t the convention another hot topic that was discussed was the diffusion of South Korean culture throughout Asia...and the growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture. Korean dramas and pop music have grown quite popular among the youth in the region and abroad.

Former U.S. track star Marion Jones is telling children in Croatia to think hard about making big decisions, saying she wished she had done so"..."Jones' appearances were part of "our embassies' public diplomacy outreach to the Croatian and Serbian people.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani called on the US Secretary of State Ms Hillary Clinton to give peace a chance... which reflected the sentiments of Pakistani people....Both the sides urged on the importance of the positive messaging in public diplomacy...

A new era of caution, particularly toward a model that once looked like the wave of the future. Some experts say branch campuses - where a U.S. university "plants a flag," operates its own campus and awards degrees in its own name - are falling from favor.

Our diplomatic resources will need to be expanded and strengthened. More diplomats, more training, and more synergy with resources outside the government will be needed. Diplomacy will need to include diverse interests. Public diplomacy will be an integral component of diplomacy.

Former track star Marion Jones is making a series of diplomatic visits to Serbia and Croatia this week on behalf of the U.S. State Department, an international opportunity for her to continue rehabilitating her tarnished image.

For much of the past decade, "soft power" has been touted as a means for making foreign policy more effective by emphasizing enticement rather than coercion, conversation rather than conflict.

A pair of giant pandas could be on their way to a zoo in the tsunami-affected area of Japan. The idea originated from correspondence between Premier Wen Jiabao and a Japanese girl he met during his visit to Miyagi prefecture in late May following the magnitude-9 quake and ensuing tsunami that struck Japan on March 11.