Other

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

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

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

The Fifth Floor: The abandoned Iraqi interpreters

Documentaries

Nafiseh Khonavard of BBC Persian

08/01/2021 GMT

The abandoned Iraqi interpreters

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, The abandoned Iraqi interpreters

Iraqi interpreters feel under threat from local militias as coalition forces withdraw

Iraqi interpreters feel under threat from local militias as coalition forces withdraw.

Iraqis who worked as interpreters for British and US forces knew that their work was dangerous, but many did it from a sense of patriotism.  But as coalition forces withdraw, many interpreters feel increasingly vulnerable to militias who see them as traitors. Nafiseh Kohnavard of BBC Persian recently met some interpreters in Baghdad to find out about their worries. 

Chittagong's disappearing streams 
In the Chittagong Hill Tracts of south-east Bangladesh, local people rely on forest streams for water.  Now the streams are running dry because so many stones and rocks are being removed for construction projects.  BBC Bangla’s Shahnewaj Rocky tells us about the impact this is having.

Thailand's New Year's nicknames 
Every New Year the Thai government and its key players get nicknames, chosen by the Government House press corps.  BBC Thai's Issariya Praithongyaem has been considering this year’s and previous New Year’s nicknames for us.

The real Russian 'Queen's Gambit'
The Netflix series Queens Gambit tells the story of a young orphan Beth Harmon who becomes a chess phenomenon and wins the World Championship in Moscow in the 1960s. All the characters are fictional, except one – the Soviet Union’s Nona Gaprindashvili, the world’s first female grand master of chess.  Maria Jevstafjeva spoke to her for BBC Russian.   

Turkey's Covid-19 vaccine drama
The Turkish government has bought 50 million doses of a Chinese vaccine, CoronaVac, and is one of the countries taking part in their clinical trials.  But scientific and popular scepticism have been widespread, and the planned programme has been delayed several times.  BBC Monitoring journalist Beril Akman has been following the story.  

Image: Nafiseh Khonavard of BBC Persian		
Credit: BBC

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Fifth Floor

The abandoned Iraqi interpreters

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

About BBC World Service