What in the World

The US company Colossal claim to have brought back the dire wolf from extinction after 12,000 years through genetic engineering. The three pups, called Romulus, Remus and Khaleesi, are now living in an undisclosed nature preserve, unaware that their existence has made headlines around the world. But Colossal aren’t finished yet, they want to continue to “de-extinct” other animals, such as the woolly mammoth. BBC Science Correspondent Victoria Gill explains how the experiment was done. How realistic is “de-extinction”? And are these actually dire wolves?Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Josh Jenkins and Emilia Jansson Editor: Emily Horler

Tensions in South Sudan are rising, threatening an already fragile peace deal between President Salva Kiir and his rival First Vice-President Riek Machar.They signed the peace agreement in 2018 to end a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people. But now, many are worried that South Sudan could be on the brink of another civil war.Ashley Lime, a BBC reporter in Nairobi, explains why this latest violence has escalated and outlines the relationship between these two leaders.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Taiwan’s government recently deported Liu Zhenya, a Chinese national who goes by “Yaya in Taiwan” on social media. It’s after Liu posted comments on Douyin — the Chinese version of TikTok — that Taiwan’s government described as threats to national security. Since then Taiwan has deported two other “mainland wives” (Chinese citizens with Taiwanese husbands) over similar concerns about their social media posts. It’s also investigating several others. Benny Lu from BBC Chinese explains why Taiwan’s government is concerned about what it calls “Chinese propaganda.” He also discusses how people in China and Taiwan have reacted to the deportations.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Josh Jenkins Editor: Verity Wilde

The International Criminal Court has been in the spotlight recently after it issued several arrest warrants for both Hamas and Israeli officials involved in the Israel-Gaza war. Following this, US President Donald Trump announced sanctions against the court and Hungary also accused them of being ‘politically biased”.Based in the Dutch city of The Hague, the court was established in 2002 and has the power to bring prosecutions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. But how does it all work? And what powers does the ICC have? Anna Holligan, a BBC correspondent, based in the Netherlands tells us all the information you need to know to understand what’s happening with the ICC.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Donald Trump has introduced tariffs on imports to the US. This has caused a huge reaction across the world with many major stock markets in free fall ever since. Are you confused by all the different words being thrown around? What actually is a tariff? Don’t worry - we’re joined by BBC business presenter Will Bain to explain everything you need to know about tariffs and how they can impact your life.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Josh Jenkins, Mora Morrison and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Rhinos are at extreme risk of extinction because of poaching and habitat loss. The work of conservationists has made sure that their numbers have continued to rise, but poaching is still a major threat to their existence. Most of the global rhino population lives in South Africa, where the government has taken big steps to prevent the killings, but recent data shows criminal poachers are still targeting the animalSo scientists are getting experimental with how to protect them!We hear from the BBC Africa’s Ayanda Charlie who has speaking to scientists in South Africa coming up with ways to prevent poaching, including using radioactive material in horns as a deterrent. Plus, we get the story behind why there’s videos of rhinos hanging upside down from helicopters. Riley Farrell from BBC Future tells us about how choppers are being used in rhino conservation. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The average person who menstruates has their period for 2,535 days (nearly seven years) of their life, according to the UN. That’s A LOT of tampons and pads. But the World Bank says 500 million women don’t have access to menstrual products. Period poverty - when women and girls can’t afford or access sanitary products - is a global problem, affecting lots of countries in Africa as well as the US, UK, India and New Zealand. Gloria Achieng, a BBC journalist in Kenya, talks us through the causes of period poverty and some of the reusable products available. Patricia Kajumba, founder of Glow Up Pads in Uganda, explains how her reusable pads are making a difference and Geena Dunne from the Cova Project in Australia tells us about their menstrual cups. BBC Health reporter Michelle Roberts breaks down some of the myths surrounding period products.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Mora Morrison and Hayley Clarke Video Journalists: Gabriel Purcell-Davis and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

President Trump and his administration is cracking down on international students who have been active in protests against Israel on university campuses.Last week, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at least 300 students had their student visas revoked.Trump officials said the Immigration and Nationality Act allows the State Department to deport non-citizens who are "adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests" of the US.The arrests are a part of Trump's pledge to combat what the administration has classified as antisemitism on university campuses, which was written into an executive order in January.Nathalie Jimenez, our reporter in the US, takes us through what we know about two of the most prominent cases. And Jake Horton from BBC Verify, explains some of the key terms you need to know.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

In this episode we’re tracing the route of a shadow ship. These ships are part of a network carrying Russian oil around the world - in violation of international sanctions. And some of them have been accused of sabotage, severing undersea cables that connect European countries. The “shadow fleet” is growing in size and posing a risk to other ships and the environment. BBC journalist Emilia Jansson explains what shadow ships are and what some Scandinavian countries are trying to do about them. And we hear from BBC journalist Tim Whewell who travelled to the Laconian Sea, where shadow ships frequently carry out ship-to-ship transfers of cargo. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Emilia Jansson and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Myanmar is reeling following a powerful earthquake on Friday. The epicentre was near the second largest city Mandalay, home to about 1.5 million people. According to the government, more than 2,000 people have been killed. The country is already in the midst of a worsening humanitarian crisis and civil war. It’s also ruled by a military junta who control almost all the media. We hear from Soe Win Than, the editor of the BBC’s Burmese service, about why it’s difficult to get all the information.Tremors were also felt in Thailand - where thousands were evacuated from cracked buildings and at least 20 people have died.Myanmar is considered one of the world’s most geologically active areas and prone to serious natural disasters. We speak to Stephen Hicks, a seismologist and research at University College London, about why earthquakes are so hard to predict.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

US Vice-President JD Vance and his wife Usha are scheduled to land in Greenland on Friday afternoon. Their visit comes as President Donald Trump continues his threats to take over the world’s largest island, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. But the planned visit has been scaled back following protests. Rather than visiting a dog sled race and cultural sites, the Vances will instead tour an American space facility. BBC journalist Laura Gozzi explains the basics of what the United States would gain if Greenland became part of the U.S. And we also hear reaction from two 26-year-old Greenlanders, as we try to understand how local people feel about the latest developments.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Elena Angelides Editor: Verity Wilde

The global hair wig and extension market was valued at $7.5billion in 2024. Hair is big business - especially in India, which is the world’s biggest exporter of human hair, supplying 85% of global demand. Some comes from temples, where people shave off their hair as an act of devotion to the gods. It is then sold at auction. The rest comes from hair pickers who collect it from women’s combs, salons and even rubbish dumps. Priti Gupta, a journalist in Mumbai, talks us through the Indian hair industry. We ask why Indian hair is so sought after - and why it’s China that’s leading the wig export market, instead of India. BBC journalist Nadia Gyane explains where this hair ends up - and if customers know or care where their hair comes from? And drag artist Zeeshan Ali in Mumbai tells us why wigs are so important to their act. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Elena Angelides and Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalists: Baldeep Chahal and Kesewaa Browne Editor: Verity Wilde

Thousands of people in Turkey turned out for a seventh night of protests which have so far seen more than 1,400 people detained, including students, journalists and lawyers. Demonstrations began in Istanbul on 19 March, when the city's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - who is seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival - was arrested on corruption charges.In this episode we bring you the background to the protests. Nihan Kalle, a reporter for BBC Monitoring in Istanbul, tells us why President Erdogan is still popular after 22 years in power and why Ekrem Imamoglu is seen as a threat to him. BBC Turkish reporter Özge Özdemir explains the state of democracy in Turkey right now. And we hear directly from some of the student protestors - what changes do they want to see in Turkey?Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Fluoride has been in most American tap water for decades. It’s there to help to prevent tooth decay, especially in children. Scientists and health officials say it’s one of the biggest public health wins of the 20th century. But lately, fluoride has found itself at the centre of a heated debate, with some people concerned about side effects. Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US Health Secretary, is one of those, but he has long expressed views that conflict with scientific evidence.We break down the facts about fluoride, explain how the quantities of it in water is safe and tell you what you need to know with Phoebe Hopson, a BBC reporter, and Michelle Roberts, a doctor and health reporter.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

Over 500 schools and universities in South Korea are dealing with a deepfake porn crisis. Explicit images and videos of classmates and teachers are being shared. The perpetrators are often students themselves. In fact, 80 per cent of those arrested for creating and distributing deepfakes are teenagers.Hyojung Kim from the BBC’s Korean Service explains what’s happening and what’s being done to stop it.Plus, presenter and campaigner Jess Davies gives us tips on what to do if you have been deepfaked.If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode and you are based in the UK, you can get support from relevant organisations through the BBC Action Line website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Elena Angelides, Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

The annual World Happiness Report is out and Finland has been named the happiest country for the eighth year in a row. What makes the Finns so joyful? Emilia Jansson from the What in the World team breaks it down for you. But, is happiness just a fleeting emotion or is there more to it? Sarah Jelbert, a lecturer who teaches courses on the science of happiness explains how you can improve your life satisfaction. And we hear from Sweden and Costa Rica, two countries that rank in the top ten. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Netflix has a TV show out called Apple Cider Vinegar - it’s a dramatisation of a real story of a real influencer who was popular online, and said she was treating a terminal illness with alternative therapies. But it turned out the supposed natural treatments she was promoting didn’t do anything, because she didn’t really have brain cancer. So it got us thinking - how can you spot false wellness claims?Drinking special tea to make you slimmer. Rubbing bee venom on your face to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Inserting gemstones into your vagina to regulate menstrual cycles. These are just three on the seemingly endless list which have little to no scientific evidence to support their purported benefits. Jacqui Wakefield, a reporter with the BBC’s Global Disinformation Unit, takes us through what makes these trends take off and how we can spot the bad ones online. Makuochi Okafor in our Lagos bureau explains what wellness scams look like in Nigeria. And Maria Clara Montoya tells us about the scene in Latin America.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Emily Horler Video Journalists: Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

Imagine going on a work or school trip for eight days, but ending up away from home for nine months. Now, imagine that journey was to space. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore’s spacecraft launched in June last year from Cape Canaveral in Florida. They were taking part in the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft, developed by Boeing. But there were some technical problems after launch and NASA decided it was too risky to use it to take the astronauts back to Earth. Instead, Suni and Butch would catch the next scheduled flight home, which ended up being nine months later. And now Suni and Butch have splashed down off the coast of Florida in a different spacecraft. Our Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle, explains what went wrong with the mission, if they were really stranded, and what daily life is actually like in space.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Elena Angelides Editor: Verity Wilde

On Sunday night, hundreds of people gathered at Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia to watch the popular hip-hop duo DNK perform. It ended in tragedy. A fire ripped through the venue killing 59 people and leaving more than 150 others injured. Reports say the fire was caused by sparks from pyrotechnic devices that hit the ceiling, which was made of highly flammable material. The incident has raised questions about how the venue was able to operate with inadequate safety measures, and if corruption has a role to play.We speak to Saska Cvetkovska, an investigative journalist in Skopje, about what we know so far and how the country is coping with the aftermath of the tragedy. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Taylor Swift fans were gathering in Vienna in August last year, when organisers announced her three-night run would be cancelled, due to a terror threat. Three teenagers were arrested, accused of plotting an attack which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group. Speaking at a news conference, an Austrian politician said that “a tragedy was prevented.” This sits within a wider picture of people behind acts like this getting younger. Although the numbers aren’t huge, in Europe last year, 1 in 5 terror suspects were under the age of 18. In the UK, it was double that. This data comes from a report written by Thomas Morgan, from the Institute for Economics and Peace in Australia. He joins the podcast to talk about the rise in radicalisation amongst young people.We are also joined by Julian, a counsellor who works with teenagers in Berlin who have been radicalised by far-right ideology. He tells us how sessions run by Violence Prevention Network aim to change attitudes and behaviours of radicalised young people. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Elena Angelides and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has agreed to pay $3.5 billion to buy the gaming division of Niantic, the Pokémon Go publisher. It’s the latest in a string of entertainment and gaming investments by the PIF. BBC tech reporter Tom Gerken tells us why the Saudi government is spending billions on gaming and what the Kingdom stands to gain from it.Plus: BBC Arabic’s Abdirahim Saaed explains where the PIF gets its money and why the gaming scene is so big in Saudi Arabia right now. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

An estimated 700 million people visit zoos every year. Some people see these facilities as a great way to teach people about nature and to save species from extinction. Others think they’re cruel and unnecessary. It’s a heated debate. And now, as more and more people are watching animal rescue videos on Instagram and TikTok, it feels like the debate is hotter than ever. William Lee Adams from the What in the Word team talks us through the history of zoos, including how England's Queen Charlotte (who was featured in Netflix’s Bridgerton) came to have twenty kangaroos, and how zoos have evolved. We also discuss their pro and cons. We hear from Tonya Lander, a biology lecturer at the University of Oxford in the UK, 19 year old animal rights activist Nikita Dhawan, and Delcianna Winders, Director of the Animal Law and Policy Institute at Vermont Law and Graduate School in the US. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Elena Angelides Video Journalist: Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

In November, fifteen people were killed at the Novi Sad railway station in Serbia when a concrete canopy collapsed. Students in the country have been protesting ever since, claiming that government corruption contributed to the tragedy. The protests have brought the country to a standstill, and on Monday students occupied the public TV station RTS. Slobodan Maričić from BBC Serbian tells us about the student protests, what he’s seen when out reporting and the criticism faced by President Aleksandar Vučić. We also hear from several student protestors and Konstrakta, a popular singer. She explains why students have been so effective leading and organising the protests and how their movement has expanded to include people of all ages. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Emilia Jansson and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Two weeks ago $1.5 billion vanished from a cryptocurrency platform - it’s thought to be the biggest crypto heist ever. They had fallen into the hands of some infamous hackers - the Lazarus Group. These hackers have alleged ties to the North Korean government and have managed to steal huge amounts of money from other crypto platforms before. The BBC’s Cyber Correspondent, Joe Tidy, takes us through all the details and explains why North Korean hackers are so untouchable.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Plastic pollution has been highlighted as an environmental issue for several years. But experts are now researching whether it poses a potential danger to our health. Microplastics specifically are found in our bodies - even in our brains.The BBC health reporter Smitha Mundasad explains to us what they are and whether we should be worried. And 25-year-old microplastics researcher and influencer Dana Zhaxylykova shares her top tips on how to avoid plastics.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Just like seemingly all aspects of life these days, AI is going to become more and more present in our dating apps. Match Group, the dating company that owns Tinder and Hinge and has a market value of over $10 billion, recently announced they would increase investment in AI. They’re hoping to use AI for a spoken interview with the user to work out what they want to get out of their dating experience, and also provide “effective coaching for struggling users”.Some newer apps focus entirely on AI models and choose your matches for you. As annual downloads of some of the biggest dating apps are going down, could these AI elements improve things? Or will AI cause more concerns?Tamzin Kraftman, a BBC journalist, downloaded one of these new apps, iris, to check it out.We also hear from the app’s CEO - Igor Khalatian. He explains what it’s all about.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Josh Jenkins Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Most people in the world speak more than one language and many countries have more than one official national language. But what is it like living as a polyglot? And what advantages can it bring to your health? Studies have shown that speakers of multiple languages get dementia later and even recover better after a stroke.BBC journalist Victoria Uwonkunda describes what it was like growing up as a polyglot and how she deals with speaking multiple languages in her daily life. Turkish polyglot İclal Dağcı , who speaks nine languages, tells us how she uses music to learn languages she finds difficult.Plus, Professor Frédérique Liégeois, a cognitive neuroscientist at University College London, explains the benefits speaking multiple languages has on your brain, and how it could help to maintain your brain health as you get older.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, William Lee Adams, Mora Morrison, Emilia Jansson and Elena Angelides Video Journalists: Beatrice Guzzardi and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

One of the most eye-catching decisions by Donald Trump since becoming American President for a second time was to freeze foreign aid. USAID is the agency that’s given billions of dollars to global projects, from disaster relief to fighting malaria. With this decision there will be a big hole in global financing, one that could potentially be filled by other leading global countries, such as China. President Xi has already upped China’s foreign spending in places like Africa. Chinese investing in huge infrastructure projects abroad isn’t new, but could they use America’s decision to their advantage and extend their influence around the world? Shawn Yuan, from the BBC’s Global China Unit, explains how Chinese aid models differ from the US. We also hear from Janice Nkajja, a Ugandan TikToker and social justice activist whose video went viral when USAID was frozen. And Daniel Dadzie, our reporter in Ghana, takes us through China’s funding strategy in Africa.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Josh Jenkins and Mora Morrison Editor: Harriet Oliver

Half of the Kenyan population use TikTok everyday. But when the sun sets, darker content appears on the platform. Girls as young as fifteen are advertising their bodies through livestreams and avoiding being caught by using coded messages. It’s a way for them to make money - but TikTok is also profiting, despite their strict rules on underage and sexual content.BBC Africa Eye reporter Debula Kemoli has been to Kenya to investigate. She tells us what she uncovered, and shares insights from content moderators and the women and teens participating in the livestreams.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

At the end of last year, astronomers detected 2024 YR4, an asteroid that could collide with Earth on the 22nd December 2032. It was dubbed the ‘city-killer’ and news reports warned of Armageddon, comparing the potential impact to a nuclear bomb explosion. But since YR4’s discovery, space agencies and scientists have been studying the asteroid’s size, potential path and what we can do to divert it. There’s only the tiniest risk it will hit earth and experts say there’s no need for alarm.BBC science and climate reporter Georgina Rannard talks us through all the details of Asteroid 2024 YR4, and gives a quick history of how we’ve managed asteroids in the past.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Adam Chowdhury and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The illegal drug trade is booming in Europe due to a growing and profitable demand for cocaine. It can be sold for almost double the price you can get for it in the US. Belgium and the Netherlands have been named as the new cocaine capitals, as the major container ports there have been infiltrated by drug smuggling gangs, and the US market becomes saturated and turns to opiates instead.But how does cocaine get to Europe? And who’s operating these gangs? We speak to two journalists who’ve been looking at the illegal drug trade in Europe; Anna Holligan, BBC correspondent in the Netherlands, and Gabriel Stargardter, a Reuters journalist in Paris.As more drugs are routed to Europe, countries in West and Central Africa are increasingly being used as key transit zones. Lucia Bird from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime tells us what impact it’s having on those countries.Plus David Hillier, a freelance British journalist, explains what kinds of illegal drugs Europeans are currently taking. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Hayley Clarke and Benita Barden Editor: Rosanna La FalceThis podcast was edited on 28 February 2025.

Naomi Watanabe is a Japanese comedian, fashion icon and social media powerhouse. She shot to fame in 2008 with her viral Beyoncé impression, earning her the nickname ‘Japanese Beyoncé. Now, with 10 million followers, she’s one of Japan’s biggest influencers. But that wasn’t enough for her. Four years ago she moved to New York to do stand-up comedy on the global stage. Hannah went to New York in October to see her debut stand-up show, speak to fans and meet Naomi in person. Naomi talks about adapting to life in NYC, the rats, and what it’s like on dating apps when you’re super famous. She’s also a body positivity icon. In Japan, one in five young women is underweight and there’s immense pressure to be thin. Naomi shares her feelings on body image and explains why she set up her own fashion label, Punyus, which means ‘chubby’.And Mariko Oi, a BBC reporter from Japan, tells us about her experiences with Japanese perceptions of the ideal body shape. Watch out for the full interview between Hannah and Naomi on the BBC World Service YouTube channel.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Hayley Clarke and Rebecca Thorn Editor: Verity Wilde

America’s Next Top Model — the reality competition series hosted by Tyra Banks — continues to face criticism years after it stopped airing. And it’s not the only reality show that critics say hasn’t aged well. From Cops to The Swan to Mr Beast’s new show Beast Games, reality TV routinely courts controversy.We all know reality shows like The Traitors, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Real Housewives and Love Island. But how did the genre become so popular in the first place? We hear from Danielle Lindemann, a sociologist at Lehigh University and the author of ‘True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us’. She explains how shows like The Real World and Survivor helped define the genre and unpacks some of the biggest scandals from reality TV history. We also chat to Angelea Preston, a journalist in New York and a former ANTM contestant. She won Cycle 17 — the show’s All-Stars edition — but had her title revoked after producers learned that she had worked briefly as an escort. She gives her take on some of the show’s most infamous photo shoots. And what about makeover shows? Well Tawnya Perrotta — who appeared on TV as Tawnya Cooke — underwent several procedures for The Swan, a show where contestants spent months undergoing plastic surgery and therapy before competing in a beauty pageant. And we hear from Big Brother Naija contestant Mr KayVee, who famously walked out of the house after having what he calls a “mental breakdown.”Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Emily Horler Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Ne Zha 2 has just become the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally. It’s a fantasy film about a boy’s quest, fighting demons with magical powers, based on Chinese mythology. It’s now in the top 10 biggest movies in history and it could end up beating Avatar, as people are still going to see it. This is the first time the Chinese film industry - which is in large part controlled by the information arm of the Chinese Communist Party - has created such a successful film.BBC journalist Koh Ewe explains why this film has been such a hit, and what this tells us about Chinese cinema. Kerry Allen, who monitors Chinese media for the BBC, explains what the reaction’s been like in China and film reviewer Sully from @SullyStreams on YouTube gives us his verdict on the film. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Kevyah Cardoso and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

The Academy Awards take place this Sunday in Los Angeles concluding this year’s awards season. It’s been an unpredictable one with films Conclave, Emilia Perez and The Brutalist sweeping up big prizes at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and the SAG Awards. They’ll face blockbuster hits Dune: Part Two and Wicked in the Best Film category at the Oscars. We speak to the BBC Culture Reporter Yasmin Rufo about what topics and controversies have got film fans, voters and critics speaking this season.Plus we hear how artificial intelligence is being used in film and why it’s controversial from Dominic Lees, an Associate Professor and AI Expert at the University of Reading in the UK.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Josh Jenkins and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, tens of thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands more have been injured. Now U.S. President Donald Trump thinks he can broker peace by negotiating directly with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin.Vitaliy Shevchenko, BBC Monitoring’s Russia editor, explains how the war started and how severe it has become, assesses some of the misinformation that President Trump has repeated over the past week, and unpacks what we know about the proposed peace plan. A generation of young people have had to come of age during the war. We hear from three of them — Maryna, Olga and Volodymyr. They explain how their lives have changed, how they feel about President Trump’s recent comments, and how they keep hope alive. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

People should have access to around 50 to 100 litres of clean water per day, according to the UN. But this is not always the case, especially in countries with desert areas or affected by droughts. There’s a technique called fog catching that’s been used on a small scale for decades. Nets are used to trap fog and water is channelled into pipes and storage tanks. But now, in the Atacama Desert in Chile, researchers want to scale it up massively and meet the entire water demand of Alto Hospicio, which is in one of the world's driest regions.How much water can fog catching provide? And is it clean? The BBC’s Science Correspondent Victoria Gill runs us through how it all works. And we hear from two organisations working on improving access to water across Africa and Latin America. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Nadia Gyane, Josh Jenkins and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Emily Horler

In December 2024, a huge, red-hot metal ring fell from the sky and landed in a small village in Kenya. It turned out to be a piece of space junk. There are millions of pieces of space debris and rubbish floating around in space. And we’re sending more and more stuff up there. Now it’s not just governments, but private companies like SpaceX and Amazon who are launching satellites. Some reports suggest that by 2030, we could have more than 60,000 active satellites in space. So what happens when they’re no longer needed? BBC Science reporter Caroline Steel explains why space junk is such a big issue, and how people are trying to get rid of it.And Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, a Kenyan PHD student studying aerospace engineering, tells us about some of the potential solutions, like using nets or lasers. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

South Africa faced the wrath of US President Donald Trump recently when he incorrectly accused the country’s government of confiscating land from white people. Trump said South Africa was pursuing what he called "unjust and immoral practices" against the white minority Afrikaner community. As a result he’s frozen American foreign aid to the country and threatened to cut off all future funding, causing shockwaves across South Africa. So how did we get here? What exactly is South Africa's Expropriation Act? And what influence is one of President Trump’s closest allies, South African born Elon Musk, having on the decisions being made? The BBC's Karnie Sharp talks us through what we need to know. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Josh Jenkins Editor: Verity Wilde

Even though cricket is a national obsession in India, many other sports struggle to find an audience. And in terms of performance in international competitions, India has historically lagged behind. At last year’s Paris Olympics, India — a country of more than one billion people — failed to win a single gold medal and it finished behind smaller countries like St Lucia, Kyrgyzstan and Botswana on the medal table.The country’s female athletes face a particular set of challenges. But they are breaking down barriers and trying to prove that the playing field belongs to everyone. The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year awards honour pioneering Indian sportswomen. The BBC’s Divya Arya attended the event and explains the challenges that female athletes face in India and what is being done to change this. We also hear from one of this year’s recipients, Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Artificial intelligence is becoming a normal part of our everyday lives and some people think it will even replace people’s jobs. One industry that’s worried about this may surprise you: content creation. AI influencers are getting more popular online with hundreds of thousands of people following their (AI-generated) lives. They’re dishing out makeup tips, assisting with health advice and showing off their happy families. But can they ever replace real-world, human influencers?Jacqui Wakefield from the BBC’s disinformation team tells us about this trend. And Sharihan Al-Akhras from BBC Arabic describes her meeting with a famous AI family.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Emilia Jansson and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

President Trump, the Pygmy hippo Moo Deng and the Central African Republic all have meme coins - but what are meme coins and how can you spend them? BBC reporter Nathalia Jimenez answers all our questions including why would anyone buy them and what a “pump and dump” means. And we hear from the BBC’s Collins Nabiswa, who explains why President Touadéra of the Central African Republic has launched the meme coin $CAR and how successful it’s been so far.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Josh Jenkins and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

It’s not uncommon to see advice online on how to get beautiful glossy skin and what trendy skincare products can help achieve it. But some of the best-selling products contain ingredients like exfoliating acids or retinol that can cause damage if used incorrectly. Dermatologists are worried about the increasing number of children trying expensive serums, cleansers and creams promoted on social media that are not suitable for their age.BBC Health reporter Annabel Rackham explains the health concerns around under 18s using anti-ageing products, and just how influential skincare content is online. We also hear from Blancah Catherine, a beauty content creator from South Africa, about how trends are driving young people’s interest in beauty products. Plus, Dr Carol Cheng, a paediatric dermatologist at the University of California, explains what common anti-ageing ingredients like vitamin C, retinoids and hyaluronic acid actually do to our skin, and who should and shouldn’t be using them. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Zofia Louise Video Journalist: Beatrice Guzzardi Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

In recent weeks the Sudanese army has been regaining control of areas in the capital, Khartoum, previously held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These two forces have been at war for nearly two years and its having a devastating impact on civilians.BBC journalist Mohanad Hashim grew up in Sudan, and recently returned to the country after three decades. He tells us how the country has changed and why its so hard to find a resolution. The #KeepeyesonSudan hashtag has been used a lot online to talk about the war. Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese writer, tells about the role of social media in raising awareness about the conflict.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison, Emilia Jansson and Itoro Udofia Editor: Verity Wilde

India is dealing with an outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome. It’s a rare condition where your immune system attacks nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and paralysis. There have been 160 reported cases since early January in Pune, hitting kids as young as six years old. Seven people are thought to have died.Iqra shares her experience of having GBS as a child and she speaks with BBC health reporter Michelle Roberts to get the details on the disease. Plus, our reporter Vandhna Bhan takes us through what’s happening in India.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

Five men in northern Nigeria were sentenced to death last week. Their crime? Murdering a woman they accused of being a witch. They said that the wife of one of the men had a dream she was being chased by the woman. The death penalty is rare in Nigeria and it has opened up a discussion on why people are being attacked for supposedly using witchcraft.Olaronke Alo is a BBC journalist working in the disinformation unit in Lagos. She explains why people are still being accused of being witches, and what authorities are doing to stop it.We also hear about Dr Leo Igwe who set up his own business to protect those accused of sorcery.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Josh Jenkins, Emily Horler and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Is there any evidence that having a female leader actually changes a country? Do women make better politicians - or is it all based on stereotypes?Women make up less than 7% of world leaders, and last year in 2024 the number of women in parliament globally fell. However, Mexico, Namibia and North Macedonia all elected their first female presidents, and as more women get elected to the top jobs, there’s an ongoing debate about whether female leaders do things differently to men.Laura Garcia from BBC Mundo breaks down some common misconceptions about women in power with a game of true or false.We also hear from Professor Rosie Campbell from the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King’s College London, about why it’s so hard to draw conclusions about the effects of female lawmakers. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden and Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is under fire. It is the world’s biggest donor and spends billions of dollars a year, funding programmes around the world, like fighting malaria in Bangladesh, clearing unexploded landmines in Cambodia and Laos and providing medical supplies in Sudan.But President Trump says it is run by “radical lunatics” and he and billionaire Elon Musk, who’s got the job of trying to slash American government spending, want to shut it down. They have paused almost all international spending for 90 days and issued “stop work” orders to their staff. BBC journalist Nathalia Jimenez tells us what USAID does - and why the Trump administration wants to close it.A large proportion of USAID funding goes towards healthcare and HIV medication in sub-Saharan Africa. Makuochi Okafor, the BBC’s Africa Health correspondent tells us what impact closing USAID could have in this region.Anselm Gibbs, a BBC reporter based in Trinidad and Tobago, tells us about programmes USAID funds in the Caribbean. And Hilde Deman from Search for Common Ground, an international NGO that uses USAID funding in countries affected by violent conflict, talks about the impact to their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Rosanna La Falce

More young men are inquiring about and getting vasectomies. It’s a trend that’s been observed informally in several countries, and has particularly spiked in the United States since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade. But what exactly does the procedure involve? Dr Jeff Foster specialises in men’s health. He talks us through the procedure, and debunks some common myths about pain, semen and erections. We also hear from two men - in the US and Kenya - about why they chose to have ‘the snip’. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

Forget dating apps or meet cutes... marriage matchmaking is back. Young people in South Korea have been signing up to professional agencies to find love, and sales are booming. Birth and marriage rates in South Korea remain at record lows and now even the government is playing Cupid by organising speed-dating events. Our reporter Rachel Lee has been speaking to young people in Seoul to find out more. We also run around our global office and ask: would you use a matchmaking service? (The reaction was surprisingly mixed…)Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde