蜜芽传媒

Alan Johnston presents the stories behind the headlines, from 蜜芽传媒 correspondents around the world. In this edition, Thomas Dinham talks to the Libyan fishermen whose 'julatina' bombs have been turned against Gaddafi's forces, while Paul Henley sees a newly prosperous and confident Poland on the rise as he revisits old Eastern European haunts.

Big bangs and boats in Benghazi

Many of Colonel Gadaffi's troubles began in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. It was there that people first rose up against his regime, driving out its soldiers and policemen. There was intense fighting at first, but the frontline has been pushed back, down the desert highway, far from the city.

However, that certainly doesn't mean that complete calm has settled on Benghazi. As Thomas Dinham heard - and felt - for himself, its streets are still often shaken by some very disconcerting explosions.

Poland's young generatioin - no longer Europe's "poor relations"

Years ago Polish migrant workers became part of British life. If a plumber or a painter was coming round, you half expected him to be from Warsaw or Gdansk. After the collapse of communism, young and ambitious Poles fanned out across Europe hunting for jobs. But today their homeland's booming, and its sons and daughters are either coming home, or opting never to leave in the first place.

Paul Henley spent a good deal of time in Eastern Europe as a youngster, and recently revisited some of his old haunts. The region has been transormed, as he saw on a drive through eastern Germany and across the Polish frontier.