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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

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The Fifth Floor: Anti-government protests in Syria

Documentaries

People protesting in Syria's southern city of Sweida, September 2023

08/09/2023 GMT

Anti-government protests in Syria

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Anti-government protests in Syria

How anger at living conditions has become direct criticism of President Bashar al-Assad

How anger at living conditions in Syria has become direct criticism of President Bashar al-Assad.

There has been a spate of protests across Syria, with unrest spilling into areas which were previously strongholds of support for President Bashar al-Assad. Anger at poor living conditions has spiralled into calls for political change. Amira Fathalla is a Middle East specialist with BBC Monitoring and she tells us why this is so significant.

A new image for millet in Nepal
The United Nations is encouraging farmers around the world to plant more millet, and has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. In Nepal, the crop fell out of favour with some people, being considered a food for the poor. BBC Nepali's Bishnu Pokarel tells us how a growing awareness of its health benefits is transforming its image.   

Boxing returns to Zanzibar after nearly 60 years 
Boxing fans in Zanzibar last week witnessed their first tournament on the island in almost six decades. A ban which had been imposed in 1964 was lifted in September last year by the president. BBC Africa's Alfred Lasteck attended the much anticipated tournament.

The bloggers selling Russia’s war 
Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia's pro-war influencers have gained millions of followers on social media. They frequently embed themselves with the Russian army and post footage from the front line, calling on young Russians to enlist. Grigor Atanesian has investigated their activities for the BBC Disinformation Unit. 

The catacombs of Lima 
Beneath the streets of the Peruvian capital Lima lies a network of tunnels and crypts, which served as a vast underground cemetery for hundreds of years. Many of these catacombs remain unexplored, but some are open to the public. One recent visitor was BBC Mundo’s Guillermo Olmo. 

(Photo: People protesting in Syria's southern city of Sweida, September 2023. Credit: Sam Hariri/AFP via Getty Images)

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