Delivering reliable Internet access to a country that has more than 17,000 islands, which are scattered across a vast area of the Indian and Pacific Ocean, is a challenge. Luckily for folks in Indonesia, Google is ready to take on that challenge with its Project Loon, which brings Internet access to remote areas via a network of high-altitude balloons.

The Outpost, a magazine founded by Ibrahim Nehme, is more than just an optimistic rallying cry for fellow Arabs. Through rich, original storytelling, he’s determined to show them the beauty of their own countries, while also nudging foreign readers toward a more well-rounded perception of the region. The magazine’s very existence, Nehme hopes, can become a catalyst for change for all involved.

More than a million Mexicans subscribe to internet comedy star Chumel Torres' YouTube channel, El Pulso de la Republica, the country's most successful independent satirical show. Twice a week, Torres, 33, uses the ample supply of public corruption, embarrassing mismanagement and other hot-button issues that plague Mexico to script his show, delivered mainly straight to the camera with an array of props [...]

Qatar’s success in securing the rights to host the 2022 World Cup will be cheaper than fighting a war and could improve workers’ rights but may not prove successful in garnering soft power. That was the message from a session titled ‘Qatar and the Soft Diplomacy of Sport’.

Ethiopia's Addis Ababa Rail project opened last month to the delight of excited residents of the country's capital. The $475m urban rail project [...] is one of the most obvious examples of Beijing's huge role in Ethiopia's infrastructure development. The world's most populous nation has also built dams, roads, and factories in Ethiopia, and even gifted Addis Ababa the African Union headquarters, which cost $200m.

India’s rich cultural heritage will be at show when the third India-Africa Forum Summit gets underway on Tuesday. Apart from a cultural event during the banquet being hosted by the President for the visiting dignitaries, a mix of Indian traditional cultural exposure to monuments as well as a modern fashion show, which will highlight the handlooms of Varanasi [...]

2015 has already seen several Chinese propaganda videos, from foreign students falling in love with President Xi Jinping to Britain and China being “closer thank you think”; but this video is the most bizarre (until the next). The state news agency, Xinhua, tweeted the video above with the caption: “Wanna know what China’s gonna do? Best pay attention to the 十三五! See why it matters”.

The debate over the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank of the United States tends to focus on big business and American workers: To opponents it represents "crony capitalism" and "corporate welfare," supporters point to the American jobs and tax dollars it seeds. But there's another way to think about it: Ex-Im, as small as it is, represents an excellent vehicle for advancing America's foreign policy interests.