In the aftermath of Daesh-inspired attacks on Paris, London, and San Bernardino, the United States and Europe have been wrestling with how best to wield their military power to defeat the threat. But faced with an enemy that inspires others to violence through well-produced propaganda, we should also consider the role of soft power in combating that hateful ideology by emphasizing Western values like free expression.

Climate negotiators in Paris are wrangling over [...] "caps" and "cuts" in greenhouse gases. Some environmentalists argue [...] that consumption [is missing]. In India, [...] little will change unless fossil-fuel-reliant rich countries moderate their own consumption […] "In the current world order, everyone wants to be an American. If that is the benchmark, then we all should forget about saving the planet," Bhushan says.

Japan is set to build India's first bullet train, with Tokyo financing the project through an $8 billion loan to New Delhi [...] [The Nikkei said] that the two countries will issue a joint statement about the deal on Saturday during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India [...]The report comes after Japan failed to win a high-speed train deal in Indonesia earlier this year, losing out to a Chinese proposal.

In most other countries, you might be forgiven for wondering what possible link there might be between an archaeological discovery and the national economy […] In Egypt, however, archaeology and tourism are intimately connected [...] the economy is maintained by the pharaoh's gold standard. Egypt has two great tourism assets: its hundreds of miles of Red Sea beaches and the great monuments from its long history.

China’s top negotiator at the UN summit on climate change practically gushed as he described his country’s relationship with California […] And with a slew of agreements with foreign leaders, Gov. Brown has turned California’s Air Resources Board and Environmental Protection Agency into de facto diplomatic organizations […] “California basically has a foreign policy,” said David Victor, a UC San Diego professor.

Also referred to as “selfie diplomacy,” nation branding through social media is viewed by foreign ministries as a cost-effective means of reaching millions of potential customers. Israel’s Foreign Ministry also continuously uses online platforms to improve Israel’s global image, one often associated with the violation of human rights and ongoing military conflicts.

“Open a Door to Israel” is an exhibit made up of nine giant screens, shaped as doors, which visitors open to learn about different aspects of Israel, including the country’s heritage, music scene, family life, education system and innovation. Audiences are then invited to watch a multimedia show, synchronized with robotic screening technology, which focuses on Israeli creativity.