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.
McCain to Reform Foreign Policy
The McCain campaign on Wednesday promised a "shake-up" of U.S. foreign policy that would bolster agencies such as the State Department and USAID, saying that the Republican candidate will "reform" and "rebuild" American diplomacy.
Abu Dhabi takes fortunes to Hollywood
Fresh from buying into English Premier League football, Abu Dhabi has its eye on another trophy. The emirate on Wednesday set out plans to become one of the world’s largest film producers, with $1bn to invest in productions to be made in Hollywood, Bollywood and beyond. The funding, provided by Abu Dhabi’s government, will allow the Gulf state to back up to eight films a year over the next five years.
China’s Olympic Gold Medals Pay-Off
China made a sweep of the gold medal tally with 51 medals, but the cost of each of these has been revealed to be at least around 15.7 million yuan ($2.3 million) a year. This back-of-the-envelope calculation was arrived at by Sports Minister Liu Peng on the basis of the fact that the government invests some 800 million yuan ($117 million) annually on Olympics sports. It must be kept in mind, however, that this amount is then supplemented by a roughly equal figure raised through government-run sports lotteries.
Time for China to Turn Attention to Science, Technology
Over the past years, China has made great headway both in sports and science. It has through these past Olympic Games consolidated the country's status in sports. In the realm of science, China, however, has not established an international status proportionate with its comprehensive national strength. Like sports, boosting science also needs substantial policy support.
Dazzled By The Energy, Warmth And Curiosity Of China
Gord Hume shares his impressions of the immense contrasts of the Olympic host. The Olympics were a triumph for China. Veteran Olympic observers told me it was the best-organized games ever. While security was sometimes a little exuberant and the food available at the events was awful, the overall experience was exhilarating.
Abu Dhabi Puts More Cash on the Line in Hollywood
Imagenation Abu Dhabi, will manage Abu Dhabi Media’s side of the partnership with Warner Brothers. In addition to movies, Imagenation will also create shows and short films for the Internet.Abu Dhabi Media is controlled by the government, and media companies in the United States do not like to be seen making such deals. The new name, Imagenation Abu Dhabi, gives Warner and other film companies a more politically palatable name to put on promotional materials for jointly financed movies.
Guns and Gold of August
China and Russia have just provided the world with sharp contrasts in the use of power. As the French analyst Dominique Moisi recently put it, "whereas China intends to seduce and impress the world by the number of its Olympic medals, Russia wants to impress the world by demonstrating its military superiority - China's soft power versus Russia's hard power".
Selling the Taliban
In the West, assumptions about Afghanistan too often seem premised on the idea that the Taliban are "men in caves," raising questions about why thousands of international troops cannot quickly defeat them. However, an insurgency is at its heart a battle of wills and staying power, not of military might. Insurgents in Afghanistan appreciate this and have created a sophisticated propaganda operation that both targets what is seen as weakening support back in foreign capitals and seeks to mold perceptions among the Afghan population.
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