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Wildfires in Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Officials are worried more high winds could make the flames spread even further.
At the same time, new data shows that 2024 was the world's hottest year on record. So is climate change making these types of fires worse?
Esme Stallard, a BBC Climate and Science journalist, takes us through the conditions that contributed to the fire and why the flames are so hard to contain.
We also hear from people in LA about what it’s all been like for them, losing their homes and having to evacuate.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Iqra FarooqProducers: Emily Horler and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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Carbon offsetting is a way to try to balance carbon emissions. It’s when an individual, company or governments invest in projects that try to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, to compensate for their own carbon footprint.
Many of the schemes - like planting trees, protecting forests or switching to cleaner fuels - are set up in places like Africa or South America.
But how do these schemes work in practice? A paper published in 2024 in the science journal Nature found that few schemes led to a “real emission reductions“. Are they just a distraction or worse - a con? BBC climate and science reporter Esme Stallard answers our questions.
And Joshua Gabriel Oluwaseyi, a 24 year old climate activist in Nigeria, gives us his view on the impact carbon offsetting schemes have had in Nigeria - and whether he thinks they are worth doing.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara MontoyaVideo Journalist: Baldeep ChahalEditor: Verity Wilde
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Tibet was struck by a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. It’s been reported by Chinese state media that at least 126 people have died, making the quake one of the deadliest in recent years. The epicentre of the earthquake is near the Nepal-Tibet border, some hundred miles away from the holy city of Shigatse. More than 14,000 rescue workers are working to find survivors.
Much of what we know about the quake is from Chinese state media, as Tibet, which is considered an autonomous region of China, is highly restricted, and access by foreign media is tightly controlled. Shawn Yuan from the BBC’s Global China Unit, tells us what we know so far about the rescue efforts and why there’s limited information.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Iqra FarooqProducers: Emily Horler and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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Over the last few days the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, has turned his attention to European politics.
The billionaire owner of X has been relentlessly tweeting his criticism of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He’s also endorsed the far-right AfD party ahead of next month’s snap elections in Germany. These actions have been criticised by both the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Musk is known for being outspoken on political issues across the world. He endorsed incoming President Donald Trump during the US election, is close friends with the Prime Minister of Italy and has gotten into public disagreements with political figures in Brazil and Venezuela.
We discuss Musk's recent takes with the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Jessica Parker and Maria Clara Montoya from the WITW team takes a look at some of the feuds and friendships Musk has in Latin America.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Iqra FarooqProducers: Josh Jenkins and Maria Clara MontoyaEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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A silent asthma epidemic could be affecting millions of people in Africa. It’s estimated almost half of all the asthma sufferers in the world live on the continent, but many face barriers to diagnosis and treatment. Dorcas Wangira, the BBC’s Africa Health Correspondent in Nairobi, Kenya talks us through the growing body of research looking into how asthma is affecting children and teens in Africa. We also hear from Doyin Ogunye, a campaigner for better air quality in Lagos, Nigeria, about the links between asthma and air pollution. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Josh Jenkins, Mora Morrison, Carolyne Kiambo and Maria Clara MontoyaEditor: Rosanna La-Falce
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Bollywood films are known for their epic love stories, energetic dance numbers and huge stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra. However, the industry - like Hollywood - has faced a slump since the Covid pandemic.
But 2024 marked a new trend; the box office success of horror. Shaitaan, for example, earned over $25m worldwide. We speak to film critic and journalist Yasser Usman and Bollywood influencer Aaina Mehta to hear whether they think witches, zombies and evil spirits could pull more people back to the cinema.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita BardenEditor: Julia Ross-Roy
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In the middle of the Karakum desert in Turkmenistan, there’s a massive fiery pit officially called the Darvaza Crater - but also known as the “gates of hell”. The fire - which is man made - has been burning for over 50 years. But now satellite images suggest that the brightness of the crater has started to dim. Turkmenistan is trying to finally put out the fire.
Alex from the What in the World team tells us all about how the fire started and why it’s taken so long to put it out. We hear from explorer George Kourounis who is (as far as we know) the only person to go down into the pit.
And BBC journalist Alistair Coleman gives us some facts about Turkmenistan and its leaders.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Alex RhodesEditor: Verity Wilde
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The Rights of Nature movement wants to give inherent rights to nature - so forests, animals and rivers would have the right to protection. More and more countries are starting to adopt this kind of legislation. Ecuador became the first country in the world to codify Rights of Nature in its constitution in 2008. In New Zealand, legislation has recognised the mountainous region Te Urewera and the Whanganui River as legal persons. In 2022, the Spanish lagoon Mar Menor became the first natural entity to be granted legal status as a person within Europe. BBC Climate and science reporter Georgina Rannard explains how it works and whether the approach is helping to protect the environment.
Another part of the movement wants to see nature recognised for the role it plays in music too. The people behind a track called The Song of the Cedars are petitioning Ecuador’s copyright office to recognise Los Cedros forest as a co-creator, given it was composed there.
Sounds Right is a global music initiative which encourages artists who use sounds from nature - like rain or animal noises - in their tracks to redirect some of the royalties they collect to help conserve and protect nature. Bill Sellanga, aka Blinky Bill, a musician and DJ based in Nairobi, tells us why he signed up, for his track OH WAH feat. NATURE.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Nathalia JimenezProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Mora MorrisonEditor: Verity Wilde
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After its deadliest plane crash in decades, South Korea is looking for answers. 179 people died after a Jeju Air plane flying from Bangkok crashed and burst into flames at Muan International Airport. Authorities are carrying out an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system and investigators are still working to identify all the victims. We speak to Rachel Lee, a BBC journalist based in Seoul, about what we know so far, and what the country’s next steps are.
Many of the passengers on board were families, including children returning home after holidays. Across South Korea people are paying their respects and preparing memorials. We hear briefly from Song Jong Hoon, who lost two family members on the flight.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Mimi SwabyProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde
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Jimmy Carter — the 39th president of the United States — has died at the age of 100. A former peanut farmer in Georgia, he rose to the very top of American politics by portraying himself as an outsider. Once in office, he pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders, became the first U.S. president to take climate change seriously and brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. But his presidency was tarnished by a series of challenges and failures, from high inflation to a botched hostage rescue in Iran.
Following his one-term presidency, Carter went on to establish the Carter Center to promote human rights around the world. Among other things, he helped broker a truce in Sudan’s decades-long civil war, and his organisation’s work has helped nearly eradicate the parasitic infection Guinea worm. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work to find peaceful solutions for international conflicts.
William Lee Adams, a BBC reporter who grew up in Georgia, discusses Carter’s life, legacy and how he’ll be remembered.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with William Lee AdamsProducers: Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde
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A campaign on TikTok recently started a fresh conversation about cultural appropriation of food. It started when content creator Yen Bui, who now lives in London, highlighted that a British-owned restaurant chain called Pho had trademarked the name of the Vietnamese national dish a while ago, which limited the rights of other restaurant owners to use the word in their names because they could have faced legal action. Yen Bui tells us why she started the campaign, and why it matters to so many.
What is cultural appropriation of food? US-based content creator Kim Pham explains. And the BBC’s Charlotte Edwards talks us through how and why trade marks are used in food in the first place.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Mora Morrison and Hayley ClarkeEditor: Verity Wilde
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South Africa has the largest population of canned lions in the world - these are lions born in captivity and bred for trophy hunting. People can pay (usually tens of thousands of dollars) to hunt and shoot the animals. Now the government has said it will ban it, but hasn’t said when, or what will happen to the lions.
Breeders argue it is better that hunters shoot a captive-bred lion than further endanger the wild populations, but conservationists and animal welfare groups dispute this, saying wild populations of lions are in decline and that the lion farms are creating a market for canned lion hunts and encouraging the hunting of wild lions too.
BBC Africa’s Danai Nesta Kupemba explains what canned hunting is and why campaigners want to end the practice. We discuss the ethical considerations and why lion bones are sought after. Stephanie Klarmann, from Blood Lions, which campaigns to bring an end to the commercial captive breeding of lions, tells us why they disagree with it.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy, William Lee Adams and Benita BardenVideo journalist: Beatrice GuzzardiEditor: Rosanna La Falce
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We all disagree on some things. For some people disagreeing is natural and, in some instances, even enjoyable. While for others it’s super uncomfortable, and something they want to avoid at all costs. Social media is alive with angry keyboard warriors at each other’s throats, but it is possible to disagree without hurting someone’s feelings.
Bo Seo is an expert at this. He’s a world debate champion, author, and a former coach of the Australian national debating team. He shares the art of having a good debate, and therefore a good conversation. Plus, we speak to Jason Lee, the founder of Jubilee, about why his YouTube and TikTok videos, which bring people together despite their differences, are gaining billions of views.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducer: Mora MorrisonEditor: Verity Wilde
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Nearly half the world's population had elections this year, but for the first time in at least 20 years, progress for women's representation has slowed. In 60% of countries that voted this year, the number of women in parliament fell.
Stephanie Hegarty, the BBC’s population correspondent, discusses some of the countries where fewer women were elected and explains some of the factors behind the drop. She also looks at the regions — from Latin America to Africa — where female politicians made gains.
We also hear from Puakena Boreham, a former member of parliament in the Pacific island of Tuvalu, and Indira Kempis, a former member of the Senate in Mexico. They discuss the importance of female representation and the challenges that female politicians face.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Benita Barden and Maria Clara MontoyaEditor: Verity Wilde
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Cyclone Chido has wreaked havoc in Mozambique and Mayotte.
In Mozambique, 120 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds of thousands more impacted by the storm. It’s further strained a country where protests and civil unrest have been ongoing since disputed elections in October. Mozambique’s constitutional council has confirmed the ruling party won the election. Our reporter, Evelin Uachave, explains what’s behind the protests.
But the French territory of Mayotte could be in worse shape - it’s the poorest part of France and already faced major challenges even before the cyclone made landfall. The BBC’s Sara Menai explains why things are so bad.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: William Lee AdamsProducers: Adam Chowdhury and Emily HorlerEditor: Verity Wilde
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BMX Freestyle is one of the events at the 2024 Urban Cycling World Championships which are being held in Abu Dhabi. It features fearless BMX riders jumping, spinning and hurling themselves around the course on a small bike, pulling off mind-blowing tricks that get you gasping. Think acrobatic gymnastics but on a bike.
What does it take to become a BMX rider though? Tom Clemens from Germany, who sits 18th in the BMX Freestyle world rankings, tells us how he became a professional BMX rider.
Plus, Olympic commentator and professional skateboarder Lucy Adams explains how BMX Freestyle riders compete, and how new ‘action’ sports like BMX are trying to grow their popularity.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Adam Chowdhury, Mora Morrison and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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Even if you haven’t seen them in person, you might be familiar with images of the Northern Lights - dark skies with moving ribbons of green and purple. But what actually are they? And why do we seem to be seeing more of them in 2024?
BBC science presenter Caroline Steele answers loads of questions about the Northern Lights, like why are they different colours and when and where are the best times to see them? We also chat about the Southern Lights and ask why don’t people talk about them as much?
And 21 year old photographer Hugo Korhonen from Finland tell us what it’s like to see the Northern Lights in person and how you can take the best photos of them.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara MontoyaVideo Journalist: Adam ChowdhuryEditor: Verity Wilde
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A law passed earlier this year means TikTok will be banned in the US unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, before 19 January 2025. On Monday US President-elect Donald Trump met the company’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, and now people are questioning if he will try and stop this ban, and save the app.
Rhiannon Williams, a UK-based tech journalist, talks us through how Trump’s relationship to TikTok has changed over the years, including how he utilised it to target young people in the presidential election, and why some people are calling this a clever move politically.
Plus Natalie Jimenez, a BBC reporter based in New York, reviews Trump’s TikTok page for us and shares if it’s hot, or a flop.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Mora Morrison and Benita BardenEditor: Verity Wilde
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Since Syria’s civil war began, six million people have left the country and seven million more have been internally displaced. Now Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been overthrown by rebels, many refugees are wondering if they can return to their home. According to the UN, it’s the world’s largest refugee crisis.
BBC journalist, Lina Shaikhouni, explains what caused this crisis and we hear from three Syrian refugees in Germany, Lebanon and the UK.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Emily Horler and María Clara MontoyaEditor: Verity Wilde
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Gukesh Dommaraju — an 18-year-old from India — has become the youngest-ever world chess champion. That’s after beating defending champion Ding Liren, a 32-year-old from China.
Dommaraju comes from Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu. Saradha V, a BBC reporter in Chennai, explains how the city became India’s chess capital and how schools there are producing an impressive generation of young players.
Plus: Giovanni Sala, a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Liverpool, explains how the Internet is helping chess players master the game more quickly than players did decades ago. He also describes the benefits that chess has for young people.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldWhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6Email: [email protected]: Hannah GelbartProducer: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden, Julia Ross-RoyEditor: Verity Wilde
- Visa fler
