Nato planes foil attack on Misrata

Nato planes pounded Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces attacking the rebel-held city of Misrata, destroying armour advancing on the port that is the besieged city's sole lifeline.

The battle for Misrata has become the focal point of the uprising against Gaddafi's regime, and the near-constant shelling of the city by government troops over the past two months has spurred calls for more forceful international intervention to stop the bloodshed.