He doesn’t soft-peddle his approach. In another airplane press conference on an apostolic journey abroad, Francis called out anyone who commits violence in the name of religion. And while he emphasized the importance of free expression, he admitted it necessarily has limits.

The murders of cartoonists and French police officers at the newspaper Charlie Hebdo last week have sparked a vigorous debate about tolerancefor, and even encouragement of, blasphemy in a free society. (...) But in discussing the potential costs of the Charlie Hebdo attacks and other violent responses to crude depictions of the prophet Muhammad, it’s important that we acknowledge the full spectrum of speech that’s in potential danger.

“Showing up is 80 percent of life” remarked filmmaker and writer Woody Allen in 1977, a quote that if taken to heart could have saved the Barack Obama administration lot of woes and embarrassment in the way it approaches policy and politics across the globe. Obama’s failure to show up or send the vice or an ex-president to Paris’ massive rally on Sunday in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo and freedom of speech, vividly illustrates the decline of U.S. soft power and absence of American leadership on the global stage.

 BBC reports there were “40 world leaders” present. But President Obama wasn’t one of them; Vice-President Biden and Secretary of State Kerry apparently weren’t there, either.(...) Is there some particularly good “smart diplomacy” reason why we would be absent when so many others were present?

At least 80 detainees have died since last July, when the military seized power and launched a crackdown on dissidents. Former prisoners speak of overcrowding, denial of medical treatment, and mistreatment. 

Google the phrase “democracy is,” and you'll get several instant search suggestions. But when you Baidu it, you only get one. Coincidence? Maybe. But China's largest search engine has a bit of a track record when it comes to politically-motivated censorship. 

Iran has reacted angrily to a European parliament resolution calling on diplomats to shine a spotlight on human rights in their negotiations with Tehran as part of a new strategy towards the country.

First lady, Michelle Obama is currently visiting China with her daughters, Sasha and Malia and her mother, Marian Robinson. The trip marks the first ever made by a first lady to China without her husband in tow. Mrs. Obama is there to promote educational exchanges between the U.S. and China but she has also subtly been addressing the issue of freedom of expression.