Fifth Floor

Reporting the global heatwave


Listen Later

July 2023 was world’s hottest month on record, with extreme temperatures and weather patterns making global headlines. We asked colleagues from the language services how they had been covering the story. BBC Arabic's North Africa correspondent Bassam Bounenni reported on the heatwave in Tunisia, and the wildfires that spilled over from Algeria. BBC Korean's Damin Jung shares the stories of South Korea's extreme heat and torrential rains, which led to several deaths and severely disrupted the international Scout Jamboree. And Haider Ahmed reported from Iraq for BBC Arabic about the life of a Baghdad baker, working with temperatures hitting 50C outside and 60C inside.

Miami Vice and jai alai

Jai alai is the world’s fastest ball game. It originated in the Basque region of Spain, and became synonymous with the ‘Miami vice’ era of drug violence and excess of 1970s and 80s, with packed stadiums hosting millionaires, celebrities, and mobsters. BBC Mundo's Atahualpa Amerise charts the changing fortunes of the game.

Sexism and misogyny in Pakistan

Sexist attitudes in Pakistan have been in the spotlight after a senior minister called female leaders of the opposition PTI party “trash and leftovers”. For BBC Urdu, Saher Baloch has been reporting on the fierce backlash that followed.

Kyiv statue makeover

Kyiv’s towering Soviet-era Motherland Monument shows a woman raising a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left. The hammer and sickle emblem that used to be on the shield is being replaced with a tryzub, the three-pronged emblem of Ukraine. BBC Ukrainian’s Irena Taranyuk explains the significance of the tryzub and why this change matters.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Fifth FloorBy BBC World Service

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

33 ratings


More shows like Fifth Floor

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,836 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,117 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,073 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,491 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,820 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,843 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,055 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,042 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

602 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,215 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,044 Listeners