UN Security Council approves no-fly zone over Libya

UN Security Council approves no-fly zone over Libya and supports the military action.The UN Security Council voted on Thursday to authorise a no-fly zone over Libya and "all necessary measures", code for military action to protect civilians against leader Muammar Gaddafi s forces.

Ten of the council s 15 member states voted in favor of the resolution, with Russia, China, Germany, India and Brazil abstaining. The resolution was co-sponsored by France, Britain, Lebanon and the United States. The adoption of the resolution after days of closed-door negotiations could lead to a dramatic escalation of international involvement in a conflict that erupted last month between Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi s forces and rebels trying to topple him.

Anti-Gaddafi protesters in Benghazi cheered and let off fireworks, where it was already Friday, to celebrate the vote. France, which drafted the final version of the resolution, had pressed the council to act fast, saying it could otherwise be too late to stop Gaddafi from crushing his opponents. Apart from the military measures, the resolution also expands sanctions against Gaddafi and his inner circle imposed in a February 26 Security Council resolution. The resolution bans all flights over Libya except for humanitarian flights.