Episodes
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Two years ago, rapper and music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs threw a lavish 53rd birthday party at his $61m mansion in Beverly Hills. A host of stars lined up to toast his career with a guest list that included Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Mary J Blige, Kehlani, Tinashe, Chris Brown and Machine Gun Kelly.
The party coincided with his 30th year in the music industry - three decades in which he formed his own entertainment empire and changed the sound of hip-hop, both as an artist and a producer for the likes of Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and The Notorious B.I.G. Fast-forward to 2024, and everything has changed.
This week, P Diddy was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. He’s pleaded not guilty. The BBC’ Sam Granville explains the case, and if this could be hip-hop’s #MeToo moment. And William Lee Adams from the What in the World team reminds us of Diddy’s career and dominance.
This episode contains discussion about sexual assault and harassment. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this episode please contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support for survivors of sexual abuse, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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This week thousands of pagers and walkie talkies exploded all at once in Lebanon. Dozens were killed and thousands injured. These gadgets were used to communicate by members of Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group in Lebanon. Israel is widely believed to be behind these attacks, but Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement. There are fears this could make the ongoing conflict in the Middle East even worse.
Speaking from Beirut, the BBC’s Rami Ruhayem talks us through the aftermath of the attack and explains what Hezbollah is and how it started. He also discusses why Israel may have done this.
Why was Hezbollah using these old-fashioned devices and how did they explode? The BBC’s cyber correspondent Joe Tidy tells us more (and explains what a pager is). And Gordon Corera, the BBC’s security correspondent, gives us a short summary of other covert operations - and why this one is different.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara MontoyaEditor: Verity Wilde
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Sex education is a hot topic around the world. In Hong Kong, the Education Bureau has released teaching materials that suggest teenagers who want to have sex with each other should “go out to play badminton together” instead. The materials also encourage students to “resist” pornography and exercise self-control. That’s opened a discussion about sex education and whether officials understand the needs and concerns of young people.
Koey Lee, a BBC journalist in Hong Kong, explains how young people have reacted to the guidance.
We also hear from Yuri Ohlrichs - a certified sexologist and expert in sex education at Rutgers. That’s an organisation in The Netherlands that works to improve sexuality education and information for young people.
And Yeside Olayinka-Agbola, a sexual health educator in Lagos, Nigeria, explains how she is using apps like Instagram to help young Nigerians get sexual health information they’re struggling to find elsewhere.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and William Lee AdamsEditor: Julia Ross-Roy
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On Sunday authorities say a second attempt was made on the life of Donald Trump. A gunman was allegedly hiding in the bushes on one of Mr Trump’s golf courses just 500 yards from the US presidential candidate. He was spotted by a Secret Service agent who opened fire at the suspect and whisked Mr Trump to safety. The alleged gunman was later arrested.
On this episode we go through the latest about what happened over the weekend, the gunman’s identity and what motivations he might have had. Plus Alex from the What in the World team goes into detail about who the Secret Service are and what we know about how they work.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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American entrepreneur and billionaire Jared Isaacman has become the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space. According to Time magazine, he paid $200million for the privilege. Georgina Rannard, a BBC climate and science reporter, talks us through the mission, including his super suit, and the risks involved. Georgina also updates us on those two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) following technical difficulties. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore spoke at a press event on Friday, where they appeared upbeat and optimistic. We hear about how they’re keeping busy, and the challenges of living in a zero-gravity environment for so long.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Alex Rhodes Producers: William Lee Adams and Mora MorrisonEditor: Verity Wilde
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Huge parts of Brazil are on fire. And it’s not just the drier areas. It’s the wetlands and the rainforests, too. Smoke from the fires can even be seen from space. Brazil has long struggled with wildfires, but they’re getting harder to control. And on top of this, Brazil is also experiencing its worst drought since records began 70 years ago.
Leandro Prazeres, a BBC reporter in the capital, Brasilia, explains how bad it is right now and what’s caused the fires. BBC Brasil reporter Giulia Granchi tells us about the wildlife in the affected areas; the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado savannah and the Pantanal wetlands.
And Patricia Zanella, a gender activist who represented the Brazilian government’s youth delegation at COP last year tells us what she wants to see from her leaders to tackle these wildfires.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Gabriela BoccaccioEditor: Verity Wilde
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Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder caused by abnormal red blood cells. It can cause sudden bouts of severe pain, as well as fatigue, a stroke, even death. It’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, but there’s still some stigma and a lot of misunderstanding around the condition.
We hear from Dunstan Nicol-Wilson, who was born with the condition, about what it’s like to grow up with sickle cell, and whether people’s attitudes are changing.
Around 80% of sickle cell cases worldwide are in sub-Saharan Africa. Makuochi Okafor, BBC Africa health reporter, tells us how it is inherited and what the symptoms can be. Nigeria has the largest population of individuals with sickle cell in the world, so he tells us how sickle cell is treated there.
Also last year the UK became the first country in the world to license a new gene-editing tool known as Crispr, as a treatment for sickle cell disease. Kesewaa Browne, a journalist in the U.K. tells us what treatments are already available and how Crispr could change things.
nstagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-RoyEditor: Verity Wilde
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Last week in the US State of Georgia 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly walked into his Apalachee High School, took out a gun and shot two students and two teachers dead. It’s the 45th school shooting to happen in America this year.
With an upcoming election taking place in November is there any desire from the country’s top politicians for change?
We speak to the BBC’s North America Correspondent Anthony Zurcher about the complicated laws around gun ownership.
And we also hear from campaigner Zoe Touray, who survived the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan in 2021.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes, Benita Barden and Josh JenkinsEditor: Verity Wilde
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YouTube might seem like an easy way to make money, but hungry algorithms and nasty comments are leading to fatigue and depression.
Hannah chats to William from the What in the World team about his pretty successful side hustle as a YouTuber. He explains why more and more content creators are leaving the platform due to “burnout” and the pressure content creators feel under to pander to the algorithm.
We also hear from Roly West, a queer British YouTuber specialising in piercings, tattoos and body modifications and Eugoson Quorch, a tech Youtuber from Nigeria.
And Robyn Caplan, Assistant Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, explains how YouTube makes money from its content creators.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah Gelbart with William Lee AdamsProducers: Kevyah Cardoso, Julia Ross-Roy and Imogen JamesEditor: Verity Wilde
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Venezuela’s opposition candidate, Edmundo González, has arrived in Spain after being granted asylum. He’d spent weeks in hiding following a disputed election which erupted into unrest across the country. He’s said he will continue to fight from the outside. Many believe González is the rightful president, however the official result gave the incumbent Nicolás Maduro another term. With González in exile, what will happen now? The BBC’s Mimi Swaby brings us up to speed and talks us through crackdowns on political opposition in Venezuela.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex RhodesProducers: Emily Horler and Shiler MahmoudiEditor: Verity Wilde
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A lot of films and TV shows like Game of Thrones, Dune, and Shadow and Bone have their own languages, and some are so complex that they have lore and history. But have you ever wondered how languages like Dothraki are created, or if the actors are just making it up as they go along?
We take our questions to married couple Jessie and David Peterson whose shared love of linguistics and making up languages has led to them working for some very famous shows. They talk us through how they come up with languages.
And the BBC’s resident gamer, Mel Ramsey, takes us on a journey into gaming and the role that languages like Skyrim's Dovahzul play in bringing games to life for fans.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex RhodesProducers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden, Adam Chowdhury and Shiler MahmoudiEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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Some university students in Kenya have been protesting a new funding model which, they say, favours the rich. The government says the changes are needed to help with funding issues. The BBC’s Anita Nkonge, based in Nairobi, explains.
Many universities around the world are struggling with the cost of living, and this burden is often felt most sharply by students. We know that students have been questioning if university is worth the cost for a while, but now it feels like this debate is hotter than ever. We chat through why uni can be so expensive, as well as the pros and cons of going.
Ishan Sharma, a YouTuber from India, dropped out of studying engineering and is now living his best life with no regrets. He shares his story, and tips for people considering a life without a degree.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenters: Alex Rhodes and Zofia LouiseProducer: Mora MorrisonEditor: Julia Ross-Roy
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Chappell Roan has posted on TikTok about "creepy behaviour" she's experienced in person and online. She’s one of this year’s most successful popstars with a growing fanbase, but are some of those fans starting to overstep the mark?
Pete Allison, our BBC Newsbeat reporter, tells us what Chappell has been saying.
We also look at K-pop fandoms with our Bilingual Reporter, Julie Yoonnyung Lee. There’s even a word in Korean to describe an obsessive fan who invades the privacy of a star - sasaeng.
And Veronica Lamarche, a psychologist who has done studies on parasocial relationships, tell us what signs to look out for that your interest in a celeb has turned into an obsession.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex RhodesProducers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Emilia JanssonEditor: Simon Peeks
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Millions of students around the world will be starting a new term of school or university this month. And one thing they might notice is more conversations around how education is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT.
Some people think ChatGPT is a way to cheat and bypass proper learning, while others are excited about how it could make education more efficient. Tech journalist Rhiannon Williams talks us through both sides of the debate.
We also hear from Grace Kejo, a 17-year-old student based in Tanzania, who shares how she uses the tool. And Daniel Herman, a high school English teacher in Berkeley, US, explains how he teaches his students to use it responsibly.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex RhodesProducers: Mora Morrison and Zof HareEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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The market for men’s beauty and grooming is blowing up, with more masculine beauty products on the shelves than ever before. It’s not uncommon to see men with manicures. And people like Harry Styles, Pharrell Williams and Idris Elba have even launched luxury product lines. It’s estimated that the global male grooming market will be worth $115 billion by 2028. It’s fair to say male beauty standards are changing. We hear from Enioluwa Adeoluwa, a Nigerian influencer known as ‘Lipgloss Boy’, about how practices have changed globally and in Nigeria. We also brush up on make-up for men, and speak to Adrián Ríos about how American beauty influencers are shaking up global standards. Plus if you’re a bloke wanting to change up your look we’ve got some tips for you. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex RhodesProducers: Emily Horler and Benita BardenEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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Pavel Durov’s arrest could impact free speech, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Over the last few years the social media and messaging app Telegram has become increasingly popular. It’s different from other apps, like WhatsApp and Facebook, partly because it allows you to create massive groups, of up to 200,000 people. But the app has also faced criticism relating to disinformation, and the sharing of conspiracist, neo-Nazi, paedophilic, or terror-related content.
On Wednesday Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was placed under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into organised crime on the app. BBC tech reporter Graham Fraser tells us what we need to know about Telegram, and this investigation.
Telegram has often been used by pro-democracy protesters, including in Hong Kong. The BBC’s Fan Wang explains.
And there has been a massive reaction to Durov’s arrest in Russia. The BBC’s Karine Mirumyan tells us why the Russian military, and government, use the app - and whether this arrest could impact the war in Ukraine.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Mora Morrison and Zofia LouiseEditor: Verity Wilde
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For the past 100 years diamonds have been the ultimate symbol of love, luxury and opulence. But then, a darker side to them was exposed. Diamond mining was shown to have links to conflict, human rights abuses and state corruption, putting off a lot of consumers. Lab-grown diamonds then appeared on the market as a more eco-friendly, ethical and cheaper alternative, but do they have the same appeal?
We speak to Caroline Steel, a BBC Science presenter, about what makes the gems so precious and the science behind how diamonds are formed.
We also hear from Shingai Nyoka, a BBC Africa reporter, about Africa’s relationship to diamond production, and the discovery of the second-largest mined diamond in Botswana in August.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Emily Horler and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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The war in Gaza has lead to a surge in settler violence. Extreme Israeli settlers are the perpetrators behind the attacks. Not only have they become more aggressive, Israeli settlers have also seized more and more land.
One spokesperson from Peace Now, an Israeli organisation that monitors settlement growth, says Jewish extremists in the West Bank are exacerbating an already tense and volatile situation, and making it harder than ever to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. So will these settlements will permanent? The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell explains.
On Wednesday Israeli forces launched a "counterterrorism operation" in the occupied West Bank which includes air strikes and ground troops in several Palestinian towns and cities - including in Jenin and Tulkarm.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Emilia JanssonEditor: Verity Wilde
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With the Olympics over the eyes of the sporting world are back on Paris once again ahead of the start of the Paralympic Games.
More than 4000 athletes will be competing for 549 medals over the next two weeks in sports such as Boccia, Swimming and Wheelchair Rugby.
We hear from Egyptian swimmer Malak Abdelshafi on what it means to represent her country at the games.
And BBC Sport’s Peter Harding tells us what sports and which athletes to watch out for.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Josh Jenkins, Adam Chowdhury and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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Last week the newly announced CEO of Starbucks landed in hot water when it emerged that he’d be commuting from his home in California to the Starbucks headquarters in Washington using a private jet. The 1,600 km, three-hour commute stoked a wave of criticism online.
It’s not the first time a public figure has come under fire for their eye-watering air mileage; earlier this year media outlets began scrutinising Taylor Swift's carbon footprint after a student began posting her flight information online by using publicly available data to track the take-offs and landings of privately owned planes belonging to the rich and famous. Her lawyers threatened to sue him, saying that the tracking amounted to "stalking." In 2022, Twitter banned the same student’s profile after Elon Musk accused him of sharing his "assassination coordinates".
But when a four-hour private flight emits as much as the average person does in a year, climate campaigners say that the cost to the planet is not worth the convenience.
BBC business reporter Charlotte Edwards unpacks the Starbucks CEO’s controversial commute and lifts the curtain on the business of luxury air travel. And our climate and science reporter Esme Stallard explains the environmental cost of the industry.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Kevyah Cardoso and Adam ChowdhuryEditor: Verity Wilde
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