Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday detained a British news team that produced a report about allegations of abuse and ill-treatment of Tamil refugees. Three journalists from Channel 4 were seized and handed over to Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department for interrogation, police spokesman Ranjih Gunasekera told reporters. The report, aired Tuesday on Channel 4, chronicled the alleged abuse of Tamils in internment camps in the city of Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka, where fighting has raged between government and rebels. ...

The winning bidder of a pair of Chinese bronzes auctioned off in Paris, France, emerged Monday as a collection adviser from China's National Treasures Fund, and he has refused to pay, Xinhua news agency reported. Cai Mingchao placed the $39.63 million (31.49 million euro) phone bid on Wednesday for the two sculptured bronze heads of a rat and a rabbit dating from China's Qing Dynasty. The relics were part of the late Yves Saint Laurent's private collection of arts ...

China has criticized Christie's auction of two Qing dynasty bronzes looted by invading French and British forces in 1860, saying the sale would hurt the auction house. The items were included in a huge three-day auction of art and furnishings that belonged to the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. The sale, which ended on Wednesday, raised more than €370 million ($470 million). The bronze sculptures, a rat's head and a rabbit's head, were sold for €14 million ...