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.
The Harare Handshake: Soft Power, Africa Style
When Zimbabwe's political rivals posed for the cameras in a remarkable handshake in Harare a few days ago, the message resonated far beyond Africa...On the same day that Mugabe and Tsvangirai shook hands, the Serbian secret police finally arrested Radovan Karadzic, the former leader of the Bosnian Serbs wanted on war crimes charges. In both cases, proponents of what is called soft power claimed victory.
This Circus Of Minority Sports Is A PR Triumph For A Brutal Regime - So Far
Forget the sport. As the Beijing Olympics goes critical for its August 8 opening, the political essence of this bizarre event becomes ever clearer. What is not clear is who will win, China or its critics. It could be a photo-finish.
China Unveils 4 High Speed Trains for Beijing Olympics
China has unveiled four high-speed trains, the first of its kind made only for sightseeing during the Beijing Olympics.
Taiwan Opposes Chinese Attempt to Change Island’s Name for Olympics
A dispute simmering between Taiwan and China over what the island's Olympics team will be called at the upcoming games showed signs of abating Friday after an official Chinese news agency dropped a controversial reference to the team.
Olympic Media Village Opens, China Opens to Global Media
The Olympic Media Village opened on Friday for 21,600 domestic and foreign registered reporters, amid some foreign media's concerns about free reporting in China. Friday's People's Daily, the mouthpiece of China's ruling party, ran a commentary appealing to administrations and common people to "befriend the media. "To serve the media is to serve the Olympic Games," the article said. "To befriend the media is to befriend the audience."
U.S. Expands Visa Program for Iraqis
The American Embassy in Baghdad announced Thursday that it had expanded tenfold its program to help Iraqi employees of the American government here, who faced threats for their work, to obtain visas and ultimately citizenship in the United States.
Obama Says Walls Must Come Down
Addressing a huge throng in the middle of this once-divided city, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Thursday implored Americans and Europeans to renew the partnership that once defeated communism to address 21st-century threats that he said put the security of all nations at risk.
Iran in Latin America: No More Than a Nearby Nuisance, For Now
Latin American countries are sidling up to a new ally, and they're finding one—in Iran. Last week, panelists in the conference "Iran in Latin America: Threat or Axis of Annoyance?" at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars considered whether these relationships are trivial partnerships of convenience or budding bosom friendships that could threaten U.S. interests.
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