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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: 22/12/2012

22/12/2012

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, 22/12/2012

A Palestinian journalist's story of growing up in Syria's Yarmouk refugee camp

Seeing Damascus through Palestinian eyes; Arab beards style-guide; Gun culture in Brazil, Pakistan and Russia; and Khamenei's first week on Facebook

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

GROWING UP IN YARMOUK
The Yarmouk camp in central Damascus has for decades been considered the de facto capital of the Palestinian refugee diaspora. But this week thousands were forced to flee as the camp came under heavy shelling and aerial bombing. BBC Arabic's Feras Killani was born and brought up in Yarmouk - he talks about his memories and the heartache of knowing that while he's safe in London, his Palestinian family who remain in Syria, are not. 

ME, MYSELF AND MY MOUSTACHE
During the Mubarak-era, beards were a no-no in Egypt - this year they're back in fashion with a vengeance. And, in general, the details of how you wear your facial hair across the Middle East say a lot about your cultural baggage. From Cairo, journalist Ashraf Khalil lays down  his must-have style-guide for understanding facial grooming in the Arab world.

ONLINE GREATEST HITS
BBC Brasil's Thomas Pappon gives the lowdown on the big-hitting stories across the World Service language sites this week - including doom, armageddon and a Mayan apocalypse here and there.

GUN PERSPECTIVES: BRAZIL, PAKISTAN, AND RUSSIA
Last week, the tragic mass shooting of 26 children and teachers at Sandy Hook School in Connecticut, provoked outrage and shock, and subsequently encouraged the Obama administration to push for tougher laws on gun control. Of course, gun crime is not just a menace for the US - Aamer Ahmed Khan, Mauricio Moraes, and Oleg Boldyrev give perspectives on gun culture from Pakistan, Brazil and Russia.

THE LIFT PITCH 
There's only five floors to go - and BBC Persian's Ali Hamedani dissects Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei's first week on Facebook.

(Image: A Palestinian girl from the Syria's Yarmouk refugee camp. Credit: Getty)

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