Rupert Murdoch has warned China that it will encourage piracy and limit opportunities for its own booming movie market if it does not open up to foreign films, in the latest sign of western media owners' frustrations with Chinese restrictions.

IF you thought that the East Japan earthquake and tsunami would shake the cute off this country's young hipsters, think again. Harajuku, Tokyo's mecca for youth culture and fashion, is as cute and colorful as ever. That's the message of the Mighty Harajuku Project, started by Sebastian Masuda three days after the disaster.

Vice-President Xi Jinping's recently concluded three-nation tour of Latin America is likely to further enhance China's relations with the region, experts said. Beyond its economic ties with Latin America, China is also interested in promoting its image internationally...China's infrastructure projects in the Caribbean are examples of non-economically motivated relationships in the region.

South Korea and Europe appear to be engaged in a bit of mutual admiration musically these days. In both cases, the news stories were about one nation’s culture rubbing off on another. And both got more attention in the country that was proud of its influence and less attention in the place where the action was happening.

Named after the country's national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the center aims to promote the Philippine heritage across the world in the same way the France, Spain and Germany did with Alliance Francaise, Spain with Instituto Cervantes and Goethe-Institut respectively.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, it is paying attention to strengthening the “public diplomacy” capabilities of Missions abroad and with the support of expatriate Sri Lankan communities seeks to change the negative perceptions about Sri Lanka that had hitherto prevailed.