CULTURE AND SPORT

US software giant Microsoft is near to clinching a deal to buy Internet telephony pioneer Skype for USD7-8 billion.

The highly acclaimed Ballroom Dance company from the US’s Brigham Young University will make its first appearance in Vietnam on May 13.

The operator of Japan's ageing Hamaoka nuclear plant said Monday it would temporarily shut down its last two running reactors.

Quebec unveiled an USD80-billion plan to rev up forestry and mining development over the next 25 years in its vast northern region.

A NATO bombing blitz rocked Tripoli Tuesday while rebels in besieged Misrata said they are pushing back Moamer Kadhafi's forces.

German coach Falko Goetz is most likely to be the head coach of Vietnam’s national football squad.

Japan's government may take an equity stake in Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of a crippled nuclear power plant.

Pakistan dismissed as "absurd" accusations that complicity or incompetence had allowed bin Laden to hide out in the country for years.

Vietnam’s Next Top Model 2010’s runner-up Tuyet Lan was presented with the top prize at the award ceremony for the Asian Model Talent Search.

Confronted with fresh US pressure over its currency policy, China appears more willing to let yuan strengthen at a faster pace to curb inflation.

Pakistan's prime minister was to brief parliament on Monday on the US operation that killed Osama bin Laden a week ago.

The United States and China began two days of high-level talks Monday on a gamut of political and economic issues.

An agreement between ASEAN and six European business organisations aims at tightening bilateral business relations.

Facebook is driving an increasing amount of traffic to news sites but Google remains the top referring service.

The makeup of this year's Cannes jury, headed by US actor Robert De Niro, means the coveted Palme d'Or's winner will have global approval.

WWF urged companies to drop plans to clear Indonesian forest areas where infra-red cameras have captured footage of rare Sumatran tigers.

Osama bin Laden warned in his final audio tape recorded before being killed by American commandos there will be no US security.

The 13-member boy band Super Junior of South Korea set their feet in Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for their Super Show 3 to be held in Binh Duong.

The accused mastermind of last year's bloody Baghdad church siege grabbed a policeman's gun, leaving four police and 10 inmates dead.