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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: Bring them home: Israel's hostages

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Wall painting highlighting hostages in the Gaza Strip on November 22, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel

19/01/2024 GMT

Bring them home: Israel's hostages

BBC World Service - The Fifth Floor, Bring them home: Israel's hostages

The families of Israel’s hostages trying to get them home

BBC Arabic’s Michael Shuval joins the families of Israel’s hostages, still being held in Gaza by Hamas, at an event marking the 100th day of their captivity.

Since the 7th October attacks, BBC Arabic's Michael Shuval has interviewed many of the families of those abducted by Hamas and held captive in Gaza.  The families held an event marking 100 days since their abduction, close to the Nova festival site, as part of their campaign to bring their loved ones home. 

The new Ram temple and the transformation of Ayodhya 
Next week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fulfil a decades-long Hindu nationalist pledge by opening the Ram Mandir on one of India's most controversial religious sites. Nitin Srivastava of BBC Delhi is from the area and has been covering the event. 

Ecuador’s war on the drug gangs 
This week the violence in Ecuador linked to powerful drug gangs saw the murder of a leading prosecutor, following prison escapes, explosions, and even an attack on a TV station.  BBC Mundo’s Ana Maria Roura, who’s from Ecuador, explains what the government is up against and how it's responding.

Journey to Journalism: BBC Urdu's Nazish Faiz 
What motivates our language service colleagues to become journalists?  We hear from BBC Urdu's Nazish Faiz, who grew up in a conservative family in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.  She challenged cultural and family norms to become a journalist, and is now inspiring the next generation of village girls.  

(Photo: Wall painting highlighting hostages in the Gaza Strip on November 22, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images)

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