What in the World

Lebanon, Kenya and Jamaica are among the handful of countries that have gotten rid of the ‘period tax’ - the additional charge the government adds to the retail price of sanitary products like pads or tampons. Now, a new campaign has started to scrap the tax in Pakistan. According to UNICEF, the tax can add up to 40% to the retail price of sanitary pads in the country, making them out of reach for many women and girls, especially in impoverished communities.Mahnoor Omer, the 25-year-old lawyer from Pakistan who has started a legal case to cut the tax, talks us through attitudes to periods in her home country and explains why this campaign is so important to her. And we hear from young women in Pakistan who tell us what they think of the tax.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producer: Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Harriet Oliver

From boosting muscle mass to improving metabolism and skin, there’s now tonnes of claims about what peptides can do on social media. Peptides are short amino acids produced by our bodies naturally, and they aren’t a new concept, they’ve been used in medicine for centuries, Insulin, used to treat diabetes being the most common one.But the peptide wellness shot craze has led to growing amount of people buying ‘research peptides’ which are unregulated and not approved for human use. BBC’s health and wellbeing reporter, Ruth Clegg tells us all about the grey market of research peptide drugs, the health risks of taking them and why people are opting to become peptide ‘lab-rats’ despite this.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

For the first time in more than 50 years, NASA is taking humanity back to the moon with its Artemis II mission. The crew is made up of four astronauts, including the first woman astronaut and the first black astronaut to travel to the moon. They will blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in a spacecraft never used by humans before, and begin their journey to orbit around the moon. The launch is expected to happen on 1 April - but NASA are keeping their options open, and have named six other potential dates. So - when will the launch take place? And once it does, how long will it take the mission to reach the Moon? The BBC’s science correspondent Georgina Rannard unpacks it all for us — and tells us everything we need to know about this historic mission. And we hear from two members of the Cosmic Girls Foundation - Vanessa from Finland and Ximena from Venezuela - who share their reaction to the mission and their hopes for how it could push the boundaries of science.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

Imagine being able to understand what animals are saying - and potentially even talking back. Animal-to-human communication is a subject which has garnered a lot of attention in recent years. And now artificial intelligence (AI) is turbo charging the conversation. The BBC’s Caroline Steel chats us through the basics of animal communication, how technological advancements have helped humans understand them, and what the next phase of this could look like. David Gruber from Project CETI also shares his team’s pioneering efforts to understand sperm whales. Plus, vet Haehyun Shin shares how her work would be impacted if she could understand her pet patients. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

The United Nations has voted to recognise the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity”, after a proposal from Ghana. It comes after years of campaigning from African and Caribbean nations, calling for reparations for the largest long-distance forced movement of people in recorded history.But not all governments supported the vote. The US, Israel and Argentina voted against it and 52 countries - mostly members of the EU - decided not to take part. The wording of the resolution has received criticism, with some arguing it implies that some crimes against humanity are worse than others.So what does this vote mean - and how could it change the way we look at this chapter of history in the future?BBC Africa reporter Daniel Dadzie joins us for this episode to explain it all - along with two students based in Accra, Malisecullen and Abena. We also hear from Meghan in the US, who shares her thoughts on her country rejecting the vote.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison, William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

A 20 year old woman in the US has successfully sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media, winning $6million in damages. Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed her mental health.This result is likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts. Meta and Google said they disagreed with the verdict and intended to appeal.In this episode BBC tech correspondent Joe Tidy explains the arguments made in the trial and whether this decision could lead to any changes in the way they work. And we hear your views on whether you think these apps are addictive and what you make of the ruling.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Benita Barden, William Lee Adams and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham, Michael B Jordan and AFC Bournemouth, Snoop Dogg and Swansea City FC. And now YouTuber KSI and Dagenham and Redbridge. There’s a growing list of celebrities investing in lower league English and Welsh football clubs. But is this a good thing for the clubs? And how much influence do these celebs actually have? Emma Middleton from BBC Sport explains. We also hear from some fans around the world. It’s not just English and Welsh football. Celebrities are also buying into American football teams, Formula One and cricket with the Indian Premier League. Journalist Janhavee Moole tells us about the situation in India. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Benita Barden, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

The war in Iran isn't just affecting people in countries directly involved in the conflict. It has driven up oil prices around the world, impacting the lives of people from the Philippines and India to Nigeria. Nick Marsh, our Asia business correspondent, explains how some governments are reacting.Plus we hear from Azadeh Moshiri, our correspondent in Dubai. She explains how Iran’s strikes on the UAE have impacted its reputation.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

South Africa is facing a water crisis. South Africa is one of the driest countries in the world. It relies on its rainwater, levels of which are unpredictable, unevenly distributed, and decreasing as a result of global warming. But the main issue contributing to water shortages is ageing infrastructure; rusting pipes that break and leak. And there are also allegations of theft by “water tanker mafias”. The BBC’s Mayeni Jones has been to a part of South Africa that’s been badly affected by droughts and water shortages to investigate these groups. She explains how they operate and what the government is doing to try to tackle the water mafia. And we hear from young South Africans who are affected by the water shortages. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

BTS are back! It’s the first time all seven members have been together since completing mandatory military service in South Korea. They’ve returned with a 14-track album titled Arirang and an 82-date world tour. Fans in South Korea were treated with the opportunity to see them for free in a huge opening night show in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. BBC Korean’s Yuna Ku tells us what it was like be at the comeback show. Plus we hear from those who watched the concert on Netflix from across the globe. Music journalists Clint Edwards and Chase Karng also give us their first impressions of Arirang. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams, Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The White House is stepping up their social media promotion on the war in Iran... with memes. Clips from the NFL, Spongebob Squarepants and Call of Duty have all been spliced together with scenes military strike footage from the Iran war, racking up millions of views on TikTok. President Trump’s team say it’s a modern way to get their message across to young audiences and show their military successes, but the comments show that not everyone agrees, and some argue that it trivialises the human cost of war.Anthony Zurcher, the BBC’s North America correspondent, explains it all - and tells us how this compares to the tactics previous US governments have used to depict conflicts. And social psychology Professor Sander van der Linden, who’s from Cambridge University, tells us how these hype videos can affect our perception of the war.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde

Looksmaxxing has been all over the internet lately - this is the trend aimed at young men and it’s based on the idea of self-improvement, maximising your physical attractiveness and increasing your sexual market value. It's been part of fringe reddit forums for years now but recently it’s become mainstream, with the hashtag going viral on TikTok, X and Instagram.The trend promotes extreme dieting, obsessive body ranking and pseudo-scientific cosmetic advice - including a recent "bonesmashing" trend which has been condemned by doctors. And it has links to incel and manosphere networks. BBC journalist Thomas Morgan explains looksmaxxing and why it’s become popular with young men, as well as some of the real life consequences. We speak to 22 year old actor Trevor Larcom about his own looksmaxxing journey and find out what he makes of the accusations of misogyny and toxic culture. And Stephen Imeh, who wanted to become the “first black looksmaxxer”, tells us about his experience. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison, Emilia Jansson and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

Senegal has been stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in January's final but Caf (the Confederation of African Football) has changed the result. It’s because Senegal's players walked off the pitch in protest when Morocco was given a penalty.We LOVE a bit of drama on What in the World and this truly feels like something out of our fave reality TV shows (think Big Brother, Traitors and America’s Next Top Model). Isaac Fanin, the guy with all the sports intel, was there on the night it happened and takes us through it - how are Africans feeling and what’s next? Will the Senegalese have to give up their medals?!Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

LED technology has been used to address a number of skin issues, such as eczema, mild to moderate acne and psoriasis in a medical setting. But now you can buy your own LED mask or device for use at home. Adverts are everywhere on social media, with lots of influencers promoting them. Mask developers make big claims that at-home LED masks can be used to treat acne scars, sun damage and fine lines - but what does the evidence show? BBC journalist Imogen James explains the trend and takes us through how and if these at-home LED masks work. Rio Rennalls from the What in the World team tells us why he uses one. Some dermatologists and experts have raised concerns about the efficacy of these masks. David Robert Grimes, a scientist and author in Ireland, gives us his views on the technology. And we hear from dermatologist Dr. Montserrat Fernández-Guarino.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

The 2026 Oscars are over, the red carpet has been rolled up and celebrities are polishing their golden awards at home in the quiet.The big winner of the night was political thriller One Battle After Another, which took home six wins including best picture. Other winners included Sinners star Michael B Jordan, who beat Timothée Chalamet to the best actor award, and Irish actress Jessie Buckley for her role in Hamnet. We’re sad the 98th Academy Awards are finished for another year, so we’re gonna dish out our own awards. Think ‘biggest flop’, ‘best roast’ and ‘woman of the year’.BBC Entertainment Reporter, Yasmin Rufo, announces our (not so) prestigious awards and gives us her ‘ins and outs’ for next year’s Oscars ceremony.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Harriet Oliver

The US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran two weeks ago. In response, Iran has launched more than 2,000 drones at targets across the Middle East, towards Israel and Gulf countries with US military bases. We’ve seen attacks on oil tankers, airports, and even luxury hotels and banks.The drones are causing considerable damage across the region considering they have a simple design and are relatively cheap to produce. The Shahed 136 long-range drone, which is manufactured in Iran, is estimated to cost between $20,000 to $50,000. Iran is thought to have mass-produced tens of thousands of the Shahed drones before the war, but we don’t know how much of that stockpile remains intact after days of US and Israeli strikes.The BBC’s Bernd Debusmann Jr explains why Iran is using these drones and why they are expensive to counter. We look to Ukraine, which has developed its own cheap drones to down Russian ones. And we discuss how Iran’s stockpiles of these drones could play a big factor in how long the war lasts. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Timothée Chalamet has come for ballet and opera. In an interview with Matthew McConaughey ahead of the Oscars he said… “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive even though it’s like, no one cares about this anymore.’” And, well, it turns out he was wrong, because lots and lots of people have been defending the industries with tons of passion. And it did get us thinking - how do ballet and opera sales compare to how they have done in the past? Do many people watch them? What are people in the industry, like Misty Copeland, doing to get more people into theatres? We get into it with Chelsea from the What in the World team (she’s also a ballet dancer, but sadly has never made it to a professional stage). And we hear from people who love ballet and opera, including two professional ballet dancers for The Australian Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Last week, during their opening match of the AFC Asia Cup football tournament, Iran’s women’s football team refused to sing the national anthem. The move was seen as an act of defiance, as it came shortly after American and Israeli strikes had killed Iran’s supreme leader. The players were subsequently called “wartime traitors” on Iranian state television.After being knocked out of the tournament on Sunday, several players decided to stay in Australia. Despite heavy surveillance from Iranian authorities, they escaped their hotel and were issued humanitarian visas by the Australian government. BBC Persian reporter Ghoncheh Habibiazad explains why the players took this action and the consequences the decision may have for them and their families. We also find out more about the significance of football to Iran’s leaders. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Military-style weight loss camps in China are getting popular. You sign up voluntarily for a month and follow a strict daily routine, with intense exercises, mandatory trips to the scales and rules on snacking. Some people have called them “fat prisons”. So what’s it like to go to one? TL Huang from Australia tells us about her experience. We hear about the downsides of these kinds of “fat camps” from British nutritionist and personal trainer Luke Hanna. And Wanqing Zhang from the BBC’s Global China Unit explains why more people in China are signing up to them.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Iran’s state media has announced that Mojtaba Khamenei will be the country’s new supreme leader. He’ll replace his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint American and Israeli strike last week. The 56-year-old has largely kept a low profile. He has never held government office and only a limited number of photos and videos of him have ever been published.In this episode, you’ll hear what we know about Iran’s new supreme leader, and what this change in leadership could mean for the future of the war between Iran, Israel and the US.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow gap of water in the Middle East between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. About 3,000 or so ships sail through the Strait each month - that’s about 80 ships a day. About 20% of the world’s oil and gas passes through it. But now, it’s an active war zone. As the US and Israel continue strikes on Iran, and Iran launches missiles at Israel and nearby Gulf states in retaliation, key shipping routes are being disrupted as well as oil and gas production in the region.Iran says it has complete control of the Strait of Hormuz, and that it would "set fire" to any ships trying to pass through it. In this episode we explain how this war could affect the wider world and why closing the Strait of Hormuz could lead to higher prices for petrol, food and electronics for us all. Kayleen Devlin from BBC Verify tells us what’s happening to ships in the Strait of Hormuz and BBC business reporter Nick Marsh describes why parts of Asia are already feeling the effects. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Maria Clara Montoya and Ash Mohamed Editor: Verity Wilde