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.
Maldives Crisis: Nasheed Urges New Vote Under Caretaker
Maldives opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed has called for fresh presidential polls under a caretaker leader, after police halted the vote. He said President Mohamed Waheed Hassan should resign to let the parliamentary speaker oversee the elections. On Saturday, police prevented ballot papers from being sent out, saying two candidates had failed to approve the registry of voters.
World Watches and Worries Despite Temporary Political Lull in Polarized U.S.
The world got a close-up look at U.S. democracy during Washington’s debt default showdown, and was traumatized by what it saw. Foreign commentators branded the United States “befuddled,” and mocked its “dysfunctional” political system while French newspaper Le Monde bemoaned a “piteous spectacle” over the just-avoided debt default.
Malaysia: Drop Charges for Film Screening
The Malaysian authorities should immediately drop charges against a rights activist accused of showing a film about Sri Lanka’s civil war without Censorship Board approval, Human Rights Watch said today. Lena Hendry, of the human rights group Pusat KOMAS, was charged under the Film Censorship Act for organizing a screening of “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” on July 3, 2013, in Kuala Lumpur. Hendry, whose trial starts on October 21, faces up to three years in prison and a fine of RM30,000 (US$9,500).
Blogger: Cubans Use Creativity to Get Info Online
Most Cubans remain cut off from the Internet but are still using creating ways to access and spread information online, a dissident blogger told journalists from around the Americas Sunday. Yoani (YO'-ahn-ee) Sanchez gave a largely grim report of the state of the press in Cuba at a meeting of the Inter American Press Association in Denver. She said President Raul Castro's regime has been aggressive in arresting and beating people who speak out against the government and has failed to document those actions, as his brother Fidel did. However, she said neither is better than the other.
As Ties Warm, U.S. Restarts Security Assistance to Pakistan
The United States has quietly restarted security assistance to Pakistan, U.S. officials said on Sunday, after freezing much of that aid during a period of strained relations beginning with the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. While the move to free up the aid has been underway for some months, it became public as President Barack Obama prepares for a White House meeting on Wednesday with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Qatari FM Thanks Saudi Counterpart for Rejecting Security Council Seat
The Qatari foreign minister thanked his Saudi counterpart for rejecting a seat at the U.N. Security Council, blaming the diplomatic body for failing in its responsibility towards the Arab world. In a message posted on his official Twitter account, Qatari foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiya commended Saudi Prince Saud al-Faisal.
For The Ultimate Getaway, Why Not South Sudan?
With cooler temperatures approaching, you might be in the market for a perfect wintertime vacation. Maybe someplace sunny and warm, unspoiled by tourists, with beautiful views and rich culture. To find all that, you might consider South Sudan. That's the suggestion from Sophie and Max Lovell-Hoare, authors of the Bradt Travel Guide to the young country.
‘Beyond El Dorado’: The British Museum Displays Colombian Gold
The British Museum began an exhibition on Thursday titled “Beyond El Dorado,” featuring a new perspective on pre-Hispanic Colombia through works of gold and precious goods on loan from Bogota’s Museo del Oro. “The title is ‘Beyond El Dorado’ and that’s exactly what the exhibition does,” the curator of the exhibit, Elisenda Vila Llonch, told Colombia Reports.
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