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.
Spiritual mother of Uighurs or terrorist?
Her followers dub her "the spiritual mother of the Uighur people" and one admirer nominated her for a Nobel peace prize. The Chinese government calls her "an ironclad separatist colluding with terrorists and Islamic extremists." Until this week, Rebiya Kadeer was the rather obscure leader of the little-known "World Uyghur Congress," which groups exiles from China's restive far-western region of Xinjiang.
Social Media a Powerful Tool in Iran, VOA Broadcaster, Other Experts Say
Social media played an important, information-sharing role in Iran’s post-election turmoil, but satellite television remains crucial to giving people fair and balanced news, experts say.
Lieberman Shifting Focus From Palestinians to Iran
Lieberman wants the ministry to concentrate the bulk of its efforts on public diplomacy, which is the modern version of public relations. One idea is to establish an umbrella division for public diplomacy that would include the departments of media and public affairs; cultural and scientific ties; and Mashav - the Center for International Cooperation, which handles Israeli assistance to the Third World.
In Russia, Obama’s Limited Reach
[Obama’s speech] was not broadcast live by any of the mass-audience television channels. These channels, which the Kremlin has long used as effective tools shaping the public opinion, offered a benevolent but restrained coverage of the summit. Obama’s performance in Russia, his eloquence, his ideas and his charms were thus mostly confined to the same limited audiences, venues and outlets where free expression and public debate is still maintained.
Iran Security Forces Move to Crush Renewed Street Protests
It was the first protest in 11 days, and was called to commemorate the 10th anniversary of violent confrontations at Tehran University when protesting students were beaten and jailed. Iranian authorities had announced earlier that the demonstration was illegal and would be met with a “crushing response.”But at the end of the work day, hundreds of protesters began packing the streets of one area of Tehran, chanting, clapping and sitting in jammed traffic as drivers honked their horns, witnesses said.
Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge Approved
A bridge that will link Qatar and Bahrain has finally been approved, after years of being stalemated in its developmental stages. The bridge, which will span 25 miles across the Gulf, will significantly reduce travel time between Qatar and Bahrain: the journey presently takes about five hours and requires a trip to Saudi Arabia, but via the bridge it will take 30 minutes.
RI’s [Indonesia] Global Cultural Products
In other words, Indonesia is invisible for the general international public on the global cultural map. Yet, it is one of the richest cultural resources in the world. All of these phenomena, of course, do not merely indicate the weakness of our official cultural diplomacy and representatives abroad.
New York Philharmonic Invited to Perform in Cuba
First North Korea. Then Vietnam. Now Cuba. The New York Philharmonic, continuing its travels in the Communist world, is seriously considering an invitation to perform for the first time in Havana. Philharmonic officials plan to travel to Cuba on Friday to look over logistics.
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