Early adopters in countries like Morocco, Algeria and Palestine have a more strongly developed and time-tested hip-hop scene—but across the greater Arab world, hip-hop has risen up alongside folk anthems as a revolutionary soundtrack. And in the Western world, Arab diaspora rap preoccupies itself with questions of Eastern and Western dislocated identity.

Word is out that the U.K. has toppled the U.S. in Monocle’s 2012 Soft Power Survey. Given all the positive news coming out of the Isles this year, one should neither be surprised, nor particularly worried. Chances are, there are likely some who are not impressed. As evidenced by the Obama-Maroney photo released by the White House yesterday, American memes have a soft power of their own and American culture is strong.

The Governments of the Union of Myanmar and the United States; affirming their commitment to the global effort to combat human trafficking, a modern form of slavery that afflicts both of our nations; recognizing the requirements and provisions of the UN Protocol to Suppress, Punish, and Prevent Trafficking in Persons.

Recently reelected US President Barack Obama has started a three-day Southeast Asia tour in a bid to change US diplomacy balance in the region. While there, the President will also try to secure the opening of new markets for American business. In his first trip abroad after his reelection on November 6, Obama has arrived Sunday in the capital of Thailand, Bangkok.

The eruptions in the Middle East have posed perhaps the severest, most direct test yet of the limits of President Obama’s signature foreign policy innovation during his first term, what the White House hails as the “light footprint” strategy.

But the truth is that there is no real work/private life separation for CIA spooks, Foreign Service diplomats and anyone else with a top-secret security clearance that gives them access to classified information. As the director of the CIA, Petraeus is a huge fish, but even much lower level government employees have seen their careers go up in smoke based upon allegations of infidelity.