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.
Iraq to counter “lies”, show successes via YouTube
Iraq's government launched its first channel on Google Inc's video website YouTube on Wednesday, which the prime minister said would allow the country to counter media "lies" and showcase its successes. Nuri al-Maliki said the YouTube channel would help dispel the "lies and misleading information in the news" which did not reflect Iraq's progress.
Obama’s Opportunity with India
On an array of issues -- including the fight against violent extremism, global trade talks, the implications of China's rise, the future of the global nonproliferation regime, and the impacts of climate change -- India is a first-order international player. It has no intention of playing second fiddle to China in Asia, and believes it should enjoy a qualitatively different, more intimate relationship with Washington as a result of its democratic values and shared security outlook. The administration should make clear that it has internalized this fact.
Commonwealth summit to grapple with climate change, rights
Burning issues of climate change, the global economic crisis and human rights will be on the minds of Commonwealth heads of states and government when they get together in Port of Spain later this week. The 2009 summit of the 53-member association of former British colonies and dependancies will be opened Friday by Queen Elizabeth II, who travelled to the Trinidad and Tobago capital from Bermuda, where she took part in celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of British settlement on the island.
Leading the EU from Below
Why so smart? Well, because governance of a network cannot be based on pure hierarchical principles. For starters, because there is no clear hierarchy. Everything is alliances, soft power, give and take, symbolic gestures and horse trading. Secondly, because hierarchy is not wanted. The EU is composed of 27 Member States each with their own idea of leadership. What they want is a negotiator, someone who can make the most of a near impossible situation.
Brazil and Iran: Welcome To The Luladinejad Axis
This is South-South dialogue in action, multipolar world style. Iran sees Brazil as a possible mediator vis-a-vis its intractable problems with the United States and Europe. Brazil for its part wants a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (Iran supports it) and more than welcomes more "soft power" influence in the Middle East.
Goethe-Institut to close center in North Korea on censorship claim
After five and a half years in operation, the Goethe-Institut in North Korea has said it will close its reading room in the capital city of Pyongyang due to censorship concerns. The institute, a non-profit organization that promotes the study of German language and culture in 91 countries, opened the reading room in June 2004. It was the first and only Western cultural institution to establish itself in the communist country.
3,000 Volunteers Crisscross World
The nation launched World Friends Korea, the Korean version of the Peace Corps in the United States, in early May to strengthen volunteer activities in underdeveloped and developing countries around the world...The number of volunteers is expected to grow to over 3,000 by the year's end. Currently, the U.S. is the only country that sends more than 3,000 volunteers abroad annually.
Obama’s climate vow boosts chances for Copenhagen deal
President Obama will attend the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen next month and is promising sizable reductions of U.S. carbon emissions, the White House announced Wednesday, giving new hope for a global agreement on reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
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