A government project dubbed the “Faces of Israel” aims to introduce North American students to their Israeli counterparts. A delegation of young Israelis representing various sectors of society will travel to college campuses to answer questions about their country. Politicians and activists on the political Right were surprised to discover that while the delegation is ethnically diverse, it has no hareidi-religious or other religious Jewish representatives...

Although a majority of Americans (52%) continue to say foreign leaders respect President Barack Obama, this is down from 2010 and 2009. However, Obama's current position on this measure is more positive than was the case during most of the terms of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Militarily stretched and economically strained. That's America, superpower with its hard power dented. But there's yet-unmatched American soft power, right? Democracy and Disneyland, Madonna and McDonald's, American ideals and American idols.

A fully funded foreign aid budget is essential to prevent the political instability and violent conflict that harms American security.

Health diplomacy means winning the hearts and minds of those abroad by strategically exporting medical care and humanitarian aid, building in-country capacity, and providing health education, training and personnel. Health diplomacy encompasses a range of services.

On the same day Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will give a major speech on protecting freedom of information, especially in cyberspace, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a report criticizing the U.S. government for failing to confront the Chinese government's Internet censorship policies.

The Obama administration will pump $25 million this year into helping cyber dissidents foil Internet repression in autocratic states and plans to broaden the reach of its online mini-appeals for human rights and democracy by creating Twitter feeds that cater to audiences in China, Russia and India.