There are several apparent motives behind the Taliban’s outreach: to decrease misperceptions and concerns about the Taliban and strive to change international opinion, which is currently stacked against them; to get supports for the Taliban’s war against U.S. “occupation”; to negotiate prisoner swaps; and to discuss the Afghan peace process.

New Zealand has dropped a place in an international country brand strength report, but academics say the country’s international reputation is still strong.  A country’s brand strength is determined by its performance in goods & services, tourism, talent and investment.

Greater awareness of other countries' non-hostile intentions in forming partnerships can foster an amicable neighborhood.  President Xi Jinping underlined the importance of China's neighborhood diplomacy at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in Beijing on Friday and Saturday. 

Erdogan has always enjoyed challenging common narratives. In doing so, he appeals to Muslim public opinion both domestically and internationally.  Despite recent setbacks, he still believes that he represents the Muslim world.

Russian “soft power” aimed at promoting the country’s image abroad is working and President Vladimir Putin is its key element, a report presented by the Center for Political Analysis at TASS on Friday says.

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. 

Pew Global Research released the results of its “Balance of Power” survey, and it contains a lot of interesting data about what the world thinks about China. On the whole, impressions of China are positive.