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.
Welcome to China’s Beautiful but Empty “Little Paris”
Chinese tourists may be flocking to Paris, but they are ignoring their own little piece of the City of Lights on the mainland. A small development called Tianducheng on the outskirts of Hangzhou is known within the country as China’s “little Paris.” It is complete with tree-lined plazas, stalls for quaint coffee shops and storefronts (mostly empty), and even an Eiffel Tower at one-third of full size. Some architectural experts have lauded the imitation, but five years after its construction, few Chinese residents have taken a shine to it.
C-SPAN Host Libby Casey Named Al Jazeera America Correspondent in Washington, D.C.
Al Jazeera America, the new American news channel that will launch on Aug. 20, today announced that Libby Casey, one of the hosts of the very popular program Washington Journal on C-SPAN, will become the first correspondent at the channel’s new Washington, D.C. bureau. Al Jazeera America will be a news, lifestyle and investigative journalism channel that will offer the U.S. audience objective, fact-based and in-depth news focused on issues that are important to everyday Americans. The Washington bureau is one of 12 that the new channel will have across the country.
Terror Threat Closes U.S. Embassies Abroad
A terrorism threat has closed U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia on Sunday of this weekend. More than 20 diplomatic missions will be closed including missions in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Department of State stated, “Current information suggests that al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August.”
Pope Francis Urges “Mutual Respect” with Islam in Personal Message
Pope Francis called for "mutual respect" between Christianity and Islam and an end to "unfair criticism" in a personal message on Friday congratulating Muslims on the feast of Eid al-Fitr. "We are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values," he said in a statement distributed by the Vatican press office.
Pau Gasol Visits Syrian Refugees in Iraq
UNICEF Ambassador and National Basketball Association (NBA) star Pau Gasol, returned today to Barcelona, Spain following a visit with Syrian refugees in Iraq. More than 1.7 million people - of which around 50 percent are children- have fled the armed conflict in Syria into neighboring countries, including more than 160,000 in Iraq.
With Pipeline, China’s Launches Burma Charm Offensive
On Monday, the Sino-Myanmar natural gas pipeline began pumping to China, part of the Middle Kingdom’s drive to diversify its energy supplies, but, in light of recent diplomatic troubles, China is quick to shine a rosy light on this latest development. The Chinese state media charm offensive went into full swing. Xinhua described the opening ceremony as follows: "When torches flamed in the sky of Namkham Measuring Station of the Myanmar-China Gas Pipeline, a storm of applause and cheers broke out."
Snowden Gets Job Offer From Russia’s Facebook
American fugitive Edward Snowden was offered a job by Russia's top social networking site on Thursday, hours after the former intelligence contractor received a year-long asylum in Russia. "We invite Edward Snowden to Petersburg and will be happy if he decides to join the star team of programmers at VKontakte," Pavel Durov, one of the founders of the St. Petersburg-based VKontakte, Russia's answer to Facebook, said on his profile.
Chinese Video Game Lets Players Seize Japan-Controlled Islands
A Chinese online game developer has released a military-backed video game that allows players to fight alongside Chinese troops in seizing disputed Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. The Glorious Mission Online game series is the first to be developed jointly by a Chinese company and the People's Liberation Army. Its release date coincides with the 86th anniversary of the PLA's founding.
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