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What in the World
How do I become an Olympian?
What in the World
Jul 19, 2024

A lot of us dream about becoming a professional athlete and the ultimate athletes in sport are at the Olympic Games. But what does it take? The Olympics officially start on 26th July in Paris, France. 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries will take part in 32 sports including athletics, swimming, and gymnastics, as well as BMX, surfing and climbing.

Kishmala Talat (22), a shooter from Pakistan, and Zenéy Geldenhuys (24), a South African hurdler, are both competing at their first Olympics this year. They talk about how it feels to represent their country and what it takes to become an Olympian.

And two other Olympics athletes Tanisha Crasto (21), who plays badminton for India, and Rebecca Meder (21), a South African swimmer, answer some of your questions - like what have you sacrificed and what’s your morning routine?

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: Adam Chowdhury Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and William Lee Adams Editor: Verity Wilde

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Feb 5, 2025
USAID: Can the world live without it?

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is under fire. It is the world’s biggest donor and spends billions of dollars a year, funding programmes around the world, like fighting malaria in Bangladesh, clearing unexploded landmines in Cambodia and Laos and providing medical supplies in Sudan.

But President Trump says it is run by “radical lunatics” and he and billionaire Elon Musk, who’s got the job of trying to slash American government spending, want to shut it down. They have paused almost all international spending for 90 days and issued “stop work” orders to their staff. BBC journalist Nathalia Jimenez tells us what USAID does - and why the Trump administration wants to close it.

A large proportion of USAID funding goes towards healthcare and HIV medication in sub-Saharan Africa. Makuochi Okafor, the BBC’s Africa Health correspondent tells us what impact closing USAID could have in this region.

Anselm Gibbs, a BBC reporter based in Trinidad and Tobago, tells us about programmes USAID funds in the Caribbean. And Hilde Deman from Search for Common Ground, an international NGO that uses USAID funding in countries affected by violent conflict, talks about the impact to their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Rosanna La Falce


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How do I become an Olympian?

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