RAF Hercules flies 150 people out of Libya

A total of 150 foreign nationals, including a number of British citizens, have been airlifted out of the Libyan desert on two RAF Hercules planes.

It comes at the end of another tense day in the country where Colonel Gaddafi remains defiant despite a call from President Obama to "leave now".

Britain has closed its embassy in Tripoli and is flying staff home while the UN is meeting in emergency session to decide on possible sanctions against the Gaddafi government.

The BBC's Gavin Hewitt sent this report from Malta where the British rescue mission came to an end.