What in the World

Caribbean nations are demanding reparations from former colonial powers for their involvement in slavery. Anselm Gibbs explains the specific demands and forms reparations can take. Akeem Chandler-Prescod describes how the legacy of slavery impacts Barbados and the influence of the racial justice movement in the US. Laura Trevelyan discusses why her family made a donation for economic development in Grenada. The podcast explores the responses of British and French officials and the challenges in quantifying reparations.

Bill Gates, the tech billionaire turned philanthropist, invests huge amounts of money in the climate crisis - and he’s pretty optimistic about how we can avoid the worst impacts. But why? Graihagh Jackson, from The Climate Question, helps unpack some potential solutions. We also hear from Nissa Bek, a climate activist and the founder of Project Mulan in Libya, about ways to get involved - from art to architecture. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes with Graihagh Jackson Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

The podcast discusses the global spread of dengue fever, its symptoms, transmission, and connection to global warming. It explores preventive measures, available vaccines and treatments. Updates on outbreaks in Burkina Faso, Chad, India, and Bangladesh are highlighted, as well as the adaptability of dengue mosquitoes to cooler areas. The challenges of developing a vaccine and the impact of climate change on mosquito populations are also discussed.

China's investment in infrastructure projects in other countries is explored, including successful examples and failed plans. The episode highlights an empty airport in Sri Lanka and a railway to nowhere in Kenya. The challenges of foreign loans and investments and their consequences are discussed, along with the financial challenges faced by the African Football League. Favorite teams and sponsorship controversies in a football tournament are also touched upon.

Learn about why governments construct new capital cities like Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar and Nusantara in Indonesia. Discover the ambitious plans for an eco-city in Saudi Arabia called The Line. Explore the challenges and motivations behind building new cities from scratch and their impact on the environment and population.

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is set to become the biggest tour of all time. From tickets to merch, fans are showing up for Tay Tay and spending the big bucks. Her tours have boosted local economies across the United States and will continue to sell out around the world. Even her relationship with Travis Kelce has helped American Football (NFL) reach a new audience. You may have heard about this ‘Taylor Swift effect’ or Swiftonomics. Erin Delmore, the BBC’s North America Business Correspondent, crunches the numbers for us. We also hear from fans who were at the Eras tour film premiere in Los Angeles. And did you know you can study Taylor Swift at university? Dr Elly McCausland from Ghent University in Belgium tells us more.Spoiler alert: there aren’t any Taylor songs in here - that’s because we sadly don’t have the rights. Sorry!Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks

An explosion at a crowded hospital in Gaza City has killed hundreds of people, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel says the number is much lower. Hamas blames Israel, but Israel says it wasn’t them and points the finger at another group, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They also say it wasn’t them. Shayan Sardarizadeh, from the BBC Disinformation team, tells us how he has been investigating what happened at Al-Ahli hospital, and whether we can say who was behind it (03:26). We also answer some of the main questions people have been searching for online, like what are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with Hesham Shawish, who covers the Middle East for BBC Monitoring (07:25). And we hear from two 18 year olds, in Israel and Gaza (11:57). Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Maria Clara Montoya and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Botox, tummy tucks, Brazilian butt lifts. You may have seen the posts - and adverts - on your socials.Cosmetic surgery is on the rise globally. Last year there were 33.8 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures done worldwide. That’s according to a recent report from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). We chat to Giulia Granchi, our reporter from Brazil, and Hyunjung Kim, in South Korea to find out which procedures are popular where they live. We also hear from Los Angeles-based writer Iris Kim and learn about her complicated relationship to double eyelid surgery.And we check in with Dr Anthony Youn (@doctoryuon on Tik Tok) to ask him about how social media and celeb culture is changing what people ask to get done.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Emily Horler Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

India’s Supreme Court has rejected a petition seeking to legalise same-sex marriage. Petitioners sought the same rights as heterosexual couples — including the right to adopt children and open joint bank accounts. The petitioners said not being able to marry violates their constitutional rights and makes them "second-class citizens.” The government and religious leaders strongly opposed same-sex unions, saying they are against Indian culture.Umang Poddar, a reporter in the BBC Delhi Bureau, explains the Supreme Court’s ruling and shares some early reactions to the verdict. He also explains how the decision could impact the lives of LBGTQ+ people in the country. (09:50) In music news, British band The 1975 are due to play a series of “carbon-removed” shows next year to counter the environmental impact of touring. Bonnie McLaren from BBC Newsbeat explains how concerts contribute to carbon emissions and tells us how the removal process works. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Umang Poddar Producers: Alex Rhodes, Benita Barden, William Lee Adams Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Amid a year of heatwaves and wildfires you might have missed that winter sea-ice surrounding Antarctica is at a record low. The BBC’s Georgina Rannard explains why. And we speak to Dr Robbie Mallett who’s in the Antarctic. He talks us through why it’s so important - and underreported. Plus, Tiffanie Turnbull gives us an update on how Australians are feeling after the country voted against a plan to give greater political rights to Indigenous people. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Georgina Rannard Producers: Mora Morrison and Emily Horler Editors: Verity Wilde