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.

Tokyo The Favorite in Vote for 2020 Olympics

The International Olympics Committee will hold a vote in Buenos Aires on Friday to decide the host of the 2020 Olympics. According to oddschecker.com, a site that gathers odds from Internet betting sites, Tokyo bests its competitors at 11-10 (meaning a successful bet of $10 will return $11 plus the original stake). Madrid follows at 11-4 and Istanbul 5-1.

Tags: nation branding, sports diplomacy, city branding, tokyo, 2020 summer olympics, istanbul, international olympics committee, madrid

A Yes Vote of Conscience for the World’s Red Line

I'm sometimes asked how, as someone who testified 42 years ago against the Vietnam War in which I had fought, I could testify in favor of action to hold the Assad regime accountable today. The answer is, I spoke my conscience in 1971 and I'm speaking my conscience now in 2013. Secretary Hagel and I support limited military action against Syrian regime targets not because we've forgotten the lessons and horrors of war -- but because we remember them.

Tags: united states, government pd, syria, john kerry

#GolDelSilencio Calls for Silence 40 Years After Coup

In solidarity with victims of the 1973 coup in Chile, Amnesty International is calling for silence following the country's first goal in its match against Venezuela at National Stadium Friday. In 1973, days after the September 11 coup, about 12,000 suspected leftists were shepherded into the National Stadium, where they were interrogated and tortured...Thousands online are using #goldelsilencio ("silent goal") to discuss the campaign, causing "Chile" to trend worldwide.

Tags: non-state pd, twitter, chile, amnesty international, goldelsilencio, campaign, coup d'etat

Head of Xinhua Accuses Western Media of Pushing Revolution in China

Western media organisations are trying to demonise China and promote revolution and national disintegration as they hate seeing the country prosper, the head of China’s official Xinhua news agency said in comments published on Wednesday. China’s ruling Communist Party has in recent weeks been tightening controls over the internet and reminding state media of its responsibility to promote a “correct political direction”, as President Xi Jinping dashes hopes his administration will embark on political reforms.

Tags: china, media, revolution, xinhua

China and Mexico Vow to Boost Cooperation

Ahead of the G20 meeting, president Xi Jinping has met his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. It’s the third meeting between the two leaders this year. Both sides vowed to boost their comprehensive cooperative relationship. Xi says China-Mexico relations have entered a new phase, and that the two countries should continue to boost bilateral investment and economic cooperation.

Tags: china, mexico, trade diplomacy, g20

N Korea Agrees to Restore Hotline With South

North Korea has agreed to restore a cross-border military hotline with South Korea, in another sign of easing tensions between the rivals in recent weeks, the South Korean government has said. On Thursday, the two Koreas agreed at a meeting in Kaesong to restart the hotline starting Friday, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. North Korea in March shut down the telephone and fax lines used to coordinate cross-border travel to a joint industrial park in Kaesong that has since been shuttered.

Tags: government pd, south korea, north korea, information and communication technology, korean unification, joint industrial zone

Castro’s Son in Argentina for Olympic Baseball

It's among the few things that many Cubans and Americans can agree on: Baseball should return to the Olympics. Antonio Castro, son of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, is in Argentina to argue before the International Olympic Committee that baseball — now in partnership with softball — should be returned to the Olympic games in 2020.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, sports diplomacy, cuba, olympics, baseball, fidel castro, antonio castro

Assad’s Bizarre Instagram Account: Propaganda With a Comments Section

"I belong to the Syrian people," Syrian president Bashar al-Assad told the French journalist George Malbrunot, of the newspaper Le Figaro, earlier this week. "I defend their interests and independence and will not succumb to external pressure." Yes. That's what he said. There are many, many caveats to that little assertion, obviously, but one of the most noteworthy is this: The message wasn't just sent from President Assad to George Malbrunot. It was also sent from President #Assad to George #Malbrunot.

Tags: government pd, social media, syria, propaganda, bashar al-assad, instagram

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