A large, headless, Roman-era bronze statue believed to represent Marcus Aurelius has reigned for 26 years as the resident philosopher-king of the Cleveland Museum of Art. With its lifelike presence, fluid drapery folds and dark, luscious patina, the sculpture is one of the museum’s signature treasures. Yet a mystery has always hovered over this exceedingly rare object. Where, exactly, did it come out of the ground, and who unearthed it?
Just as important, how many hands did it pass through before it found its way into the collection in 1986? The museum has long stated that the work might have been found in the 1960s in an obscure village in southwestern Turkey called Bubon, but it isn't sure.
The government of Turkey, on the other hand, is sure. It says that the bronze and nearly two dozen other works in Cleveland were looted from its soil, although the country has produced no evidence.
According to reports in the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek and Britain's Economist, the country has launched an international campaign aimed at repatriating such works. And it's proceeding in a way that could shake the foundations of encyclopedic museums with items collected before contemporary laws and international agreements intended to prevent looting and trafficking.
World-renowned Belgian chocolatier Godiva has opened its first Godiva Chocolate Café in Europe at London’s luxury department store, Harrods. The café is a unique destination for all lovers of chocolate wishing to enjoy the ultimate chocolate experience in an exquisite setting. Chocoholics can look forward to a tempting menu, including elegant patisserie and decadent chocolate drinks, which has been created jointly by Harrods executive pastry chef Markus Bohr, Godiva’s executive chef chocolatier Thierry Muret and Godiva global chef chocolatier David Funaro. 
Spellbinding but worrisome from a logistical standpoint, dark horse Istanbul's bid to host the 2020 Olympics eerily echoes Rio de Janeiro's footing when it came from behind to win the right to host the 2016 Games. Four years ago, Rio, in a major upset, became the first nation in South America to secure the Games, despite a technical score well below rivals Tokyo and Chicago going into the final vote.
Istanbul retained its place on the list of the top 10 convention destinations centers in the world last year, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) said yesterday. Istanbul was in seventh place in 2010 with 109 conventions, but fell to ninth place in 2011, although the number of conferences held in the city rose to 113, according to data from the International Congress and Convention Association. 
