America has two distinguishable Muslim allies, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. These two Muslim allies can play a pivotal role in helping eliminate Al-Shabaab through soft and hard power, respectively...Saudi Arabia can flex is soft-power muscle in Somalia by doing two things: (1) using their Ulama to discredit the religious sway of Al-Shabaab, and (2) use its extensive experience in de-radicalizing its youth.

Secretary of State John Kerry has embarked on his first official trip abroad, traveling to the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Although NATO and European issues have been featured prominently in Kerry’s early stops, much of his agenda will focus on containing the destabilizing spillover effects of the intensifying Syrian civil war.

Increasingly, Israel is not only cultivating their love of the Holy Land but also courting their political support, with some proponents calling such faith-based diplomacy the most powerful weapon in Israel’s diplomatic arsenal – though its precise capabilities and range remain to be fully proven.

As the federal government works to reform America’s beleaguered health system, the State Department’s new Office of Global Health Diplomacy is trying integrate the U.S. government’s international health aid efforts and help governments in developing countries create sustainable healthcare funding and care models.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is trying to exert "flexible diplomacy" to ease the hostility between Pyongyang and Washington through a US basketball delegation's visit, two weeks after the country's third nuclear test drew international condemnation, which sparked discussions in the press about the future relationship between China, the US, and North Korea.

Giant frescoes served as the backdrop last night as 60 dancers in colorful costumes from China's Gansu Dance Theater performed the New York debut of the award-winning Silk Road production at Lincoln Center.

American classical pianist Kathryn Woodard will give her debut Bangkok recital with a programme that explores cross-cultural exchange in music, at Goethe Institute Bangkok on March 18 at 8pm...The acclaimed pianist from Texas has recently performed in China, South Korea, Croatia, Germany and Turkey.

I am glad to speak to you today about American Spaces, knowing that they are already getting traction and attention here. Harvard University recently collaborated with the American Security Project to create a fact sheet on the facts and figures, and the impact, of American Spaces – and that is released and distributed this week.