Iraq announced on Tuesday the return of hundreds of looted antiquities that had ended up in the United States...The latest trove reflects not only a history dating from the world’s oldest civilizations but also a more recent and tortured history of war, looting and international smuggling that began under Saddam Hussein, accelerated after the American occupation and continues at archaeological sites to this day.

Mohammed Karimi has come a long way to find himself at the gate of a cattle weighing station in Australia's outback...Karimi, along with six other refugees, are enrolled in a 12-week course at the Warwick campus of TAFE, a nation-wide tertiary educational institute. The students are the second batch to go through the new program, sponsored by Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), which trains them for work in the agricultural industry.

Gastrodiplomacy is more than the promotion of a new taste or dish abroad. It stands for a concerted effort to use cuisine as part of cultural diplomacy. For example, the Thai government in 2002 launched an ambitious programme to put Thailand among the top five exporters of food.

Japan may be on a slow decline as far as being a global economic force, but the "soft power" of its modern entertainment genres, from manga to "anime," has global appeal, especially among young people. Why and how did this entertainment media thrive? How popular is it overseas?

“Taiwan is already well known in the film and television arena for its distinct artistic qualities. This film festival will give viewers an opportunity to experience the rich texture of Taiwan's unique film making style with the aim of sharing its rich cultural heritage, art and history through cinema,” Joy Yen, director information division, TECC, said in a statement.

US and Iran faced off at the World Basketball Championships here on Wednesday night, electrifying Iranian fans and offering a rare opportunity for people of the two arch-enemy nations to meet face to face. It was the latest instance of sports diplomacy first used by both sides in the late 1990s to ease US-Iran hostility.

Chinese are welcome to visit Greece all year round, the Greek Secretary General of Tourism George Poussaios told China.org.cn Tuesday in Beijing after a cultural exchange deal was signed between China and Greece.

China's Minister of Culture Cai Wu arrived in Taipei Thursday at the head of a 40-member delegation for an eight-day visit...Cai was invited by the Taipei-based Sheen Chuen-chi Cultural and Educational Foundation to visit in his capacity as chief of Beijing's China Friendship Association.