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.

Is an Israeli Official Spreading Propaganda on Tinder?

As of yet, no Israelis have been killed during the latest Gaza offensive. 174-0 is a tough ratio to explain. Especially for an operation that Israel claims is being taken in self-defense against terrorists in Gaza. But the Israeli Prime Minister’s office may have found an answer to this minor public-diplomacy challenge: Tinder, a popular online smartphone dating/hookup app.

Tags: tinder, digital diplomacy, israel, propaganda, public diplomacy, israeli prime minister, israel-palestinian conflict

BRICS Host Sports Events to Boost Prestige, just don’t call it ‘Soft Power’

As the BRICS Summit meets hot on the heels of the FIFA World Cup, also in Brazil, a remarkable trend is apparent. Most of the major global sports events such as the World Cup and the Olympic Games are taking place in the emerging powers of the 21st century. Russia, China and South Africa are all hosting the World Cups or Olympics along with Brazil in recent years. This phenomenon reflects a trend to adopt global sports events as a diplomatic tool to enhance prestige and become more socially accepted in the established world order.

Tags: brics, brazil, russia, india, china, south africa, sports diplomacy, soft power, international development

They Really Love Us

Voters, journalists and just about everyone paying some attention to politics all tend to over-estimate the power of the president. When Barack Obama swept into office in 2008, Americans were dazzled by his promises of change at home and a more judicious mix of strength and humility abroad. Indeed, it was hoped the president would rescue America’s image after eight years of George Bush's brand of ham-fisted, cowboy-booted diplomacy. 

Tags: obama, united states, public opinion, pew global attitudes, global image, nsa

Gaza in the First Person

Someone once told me that in Gaza “things are never so bad that they can’t get worse.” Those words came back when I read that the Israeli prime minister has told his military “to take the gloves off” to stop the rocket fire from Gaza.

Tags: gaza, israel-palestinian conflict, israel, public diplomacy, middle east

What Does China’s White Paper Tell Us About its Foreign Aid Spending?

The Chinese government released its second-ever white paper, outlining its foreign assistance from 2010-2012. As the country continues to make itself an international development player, the new details about how it spent is money gives a better understanding into the country’s goals.

Tags: china, foreign aid, aid diplomacy, soft power, humanitarian assistance, international development

World Cup: Social Media Reaction to Germany's Win Over Argentina

It took more than 120 minutes and a goal in extra time, but Germany emerged as the World Cup champion with a 1-0 win over Argentina on Saturday. Once the game ended, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro was illuminated in German colors, and Twitter was abuzz with responses to the tournament’s final game.

Tags: social media, digital diplomacy, FIFA 2014 world cup, argentina, germany, public opinion

Featured Expert Opinions: A Look Back at Brazil’s Hosting of the World Cup and Forward to the Rio 2016 Olympics

As the World Cup drew to a dramatic close on July 12, CPD reached out to a few public diplomacy experts and asked whether they thought Brazil’s hosting of the tournament had been worth it, in terms of its global image and soft power, and what it means for the country as it prepares for the arrival of the Olympics in 2016.

Tags: americas, brazil, fifa world cup 2014, soft power, 2016 Rio Olympics, infrastructure, sports diplomacy

Public Diplomacy a Central Front of Ongoing Military Operation

The Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry have been hard at work spreading Israel’s message in Operation Protective Edge for the last week in an effort that is mostly paying off, experts on public diplomacy in and out of the government said Sunday. “We see [public diplomacy] as a war front like any other,” Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General for Communications and Public Diplomacy Arthur Koll explained. 

Tags: public diplomacy, benjamin netanyahu, israel, gaza, social media, hamas, palestine

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