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The Fifth Floor

Factual: Life Stories

Global stories from the BBC’s 40 Language Services, with Faranak Amidi

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services.

Faranak Amidi presents global stories from the Fifth Floor, home to the BBC’s 40 Language Services

The Fifth Floor: 04/08/2012

04/08/2012

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, 04/08/2012

An Urdu Service journalist forced into hiding - the perils of reporting Balochistan

Death threats force BBC Urdu's Balochistan reporter into hiding; the power ballad of Delhi; and no picnic for border-crossing teddybears in Belarus.

A fresh look at the week's global news from across the World Service's 27 language sections, with David Amanor.

JOURNALIST IN HIDING
Pakistan's western province of Balochistan - so dangerous, lawless and neglected that even its chief minister doesn't live there. Since 1998 BBC reporter Ayub Tareen has been reporting from the provincial capital Quetta but last week was forced to go into hiding after receiving a death threat from one of the many separatist groups operating there. This wasn't the first time his life was threatened - so this time round, what tipped things over the edge? He speaks to us from his secret location. And from the 5th floor, the head of the Urdu section Aamer Ahmed Khan explains why Balochistan is such a minefield.

PAPPON'S PICKS
Our internet guru Thomas Pappon gives the lowdown on the big-hitting stories across the World Service language sites this week - including dental bling befitting an Olympian and the Kyrgyz sailor who'd never sailed the sea. 

THE POWER BALLAD OF DELHI
One tenth of the world's population was left without power last week during India's epic electrical failure. It's the biggest blackout in history - a dubious distinction indeed for Delhi. Suhail Haleem takes a peek into the darkness and is unsurprised by how quickly he gets accustomed. Plus, South Asia editor Shahzeb Jillani and Nga Pham of the Vietnamese Service delve into the politics of power - who decides when and where the lights go on?

NO PICNIC FOR TEDDYBEARS IN BELARUS
In Belarus two men have been arrested and the air force and border security chiefs have been sacked after a team of parachuting teddy bears brought havoc to the country recently. The bears were launched on their stealth mission from the skies above Minsk carrying banners calling for freedom of speech and human rights violations to stop. What's the story? BBC Russian's Artyom Liss takes us into the woods.

(Image: The Pakistani flag raised at a protest in the country. Credit: Getty)

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