After months of mounting pressure, US lawmakers have just voted to release all of the so-called Epstein files. So documents from criminal investigations into the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before his death could soon be made public. The vote was passed in the House of Representatives 427-1 and the Senate unanimously fast-tracked it without a formal vote. Now it’s down to US President Donald Trump, who’s already said he’ll release them.

This story has been around for a while, and it’s become a bit of a thorny issue for the US president. Trump used to socialise with Epstein, although there are no allegations of wrongdoing against him. During his re-election campaign, Trump called for the Epstein files to be released. Then, once in power, he changed his mind. But, after a rebellion from some in his own party, he switched sides again, calling for their release.

Following this vote, lots of people have questions: When will the Epstein files be released? What are the Epstein files? And who’s in them? In this episode we explain everything we know so far.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde

In Sudan, where a civil war has been raging for over two years, millions of students have had their education disrupted. Over half of all schools are in conflict zones. Many schools are being used as shelters and many students have missed their exams. In some parts of the country there is no education at all.

Sudan is one of the biggest countries in Africa. It’s mostly Muslim and is also one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 150,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and around 12 million have had to flee their homes. The UN has called it the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.

In this episode school and university students in Sudan tells us how their education has been affected by the war. And BBC journalist Maha El Gaml explains how some schools are now re-opening.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity Wilde

Both Jamaica and the Philippines have been battered by tropical storms in the past month. Hurricane Melissa, a category five storm, was the worst storm to ever hit Jamaica and one of the strongest so far to affect the Caribbean, leaving at least 30 people dead. And super-typhoon Fungwong displaced more than a million people in the Philippines, only days after an earlier storm claimed hundreds of lives.

Neither region is a stranger to storms - the Philippines is hit with an average of 20 typhoons each year - but scientists say that climate change is making these storms more severe. So, how can small island nations better protect themselves in the face of natural disasters?

Environment and climate journalist Jhesset Enano, who’s from the Philippines, tells us what it’s like to live in a region where tropical storms are common - and what’s being done to protect people. And Rosanne Martyr, a senior scientist from Climate Analytics, tells us about the natural defences small islands around the world are using to minimise the damage caused by storms.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

These days, buying concert tickets is a huge expense. If fans miss out, they can often find tickets on resale sites at hugely inflated prices. Sometimes people resell their tickets because they can’t go but there are also lots of “professional resellers” or ticket touts playing the system and making loads of profit. They buy tickets in bulk from the original seller platform, then mark them up to fans.

We hear from a Taylor Swift super fan, who has spent hundreds on resale tickets.

Now, a group of musicians including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Sam Fender and Radiohead have sent a letter to the UK government, asking politicians to introduce a price cap on resale tickets to "stop touts from fleecing fans”. Ireland has already introduced a law to stop people selling tickets for more than their original price. Gary Devitt, who co-founded a platform in Ireland for fan-to-fan ticket resales called Toutless, gives us his view on what effect the law has had.

In this episode we hear some stories about buying resale tickets, and ask whether price caps can actually stop the touts. The BBC’s music correspondent Mark Savage also explains how ticket touts operate, and what artists could do themselves to reduce dodgy reselling.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Imogen James and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

Prepping is a big deal in the US. There’s even a reality TV show called “Doomsday Preppers”. Prepping is when you stockpile loads of stuff - food, water, medicine - in case of a disaster, nuclear war or an unstoppable virus. Now billionaires are taking it to the next level, building underground mansions and self-sustaining bunkers that look like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building a $100 million compound in Hawaii—complete with plans for a huge underground bunker, although he’s described it as a “little shelter, like a basement”. Peter Thiel, the CEO of Paypal tried to build one in New Zealand and Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is rumoured to have underground security areas under every one of his homes.

In this episode BBC reporter Nathalia Jimenez joins us again to chat about what exactly these billionaires are building and what they’re so worried about. And we hear from Lauren, a prepper in the US, about why she thinks it’s important to get organised.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Benita Barden Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Are Christians being targeted and killed in their thousands in Nigeria? That’s the claim made by US President Donald Trump in several social media posts. He’s blamed the Nigerian Government for allowing the killing of Christians, and has threatened to stop aid and send troops into the African country. It not only caught the attention of Nigerians, but also rapper Nicki Minaj. In a post on X that’s been seen more than 50 million times, she said she’s grateful to Trump, writing that no group should be persecuted for their religion.

But is there truth to what Trump says? We speak to BBC reporter Ijeoma Ndukwe to learn more about the religious tensions in Nigeria and what’s really happening. We also hear from two young Nigerians, who offer up their thoughts on the situation.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Imogen James and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

Do aliens exist? What’s out there in the universe beyond Earth? These are some of the questions which have plagued astronomers and film producers for years.

Well, now astronomers are revisiting these questions following the discovery of a possible atmosphere around an Earth-sized planet about 40 light years away. The exoplanet is called Trappist-1e and may be able to host life.

BBC science presenter Caroline Steel joins us to explain what we need to know about this discovery. Plus, we speak to Ximena from Venezuela and Vanessa from Finland - who are both members of the Cosmic Girls Foundation - about what they make of Trappist-1e.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

The COP30 climate summit is taking place in the Brazilian city of Belém for the next two weeks. It's run by the United Nations (UN) and every year is one of the biggest events in the calendar, especially for world leaders and environmental campaigners. This COP is in the Amazon rainforest. The country's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, says it will be an historic summit because it is "a COP in the Amazon, not a COP about the Amazon". All world leaders are invited, but not all attend. US President Donald Trump, for example, won’t be there.

Every year at COP countries make commitments about what they will do over the next year with the aim of reducing climate change. But this year's summit is particularly important as it marks ten years since the Paris Agreement and people will be tracking our progress. The BBC’s Georgina Rannard breaks down everything we need to know about this year’s COP. Plus Natalia Tsuyama, who’s a climate activist based in Brazil, shares why she’s feeling hopeful.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

New York has chosen its new mayor - Zohran Mamdani. He’s a Muslim, was born in Uganda, and loves Arsenal. He’s also pretty young. The politician has been making waves online with his social media campaign and united a huge Gen Z force behind him. From viral moments like jumping in the sea in a suit to walking the entire length of Manhattan, he’s probably appeared on your timeline.

So, what made his campaign go down so well with younger voters? We speak to BBC journalist Nathalia Jimenez, who has watched all this unfold in New York. She explains whether other politicians around the world can learn from his success.

We also hear from young New Yorkers and their experience taking part in some of the mayor-elect’s events, as well as Ugandans, who share what it’s like to see someone from their country go and win an American election.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Imogen James and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Verity Wilde

The Amazon rainforest is home to billions of trees, animals and people. It’s spread across nine countries in South America - Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela - but the majority of it, almost 60%, is in Brazil. As well as being rich in biodiversity, the Amazon is also very important in the world's fight against climate change; as it absorbs carbon dioxide and produces oxygen.

But the Amazon has been declining. In fact, in 2022 Brazil set a new deforestation record for the amount of trees cut down in the rainforest in one month. This impact is being felt directly by the indigenous groups who have been living there for thousands of years, but also the world as a whole. In this episode we’re joined by Graihagh Jackson, from the BBC’s The Climate Question podcast, and Dr Erika Berenguer, who’s a Senior Research Associate at the University of Oxford and Lancaster. We chat about why the Amazon is so important, and what’s being done to protect it. This year’s climate summit Cop30 is being held in Belem, in the Amazon, for the first time. So we also discuss what impact this could have on the world’s largest rainforest.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

The RSF (Rapid Support Forces) have taken the city of el-Fasher, in Darfur, from the Sudanese army. The city had been under siege by RSF fighters for 18 months, trapping hundreds of thousands of civilians and sparking a hunger crisis. Thousands are now trying to flee. And there are mounting fears of mass killings and sexual violence - some of which are feared to be ethically motivated.

The civil war in Sudan has been going on since 2023. But some believe that this could be a turning point. Deka Barrow, a journalist from BBC Monitoring who’s based in Nairobi, joins us to explain why. We also hear from someone who is trapped in el-Fasher.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer: Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

Sora and Vibes are making it easier than ever to make AI-generated videos. You may already be familiar with low-budget ‘AI slop’ which is creeping into TikTok and Instagram. Things like Will Smith eating spaghetti, dogs riding motorbikes, or the late Queen Elizabeth rapping. Or, maybe you enjoy POV videos - and imagining you’re an angel waking up in heaven, or the Pope in the Vatican. Now Sora, from the owners of ChatGPT, and Vibes, from Meta, are promising to take AI-generated video content to the next level. They both launched in September.

So, is the internet about to change forever? How can we tell what’s real and what’s not? Is this a new age of misinformation? And should we be worried that President Donald Trump is sharing lots of these videos? The BBC’s Jacqui Wakefield joins us to share all. Plus, we hear from two students about why they love or hate AI-generated content.

Thumbnail image: Reddit/minchoi

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Producers: Mora Morrison and Natalia Makohon Editor: Verity Wilde

Nauru is the third smallest country in the world. It’s located in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean and is home to around 12-thousand people. The tiny island has recently received its first transfer of foreign detainees from Australia - following a controversial deal between the two nations. The deal was struck after Australia's top court ruled that it could not indefinitely detain about 358 people, the bulk of whom have been convicted of crimes, forcing their release into the community. The BBC’s Katy Watson is based in Sydney. She breaks down what we need to know about this deal, and what it says about Australia’s migration policy.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Chelsea Coates and Mora Morrison Editor: Verity Wilde

How does someone stop being a prince? The UK's King Charles has announced that his brother Andrew will no longer have this or any of his other titles after public pressure over his links with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He will also have to vacate his royal mansion in Windsor.

This is a rare move in royal history. In this episode we break down the main points and take a closer look at the people key to the story: the former prince; the King; Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, a victim of sex trafficking who alleged Andrew had sex with her three times as a teenager and whose memoir was recently published.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Benita Barden and Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Verity Wilde and Harriet Oliver

Sumo is Japan’s national sport. Its origins go back more than 1,500 years, and it rarely leaves Japan. But some competitions are starting to tour - including The Grand Sumo Tournament, which recently happened in London. Wrestlers often start training from a very young age, and training is intense. It involves building strength and fitness - and eating. A lot. They consume around 10,000 calories a day.

The BBC’s Mariko Oi is from Japan. She talks us through all we need to know about the sport. We also hear from 21-year-old Aonishiki Arata. He’s one of Ukraine’s top wrestlers and now lives and trains in Japan. And two fans share why they love the sport.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Natalia Makohon Editor: Verity Wilde

The White House, in the heart of Washington DC, has housed American presidents for more than two centuries. But now, the East Wing of the famous complex has been torn down by President Donald Trump.

He says he’s replacing it with a huge ballroom to host events. The administration hasn’t revealed plans for it just yet, but the latest estimated cost its around $300m.

So did President Trump have permission to partially demolish the building? What do people think about it? We speak to BBC reporter Sakshi Venkatraman, all the way from New York. She also explains how President Trump isn’t the only one who has made changes to the presidential residence over the years, but he’s already made a few since moving back in.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Chelsea Coates Producers: Imogen James and Emily Horler Editor: Verity Wilde

In August, China launched a new “K visa”, to attract young science and technology graduates. It came into effect on 1st October 2025 and although there isn’t a lot of information about what the visa will allow people to do, it’s getting a lot of media attention. Many people in China aren’t happy about it. That’s because millions of Chinese graduates can’t find jobs and there are worries over preferential treatment for foreigners.

Mengchen Zhang, from the BBC’s Global China Unit, joins Hannah in the studio to explain what we know about the K visa, why the Chinese government has introduced it and why it’s so hard right now for Chinese grads to find work. We also discuss Chinese work culture, including the new concept of 007.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer : Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

If you’re an NBA fan, you’ll probably know that this season has gotten off to a rocky start. The FBI has revealed two major cases of illegal sports betting, involving two NBA stars and a coach. The allegations include faking injuries to influence matches, as well as working with the mafia to rig poker games.

So, how did they allegedly get tangled up in the US organised crime world?

BBC reporter Kayla Epstein joins us from New York to explain what the FBI’s investigation has found - and how the mafia could be involved. And Jonty Colman, BBC Sport journalist, tells us about other illegal gambling controversies that have hit the NBA and how these allegations could impact the rest of the NBA season.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Chelsea Coates Producers: Benita Barden, Mora Morrison and Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde

Antidepressants have been prescribed to help people with depression for decades. While they help millions, they also come with potential side effects. These can include nausea, a change in sleep patterns and low sex drive.

But now, for the first time, the side effects of different types of the drug have been compared and ranked in a study. What are the differences? And will it change how people are prescribed the drug? BBC Heath and science correspondent James Gallagher explains.

Do antidepressants have a different effect on younger people? We hear from BBC Newsbeat’s Eleanor Shearwood on a different study which has just begun, and is looking into this.

And three young people also tell us their experience of being on antidepressants, and how it has changed them.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Imogen James and Emily Horler Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

The Catholic Church has appointed its first ever millennial saint — Carlo Acutis. A keen gamer and coder, the Italian teenager died aged only 15 back in 2006, days after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia. Since then, he’s earned the nickname ‘God’s influencer’ and developed a devoted following for the work he did to spread Catholic teaching during his short life.

Catholic followers believe he was behind two miracles and over a million people have travelled to Assisi to see his preserved remains. So, how does the process of becoming a saint work? And is Carlo’s canonisation part of a bigger push to get more young people interested in the Catholic Church?

BBC journalist Chelsea Coates explains all the steps towards becoming a saint. PopeCrave and a young Catholic tell us their thoughts about the Church’s first millennial saint.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Pria Rai Producers: Benita Barden, Maria Clara Montoya and Chelsea Coates Video Journalist: Imogen James Editor: Verity Wilde