What in the World

This is our simple(ish) guide to how America picks its president. In November 2024, America will go to the polls to pick the next President of the United States. At the moment it looks like we’ll see a 2020 rematch, Republican Donald Trump vs Democrat Joe Biden. But how do US elections actually work? They can be quite complicated, the candidate with the most votes doesn’t always win. In this episode, we explain things like the electoral college, Super PACs and find out just how much running a campaign ad for the most powerful job on earth can cost.BBC reporter Sam Cabral joins us from Washington and takes us through the process. And business reporter Erin Delmore checks in from New York to talk about the money.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Emily Horler and Adam Chowdhury Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been jailed for 14 years after being convicted of illegally profiting from state gifts. It’s the second sentence handed to Pakistan's former prime minister in two days. Khan, who was ousted as PM by his opponents in 2022, was already serving a three-year jail term for corruption.Imran Khan been a dominant figure in Pakistan for decades. He first rose to international fame on the cricket pitch, before shedding his playboy past and embarking on a decade-long marriage with billionaire heiress Jemima Goldsmith in a story captured in the pages of Hello! magazine. He founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in 1996. So what changed, and what does this sentencing say about the state of democracy in Pakistan? The BBC’s Pakistan correspondent Caroline Davies explains. Plus, we hear reaction from some of his supporters. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

More than 171 trillion pieces of plastic are estimated to be floating in the world's oceans. We’ve touched on the extent of the plastic problem before on the pod, but this time we’re looking into how exactly its affecting marine creatures. Researchers say hermit crabs are increasingly using plastic waste instead of shells for shelter and they are not the only wildlife being affected by our rubbish. Our Science Correspondent, Victoria Gill, gives us a deep dive into that. Plus, the world's largest cruise ship set sail from Miami on its maiden voyage, but there are concerns about the vessel's emissions. That’s despite the ship running on liquefied natural gas, which burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuels. So why are environmentalists worried? Jaidaa Taha, from the What in the World team, explains that for us. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Jaidaa Taha, Baldeep Chahal and Emily Horler Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Demonstrations have been taking place across Kenya to protest femicide and violence against women. The demonstrations follow the murder of socialite Starlet Wahu and the dismemberment of student Rita Waeni earlier this month. BBC Africa journalist Danai Nesta Kupemba tells us about the cases and explains what changes are needed to protect women in Kenya. Esther Ogola, a BBC women’s affairs journalist based in Nairobi, describes how violence against women is rooted in social beliefs. The two brutal murders have sparked a wave of activism. People are using the hashtags #StopKillingWomen and #EndFemicideKe and attending rallies across the country. Women who joined these marches tell us why it’s important to protest. Among the many challenges women face is ‘the manosphere’, a dark corner of social media where it’s common to blame the victims of gender-based violence. Activist Onyango Otieno explains how he is trying to tackle toxic masculinity in Kenya.This episode contains discussion about sexual assault and harassment. Details of organisations offering information and support with these issues are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison, Imogen James and William Lee Adams Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Nigeria’s youth curling team, the Broomzillas, are Africa’s first curling team to reach a Winter Youth Olympics. Their journey to the 2024 Gangwon Games in South Korea hasn’t been easy. They’ve struggled with funding and of course, as Nigeria doesn’t have freezing weather, access to ice to train is incredibly difficult. We speak to two of the team - Tomi and Fatiu. So how do they get ready for the competition? Also, BBC Africa sports reporter, Isaiah Akinremi, takes us through the wider picture across the African continent and the challenge athletes face to break into winter sports.Plus, Ghana is getting back some of its most treasured artefacts… but only on loan. They were looted from the Asante royal court by the British one hundred and fifty years ago. They ended up in a London museum which has now agreed to lend them back for three years. The BBC’s Ghana correspondent, Thomas Naadi, tells us that many want the move to be permanent. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Alex Rhodes and Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

This podcast explores the global prevalence and impact of ADHD, including the underdiagnosis of certain groups. It discusses the role of social media influencers in shaping perceptions of ADHD and the potential risks of self-diagnosis. Additionally, it delves into the misuse of ADHD medication for studying in South Korea and the global shortage of ADHD medication, examining the factors contributing to the scarcity.

Recent tensions between Iran and Pakistan escalate with airstrikes on each other's territory. Iran's actions in Iraq and Syria indicate further problems in the region. The podcast also discusses the resource-rich province of Balochistan and Princess Aiko's plans to work at the Red Cross charity.

Wrestling is huge in India. Not just the type with WWE stars like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins - but amateur wrestling, which is an Olympic sport. But last year women’s wrestling in India was rocked by a sexual harassment scandal. Top athletes, like Rio Olympics bronze medal winner Sakshi Malik, accused wrestling official Brij Bhusan Singh of abusing female wrestlers. He denied the claims but eventually stood down from the job. Progress on the issue has been slow and last month Sakshi Malik quit the sport in frustration. We spoke to BBC Marathi reporter Janhavee Moole to find out, a year on from when the protests started, has anything really changed? Plus we chat to Science Correspondent Jonathon Amos about Japan’s mission to the moon. The spacecraft, nicknamed Moon Sniper, was designed for very accurate landings… but it’s landed the wrong way round and it’s causing all sorts of problems. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes, Kevyah Cardoso and Baldeep Chahal Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

The podcast explores the decision of individuals to forgo having children due to climate change concerns. It discusses the environmental impact of having kids and the need for government intervention. The speakers share insights from people who delay having children until environmental action is taken and the challenges faced by child-free women. They also address criticisms, partner support, government policies, and the size of the child-free movement.

For the first time, Ubisoft have released a Prince of Persia game with an option to have all the characters fully voiced in Farsi. It says it wants Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown to "depict and respect Persia and Iran". The game has great reviews and a lot of Iranian fans are very excited they’ll be able to experience it in their own language. What does this say about culturally sensitivity in gaming?We hear from Alireza Vasefi, an Iranian games reporter for BBC Persian Click, who’s played the series for years. He explains what the language option means to him. We’re also joined by Kirsty Evers who wrote a study about gaming cultural stereotypes. She found that a majority of her participants wanted to see better representation. Plus, what’s it like to help accurately map a historical place for a videogame? Renowned French archaeologist, Egyptologist and historical illustrator Jean-Claude Golvin helped do this for Assassin's Creed: Origins. He talks us through the process. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Benita Barden and Mora Morrison Editors: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks