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.
Mbeki is losing his global standing amid his failed Zimbabwe policies
Despite his reputation for international diplomacy, Mbeki's standing has been undermined by the fallout over Robert Mugabe's refusal to release the results of the March 29 elections - widely believed to have been won by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Mbeki's soft stance has all but destroyed his credibility as the region's mediator and international point man over Zimbabwe.
Gap: Armenia lacks a public diplomacy strategy
The GUAM resolution is a challenge and an opportunity for a collaborative effort between Armenia, Karabakh, and political activists in the Armenian Diaspora. While the pressure of time might impede a fully successful effort to defeat the resolution, it is a start. It can be the first step in a public diplomacy endeavor for Armenia.
Angry China
China is in a frightening mood. The sight of thousands of Chinese people waving xenophobic fists suggests that a country on its way to becoming a superpower may turn out to be a more dangerous force than optimists had hoped. But it isn't just foreigners who should be worried by these scenes: the Chinese government, which has encouraged this outburst of nationalism, should also be afraid.
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U.S. Reaches Out In Africa Al Qaeda Fight
American soldiers are training Ugandan soldiers to combat terrorists, preparing them to go to Somalia to fight Islamic insurgents so the U.S. doesn't have to.
US Anti-Terror Report Cites Potential Al-Qaida Link to African Insurgencies
The State Department’s annual terrorism report says al-Qaida operatives pose serious regional threats to African countries, but that, as a new funding source, AFRICOM might be part of the solution.
Germany’s Share of Foreign-Student Market Begins to Stagnate
“Only 43 percent of the foreign students surveyed indicated that Germany was their first choice on the list of countries where they would have preferred to study,” the report says. “German students aren’t hostile to foreigners — but they don’t feel the need to approach foreigners and offer help,” one of the researchers who conducted the study told Agence France-Presse.
Pentagon launches foreign news websites
Vickers says sponsorship disclosures on Mawtani.com and other Pentagon-run news sites are clear. "Is this propaganda? No," he says. "It's intended to counter extremist propaganda … with truth." The new websites follow the Pentagon's launch last year of a "Trans Regional Web Initiative" expected to lead to "a minimum of six" news sites run by military commands around the globe, according to a Special Operations Command notice for contractors interested in running the sites.
The real US deficit with China – knowledge
Americans are out of touch with today's China. It's a knowledge deficit that carries more weight in the long-term bilateral relationships between China and the United States than the ballooning US trade deficit with China. And as China makes a comeback on the world stage, it's one that the US should address.
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