Israel’s public diplomacy has so far focused on what many have said was an unrealistic demand for the complete dismantlement of Iran’s potentially military nuclear infrastructure. Softening that position, Israel’s minister of intelligence and strategic affairs, presented a list of desired modifications for the final agreement.

An Australian government initiative branded as the InnovationXchange will broker partnerships between business, civil society, philanthropy, and academia in order to tackle problems in developing countries in the Australian region. The InnovationXchange is said to draw on the model for developing innovation in Silicon Valley technology startups. It will be licensed to embrace more financial risk than a normal government bureaucracy in trying new solutions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do a repeat of his Madison Square Garden act during his next month's visit to China that will make him the first Indian leader to address the communist nation's burgeoning Indian community, whose numbers have swelled to 45,000.

Interestingly, the resurgence of Asia as a continent is resting significantly on the rise of its ‘soft power’. Asian tigers, including nations such as India and China that are gradually tilting the global economic balance, are emerging as powerful ‘influencers’ in the new international economic order.

In his weekly address on Saturday, US President Barack Obama began his campaign to assure Americans and sway skeptics that the framework for a nuclear pact with Iran was a "good deal." A day after Obama called top lawmakers to urge support for the agreement, he pressed his case that Iran would not be able to build nuclear bombs.

On a political level, it is clear that both the Americans and the Vietnamese have an interest in moving past the long ago war and strengthening areas of cooperation. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the normalization of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam and the relationship is rapidly developing.

When it comes to a few important journalistic new media skills, such as speed of posting information online and use of social media, U.S. State Department's public diplomacy is leagues ahead of U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA).