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

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The Fifth Floor: Abiy-mania: Ethiopia Transformed

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fan of Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at a rally (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

09/11/2018 GMT

Abiy-mania: Ethiopia Transformed

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Abiy-mania: Ethiopia Transformed

Peace with Eritrea, exiles returned, women in high office: half a year of PM Abiy Ahmed

Ethiopia under PM Abiy Ahmed; Nepali Tihar; Pride and Prejudice in Brazil; Pakistan's Uighur wives in China; My Home Town Bangkok; BBC Arabic in Iran.  With David Amanor.

Since taking office in April, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has transformed Ethiopia.  Peace has been agreed with Eritrea, the streets are largely clear of protesters, and the new cabinet is half female.  Ethiopian Christine Yohannes of BBC Amharic tells us more about the man behind the changes.  

Worshipping crows, dogs, cows, oxen and brothers: Nepali Tihar 
This week is Diwali, the festival of light.  In Nepal it's called Tihar, and crows, dogs, cows, oxen and brothers are all worshipped with garlands and sweet treats.  BBC Nepali's Rama Parajuli is our guide.

Pride and Passion
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has had a Brazilian makeover.  The telenovela Orgulho e Paixão, or Pride and Passion, is sexier and has proved a hit with tv audiences.  Paula Adamo Idoeta of BBC Brasil took a peek. 

Pakistan's missing Chinese wives 
In China’s Xinjiang province many Muslim Uighurs are being detained in "vocational training" centres.  Some are the wives of Pakistani businessmen trading from China, and BBC Urdu's Asif Farooqi has been hearing their stories.

MHT: Bangkok 
Issariya Praithongyaem of BBC Thai braves the traffic to take us to the floating markets and funfairs of her home town, Bangkok. 

Iran: a view from the bazaar 
BBC Arabic's Ali Hashem recently had a rare opportunity to report from Isfahan to find out how ordinary Iranians are affected by the dire economy.  

(Photo: fan of Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed with his face on her T shirt . Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

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