Ireland Reaching Out is hoping to raise funds to expand to the rest of Galway and serve as a central Web site and database for similar reverse genealogy efforts elsewhere in the country. And by appealing to the Irish to come home, if only for a visit, the project could even help revive the local economy.

The results of a new Zogby poll confirm that attitudes toward the United States among Arab populations are as negative as ever. If the United States wants to repair its tattered image in the Arab world (and elsewhere), it needs to dramatically change its policies, not just have political leaders occasionally deliver nice-sounding speeches.

While religion can be a cause of conflict, it carries political leverage that many say makes it a source for solutions and a tool for peace building. "We are giving a whole government effort to put religion on the table," said the Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook...

As the US role in Iraq shifts from military cooperation to a civilian partnership led by the State Department, Clinton has focused on commercial diplomacy — building economic links —- as a way of fostering government transparency, political stability and stronger ties.

In a March 2010 poll, commissioned by the Arab American Institute, when asked whether “U.S. support for Israel makes the U.S. more or less respected in the world,” 44 percent responded “less respected,” as opposed to only 13 percent who felt that support for Israel made the U.S. “more respected.”

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that former NBA player Sam Vincent and WNBA Legend Andrea Stinson will travel as sports envoys to Jordan from July 17-22. Vincent and Stinson will conduct six youth basketball clinics, work with disabled athletes, and meet with Jordanian sports officials.

Like the economy itself—though less noticed abroad—Italy’s ancient monuments and cultural heritage are crumbling. At stake is not just sentimental attachment to national monuments. Italy draws more than 45 million visitors every year, making tourism the country’s primary industry. Italy, as a brand, doesn’t just denote quality and beauty, but translates into euros.

It is therefore important that the debate on how diplomatic missions can facilitate trade relations between Kenya and their host countries considers several other factors, including capacity-building at the ministry level and the ability of Kenyan suppliers to deliver goods on time.