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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: Spotlight on Zimbabwe

Zimbabweans queue to be registered at polling stations. Credit: Getty

26/07/2013

Spotlight on Zimbabwe

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Spotlight on Zimbabwe

As Zimbabwe gears up for elections, why is it dangerous to have a crackly wind up radio?

Zimbabwe elections; Afghan doomsday; Wolf Paw for Baby Cambridge?; Remembering Chiwoniso Maraire; Nairobi pee patrols; and Jailbreaks in Iraq, DR Congo and Mexico.

Zimbabwe Elections
As Zimbabwe prepares for its presidential polls, correspondent Brian Hongwe reports from Harare on why police have been seizing shortwave radios in the run up to elections. Plus, BBC Africa's homesick reporter, Lewis Machipisa, gives an insight into the country's relationship with international media.

Afghan Doomsday
Why are Afghans so afraid of 2014? It is the year foreign forces leave and has many Afghans comparing the moment with 'doomsday'. BBC Persian's Tahir Qadiry explains why so many people are so anxious.

Oh Baby
What would Royal Baby Cambridge do with a Kyrgyz wolf paw?

Remembering  Chiwoniso 
BBC Africa journalists pay tributes to Chiwoniso Maraire, the 37 year old Zimbabwean singer who died this week of suspected pneumonia.

Nairobi Pee Patrol 
In Kenya, reporter Emmanuel Igunza reflects on the effectiveness of a new 'anti-urine squad' on preventing the problem of public peeing on the streets of his beloved Nairobi.

Prison Breaks
Earlier this week gunmen stormed two high security prisons outside Baghdad - mortar rounds and car bombs were used, and hundreds of inmates set free, among them senior members of al-Qaeda. How does this dramatic jailbreak compare with others around the world? BBC Arabic's Lofti Habib, Kasim Kayira of the Swahili Service and Juan Carlos Perez of BBC Mundo get behind bars in Iraq, DR Congo and Mexico.

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 Bamako's refurbished zoo and Peruvian maggots in your ear.

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