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.
Why China seems so fascinated by US Ambassador Gary Locke
Another week, another public round of warm applause for America’s new ambassador to China, Gary Locke. A senior official behaving as humbly as a normal human being is a breath of fresh air in China, where officials are widely reviled for the lavish lifestyles many of them enjoy, often paid for by corruption. The attention Locke has garnered is freighted with political significance
Africom’s Message Evolving, but Mission Unchanged
The war in Libya and the activities of three Africa-based Islamist groups have raised questions about whether Africom may be shifting from its initial posture of projecting soft power to one of managing a hot theater. However...while Africom's public affairs posture may now be in flux, the command's core mission of growing African capabilities to meet African security challenges has not changed.
Foreign relations: Brazilian influence grows ever stronger
Brazil may enjoy a cuddly image in Lima, thanks to its football and carnival, and its social-democratic economic model...Yet many Peruvians are asking whether they really want their country to be “Brazilianised”...It speaks to the might of Brazilian “soft power” – and the country’s huge gravitational pull on a continent where it accounts for half the landmass and its neighbours cannot help but spin into its orbit.
The end of the Al Jazeera decade?
The U.S. State Department clearly views Al Jazeera as a tool of Qatar's foreign policy; one cable from November 2009 claims that the Persian Gulf state uses the channel "as a bargaining tool to repair relationships with other countries, particularly those soured by al-Jazeera's broadcasts, including the United States."
Emotion is no solution to water disputes, says Hamid Ansari
Vice-President Hamid Ansari has underscored the need to be non-emotive in resolving water issues. Stressing on the need for display of “great wisdom and patience”...he said absolute positions would only create problems. “Resolving water disputes requires preventive diplomacy and regional collaborative mechanisms.''
What Wikileaks Tells Us About Al Jazeera
Syrians have accused Al Jazeera of seeking to foment unrest in the country, and at least one media outlet even accused the Qatar-based broadcaster of setting up film studios to stage some of the uprising. It comes as no surprise, then, that some might seize on the latest leaked cables as a way to discredit the news organization as simply being a mouthpiece for the U.S. government.
Group Walks in Canada for Somalia Famine
A group of Canadian citizens is walking from Toronto to Ottawa this week to advocate for, and bring awareness to, the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Ige Egal, media and communication coordinator for “Walk for Somalia,” said the group hopes to raise one-million dollars for Somalia famine relief.
A Web-Fomented Protest On Wall Street Is Louder Online Than Off
Even by participants’ own estimates, the ongoing OccupyWallStreet demonstration hasn’t been very big. But this small action against bank bailouts, public spending cuts, and money in politics has drawn an outsized presence in the tech and media world. Many protestors cited demonstrations in Egypt--and their use of social media to jump-start a revolution--as an inspiration.
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