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Insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents, journalists and writers from around the world.

From Our Own Correspondent: Libya and France

Libya and France

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Libya and France

Pascale Harter presents dispatches from Rana Jawad in Tripoli and Alex Marshall in Paris.

Pascale Harter introduces personal stories from writers around the world. Rana Jawad considers women's role in post-Gaddafi Libya; Alex Marshall traces the life of the man who wrote the Marseillaise.

Insight, wit and analysis from BBC correspondents, journalists and writers from around the world - presented by Pascale Harter. In this edition:


Vibrant veils, designer handbags - and strong views

Libya's recent elections proved a deeply emotional time - because they were so fervently desired for so long. When the uprising against Gaddafi was under way, he threatened to go alley to alley, house to house, to hunt down his enemies. "Our revenge", one woman from Tripoli told the BBC, "will be elections. We will we show the Gaddafis what the Libyan people are capable of", she said. 

A year and a half later they have. And Libyans have also confounded international predictions; unlike their post-revolutionary neighbours in Tunisia and Egypt, Libyans have not voted a religious party into power. Rana Jawad wonders whether Libya's women have had much to do with that.


The world's greatest one-hit wonder?

What stronger symbol of a country's character can there be than its national anthem? During the Olympics and Paralympics, we're going to be hearing a lot of them, from all over the world. The rousing tunes will be played at every medal ceremony. But who actually wrote them? 

Alex Marshall went in search of the composer of France’s anthem, the Marseillaise. It's one of the most instantly recognisable melodies - but Alex found that life of the man who wrote it is far less well-known.

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