What in the World

Ube — a vibrant purple yam indigenous to the Philippines — has been a staple of Filipino cuisine for thousands of years. But only recently has it surged in popularity abroad. It is now appearing as an ingredient and flavouring in desserts, pastries and coffees, from small independent cafés to global chains. BBC reporter Becca Johns explains how social media is helping drive the trend and turning ube into the new matcha. She also discusses the consequences it could have for farmers in the Philippines.
We also hear from members of the Filipino diaspora about their concerns, from cultural appropriation to the trivialisation of an important symbol of Filipino culture.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates, William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed
Video producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy and Harriet Oliver

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is a swanky event - the famous journalists and politicians that go are all dressed in their best tuxes and gowns. Donald Trump and his wife Melania were sat on the very long top table. But on Saturday night’s event, a gunman tried to get into the ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel. He was stopped by officials after an exchange of gunfire and since then more details have been coming out about who he is.
Who is Cole Tomas Allen? And how did he get into the hotel? That’s what we’re going to get into today.
There’s also been loads of chat about a manifesto that has been linked to the suspect. President Trump has been speaking about it in that interview with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Ash Mohamed
Editor: Verity Wilde

American singer D4vd has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 14-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Her body was found in his Tesla in Los Angeles in September last year. Prosecutors allege D4vd repeatedly sexually abused the teen before killing and dismembering her, but D4vd denies all the charges.
He has pleaded not guilty to murder, and his attorneys have said they will "vigorously defend” his innocence.
In this episode, we’re joined by Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty, the host of the BBC podcast Fame under Fire, to explain what we know so far about what happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez. And we also look at why it took so long for D4vd to be taken into custody.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Harry Styles, Bad Bunny and Shakira are just three of the many huge pop acts that have decided to do residencies — turning away from long world tours and performing night after night in one major city instead. Residencies make it easier for artists to build elaborate shows, help them avoid burnout from constantly being on the move, and save them the effort (and money!) of transporting their crew, costumes and staging. But they can also make it even harder for fans to get the chance to see their favourite artists live.
BBC reporter Mollie Perella explains why residencies are becoming more popular - and why concert tickets are getting more and more expensive. Artists CMAT and Wet Leg tell us what they think about residencies - and whether they would ever do one. And fans share their thoughts on Harry Styles’ upcoming residency in New York.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates, William Lee Adams and Ash Mohamed
Video producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

People frequently turn to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok for health advice. Some people argue that using them is similar to an Internet search. But some experts say that chatbots are getting things dangerously wrong.
James Gallagher, the BBC’s Health Correspondent, explains how chatbots work, what the risks are and how the technology is evolving. We also hear from young people about how and when they seek advice from chatbots.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams, Santiago Vanegas Maldonado and Benita Barden
Editor: Harriet Oliver