China has a new ally in its campaign to turn itself into a global cultural superpower: Matt Damon. And, behind him, a good chunk of Hollywood as well. Chinese leaders have long sought international cultural influence, aka "soft power," commensurate with the nation's economic might. 

President Paul Kagame and his Djiboutian counterpart Ismael Omar Guelleh yesterday pledged to do more to advance trade between the two countries [...] The briefing was preceded by the signing of a General Cooperation Agreement between the two countries to provide a foundation for future technical agreements. 

Leading Chinese performing artists who included opera singers, acrobats, dancers and instrumentalists on Sunday entertained a mammoth crowd in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. [...] In his opening remarks, Liu said the music concert was part of a series of activities that have been lined up to promote Sino-Kenya cultural cooperation.

Diplomat Devyani Khobragade [...] will later this month undertake a cross-country run in her home state of Maharashtra aimed at promoting women education and empowerment. [...] According to the foreign ministry, the run is a one-of-a-kind public diplomacy initiative intended to promote India-Australia relations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday embarks on a major tour of Latin American countries in a bid to expand Ankara's ties outside its traditional sphere of influence.

With immigration and reproductive rights as hot-button issues in upcoming U.S. elections, it’s worth considering how China’s one-child policy — recently expanded to a two-child limit — has affected its largest trading partner.