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.

U.S. planning to reduce the size of the Embassy Baghdad

A vestige of the “anti-public diplomacy” of the previous decade is likely to get trimmed. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, a giant of a compound that dwarfs in physical size and the number of people of any other diplomatic post, U.S. or otherwise, is likely to shrink. According to The New York Times, the compound costs $6 billion annually. (Seriously?)

Tags: united states, public diplomacy, us department of state, iraq, embassies, anti-public diplomacy

LIPIEN: VOA harms Putin opposition in Russia

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the agency in charge of critical U.S. information programs to countries such as Iran, China and Russia, can only be described as a failed enterprise in need of emergency surgery.

Tags: international broadcasting, russia, voice of america, bbg, vladimir putin

Will Iran Be Attacked?

Timothy H. Parsons in his book, The Rule of Empires, describes the Romans as “deft practitioners of soft power.” Rome preferred to rule the conquered and the potentially hostile through “semiautonomous client kings which the Senate euphemistically termed ‘friends of the Roman people.’

Tags: united states, soft power, middle east, iran, israel, history, rome

Davos in Reflection: Global Risks Meet Global Inaction

In reading through various reports from Davos last week, I couldn’t help but wonder with all that power amassed – over 4500 attendees to include hundreds of heads of state and CEOs – and all the current crises compounding on the world’s stage, might something different result.

Tags: china, united states, middle east, india, egypt, europe, corporate diplomacy

Turkey has a star role in more than just TV drama

Turkish television series have long been popular in the Middle East...they are one reason why Turkey topped a recent poll of most admired nations in the region. In the survey...78 per cent of those polled in 16 countries the Middle East had a very or somewhat favourable opinion of Turkey.

Tags: soft power, middle east, turkey, united arab emirates, television diplomacy, soaps

FACT SHEET: Harnessing Innovation for Global Development

Today, government and private sector leaders gathered at the White House to highlight progress in answering President Obama’s call to use science, technology and innovation to promote global development.

Tags: united states, science diplomacy, new technology, us department of state, development, universities, innovation

Broadcasters Complain About Iran’s Signal Jamming

Five major international broadcasters — Voice of America, British Broadcasting Corp., Deutsche Welle, Audiovisuel Extérieur de la France and Radio Netherlands Worldwide — recently called on Iran to stop jamming radio and TV signals targeted at that country.

Tags: international broadcasting, iran, voice of america, bbc, deutsche welle, radio netherlands worldwide, audiovisuel extérieur de la france

How Do You Say ‘Badonkadonk’ in Chinese?

Language and educational exchanges have always been a defining feature of the U.S.-China relationship. Meet Jessica Beinecke, a Voice of America journalist who decided that she could leverage all the web 2.0 tools at her disposal to create a show that taught Chinese youth American slang.

Tags: china, united states, Cultural Diplomacy, public diplomacy, social media, non-state pd, language, voice of america, youtube

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