What in the World

BBC World Service
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Sep 15, 2023 • 15min

How has Mahsa Amini’s death changed Iran?

Mahsa Amini, a young woman from Iran, died in police custody for wearing her hijab too loosely, sparking protests and calls for women's rights. Journalists Baran Abbasi and Kian Sharifi discuss life for young women in Iran after the protests. Mimi Swaby shares hopeful relief efforts in Morocco after an earthquake.
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Sep 14, 2023 • 14min

Why was Storm Daniel so deadly in Libya?

Devastating flooding has washed away entire neighbourhoods, killing tens of thousands of people in Libya. In this episode, BBC Monitoring’s Amira Fathalla explains how the country’s history and unique political situation has made everything far more complicated. And Esme Stallard, a BBC climate reporter, examines the role climate change could have played in the storm’s severity. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Amira Fathalla Producers: Emily Horler, Alex Rhodes and Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks
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Sep 13, 2023 • 16min

WWE and UFC: Will the merger be a knockout?

The professional wrestling company WWE and the Mixed Martial Arts company UFC have merged in a giant deal that has created a new organisation called TKO Holdings. The WWE and UFC are quite different and fans of the brands aren’t sure what this deal will mean for them or the future of the sports.Alex from the What in the World team explains the differences between the UFC, which is a real combat sport, and the WWE, which is a scripted form of entertainment. BBC business journalist Tom Gerken explains the incentives behind the merger, and BBC Sport reporter Paul Battison assesses whether the scripted and non-scripted formats will appeal to existing fans.We also hear from Nicole Vaziri, the daughter of WWE wrestler The Iron Sheik. She tells us what it was like growing up with the former heavyweight world champion and explains how different he was from the villainous character he portrayed in the ring.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Alex Rhodes Producers: Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Editors: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks
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Sep 12, 2023 • 14min

Will decriminalisation change abortion for women in Mexico?

The new ruling legalises abortion across all 32 states. Mexico's Supreme Court said the denial of the possibility of a termination violated the human rights of women.BBC Mundo's Beatriz de la Pava talks us through what abortion laws are like across Latin America and explains how this rule-change might need a cultural shift for it to have significant impact.Also, the BBC's Mimi Swaby is with aid crews in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains - the area most affected by Friday's earthquake. She explains why the government hasn't accepted aid from all countries that have offered it.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: William Lee Adams with Beatriz de la Pava Producers: Alex Rhodes and Emily Horler Editor: Simon Peeks
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Sep 11, 2023 • 16min

How has Morocco’s earthquake impacted mountain villages?

Rescue efforts are continuing in Morocco following a deadly earthquake. The worst affected areas are remote villages in the Atlas Mountains. Aid workers are struggling to reach survivors due to its poor infrastructure, rubble and boulders. Mimi Swaby, a BBC reporter, tells us about the ongoing rescue and relief efforts. Also on the pod - is 2023 India’s year of wins? They’ve just hosted the G20 summit and had a successful moon landing in August. BBC India correspondent Zubair Ahmed explains how the country prepared to host some of the world’s most powerful leaders. Finally, Maria Clara Montoya tells us how Spain is reacting to the resignation of Luis Rubiales as president of the Spanish football federation in the wake of the Se Acabo movement.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Benita Barden Producers: William Lee Adams Editors: Emily Horler and Simon Peeks
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Sep 8, 2023 • 16min

Why are young people fighting for climate action in court?

BBC climate reporter Georgina Rannard discusses the rise of climate-related court cases and the involvement of young activists. Topics include young people bringing countries to trial, winning climate cases, emotional journeys of activists, transition from fossil fuels, and an overview of the first Africa climate summit.
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Sep 7, 2023 • 16min

How a scandal is forcing Germany to reckon with its Nazi past

The German politician Hubert Aiwanger has admitted to carrying an anti-Jewish pamphlet that mocked the Holocaust when he was a schoolboy. But despite Germany’s tough laws against antisemitism and glorifying Nazism, he’s been allowed to keep his job as deputy premier of Bavaria, the biggest state in the country. Now some worry Germany’s stance against antisemitism is weakening.BBC reporter Kristina Volk, who grew up in Bavaria, explains the scandal, how hate speech laws apply online, and how the Holocaust is taught in schools. Also: Surbhi Kaul, a journalist in the BBC Delhi bureau, talks to Alex about why people are discussing whether India could be renamed Bharat. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams with Kristina Volk Producers: Alex Rhodes and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
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Sep 6, 2023 • 14min

Why are teachers bullied in South Korea?

Tens of thousands of teachers in South Korea have been striking to demand better protection. They say they are so scared of being called child abusers at work, they feel they can't discipline their students. The protests happened after the suicide of a young teacher. It later came out she had been dealing with severe complaints from parents. The BBC's Yuna Ku explains what it's like to be a teacher in a high-pressure society, like South Korea.Also, the Burning Man festival in the US has been struggling with mud and also swirling fake rumours. We debunk the claims.If you have been affected by the issues raised in this episode, help and support can be found at this https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ If you live in South Korea, you can visit https://www.129.go.kr/1393/ for help, or call LifeLine on 1588-9191 or the Suicide Prevention Hotline on 1577-0199.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison, and Benita Barden Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
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Sep 5, 2023 • 14min

Has THAT kiss become a tipping point for women in Spain?

Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish national football federation, kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent. But now the uproar has gone beyond football. Women across the country are sharing experiences of harassment in their workplace and other spaces under one hashtag: #SeAcabo, which means “it’s over”. In this episode we hear from some of those women. The BBC’s Maria Clara Montoya helps us understand why so many have had enough and discusses whether this could prompt a change in Spanish society. This episode contains discussion about sexual assault and harassment. Details of organisations offering information and support with these issues are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Maria Clara Montoya Producers: Emily Horler and Alex Rhodes Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
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Sep 4, 2023 • 16min

Eat, Pay, Love: How is Bali dealing with its badly behaved tourists?

Bali has a problem with badly behaved tourists. Influencers have been caught posing naked on top of sacred mountains, driving recklessly and interrupting religious ceremonies. More than 200 tourists have been kicked out of the Indonesian island this year alone. But local officials are hitting back. They’ve started a hotline for people to tell on misbehaving tourists and, when things get bad, are even deporting them. Niluh Djelantik was born and raised in Bali and has been helping snitch on those who break the rules. She tells us about her social media campaigns, and her hopes for the future. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with William Lee Adams Producers: Emily Horler, Mora Morrison and Alex Rhodes Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

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