World News: Misrata port bombarded as refugees await evacuation

Libyan government forces bombarded the port of Misrata in a virtually non-stop assault on the sole lifeline of a battered population that has been under siege for the past two months.

While forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi pulled out of the city over the weekend under pressure from Nato air strikes, they have since unleashed a withering rocket and mortar barrage on Misrata that has killed dozens.

Yesterday's bombardment was constant throughout the afternoon and into the evening and loud explosions could be heard thundering across the city.

"It was horrific, like a scene from World War Two," said resident Saddoun el-Misurati who was waiting to put his mother on an evacuation ship.

Hundreds of residents, including migrant African labourers, had been waiting at the port for the expected afternoon arrival of a ship chartered by the International Organisation of Migration to evacuate people from the besieged city.

The crowd gathered on the docks scrambled for cover when the rockets began falling, hiding in cars and shipping crates or just fleeing the port area.

Thousands of tearful devotees gather today for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's best-known Hindu ascetics revered as a divine incarnation.

Police 'gave Diddy gig escort'

New York City police are investigating claims that a sergeant allowed a police escort for Sean "P Diddy" Combs after a concert.

Police say the Friday-night escort was requested by the hip-hop star's dry cleaner, who asked several officers before the sergeant agreed.

'Tour group' in drugs plot

Ten Malaysians posing as an organised tour group were caught entering New Zealand with up to a kilogramme of methamphetamine in each of their shoes.

It was the largest number of drug couriers caught in a single incident at New Zealand's border, customs official Mark Day said.

The drugs allegedly caught at Auckland Airport were worth about 5 million.

Day said the alleged traffickers ranged in age from early 20s to late 60s.

Windfall oil tax to raise 9bn

Venezuela is imposing a windfall profits tax on royalties from oil projects when crude prices are above 25 a barrel, seeking to squeeze as much as 9 billion mostly out of foreign oil companies.

Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said the tax will allow the government to collect between 5bn and 9bn this year.

Troops fight forest blaze

Troops have joined around 300 firefighters battling to extinguish a huge forest fire in southern Switzerland.

Firefighters struggled to contain the blaze last night after it broke out at a car repair shop on the outskirts of Visp and quickly advanced on forestland.

Syria shows no mercy in crackdown

Syrian forces heaped more punishment on anti-government protesters, detaining hundreds in raids or at checkpoints, firing on people trying to retrieve bodies, witnesses said.

In the southern city of Daraa, where Syrian army tanks and snipers killed at least 34 people in two days, a resident said security forces shot dead a man who shouted at them: "Enough! Enough! Enough! Stop killing your brothers!"