Rapprochement with the iconic Suu Kyi, like that of South Africa s apartheid era rulers with Nelson Mandela, was the core decision.

Has being frank about our concerns, the justification for hobnobbing with the likes of Putin, proven effective? Perhaps not.

In Australia, where being open and friendly to strangers is not unusual, the city of Port Phillip, an area covering some of the bayside suburbs of Melbourne, has been using volunteers to find out how often people smile at those who pass them in the street.