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.
New U.S. Public Diplomacy Head Cites “Arsenal of Persuasion”
Using the "arsenal of persuasion" - soft power, smart power and public diplomacy - is critical to beating terrorism, says James Glassman, the newly confirmed under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs...To do this, he said, would require a combination of enhanced educational exchanges, new technologies and, most important, advocating American values to counter the ideology of violent extremists.
Zimbabwe Imposes Import Duty on Foreign Newspapers
Zimbabwe's state-run media says foreign newspapers will have to pay an import duty after concerns by the government that "hostile foreign newspapers are coming into Zimbabwe." The state-controlled newspaper The Herald says foreign publications will now be classified as luxury goods and will have to pay an import duty of at least 40 percent of the total cost per kilogram.
Report: Fair presidential runoff in Zimbabwe is impossible
Persistent violence by government agents and supporters is making it impossible to hold a fair presidential runoff election later this month...A man beaten to death by members of Mugabe’s party was told he was being punished because he had let neighbors listen to his radio, tuned in to a Voice of America program aired in Zimbabwe, according to the rights watch report.
Retired teacher is among Buffalo’s ambassadors to the world
People to People became her 'identity'...It’s exactly what President Dwight D. Eisenhower had in mind when he founded the organization in 1956 with the underlying belief that if ordinary citizens could communicate directly they would solve differences and find a way to live in peace.
AFRICOM: AC, CNPP Slam Yar’Adua
President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's reported endorsement of the offer to be part of the Africa Command (AFRICOM), a new military arrangement proposed by the United States government, will have negative effect on Nigeria's sovereignty, Action Congress (AC) said yesterday. The federal government had in October rejected the new command which calls for the establishment of US military bases in Africa.
Stand-Up Comedy from Pakistan via Second Life
On May 31st, a Shiite in Pakistan performed stand-up comedy for a live audience in a post-apocalyptic landscape known as The Wasteland. There are no comedy clubs in Karachi, Pakistan, for one thing...It's also a chance to tweak negative stereotypes about Muslims and Pakistanis in front of an international audience, in a setting that defies them.
Getting the Bulldozer Back on Track
President Lee Myung-bak confronts a deepening political crisis that requires a bold proactive strategy...His administration should proactively counter false allegations against U.S. beef safety and mischaracterizations of the KORUS FTA with a coordinated public diplomacy campaign.
Voice of America Launches Environmental Webcast
The Voice of America's (VOA) Worldwide English Division launches its environmental webcast, Going Green, today. Going Green is an informal and fun look at green technology and what people around the world are doing to promote a greener life.
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