Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has officially launched a Spanish-language satellite TV channel, saying it would deal a blow to "dominance seekers" – remarks that were an apparent dig at the US and the west. The launch is Tehran's latest effort to reach out to friendly governments in Latin America.

Korean policymakers are discussing the “Korean Wave 3.0.” The Korean Wave, or hallyu in Korean, means the export of Korean entertainment and other culture. The “Version 1.0” of the wave was the success of TV dramas and movies starting about 10 years ago. And “Version 2.0” is what’s been happening with K-pop music over the last year or so.

Celebrity diplomacy is nothing new. On Tuesday, Madonna has announced plans to build 10 schools in Malawi with a new partner after mismanagement forced the singer to scrap her first project there last year. The singer said she hoped the schools would educate at least 1,000 children a year, half of them girls.

This latest issue of PDiN Monitor is titled India Emerged: A Review of India's Public Diplomacy Activities. The issue examines the large scale public diplomacy effort put forward by India recently and the rise of its soft power presence in the world.

South Korea's government has been trying to change the country's international image - or rather its lack of one - for years. And even those involved - like Peter Kim, brand manager for the Seoul government - admit it has been a tough sell. South Korea's national branding is facing some unique challenges.