What in the World

BBC World Service
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Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

  1. 22 HR AGO

    How big a deal is Andrew being arrested?

    Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - formerly known as Prince Andrew - has now been released under investigation, after he was arrested on Thursday (on his birthday!) on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Police are looking into allegations that the former prince shared official documents with the late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Police have been searching his properties, but this arrest is not related to any sexual offences and Andrew has always denied all wrongdoing. It’s still a significant moment, as the first time in modern history that a senior member of the British Royal Family has been arrested. His brother, King Charles, has said in a statement, “the law must take its course”. In this episode, we explain what Andrew is being investigated for, what it might mean for the future of the British Royal Family - and the effect it could have on the ongoing calls for accountability for people with links to Epstein. We also have two past episodes you might want to listen to. One where we explain why why Andrew was stripped of his title: The Andrew Formerly Known as Prince https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct73mj And another all about the final drop of the Epstein files: Who and what are in the Epstein files https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct73y0 Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

    9 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    Why is the gold price so high right now?!

    What’s going on with the price of gold? The precious yellow metal is super important to lots of cultures across the world. In China, its a big part of the Lunar New Year, while in India, gold gifts are linked to marriage traditions. And of course - most of us have dreams of getting our hands on some gold jewellery! So in this episode, William Lee Adams, from the What in the World team and former host of Marketplace Morning Report, will give us all the deets on those rising rates. We’ll chat the changing value of gold, spot price vs bullion, what’s behind it and why you should care. Plus, Anahita Sachdev, a reporter in the US, takes us through India’s relationship with gold. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Emilia Jansson Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

    12 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    It’s the year of the Fire Horse!

    We’re talking about Lunar New Year - it’s the year of the fire horse and it’s the first time this particular combination of Chinese zodiac sign and element has rolled around in 60 years, and the hype is real. The story, myth and legend of the animals of the Chinese New Year calendar comes from an ancient Chinese poem telling the story of 12 mythical animals who ended up racing each other to decide which order they would appear in the Chinese zodiac. We’re gonna get into how the Lunar New Year is celebrated across the world, hear from some BBC pals about how they’re celebrating and also from some of you guys about your traditions and why this year is special. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

    13 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    Does birth order shape your personality?

    We’ve spotted some of you on your socials talking about eldest sibling vs youngest sibling behaviour. It got us wondering if when you’re born can affect personality, relationships and outlook on life. We all know the stereotypes; the eldest child is more conscientious and responsible. The middle child gets overlooked and craves attention. The youngest is indulged and a risk-taker. Personality psychologist Julia Rohrer, from Leipzig University in Germany breaks down what’s science and what’s fiction. We hear the experiences from three of our BBC pals; Faith Oshoko in Nigeria, Santiago Vanegas Maldonado from Colombia and Jacob Evans in the UK. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq (eldest) Producers: Julia Ross Roy (only child), Benita Barden (middle) and Mora Morrison (youngest) Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal (youngest) Editor: Verity Wilde (eldest)

    13 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    Trump vs Climate: The Showdown

    President Trump isn’t a big believer in climate change - he’s called it a ‘hoax’ and ‘con job’ in the past. But last week saw one of his boldest moves against US climate policy since becoming president - the termination of the endangerment finding. It’s a ruling that was made in 2009, when Barack Obama was in the White House, and it’s served as the legal basis for lots of other regulations aiming to cut pollution since then. So, it looks like Trump is locked in a showdown with climate policy… but what could this hold for the future? In this episode, we explain exactly what the ruling is, why Trump has decided to revoke it, and what this could mean for you. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

    12 min

  6. 13 FEB

    What the popularity of period dramas says about modern dating

    “Wuthering Heights” is back and so is Bridgerton. Period dramas are having a moment. Why are we loving them so much right now? We hear from fans around the world; Tasha in Canada, Gracie in the US and Radhika in India. Chelsea from the What in the World team explains some of the reasons, like wanting more slow burn romance and courtship in our modern dating, and more accountability when it comes to ghosting. Faye Woods from the University of Reading in the UK tells us how female representation plays a role too. We also discuss whether some of the relationships in these period dramas should be something we aspire to… Heathcliff and Cathy we’re looking at you. Happy Galentine’s Day to all our listeners! Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Chelsea Coates, Julia Ross Roy, and Ash Mohamed Editor: Verity Wilde

    12 min

  7. 12 FEB

    Chinamaxxing: How ‘being Chinese’ became cool online

    As usual, we have been spending far too much time on social media, watching endless videos and scrolling for days. One thing that keeps on coming up is people talking about ‘Chinamaxxing’. This all about Gen Z celebrating and recognising their Chinese technology and Chinese brands…and then choosing to use more of these Chinese-made products than they have before. But it’s going further than that. It’s now a trend to embody a supposed ‘Chinese’ lifestyle. We chat with Shawn Yuan from our Global China Unit and BBC reporter Nathalie Jimenez to hear about how this trend is going down with the Chinese community around the world. Plus two content creators share their thoughts with us - Chao Ban and Yunyun Gu. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Julia Ross Roy, Chelsea Coates and Emilia Jansson Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

    12 min

  8. 11 FEB

    Are Instagram and YouTube 'addiction machines'?

    A landmark trial is underway in California that examines the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube. Lawyers for the plaintiff, referred to as K.G.M., will argue that she suffered from mental health issues as a result of social media addiction. Her team claims that the named social media companies deliberately built “addiction machines” that use the algorithm to keep young people hooked. K.G.M.’s lawyers also argue that Meta and YouTube failed to warn of the dangers to young users posed by the design of their platforms. Instagram and YouTube deny the allegations and argue that they can’t be held liable for users’ behaviour. Lily Jamali, the BBC’s North America Technology correspondent, is in Los Angeles for the case. She explains the arguments on both sides, previews who we will hear from and discusses the potential implications. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Ash Mohamed Editor: Verity Wilde

    11 min
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About

Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC World Service
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    674
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    What in the World

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