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.
Diving Off A Cliff
For the first time in 55 years, this week a hurricane and a tropical storm arrived almost simultaneously on Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts, killing at least 80 people (with a further 58 missing) and leaving tens of thousands homeless. If that was a double dose of bad news on a three-day holiday weekend, Acapulco, the south-western resort where Hollywood divas once flirted with cliff-divers, was thrice-cursed
Putin’s Address to the American Public: What It Means Beyond the Syria Crisis
Russia’s diplomatic intervention in the Syria crisis has received much praise from politicians and media outlets around the world. In a sense, the praise is deserved: by finally pushing the Assad regime into negotiations, Russia has halted – at least for the time being – a universally undesired military action.
Can Iran’s President Rouhani Deliver on His ‘Charm Offensive’?
After more than six decades of strife, a senior adviser to Iran's leadership has signaled the country's openness to a profound and historic strategic change in Iran's relations with the West. A brief letter from US President Obama offering potential relief from international sanctions in return for a swift agreement regarding Iran's controversial nuclear program has been reportedly answered by an equally brief and amicable note from Iran's moderate new president, Hassan Rouhani.
Higher Education - A Soft Power Weapon of Excellence
Around the world, international education has become a policy priority for almost every developed and developing country. But just how significant is higher education to a country’s reputation and what exactly is soft power?
Washington: Just Say No To Pakistan
Another day, another calamity: thirty killed by a suicide bomber at a funeral in Quetta; the commanding General in Swat blown up by Pakistani Taliban; renewed Indo-Pakistani fighting along the Kashmir border threatens to torpedo fragile reconciliation efforts. These events—all in the past six weeks—reinforce recent disclosures in the Washington Post confirming deep-seated official US doubts and fears about Pakistan.
The Power to Push for War Returns to the State Department
"What's the point of having this superb military you're always talking about if we can't use it?" US Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright reportedly famously asked Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell when the two clashed over what the United States might or might not do during the Bosnian crisis in 1992.
Ann Curry Interview: Iran’s Rouhani Says People Should Be ‘Completely Free’
Iranian President Hasan Rouhani says his people should be free to think, speak and seek information on the Internet, subject to "the protection of our national identity." In an interview with NBC News in Tehran, Rouhani said that a "commission for citizens' rights" will be established "in the near future." He said the viewpoint of the government on censorship issues should be based "on our morals."
Paris Enlists Foreigners to Win Back Its Literary Groove
The City of Love has had a falling out with literature. And in its quest to get back to its literary pinnacle, Paris is turning to outsiders for help. This weekend, Paris hopes to turn around a several decades-long literary decline with an international conference of literary leaders, featuring names like Salman Rushdie, John Banville, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi. Various city cultural organizations have donated to the efforts to get Paris back on the map, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the Louvre museum.
Pages
Visit CPD's Online Library
Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.