An economic and social powerhouse, Brazil has burst forth on to the world stage with such tenacious drive and determination that observers may indeed wonder what sort of political impact the South American giant will have upon the wider region in the coming years.

Mr Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), on Friday applauded the achievements of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) in remaining a self-censored body aimed at maintaining professional excellence.

India kicked off its showcase 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi with an impressive opening ceremony complete with Bollywood songs, yoga, and dancers weaving among bicycle rickshaws. But, for sheer drama, the unofficial "pre-Games show" – the country's mad dash to get everything in place to host the quadrennial international Games – still stole the spotlight.

To step up in the global business race, Bangladesh needs to brand itself internationally as trustworthy, and deliver on that promise, suggested speakers at the Leadership Summit 2010 in Dhaka yesterday.

Sri Lanka has finally got the stage ready to launch an aggressive Nation branding campaign that can propel the country to be the ‘Wonder of Asia’. In fact, the total media blitz from ground zero echoed some of the pillars of an effective Nation Branding strategy of a country.

The 19th Commonwealth Games were declared open on Sunday in a spectacular opening ceremony that should help repair the damage to India's image caused by a calamitous build-up to the sporting festival.

Amid greater political stability and increased efforts to attract visitors, Middle East tourism is outstripping the markets in Asia and Europe. When it comes to the Middle East, more than a few people might be surprised to learn of the region's latest achievement: stature as the fastest-growing tourism destination in the world.

Not long ago, when you thought of a South Asian country ravaged by floods, governed by bumblers and apparently teetering on the brink of chaos, it wasn't Pakistan that came to mind. That distinction belonged to Bangladesh.