As far as awards ceremonies go, the Sugoi Japan Awards were a fairly flashy affair. Held on March 22, the prizes recognized recent titles in anime, manga and fiction that an online poll of Japanese fans wanted to do well overseas. Winners included “One Punch Man” and “Your Lie in April,” and the guest list to the event included pop culture critics, studio executives and, of course, the artists themselves.

From the earliest moments of Barack Obama’s candidacy for president, there was an interesting debate about whether he would enhance America’s soft power in the world or not. Over the past eight years there have certainly been some data points that offer evidence of Obama’s soft power — but there has also been a legitimate debate about whether it means all that much for American foreign policy.

At a time when the government has taken a lot of heat in parliament and the media - on tax, welfare and Europe to name but a few issues - one issue has escaped high-level political scrutiny: ministers' plans for the future of the BBC. Ask yourself this: who is sticking up for the corporation’s funding and who is fighting for its independence? 

The ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller survey found that Arab youth see Saudi Arabia as their country’s biggest ally for the 5th consecutive year. [...] “Inside the hearts and minds of Arab youth” was the theme of a conference [...] in Dubai on April 12. Regional experts, business leaders and economists discussed the research findings of the Arab youth survey conducted to explore the attitudes of Arab youth in 16 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. 

A new survey conducted by the Committee of 100 (C-100) – a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese American leaders from politics, business, media and entertainment, and academia [...] The aim of C-100's survey is to determine American attitudes toward China, including those of Chinese Americans, to foster a more fact-based dialogue within and between the two countries.

After more than six decades, United States Forces Korea (USFK) and its mission on the Korean Peninsula are a misunderstood aspect of U.S. foreign policy. [...] Furthermore, the majority of media attention and public debate regarding the perennial security threat posed by North Korea have centered on the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction

The BBC World Service has launched its first ad campaign in seven years, in a seemingly counterintuitive move to promote the international service to the British public. The BBC said the decision to promote the World Service at home – it is synonymous with being a popular and trusted news source in foreign countries – was to address the misconception that it is solely for overseas audiences.