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Rating
4.3from
This podcast has
858 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
BBC World ServiceExplicit
No
Date created
2023/07/10
Latest episode
2026/11/05
Average duration
11 min.
Release period
2 days
Description
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.
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Check latest episodes from What in the World podcast
Is ‘ferritin face’ a real thing?
2026/11/05
You might’ve seen lots of chat online about ‘ferritin face’ alongside zoomed in before and after pics of people’s faces. Some claim that changes in their appearance, like pale skin and hair loss, are down to having low ferritin levels.
But what even is ferritin? It’s the protein responsible for storing iron in the body. Iron is important for creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. It’s needed for things like your energy levels, skin and hair health. So, can you tell if your ferritin levels are low just by your face? We break it down with the BBC’s Zara Salaria and Dr Aziza Sesay, who specialises in female health.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mollie Perella and Zara Salaria
Editor: Verity Wilde
Midterm elections: How the Democrats beat President Trump’s Republicans
2026/11/04
Democrats in the US have won control of Congress in the midterm elections. They’ve done better than even the polls suggested - winning seats held by Republicans for decades. But what does that actually mean?
BBC reporter and What in the World’s resident American, William Lee Adams, breaks down what the elections were for, what voters were most concerned about, what it means for President Trump and his Republican party as well as some of the notable firsts among the victors. And we’re hearing from young voters in some of the states that have changed parties this year
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Emily Horler
Editor: Verity Wilde
The ghost jobs haunting your job hunt
2026/11/03
While job hunting have you ever spotted a job ad that never seems to go away? When you apply you don’t get a reply, let alone a rejection. You may have spotted a ghost! Or a ghost job.
In fact, it’s happening so much ‘ghost jobs’ was on the shortlist for Collins dictionary word of the year (mogging won in the end).
According to a study across the US, UK and Germany up to 22% of jobs posted online last year were listed with no intent to hire. We speak to BBC Business reporter, Megan Lawton about why some companies are choosing to post ‘ghost jobs’ and why some governments are trying to ban them.
Plus, we hear from Sundus who is searching for work and we get some tips from Patricia, a career coach from Nyche careers.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mollie Perella and Emma-Louise Amanshia
Video Producer: Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
Why is the new Call of Duty game getting backlash?
2026/11/02
Modern Warfare 4 - the latest Call of Duty game - was already deemed controversial before its release. The main storyline depicts a fictional conflict in the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea invading the South. That’s upset many Koreans: More than one million people died in the real Korean War, and technically North Korea and South Korea remain at war because a peace deal was never signed. Loyal fans of the video game franchise were not put off by the controversial story line, as developers Activision have been inspired by real-life events in the past. But some fans discovered real footage from the Itaewon crowd crush, a tragedy completely unrelated to conflict, in the game. Victims’ families were horrified and complained. BBC Newsbeat’s Riyah Collins and Jake Kwon, the BBC’s correspondent in Seoul, explain how the game has been received.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
Hyrox could become an Olympic sport
2026/10/30
When you think of Hyrox, you might remember those viral pictures of an athlete pushing through the race even though diarrhoea was running down her legs.
Her name is Joanna Wietrzyk - and in an exclusive interview with the BBC, she’s described the fallout after she won the competition. She and Hyrox have previously apologised. She’s spoken to the BBC now about the online hate she got after the race (we’ve put the link to that interview at the bottom for you).
In Hyrox, competitors alternate between running a kilometre and doing fitness exercises, like a sled push, burpee jumps, indoor rowing, and lunges while carrying a sandbag.
What happened in those viral photos catapulted the fitness craze into the spotlight - but now it’s making headlines again, because of its bid to become an Olympic sport. So how has Hyrox got so popular - and does it have a good chance of making it into the Olympics?
BBC Health reporter and Hyrox athlete Annabel Rackham explains why Hyrox is taking off in a big way. BBC journalist Jacob Evans, who has also just done his first ever Hyrox, shares his experience, and explains some of the difficulties the sport could face in its Olympic bid. And sports journalist Emma Sunny tells us what she thinks this means for the world of sports more widely.
Also, the Olympics has a long history of including sports that you might not expect. We put Hannah to the test to see if she can guess which sports have made an appearance over the years.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde
The BBC's Hyrox athlete interview: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6gr8l15k744o
Would you use an 'Etsy witch'?
2026/10/29
Need good weather for your birthday? Want a date to go well? Maybe you’ve got exams coming up or want a promotion at work and need some good vibes. An 'Etsy witch' might be able to help…
There are loads of online witches on platforms, like eBay and Etsy, offering spells to help us with everything from love to money. But do they actually work? And why has witchcraft become so popular online?
Morgan from The Divine Eyes shop explains how she casts her spells, while we hear from people who’ve turned to online witches for help. Plus, William Lee Adams from the What in the World team explores the taboos surrounding witchcraft around the world.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Liv Cleal
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde
Why Kylian Mbappe has been cancelled in China
2026/10/28
Kylian Mbappé - the French football superstar sometimes nicknamed a ‘Dictator’ online - has found himself at the centre of a scandal in China this week, after mentioning one of the memes made about him. It shows his face on the body of Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader, and on a French talk show, when Mbappé describes it, he refers to Mao as a dictator.
The backlash against Mbappé has been huge. He’s been dropped by major Chinese brands, shops have pulled football shirts with his name off the shelves, and the state broadcaster has even stopped showing La Liga matches. Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga - the Spanish league - have all apologised.
So how did a joke about meme become so controversial in China - and what does it tell us about censorship in the country? Kerry Allen, the BBC’s China Media Analyst, talks us through it all - and we hear from the BBC Global China Unit’s Shawn Yuan, who explains how censorship in China is changing.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams
Editor: Verity Wilde
What Bukangi the shark in South Korea tells us about climate change
2026/10/27
For weeks, the city of Busan in South Korea has been playing host to an unexpected visitor. A Dusky shark nicknamed Bukangi. She swam into a canal in the city and simply won’t leave, despite efforts from experts to try to coax her back to the to the open sea.
Those attempts to move her have been live-streamed and Bukangi has become something of a celeb in Busan. There’s merchandise of her, posters with her as a cartoon have been put up and she’s been made the city’s un-official mascot.
Bukangi has helped boost visitors to the city - but what does she tell us about climate change? We hear from the BBC’s Jake Kwon, who’s in Busan, about the impact she’s had on the city, shark enthusiast @SarahShark tells us all about Dusky sharks and our climate reporter Esme Stallard explains why she might be there in the first place.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Mollie Perella
Producers: Emma - Louise Amanshia and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
How student protesters won against Serbia's Vučić
2026/10/26
Snap elections in Serbia have resulted in the toppling of the long-term leader, Aleksandar Vučić, as protest movement ‘The Student List’ won a decisive victory over the weekend.
Over the last two years, students have protested against the government after a concrete roof collapsed outside of a train station and 16 people were killed. Lots of people saw the disaster as a result of corruption and negligence in the country.
We hear from people on the streets of Belgrade celebrating this new era. But how did this win come about? Who will lead the country? And what is next for Serbia?
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Emma-Louise Amanshia
Producers: Emily Horler and Abigail Akerman
Editor: Verity Wilde
Five ways El Niño is affecting weather around the world
2026/10/23
El Niño has been strengthening for several months now and is already having a significant impact on global weather patterns.
Countries including Indonesia, India and the United States have been experiencing droughts, floods and heatwaves in line with projections about how extreme weather events will be supercharged by the phenomenon.
The World Meteorological Agency says the record-breaking El Niño will strengthen further and persist until at least 2027.
BBC reporter William Lee Adams speaks with BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas. She explains five ways its impact is already being felt around the world. Plus we hear from people experiencing the impact of extreme weather events in Singapore, India and Japan.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Emma-Louise Amanshia
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Emily Horler
Hangxiety: Why some people experience anxiety after drinking alcohol
2026/10/22
After drinking alcohol, some people don’t just have a headache - they feel guilt, dread, low mood and a deep sense of embarrassment.
It’s known as ‘hang-xiety’ or hangover anxiety, and science backs up that it’s a real phenomenon. Alcohol affects all systems in the body, including the brain. so it can cause psychological symptoms.
Millie Gooch, author of Hangxiety and speaker breaks down how the nervous system and brain are impacted when the effects of alcohol wear off. She also tells us how hangxiety played a role in her sobriety journey.
We also hear about some people’s experience with anxiety, and how it changed their relationship with alcohol.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
How have the protests in France changed?
2026/10/21
Protests are still ongoing across France, but now it’s no longer just about schools. People of all ages are protesting over a high cost of living. But there was violence and riots over the weekend, with thousands of arrests.
Dramatic pictures of wreckage, fires and police clampdowns have spread online and have had a huge response internationally. But what exactly is happening and why have things shifted since earlier protests this month? We hear from BBC reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis, about what has caused this intense shift.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
Why polyester is in its flop era
2026/10/20
Have a look at the label in the clothes you’re wearing today. Chances are, you’re wearing some polyester. It’s the most- produced synthetic fibre on the planet and it’s having a bit of a moment on socials. In a bad way…people are giving it up and swapping for more natural fibres.
You might’ve seen claims that polyester is linked to diseases like cancer and can cause fertility issues. But how worried should we be? Professor Mohamed Abdallah from the University of Birmingham breaks it down for us and Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains how we can make better clothing choices.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and Emily Horler
Editor: Verity Wilde
Why the word ‘vagina’ is getting blocked on social media
2026/10/19
Is educational content about women’s reproductive and sexual health being removed or restricted on social media apps? Content moderation tools are meant to flag specific words and imagery that breach platform guidelines, like showing nudity or explicit content, but posts that use clinical terms like ‘vagina’ are getting blocked too. BBC reporter, Ashitha Nagesh has been speaking to charities, campaigners and businesses about this issue.
We hear from three creators, Dr Aziza Sesay, Samantha Hadadi and Gigi Engle about their experience of being shadowbanned on social media and how it’s impacted their work.
And Martha Dimitratou is the founder of Repro Uncensored, a non profit that tracks censorship online, she tells us how this is impacting content creators on a global scale.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde
How flamingos in Albania sparked massive protests
2026/10/16
What began as a peaceful protest in Albania turned violent in October, as students took the lead, setting buildings on fire and clashing with police. They are demanding better university conditions, greater opportunities for young people – and an end to what they describe as a corrupt government.
This all goes back to a proposal to build a huge, luxury tourist resort in Zvërnec, where there’s a flamingo reserve. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is among the investors. But locals were unhappy at the impact the proposals would have on the flamingos and the nature in the area. So, they began to protest.
The Flamingo Movement has grown, and crowds are now chanting not just about the environment, but schools, jobs and living standards. We hear from some protesters, including 23-year-old activist, Brunela, who has become known as “the girl who started the revolution”. And Rita Behadini from the What in the World, breaks down the political landscape of Albania.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella, Baldeep Chahal and Rita Behadini
Editor: Verity Wilde
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