The idea of soft war seems to be a counterargument for Joseph Nye’s theory of Soft Power. This article tries to look at the two ideas and find how they are applied in US policies towards the Middle East. The idea of soft power and its implications in foreign policy are discussed first using Nye’s and other researchers works; and further, the idea of soft war is reviewed by going through excerpts from Ayatollah Khamenei’s speeches and remarks.

Malaysia will set up a regional centre that sends out the "right" message to counter the distorted narrative of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in its recruitment of foreign fighters for its cause.

African Media Initiative (AMI) and General Electric (GE) have partnered to boost media coverage in Africa of Energy and Infrastructure issues. Some 20 journalists drawn from the East Africa region will undergo basic training on the Energy sector in Africa, and on using sector data to tell impactful stories that will enrich media content and better inform citizens.

In early June, the Czech daily Hospodářské Noviny was first to report the European Union was forming “a special group to fight Russian propaganda.” Based in Brussels, the group will include experienced journalists and press officers who are fluent in Russian. It is charged with promoting the EU more effectively and strengthening its media presence, with special attention to Russian-language media.

The World Communications Forum Davos brought together top state, business and civil society leaders. Politicians, senior managers and PR experts listened to dozens of leading speakers at the conference. The main aim – to discuss the future role of communications in promoting brands , exchanging of ideas, strengthening civil society and even saving your reputation.

Zineb Benalla, director of the Transnational Initiative Countering Violent Extremism, heads up the independent think tank — established in April 2015 in Casablanca, Morocco, to counter violent extremism and build peace — and spearheaded the effort to introduce education-based projects for youth resilience to violent extremism in Timbuktu, a city in the West African nation of Mali as well as Gao, located on the River Niger.

The government has launched a Twitter account to specifically counter social media propaganda by Islamic State. UK Against Isil, which was launched on Thursday by the Foreign Office, aims to provide “updates on the UK government’s ongoing work to defeat Isil [Isis]”.

Egypt has launched a new English blog to “enhance its communication with the world” and to address “inaccurate” reports about the country in foreign media. Launched this week under the name Egypt MFA Blog: Egypt Connects, the blog aims to create an “informal platform” for those interested in the country’s foreign policy, according to Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.