What in the World

A 20 year old woman in the US has successfully sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media, winning $6million in damages. Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed her mental health.This result is likely to have implications for hundreds of similar cases now winding their way through US courts. Meta and Google said they disagreed with the verdict and intended to appeal.In this episode BBC tech correspondent Joe Tidy explains the arguments made in the trial and whether this decision could lead to any changes in the way they work. And we hear your views on whether you think these apps are addictive and what you make of the ruling.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Benita Barden, William Lee Adams and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham, Michael B Jordan and AFC Bournemouth, Snoop Dogg and Swansea City FC. And now YouTuber KSI and Dagenham and Redbridge. There’s a growing list of celebrities investing in lower league English and Welsh football clubs. But is this a good thing for the clubs? And how much influence do these celebs actually have? Emma Middleton from BBC Sport explains. We also hear from some fans around the world. It’s not just English and Welsh football. Celebrities are also buying into American football teams, Formula One and cricket with the Indian Premier League. Journalist Janhavee Moole tells us about the situation in India. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Benita Barden, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

The war in Iran isn't just affecting people in countries directly involved in the conflict. It has driven up oil prices around the world, impacting the lives of people from the Philippines and India to Nigeria. Nick Marsh, our Asia business correspondent, explains how some governments are reacting.Plus we hear from Azadeh Moshiri, our correspondent in Dubai. She explains how Iran’s strikes on the UAE have impacted its reputation.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

South Africa is facing a water crisis. South Africa is one of the driest countries in the world. It relies on its rainwater, levels of which are unpredictable, unevenly distributed, and decreasing as a result of global warming. But the main issue contributing to water shortages is ageing infrastructure; rusting pipes that break and leak. And there are also allegations of theft by “water tanker mafias”. The BBC’s Mayeni Jones has been to a part of South Africa that’s been badly affected by droughts and water shortages to investigate these groups. She explains how they operate and what the government is doing to try to tackle the water mafia. And we hear from young South Africans who are affected by the water shortages. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

BTS are back! It’s the first time all seven members have been together since completing mandatory military service in South Korea. They’ve returned with a 14-track album titled Arirang and an 82-date world tour. Fans in South Korea were treated with the opportunity to see them for free in a huge opening night show in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. BBC Korean’s Yuna Ku tells us what it was like be at the comeback show. Plus we hear from those who watched the concert on Netflix from across the globe. Music journalists Clint Edwards and Chase Karng also give us their first impressions of Arirang. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams, Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The White House is stepping up their social media promotion on the war in Iran... with memes. Clips from the NFL, Spongebob Squarepants and Call of Duty have all been spliced together with scenes military strike footage from the Iran war, racking up millions of views on TikTok. President Trump’s team say it’s a modern way to get their message across to young audiences and show their military successes, but the comments show that not everyone agrees, and some argue that it trivialises the human cost of war.Anthony Zurcher, the BBC’s North America correspondent, explains it all - and tells us how this compares to the tactics previous US governments have used to depict conflicts. And social psychology Professor Sander van der Linden, who’s from Cambridge University, tells us how these hype videos can affect our perception of the war.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde

Looksmaxxing has been all over the internet lately - this is the trend aimed at young men and it’s based on the idea of self-improvement, maximising your physical attractiveness and increasing your sexual market value. It's been part of fringe reddit forums for years now but recently it’s become mainstream, with the hashtag going viral on TikTok, X and Instagram.The trend promotes extreme dieting, obsessive body ranking and pseudo-scientific cosmetic advice - including a recent "bonesmashing" trend which has been condemned by doctors. And it has links to incel and manosphere networks. BBC journalist Thomas Morgan explains looksmaxxing and why it’s become popular with young men, as well as some of the real life consequences. We speak to 22 year old actor Trevor Larcom about his own looksmaxxing journey and find out what he makes of the accusations of misogyny and toxic culture. And Stephen Imeh, who wanted to become the “first black looksmaxxer”, tells us about his experience. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison, Emilia Jansson and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

Senegal has been stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in January's final but Caf (the Confederation of African Football) has changed the result. It’s because Senegal's players walked off the pitch in protest when Morocco was given a penalty.We LOVE a bit of drama on What in the World and this truly feels like something out of our fave reality TV shows (think Big Brother, Traitors and America’s Next Top Model). Isaac Fanin, the guy with all the sports intel, was there on the night it happened and takes us through it - how are Africans feeling and what’s next? Will the Senegalese have to give up their medals?!Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

LED technology has been used to address a number of skin issues, such as eczema, mild to moderate acne and psoriasis in a medical setting. But now you can buy your own LED mask or device for use at home. Adverts are everywhere on social media, with lots of influencers promoting them. Mask developers make big claims that at-home LED masks can be used to treat acne scars, sun damage and fine lines - but what does the evidence show? BBC journalist Imogen James explains the trend and takes us through how and if these at-home LED masks work. Rio Rennalls from the What in the World team tells us why he uses one. Some dermatologists and experts have raised concerns about the efficacy of these masks. David Robert Grimes, a scientist and author in Ireland, gives us his views on the technology. And we hear from dermatologist Dr. Montserrat Fernández-Guarino.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

The 2026 Oscars are over, the red carpet has been rolled up and celebrities are polishing their golden awards at home in the quiet.The big winner of the night was political thriller One Battle After Another, which took home six wins including best picture. Other winners included Sinners star Michael B Jordan, who beat Timothée Chalamet to the best actor award, and Irish actress Jessie Buckley for her role in Hamnet. We’re sad the 98th Academy Awards are finished for another year, so we’re gonna dish out our own awards. Think ‘biggest flop’, ‘best roast’ and ‘woman of the year’.BBC Entertainment Reporter, Yasmin Rufo, announces our (not so) prestigious awards and gives us her ‘ins and outs’ for next year’s Oscars ceremony.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Harriet Oliver

The US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran two weeks ago. In response, Iran has launched more than 2,000 drones at targets across the Middle East, towards Israel and Gulf countries with US military bases. We’ve seen attacks on oil tankers, airports, and even luxury hotels and banks.The drones are causing considerable damage across the region considering they have a simple design and are relatively cheap to produce. The Shahed 136 long-range drone, which is manufactured in Iran, is estimated to cost between $20,000 to $50,000. Iran is thought to have mass-produced tens of thousands of the Shahed drones before the war, but we don’t know how much of that stockpile remains intact after days of US and Israeli strikes.The BBC’s Bernd Debusmann Jr explains why Iran is using these drones and why they are expensive to counter. We look to Ukraine, which has developed its own cheap drones to down Russian ones. And we discuss how Iran’s stockpiles of these drones could play a big factor in how long the war lasts. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Timothée Chalamet has come for ballet and opera. In an interview with Matthew McConaughey ahead of the Oscars he said… “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive even though it’s like, no one cares about this anymore.’” And, well, it turns out he was wrong, because lots and lots of people have been defending the industries with tons of passion. And it did get us thinking - how do ballet and opera sales compare to how they have done in the past? Do many people watch them? What are people in the industry, like Misty Copeland, doing to get more people into theatres? We get into it with Chelsea from the What in the World team (she’s also a ballet dancer, but sadly has never made it to a professional stage). And we hear from people who love ballet and opera, including two professional ballet dancers for The Australian Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Ash Mohamed Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Last week, during their opening match of the AFC Asia Cup football tournament, Iran’s women’s football team refused to sing the national anthem. The move was seen as an act of defiance, as it came shortly after American and Israeli strikes had killed Iran’s supreme leader. The players were subsequently called “wartime traitors” on Iranian state television.After being knocked out of the tournament on Sunday, several players decided to stay in Australia. Despite heavy surveillance from Iranian authorities, they escaped their hotel and were issued humanitarian visas by the Australian government. BBC Persian reporter Ghoncheh Habibiazad explains why the players took this action and the consequences the decision may have for them and their families. We also find out more about the significance of football to Iran’s leaders. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

Military-style weight loss camps in China are getting popular. You sign up voluntarily for a month and follow a strict daily routine, with intense exercises, mandatory trips to the scales and rules on snacking. Some people have called them “fat prisons”. So what’s it like to go to one? TL Huang from Australia tells us about her experience. We hear about the downsides of these kinds of “fat camps” from British nutritionist and personal trainer Luke Hanna. And Wanqing Zhang from the BBC’s Global China Unit explains why more people in China are signing up to them.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Iran’s state media has announced that Mojtaba Khamenei will be the country’s new supreme leader. He’ll replace his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint American and Israeli strike last week. The 56-year-old has largely kept a low profile. He has never held government office and only a limited number of photos and videos of him have ever been published.In this episode, you’ll hear what we know about Iran’s new supreme leader, and what this change in leadership could mean for the future of the war between Iran, Israel and the US.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow gap of water in the Middle East between Iran and the Arabian peninsula. About 3,000 or so ships sail through the Strait each month - that’s about 80 ships a day. About 20% of the world’s oil and gas passes through it. But now, it’s an active war zone. As the US and Israel continue strikes on Iran, and Iran launches missiles at Israel and nearby Gulf states in retaliation, key shipping routes are being disrupted as well as oil and gas production in the region.Iran says it has complete control of the Strait of Hormuz, and that it would "set fire" to any ships trying to pass through it. In this episode we explain how this war could affect the wider world and why closing the Strait of Hormuz could lead to higher prices for petrol, food and electronics for us all. Kayleen Devlin from BBC Verify tells us what’s happening to ships in the Strait of Hormuz and BBC business reporter Nick Marsh describes why parts of Asia are already feeling the effects. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Maria Clara Montoya and Ash Mohamed Editor: Verity Wilde

Wild bee species at risk of extinction in Europe have more than doubled in the last decade. And that matters more than you might think.Bees pollinate 75% of the crops we eat, from apples and tomatoes to carrots and raspberries. So if bee populations decline, our food system feels it too. So what’s actually driving the drop in wild bees? BBC climate & science correspondent Georgina Rannard breaks it down for us. We also hear from a beekeeper in Sierra Leone about protecting bees on the ground – and what simple changes could help them thrive closer to home.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Baldeep Chahal, Chelsea Coates, Emily Horler Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

The conflict between Israel and the US against Iran continues to escalate. At least one thousand civilians have been killed in Iran since the US-Israeli attacks began on Saturday, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. There is uncertainty about what happens next. As Iran enters its fifth day into the conflict, how do Iranians feel about it? Ghoncheh Habibiazad, who is a journalist for the BBC Persian Service, tells us how people who she’s spoken to in Iran are feeling. And we hear from Iranians outside the country for their hopes for Iran.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

For centuries, people have lived side by side with animals in harmony. But with habitats shrinking, animals such as lions and elephants are having to travel further to find food, sometimes stumbling into human territory. Crops and property are destroyed as farmers lose their livelihoods. And when their path crosses with humans it can get violent - even leading to death. As humans are killed by the animals, their communities go out to get revenge on the species.The BBC’s reporter Shingai Nyoka in Zimbabwe tells us about the situation in her country, and what governments across Africa are doing to ensure communities can live in harmony with the animals. Plus, we hear from WWF, an independent conservation organisation, and find out how it is dealing with human-wildlife conflict in Tanzania. 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 producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

The US and Israel have launched a massive military operation in Iran, carrying out a series of strikes that have killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as hundreds of Iranians. Iran has also launched strikes in response, targeting Israel, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and other countries and killing several civilians - and American military personnel - in the process.In this episode we answer some of your most searched questions on this developing conflict - including why the US and Israel have attacked Iran, who Iran has attacked in response, whether petrol prices will go up and how long this conflict could last.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates Editor: Harriet Oliver