What in the World

<p>Buzz around the GTA 6 pre-order is building fast. After two trailers and a 13-year wait, fans can finally play the latest instalment of the game on 19 November when it’s released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Priced at $79.99 and $100 for its standard and premium versions in the US, it’s expected to generate billions for its developer Rockstar Games. </p><p>BBC technology reporter Laura Cress explains the scale and significance of the upcoming release. We also hear from GTA fans from Italy, South Africa and Canada about why they love the game. </p><p>Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>For some women, the two-week luteal phase of their menstrual cycle can be extremely disruptive and life altering. PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is mental health disorder directly linked to regular hormonal fluctuations that take place during a cycle. People living with PMDD can experience anger, anxiety, severe depression, and even suicidal thoughts which then stops shortly after menstruation begins. Two women, Shariya in the US and Janna in Germany tell us how PMDD has impacted them.</p><p>There’s very little scientific research about why PMDD happens and the signs or symptoms can be missed by doctors. We hear from BBC Health Reporter Ruth Clegg, who’s been reporting on how social media has shifted perceptions of the disorder, and led to changes around how doctors screen for symptoms. </p><p>If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, or suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden, Ash Mohamed and Adam Chowdhury Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>A heatwave across Western Europe has left tens of millions of people coping with record temperatures. France endured its hottest day since records began, with temperatures reaching 44.3C in Pissos, and it’s estimated that nearly 100 million people will endure temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Temperatures can feel particularly extreme in cities, where buildings trap heat and where there’s often a lack of green spaces. </p><p>In today’s episode, BBC weather presenter Sarah Keith-Lucas explains why we’re seeing more heatwaves. We also hear from people around the world about what it’s like where they live. And several BBC reporters — Davide Ghiglione in Rome, Pierre-Antoine Denis in Nice, Makuochi Okafor in Lagos and our Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams in London — explain how people in various cities are addressing rising temperatures.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>For decades, mangrove forests were disappearing at an alarming rate. Now, new satellite data reveals a hopeful shift. After years of decline, these vital coastal ecosystems are making a comeback. </p><p>In this episode, BBC environment correspondent Matt McGrath explains what mangrove forests are, why they suffered such significant losses from the 1980s through the 2010s and how advances in technology are allowing scientists to track their recovery from space. We also examine why mangroves are one of nature’s most powerful tools for protecting coastlines, storing carbon and helping communities adapt to climate change.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>If someone you loved died, would you want to keep chatting to them? Now you can - with an AI griefbot. The idea is you use their texts, emails and voice notes, as well as photos and videos, to train AI to reply in the dead person’s tone and style. It can be through text-based conversation or even an AI-generated voice. </p><p>The "digital afterlife" industry is now worth more than $130 billion. Is this just the latest way for humans to try to maintain a relationship with their deceased loved ones? Or could it negatively affect the grieving process, if people start to believe that person is actually still alive through the technology? And what might companies do with all the data we input?</p><p>Tech journalist Tamzin Kraftman explains this growing area of tech and the pros and cons of using griefbots. Andy Langford, clinical director at Cruse, a bereavement charity in the UK, gives us his thoughts. And we hear from Muhammad Ahmad in the US, who developed his own grief bot of his dad. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Smart glasses are big business, Meta, one of the leading manufacturers of the glasses say that last year they sold seven million pairs globally. But new designs that resemble regular sunglasses or reading frames mean they can be difficult to spot. Users can make phone calls, follow maps, and use AI assistants completely hands free. They can also use the built in camera to take photos and record videos subtly - this is part of the controversy. There have been cases of people being filmed secretly and posted online without their consent. </p><p>So how many people are buying smart glasses and how significant is the risk to privacy? BBC technology reporter Laura Cress tells us about the tech that goes into smart glasses and investigative reporter Georgia Poncia talks us through the concerns. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producer: Benita Barden and Emma-Louise Amanshia Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Backrooms. Obsession. Bring Her Back. These are some of the biggest Hollywood films from the past 12 months and they have one thing in common: they are all horror movies directed by YouTubers.</p><p>What’s behind this new wave of directors coming from YouTube and why is horror becoming more and more popular? BBC journalist and horror obsessive Mel Ramsay explains how the likes of Kane Parsons and Curry Barker have shown how their success online can be translated to the box office.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Adam Chowdhury, Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>People in South Korea have been smashing their Starbucks mugs with hammers, a CEO has been fired and there have been protests on the streets, but why? Starbucks is the number one coffee chain in South Korea with over 2000 branches. Recently they launched a marketing campaign for a new reusable tumbler "SS Tank" and they've faced huge backlash. The release was on the same day as the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a sad day in the history of the country which left more than a 200 people dead.</p><p>So what impact have the boycotts had? And what happens next? Jake Kwon the BBC's Seoul correspondent tells us about the Tank Day promotion, the financial implications and the wider context of the upset this has caused. We also hear from young people in South Korea on what they think about the boycott.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Benita Barden and Emma-Louise Amanshia Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>For millions of people living with obesity, weight loss drugs have been hailed as a game changer.</p><p>They’re known as GLP-1s but are more commonly known by their trade names: Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. So far they’ve only been made by two companies in Denmark and the US and they’re pretty expensive. But now the patents for these drugs have expired in China and India, which means pharmaceutical companies in those countries can now make cheaper copies. </p><p>India has a reputation as the "pharmacy of the world" because of its ability to turn expensive medicines into affordable mass-market products. The country is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines. Indian companies are already starting to produce and sell these weight loss drugs. </p><p>So what impact will this have on the cost and supply of weight loss drugs in India and around the world? Archana Shukla, the BBC’s India business correspondent in Mumbai, tells us why the expiry of the patents is such a big deal. And BBC Health correspondent James Gallagher explains how these drugs work. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates, Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>This year’s Fifa World Cup is the biggest yet. The football tournament is being co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States and has a record 48 teams taking part. Four of those teams have qualified for the first time ever: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan. In this episode, we get familiar with the debuting nations on and off the pitch with some of our BBC reporters, including Paul Njie, a senior journalist at BBC Africa, and Husam Assal, a BBC reporter in Amman. </p><p>Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>On Thursday, US President Donald Trump threatened to take “total control" of Iran's oil and gas markets, and to seize Kharg Island. Just hours later though, he claimed an agreement to end the war with Iran was on the horizon and cancelled a third consecutive night of strikes.</p><p>Mixed messaging from the US President on this conflict is nothing new - but the island at the centre of this latest dispute has a huge role to play. It’s a small, rocky outcrop off of Iran’s coast - but it’s importance for the country’s oil infrastructure- and now for President Trump - is huge. So why is Kharg Island so important? And why does President Trump want it?</p><p>Ghoncheh Habibiazad, from the BBC’s Persian language service, joins us to unpack it all - and to explain what the consequences could be if President Trump decides to take the island.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Chelsea Coates and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders affecting women globally; affecting roughly 13% of women who have a menstrual cycle. The World Health Organization has estimated that up 70% of women with PCOS worldwide do not know they have this condition. Symptoms can include irregular periods, fertility issues, weight gain, acne, excess hair growth and insulin resistance. There is no cure. </p><p>And now Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is officially being reclassified as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). </p><p>The new name reflects growing recognition that the condition involves much more than ovarian cysts alone. It’s actually a complex endocrine condition (to do with hormones) which affects the whole body. Experts hope that the name change will lead to a better focus on treating and reversing some of symptoms. Global health reporter Dorcas Wangira in Kenya explains what we know about the condition. And we hear from Professor Helena Teede, from Monash Univerity in Australia, who led the name-changing initiative. </p><p>Jenef Ngombo, 25 from the UK and Chelle Robotham, in Florida USA, share their experiences of PMOS/PCOS and tell us what they think about the name change. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Shakira Abdi and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been banning social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X. Recently the government also extended the ban to Telegram, one of Russia’s most popular messaging apps. It’s cracking down on VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and it’s introduced a new state-backed app called Max, which comes downloaded on any new phone. </p><p>Authorities say these internet crackdowns are needed to “ensure security” and disrupt Ukrainian drones. But some say this is actually all about censorship - and that the government is trying to extend its control over the internet. So - how are these bans affecting Russians that rely on the internet everyday?</p><p>BBC Monitoring journalist Clare Denning joins us to break down why the Kremlin is restricting access to the internet and how Russians are reacting to the crackdown.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Sarah Coop and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Around half of the world’s languages are in danger of disappearing, according to UNESCO. Languages often become endangered when parents stop talking in them to their children, when schools no longer offer them on the curriculum - or when governments don’t recognise them as official languages that need to be protected. Campaigners are calling for more efforts to preserve them - and the history, heritage and culture they carry - and they’re using an unlikely tool: AI. But there are concerns that artificial intelligence could actually create more language inequality, because it’s mainly trained on a handful of dominant languages.</p><p>So, could AI stop endangered languages from going extinct? Or will it speed up their demise?</p><p>Journalist and author Sophia Smith Galer joins us to explain how languages become endangered, how AI is being used to combat this and the risks of using the technology to preserve languages. And we hear from Ivory Yang in the US, who built an AI tool to help preserve her grandmother’s endangered language, Nüshu.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Mosquitoes are frequently called the world's deadliest insect. They kill more people every year than any other creature by spreading diseases like malaria, West Nile virus and Zika. In an effort to combat the disease carrying-bug in the U.S., Google is creating an army of sterile male mosquitoes by infecting them with bacteria. It’s hoped that over time these mosquitoes will lower the population of mosquitoes that carry some illnesses. </p><p>James Gallagher, BBC health and science correspondent, explains how the process works and the reasons Google is interested in this area of research. We also hear from Dorcas Wangira, a global health reporter, about the release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Djibouti. She explains why it’s important to engage with local communities about the issue. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>South Africa has seen weeks of protests against illegal immigrants. Some of these protests have turned violent and people have been killed. The country is grappling with deep tensions around immigration and identity.</p><p>Houses have been burned, shops damaged and looted, and people have been forced to leave their homes. There have been reports of vigilante groups checking the documentation of foreign nationals and forcing small businesses run by non-South Africans to close.</p><p>Countries like Ghana and Nigeria have even been evacuating their citizens from the country.</p><p>So what’s behind these recent protests? And what are authorities doing to try to reduce illegal migration in South Africa? BBC correspondent Mayeni Jones explains.</p><p>We also hear what South Africans and migrant workers living in the country make of the protests. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Julia Ross-Roy and Stefania Okereke Editor: Verity Wilde.</p>

<p>Work feels more uncertain than it has in years. Layoffs, AI disruption, hiring freezes and a tough job market are leaving many people out of work or stuck.</p><p>So instead of hopping jobs for better pay or new opportunities, more people are doing the opposite. They’re staying put, even if they’re unhappy. It’s called “job hugging”. </p><p>But is it a smart move in an unstable world, or could it hold you back in the long run?</p><p>On this episode of What in the World, we break down the rise of job hugging with the BBC’s business reporter Emer Moreau. We discuss why it’s happening and whether sticking with your current role is a risk or a strategy.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Chelsea Coates, Emily Horler and Ash Mohamed Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>Serena Williams is making a comeback to tennis at 44 years of age. She is one of the greatest players of all time. She’s won 23 Grand Slam titles - the second highest tally by a woman in the sport’s history. She’s the highest earning female athlete of all time. She was world number one for 319 weeks. And the stats go on and on. Now, she wants to add to them.</p><p>Four years after leaving the sport and after giving birth to her second child, the American will play in the doubles at Queen’s Club in London next week - a warm-up tournament on the road to Wimbledon. However, she is attempting something almost no tennis player has done before - returning to the game in their mid-40s and going up against much younger players. How well can she perform?</p><p>Ben Rothenberg, a tennis journalist who runs the Bounces podcast, joins us to explain the significance of Serena’s comeback and the challenges she might face. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde</p>

<p>New forecasts show that the developing El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean could be one of the strongest on record. The weather phenomenon could be so strong, scientists and the UN are describing it as a “Super El Niño” or “Godzilla El Niño.” And with that comes warnings of record global temperatures and huge potential humanitarian impacts. But what exactly is El Niño and its sister phenomenon La Niña? BBC Climate &amp; Science correspondent Georgina Rannard breaks it down. She also explains the origins of their names, why it can lead to flooding in some regions and droughts in others, how it relates to climate change, and what people can to do prepare for its consequences. </p><p>We also hear from Drishti in India and Santiago in the US for how they’re being affected.</p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Emily Horler</p><p>This audio was updated on 8th June 2026 to remove an incorrect figure.</p>

<p>Influencers like Andrew Tate popularised the so-called manosphere — the network of websites, forums and social media influencers that promote "traditional" masculinity. In their thinking, men hold a dominant role in a relationship and women are subservient. </p><p>BBC World Service Disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield recently spent a year following El Temach and Andrew Kibe — two of the most influential manosphere figures in Latin America and Africa — for her BBC Africa Eye documentary Manosphere Messiahs. She explains why their message resonates with so many young men, the consequences that can have on women and how manosphere content is driving men and women apart. </p><p>Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed Editor: Emily Horler</p>