Libya's internet connections appear to be slowly coming back online after a six-month blackout...it appeared that Libyans were making use of their newly restored connectivity - when available - to chronicle fast-moving events inside the country. Groups such as the Libya Youth Movement posted Twitter messages giving regular updates on attempts to capture Colonel Gaddafi's compound.

In terms of creating a cohesive policy around freedom of expression, communicating that policy and incorporating that policy into meaningful activities, the State Department has been coordinated and thorough in it’s design and development of a public diplomacy strategy.

Yet again we are confronted with a dilemma: when is culture an instrument of soft power? We talk about cultural diplomacy, cultural exchanges and even cultural influence. What is less discussed is how cultural paraphernalia connect to, integrate with, and ultimately enhance a nation’s soft power capital.

Our public diplomacy was a failure. Public diplomacy is about winning hearts and minds and is therefore an important tool of diplomatic influence. SA's conviction that the AU roadmap is the best blueprint for engaging Libya, and Gaddafi, suffered at the hands of poor public diplomacy.

...despite the usual military posturing, the Prime Minister has come to understand that Canada’s claim to the North will be pressed by means other than guns and warships....the search-and-rescue operation designed to make a statement about Canadian sovereignty is actually an essential capability critical for northern economic development.

...politicians might reconsider their stance on meeting the Dalai Lama if he makes it to this part of the world again. A man who draws crowds of nearly 10,000 as well as extensive media coverage is hardly insignificant to political leaders...the Dalai Lama has immense “soft power that every western politician or president would die to have".

China is keen on promoting its soft power," Shen Dingli, professor at the Center for American Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University said in a telephone interview. Joint productions serve "the political purpose to promote our culture and systems with Hollywood's competence.

China has been very sensitive to concerns of potential destabilization in Asia from its rise. To assuage such concerns, China spoke of “a peaceful rise” and later “a peaceful development,” undertaking a soft-power approach. Yet the realists argue China will be more assertive on world issues.