According to Nato, it
intercept
ed small boats being used by Gaddafi loyalists off the coast of Misrata on Friday morning to plant mines. The port is the only lifeline for the besieged city, and it's been used for humanitarian shipments, the evacuation of refugees and casualties from the city, as well as the delivery of weapons and ammunition for the rebels. The head of operations for the alliance accused Colonel Gaddafi of a "complete disregard for international law". The government in Tripoli hasn't responded.
Human rights campaigners in Syria say more than 40 protesters have been killed in another day of anti-government demonstrations across the country. Many of those who died were reported to have been shot by the security forces as they tried to reach the southern city of Deraa. The city has been occupied by troops and tanks since Monday. Owen Bennett-Jones reports from neighbouring Lebanon.
The reports say that thousands of people were marching towards Deraa when the security forces opened fire. The dead and injured were taken to a nearby hospital outside Deraa. Earlier, the government news agency reported that four soldiers had been killed and two kidnapped in Deraa by what it described as an "armed terrorist group" which stormed a military post. Deraa, where Friday prayers were banned today, is the place where the protests began six weeks ago.
The French Football Federation has begun an inquiry into allegations that officials secretly planned to introduce racial