Cultural Diplomacy

India’s premier agency for cultural diplomacy, the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), now run by the Ministry of External Affairs may soon change hands. The 63-year-old autonomous body’s mandate is to promote Indian culture abroad and is part of the government’s strategic use of soft power to woo foreign countries. MEA feels that hard selling India’s soft power in foreign countries through exchange of artistes, exhibitions, festivals, and even yoga is a better fit with the culture ministry.

Where do the world's wealthiest people live? Well, it depends on whether you're deliberating over millionaires, multi-millionaires or billionaires. If you're on a “fat-cat” hunt, London is described by London-based wealth consultancy, WealthInsight, as the city with the highest number of multi-millionaires, defined as individuals with over $30 million each, according to the Daily Mail on Saturday.

Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics wasn’t a sexy one. But the promise of efficiency, competence and high-tech wizardry was more than enough to convince members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who on Sept. 8 Tokyo time chose the Japanese capital over upstart Istanbul, which, had it won, would have been the first predominantly Muslim host city. (Madrid, the third contender, appeared to have been eliminated in a previous secret IOC vote.)

Dennis Rodman broke some news on North Korean Kim Jong Un's baby daughter on Sunday during an interview with the Guardian. The former basketball player and current friend of the North Korean dictator said that he "held their baby Ju-ae and spoke with Ms Ri [Sol-Ju, Kim's wife] as well" while in the country this past week. While Rodman told reporters in March that Kim's wife had spoken about their daughter during his previous visit to the country, it looks like Rodman is stepping up the evidence of her existence.

Most people there will discover the news when they wake up. But some 200 people, mostly those in the government who had worked to bring the games there but also sporting enthusiasts, stayed up together through the night waiting for the news, according the AFP. “As in every competition however, there can only be one winner,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said at the voting site in Buenos Aires before opening a sealed envelope that named Tokyo as the host. Japanese committee members cried, hugged, and waved miniature flags in the hall.

Indian troops stepped up security in disputed Kashmir's main city of Srinagar on Saturday, ahead of a concert to be held later in the day by celebrated conductor Zubin Mehta. Organizers said the concert would go ahead despite demands by Indian Kashmiri separatists for the event to be cancelled on grounds it would allegedly legitimize Indian "state repression" in the restive region.

September 7, 2013

As the new term starts across England, schools are chewing over this summer’s results in the 16-plus exams. One trend is clear—the coalition’s emphasis on pupils achieving five core academic subjects, including a language, in its new EBACC (English Baccalaureate) qualification has raised the number of candidates taking language exams.

On Saturday, the International Olympic Committee will change the destiny of one city forever. Yes, tomorrow's the big day when committee members will decide whether Istanbul, Madrid, or Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. For the chosen city, it's a decision that could catalyze transformative infrastructure projects and long-term investment. Of course, more likely, it will shackle the host city with cost overruns, underused venues and displaced and disaffected citizens.

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