A ferry carrying Americans out of violence-plagued Libya left Tripoli on Friday after nearly three days of delay, a State Department spokesman has confirmed. The M/V Maria Delores, carrying 300 evacuees, more than half of them U.S. citizens, left the Libyan capital at 1:37 p.m. local time, said spokesman Philip J. Crowley.

Seoul is using an old-school method — leaflet bombing — to tell its northern neighbors about events in the Middle East. As part of its ongoing campaign to win over North Koreans, South Korea has once again turned to "balloon diplomacy," sending gas-filled balloons skyward with messages and goodies in tow.

Turkey’s Ambassador to the United States, Namik Tan, spoke at the University of Southern California’s Center on Public Diplomacy on February 16. His topic was: “Public Diplomacy: The Turkish Experience.”

Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli Edelstein this week defended his project to send a group of young Israelis from different sectors of society to speak at North American campuses in a bid to improve Israel's image.

Following a year marked by a number of diplomatic strains with its neighbours, China will look to boost its public diplomacy initiatives in coming months to address concerns about its rise, officials said this week.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ms Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday said Pakistan considers relations with China of utmost importance and appreciates its support for economic development.

The federal budget deficit will run a record $1.65 trillion in 2011. So why does Washington continue to subsidize foreign governments? The House Republicans appear determined to reduce spending, and one of their targets is foreign “aid.” This year the State Department would lose 16% of its budget; humanitarian aid would drop by 41 percent.

As Israeli Apartheid Week nears, the government on Monday unveiled its latest initiative aimed at debunking the analogy made by Palestinian supporters between the Jewish state and minority rule in South Africa.
At a reception at the Knesset, the Public Diplomacy Ministry presented a diverse group of about 20 volunteer speakers consisting of Arabs, gay rights activists, Ethiopian Jews and a former MTV presenter who will tour campuses in North America later this month highlighting Israeli society’s pluralism.