Liberia ceasefire shatters as rebels take bridge

Liberian rebels shattered a day-old pledge to cease-fire, lobbing mortars at neighbourhoods crowded with refugees and briefly capturing a key bridge in the war-ruined capital desperately short of food and water.

Boosting security around the US Embassy, American military helicopters swept into embattled Monrovia yesterday with 20 new troops, completing deployment of a 41-member team.