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.
Will the Olympics Boost China Human Rights?
Many were hoping a new openness would emerge as the mainland took center stage, but most experts agree the Games won't change much.
China Eastern Passenger Numbers Plunge on Olympics
China Eastern Airlines Corp., the country's third-largest carrier, said passenger numbers dropped for the fourth month in a row in July as restrictions put in place for the Beijing Olympics disrupted travel.
IOC to Investigate Allegations Concerning Age Discrepancy of Chinese Gymnast He Kexin
After already saying the matter was closed the International Olympic Committee has reversed course and launched an investigation into allegations that Chinese authorities fabricated the age of star gymnast He Kexin in order to make her eligible for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Brown Praises Beijing Olympics
Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday, telling China's leader that the Beijing Olympics had captured the world's imagination, Chinese state media reported. Hu thanked Brown for showing his support for the Beijing Games when he welcomed the Beijing Olympic flame at his residence at 10 Downing Street in April, the report said.
Russian pomp and dominance
TSKHINVALI, GEORGIA -- Russian flags waved and Russian music was performed at a patriotic concert Thursday in this war-torn city, the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia, as Moscow and its loyalists tightened their grip on territory that was the focus of clashes this month. In front of a badly damaged government building, a Russian orchestra performed pieces by Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich as 1,000 or so residents held up candles and the flags of Russia and South Ossetia, the catalyst in this month's conflict between Russia and Georgia.
Defining Cultural Diplomacy through Cultural Exchange
Many definitions and explanations have been offered to distinguish between the various forms of human interaction. Joseph S. Nye famously made the distinction between 'soft' and 'hard' power approaches, the former including the use of culture, values and ideas as a means of persuasion, as compared to the latter, which he describes as either 'conquering' or 'coercing' through military, or perhaps economic, pressure.
The Stanley Foundation: Surveying the Civilian Reform Landscape
Over the past several years, much has been said and written calling for a fortifying of the civilian international affairs agencies of the U.S. government. These efforts vary from defining the problem to offering diverse solutions - some more innovative, others more conservative. This Stanley Foundation brief aims to offer an overview of the myriad approaches existing today on civilian agency reform, with the intent of highlighting the particularities, issues, and opportunities inherent in intra- and extra-government efforts toward civilian agency capacity building.
Beijing’s Bad Faith Olympics
The Beijing Olympics still have one more day to run. But the final gold medal — for authoritarian image management — can already be safely awarded to China’s Communist Party leadership.
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