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.: Abbas Told Kerry Unity Government Will Recognize Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the new government that will be formed following the Palestinian reconciliation will recognize Israel, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Friday. Psaki said that Abbas told Kerry that the future unity government with Hamas will be his government and represent his policies – it will recognize Israel, abide by past agreements and will renounce violence. "It's a positive thing," she said.

Tags: israel, palestine, mahmoud abbas, hamas, john kerry, united states, conflict, israeli-palestinian conflict, middle east

#ThatsCold! Russians, US in Hashtag Battle

A tweet by State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki Thursday night sparked snarky Twitter responses about the diplomacy of a hashtag – but the tweet really is more evidence of a brewing social media Cold War between the U.S. and Russia.

Tags: social media, jen psaki, u.s. department of state, twitter, russia, united states, internet, cold war, ukraine, #unitedforukraine

Are China and the United States Competing for Influence in the Western Hemisphere?

With Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi now in Latin America for a nine-day visit to four countries, the White House has just recently announced that Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Brazil for the World Cup this summer.

Tags: united states, china, western hemisphere, influence, latin america, americas, south america, economy, trade, trans-pacific partnership

Obama to Pitch U.S. Immigration Reform from South Korea

President Obama plans to honor those who died in the Korean War with a surprising message for a foreign audience: a pitch for immigration reform back home. At a naturalization ceremony Friday for 13 U.S. service members and seven military spouses stationed in South Korea, he will offer a tribute to the contributions that naturalized American citizens have made through military service, according to an official familiar with the event.

Tags: immigration, reform, immigration reform, united states, citizenship, barack obama, public opinion, south korea, history, migration, domestic politics, north korea, deterrence

Far Eastern Promises: Why Washington Should Focus on Asia

The United States is in the early stages of a substantial national project: reorienting its foreign policy to commit greater attention and resources to the Asia-Pacific region. This reformulation of U.S. priorities has emerged during a period of much-needed strategic reassessment, after more than a decade of intense engagement with South Asia and the Middle East.

Tags: united states, asia pacific, china, military diplomacy, foreign policy, diplomacy, trade, trans-pacific partnership, south korea, barack obama, pivot to asia

White House Warns Bill Would Crimp Foreign Food Aid

A little-noticed provision in a bill passed by the House this month calls for relying more on U.S.-flagged ships to deliver food aid to foreign countries—a change backed by labor groups and criticized by the White House.

Tags: food diplomacy, aid diplomacy, united states, foreign aid, disaster assistance, humanitarian aid

Four Takeaways From A Conversation on Public Diplomacy in the Digital Era

On April 22nd in Washington DC, the Diplomatic Courier, United Nations Foundation, and the Digital Diplomacy Coalition held an event exploring the future of public diplomacy in the digital age. People around the world joined the conversation through Twitter and Livestream, bringing questions and insights from countries such as Nigeria, Australia, Mexico, and Turkey.

Tags: digital diplomacy, public diplomacy, un foundation, united nations, social media, new technology, +socialgood, diplomacy

Russia: Veto Law to Restrict Online Freedom

Russia should not impose unjustified regulations on freedom of expression and privacy on the Internet, Human Rights Watch said today. A restrictive new law requires Russian bloggers with significant followings to register with the authorities and comply with the same regulations as media outlets.

Tags: russia, human rights, human rights watch, media, internet, bloggers, social media, surveillance, censorship, roskomnadzor, europe, vladimir putin, journalism

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