Episode
Can you steal another country’s rain clouds?
- Podcast
- What in the World
- Published
- May 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 538
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct8q5g
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Summary
Tensions are high in the Middle East, not just because of the US-Israeli war with Iran but also because the region has been dealing with a long period of severe drought. The social and economic consequences of these events has fuelled a lot of online misinformation. It’s led some people to speculate that the extreme weather is being caused by foreign interference. This theory has spread all the way up to senior officials, with an Iraqi MP even discussing cloud theft on TV. We unpack the possible roots of the ‘cloud stealing’ conspiracy with BBC climate disinformation reporter Marco Silva. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde