People's opinions of the UK have improved markedly since 2012. That suggestion is based on a BBC World Service survey of more than 26,000 global citizens, whose positive views pushed the UK into third place, behind Germany and Canada.

Nearly 40 European national associations have sent UEFA Pro license student coaches to the House of European Football in Nyon to take part in UEFA's coach education exchange programme and gain invaluable knowledge about what awaits them in future careers, UEFA official web page said.

Cheered on by a raucous crowd waving flags and chanting, a team of Iranian wrestlers defeated the United States, 6-1, in an exhibition match staged in New York’s Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday.

Qatar made unsuccessful bids for both the 2016 and 2020 Games, and will no doubt make another one in the years to come. If it is serious about respecting the tradition of the event, let alone becoming a global centre for genuine cultural inquiry, it needs to get over its inhibitions.

It's the innocent pastime that has made a surprise return to vogue, but a bitter power struggle has plunged table tennis into uncertain times following an angry row and threats of legal action...The backdrop to the dispute is a sport that commands a mass following in China, the world's most populous country, and is undergoing a promising resurgence in Europe and the United States.

Sports was acknowledged as a catalyst in bringing peace in the face of adversities around the world at the Peace and Sport Dubai Forum2013 which began on Tuesday. IOC Vice President Nawal El Moutawakel congratulated UAE for hosting such a great event, the first event in the Middle East. “Sports diplomacy is the tool that protects the society,” said Mahash Saeed Salem Al Hameli.

Australia should work harder on its official and unofficial diplomacy to strengthen its ties to India, after a new survey revealed Indians had a mixed perception of the two countries' relationship. The nationwide survey of 1233 Indians, conducted in seven languages, found that Indians generally have a positive image of Australia, seeing it as a good place to get an education and raise a family.

The Japanese government presented two former baseball players with the People's Honor Award recently, causing a sensation in the country. The two winners were Shigeo Nagashima in his late 70s and Hideki Matsui who has just retired. Once a player and coach of a famous Japanese professional baseball team Yomiuri Giants, Nagashima is one of the most celebrated baseball players in postwar Japan