Episode details

Available for over a year
A recent 麻豆社 investigation into small political parties that earn billions in donations, but rarely contest elections, received a great deal of attention in India. Shubhangi Misra and her team discovered a number of political parties with shut up offices and opaque financial structures who had fielded just a tiny number of candidates in elections. They're officially known as RUPPs, Registered Unrecognised Political Parties or 'paper parties'. But what's their purpose? Shubhangi, who reports for the 麻豆社 in India, explains how she followed the trail of party donations. Two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, recently arrived at Zoo Atlanta in the US after being announced by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, during his recent White House visit. But what exactly is panda diplomacy, and how does China use this soft and cuddly power? Jack Lau from 麻豆社's Global China Unit explains. 鈥奍n August, at least eight women in Cameroon were killed in a single week. These femicides have happened in a country already deeply concerned about gender-based violence, with at least 50 women thought to have been killed in the country between January and April this year. For 麻豆社 Africa, Paul Njie has been talking to survivors and families of murdered women. 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 Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
Programme Website