President Barack Obama paid a joyful visit Monday to the small Irish village where his great-great-great grandfather once lived and worked as a shoemaker, endearing himself to the Irish populace, and in turn perhaps to millions of Irish-American voters in the United States.

Despite Germany's economic clout, Berlin has failed to place German officials in top jobs at the EU and key organizations such as the IMF. The country's global influence is suffering as a result. A dearth of suitable candidates, domestic politics and Angela Merkel are to blame.

Volkswagen AG (VOW) and the Museum of Modern Art announced a two-year, multimillion-dollar sponsorship in New York today. The collaboration with MoMA is part of the German automaker’s expansion in the U.S. and its push to become the world’s leading carmaker.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak went to Japan's disaster-struck region to express their sympathy to residents and to kick off a new period of cooperation in a region beset with both long-playing historical grievances and recent geopolitical squabbling.

Soft power of soap operas Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi... and a hospital and a road would supposedly transform the country into an Indian state–never mind the fact that Bharat does not have a contiguous border with Afghanistan and never mind the fact that the Afghans (with or without the Taliban) are ferociously Anti-Indian and vociferously Anti-Hindu...

He's the US professor who moves between academia and politics with ease, and whose term 'soft power' defines diplomacy in the Obama era. Mary Dejevsky wonders why Britain doesn't have its own Joe Nye

China's self-image and Americans' perception of China are two critical issues for China. The former is mostly a reflection of the Chinese history, culture and people. Recently, China has been somewhat overconfident, most likely because of its economic growth. But scholars point out that China still has a long way to go in realizing its social development goals.

A multitude of visa-free travel agreements has resulted in enhanced Turkish influence at a societal level, with Turkish pop music and television now widely transmitted throughout the Middle East. Turkey has embraced its neighbours, and they have responded in kind, resulting in growing Turkish influence in Middle Eastern affairs.