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The Fifth Floor

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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

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The Fifth Floor: Songs and social media

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Protesters in the dried up Zayandeh Rud River bed, Isfahan

24/12/2021 GMT

Songs and social media

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Songs and social media

Iran's water protests in Isfahan reported through songs and social media

Iran's water protests in Isfahan told through songs and social media campaigns by BBC Persian's Update programme.

This month BBC Persian TV launched a new show. It’s called Update and aims to bring social media trends and online discussions around the news to TV audiences. One of its first stories was the social media campaigns around Isfahan's water protests. First time presenter Taraneh Stone tells us about their agenda, and about her own launch 'wobbles'. 

The tattooed women of Sindh 
The women of a Hindu community in Sindh in Pakistan have a tradition of tattooing themselves before marriage. Stars, flowers and Hindu symbols adorn their arms, necks and faces. For BBC Urdu, Nazish Ayaz went to meet them to find out why this tradition is so important. 

Christmas dinner on the 5th Floor 
For many in the language services, arriving on the 5th floor was their first experience of a traditional British Christmas dinner. Roast turkey and potatoes, stuffing and sauces, and the dreaded Brussels sprouts, as well as mince pies and Christmas pudding - we find out what they love and loathe, and how they make it their own. With BBC Russian's Janina Litvinova, Shekiba Habib from BBC Afghan and Pierre-Antoine Denis from BBC Afrique.

Arabic vintage vinyl revival 
BBC Arabic's Omar Abdel-Razek has been investigating the growing enthusiasm for old records in the Arab world. He is a keen collector himself, but says the current demand comes mostly from young people, who are hunting down nostalgic recordings of the songs their parents loved.

Bangladeshi calligrapher awarded Saudi citizenship
A Bangladeshi man has been awarded Saudi Arabian citizenship for his extraordinary work as a calligrapher. Muqtar Alim has done calligraphy for the Gilaf, the cloth covering for the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. Shahnewaj Rocky of BBC Bangla met him to find out what this meant to him. 

(Image: Protesters in the dried up Zayandeh Rud River bed, Isfahan. Credit:  Fatmeh Nasr/AFP/Getty Images)

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