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.
North Korea Balks Again at Bid to Free American
For a second time, North Korea has rescinded an invitation for a special American envoy to visit Pyongyang, the capital, to seek the release of Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary held in the country for over a year, the State Department said on Sunday.
How American Economic Sanctions Are Hurting Innocent Students in Iran, Cuba & Sudan
A popular U.S. provider of massive open online courses is being prevented from offering lessons to students in blacklisted countries. This will do more harm than good. The United States frequently fancies itself a defender of online freedom, serving up stern words to regimes which censor and control the Internet.
Liberal Pakistani Cartoonist Sabir Nazar Offers Satirical Insights Into Pakistani Mass Consciousness
Over the past few years, Sabir Nazar has emerged as Pakistan's best known cartoonist for drawing a series of cartoons that take a sharply critical look at religious orthodoxy, conspiracy theories, and misinterpretations of current affairs that feed into the Pakistani mass consciousness. Through cartoons and comments posted on the social networking site Facebook, he offers biting insights that turn commonly-held viewpoints and beliefs about Pakistan on their heads.
The lesson from Latin America: We Need To Rethink The Drugs War
If Britain were fighting a war where 2,000 people died every year, where increasing numbers of our young people were recruited by the enemy and our opponents were always a step ahead, developing new weapons faster than we could combat them, there would be outcry and loud calls for change. Yet this is exactly the situation with the "war on drugs" and for far too long we have resisted a proper debate about the need for a different strategy.
Memories from those who were there for the Beatles’ debut on ‘Ed Sullivan’ 50 years ago
It was 50 years ago today (almost) that this mop-topped band began to play (in America). The Beatles made their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," America's must-see weekly variety show, on Sunday, Feb. 9, 1964. And officially kicked off Beatlemania on this side of the pond. More than 70 million viewers were tuned to the program, airing live from the Manhattan studio now housing the "Late Show With David Letterman."
Taliban and Government Imperil Gains for Afghan Women, Advocates Say
Advocates say that women’s rights and security in Afghanistan are under mounting assault from all sides — the Taliban insurgency and the government alike — putting at risk 12 years of hard-won gains for women here.
How Norway Scores So Much Olympic Gold
"How is it possible that an area of about 400,000 people can be responsible for eight out of nine gold medals?" said Stig Arve Sæther, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
Half A Million ‘Internet Censorship’ Tweets in Turkey
Turks have hit back at a new law tightening control of the internet with more than half a million tweets on the hashtag "Internet Censorship in Turkey".
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