CULTURE AND SPORT

France said Friday military action against Libya would come "within hours", as a UN vote approving air strikes was celebrated by rebels.

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant.

The world famous FA Cup will go on display in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from March 25-31.

The Bank of Japan on Friday pumped three trillion yen into the financial system to soothe money markets shaken by huge earthquake.

Teams of Japanese workers and troops battled to prevent meltdown at a quake-hit nuclear plant as alarm over the disaster grew.

Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda has expressed his deepest condolences and offered support to the people and Government of Japan.

Moamer Kadhafi said his forces would fight a "decisive battle", as Washington added its voice to efforts at the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone.

Apple said that it was delaying next week's release of the iPad 2 in Japan because of the earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country.

World number one Rafael Nadal was tested by Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman but advanced to the Indian Wells quarter-finals with a 7-5, 6-4 win.

Concern over Japan's ability to contain its nuclear crisis grew, as foreign governments urged citizens to leave Tokyo.

Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami last week have resulted in insured losses of between $12 and $25 billion, risk assessment firm EQECAT said.

Japanese military helicopters dumped water onto the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in a bid to douse fuel rods.

Vision of the disastrous tsunami rolling onto Japan after last week's massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake will provide valuable data to scientists.

The second World Vovinam Championships will be held in Ho Chi Minh City late July.

Japan was considering spraying water and boric acid over a stricken nuclear plant in a desperate measure to contain radiation.

Explosions and a fire at Japan's quake-hit nuclear plant unleashed dangerous levels of radiation on Tuesday, sparking a collapse on the stock market.

Hundreds of objects, photographs and documents relating to the development of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union are being displayed in Hanoi.

Information about prospective jurors in the upcoming perjury trial of home run king Barry Bonds will be made public, but not the jurors' names, according to a judge.

Japan's nuclear crisis will boost interest in clean renewables such as solar and wind power but may also sharpen demand for coal, oil and gas, experts said.