Diplomacy is not an easy job. Unexpected developments can take diplomats, foreign ministers and even accompanying journalists to different parts of the world: The foreign minister is on just such a mission to spread Turkey's perspective on regional peace.

U.S.-China relations have been at a low point in recent months due to tensions over American arms sales to Taiwan, President Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama, disputes over the value of the yuan, the Copenhagen climate conference, and the U.S. government's support of Google's criticism of Chinese censorship.

How do you know when there's a real crisis in U.S.-Israel relations? It’s when the president of the United States convenes a nuclear security summit to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, and the Israeli prime minister declines the invitation.

Why is American foreign policy so diplomatically light but so militarily heavy? No, I'm not imagining things. And it's been that way for decades – George W. Bush and Dick Cheney just pushed the envelope further in that direction after 9/11.

Israel's defense minister expressed concern Monday about deteriorating relations with the United States and warned that "the growing alienation" with President Obama's administration "is not a good thing for the state of Israel."

The city of Miami, Florida, is an oasis of swaying palm trees, white beaches, yachts and gigantic tour ships in the harbor, a handy monorail transit system that winds all through downtown, and boutiques and clubs in a trendy shopping plaza called Coconut Grove.

Over two sessions, Mrs. Zavala and Mrs. Obama -- who are developing a warm relationship -- talked about drug addiction, underage Mexican migrants to the United States, diabetes and obesity. Childhood obesity is one of Mrs. Obama's issues.

Views of the US around the world have improved sharply over the past year, according to a BBC World Service poll. For the first time since the annual poll began in 2005, America's influence in the world is now seen as more positive than negative.