Shot in a life-size replica of the temple built in Zhejiang province, "Shaolin"could re-introduce the background to one of the best-known Chinese worlds, [Emperor Motion Pictures CEO Albert] Lee said, right at a time when the industry is under pressure from Beijing to make exportable movies to help China's soft power.

[Li Changchun, a senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC)] emphasized that environmental protection efforts, such as designating some archaeological sites as special parks, should go hand-in-hand with heritage preservation work. Citizens, especially the country's youths, needed to be better educated about heritage protection through more educational programs and visits to heritage sites, he said.

Turkey remains stubbornly fixed in Western culture as a backward-looking land of doner kebabs, bazaars, and guest workers. But take population out of the equation -- an admittedly big variable -- and Turkey promptly becomes a likely candidate for future superpower.

Alec Ross, Secretary Clinton's Senior Advisor for Innovation, said the new policy is designed to promote access to global education and culture by permitting certain telecommunications equipment and services to flow to those countries. Export of those equipment and services had previously been blocked by U.S. sanctions.

WASHINGTON -- A recent “pivot” of U.S. sanctions policy toward Iran, Sudan and Cuba was discussed in detail this morning by a senior State Department official.

Alec Ross, Secretary Clinton's Senior Advisor for Innovation, said the new policy is designed to promote access to global education and culture by permitting certain telecommunications equipment and services to flow to those countries. Export of those equipment and services had previously been blocked by U.S. sanctions.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to recognise Nanjing City of China as a "Model for International Cooperation" in order to award the city's active involvement in cooperation with the United States in education, innovation and entrepreneurship, and this was the first Chinese city to win such an award, Li Jiansheng, executive chairman of the US-China Partnership Committee said.

The Football World Cup kicks off on Friday. This is an opportune occasion to reflect on the fact that sport is meant to foster social cohesion, bring different cultures together in a celebration of healthy competition...