President Jakaya Kikwete has underscored the need for increased transparency and accountability in the health sector in order to make the world a better place. Speaking at a dinner hosted in his honour by Global Health Diplomacy (GHD) on Thursday night, the president said transparency had helped in the distribution of ARVs and treated mosquito nets.

While referring to the recent border row between India and Pakistan, a panel at the Jaipur Literature Festival blamed the media for feeding people with "petty prejudices" instead of playing a positive role. The panelists, while holding discussion in the session 'Neighbours: Walls and Bridges', appealed to work on the "commonalities" present in the two countries.

The political, business and academic elites at the World Economic Forum expressed renewed optimism at the global economy, with more liquidity, more unity in Europe and the fiscal cliff scaled by U.S. politicians. But other risks – especially that of not doing enough to combat persistent corruption – are emerging as new threats to a fragile global economy beset by challenges.

The political, business and academic elites at the World Economic Forum expressed renewed optimism at the global economy, with more liquidity, more unity in Europe and the fiscal cliff scaled by U.S. politicians. But other risks -- especially that of not doing enough to combat persistent corruption -- are emerging as new threats to a fragile global economy beset by challenges. "In my view, the mood actually bordered onto complacency," said Axel Weber, chairman of UBS AG, Switzerland's biggest bank, which he acknowledged has a poor image due to a series of big corruption scandals.

India Adda has been buzzing with interesting conversations over the past three days with government officials and prominent business leaders engaging in constructive dialogues. What is delightful is that the conversations are unceasing. As WEF 2013 gets into the discussion mode, delegates having been to the Congress Centre can be seen sitting in groups at the India Adda comparing notes and views on the emerging global trends, India in the context of the world economic order, the issues colouring Brand India and the upcoming competition.

And silky smooth, Rolls Royce bureaucrats, honed in the dark arts of diplomacy, but who have never been near a business in their lives, mutter menacingly about the threat to the economy if we were excluded from the Single Market. Of course, it may be possible to be outside the EU but still in the Single Market, like Norway, or outside both but enjoying most of the benefits, like Switzerland.

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is now accepting applications for its rigorous professional training program, which runs from July 21 - August 2.

Re-Framing & Re-Imagining the American Brand Abroad