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.

How Jihadists Use The Internet

Jihadists have been on the internet a long time, and they probably know how to use it better than you do. Since the early years of the world wide web, radical Islamist groups used it for a number of different jihad-y means, from recruitment and financing to propaganda and communication. But how has this changed over the past decade, and in the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations of NSA spying, what does the future hold for jihadists and the internet?

Tags: social media, non-state actors, islam, terrorism, al qaeda, edward snowden, counterterrorism, nsa, jihadists

Russia Expels U.S. Journalist Critical Of Putin

Russia has barred a U.S. journalist who is critical of President Vladimir Putin for five years, a move that could upset relations with the United States and has echoes of the Cold War. Moscow's treatment of David Satter could fuel concern about freedom of speech before the Winter Olympics in Sochi next month, although Putin has tried to appease critics by freeing former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and members of the Pussy Riot protest group in the run-up to the Games.

Tags: united states, media, international broadcasting, russia, visas, vladimir putin, radio liberty, david satter

Corruption Clouds Brazil’s World Cup Plans

This year’s World Cup final will be played at Brazil’s iconic Maracana stadium, a venue that is in many ways a beacon of power, strength, and an illustrious history. But it’s also a reminder of darkness, disappointment and failure. Lying in the imposing shadow of the Maracana is the slum area of Favela do Metro.

Tags: nation branding, brazil, corruption, soccer diplomacy, rio de janeiro, 2014 fifa world cup, favelas, favela do metro, maracana stadium

Is The U.S. Secretly Backing A Mexican Drug Cartel? Probably Not

The Internet, and particularly left-leaning U.S. blogs, are abuzz with a story in the Mexican newspaper El Universal alleging that the United States cut secret deals with one of Mexico's largest drug cartels. The nature of those deals change based on which English-language rewrite you're reading, but in the most extreme and widely circulated tellings, the U.S. allowed the Sinaloa cartel to "smuggle billions of dollars of drugs" and granted the organization "immunity and undisturbed drug trafficking" in exchange for information on rival cartels.

Tags: united states, media, mexico, narcotrafficking, drug cartels, sinaloa cartel, drug enforcement agency, transnational criminal organizations, el universal

BBG Demands Reversal On Russian Visa Denial For Journalist David Satter

On behalf of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees civilian U.S. international media worldwide, BBG Chair Jeffrey Shell today issued the following statement regarding the Russian government’s refusal of a visa for David Satter.

Tags: media, international broadcasting, russia, bbg, visas, radio free europe, radio liberty, russia today, david satter

Partnership Or Putsch?

In 2010, I sat across the table from Assistant US Trade Representative Barbara Weisel, who was responsible for negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the mega-regional free-trade treaty among Vietnam, Malaysia, and ten other Pacific Rim countries that President Barack Obama’s administration wants to conclude in the coming weeks.

Tags: united states, soft power, democracy, trade diplomacy, education, values, trans-pacific partnership, labor standards

Israeli Defense Chief Calls Kerry Messianic

Israel's defence minister has accused US Secretary of State, John Kerry, of an "incomprehensible obsession" with his push for Middle East peace, drawing an angry response from the country's chief ally. The US State Department on Tuesday described Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon's comments as "offensive," in a mark of the degree of outrage in Washington at the latest public spat between the two allies, which follows a major row over Iran policy.

Tags: united states, middle east, israel, palestine, john kerry, shuttle diplomacy, israeli-palestinian conflict, moshe yaalon, yediot aharnot

CPD’s New Year’s Resolutions

New Year resolutions are already aplenty, but we at CPD thought you might still be interested in knowing our goals for the year head. As CPD enters its 10th year, our mission remains the same. Our work continues to be guided by a global vision, a drive to integrate research and practice for distinctive social impact, and a commitment to preparing the next generation of public diplomacy leaders and practitioners.

Tags: public diplomacy, usc, center on public diplomacy, jay wang, cpd, research, academia

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