Fifth Floor

Risking death for a fragment of jade

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The world’s largest jade mines are in Myanmar. It’s an industry worth an estimated $30 billion a year for the mine owners. But it's a hazardous living for the hundreds of thousands who scavenge through mountains of rubble in search of fragments of jade. Earlier this month 172 died when one of those piles collapsed. A BBC Burmese team visited the area last weekend - their editor in London, Soe Win Than, shares their findings.

Ertugrul: the Turkish conquest of Pakistan

It’s a story of strength, courage, and the foundation of a great empire. The Turkish TV series Ertugrul is set eight centuries ago, its hero is a tribal leader whose son Osman founded the Ottoman Empire. It’s gripped audiences in Turkey and beyond, and a version dubbed into Urdu is a hit in Pakistan. Aliya Nazki of BBC Urdu is a fan.

Image: Jade scavenging in Myanmar

Credit: BBC

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Fifth FloorBy BBC World Service
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