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On 18th December 2025, the offices of two of Bangladesh's biggest newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were surrounded by mobs, attacked and set on fire. At The Daily Star, journalists were forced to take shelter on the roof of the building as smoke billowed through the lift shaft. They were rescued hours later by the military and many required hospital treatment. The 麻豆社's Soutik Biswas went to Dhaka to talk to journalists caught up in the violence and to investigate the social media posts that may have driven it.

Hallyu, or the Korean wave, is what South Koreans call the international success of TV shows like Squid Game and K-Pop Demon Hunters. The phenomenon has grown exponentially since the 1990s, encompassing South Korean music, TV, drama, food and cosmetics. Boy band BTS have been central to the Hallyu craze since they got together in 2010. Their decision to go on hiatus so they could complete their military service sparked debate in South Korea. Now, as they prepare for a huge return concert in Seoul, Suhnwook Lee of 麻豆社 Korean joins the online queue for tickets.

The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the 麻豆社 World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the 麻豆社's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.

Recent episodes have investigated Russia鈥檚 youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the 麻豆社 team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.

If you want to know more about Venezuela鈥檚 acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin鈥檚 network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.

Presented by Irena Taranyuk

Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean.

(Photo: Irena Taranyuk.)