A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Iran.ir: an ominous sign
Last week Iran launched a national webmail service via iran.ir, intended to replace free foreign webmail services with a domestic one that is easier to control. All government employees are being urged to use it instead of foreign webmail providers.
Obama’s Reckless, Ridiculous China Policy
President Obama will meet with the Dalai Lama at the White House this month. The move is sure to anger China, which warned Obama against allowing such a visit earlier this week. John Bolton, Bush’s ambassador to the UN, says competing priorities drive Obama in the wrong direction with China.
Iran’s Secret Obsession: Getting Lost in Tehran
For the past two years, the U.S. TV series has dominated the underground DVD market in Tehran; almost nowhere in the world is the sixth and final season of Lost anticipated more than in Iran. Initially discovered in October 2008 by a few Iranians with access to high-speed Internet, the show has become Tehran's "gotta have it" DVD item.
The Marriage of Turkey and Israel
What would happen if Israel and Turkey broke diplomatic relations altogether? The relationship was based on three mutual benefits: a military relationship, fighting against common Arab enemies, and having the United States as an ally. The worst scenario is that peace in the Middle East would be hard to obtain.
Packed Suitcases And Cultural Diplomacy
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra has just concluded a state-sponsored tour of Europe. That's right. "State-sponsored." Yes, there were protests -- the musicians hustled off the stage quickly at the end after one expression of sympathy to recently executed dissidents -- but what was really heartbreaking, was the review of the music.
Hearts, Minds, and the Satellite Dish
Most damning for Al-Hurra, though, is the fact that many Arabs don’t know it exists; many of those who do believe it’s a PR tool for the U.S. military. This assumption is false, but not unreasonable, given that the network was conceived to improve America’s image in the Arab world following the Iraq invasion.
Saving States From Terrorists (or, Stand with Westphalia)
Like termites eating away at a building's foundation, a weak commitment to states ultimately threatens to topple the internal and external order provided by the Westphalian system, with America and our allies directly in the path of collapse.
UN hosts concert on environment pollution
United Nations Environmental Programme on Wednesday played host to a concert aimed at raising awareness on environmental pollution. The concert, the first of its kind to be held at the UN headquarters in Nairobi, was hosted by the South Korean embassy and organised by Beautiful Mind Charity, an organization that promotes cultural diplomacy.
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