CULTURE AND SPORT

A French warplane opened fire on a target in Libya, kicking off a coordinated international campaign to prevent strongman Moamer Kadhafi's forces from crushing an uprising.

World No. 2 Roger Federer will face reigning Australia Open champion Novak Djokovic in the Indian Wells semi-finals with the world No. 2 ranking on the line.

Fighting raged around Libya's rebel stronghold of Benghazi ahead of a meeting in Paris to discuss action against Moamer Kadhafi's government forces.

Japanese engineers fighting to cool overheating reactors laid a power line into a stricken nuclear power plant.

Rescuers pulled a man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami.

President Barack Obama Friday delivered a frank ultimatum to Moamer Kadhafi, threatening military action if he ignores non-negotiable demands for a ceasefire.

A UN agency that monitors for clandestine nuclear tests said Friday it was sharing its data about radioactivity levels in Japan with the world body's atomic watchdog.

Libya declared on Friday an immediate ceasefire in the battle against rebels fighting to overthrow Moamer Kadhafi, which the insurgents swiftly dismissed as a bluff.

Twenty-one long-finned pilot whales have died but 11 were saved after beaching themselves at Bruny Island.

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.