There is an old saying in India: “Come visit India as a tourist, and you will leave as a family member.” It certainly sounded like a friendly family gathering last month. From June 11th to 13th, senior government leaders from the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest democracy convened in Washington, DC for the third annual U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue.

A widely read microblog written by the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai and known for its sometimes tongue-in-cheek comments about China's social and political issues was inaccessible Friday. Sina Weibo, China's most popular microblog site that hosts the consulate's account, said it could be a technical glitch, an explanation the company has given in the past in cases where censorship was at work.

Wednesday, Edita Vokral, Ambassador of Switzerland in Haiti, accompanied by Hans Reiser, Deputy Coordinator of the Swiss Cooperation, paid a visit to Jean Mario Dupuy, the Haitian Minister of Culture. During this meeting, the Minister of Culture stressed the importance of culture for the development of Haiti, while touting the depth of the creative imagination of the Haitian people. "Culture is one factor that can contribute effectively to the development of the national economy."

In 1991, the North Korean table tennis star paired with her archrival, South Korea's Hyun Jung-hwa, as part of the first "unified Korea" team to march into international competition wearing the blue flag of the Korean Peninsula. With relations between the foes at a low point, the episode is not about to be repeated at the London Olympics.

The Obama Administration's State Department hasn't been an especially strong advocate for human rights, as the recent mishandling of Chinese dissident's Chen Guangcheng's case made painfully clear. Now there's news of more fumbles—this time, in Vietnam.

Demand for visas to visit the United States is growing, but getting one, for many foreigners, has sometimes meant frustratingly long waits for interviews and processing. The State Department struggled to keep up, but this year it took steps to improve. Now, the department says, it has chalked up some victories.

To be a very powerful state in world politics does not make for an easy life. China increasingly realizes the predicaments it faces while its power has been growing rapidly. Indeed, the disturbance of China’s regional diplomacy in recent years suggests that it is encountering daunting challenges on exercising and securing power.

Nearly two dozen ambassadors representing countries on five continents will spend three days learning about Wyoming’s remarkable history, exploring its environmental wonders, engaging with experts about conservation efforts, and interacting with the state’s public and private sector leaders.