The European Union says it plans to open an office in the Libyan eastern city of Benghazi to facilitate assistance to the rebel authorities based there.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton made the announcement at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, saying the move will allow the bloc to "move forward on the support we've discussed to the people to support civil society [and] to support the Interim Transitional National Council."
Meanwhile, witnesses in Tripoli said explosions rocked the east of the capital for almost one hour earlier in the day as jets flew overhead.
The government of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi said four children had been wounded, two of them seriously, by flying glass caused by blasts from NATO strikes overnight in Tripoli.
In the port city of Misurata, rebels said they had pushed back government forces and were surrounding them at the city airport.
The rebels said they had also taken the town of Zareek, west of Misurata -- the only rebel-held city in the west.
compiled from agency reports