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.
Steven Spielberg boycotts Chinese Olympics
Oscar-winning film director Steven Spielberg has pulled out as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics over the Chinese government's policy towards Sudan and the conflict in Darfur.
Both Soft, Hard Powers Needed for NK Denuclearization: Nye
The Korea Times
Harvard Professor Joseph Nye, who pioneered the theory of "soft power,'' said that the resolution of the North Korea's nuclear weapons issue would require both soft and hard power.
British Olympic Association to Review Gag Order for Athletes
VOA News
The British Olympic Association appears to be backing away from its plan to have British athletes sign a gag order prohibiting them from criticizing China's human-rights record during this year's summer Olympic Games in Beijing….Human-rights groups have accused the British Olympic Association of pandering to Chinese demands by treading softly and avoiding any criticism of Beijing.
Olympic Committee Allows China to Showcase Ancient Martial Art
VOA News
China has pushed unsuccessfully to have the ancient martial art of wushu -- better known as kung fu outside of China -- included as a demonstration sport in the 2008 Olympics. Instead, the International Olympic Committee has granted permission for an international wushu competition alongside the Games, something Chinese state media are promoting as an Olympic showcasing of the sport.
Obama, Muslims, the Potomac Primaries and a Changing America
The American Muslim
If he can win the nomination, and the Presidency, I wonder how this will play in the Muslim world….What does he offer? First and foremost: his face. Think of it as the most effective potential re-branding of the United States since Reagan. Such a re-branding is not trivial—it’s central to an effective war strategy.
A Lot of Doom About Nothing
There is no doubt America’s “popularity,” as measured by various global opinion surveys, has fallen in recent years. What’s striking, however, is how little of this has mattered in terms of the domestic political choices of other countries or the consequences for the United States.
China plans to use Olympics to spread Chinese language
The Communist Party leadership now wants to use the coming Olympic Games as a launching pad for spreading the knowledge of Chinese language among sports lovers across the world.
Nye calls for combining tactics to curb N. Korea
"The solution to the problems of North Korea is not going to rest on attracting Kim Jong-il," he said, referring to the leader in Pyongyang. "In the long run, it's going to require a great deal of soft power to attract people to a better way of living and a better form of government."
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