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.
Palestinians turning to Arab Street for inspiration
Glued to television sets in Ramallah’s shisha cafes, Palestinians have been watching al-Jazeera television attentively as Egyptian people rise up from Alexandria to Cairo. Looking on with admiration as tens of thousands fill the streets during the January 28th “Day of Rage”, cheers erupt through the cafes with every police retreat and every Molotov cocktail that lands on security vehicles.
US Ambassador to UN Hosts Town Hall at Twitter HQ
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is hosting a global town hall at Twitter headquarters to talk foreign policy with users of the online messaging service. Ambassador Susan Rice will be taking questions from around the world Thursday morning via Twitter and from employees at the company's San Francisco office.
State Department launches Arabic Twitter feed
The State Department -- already pretty good at the social media thing -- is now using Twitter to transmit its thoughts to the Arab world in ... Arabic. Foggy Bottom is using @USAbilAraby, which in English means "USA in Arabic."
Syria lifts ban on Facebook
With Egypt in the midst of a revolution and Tunisia coming to terms with life after dictatorship, Syria’s government has surprised the region by taking a potentially significant step to soften its grip on power: it has removed many of its internet restrictions.
Tech-Savvy Youths Spearheaded Egyptian Protests
Tech-savvy young Egyptians wanted to spread the word about widespread discontent in their country, but they didn't expect the massive uprising that would paralyze the country and draw the world's attention. The Mubarak regime recognized the role the Internet was playing in stirring resentment of the government and shut down access in the country.
Northwestern rejects Egypt study abroad applications
The Study Abroad Office announced in an e-mail today that applications for fall programs in Egypt will not be approved. The decision, which will affect the fall 2011 study abroad plans of eight students, including this reporter, came in response to a travel warning posted by the U.S. Department of State in light of the political unrest in Egypt. University policy prohibits processing applications for study in countries with travel warnings.
Taipei Int’l Book Expo kicks off; Ma says publishing is Taiwan’s soft power
The 2011 Taipei International Book Exhibition is now underway at the Taipei World Trade Center. President Ma Ying-jeou spoke at the opening ceremony on Wednesday. He said that Taiwan's "publishing power" is not only an important form of soft power for the Republic of China, which is the official name of Taiwan.
Cairo’s Facebook Flat (video)
A new generation of Egyptian revolutionaries, ensconced in a communal apartment, are trying to bring down President Hosni Mubarak's government by broadcasting the revolt in Tahrir Square on Facebook.
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