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.

Brazil’s Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Row with Bolivia

Antonio Patriota, Brazil's foreign minister, stepped down Monday night amid a diplomatic row with neighboring Bolivia. President Dilma Rousseff's office issued a brief statement, saying Patriota had submitted his resignation and would be replaced by Brazil's representative at the United Nations, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo.

Tags: government pd, foreign policy, brazil, south america, bolivia

Super Rugby Eyes Expansion Into Argentina and Japan

Expanding the Super Rugby competition to include countries such as Argentina and Japan will be discussed at a series of meetings next month. New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive, Steve Tew, has confirmed the prospect of expansion beyond Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and also new methods of broadcasting will be on the table when South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby (Sanzar) officials negotiate their model beyond 2016.

Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, japan, sports diplomacy, new zealand, argentina, super rugby

The Dalai Lama’s Ancestral Home Gets a Makeover from Beijing

In a symbolic move, the Chinese government would appear to have made their conquest of Tibet nearly complete. Hongai village, the exiled Dalai Lama’s ancestral home that rests on a mountain peak, is receiving a 2.5 million yuan makeover in the form of redevelopment. The house where Tibet’s spiritual leader grew up is not to be spared. The structure is now surrounded by a three-meter high wall and is being watched by security cameras. The Dalai Lama’s boyhood home is the final physical spot in the mainland dedicated to the man whom Beijing calls a “wolf in monk’s robes.”

Tags: china, government pd, tibet, dalai lama, buddhism

Los Angeles Lakers’ Gasol to Speak for Madrid Bid

Madrid's 2020 Olympic bid committee says it has appointed Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol to act as one of its spokesmen. In a statement issued Tuesday, the committee says Gasol, one of Spain's most well-known athletes and a two-time Olympic silver medalist, will address the International Olympic Committee during Madrid's final presentation in Buenos Aires next month.

Tags: nation branding, sports diplomacy, spain, international olympic committee, 2020 summer olympics, madrid, pau gasol, los angeles lakers

Why Google Brought its App Store to Iran, And What it Could Mean for Syria

On Monday, Google became one of the first American companies to take advantage of newly loosened U.S. sanctions against Iran. With a Google Plus post, the search giant announced that it was offering its Play store to Iranian citizens, allowing them to download free apps from its app marketplace. The Treasury Department, which sets the export restrictions, issued the new rules back in May. But the recent easing is actually part of a longer process that doesn’t just change U.S.

Tags: middle east, iran, social media, new technology, syria, google, mobile, apps

Shooting of Australian Student in Oklahoma Raises Questions About Perceptions of America Abroad

The recent senseless shooting of Christopher Lane, an Australian student athlete who was on a baseball scholarship at a small Oklahoma state university, is so sad and disturbing that it shakes our souls. It is hard to imagine the horror and sadness that his family and friends in Australia and Oklahoma must be experiencing at this moment.

Tags: united states, nation branding, australia, tourism, brand usa, international tourism

Legacy Of King Speech Featured Worldwide On BBG Networks

To mark the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech on August 28, the networks of the Broadcasting Board of Governors will provide special programming including live reports from Washington, DC, topical original features on human rights and civil disobedience in the United States and abroad, and interviews with key figures in the U.S. civil rights movement.

Tags: united states, media, international broadcasting, government pd, public diplomacy, bbg, civil rights, march on washington

All The Presidents’ Chefs

A week ago, the chef to the French President was serving François Hollande, as he does regularly. But tonight in Washington DC, he’s a guest, serving himself at a buffet line of high-end American comfort food: fried chicken, collard greens, fresh corn and tomato salad. Off duty and dressed neatly in a polo shirt and slacks, he places a piece of fried chicken on his own plate, then picks up another in the tongs, and with a gracious nod, places a crispy drumstick on the plate of the person behind him in line.

Tags: united states, Cultural Diplomacy, france, gastrodiplomacy, food diplomacy

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