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.
Branding? Modern Korea has it all
There is no doubting Korea’s rich culture and fascinating history. But are they the factors that will captivate the international community and boost growth? With other global powerhouses like China and Japan in the neighborhood, it will be a challenge for Korea to set out its unique selling points.
Oscar category for ‘intellectual honesty’
Argo won for Best Picture, of course, but in my view it merited an additional Oscar. And so did the far more controversial Zero Dark Thirty. Consider that Hollywood hands out awards for everything from “Sound Mixing” to “Best Picture”. But over the decades no Oscar category existed to honor movies for intellectual or political integrity. Perhaps that reflects, to be cynical, the recognition that in any given year there’d be too few nominees to fill out the category. But this year that was not the case. It was a banner year for Hollywood integrity.
Puerto Rico slowly warms to more gay rights
The advance of gay rights across the United States is spreading into Puerto Rico, making the island a relatively gay-friendly outpost in a Caribbean region where sodomy laws and harassment of gays are still common.
State Department: No position on Dennis Rodman’s North Korea trip
Dennis Rodman’s bizarre North Korean jaunt has dominated headlines in both countries for days, but the U.S. State Department has no comment on the matter — as deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell made very clear in his daily press briefing on Thursday.
Updated: State Department Releases Keystone XL Environmental Report
The State Department, which is ultimately charged with approving or denying TransCanada's plans to build a 1,700 mile pipeline from Canada and through the U.S., has released a draft report that details the potential environmental impacts of the Keystone XL pipeline.
For Buzkashi Boys SRK, Sunny are role models
Two Afghan teenagers -- Fawad Mohammadi and Jawanmard Paiz -- whose film 'Buzkashi Boys' was recently nominated at the Oscars, capturing the attention of Hollywood for their impressive acting, look up to Indian superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol as their idols.
Argo Oscar Win Infuriates Iran, but the Iranian People Think Otherwise
Sunday night, Argo—the Ben Affleck film portraying the rescue of U.S. Embassy staffers from Iran—won best picture at the Oscars. Iran may have boycotted this years’ Academy Awards by pulling its film submission, but it certainly didn’t ignore Argo’s Oscar win. The biggest winner may have been U.S. public diplomacy efforts, given Argo’s recent underground popularity in Iran.
US blindness to ‘human factor’ in dealing with terrorism and targeting Sri Lanka
Set aside some funds that the Government of Sri Lanka is wasting on a lobbying firm in Washington to install a person to represent the media to engage in public diplomacy and strategic communication to raise issues connected to the U.S. foreign policy, 'Global War on Terrorism' and national defense-related issues.
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