Episodes
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According to the United Nations, Africa’s urban population is projected to triple by 2050, with over 60% of 2.5 billion people living in cities. This rapid urbanisation and population growth is driving demand for properties across the continent. Nigerian and Ghanaian cities are some of the fastest-growing globally, but with inflation and the rising cost of living, prices are going up and people are finding it harder to save - making property and land acquisition a real challenge.
BBC journalist Stefania Okereke discusses the pressures on young people when it comes to purchasing real estate in Nigeria and Ghana. Ebube Okafor in Nigeria tells us about the hurdles to owning and buying land in Nigeria. Yaa Ofori-Ansah, a Ghanaian based in the UK shares her experience of preparing for a move back to Ghana. And Victoria Agyekum, co-founder of the Ghana Property and Lifestyle Expo, offers advice for anyone considering this journey.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Stefania OkerekeEditor: Verity Wilde
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$20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That’s how much a Russian court has fined Google for restricting Russian state media channels on YouTube. That’s two undecillion roubles - and far greater than the world’s total GDP, which is estimated by the International Monetary Fund to be $110 trillion.
Jen Monaghan, from BBC Monitoring, talks us through why Google has been hit with such a massive fine, and how it’s impossible to pay. And the BBC’s Anastasia Golubeva shares how the internet and social media apps - including YouTube - are restricted in Russia, and the impact this has on young people there.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison, Hayley Clarke and Benita BardenEditor: Emily Horler
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Donald Trump will return to the White House in January 2025, after defeating Democrat rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. The win comes just four years after he lost re-election to Joe Biden — and just weeks before his sentencing in his New York criminal trial.
We explain the factors behind his historic win and hear from political analysts about how issues like the economy and immigration influenced voters in the crucial swing states that decided the election.
One of Trump’s campaign promises was to quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and to prioritise America’s interest above all others. We hear from the BBC’s International Correspondent Lyse Doucet and the BBC’s China correspondent Laura Bicker about how international leaders are reacting to the win and what it means for their them.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-RoyEditor: Verity Wilde
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Floods have swept through Valencia on Spain’s eastern coast, causing death and destruction in their wake. It’s the worst flooding in Europe this century. More than 200 people have died and many are still missing - it is the country’s deadliest natural disaster in recent memory. There is widespread anger over the government’s response, and when Spain’s king and queen visited the town of Paiporta, they were met with protesters and even had mud thrown at them.
We speak to BBC journalist Iqra Farooq, who has just been to the area. She tells us about the devastating scenes she saw, and the anger people are feeling. The BBC’s Mimi Swaby has been speaking to the mayor of Paiporta, Maribel Albalat, who told her she was shocked by the violence, but that she understood "the frustration and desperation of the people".
And we speak to Stav Danaos from BBC Weather, who explains the Dana phenomenon that caused the flooding and how climate change made it worse.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Emily Horler and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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COP 16 — the United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity — recently concluded in Colombia. One of the major issues was "biopiracy". That’s when companies take out patents to own the rights to living organisms, like plants — despite the fact many local and indigenous communities may have been using these plants and other biological material for centuries. BBC science and climate reporter Georgina Rannard explains the idea of biopiracy and why it’s so high stakes for both businesses and the communities that nurture traditional knowledge. And Nataly Canales, an evolutionary biologist, discusses how the issue of bio-piracy relates to the autonomy of her community — the Amazonian Quechua of Peru.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde
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Gaming is growing in Africa. As the continent’s booming youthful population get better access to smart phones and internet connectivity improves, so does its gaming scene.
Esports events are gaining traction too, with South Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria all hosting large tournaments showcasing Africa’s best gaming talent. We chat to Brian Khisa, a BBC reporter based in Nairobi, about why the scene is taking off, and how representative it is.
We’re also joined by Megan van der Westhuizen, a 21-year-old gamer based in South Africa, and 26-year-old Sylvia Gathoni (aka 'QueenArrow'), from Kenya. They share what it’s like to be pro gamers, and why they’re excited about the future.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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The practice of sending money to family in other countries - known as remittances - is widespread. The World Bank estimates that over $650 billion was sent to low- and middle-income countries in 2023. When it comes to the flow of money from the U.S. to African nations, some people use the term ”black tax.”
As costs are rising around the world, some people are saying it's becoming harder to afford to send money. And recently Kenyan influencer and comedian Elsa Majimbo reignited the long-running debate when she said on Instagram that she hated sending money abroad.
Two BBC journalists, Itoro Bassey in the United States and Makuochi Okafor in Nigeria, talk about their personal experiences of sending or receiving money. And they discuss the broader economic and cultural factors that underpin the issue.
We also hear a range of views from people who send money to relatives in Africa and some who receive it.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Julia Ross-Roy, Hayley Clarke and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde
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Chris Brown is performing in South Africa for the first time since 2015 this December. Tickets for his concerts sold out Johannesburg's FNB Stadium in just a few hours. But not everyone is happy about it. Campaigners have highlighted that the concert is scheduled just days after the global commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. So, a petition has been started to block his shows. The petition calls them an ‘insult to the millions of women and girls affected by violence in South Africa and worldwide’.
Bulelwa Adonis is from Women for Change. She tells us why her organisation started the petition, and the conversations its sparked online and IRL. We also hear from a mother whose been directly impacted by gender based violence (GBV). Noma Mrwetyana’s daughter was murdered in 2019, at the age of 19. She tells us why she started the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation in her name. And BBC reporter Danai Nesta Kupemba talks us through what the government is doing to address the issue.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected] Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Benita Barden and Mora MorrisonEditor: Verity Wilde
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Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, abortion remains a central issue in U.S. politics. The backlash from the ruling that allows states to ban abortion shook up the 2022 midterms, and since then, voters have consistently backed abortion rights in ballot measures—even in traditionally conservative states like Ohio, Kentucky, and Kansas.
Now, with Election Day approaching, 10 states are set to vote on how abortion should be regulated. The result could overturn existing bans, or solidify protections.
So could reproductive rights be the issue that changes the course of the election?
In this episode, a doctor breaks down the procedure’s medical aspects and Ana Faguy, our BBC reporter in Washington, explains the high stakes of abortion rights in the presidential race.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected] Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducer: Kevyah Cardoso and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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A growing number of young people born in France are choosing to leave the country. Many of them are moving to their parents’ countries of origin in Africa.
We chat with BBC reporter and producer Nathalie Jimenez about “The Homecoming”, a documentary from BBC Africa Eye. It explores the “silent exodus” of French Africans with an emphasis on those re-locating to Senegal, a former French colony.
Among other things, Nathalie explains how racism and the rise of the far right are driving people to seek new beginnings abroad. We also hear from other French citizens who are starting a new life in Senegal.
Just search for "BBC Africa Eye - The Homecoming" to watch the documentary on YouTube.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected] Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: William Lee Adams & Zofia LouiseEditor: Verity Wilde
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More than 100 professional women's footballers have signed an open letter urging Fifa to drop the Saudi oil giant Aramco as a sponsor over humanitarian and environmental concerns. It follows Fifa’s announcement - earlier this year - of a partnership with the firm that will run until 2027, giving the company sponsorship rights to the men’s World Cup in 2026 and the Women’s World Cup the following year.
The words ‘Saudi Arabia’ and ‘football’ are increasingly used in the same sentence, and the country has become a huge player in the game. But it’s not without controversy. The nation has been accused of ‘sportswashing’ - with critics claiming Saudi Arabia is trying to improve its international reputation by investing in sports.
BBC sports correspondent Katie Gornall talks us through why these players are speaking up, and if this petition could change things. We also hear from Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema and Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen about why they chose to sign.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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A quick warning before listening: in this episode we’re talking about female genitals, in quite a lot of detail.
Brazil has the highest number of plastic surgery operations in the world and it’s where the BBL, Brazilian Butt Lift, comes from. It’s also seeing a spike in demand for another procedure: labiaplasty; where the labia minora (the folds of skin either side of the vulva) are reduced in size.
There’s been a 15% rise in this kind of surgery in the last 4 years, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. And Brazil comes top in terms of the number of labiaplasties carried out - over 28,000 last year. Why are women getting this procedure done? Giulia Granchi from BBC Brasil explains.
The idea of a “perfect vulva” is not new - it’s been portrayed a certain way since sculptures in ancient Greece. Zoe Williams from the Vagina Museum in London explains the history of this idea - and why porn and social media has made it worse.
And we hear about two projects; the Labia Library in Australia and the Great Wall of Vulva (formerly the Great Wall of Vagina) by British artist Jamie McCartney, both with the aim of demonstrating the huge range of shapes and sizes of women’s genitalia.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy, Lizzy Bella and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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Ten years ago, in 2014, militants belonging to the Islamic State group in Iraq killed and captured thousands of Yazidi people in what would later be called a genocide. It’s understood that hundreds of women are still missing, and are being held as sex and domestic slaves across the Middle East. One was recently found in Gaza.
Since then there have only been a handful of court cases - mostly in European courts - but survivors are still fighting for justice. Caroline Hawley, a BBC diplomatic correspondent, talks us through the detail. We also hear from Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad who, at 21, was abducted into sexual slavery when IS militants surrounded her Yazidi community in the Sinjar region. Since her miraculous escape she has been advocating for survivors of genocide and sexual violence through her organisation Nadia’s Initiative.
Trigger warning: the material in this episode can be disturbing and quite hard to hear. If you are sensitive to content about physical and sexual violence, or if you believe that you might find the discussion to be triggering, this episode may not be right for you.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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The Ivorian government has announced the dissolution of all student unions following the killing of two students, a crime attributed to the powerful Student and School Federation (Fesci).
The group has long been accused of terrorising university campuses across the country, operating a cartel-like system and charging extortionate rents to over 5,000 unregistered students for university accommodation.
During their investigation, authorities claim to have uncovered an underground tunnel used for torture and a secret brothel within Félix-Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan, the nation’s capital.
Multiple senior Fesci members have now been arrested in connection with the murders of students Khalifa Diomandé and Zigui Mars Aubin Déagoué, which occurred in August and September.
The BBC's Nicolas Négoce reports on the union’s vice grip on university campuses and students speak out for the first time about the culture of violence and fear.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducer: Kevyah CardosoEditor: Verity Wilde
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India’s caste system, one of the world’s oldest social hierarchies, has shaped lives for centuries, granting privileges to some while oppressing others. Although caste based discrimination was banned in 1948, its influence hasn’t gone away and is now spilling into our social media feeds, with some young women asserting pride in their caste identities.
We’re joined by correspondents from Delhi, Umang Poddar and Divya Arya, who explain the complexities of caste and unravel this new trend on Instagram.
We also hear from two Indians, Sachin and Christina, who come from different ends of the system. Their insights help us explore the ongoing impact of caste in India today.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Baldeep Chahal & Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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The death of One Direction star Liam Payne has shocked the world, and there’s been a huge outpouring of grief. Many details about the British singer's death still remain unclear, but information from emergency services and other authorities has started to build a picture of the events. We know that he was in Buenos Aires, in Argentina, and died after falling from a hotel balcony.
Liam rose to fame after competing in the singing competition the X Factor. It was here that he first met fellow One Direction members Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik. Entertainment reporter Bonnie McLaren reminds us of his journey to fame, and his solo projects.
We also hear why he meant so much to fans globally, including 22-year-old Bintelmran in Pakistan. Plus Joshua Miles, a psychotherapist based in London, talks us through why we grieve celebs, even if we don’t know them directly.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this episode please contact support organisations in your own country. Or, if you live in the UK, please check out bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde
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We’re bringing you an extra episode of What in the World.
Israeli troops have killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza. He is described as the mastermind of the 7th October 2023 attacks and Israel’s most wanted man.
We explain who Yahya Sinwar was and how he was killed and what the Israelis have said about him. Shaina Oppenheimer from BBC Monitoring goes through some of the reaction to his death, including from Palestinians and Arab social media.
And with the help of the BBC’s International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, we get answers to the big questions like what does this mean for the hostages taken on 7th October and the possibility of a ceasefire? Does this mean the war in Gaza will come to an end? And what will happen to Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, UK and European Union?
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Kevyah CardosoEditor: Verity Wilde
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Tensions between Israel and the United Nations over its peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon have escalated in recent weeks. UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fired at one of their positions and that tanks forced entry into another of its compounds, injuring 15 peacekeepers. Israel says that Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) has failed to prevent Hezbollah establishing itself in southern Lebanon, which is one of its main responsibilities, and has ordered Unifil to leave. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, European Union, Israel and Gulf Arab states.
BBC Middle East correspondents Hugo Bachega and Wyre Davis, in Beirut and Jerusalem respectively, explain what exactly has been happening in Lebanon and the history of the row between Israel and the United Nations.
We also hear from Major Shubham Thuwal, a UN peacekeeper from India who is stationed in Lebanon, to learn about what a peacekeeper actually does.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Julia Ross-Roy, Maria Clara Montoya and Adam ChowdhuryEditor: Verity Wilde
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It’s less than three weeks until the US election where voters will decide who they want their next president to be: either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. Overall, voters under 35 will make up about a third of the electorate, so the youth vote is an important one. But which issues matter most to them?
BBC reporter Nathalie Jimenez in New York explains why the economy is at the front of everyone’s minds. And The Climate Question’s Jordan Dunbar, who’s just back from a road trip across the US swing state of Georgia, shares what matters to voters there.
Credit: Clips of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump come from the White House (May 10, 2023 President’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics), and ABC News Presidential Debate (2024).
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: William Lee AdamsProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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On Monday after Hurricane Milton forced a delayed launch, a spacecraft that will hunt for signs of alien life on one of Jupiter’s icy moons blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Europa Clipper will now travel 1.8 billion miles to reach Europa, a deeply mysterious ice moon orbiting Jupiter. It won’t arrive until 2030 but what it finds could change what we know about life in our solar system.
BBC Climate and Science reporter Georgina Rannard details the ambitious mission and Dr Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science and Physics at MIT, explains how we can detect signs of life beyond earth.
We also hear from Britney Schmidt, a professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, who played a pivotal role in designing an ice-penetrating laser for the space mission. Plus, Planetary Microbiologist Mark Fox-Powell, shares the profound implications of potentially discovering life beyond our planet.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducers: Kevyah Cardoso and Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde
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