Trump's visit to China, to meet Xi Jinping. The trip featured marching bands, red carpets, photocalls, big smiles and many, many handshakes. Now that President Trump has left the country, we ask what actually happened below the surface level. Was it all just superficial pageantry or did the leaders of the wo...

Since the Iran war broke out, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been blocked. The Strait is one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes - leading to fears about shortages of jet fuel. Prices for aviation fuel more than doubled after the war began, and the cost of some plane tickets has gone up dramatically. In May 13,000 flights were cut from schedules. And European travel operator Tui says...

Where do you stand on voice notes? In some places, sending a three minute - or even 20 minute(!) voice memo is totally normal and actually seen as much more personal than texting. It started back in 2013 on WhatsApp but now you can send voice messages on Instagram as well as some dating sites. Lots of people love them as you can send messages on the go and don’t have to worry about typos. BUT is i...

Chappell Roan recently faced backlash amid online chat that falsely claimed her bodyguard left a young fan in tears. But reports now suggest the entire online drama could have been driven by bots programmed to spread misinformation. The BBC’s disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield explains what bots are, how they work, and what the people who operate them stand to gain. State actors and governme...

Instagram has switched off one of its privacy policy options - end‑to‑end encryption. If an app has it, it means your messages can only be read by the sender and the recipient. But now Meta, who owns Insta has turned off that option. And it doesn’t just own Instagram - it’s also in charge of Facebook and WhatsApp, so people are worried about what could happen on those platforms in the future. Joe...

You’ve probably grown up hearing his unmistakable voice in some of your favourite nature documentaries…we’re of course talking about Sir David Attenborough, who turns 100 this Friday. He’s been making wildlife films for more than 70 years, turning nature documentaries into must-see TV and inspiring people all over the world to learn more about the wonders of our planet. But he hasn’t just changed...

Saunas and cold plunges are getting really popular and people say they can boost your mood and come with all sorts of health benefits. So we sent Hannah off to try them out and see what she thought… In this episode we talk about why so many people are into saunas and cold plunges with Emilia Jansson, a BBC journalist and our resident Finn. Plus we’ll hear if there’s evidence that they’re actually...

A cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean has been hit by an outbreak of hantavirus. A number of passengers on the MV Hondius have been infected with the virus, and three have died. Some passengers have been evacuated from the ship and it’s currently anchored off Cape Verde, off the West coast of Africa. Spain had agreed to let it dock in the Canary Islands. But now, as we’re recording thi...

What if the best way to stop fearing rejection is to seek it out? Rejection therapy - the idea of deliberately putting yourself in situations where you might be rejected - has exploded on social media. From asking strangers for favours to dancing on trains, people are documenting their experiences online. Supporters say it helps people build resilience, reduce anxiety and stop taking rejection per...

The Met Gala is the super bowl of fashion. It’s a relatively small event, only open to a small number of invited guests - usually around 450. Tables cost upwards of around $350,000 , while individual tickets are reported to go for about $75,000. And every invitee has to be signed off by ex-Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Celebs go out of their way to impress on the red carpet. Think Rihanna’s legendary...