The wave of huge spending is China's latest step in its bid to become a global soccer power. With the backing of President Xi Jinping, an avowed soccer fan, and no shortage of investment money, the country has the political will and naked ambition to propel soccer into a starring role on the world stage.

Nigeria is in a state of crisis. The Nigerian brand has never been so bad. Recently Future Brands, a leading international brand evaluation agency, issued a Country Brand index. It ranked 75 countries in the same way they measure consumer or corporate brands - according to strength of global perceptions across association dimensions.

Airbnb has upended the system. When the site launched in 2008, Africa was a minor part. That's changed, and now that more than 44,000 homes in Africa have been listed, the continent has become one of the company's fastest-growing regions. 

Israel was ranked the eighth most powerful country, and 25 out of 60 on the overall best country ranking. […] [But,] Yair Lapid said the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement is gaining strength; that international organizations are taking anti-Israel positions; that there is a crisis with the US and EU; and the international media has taken a sharp anti-Israel line with the help of Israeli organizations [...]

Sometime in March last year Kenya’s diplomatic corps, attending the 17th Biennial Ambassadors and High Commissioners’ conference in Mombasa, bemoaned negative press reports and said this was frustrating their diplomatic initiatives in missions. The envoys noted that the local media’s fascination with “negative” narratives of insecurity, crime and corruption painted a bad image of the country abroad. 

Boy band EXO and actor Yoo Ah-in were ranked as the most influential celebrities in Korea according to the annual ranking of the country’s version of business magazine, Forbes. [...] The list, titled Korea 2016 Power Celebrity 40, ranked celebrities based on sales, media exposure, broadcasting activities and professionalism.

"Los Angeles is a world-leader in creativity and innovation, and LA 2024 will put California's unparalleled tech and innovation capability at the service of the Olympic Movement.," said LA 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman.