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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: 06/10/2012

06/10/2012

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, 06/10/2012

Perfecting the art of arguing - how can you pack a bigger punch in a Presidential debate?

Iran's blackmarket blues; The rules of engagement - how do you win a Presidential debate?; an uncomfortable encounter with Burma's President and his PR man; Diary from Burkina Faso.

A fresh look at the week's global news from across the World Service's 27 language sections, with guest presenter Pooneh Ghoddoosi.

BLACKMARKET BLUES IN IRAN
Iran's currency is in chaos. The rial has plummeted so much in value, and prices have risen so high that some businesses stopped trading and shoppers found it hard to buy basic goods such as bread, yoghurt and even a fridge. There were protests in the streets of Tehran and a few other cities, and the bazaar was even shut down for a few days. Many Iranians are now finding themselves shopping on the black market in US dollars. Two Persian Service reporters Rana Rahimpour and Majid Nourian talk about how this story is affecting them personally as their families back home in Iran grapple with the crisis.

DEBATE BOOT CAMP
This week saw the first of the US Presidential debates between contenders Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, although by all accounts it was, well, rather dull - and not exactly the gladiatorial contest many were expecting. So how could it be more of an exciting argument? BBC Africa's Josephine Hazeley, Mohammed Yehia from BBC Arabic and William Marquez for BBC Mundo host a crash course in the art of argument, and give tips from Sierra Leone, Egypt and Venezuela on how to pack a bigger punch in a Presidential smack down.

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PR MAN
Burma is gradually coming in from the cold - and one sign that relations are thawing between the BBC and Burmese government is that after a year of negotiations, the president finally gave his first ever interview to the BBC.  Tin Htar Swe was the journalist wielding the mic and asking the questions. And as the editor of the Burmese Service, she was also having to deal with the President's PR man - a retired general who had his own editorial demands and at one stage complained that Swe had "squeezed the president's balls." We get the back story from Swe - and her fear that her first interview with the president might also be the last.

ONLINE GREATEST HITS
Marco Silva gives the lowdown on the big-hitting stories across the World Service language sites this week - including hippos in sitting rooms, and an ostrich pillow.

DIARY FROM BURKINA FASO
Reporter Laeila Adjovi is normally based in Senegal, but she's packed her mic for a trip to Ougadougou in Burkina Faso. There she has some unexpected encounters and finds refugees who've fled a troubled Mali.

(Image: Roosters at a cock fighting match. Credit: Getty)

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