...despite Turkey’s understanding that Assad must go, the country is unwilling to intervene militarily or use its soft power in regards to trade and the economy to pressure the Syrian regime.

The animation park is clearly a priority for the central government, which included animation production in its current five-year national economic plan. Having rapidly increased its political and economic might globally, China is eager to boost its so-called soft power — its cultural appeal and influence — overseas.

An innocuous photograph of Gary Locke, the new US ambassador to China, carrying his own backpack and ordering his own coffee at an airport has charmed Chinese citizens not used to such frugality from their officials. ZhaoHui Tang, a businessman from Bellevue, Washington, took the photo on his iPhone...uploaded the photo to the Chinese social media network Sina Weibo.

5 Days of War is a new action movie set during the 2008 Georgia-Russia war. The backers of this project seemed to have something in mind along the lines of Hotel Rwanda or The Killing Fields, films that effectively raised awareness and framed a certain narrative of international tragedies that got little attention in the U.S. while they were going on.

Though still dealing with unresolved border disputes and internal rebellions, newly independent South Sudan has offered to help the peace in another country in its region. Since it is likely to continue to require quite a bit of international assistance for its development and security in the coming years, the government consider this a wise investment meant at building up international good will.

The Takshashila Institution, in collaboration with the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Hewlett-Packard have announced the launch of "India Impressions", an online international photography competition, to capture perspectives of an emerging India by engaging the photographer community. The competition will be conducted on Flickr, a popular photo sharing platform.

Harpa—the Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Center—is too new to be in guidebooks. But as Iceland’s latest attraction, it’s a sign that this country, which essentially went bankrupt during the global financial crisis, is crawling back onto its feet. Harpa adds a cultural dimension to Iceland’s appeal...Visitors are coming not only to see performances, but also to shop and to eat.

Late last month the USDA announced that the first shipment of mangoes imported from Pakistan had arrived in the United States. Previously, Pakistani mangoes had been banned because of concerns they might bring pests into the country. In celebration of this first shipment, the Pakistani consulate in Chicago hosted a "mango party" at which mango-based delicacies and desserts were served.