will be eased, will be dealt with by the tribes around misrata and the rest of the misrata people, not by the libyan army. you will see how they will be swift and quick and fast and the libyan army will be out of the is situation in misrata because the libyan people around misrata, they cannot sustain it like this. they have been seized by the rebels and the army has a solution, but it doesn't work. with the air strikes, it doesn't work. we'll aleve it for the tribes around misrata and the people to deal with the situation. >> misrata has seen some of the heaviest clashes. there rebel fighters are already claiming a significant victory clearing a section of the city. our correspondent is in the city and sent this report. >> free to walk their own streets, now colonel gaddafi's forces are gone. the rebels fought long and hard here. they told us they lost 100 men just to capture one devastated district. but the rebels had a key target here. omar took me to see it. this office block where insurance was sold before snipers moved in. >> this area is downtown. >> so the snipers were killing

." >> colonel gaddafi launches a fresh attack on misrata. one resident says that his forces are using cluster bombs. we have a special report from inside of a city under siege. doctors say they are struggling to cope with the carnage. >> they are running out of essential drugs and supplies. the medical staff is exhausted. >> tens of thousands demonstrate against syria. welcome to "bbc news," broadcasting to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. the struggle to rebuild lives following japan's earthquake and tsunami. a doctor in the deceased rebel- held libyan city of misrata has told the bbc that he has seen cluster bombs used by pro gaddafi forces. they are banned by more than 100 countries around the world. the libyan government has denied using cluster weapons. the siege, the only rebel-held area in western libya, has seen colonel gaddafi using snipers, tanks, and artillery. the port area has seen some of the heaviest shelling. we made it into the city by boat and we report on the civilians in dealing with the situation. this

gaddafi's forces are in misrata. we have been given assurances about where their tanks and heavy artilleries are. there are no residents in those areas. gaddafi is obliterating everything inside, and nato is allowing him to do that. >> has nato struck any of the tanks there? >> they have hit some tanks, but the fighters in misrata have destroyed more tanks and equipment than nato has done. they have hit very little. as we speak, there are as many as 30 tanks hidden in misrata. >> carry as many as 200 mike grants, a boat has capsized. the italian coast guard are searching for around 130 people. more than 40 were rescued. 20 bodies have been found. a depeen which makes a super bug resistant to the most powerful antibiotics has been found in the water supplies outside new delhi. the gene has spread to germs that cause cholera and dysentery. it is thought it could take years to develop new drugs to counter the threat. it has been more65 years since world war ii dame to an end. but now the holocaust music is using technol

the battles in misrata now are street to street. he says the rebels have so few guns, sometimes they have to share. back onboard, attempts to comfort gamal, an egyptian migrant worker who is weeping for his four children. they're all alone, he says, with no one to help them. he shows me their photos. somehow they got put on a different boat. he doesn't know whose or what country it's going to. an ambulance was waiting for mohammed. it was a chaotic departure. his father says before all this, he was just a typical boy, football crazy. his mother and six brothers and sisters are still at home in misrata. no one knows when the family will be together again. bbc news, benghazi. >> the libyan government has promised aid workers access to areas under its control but hasn't guaranteed to stop the fighting. a u.n. correspondent is in new york. >> well, i think u.n. officials see this as a step forward but there's still unanswered questions. what's happened is the government allowed to allow the u.n. to set up a humanitarian presence in trip

used to describe the situation in the last rebel held city of the waste of this country the city of misrata now according to doctors on the scene they say that one person was killed and several people were wounded in the early hours of sunday morning when the government forces renewed shelling on a building in the thirty now we understand from the doctors and that until a few days ago there were a number of civilians being housed inside their building they had been injured in recent clashes between pro and anti gadhafi forces but fortunately there have been evacuated before the shelling began we're also hearing from doctors that in the last week alone one hundred and sixty people have been killed in misrata itself from these battles now as foreign press it's almost impossible for us to independently verify this information because since the start of these clashes more than a month ago we've been prevented from actually reaching misrata but we are being told by doctors that in a month of fighting between six hundred and a thousand civilians have been killed in this city now this is the third

while misrata remains under siege. food, water and medical supplies are further depleted and desperation grows. >> want to begin -- bring in fred pleitgen. there's fred in malta. fred, now that you're safely out of misrata i can ask this question i really wanted to ask you yesterday. how long were you and the crew in misrata? how did you get in, and how did you get out? >> reporter: well, were on the ground for a little more than 24 hours. i say it was about 27 hours, brooke, and what we did was we took an old fishing trawler that's actually making runs to get food and medication into ms. ratda fr -- into misrata, here into the town of ms. ratda. it's a very dangerous thing to do, because the pro-gadhafi forces are shelling the port area in misrata which is in the hands of the opposition at this point in time. actually, about 15 minutes after we left the port dis embaembark from the ship when we got there, the port was shelled by pro-gadhafi forces and the shells landed 100 yards away from the boat. it was quite a dang

misrata. indiscriminate sheing. no sign of nato. s famy issued a statement saying he will be forever missed. were close to therontines emsees today. they' trying to sh forward. ey cim to have cleared a muchs 50%f tripoli street. that claim cannot be independently verifi. >> the organatiohuman rights tch worked with ti mhetringn a number of humanitaantori or the year inpeakg tohe deputy executive direct of man rits watch, a closeriend and coeague of .hetherington. >> heas a very talented sualmage arrest, but he was a human rig pern. he dply cared about wh doroy cored. heived in monviafor eight years documenting the civ w for a brillit docentary he ma. he was the only person too such a thing. there were not jrnalts there dung that tim coverin i in way he did. he did because he carednd no one else did. >> wha was so ecia about this part -- hiapprch to the rk? >> i thinke knew very wel, you commted his lastweet in which hpoke of discminate fire. understood theaws of war what was acceptle a what was not in rtim what it meant r cilians to

"iill ght until we get rid of gdafi buheliby leader i hanging on and strangling misrata. dotownwe found deserted stets. th is a city that is desperate for more air strikes and more outside lp a city where ildr are lrnin to dodge th bullets. we a on theorne o benghazi street anyou n see w mu of a battlefield this areaas become. this is where the rebs say gaddafi's foes dtroyed that. as w he been here in e last few moments, the sods o battle have been getting louder and closer. the rebels say ty have suained heavy losses in is area. the figers and the supporters aecomg experts inhe enemy's weons. we call this a dog we call this the dobecae it has a nose like a do 1, 23, 4. survivacan a matter of ance athes children fou out. th wen out jusfiveinutes beforeheirome s hit. neighbors sayo onis safe. >>addafi killed our motr, kill our children, killed evyone. what means gaddafi? i a him, what he mean we need freed. >> bk at the hpita our she is cfortable. doctors epecto me a ful recovery. nitaays civilians a tir number one priority, but that -- nai'as civilians a their number one

a fight against the insurgency attempting to recapture the western rebel stronghold of misrata on point to here in the capital city of tripoli join me in a few moments and i'll bring you more. with radiation expected to leak for several months ahead of japan's trying to rise from the rubble of the quake disaster. and of the first anniversary of the moscow metro bombings a blitz operation strikes a serious blow to terrorists in the north caucasus. it's five pm in moscow this is archie coming to you live you're watching the weekly with me and he said now my first stop progress through forces in libya are attempting to recapture the country's third largest city in his truck in misrata it's the last rebel stronghold left in the west and has been under attack for weeks now correspondent paul is clear is in the capital tripoli with more. well worth of bloodshed is increasingly being used to describe the situation in the last rebel

misrata is libya's third largest city, just 120 miles from tripoli. tripoli is now the only major libyan city still fully controlled by gadhafi's government. but with leaving downtown misrata, a new tactic from the libyan colonel. some opposition leaders worry gadhafi forces will simply slip back in, in civilian clothing, making them more difficult to identify, even with predator drones. but even if the games in misrata are real, analysts say the nato mission remains confused and unclear. >> i don't think we have made up our own minds as to what we're trying to achieve. are we trying to bring down a gadhafi regime, which is not difficult to do, we could do that in 90 days. the tough part is what do we do when gadhafi is gone. >> reporter: but the conflict in libya is quickly becoming overshadowed by an explosion of violence in syria. strategically, far more important to stability in the middle east. on friday, the syrian government unleashed one of the deadliest crackdowns since the arab uprisings began. amateur video shows what happened when syrian s

woulbe a strikes, it does not work. >> misrata has seen me ofhe heavst clashes. rebere alreadylaimg a significant victoryin sections of the city of in the city. >> free t walk their own strts, colonel gaddafi forces are gone. the rebels fought lonand hard here, they told uthe've lost 0 men at. just t capre one devastat district. the rebs had a key target he. this office blochere inrancwas sold before snipers me 1d in. >> the sniperere killing ople from her >>es. it was so easy they can get people so easy. its a high building anyou can see all the area, allf downtown. >> h good doesteel to be le to snd he now? > my brother s shot from this building. >> his brotherwas one of my killed by e snirs. nothatanger is gone. local people arback out on the streets. bothebels and civilians ar checking be a ve hea dmage theris pnty of evidencof the fierce fightg th took place. the rebels were kept ouof ts area for 25 days. they are back he and control and they intento ph on for the yog, a glimpse of a new reity,ut many cldren om tsre have alrdy sn too much. like the court the

for weeks, misrata has been surrounded by gadhafi's forces. it has been shelled from the outside. and there have been snipers in the tall buildings in the downtown area firing on rebels and civilians. it is those snipers and gadhafi's forces driven from those tall buildings and pushed to the outskirts of the city. the last several days, misrata has seen intensified nato air strikes and for the first time the use of armed american predator drones. it appears the combination of those predators and the intensified nato air campaign have given the rebels a degree of an advantage. the question now is, will the rebels be able to hold the territory that they have taken or, as we have seen for so long in this campaign, will the rebels just take territory and then not be able to hold it and give it back to gadhafi's forces. richard engel, nbc news, benghazi. >>> in syria, security forces opened fire on civilians again today. in the middle of the day. more than 10,000 people were in the streets of beirut for a funeral procession after two days of clashes killed at least 120 people. yesterda

ia violent way today >> a shicharred ban a agen has evacuated about 1000 people from the lyan ty o misrata, which is under cstant siege by khaddafi'forc. thousands more were waiting to be rescued in what th descrid asn increasgly perilousituaon. some ofthose fleng made ito ben ghazi. >> a se harbor atast r evaces fromisrata. cking tonight in theebel catal, then ghazi. st oboard were migrant woers. t the were libyan casualties, too, and ong the walkingounded, 9-year-old mommed. s faer told us heas playingutside whea bo plod nearby. rapn tore thugh his flesh. he can haryearorhe docts toouch his face. wounded fighter tol us he willo stightack to the front as so as is treated. the internatiol ornization for migration got the people out and ey a goingack r more >> the woundedre neing tan ay ontretchers. ts ishe second major evacuatio from mista in cent ds. more tn 2000 people he now been brought o. thsands more are still waiting despate conditions, hopin for an escape. >> alas, another yog fighter shed me the tail end of a rockethat land near him and a group of his fends >> tre were six of my b

it appears the rebels were celebrating about what was going on in misrata prematurely. today saw some of the heaviest fighting yet in misrata as unrest is continuing to spread across the region. gadhafi is proving to be a wily survivor who understands the limits of nato's commitment. after pulling back from misrata gadhafi's forces rocketed the city today, hitting hard. gadhafi's government has also said that plainclothes tribesmen will move in to clear out the rebels from misrata in the next 48 hours. nato wouldn't be able to stop that from the air. fresh from his visit to benghazi last week, senator john mccain called the situation a stalemate on nbc's "meet the press." >> it's pretty obvious to me that the united states has got to play a greater role in the air power side. our nato allies neither have the assets nor frankly the will. >> reporter: but libya isn't the only regime that has made the age-old calculation better to be feared than loved. syria's bashar al assad is cracking down too. human rights groups say more than 120 protesters have been killed in syria s

theiege of misrata e u. defense dartmt annoced it would take additional steps inargeting colol gaddafi's rces. crety gates tay. >> we have some unie capabiliti. he is able t ue those. he has approved the use of armed edators. i think tay may have been their first mission. >> this comes o top of the rent dision by british -- britain, france, ita to send visers to rebels. they bring thr expertise. i spoke with a cia officer. goo to talk to you again. let's ta abt drones. willhey make a differce? >>bsolutely. th move wa almost inevitable with disclos quarter fighting. you cannot cover thi fro satelles oremotely from jets. you have to get cle anlow do. theserones are amazing there are ppl sitting hen scens in nevadaalling in air strikes. >> are you sayinghat is could be the crucial weapon that will make theifference for the rebevictory oefea >> it is not going e crial, but it willelp. it is a desperateituation ther the westanno allow misrata to be orrun. gaddafiouldlmost inetabl maacre these people. this is the

misrata und attack. thth h hspspalal reveves s tataf mimiryry >>e we left totally heless. >> ling with the tsami. re than a month up to pan's devastatglow, survirs a still dlingith increble loss. an50 years after the bf eg, we rurn to theuban beach whe felcastro scored on a major victory. -- a 50 ars afterhe bay of pigs, we return to the cuban beh where felcast scored a mar victory. weome "bbc world news," broadcast to our vwersn pbs ameca, also around the globe. cololaddafi h lnchea fres assault on rebel city o misra. just hou aer america, britn, and france said t city was injurinat aedieval siegwithhe population being strangdinto submission. doctors tolthe bbc that hundreds at been kild, mt of th civians, including children. oa guerin made itnto e city bboat our reports conins distressing images fm thstart. >> cries of ago. a littleirl of x. latives sayhe i funnd loves to f. sheas sheed iherwn home. r ti body was puncted by shrael. is is the realit of misrata. >>omebodyas thelp. its not humanitian all,

and a step up a fight against the insurgency attempting to recapture the western middle stronghold of misrata one point three zero in the capital city of tripoli joining me in a few moments and i'll bring you all. the opposition's fight against gadhafi stoppers on our expected back without me our garden rebels reportedly killed in a call with airstrike. fears over a potential terrorist attack in europe grow as security experts claim the coalition's involvement in that country the radical the spawns. japan struggles to stem the leak of radioactive water from the fukushima power plant into the ocean. of home a tsunami survivors face an uncertain future. yeah the moscow metro suicide bombing deals a devastating blow to terrorism by killing a group of high ranking militants. you're watching r.t. with our weekly news from iraq kerry johnston but first a pro get off the forces continue the latest offensive in the west attempting to recapture the country's third largest city misrata is the last rebel stronghold left in western libya and has been under attack for weeks now correspondent for us there

you just got to misrata last night. what does this city look like, feel like to you? >> it feels very much like a city under siege. which it is. everywhere you go there's bread lines winding around the block and people who have been here for a while say they're getting longer every day. gas stations have massive lines. cars waiting to get gas because there's only a few gas stations in town that are in safe neighborhoods. there are whole blocks of the city that are off limits because qaddafi's forces have positions in buildings with snipers. ten-year-old kids being shot in the head. we saw three kids in the past 24 hours who have been hit in the head by bullets while playing outside their houses. it is grim. >> warner: qaddafi's forces are actually in the town. are they also besieging it from outside? what is the balance of power between the two sides? >> qaddafi's forces definitely have the advantage in terms of weaponry and probably numbers as well. tanks, artillery, heavy artillery, rockets. the rebels have the advantage of fighting on urban terrain that they know i

but the libyan government claimed it holds more than 80% of misrata, after weeks of fighting there. the siege of misrata continued today with devastating effect and estimates of at least 600 dead so far. the forces of moammar qaddafi have libya's third-largest city surrounded on three sides firing mortars, rockets and tank shells night and day. in turn, the rebels stepped up their pleas this week that nato do more to defend the city. >> and that has to be done by any, any... any way or any how. either troops, or latest technology and latest weapons. >> lehrer: so far, the nato campaign has been limited to air strikes, under a u.n. mandate to protect libyan civilians. today, u.s. defense secretary gates announced armed predator drones will now further aid that effort from the air. he said nato has bright lines it will not cross on the ground: >> they are very concerned about not going beyond the mandate of the united nations security council resolution, and most of the opposition had said they don't want foreign troops on the ground. >> lehrer: but now, the british, french and italia

misrata underscores the limits of air power. nato says gadhafi has purposefully wedged his heavy armor into civilian neighborhoods, striking it increasingly difficult. still, nato is ratcheting up the pressure. britain and france are sending military advisors to the rebel capitol of benghazi. gadhafi appears to be feeling the heat. despite aggressive attempts to contain the rebellion, gadhafi's problems have only grown. he's now fighting on three fronts. in the east, near ajdabiya, in misrata near tripoli, and in the far west and in the mountains. today, libya's foreign minister opened the door to possible elections in six months, saying that gadhafi could even step down. >> everything will be on the table. >> reporter: rebels here won't even consider it. they say gadhafi must go first, then they'll talk about libya's future. diane? >> our thanks to miguel marquez, reporting from libya tonight. >>> and back in this country, fires have broken out across texas, and tonight, they are massive wildfires. the worst the state has ever

well, nato says that the fighting over the last ten days in misrata has been intense. their most recent air strikes have destroyed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, but commanders admit that gadhafi still has considerable strength on the ground. seven weeks under siege, and the fighting is only getting worse. government forces are trying to beat down not just the rebel fighters but the people of misrata themselves. there is no safe way in or out by road. the deep water port is the city's only lifeline. ships dock daily, bringing in food, medicine, and sometimes weapons. waiting to get out, human cargo. there are an estimated 5,000 migrant workers of many nationalities stuck since the fighting began, living in dirty and dangerous conditions. >> we are praying for god so that they can take us back to our country. >> reporter: when the opportunity comes to leave, there is a crush to get on board. no one wants to be left behind. this ferry boat chartered by a humanitarian group is evacuating migrant workers and the seriously injured. one man brings what is left of the

progress out of the forces in libya are attempting to recapture the country's third largest city in misrata it's the last rebel stronghold left in the last and has been under attack for weeks now our correspondent paula slayer is in the capital tripoli with more. the work of bloodshed is increasingly being used to describe the situation in the last rebel held city in the west of this country the city of misrata now according to doctors on the scene they say that one person was killed and several people were wounded in the early hours of sunday morning when the government forces renewed shelling on a building in the city and we understand from the doctors that until a few days ago there were number of civilians in houses inside that building they had been injured in recent clashes between pro and anti gadhafi forces but fortunately there had been evacuated before the shelling began we are also hearing from doctors that in the last week alone one hundred and sixty people have been killed in misrata itself from these battles gobbing told by doctors that in a month of fighting between six hundr

loyalists step up a fight against the insurgency attempting to recapture the western ripple stronghold of misrata m twenty three in the capital city of tripoli joining me in a few moments and i'll bring you all. the opposition's fight against drugs are being offered on a back to back without me a dozen rebels reportedly killed in a call with an airstrike. over a potential terrorist attack in europe grow security experts claim the coalition's involvement in libya could trigger a radical response. that had struggles to stand in the kind of radioactive water from the fukushima power plant into the ocean well thousands of whom the tsunami survivors placed in the system feature. and get off the most current metro suicide bombing russia deals a devastating blow to terrorism by killing a group of high ranking militants. around the world around the clock this is our team with our weekly news if you welcome the first pro gadhafi forces continue that latest offensive in western libya attempting to recapture the country's third largest city in misrata that's the last rebel stronghold left in the west and ha

humanitarian chief has said the libyan government has promised access to misrata, the only city still partially held by the opposition in libya. however, no guarantees that the assault by gadhafi forces will cease. more than 267 people have been killed in misrata. >>> now here's a look at other stories making news early today in america. a dallas deputy jumped into action after spotting a cascade of sparks shooting from a passing car. the 20-year veteran's dash cam rolled as he attempted to kick out driver's window before the car erupted into flames. the driver, unaware his car was on fire before the explosion, was able to unlock his door and escape without any serious injuries. >>> it was a tragic start to the school week in one pennsylvania school district. one of its drivers lost its life when she crashed into a building. the accident happened just after the driver had dropped off high school students and was on her way to pick up kindergartners. >>> a six-time street sweeper made a mess inside a barbecue restaurant. vehicle barrelled through the walls coming to a stop 15 feet insi

but the deadly standoff in misrata continues. two photo journalists including oscar nominee tim heatherington were killed covering the front lines. where does this leave foreign policy -- our u.s. foreign policy in the region, martha or as some people like to think nonpolicy? >> i think a lot of people are saying nonpolicy. the policy is basically we'll help the civilian population. we'll help the opposition. but the u.s. role on -- in early april, the u.s. basically turned over control to nato. gwen: right. >> and a lot of those air strikes have not been as effective. the rebels are in desperate shape. and you've got john mccain who's going in there now and saying you rebels are my heroes. let's see what we can do. you got $25 million of aid that the u.s. is now promising. gwen: nonlethal. >> nonlethal aid. but we're talking about body armor. we're talking about transportation trucks. we're talking about equipment. we're talking about that kind of incremental addition to the fight in libya. >> doesn't this just add up to mission

. >> misrata,he coastality turned btlegund. foug or with increasing intensity between conel gaddafi's oppones an t forcesoyalo him. it is still the bigge challenge for the internatnal community, whose declared wish is to precthe civilians of libyan. -- oliby you can s anotherunetween the eterntronghold of bengzind misrata. the paenger rry taking in food, supies, docrs, and rgeons, and aiming bring out 1000 more migran workers who are strand inhe city. the officials alswant to carry t a more deiledssessment ofhe situation in mista. president sarzy has put france on the diplomatic d milary front lines ofthe internatial interventi. he met with rebelead today. >>e promised a democratic society, wherehe prident ll bchosen through the ballot box, an not berought on a tank. >> france what inteifieair trik, mr.arko's office said. the office haslso placed a sml number of military liaon officers with the rebels,s britn sa yesterday it would be going -- wod beoing. in rome,taly's defense minister said hisount would nd militanstructors as

loyalists they fight against the insurgency attempting to recapture the western middle stronghold of misrata and points here in the capital city of tripoli join me in a few moments and i'll bring you more. also japanese authorities predict several months of radiation leaks as people try to rise from the rubble of the quake disaster. and one of the other main news stories of the week russian security forces strike a serious blow to a terrorist stronghold of the north caucuses of the first on the verse three of the suicide bombings on the moscow metro. hello this is r.t. from moscow it's now eleven pm moscow time my name is kevin zero in with a news update for you and a recap of the top stories that shape the week and first program there are few forces in libya are attempting to recapture the country's third largest city of misrata it's the last rebel stronghold left in the west and has been under attack for weeks now our correspondent paula slater is in the capital tripoli with more. the word of bloodshed is increasingly being used to describe the situation in the last rebel held city in the

loyalists step up a fight against the insurgency attempting to recapture the western rebel stronghold of misrata one point three zero in the capital city of company join me in a few moments and i'll bring you. the opposition's spite against gaddafi suffered on a back to back with the rebels reportedly killed in a call with an air strike. fears over her attention or terrorist attacks in europe grow the security experts claim the coalition's involvement it could trigger a radical response. and struggles to stem the the radioactive water of consumer power plants into the ocean pounds of home the tsunami survivors face an uncertain future. year also a musket metra suicide bombing russia deals a devastating blow to terrorism by killing of group of high ranking militants. broadcasting live from moscow this is r.t. and we can each of you welcome to the program but first a progress all the forces continue then they just offensive in the west in libya attempting to recapture the country's third largest city of misrata is the last rebel stronghold left in the west and has been under attack for weeks a cor

i am not just concerned about misrata. over the last few days a lot of libyans are crossing the border because of the intense fighting there. we had 6000-crossed in a few days period. we have to try to get into misrata and other cities as well. we have stocks on the border of tunisia and egypt. as soon as the security situation allows and as soon as we are able to do effective assessments, we will be able to move to where we need to. >> where did you visit in libya? what do you attribute this change of heart that allows the unicef ship -- >> i only went into tripoli and benghazi. i went to tripoli one day and went to benghazi on the following day. i was basically involved in meeting the leaders where i went. a lot of the aid is going into misrata is going in obviously might seek to area that is controlled by the opposition. with respect to the humanitarian corridor, we were able to negotiate. we are now able to negotiate that kind of access with the government of libya. i am not able to second-guess their reasons for doing

libya's deputy foreign minister claim tribal groups loyal to gaddafi says they will deal with rebels in misrata if the army can't. outrageous violence, president obama condemns syria as security forces open fire on protesters. following a rou over migrants,

we've seen some progress made in misrata, and it's very clear that the regime is on the back foot. the sooner that colonel qaddafi recognizes that the game is up-- either today or shortly-- the better. >> warner: fox's visit comes in the sixth week of an allied bombing campaign under a u.n. mandate to protect libyan civilians. from the beginning, the british and french pushed for active intervention. british prime minister david cameron was first to propose a no-fly zone in libya in late february. >> it is not acceptable to have a situation where colonel moammar qaddafi can be murdering his own people, using airplanes and helicopter gun ships and the like, and we have to plan now to make sure, if that happens, we can do something to stop it. >> warner: after the u.s. took out qaddafi's air defenses in the first week, the british and french took the lead in the nato-run air strike campaign to protect civilians. the u.s. scaled back to a support role, flying a quarter of those missions. britain and france also have taken the lead in sending military trainers to assist the rebels. but

accusing nato failing to stop deadly tanks by forces in misrata. another day of bloodshed in yemen. hundreds have died in ongoing anti-government protests. welcome to bbc news, forecast to our viewers on pbs in america and also around the world. coming up, containing the crisis, japanese officials say they've stopped radioactive water leaking from the damaged nuclear power plant into the sea. the clock is ticking. president obama warns of a government shutdown after failing to strike a budget bill. ♪ >> hello there. talks are continuing to try to convince laurent gbagbo to give up the presidency of ivory coast. there have been reports he's close to surrendering, but in an interview on french television, he insisted he won last year's election and not alassane ouattara. hundreds of civilians have died in the past few days after being caught up in the fighting between rival forces. the french government says a cease-fire is now in force in abidjan and the situation appears to be quiet. andrew harding is there for us and sent this report. >> battle weary. we found these troops restin

"in besieged libyan city of misrata. shelling by gadhafi forces. no sign of nato." tim hetherington was 40 years old. for "nightline" this is brian ross, abc news. >> and chris hondros also killed today was 41 years old. our condolences and prayers go out to both his and to tim's loved ones. and to see pictures shot by tim in afghanistan and related material, visit our website, abcnews.com/nightline. thanks to brian ross for that. >>> next up, we're going to turn to lighter fare. the story of an inventor. and the athlete who changed the face of winter fun. id you know c can stop frequent heartburn before it begins? heartburn happens when stomach acid refluxes into the esophagus. prilosec otc uses a unique delayed-release system that protects the medicine as it passes through the stomach's tough acid. then it gets absorbed into the body, turning off many acid-producing pumps at the source. with just one pill a day, you get 24-hour heartburn protection all day and all night. prilosec otc. heartburn gone. power on. [ male announcer ] i know what you're thinking -- leat

there was more today in the city of misrata, at least five more people killed. government forces have besieged rebels there for nearly two months. we begin with a report from jonathan miller of "independent television news," who is in tripoli. >> reporter: misrata's city center is the front line on the battle for survival. the front line in the war against the dictator colonel moammar qaddafi. ( gunfire ) the detritus of nearly two months of heavy fighting littering the city streets it's their last major stronghold in western libya. many hundreds have been killed. now doctors say the majority civilians of misrata's 300,000 400,000 people life is getting harder by the day. there's a lack of food, medicine, safe water, no electricity. cluster munitions made in spain have been widely filmed and their use documented by human rights groups. these are lethal weapon, each carries 21 high explosive bomblets. today the u.n. human rights commissioner, a former war crimes judge, said their use against a civilan population could constitute a war crime. the libyan government