“The death of U.S. public diplomacy” was how one Twitter user last Tuesday described the now-infamous apology from the U.S. embassy in Cairo for the ill-conceived movie Innocence of Muslims. Strong words, but there is no doubt about it: The need for American public diplomacy in the Middle East needs to be rebooted and rethought. But how?

It has been reported that Sri Lanka is expected to lobby the support of friendly US congressmen to defeat a resolution tabled in the House of Representatives on September 07 by seven congressmen demanding an international inquiry into alleged violations of the international humanitarian law during the military battle against the separatist/terrorist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

Western embassies across the Muslim world remained on high alert Sunday and the United States urged vigilance after days of anti-American violence provoked by a video mocking the Prophet Mohammad. With protests against the film continuing from London to Lahore, Western diplomatic missions were on edge. Germany followed the U.S. lead and withdrew some staff from its embassy in Sudan, which was stormed Friday.

The Obama administration has amassed a substantial record of accomplishments in the fight against Al Qaeda. But the tragic murder of Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three other Americans underscores the need to keep up the pressure to combat terrorism at every level.

United States’ Cultural Ambassador and visual artist Mary Mattingly will be in the Philippines from September 15 to October 31, 2012. The visit is part of the U.S. Department of State’s cultural diplomacy program, smART Power and the U.S. Embassy.

The American embassy in Cairo’s response to Tuesday’s attacks in Egypt and Libya have raised new questions about the role of social media in diplomacy... “How do you govern in an era when Twitter is faster than the CIA?” said Philip Seib, author of the book “Real-Time Diplomacy: Politics and Power in the Social Media Era”.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has added a culinary dimension to the exercise of "smart power" by enlisting 80 top chefs including an Indian-American in the aid of diplomacy....Mumbai native Vikram Sunderam, executive chef at Rasika, a top end Indian restaurant in Washington, is part of the State Department's new Diplomatic Culinary Partnership initiative.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said, “Showcasing favorite cuisines, ceremonies and values is an often overlooked and powerful tool of diplomacy. The meals that I share with my counterparts at home and abroad cultivate a stronger cultural understanding between countries and offer a unique setting to enhance the formal diplomacy we conduct every day.”