What in the World

By: BBC World Service
  • Summary

  • Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

    (C) BBC 2025
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Episodes
  • How cow vaccines sparked conspiracy theories in Kenya
    Jan 31 2025

    Kenya’s government has launched an ambitious initiative to vaccinate all livestock in the country. Following misleading claims about the vaccines, the initiative has been met with fierce resistance from some farmers.

    Peter Mwai, a BBC reporter in Nairobi, explains how misinformation is driving a series of conspiracy theories.

    Plus: BBC disinformation reporter Jacqui Wakefield explains why so many conspiracy theories refer to Bill Gates — one of the best-known figures in health philanthropy.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Elena Angelides Editor: Emily Horler and Simon Peeks

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    14 mins
  • Why are more people getting allergic to stuff?
    Jan 30 2025

    There are so many foods and substances that people can be allergic to; peanuts, cows' milk, eggs, pollen, or animals. Even mangoes or bananas.

    We are so much more aware of allergies now but there is also evidence that more people than ever have allergies. BBC journalist Frances Mao talks us through what allergies are - and why more of us are suffering with allergies. She also tells us about some new treatments being tested to treat them.

    Australia is now described as the allergy capital of the world. Frances (who grew up in Australia) explains why. And Professor Kirsten Perrett, Director of the Australian National Allergy Centre of Excellence, tells us about the role of Vitamin D.

    If you’ve got a serious allergy, it can be really stressful managing it and making sure the stuff you eat and come into contact with isn’t going to harm you. We hear from Mia Silverman (@AllergieswithMia) who is based in the US and allergic to 50 different food types.

    And Maria Clara from the What in the World team tells us what it’s like to have immunotherapy for an allergy.

    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Maria Clara Montoya Video journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

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    12 mins
  • How DeepSeek is shaking up the world of AI
    Jan 29 2025

    DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot launched last week, has shaken up the tech world and fuelled a new AI race between China, Europe and the US. The creators of the app say that it cost just $6 million to make compared to the billions spent by giants like Microsoft and Google. Amid the buzz surrounding this new chatbot, there are concerns about security, personal data and censorship.

    BBC’s cyber correspondent Joe Tidy explains what DeepSeek is and assesses the impact it’s had so far.

    We also hear from Benny Lu, a BBC Chinese reporter based in Hong Kong. He tells us about the concerns that people in Taiwan have over the use of Chinese technology.

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

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    14 mins

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