The Foreign Affairs department has confirmed Canada's choice for its first-ever resident ambassador to the burgeoning democracy of Burma. Mark McDowell, who currently works in the Canadian embassy in China, has officially been named to the post. His selection as the first Canadian ambassador to live in the country had previously been reported by media in Burma, a country also known as Myanmar.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife has received increasing attention for not only her attire, but also her good-will activities during the presidential visit to four nations, a soft-toned diplomatic gesture to boost China's image. Upon arrival in Moscow last week, Peng Liyuan, in an elegant overcoat, descended the plane arm in arm with President Xi. A photo of her appearance has been widely circulated on the Internet and published in major newspapers.

The Secretary, by BBC correspondent Kim Ghattas, is a remarkable book. Not only does it provide an insightful record of life on the road with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but also it treats public diplomacy seriously.

From unrealized legislation in Tunisia to the example of the US Federal Communications Commission, a spectrum of international examples of media regulation was presented at a conference titled “Egypt and International Models of Broadcast Regulation and Accountability.” Guest speakers from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, Tunisia, Libya, and Morocco spoke about how media regulation works in their home countries

"The Gatekeepers," which features candid – and sometimes damning – interviews with all six surviving heads of the Shin Bet security service, caused a stir among Israeli officials, with many of them accusing the film of being anti-Israel and some going so far as to call for a boycott.

Efforts at public diplomacy can still succeed in countries where drone strikes have led to outrage against the United States, said Tara Sonenshine, the State Department's undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, in a talk at the University of Maryland on March 27.

No one's saying, 'Move over, Bretton Woods, Brics is here'. But Brics nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - certainly grabbed eyeballs at their Durban summit by firming up plans for a new development bank to fund infrastructure and a $100 billion contingency reserve arrangement to provide themselves financial succour in times of trouble. The dressing on the side is a business council with great potential to boost trade and investment.

The Pakistani teenager who survived an assassination attempt and inspired a worldwide movement for girls' education will soon become a published author. Malala Yousafzai, 15, says she wants her book, "I Am Malala," to reveal and help children across the world who still struggle to get to school.