When the world went wild for King Tut

It must be the most celebrated exchange in the history of archaeology. "Can you see anything?" asked George Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, standing in a gloomy passageway cut into the bedrock of the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile.

Chinese artist given pride of place at Chatsworth

The classic vista of Chatsworth will appear very different this summer as one of its best known landmarks is replaced by a work of Chinese contemporary art.

Why Western men prefer 'yellow fever'

Ever heard of yellow fever? No, not the disease you can pick up when traveling to certain countries. I'm talking about when Caucasian men develop an acute sexual preference for East Asian women - even becoming a fetish for some.

Ban on same-sex dance partners, a step too far?

The British Dance Council finds itself in the eye of a rather surprising storm. This hitherto blameless organization, which devises and oversees the rules for ballroom dancing in the United Kingdom, is considering a proposal to ban same-sex partnerships from competing against "traditional" couples.

Strengthened ties to boost exchanges

Chengdu, the capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan province, expects more cultural and economic exchanges with Latin American countries amid the strengthening ties between China and the region.

'Why I want an arranged marriage'

"I'm engaged," she shouted down the phone. Here I was, first year at university, sitting on a dirty wall outside my apartment, being told by my best friend that at the age of 19, she was engaged. I was expecting this call because my friend was always considered more traditional than the rest of my group of three Muslim girlfriends - but it surprised me how soon it came.

Do we really need sex museums?

A popular erotic exhibition from New York's Museum of Sex is due to transfer to London. Dr Brooke Magnanti argues why such spaces, as 'fun' as they may be, are wholly unnecessary.

UK's vampire 'subculture' numbers nearly 15,000, says university lecturer

Dr Emyr Williams, who works at Glyndwr University, in Wrexham, calls real vampires a 'global phenomenon'.

Japanese carmakers still facing uphill task

The market share for Japanese carmakers in China has recovered slightly from the low point it hit two years ago in the wake of a diplomatic row.

New Benz 'menu' for transparent service pricing

Mercedes-Benz is putting heavy efforts to improve its customer satisfaction in China by introducing a program it calls the "Star Maintenance Menu" designed to reduce service costs on major models.

IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Report: 'New' economies to boost global auto sales

Emerging economies, especially China, will be the largest market for light vehicles in the next five to 10 years, according to a report from IHS Automotive Consulting.