What in the World

Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket allow people to make trades against future events - which can range from when the US and Iran might sign a permanent peace deal and sports results, to whether a politician will mention a certain phrase in a speech. These sites have surged in popularity over the past year, hosting more than $44 billion in trades.
But they bring up all sorts of ethical questions. Not just war profiteering, but also insider trading.
Recently a US soldier was arrested for allegedly using classified information to place bets on the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro - before it happened. Reports say he won more than $400,000 from these bets.
And there are dozens of lawsuits at the US state level trying to figure out how to regulate these platforms. Minnesota has just become the first state to ban prediction markets.
So, why are people betting on things like the weather, elections and global conflicts - and should it be allowed? The BBC’s Madeline Gerber, who’s based in Washington explains.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Santiago Vanegas Maldonado and Chelsea Coates
Video producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

The World Health Organisation has declared an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern. Officials say there are now over 600 suspected cases, and over 139 suspected deaths.
This latest outbreak presents a series of difficulties for health officials. The outbreak is driven by a new strain of the virus called Bundibugyo, for which there is no vaccine. The epicentre of the outbreak is in the remote eastern province of Ituri, which is an active conflict zone. And local superstitions and beliefs frequently lead people to seek help at places of worship rather than from medical professionals.
We cover what you need to know about this current outbreak and how cases are being managed. Among others, we hear from BBC health correspondent James Gallagher and BBC presenter Anne Soy, who covered the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and later in the DRC.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

Most of the world’s call centres are based in India and the Philippines, but major hubs are also on the rise in other regions - especially in Latin America. In countries like Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, thousands of young people work in this industry to earn money while they’re studying. They mainly answer customer services calls coming from the US, trying to solve their problems and dealing with a lot of frustrated customers - all in their second language.
BBC Mundo reporter Santiago Vanegas Maldonado, who’s based in Miami, explains why this industry is growing so much in Latin America - and how it’s affecting the local economy. Plus we hear from people who’ve worked in call centres to find out what it’s like.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Santiago Vanegas Maldonado, William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates
Video producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

After an explosive public feud with Kendrick Lamar, Drake is back with a triple-solo album release. The three albums - Iceman, Habibti and Maid of Honour - contain a blend of music genres across 43 different songs.
The albums have sparked a mixed reaction from fans and critics, but they have already helped Drake become the most streamed Spotify artist of 2026.
BBC Newsbeat’s Peter Gillibrand explains why Drake decided to publish so much music all at once and discusses how it reflects on and reignites Drake’s beef with Kendrick Lamar. He also touches on Drake’s reputation, his lawsuit against his record label UMG, and the hype around Iceman.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

For the last few days, international headlines have been dominated by stories about Donald Trump's visit to China, to meet Xi Jinping. The trip featured marching bands, red carpets, photocalls, big smiles and many, many handshakes. Now that President Trump has left the country, we ask what actually happened below the surface level. Was it all just superficial pageantry or did the leaders of the world’s two largest economies make any real agreements or deals?
People expected talks on trade deals, the war in Iran and Taiwan. President Trump didn't travel alone; he was joined by some of the biggest heavyweights in American technology and business. Tesla and Space X boss, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, the head of Apple and David Solomon, from the bank Goldman Sachs to name a few.
So, what, if anything, actually came out of this trip? And what is the US-China relationship really like? We hear from BBC reporters covering the visit and find out how people in China are reacting to President Trump and his visit.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Chelsea Coates and Emma-Louise Amanshia
Editor: Verity Wilde