Fifth Floor

By BBC World ServiceNews

Fifth Floor episodes

September 24, 2021 What's behind Guinea's coup?
The military coup earlier this month in the West African state of Guinea has been a huge story for BBC reporter Alhassan Sillah, based in the capital Conakry. He tells us about the main players - coup leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, and the man he ousted, President Alpha Condé.
The swimming camels of Kutch
The Kharai are a rare breed of camel found in the Indian state of Gujarat. They swim up to three kilometres in shallow seas to reach the mangroves where they graze. But as salt companies block tidal water, the mangroves are dying, and there's less grazing. BBC Gujarati's Prashant Gupta met the herdsmen and their swimming camels.
Cairo's belly dancing school
Egypt is known for belly dancing, but recently this art has been dominated by belly dancers from Eastern Europe and Latin America. Reem Fattelbab of BBC Arabic has visited a belly dancing school in Cairo to find out why more Egyptian women don't follow this tradition.
Ukraine's toxic mines
BBC Ukrainian recently reported from the frontline in the Donbas region about the impact the conflict is having on the environment. During the Soviet era, Donbas was a mining hub, but now many old mines are flooding, leading to contamination of local water supplies. Reporter Zhanna Bezpiatchuk went down one of the mines to see for herself.
Capybaras and class war in Argentina
The exclusive Nordelta gated community north of Buenos Aires were recently invaded by capybaras, the world's largest rodent. Gardens were tunneled, plants eaten, but with half of Argentinians living in poverty, many were siding with the animals, as BBC Mundo contributor Macarena Gagliardi reports.
Image: Special forces commander Mamady Doumbouya in September 2021
Credit: Reuters/Saliou Samb
42 min
September 17, 2021 The Kenyan men campaigning against FGM
Campaigns to end female genital mutilation usually focus on women’s experiences for obvious reasons: women bear the lifelong physical and psychological scars. But in Kenya the Men End FGM Foundation is adding men’s voices to the anti-FGM movement. Esther Ogola is the women’s affairs reporter in Nairobi who covered the story.
Arabic coffee and health
BBC Arabic has been investigating the health risks of the strong dark coffee traditionally drunk in Greece and Turkey and across the Arab world. Omar Abdel-Razek tells us what the experts say, and also shares the pleasures of the culture around coffee.
Taiwan’s pineapple politics
Earlier this year China halted its imports of Taiwanese pineapples overnight. China is Taiwan’s biggest export market, so a huge political effort was launched to promote the island’s pineapples. Benny Lu is a journalist with BBC China in Hong Kong, and explains what pineapples reveal about regional geopolitics.
Thailand's celebrity monks
Two Buddhist monks have attracted a huge social media following among young Thais for their humorous, informal style. But as BBC Thai’s Issariya Praithongyaem tells us, not everyone likes it, and they have been asked to up the religious content and cut down on the giggling.
VR helps Indians and Pakistanis visit their lost homes
India's violent partition in 1947 displaced some 15 million people who were never able to return home. But for some, a new project called Dastaan is providing customised virtual tours around villages they haven't seen for over 70 years, as Bushra Owaisy from BBC Delhi explains.
Image: Kenyan men campaigning against FGM
Credit: Men End FGM Foundation
42 min
September 10, 2021 Afghanistan: History repeats itself
For many in the BBC Afghan service, recent events have brought back traumatic memories. For Shekiba Habib, the first takeover by the Taliban ended her dream of becoming a doctor. 20 years on, she shares similar stories she's hearing of broken dreams and loss of hope.
El Salvador and Bitcoin: the El Zonte mystery
Bitcoin joined the US dollar as legal tender in El Salvador this week. Quite a leap, but it turns out the small tourist surf town of El Zonte had been using the cryptocurrency for a couple of years already. BBC Mundo’s Marcos Gonzalez set out to find out why.
My Hometown: Weifang
Fan Wang of BBC Chinese takes us to her hometown of Weifang in China to fly kites and play with friends.
Algeria cuts ties with Morocco
Algeria’s relationship with Morocco was caught in the fallout from this year's devastating wildfires. It blamed the fires on criminal acts by a separatist group, which it accuses Morocco of backing. Fethi Benaissa has been reporting on the break in diplomatic ties for BBC Arabic.
How Arab tourists fell in love with Ukraine
The number of tourist flights from Saudi Arabia to Ukraine has more than doubled since 2019, so what explains this new found popularity? Diana Kuryshko of BBC Ukrainian visited a tourist village in the Carpathians to speak to both holidaymakers and local businesses to find out more.
Image: Women protest in Kabul, Afghanistan on 8th September 2021
Credit: Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
42 min
September 03, 2021 Afghanistan: The view from nextdoor
Events in Afghanistan are being closely followed in neighbouring Uzbekistan. Rustam Qobil of BBC Uzbek tells us about the strong cultural and economic ties between the two countries, and what the main concerns are for Uzbekistan and for the Afghan Uzbek population.
Afghan Hazaras face persecution by the Taliban and have been fleeing over the Pakistani border in Balochistan. BBC Urdu's Saher Baloch went to Quetta to meet some of the refugees who've been welcomed by the local Hazara community, who also experience persecution.
Dariush Rajabian tells us how events in Afghanistan are being reported by BBC Persian, and how they reverberate in his home country, Tajikistan, where BBC Persian also has an audience.
For decades, India has hosted Afghans fleeing war or seeking education and business opportunities. BBC Hindi's Piyush Nagpal has spoken to Afghans in Delhi, some long-standing residents, and some just visiting but overtaken by events.
Russian shamans seek recognition
Shamans in Russia are demanding official recognition for their beliefs from the Russian state. Oleg Boldyrev of BBC Russian has been hearing their concerns, and he tells us about the heartlands of shamanism, in regions east of the Urals.
Our Ancestors: Hemalata Lavanam
The BBC Indian languages series Our Ancestors has been celebrating the achievements of trailblazing women from marginalised communities. BBC Telegu's Padma Meenakshi tells the story of social reformer Hemalata Lavanam from Andhra Pradesh.
Image: Afghans arrive at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman
Credit: AFP via Getty Images
42 min
August 27, 2021 The valley of Afghan resistance
In Afghanistan one province is still resisting the Taliban takeover of the country, the Panjshir Valley. The valley also held out during the 80s and 90s against both the Soviet and the Taliban forces. Ismael Sadaat is a journalist with BBC Afghan in London, and has visited the valley several times. He explains why this place has repeatedly been the centre of Afghanistan's armed resistance movements.
India's beleaguered Sunderbans
The Sunderbans in the Bay of Bengal are the world's largest mangrove forest, and they are particularly vulnerable to climate change. More frequent cyclones are displacing families for months at a time. BBC Hindi's Debalin Roy has been there to report on the impact of the most recent one.
Myanmar's radio habit
Radios sold out in Yangon last week following news of a new radio programme, made by the National Unity Government in exile. For many in Myanmar, it’s a return to an old habit formed under previous regimes, as BBC Burmese's Soe Win Than remembers.
Mozambique's missing millions
Mozambicans are gripped by a huge trial which got underway this week, centred on a multi-million dollar corruption scandal which led the economy to collapse. Jose Tembe, who reports for the BBC from Maputo, has been following events.
Let’s talk straight
A video in which two people shout racist remarks at each other seems an unlikely route to dialogue. But ‘Let’s talk straight’ is a staged rap confrontation between two Israelis, Jew and Arab, with a message of co-existence. BBC Arabic’s Murad Shishani explains.
The puppet walking from Turkey to the UK
Little Amal is a 9-year-old refugee girl. She's from the Syrian town of Aleppo, walking 8,000 kilometres from Turkey to the UK in search of her mother. Amal is no ordinary girl, but a puppet, part of a project to raise awareness of the plight of refugees, as BBC Monitoring journalist Beril Akman explains.
Image: Guard post in Afghanistan's Panjshir valley
Credit: Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP via Getty Images
42 min
August 20, 2021 Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover
There is fear and uncertainty in Afghanistan as people wonder what their lives will be like under Taliban rule. Sana Safi from BBC Pashto shares her insights from listening to and interviewing the Taliban, and talking to contacts in Afghanistan.
Delhi and Kashmir: two lives in letters
In 2017, BBC journalist Divya Arya brought together schoolgirls Saumya and Duaa, from Delhi and Indian-administered Kashmir, to become penfriends. She tells us how their growing understanding and friendship overcame political divides. Divya's book about their correspondence is called Postbox Kashmir: Two lives in letters.
The rise of plastic surgery in China
Plastic surgery has become a booming industry in China, but this has led to a rise in unlicensed clinics and many high profile botched operations. Waiyee Yip from BBC Singapore has been following the trend.
A Russian bike odyssey
BBC Russian's Oleg Boldyrev is a keen cyclist, and as Covid restrictions prevent more exotic routes, he's taken his bike along the backroads of Russia, revisiting childhood haunts and gauging opinions about next month's parliamentary elections.
Image: Members of Taliban forces sit at a checkpost in Kabul, Afghanistan in August 2021
Credit: Reuters/Stringer
44 min
August 13, 2021 Russian mercenaries in Libya
We hear how BBC Russian and BBC Arabic collaborated in a joint investigation into the role of mercenaries from Russia's secretive Wagner Group in the conflict in Libya. Kateryna Khinkulova and Nader Ibrahim explain how they identified Russian fighters and uncovered evidence of suspected war crimes.
China's wandering elephants
A herd of elephants have finally returned to their nature reserve in southern China after leaving it 17 months ago to trek over 500 kilometres. It is still unclear why the elephants embarked on the journey. BBC Chinese editor Howard Zhang tells us about reactions to the wayward elephants.
Why are South Korean women reclaiming short hair?
When South Korean archer An San won three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, many online comments focussed on her short hair, not her sporting success. An was labelled a feminist, a loaded term in South Korea. Julie Yoonnyung Lee of BBC Korean explains the background to the controversy.
Goodbye Lionel Messi
After 21 years, the great Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi has left Barcelona to start a new career with Paris Saint Germain, amid tears from himself and his fans. Among those mourning his departure is BBC Mundo’s Enric Botella, who’s from Barcelona.
Image: Russian mercenaries in Libya
Credit: Wagner telegram group
42 min
August 06, 2021 On the front line: New York, Ukraine
Ukraine has regained its own New York after parliament this week voted to give the name back to a small town near the front line in the conflict with pro-Russian separatists. Svyatoslav Khomenko of BBC Ukrainian has been asking locals what they think of the return to the original name.
Jaffa after the violence
For a few nights in May, the Israeli city of Jaffa was the scene of violent clashes between Jews and Arabs. Similar outbreaks happened across Israel, after rising tensions triggered by threatened evictions in East Jerusalem, confrontations at al-Aqsa mosque, and fighting between Israel and the militant group Hamas, who control Gaza. BBC Arabic's Michael Shuval tells us about the impact of the violence in Jaffa.
Before the Olympics: the Palić Games
Sixteen years before the birth of the modern Olympic Games, a Hungarian nobleman was inspired by the ancient Olympics to start his own version in today's Serbia. BBC Serbian's Nataša Andjelković tells the remarkable story of the Palić Games and its founder Lajoš Vermeš.
Saving Sierra Leone's chimpanzees
Sierra Leone is losing its forests at an alarming rate, despite laws meant to protect them. One area that remains almost intact is around the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The BBC's Umaru Fofana, who recently visited the sanctuary, explains how the fate of the forests is closely linked to that of the chimpanzees.
Peru's new president
In his trademark white hat, Pedro Castillo was sworn in as the new president of Peru last week. From a poor farming background, Castillo is very different to Peru's previous four presidents. Martin Riepl reports from Lima for BBC Mundo, and he tells us more about this surprising new leader.
Image: Svyatoslav Khomenko next to the sign for New York, Ukraine
Credit: BBC
41 min
July 30, 2021 Kyiv march: 'Eucharist is our vaccine'
This week tens of thousands of Orthodox Christians marched through Kyiv, despite coronavirus restrictions, to mark the anniversary of Vladimir the Great adopting the Christian faith. Myroslava Petsa of BBC Ukrainian reported from the march and tells us why it was so controversial this year.
For the love of dancehall
Egyptian Yara Saleh turned her back on a prestigious career as an oil engineer to devote her life to dance. Specifically to dancehall, a genre that originated in Jamaica. She's now choreographing routines and introducing dancehall to fellow Egyptians, as Rana Taha found out for BBC Arabic.
Our Ancestors
BBC Indian languages are running their second Humari Purakhin, or Our Ancestors, season, celebrating India's female pioneers. This season focuses on marginalised communities, and BBC Marathi's Anagha Pathak chose the first recorded Dalit headmistress and feminist, Jaibai Chaundray.
Discovering the world's largest sapphire
A Sri Lankan man became fabulously wealthy overnight after finding the world's largest star sapphire while digging a well in his garden. It is estimated to sell for $100 million. The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan in Delhi has followed the story.
From bans to Olympic medals: Brazil’s skateboard journey
Brazil’s Olympic skateboarders are being hailed as heroes with their medal success in Tokyo. But skateboarding was banned in many Brazilian cities in the late 1980s. Thais Carrança of BBC Brasil tells us about the skateboarders of Sao Paulo, and the new mayor who gave them back their freedom.
Image: Worshippers in the streets of Kyiv
Credit: BBC
41 min
July 23, 2021 Khuzestan: Iran's thirsty province
Protests have swept through Iran's Khuzestan province. Severe water shortages and a lack of drinking water have brought demonstrators to the streets, shouting 'I am thirsty'. BBC Persian's Parham Ghobadi explains why water has become such a flashpoint.
My Home Town: Sahaspur, India
Khadeeja Arif of BBC Urdu takes us to her home town in Uttar Pradesh, a place to chat with neighbours under mango trees.
Doctor without Stigma
An Indonesian doctor is campaigning to remove the stigma many women face when they visit a gynaecologist. If they say they are unmarried, they may be refused treatment. Callistasia Wijaya of BBC Indonesian shares the story of the Doctor without Stigma initiative.
The Tokyo Olympics in 5 words
Mexican Lourdes Heredia was a student in Japan 25 years ago, and has returned to work on the BBC's Olympic coverage. It's been bittersweet, with the triumph of the Olympics dimmed by Covid. She shares five Japanese words which perfectly describe her impressions.
Brazil's illegal gold miners
Conflict between illegal gold miners and the indigenous Yanomami people has reached levels of violence not seen for decades with an attack on a remote village in the Amazon rainforest. BBC Brasil's Hugo Bachega has been following the story.
Image: Women in Khuzestan Province
Credit: TASNIM AGENCY
42 min