Brazil may enjoy a cuddly image in Lima, thanks to its football and carnival, and its social-democratic economic model...Yet many Peruvians are asking whether they really want their country to be “Brazilianised”...It speaks to the might of Brazilian “soft power” – and the country’s huge gravitational pull on a continent where it accounts for half the landmass and its neighbours cannot help but spin into its orbit.

The U.S. State Department clearly views Al Jazeera as a tool of Qatar's foreign policy; one cable from November 2009 claims that the Persian Gulf state uses the channel "as a bargaining tool to repair relationships with other countries, particularly those soured by al-Jazeera's broadcasts, including the United States."

Vice-President Hamid Ansari has underscored the need to be non-emotive in resolving water issues. Stressing on the need for display of “great wisdom and patience”...he said absolute positions would only create problems. “Resolving water disputes requires preventive diplomacy and regional collaborative mechanisms.''

Syrians have accused Al Jazeera of seeking to foment unrest in the country, and at least one media outlet even accused the Qatar-based broadcaster of setting up film studios to stage some of the uprising. It comes as no surprise, then, that some might seize on the latest leaked cables as a way to discredit the news organization as simply being a mouthpiece for the U.S. government.

A group of Canadian citizens is walking from Toronto to Ottawa this week to advocate for, and bring awareness to, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Ige Egal, media and communication coordinator for “Walk for Somalia,” said the group hopes to raise one-million dollars for Somalia famine relief.

Even by participants’ own estimates, the ongoing OccupyWallStreet demonstration hasn’t been very big. But this small action against bank bailouts, public spending cuts, and money in politics has drawn an outsized presence in the tech and media world. Many protestors cited demonstrations in Egypt--and their use of social media to jump-start a revolution--as an inspiration.

Plans for science collaboration in the Muslim world aren't working and need a major revamp. To turn things around...requires a reshaping of OIC science diplomacy to convince member states that through collaboration their collective science investment will be greater than the sum of its parts, and will result in greater credibility.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers think their service helped foster a better understanding of the U.S. in the communities they served, and 93% think the Peace Corps has improved America's image globally. They responded that the least achieved goal was helping fulfill the communities' needs for trained workers.