What we're watching: Quake, tsunami

8.9 EARTHQUAKE, TSUNAMI HIT JAPAN—WHAT’S NEXT? - The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in at least 100 years unleashed walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns, dragging houses onto highways and tossing cars and boats like toys.  Local media reported at least 32 deaths, with more casualties feared. And the 8.9-magnitude quake, which struck at 2:46 p.m., prompted the U.S. National Weather Service to issue a tsunami warning for at least 20 countries. Hawaii ordered evacuations of coastal areas, and the entire U.S. west coast is on alert.

OBAMA NEWSER - A White House official tells CNN the President will hold a news conference at 11:15am on Friday to discuss rising gas prices and other issues.

WHITE HOUSE HAS 5-POINT ANTI-GADHAFI PLAN – TO As the civil war raged in Libya on Friday, it has come down to momentum. On the ground, Moammar Gadhafi's well-equipped forces have the upper hand, devastating rebel forces and snatching back towns the opposition once held. In the war of public opinion, the opposition has won over most of the international community. Despite this, the Gadhafi power structure seemed undaunted.

The New York Times reports that The White House announced a five-point program on Thursday of steps to isolate Col. Gadhafi and ultimately drive him from power, all stopping well short of military action, but distanced itself from the assessment of the nation’s top intelligence chief, who said Thursday that “over the longer term” Colonel Qaddafi’s superior firepower “will prevail” over the opposition.

NATO TROOPS KILL KARZAI COUSIN – Violence erupted in Afghanistan over the past 24 hours: a deadly suicide attack in the north and the death of the president's cousin during a coalition operation in the south. A suicide attacker in northern Afghanistan killed a police chief and two officers on Thursday night, according to the deputy provincial governor. A cousin of Afghan President Hamid Karzai was killed Wednesday during a NATO operation in Kandahar province. Ahmad Wali Karzai,  the head of Kandahar's provincial council and the president’s half-brother, said the relative was killed by mistake.  

NEXT FOOTBALL TALKS DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT - NFL owners and the players union have until 11:59 p.m. ET Friday to reach a new collective bargaining agreement. Without a last-minute agreement or the extension of the deadline, the NFL Players Association could decertify on Friday - meaning it would stop being the collective bargaining agent for the players.

By decertifying, the union would clear the way for the players to file an antitrust lawsuit if the owners lock out the players. All of that would mean the first NFL work stoppage since 1987 and the likelihood of months of labor and legal maneuvering for football fans already confused about how a $9 billion industry lacks enough money to satisfy everyone.