Kenya said Tuesday it will torch its vast stockpile of ivory at a star-studded summit to include Hollywood celebrities, presidents and business leaders against "poaching and illegal trade in ivory." […] "Kenya plans to use the occasion to torch as many as 120 tons of ivory [...] as proof of our commitment to zero tolerance for poaching and illegal ivory trade,
" presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu told reporters.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday opened a major exhibition featuring works by Jewish concentration camp prisoners, as she pledged to combat a feared rise in anti-Semitism in Germany linked to a record influx of refugees. The show, "Art from the Holocaust", brings together 100 works [...] by 50 artists created in secret between 1939 and 1945 while they were confined to the camps or ghettos.

The Kremlin is attempting to use soft power, i.e. public diplomacy and pro-Kremlin NGOs to strengthen pro-Russian moods in the Belarusian society. In addition, amid redistribution of languishing Russian state budget, Russian ideologists have stepped up their media efforts to promote their propaganda activity in Belarus.

In recent days, India has reached out to its Middle Eastern partners in a major way. Last week, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj went to Bahrain to attend the first ministerial meeting of the India-Arab League Cooperation Forum. 

US Secretary of State John Kerry starts his two-day visit to Cambodia today with the objective of further strengthening bilateral relations. Mr. Kerry will meet Prime Minister Hun Sen, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, and informally exchange views with leaders from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party and representatives of civil society.

French President François Hollande arrives in India for a three-day visit. Mr. Hollande will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade on Tuesday [...] the French President appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi “for his diplomacy reflecting both a sense of proportion and a strong determination. He recently took important steps to engage in a dialogue with the political leadership in Pakistan.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday he hopes to open a "new chapter" in relations with Iran after the lifting of international sanctions under a historic nuclear deal, as he paid the first visit by a Chinese leader to the Islamic Republic in 14 years.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday the U.S. would seek a significant boost in humanitarian aid for the global refugee crisis and would urge at least 10 more countries to offer resettlement programs.