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.
VOA Celebrates 75 Years on the Air
A little more than seven weeks after the United States officially entered World War II, a live, 15-minute shortwave radio broadcast was transmitted into Germany from a small studio in New York City on February 1, 1942. It was introduced by the American patriotic song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Then, announcer William Harlan Hale's voice could be heard saying: “We bring you Voices from America.
How Facebook and Google are Battling Internet Terrorism
Social media heavyweights like Facebook and YouTube have been working with the U.S. government and other international partners as they look to take a more active role in combating terrorist propaganda and other extremist messages that have gained traction online. Officials from the popular social network and YouTube parent Google addressed the issue here at a recent tech policy conference.
Artists Around the World Respond to Trump’s Refugee Ban
Unsurprisingly, people have been quick to voice their outrage while simultaneously expressing their solidarity with those affected by the ban. Many people have been resorting to art to make their feelings clear, and Hank Green has gone one step further. "For every reply to this tweet with a hand-drawn message of support for immigrants, Muslims, and/or refugees, I will donate $5 to the ACLU," he wrote on Twitter.
UK Committed to Widen Scope of Scholarship to Ghana
The British High Commission has expressed the UK’s commitment to widen the scope of scholarship to Ghana to benefit more Ghanaians in future. Officially welcoming the beneficiaries of the Chevening Scholarship back to Ghana, at a ceremony in Accra, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, said the UK government was proud of the initiative which had benefited more than 1,500 Ghanaians and many more people globally.
ISA Statement Regarding Executive Order on Travel Ban
On Friday, January 27, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which bans entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, and which suspends entry for refugees, immigrants, dual nationals, and US permanent residents from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days, or longer. [...] As such, the ISA strongly condemns any action by any government which prevents the free movement of scholars engaged in research on international affairs, or any other scholarly discipline.
State Dept. Dissent Cable on Trump’s Ban Draws 1,000 Signatures
It started out in Washington. Then it went to Jakarta. Then across Africa. One version even showed up on Facebook. Within hours, a State Department dissent cable, asserting that President Trump’s executive order to temporarily bar citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries would not make the nation safer, traveled like a chain letter — or a viral video.
Berlin Film Festival Extends Refugee Support With Movie-Related Activities
Among the initiatives is a collaboration with KulturLeben Berlin in order to promote the participation of the socially disadvantaged in the cultural life of the city. Tickets for films screening as part of the festival will be available to people with low incomes at a 50% discount. In an effort to show its appreciation for their engagement and to promote cultural exchange, the Berlinale has asked volunteers from the city’s non-profit refugee aid organizations to register as mentors and accompany refugees to the screenings.
U.S. Jazz Fusion Group to Perform in Taiwan
American Music Abroad is a people-to-people cultural exchange program designed to promote American music and culture on the global music scene. As part of the 2017 "American Music Abroad" program, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is scheduled to visit Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Indonesia as cultural ambassadors, the AIT said.
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