President Obama had made it abundantly clear in advance of his trip that he would not be issuing an apology when he paid his respects at the cenotaph to the thousands who died when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, 71 years ago. [...] "The mainstream in Japanese society accept Obama's visit as something that he wanted to do personally, but staying within the constraints of his own domestic policies," 

Barack Obama's historic election as President of the United States in 2008 was the first time an American of African descent had ever held the United States' highest position. Because of the President's Kenyan roots, many Africans were particularly excited for what they hoped would be the start of a new era in relations between the United States and Africa.

From the earliest moments of Barack Obama’s candidacy for president, there was an interesting debate about whether he would enhance America’s soft power in the world or not. Over the past eight years there have certainly been some data points that offer evidence of Obama’s soft power — but there has also been a legitimate debate about whether it means all that much for American foreign policy.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are looking forward to having an April 22 birthday lunch with Queen Elizabeth and a dinner with Prince William and Duchess Kate. [...]  “This is certainly is an important part of public diplomacy, but I think it will be one of the more pleasant aspects of the trip that the president is certainly forward to.”

The day after President Obama ended his historic trip to Havana, Cubans turned on their TV sets and watched his surprise guest appearance in a skit on the popular weekly show Vivir del Cuento (Live by Your Wits). [...]  It was actually Obama’s second appearance on Vivir del Cuento; he’d taped a mock phone call with Pánfilo from the Oval Office for an episode that aired just before his arrival in Havana. 

There’s something strange about the controversy surrounding Barack Obama’s recent visit to Cuba: It’s largely revolved around whether the Castro government deserved restored relations with the United States and a visit from the U.S. president. [...] If diplomacy is three-dimensional, the political debate in America over U.S.-Cuban affairs has been occurring on only one plane.

There are a number of no-go zones in the world for President Barack Obama these days. [...] But this week, President Obama is in Havana, and the greeting crowds have been enraptured. Such a trip was inconceivable back in 2008, when Obama was running for president. But as he finishes his last year in office, the president is determined to make his détente with Cuba irreversible.

President Obama danced the famous Argentine tango with a lithe dancer in a shimmery gold dress during the official state dinner at the Centro Cultural Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday night.