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Love Thy Neighbour: Ukraine and Russia

Reporting protests in Ukraine; Friendship tips for Iran and the west; Investigating Afghanistan's local police; Pakistan's new army chief; and a Chinese Nobel Laureate

It's been a long week for Ukraine with passions running high over the issue of whether the country should cosy up to western Europe with the offer of a historic free trade and political association agreement, or remain in bed with Russia. 麻豆社 Ukraine's Svyatoslav Khomenko sends a postcard from the protests in Kiev. While in London 麻豆社 Ukraine's Irena Taranyuk and the Russian Service's Janina Litvinova discuss the love hate rivalry between the two countries.

Tips for Iran-US Friendship
Tehran and Washington seem to be talking a similar language these days, with positive talk on the nuclear issue and sanctions. So does Iran's new foreign affairs minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, have something that his predecessors did not? 麻豆社 Persian's Siavash Ardalan imagines what might have been running through Mr Zarif's mind during negotiations.

Afghan Local Police
麻豆社 Afghan's Khoshal Taib tells us about his hard won interview with the head of the Afghanistan Local Police. Will his force be ready to take more responsibility when Nato withdraws next year, despite a number of them being arrested on suspicion corruption, murder and kidnapping?

Pakistan: New Chief in Town
As Pakistan's new army chief, General Raheel Sharif, is sworn in 麻豆社 Urdu's Aamer Ahmed Khan tells us the three things we need to know about the top job.

Chinese Nobel Laureate
Award-winning Chinese writer, Gao Xingjian talks about writing in secret and having to burn his own books during China's cultural revolution. He also describes trying to cope with fame after receiving the Nobel Prize for literature.

Online Greatest Hits
Fifi Haroon whizzes around the World Service language sites to bring us some of the best stories of the week, including: hoof salads, Brits having less sex and finding 24 bars of gold in an aeroplane toilet.

The Fifth Floor is presented by David Amanor.

Picture: Ukrainian child on a pro-European rally
Picture Credit: Getty Images

Available now

50 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Fri 29 Nov 2013 12:06GMT
  • Fri 29 Nov 2013 23:06GMT
  • Sat 30 Nov 2013 02:06GMT