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.
Indian University Cancels American’s Planned Talks
Amina Wadud, an American scholar who has spoken widely on women’s role in Islam, has said that lectures she was scheduled to give last week to students and faculty at the University of Madras, in Chennai, were canceled after the organizer said the police were concerned about maintaining law and order.
Is the US Winning Hearts and Minds in Egypt?
Anti-US sentiment is growing on both sides of Egypt's political divide. The pro-military camp accuses Washington of supporting deposed President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, while the Brotherhood rejects any kind of US interference in the current crisis. At rallies held by both sides, anti-American chants are common.
US Offers Iran President Rouhani “Willing Partnership”
The US has offered Iran a "willing partnership", after President Hassan Rouhani was inaugurated in Tehran. The White House said Iran now had a chance to allay fears over its nuclear programme and meet its international obligations. Mr Rouhani used his inauguration speech to promise a government of moderation for all Iranians, but also called for international sanctions to be lifted.
U.S. Extends Embassy Closings, Lawmakers Say Threat Serious
The United States extended embassy closures by a week in the Middle East and Africa as a precaution on Sunday after an al Qaeda threat that U.S. lawmakers said was the most serious in years. The State Department said 19 U.S. embassies and consulates would be closed through Saturday "out of an abundance of caution" and that a number of them would have been closed anyway for most of the week due to the Eid celebration at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
2nd Annual Gay Pride Parade Held in Uganda
On Saturday, August 3, Uganda’s homosexual community stepped out of the shadows in red wigs and glittering stilettos. The country’s second gay pride parade, held on a sandy beach in Entebbe, drew over a hundred people eager to tell the world that they are out, they are proud and they are not afraid to show it.
Activists Lobby 9/11 Memorial to Remember “Little Syria”
Standing in the shadows of the towering skyscrapers in the lower west side of modern day Manhattan, you would never know the heart of Arab America once beat from here. Just two short blocks south of Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial on Washington Street stands the tiny island of what remains of the historic ‘Little Syria’ neighborhood. “In my view it’s miraculous that these three buildings have been preserved,” said Todd Fine as he gazed up at them, squinting under the bright, hot summer sun.
Egypt’s Brotherhood Stands Firm Despite U.S. Diplomacy Attempts
The Muslim Brotherhood on Sunday continued to insist on the reinstatement of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Mursi, despite attempts by a senior U.S. official to find a peaceful solution to Egypt’s political crisis. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, William Burns, met with the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood’s political arm, for a second round of talks on Saturday.
Peace Signs in Colombia
For a little under a year, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been holding peace talks in Havana -- the first since the round conducted by the Pastrana administration from 1998 to 2002. Those were plagued by delays, accusations from the FARC that the Colombian government was planning to assassinate its top leaders, accusations from the Colombian government that the FARC was planning to kidnap officials, and ongoing violence.
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