Opinion polls tell us that almost half of the British public would like the Crown to skip a generation and pass straight the Duke of Cambridge. In China this week, it felt as though it already had.

China threw open its arms to welcome Prince William, as the second-in-line to the throne made his first visit to the mainland by a member of the royal family since 1986. The Duke of Cambridge focused his three-day trip on culture, sports and activities promoting the protection of wildlife.

The United States will spend some $10 million on UXO efforts this year, part of a diplomatic offensive on a former enemy that includes health and education programs, a soft power campaign for a new Asian alliance to offset China's regional influence.

Pakistan Embassy in Berlin organised a seminar on "Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Pakistan" in collaboration with the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) on the sidelines of the Trade Exhibition on Tourism Industry, International Tourism Berlin, ITB-2015 here on Friday. 

Previously held in Istanbul, Cairo, Baku, Baghdad and Tehran, the subject of this year’s forum is “Addressing Multi-Dimensional Security Challenges” and will focus on themes addressing security challenges; cooperation in defence, politics and economy; dialogue among Muslims to promote unity; as well as promoting a soft power image of Muslim countries as a whole.

Leading up to international Women’s Day - and launching the “European month of Gender Equality”, eight women leaders recounted their fight for democracy around the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The two countries signed an agreement on cultural cooperation enhancing cooperation in a variety of fields including performing arts, libraries, archives and documentation, publications and professional exchange.

By some yardsticks, spending on security now accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the department’s operational budget. Next year, it plans to spend four times more on “worldwide security protection” than on public diplomacy.