What in the World

We’ve spotted some of you on your socials talking about eldest sibling vs youngest sibling behaviour. It got us wondering if when you’re born can affect personality, relationships and outlook on life. We all know the stereotypes; the eldest child is more conscientious and responsible. The middle child gets overlooked and craves attention. The youngest is indulged and a risk-taker. Personality psychologist Julia Rohrer, from Leipzig University in Germany breaks down what’s science and what’s fiction.
We hear the experiences from three of our BBC pals; Faith Oshoko in Nigeria, Santiago Vanegas Maldonado from Colombia and Jacob Evans in the UK.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq (eldest)
Producers: Julia Ross Roy (only child), Benita Barden (middle) and Mora Morrison (youngest)
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal (youngest)
Editor: Verity Wilde (eldest)

President Trump isn’t a big believer in climate change - he’s called it a ‘hoax’ and ‘con job’ in the past. But last week saw one of his boldest moves against US climate policy since becoming president - the termination of the endangerment finding. It’s a ruling that was made in 2009, when Barack Obama was in the White House, and it’s served as the legal basis for lots of other regulations aiming to cut pollution since then. So, it looks like Trump is locked in a showdown with climate policy… but what could this hold for the future?
In this episode, we explain exactly what the ruling is, why Trump has decided to revoke it, and what this could mean for you.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde

“Wuthering Heights” is back and so is Bridgerton. Period dramas are having a moment. Why are we loving them so much right now? We hear from fans around the world; Tasha in Canada, Gracie in the US and Radhika in India. Chelsea from the What in the World team explains some of the reasons, like wanting more slow burn romance and courtship in our modern dating, and more accountability when it comes to ghosting. Faye Woods from the University of Reading in the UK tells us how female representation plays a role too.
We also discuss whether some of the relationships in these period dramas should be something we aspire to… Heathcliff and Cathy we’re looking at you. Happy Galentine’s Day to all our listeners!
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Chelsea Coates, Julia Ross Roy, and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Verity Wilde

As usual, we have been spending far too much time on social media, watching endless videos and scrolling for days.
One thing that keeps on coming up is people talking about ‘Chinamaxxing’.
This all about Gen Z celebrating and recognising their Chinese technology and Chinese brands…and then choosing to use more of these Chinese-made products than they have before. But it’s going further than that. It’s now a trend to embody a supposed ‘Chinese’ lifestyle.
We chat with Shawn Yuan from our Global China Unit and BBC reporter Nathalie Jimenez to hear about how this trend is going down with the Chinese community around the world. Plus two content creators share their thoughts with us - Chao Ban and Yunyun Gu.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Emily Horler, Julia Ross Roy, Chelsea Coates and Emilia Jansson
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

A landmark trial is underway in California that examines the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube. Lawyers for the plaintiff, referred to as K.G.M., will argue that she suffered from mental health issues as a result of social media addiction. Her team claims that the named social media companies deliberately built “addiction machines” that use the algorithm to keep young people hooked. K.G.M.’s lawyers also argue that Meta and YouTube failed to warn of the dangers to young users posed by the design of their platforms. Instagram and YouTube deny the allegations and argue that they can’t be held liable for users’ behaviour.
Lily Jamali, the BBC’s North America Technology correspondent, is in Los Angeles for the case. She explains the arguments on both sides, previews who we will hear from and discusses the potential implications.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Verity Wilde