The United States on Wednesday marked the completion of the first year of restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. [...] Since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations, the department said the United States and Cuba have expanded cooperation in areas such as the environment, transportation, agriculture, health and law enforcement.

Japan’s consul general in New York provided a warm send-off Friday for the area’s new recruits to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme as the government project for globalization enters its 30th year. “The JET Programme is a major asset to both Japan and the United States,” Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi said.

Pak-China cultural streets should be established in different cities of Pakistan to promote cultural harmony between the two friendly countries”. The idea was floated by President Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shah Faisal Afridi. He said that the lack of cultural contacts between the two countries was one of the key challenges for a durable economic relationship between Pakistan and China.

South Africa was one of the high-priority visits for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not just because of the shared partnership on multilateral fora but also because of historic ties that connect the two nations. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in the last 10 years. [...] The Indian media, along with a sections of the American press has billed this visit as another effort by New Delhi to counterbalance Beijing’s influence in the continent. 

Cuban ambassador Carlos Fernández de Cossío has for the first time attended the 4th of July celebrations by the United States embassy in Pretoria. De Cossio even had a private meeting with US ambassador Patrick Gaspard on the sidelines of the celebrations at his official home on Thursday. The Miami theme included the serving of Cuban food and a performance by an Afro-Cuban band.

More Canadian and Mexican students will soon be able to dust off their passports as travelling between the two nations on exchange is expected to become easier and lead to more work experience. That announcement, made jointly by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto on June 28, gives Alan Iniestra optimism for the future. “They showed that they are really engaged, to work between these countries,” said the Mexican university student. 

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Wednesday the Greek government will start constructing a mosque and a Muslim cemetery for the Muslim minorities in the city. Speaking at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Tsipras touched on refugee flows and the Greek government's efforts to improve the fundamental rights of minority groups living in Greece. Tsipras's promise concerns 200,000 Muslims living in Athens, while Athens is known as the only capital without a mosque in Europe.