A Non-Governmental Oganisation (NGO), Initiative of African Friends of China, says it has concluded plans to start the teaching of Chinese language in some centres in Nigeria. [...] which would be extended to other African countries, was aimed at boosting the relationship between Africa and China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described “soft power” in 2012 as “a matrix of tools and methods to reach foreign policy goals without the use of arms but by exerting information and other levers of influence.” His government has used state-owned media outlets like RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and other pro-Kremlin organizations to bend public opinion in other countries toward Russia.

"We are ready to expand and strengthen contacts with Muslim and non-governmental organizations in the region along the line of 'people's diplomacy', we are ready to help the peoples of the region to overcome armed conflicts by sharing the experience of Russian Muslims..."

Human rights in the West: does the reality live up to the rhetoric? On the surface, the cultural narrative seems innocent enough: billionaire philanthropists, political luminaries and transnational corporations, along with legions of staff and volunteers – all working together in the name of social justice, forging a better, fairer and more accountable world.
 

More than a change in terminology is needed to challenge the view that if you don’t pay you owe unquestioning gratitude. [...] For the billions of the poorest people around the world who rely on philanthropic aid to meet even basic needs, as the saying goes, “beggars can’t be choosers”. But why shouldn’t philanthropic programmes abide by the same consumer rights rules expected of a traditional business selling soap or toothpaste?

To the average American, the term intelligence agency refers to a group of secret military types, locked in a windowless room in Virginia, furtively collecting data on bad guys, good guys, citizens, everybody. That data is delivered up the chain in manila envelops marked “Top Secret.” There’s still some truth to that stereotype (apparently, they get to have windows now) but Robert Cardillo, director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, or NGA, is hoping to secure an unconventional legacy as a spy chief.