Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday officially joined the social networking era with the launching of a new YouTube channel, as well as Facebook, Twitter and flickr accounts.

India summoned China's ambassador Friday to protest against the refusal of a visa to an Indian general from the disputed Kashmir region, the latest spat between two Asian giants jostling for global influence and resources.

Alarmist predictions in the press about the quality of French diplomacy are now commonplace in France, with diplomats saying that the country’s “soft power” capability is being seriously degraded.

A United Nations human rights body rebuked France on Friday for its crackdown on Roma and urged the government to try to integrate members of the EU's biggest ethnic minority rather than send them to eastern Europe. The 18 independent experts voiced concern that some of the hundreds of Roma flown to Romania in recent weeks under what France calls a voluntary repatriation programme had not been fully informed of their rights or freely consented.

Australia must tighten rules governing the behavior of its companies, especially mining firms, toward indigenous people at home and abroad, a United Nations human rights body said on Friday. The 18-member committee of independent experts on racism also told Australia to do more to integrate recent immigrants from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and other Muslim countries and tackle racism against indigenous people in Australia.

Continuing to nation-build after 2011 will be good, but security goes hand in hand with development. The Canadian government is wise to plan for a non-combat mission in Afghanistan following the 2011 military withdrawal – but should not restrict itself only to nation-building.

Confusion reigns about a solution for Pakistan's internal problems. International opinion oscillates between the need to apply more pressure on the country, or else to help it more generously. Yet increased aggression or abandoning the country to deal with its difficulties are not very sensible options, as both could unleash severe destabilisation within Pakistan and beyond.

The good-will tour of the Middle East by the imam behind the proposed mosque near ground zero is just part of the U.S. government's efforts to reach out to the Muslim world. This year, the Obama administration will spend nearly $6 million to restore 63 historic and cultural sites, including mosques and minarets, in 55 nations.