What in the World

Lebanon, Kenya and Jamaica are among the handful of countries that have gotten rid of the ‘period tax’ - the additional charge the government adds to the retail price of sanitary products like pads or tampons. Now, a new campaign has started to scrap the tax in Pakistan. According to UNICEF, the tax can add up to 40% to the retail price of sanitary pads in the country, making them out of reach for many women and girls, especially in impoverished communities.Mahnoor Omer, the 25-year-old lawyer from Pakistan who has started a legal case to cut the tax, talks us through attitudes to periods in her home country and explains why this campaign is so important to her. And we hear from young women in Pakistan who tell us what they think of the tax.Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producer: Chelsea Coates and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Harriet Oliver

Ruth Clegg, BBC health and wellbeing reporter who investigates wellness trends, explores the booming market for unregulated peptide shots. She outlines what peptides are and why social media hype drives people to try them. Ruth also uncovers the grey market, safety and legal concerns, plus the gap between animal studies and human evidence.

Georgina Rannard, BBC science correspondent, gives a clear explainer on Artemis II and its timeline. She walks through why NASA is back at the Moon. She breaks down why multiple launch dates are possible. She outlines the roughly 10-day trip and profiles the four-person crew.

Imagine being able to understand what animals are saying - and potentially even talking back. Animal-to-human communication is a subject which has garnered a lot of attention in recent years. And now artificial intelligence (AI) is turbo charging the conversation. The BBC’s Caroline Steel chats us through the basics of animal communication, how technological advancements have helped humans understand them, and what the next phase of this could look like. David Gruber from Project CETI also shares his team’s pioneering efforts to understand sperm whales. Plus, vet Haehyun Shin shares how her work would be impacted if she could understand her pet patients. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

Abina Issa Bakofi, a recent graduate in Accra who voices Ghanaian youth views, and Daniel Dadzie, BBC Africa journalist and analyst. They discuss the UN vote recognising the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity. Conversations cover Ghana's reparations push, why some states opposed or abstained, and what this recognition could mean for diplomacy, memory and future calls for redress.

Joe Tidy, BBC technology correspondent known for clear analysis of social media and tech law, breaks down a landmark US verdict against Meta and Google. He explains the trial’s focus on app design, the features that drive endless scrolling, and potential legal and regulatory ripple effects. Listeners weigh in on whether apps are truly addictive.

Emma Middleton, BBC Sport reporter who covers football ownership, explains why celebrities are snapping up lower-league clubs. She discusses KSI’s Dagenham & Redbridge move and the surge of star investments. Short takes cover global examples, fan reactions, how much power minority investors really hold, and the risks when fame meets football.

Azadeh Moshiri, BBC Dubai correspondent who covers local life and security in the UAE. Nick Marsh, Asia business correspondent who tracks energy and economic trends. They discuss how the Iran war is reshaping Dubai’s image, local safety and tourism. They also cover rising fuel prices, regional economic effects and shifting security alignments.

Mayeni Jones, BBC Africa correspondent reporting from Johannesburg, gives on-the-ground analysis of South Africa’s worsening water shortages and alleged 'water mafias'. She outlines how aging infrastructure and climate change strain supplies. She describes water tankers, accusations of theft and collusion, and how shortages hit daily life and deepen inequality.

Yuna Koo, an on-site Seoul reporter who covered the Gwanghwamun Square comeback, gives an eyewitness account and local context. She describes the show's blend of traditional and modern staging. She discusses tightened security and lower turnout, mixed South Korean reactions to Arirang, BTS’s economic boost to tourism, and their role as a symbol of national soft power.