What in the World

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 Institute. Researchers say air pollution cuts life expectancy by five years in South Asia, the worst affected region. Two BBC reporters — Jaidaa Taha in Cairo and Trisha Husada in Jakarta — tell us what it’s like living in cities coping with high levels of...

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 presidential elections one of the candidates - Fernando Villavicencio - was shot and killed after a campaign event. Hannah is joined by Ana Maria Roura, a BBC Mundo reporter who was born in Ecuador, to get an explanation on what led to the country’s increasin...

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 currently airing its eighth season – a special All-Stars edition. The Nigerian programme -- one of the biggest reality shows in Africa – often reflects public debates around important issues like women’s rights and mental health. BBC Pidgin journalist a...

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 United Nations nuclear watchdog says it’s safe - but what actually is in the water? And why has there been so much criticism? Hannah is joined by Navin Singh Khadka, a BBC World Service environment correspondent and Tessa Wong, a BBC reporter in Singapor...

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 people are asking; Was the plane crash an accident? How come it was all caught on camera? And is Mr Prigozhin really dead? In this episode Hannah is joined by Beverly Ochieng and Howard Gethin, both from BBC Monitoring, to explain who Prigozhin is, what t...

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 craters on the dark side of the moon may hold frozen water as they’re permanently in shadow. India's success comes just after Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed trying the same thing. Ashley Christine explains maths, science an...

Somalia’s government has banned TikTok, Telegram, and online betting website 1XBet. It says it’s to ‘limit terrorists and immoral groups spreading constant horrific images and misinformation to the public’. Lots of users rely on TikTok for income, entertainment, and to stay informed. Many have been posting their shock online using the hashtag #tiktokban. So, in this episode we’re asking: Why is So...

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 game in Madrid in a fan zone and Katie Falkingham watched it in Manchester. She also breaks down some of the key facts of the history of women’s football and who she thinks are the biggest legends of all time. And the BBC’s Nadine Yousif takes us through...

Skinny shaming can be just as harmful as fat shaming. We recently covered fat shaming on this podcast following allegations against Lizzo. Body image is a hot topic on social media and some celebs, like Ariane Grande, have been hitting back when people comment on their bodies. BBC reporter Ashley Lime wanted to look into skinny shaming in Kenya. Ashley talks about her experience of people commenti...

Parts of Hawaii have been devastated and Canada is having its worst wildfire season on record. Are wildfires getting worse? Are they happening more frequently? BBC climate reporter Georgina Rannard explains. Thomas Grübler, founder of Orora Tech, explains how they use AI to detect wildfires more quickly, to prevent them spreading. With speculation on Tiktok that lasers started the wildfires in Haw...

South African runner Caster Semenya won’t be at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It’s because she has differences of sexual development - or DSD - and isn’t allowed to compete in any track events without taking testosterone-reducing drugs. But what is DSD? And why is it stopping Caster from competing? Celestine Karoney from BBC Sport Africa explains. Plus, we’re joined by Fr...

Rigid dress codes, education bans and job restrictions. Things have changed a lot for women in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power two years ago. In this episode we explain who the Taliban are, what they want and if their government kept its promise to uphold women's rights. Alex Rhodes speaks to Sana Safi from the BBC's Afghan service to understand what life is like there now. Plus we he...

Over three billion people around the world play video games and the industry is worth roughly $350 billion dollars. However, do we understand the relationship between the games we play and our mental health? Alex Rhodes is joined by the BBC’s Laura Cress to find out. They chat with psychologist and game designer Doctor Kelli Dunlap to understand whether violent video games actually lead to violenc...

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 global phenomenon which continues to evolve - with artists like Nicki Minaj and Jay-Z driving it forward. So, what is hip-hop’s legacy at 50? To help explain its origins and relevance today we’re joined in the studio by Nicholas-Tyrell Scott, a London...

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 Neves and Karim Benzema have been bought by Saudi clubs this summer, to play in a league that is ranked 68th in the world in terms of quality. BBC Sport reporter Sam Harris tells us why. Is this just another example of ‘sportswashing’? Abdirahim Saeed...

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 the latest countries to introduce restrictions. What are the health risks to vaping and how does it compare to smoking cigarettes? Why are so many countries looking to restrict vaping and is there evidence to show that bans work? The BBC’s Laura Fos...

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 countries are gathering in Belem to discuss how to protect the rainforest. The BBC’s South America Correspondent Katy Watson is in Brazil and tells us what she’s been hearing. We also look at Lyme disease following Bella Hadid’s recent Instagram post that d...

Manipur, a state in north-eastern India, has been struggling with violence over the past few months. Clashes between two communities have killed more than 150 people. One graphic video has gone viral. The BBC’s Divya Arya went to Manipur and the street where it was filmed. Also, Hannah speaks to two of the people behind Disney’s first animation series made by studios across Africa. And the Barbie...

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 with good feelings", according to Korean media reports. The BBC’s Fan Wang explains why K-pop stars are usually so secretive about their private lives. Costs of petrol are rising in Nigeria because the President has said he’ll cut fuel subsidies - so Hanna...

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 ‘fast fashion’. So what is it? And is there more to it than making a quick purchase and staying on trend? Hannah Gelbart is joined by Sophie Eastaugh, who’s covered the topic for the BBC's Climate Question. Favour Nunoo, a BBC Reporter in Ghana, gives us a...

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. Also in this episode Lizzo is being sued by three of her former dancers over claims including sexual harassment and fat shaming. The ‘About Damn Time’ singer is known for celebrating her body and self-love, so this has come as a surprise to many. Th...

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 training plans and improve their performance based on their hormonal fluctuations. In this episode, we’re demystifying periods and looking at how the conversation around them is changing. Hannah Gelbart is joined by Hannah Wilkinson, who plays for the N...

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 of global boiling has arrived”. When it’s extremely hot, there are more hospital admissions and more deaths. But one thing that isn’t talked about as much is how the heat affects your mental health. So, in this episode we’re asking: What in the World h...

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 issues that matter to you. Starting 31 July.