• What's South Africa’s controversial land law, and why is Trump involved?
    Feb 19 2025

    South Africa faced the wrath of US President Donald Trump recently when he incorrectly accused the country’s government of confiscating land from white people.

    Trump said South Africa was pursuing what he called "unjust and immoral practices" against the white minority Afrikaner community. As a result he’s frozen American foreign aid to the country and threatened to cut off all future funding, causing shockwaves across South Africa.

    So how did we get here? What exactly is South Africa's Expropriation Act? And what influence is one of President Trump’s closest allies, South African born Elon Musk, having on the decisions being made? The BBC's Karnie Sharp talks us through what we need to know.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Josh Jenkins Editor: Verity Wilde

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    14 mins
  • What barriers do Indian women face in sports?
    Feb 18 2025

    Even though cricket is a national obsession in India, many other sports struggle to find an audience. And in terms of performance in international competitions, India has historically lagged behind. At last year’s Paris Olympics, India — a country of more than one billion people — failed to win a single gold medal and it finished behind smaller countries like St Lucia, Kyrgyzstan and Botswana on the medal table.

    The country’s female athletes face a particular set of challenges. But they are breaking down barriers and trying to prove that the playing field belongs to everyone.

    The BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year awards honour pioneering Indian sportswomen. The BBC’s Divya Arya attended the event and explains the challenges that female athletes face in India and what is being done to change this. We also hear from one of this year’s recipients, Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

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    13 mins
  • Are AI influencers the future of social media?
    Feb 17 2025

    Artificial intelligence is becoming a normal part of our everyday lives and some people think it will even replace people’s jobs. One industry that’s worried about this may surprise you: content creation. AI influencers are getting more popular online with hundreds of thousands of people following their (AI-generated) lives. They’re dishing out makeup tips, assisting with health advice and showing off their happy families. But can they ever replace real-world, human influencers?

    Jacqui Wakefield from the BBC’s disinformation team tells us about this trend. And Sharihan Al-Akhras from BBC Arabic describes her meeting with a famous AI family.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Emilia Jansson and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

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    13 mins
  • What’s the point of meme coins?
    Feb 14 2025

    President Trump, the Pygmy hippo Moo Deng and the Central African Republic all have meme coins - but what are meme coins and how can you spend them? BBC reporter Nathalia Jimenez answers all our questions including why would anyone buy them and what a “pump and dump” means.

    And we hear from the BBC’s Collins Nabiswa, who explains why President Touadéra of the Central African Republic has launched the meme coin $CAR and how successful it’s been so far.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Josh Jenkins and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

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    13 mins
  • Skincare trends: Are they causing harm to young people?
    Feb 13 2025

    It’s not uncommon to see advice online on how to get beautiful glossy skin and what trendy skincare products can help achieve it. But some of the best-selling products contain ingredients like exfoliating acids or retinol that can cause damage if used incorrectly. Dermatologists are worried about the increasing number of children trying expensive serums, cleansers and creams promoted on social media that are not suitable for their age.

    BBC Health reporter Annabel Rackham explains the health concerns around under 18s using anti-ageing products, and just how influential skincare content is online. We also hear from Blancah Catherine, a beauty content creator from South Africa, about how trends are driving young people’s interest in beauty products.

    Plus, Dr Carol Cheng, a paediatric dermatologist at the University of California, explains what common anti-ageing ingredients like vitamin C, retinoids and hyaluronic acid actually do to our skin, and who should and shouldn’t be using them.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Zofia Louise Video Journalist: Beatrice Guzzardi Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

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    14 mins
  • Sudan: What’s life like two years into the civil war?
    Feb 12 2025

    In recent weeks the Sudanese army has been regaining control of areas in the capital, Khartoum, previously held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These two forces have been at war for nearly two years and its having a devastating impact on civilians.

    BBC journalist Mohanad Hashim grew up in Sudan, and recently returned to the country after three decades. He tells us how the country has changed and why its so hard to find a resolution.

    The #KeepeyesonSudan hashtag has been used a lot online to talk about the war. Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese writer, tells about the role of social media in raising awareness about the conflict.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Mora Morrison, Emilia Jansson and Itoro Udofia Editor: Verity Wilde

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    17 mins
  • Guillain-Barre syndrome: What is it?
    Feb 11 2025

    India is dealing with an outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome. It’s a rare condition where your immune system attacks nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and paralysis. There have been 160 reported cases since early January in Pune, hitting kids as young as six years old. Seven people are thought to have died.

    Iqra shares her experience of having GBS as a child and she speaks with BBC health reporter Michelle Roberts to get the details on the disease. Plus, our reporter Vandhna Bhan takes us through what’s happening in India.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde

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    12 mins
  • Why are people in Nigeria being accused of witchcraft?
    Feb 10 2025

    Five men in northern Nigeria were sentenced to death last week. Their crime? Murdering a woman they accused of being a witch. They said that the wife of one of the men had a dream she was being chased by the woman. The death penalty is rare in Nigeria and it has opened up a discussion on why people are being attacked for supposedly using witchcraft.

    Olaronke Alo is a BBC journalist working in the disinformation unit in Lagos. She explains why people are still being accused of being witches, and what authorities are doing to stop it.

    We also hear about Dr Leo Igwe who set up his own business to protect those accused of sorcery.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Josh Jenkins, Emily Horler and Emilia Jansson Editor: Verity Wilde

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    11 mins