What in the World

Antidepressants have been prescribed to help people with depression for decades. While they help millions, they also come with potential side effects. These can include nausea, a change in sleep patterns and low sex drive. But now, for the first time, the side effects of different types of the drug have been compared and ranked in a study. What are the differences? And will it change how people are prescribed the drug? BBC Heath and science correspondent James Gallagher explains. Do antidepressants have a different effect on younger people? We hear from BBC Newsbeat’s Eleanor Shearwood on a different study which has just begun, and is looking into this. And three young people also tell us their experience of being on antidepressants, and how it has changed them. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Imogen James and Emily Horler Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

The Catholic Church has appointed its first ever millennial saint — Carlo Acutis. A keen gamer and coder, the Italian teenager died aged only 15 back in 2006, days after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia. Since then, he’s earned the nickname ‘God’s influencer’ and developed a devoted following for the work he did to spread Catholic teaching during his short life.Catholic followers believe he was behind two miracles and over a million people have travelled to Assisi to see his preserved remains. So, how does the process of becoming a saint work? And is Carlo’s canonisation part of a bigger push to get more young people interested in the Catholic Church?BBC journalist Chelsea Coates explains all the steps towards becoming a saint. PopeCrave and a young Catholic tell us their thoughts about the Church’s first millennial saint.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Benita Barden, Maria Clara Montoya and Chelsea Coates Video Journalist: Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde

Fortnite, Roblox, Snapchat, Zoom, Duolingo, Delta Airlines, Amazon Prime, HBO, Hinge, Hulu, Outlook, Reddit, Lyft, Slack, Strava… These are just some of the apps which were impacted by AWS’s recent outage. AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. It’s the biggest provider of internet support services in the world, meaning that millions of people rely on it for everyday apps like internet banking and social media. Luckily the issue has now been fixed. But the outage has reignited the debate around whether countries are over-dependent on a handful of US tech firms which provide these services. BBC tech reporter Chris Vallance chats us through all we need to know. Plus, students and recent grads share how the outage impacted them.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Imogen James, Emily Horler and Mora Morrison Editor: Harriet Oliver

Methanol poisoning has surged in Brazil, mostly around São Paulo. At least three people have died, including a 30-year-old woman. Hundreds more have been poisoned. Methanol is a type of alcohol commonly found in cleaning products, fuel and antifreeze. It is highly poisonous, even in small amounts, and easily goes undetected - which makes it very dangerous. BBC Brasil’s Luiz Fernando Toledo has been investigating how Brazil’s methanol poisoning crisis started, and why it’s so widespread. He joins us to talk through his findings. Plus, a few young women in Brazil share why they’ve stopped drinking, and even socialising, all together. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Weeks of protests held in Madagascar drew to a close last week as a military leader was sworn in as the new president. It came after young people mobilised, demanding an end to power cuts and water shortages. The protests grew bigger, with the United Nations saying at least 22 people died, which the previous government disputes. BBC journalist Sammy Awami, who was in Madagascar during the unrest, joins us to explain what these protests were like and what the new leader is promising to young people. We also hear from protester Virgilus, who explains the frustrations he and his peers have and how they are feeling about the future. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde

The Nobel Prize is the most prestigious award in the world. Whether you win it for physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics - or, the most coveted of all, the peace prize, the process of choosing a winner is extremely secretive. President Donald Trump has been pretty clear he thinks he deserves it. But this year the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the opposition in Venezuela.The BBC’s Mark Lowen has been to Oslo in Norway, to get rare access to the room where the Nobel Peace Prize is decided. He explains the history of the awards, who makes the decisions and what you get if you win. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

Gen Z protests have been happening all around the world. And you might have seen photos of some of these protestors waving the same anime pirate flag in countries from Indonesia to Morocco. It’s from the hit Japanese manga show, One Piece that recently got a live action makeover on Netflix.In this episode, LaNeysha Campbell, a podcast host and anime fan based in the US, explains why One Piece has become such a big deal and talks us through some of the political themes within it. Panisa Aemocha, a BBC journalist in Thailand, tells us why protest movements in South Asia and South East Asia have been using these symbols. One of the other countries where people have been using the flag is Madagascar. Mika, from the campaign organisation Za Koa Hanorina, tells us what it means to him.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden, and Chelsea Coates Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

If you’ve checked out the label of your favourite leather accessories lately, you might see Made in China or Italy… but perhaps not Nigeria. The country exports nearly 90% of its hides, as part of a historic leather industry that feeds luxury labels around the world. But because the products are finished off abroad, you wouldn't know their origins. Now, Nigerian designers are working to change this and reclaim ownership. BBC reporter Elaine Chong explains how Nigerian tanneries make their leather - and why it’s so in demand. We hear from Nigerians working in the leather industry, who tell us how it’s changing. And Adedoyin Adeniji, a fashion writer who has worked with several Nigerian brands, tells us what challenges leather designers there are facing — and how they are working to overcome them.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

Taylor Swift has long dominated the world of music, but her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, had massive sales but mixed reviews. Could her reign ever come to an end or is she too big to fail?Mark Savage, the BBC’s Music Correspondent, chats through the new album with us and explains how views on Taylor Swift have changed over the years.Our BBC friend and Swiftie, Hayley Clarke, investigates some of the easter eggs on one of the album tracks (you’ll be into this if you’re a romantasy fan…) And we hear from some Swifties - what do they think of TLOAS and is Taylor unstoppable?Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Maria Clara Montoya Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

What’s small, sausage-shaped, wrinkly and pink? No… not that… Get your mind out of the gutter.It’s a naked mole rat!!! A new study of the odd-looking rodent shows that they’ve evolved a DNA repair mechanism that could explain why they live for so long. They have a max life span of nearly 40 years.Victoria Gill, our Science Correspondent and strange animal expert, explains why they live so long and what human science can learn from these quite wonderful critters.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

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire, arranged by US President Trump. Under the agreement Hamas will release all Israeli hostages, alive and dead, and Israel will release Palestinian prisoners in exchange. Israeli forces are expected to partially withdraw from Gaza, and humanitarian aid is to be allowed into the territory. This is described as the first phase of Donald Trump’s 20-point “peace plan”. We hear how it’s being received by people in Gaza and Israel.In this episode, with the help of the BBC journalists like Lyse Doucet and Anthony Zurcher, we answer some of the big questions people are asking, including how it all started, why has this deal been agreed now and what will happen to Gaza? We also explain what still needs to be negotiated. This episode was recorded on Friday 10th October 2025 at 1430GMT. For further updates please check the BBC News Live page.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Benita Barden, Emily Horler and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

The Golden Triangle, a border region of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos is the world’s most active production zone for synthetic drugs like methamphetamine. Synthetic drugs are made from chemicals, instead of plants. But yaba - which has been around for decades and is a mix of caffeine and meth - has swept across the region and hit Thailand particularly hard because it’s really cheap and easy to come by. According to UN Office of Drugs and Crime, in 2024 Thailand seized more than 1 billion yaba tablets.We speak to BBC Thai reporter, Panisa Aemocha in Bangkok about who is making yaba, how authorities are trying to tackle it, and why people are detoxing from it in a Buddhist monastery. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Renewables are now the world’s leading source of electricity and China has boosted its solar and wind capacity more than the rest of the world combined. But it’s also one of the world’s biggest polluters and is thought to be behind 30% of global emissions. So what's behind the country's boom in green energy - and are other countries set to follow suit?Tony Han from the BBC’s Global China Unit explains why China is pushing ahead in renewable energy — and how we might power our homes, gadgets and daily lives in the future.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Chelsea Coates Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Emily Horler

A teenager recently died in Mexico, reportedly after having cosmetic surgery. Paloma Nicole was just 14. Her dad claims he didn’t know she was having surgery until after she died. BBC Global Affairs Reporter Mimi Swaby joins us to talk through the details.#Lasniñasnonecesitanimplantes (girls don’t need implants) has also been trending. We hear why some people online are so angry, and why the Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has even commented on the case. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

Cameroon’s president Paul Biya is 92-years-old. He’s been the president for decades. This weekend Cameroonians will vote in presidential elections to decide if he will continue in this role. Despite some criticisms, as well as a host of security and economic challenges, many believe that Paul Biya stands a strong chance of victory. BBC journalist Paul Njie, who’s based in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé, joins us to share all we need to know about Cameroon’s upcoming presidential elections - including which issues are important to young voters. And this election has us thinking: how old are other global leaders, and is 90 the new 70 in politics? Jem Westgate from the What in the World team explains. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Jem Westgate Editor: Verity Wilde

Afghanistan has just come out of an internet blackout, which paralysed businesses, banks and airports and cut people off from their friends and family. People in the capital Kabul celebrated in the streets when the Taliban government finally switched it back on. So what do we know about why it was shut down in the first place? And what impact did it have on women in the country, where the Taliban has banned girls over the age of 12 from receiving an education? Alia Rajai from the BBC’S Afghan Service explains.It’s not uncommon to hear about the internet being shut down for political reasons, like during elections, protests and times of civil unrest. Felicia Anthonio from Access Now, a non-profit organisation which campaigns for digital rights, tells us how common internet blackouts are around the world. Plus, Jacqui Wakefield, a BBC tech reporter breaks down how governments can turn off the internet.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Maria Clara Montoya and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde

In 2017 a cruise ship called the Caledonian Sky was sailing near the Raja Ampat islands in Indonesia when it ran aground in the shallow waters and got stuck. The coral reef was severely damaged. Raja Ampat is one of the world’s most popular dive sites and a national park. The accident caused a serious loss of marine diversity and affected the livelihoods of the islanders, who rely on fishing and tourism. After a long investigation, an out of court settlement was reached, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And this money has been used to repair the coral reefs, with the indigenous population playing a crucial role. Normally coral can take years and years to grow back, but this project is already yielding results, after just a few months. We chat to Lesthia Kertopati, a BBC journalist in Jakarta, about this multi-million dollar coral reef restoration project.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

It is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio AKA Bad Bunny’s year. In January, he released Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, his sixth album, with great reception from audience and critics and a heavy influence of Puerto Rican culture and sounds. In July he started a two-month gig residency in San Juan, which has boosted the island's economy, and in November he will start a world tour that is largely sold out. In a twist of events, he will play the US after all, but for one night only. He's been confirmed as the headliner for next year's NFL Super Bowl halftime show in California. It’s a huge deal every year- in 2024 it had about 124 million viewers in the US, making it the most watched broadcast since the 1969 Moon landing. In a recent interview Bad Bunny ruled out an American tour out of fear that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents could do raids at his concerts. The BBC's Nathalie Jimenez tells us more about this Super Bowl announcement and Bad Bunny's success. We also hear from Fiama, from Puerto Rico, who's been lucky enough to see one of his shows. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden, Maria Clara Montoya and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

In Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, two countries in central Asia between Russia and China, there is a so-called tradition of bride kidnapping. Young women are abducted, often in broad daylight, and taken to a man’s house, where they are pressured into accepting his marriage proposal. It’s illegal in both countries but recently the president of Kazakhstan announced a law to further crack down on it and increase the penalties for the perpetrators.In this episode Malika Burieva, a content creator who covers central Asia, explains where this practice comes from and why people do it. Kubat Kasymbekov, from the BBC Kyrgyz service, tells us how two high profile cases of bride kidnapping led to protests and calls for action and why so few cases get to court.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Chelsea Coates and Benita Barden Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish may not have much in common, but they do share one thing: asking fans to put their phones away at their concerts. Across the world of music, more artists and venues are asking people to stop filming every moment of the gig and instead, live in the moment to have an authentic experience. However, some artists say fans filming their best moments can help them go viral and boost their careers.Adam Chowdhury from the What in the World team explains what’s happening on the dance floors around the globe.We hear from DJs who support no phones on the dance floor. South Korea’s Marcus L tells us about the no-phone rules at club FAUST - the venue he co-founded in Seoul. Plus, German DJ duo Tube & Berger have released a single called ‘No Phones’ which they say is a “protest song” against the use of phones at gigs.One feature of the world-famous Berlin nightlife is its broad ban on phone usage on its dance floors. Caitlin from the Renate & ELSE clubs tells us why most clubs in German capital don’t allow people to use cameras at their venues.And London DJ Dwayne Parris Robinson explains why he prefers people to have their phones out capturing the best moments whenever he’s behind the decks.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Adam Chowdhury and Abiona Boja Editor: Emily Horler