What in the World

Across France, thousands of high school students are protesting. They say they’re doing it because of conditions in their schools - that classrooms are overcrowded, there’s not enough teachers and they can’t concentrate on exams because school buildings aren’t being maintained well enough.
Five hundred schools are shut and some protests have turned violent, with riot police being deployed and some streets set on fire. Pupils, teachers and police have been injured. Many of the protesters are under 18 and at this point there is no sign of the demonstrations ending. So why is this happening?
We hear from French teenagers who have spent the last few days protesting about what they want to change and why this is so important to them. We also hear from BBC reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis and former student union president Manès Nadel.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates, Emma-Louise Amanshia and Rita Behadini
Editor: Emily Horler

It’s something you might dream of - or only see in films or read in books - moving to a remote island in the middle of the sea. Only wildlife around you. No bars or clubs and barely any people!
Sound like a bit of you? Or maybe it’s your worst nightmare. We speak to BBC reporter Georgina Rannard, about why she’s swapping city life to be a farmer on an island in Wales with only three other people. We also hear tips from people that’ve done similar things. Jaleesah lives on Siquijor in the Philippines and Tom works on a research station in Antarctica.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella
Editor: Emily Horler

Researching ways to improve your sleep has been popular for years but now it’s evolved and there’s a whole new genre of social media content called ‘Sleepmaxxing’. It shows ways you can build your perfect night’s sleep, by taking magnesium supplements, using black-out curtains or white noise machines. Experts say the popularity has boomed thanks to the accessibility of smart watches which give users sleep scores. We hear from Ollie, who tracks his sleep and is aiming for the perfect score.
BBC reporter Ashitha Nagesh who’s been reporting on the trend, tells us why some experts advise against multi-layered sleep routines and an obsessive fixation with sleep called orthosomnia.
Plus, sleep expert Sophie Bostock tells us how reliable popular sleep trackers are and what they are really measuring.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Mollie Perella, Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

The issue of safety on college campuses is nothing new. But it’s back in the spotlight again because of the re-opening of a case at Cornell University, New York in the US. A woman alleges she was gang raped at a fraternity party in October 2024. The group is being called the ‘Cornell 7’ on social media. The incident was reported to campus police at the time, but no formal charges were made.
The woman claims she was drugged and raped at a frat house and says the uni didn’t protect her or adequately punish the men she says were involved. Cornell rejects this. Her lawyer says she was traumatised and dropped out of uni.
Now, two years later, state prosecutors have reopened the investigation following a civil lawsuit she’s filed. So - what happened with the case the first time? And what’s different now?
We speak to the BBC’s New York correspondent Nada Tawfik about the case and the conversations about consent, accountability and campus sexual assault.
If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella
Editor: Emily Horler

More and more of us are picking up side hustles - US national employment data shows that the number of people with more than one job is going up year on year, and a survey found that the majority of them are 16-24 year olds. So why are more of us turning to side hustles? And what’s the best way to start one?
We hear from Katie (@katiesgarms), Vera (@viavera_) and Shania (@shaniasvault) who have all started successful side hustles. They share how they got into them and their top tips for getting started. And Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains why the current global job market is encouraging more people to pick up second jobs - and the things to look out for if you’re thinking of doing this.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Mollie Perella, Chelsea Coates and Emma-Louise Amanshia
Video Journalist: Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde