The year 2015 is going to be a busy time for government planners, climate negotiators, international donors and concerned citizens. In less than a year’s time the world’s governments are expected to adopt a new global agenda for development, with long-term sustainability at its core.

Tags: sustainable development goals, citizen diplomacy, government pd, international development

Nearly a decade and a half after the 9/11 attacks, there remains a key flaw in the ongoing U.S.-led “War on Terror:” Washington’s response has been hyper-militarized, dominated by counter-terrorism and security, while other soft power instruments like public diplomacy have been under-invested in.

Tags: global war on terror, hard power, soft power, united states, diplomacy, public diplomacy

The Russian communications watchdog (Roskomnadzor) has received documents from the CNN television channel for obtaining a universal license to broadcast across Russia, agency spokesman Vadim Ampelonsky told Interfax on Tuesday.

Tags: cnn, russia, international broadcasting, broadcast license, mass media, roskomnadzor

 In just seven (2008-2015) years, China has developed the longest network of high speed railway (about 16,000 km with the expectation of adding another 16,000 km by 2020) in the world as well as some of the best technologies related to high speed railway development. Besides its obvious economic and technological successes, China’s high speed railway also has huge foreign policy implications in three ways.

Tags: china, high speed train, 'one belt one road', technology, national security, soft power, foreign policy, export economy

Tensions over cybersecurity are building between the U.S. and Beijing after the latest string of hacking attacks in the United States, some of which have been traced back to China. The two countries have dug in their heels on differing approaches to cybersecurity and don’t appear ready to budge, experts say.

Tags: united states, china, cybersecurity, censorship, espionage, hacking, cyber attacks, internet governance

The Obama administration is revamping its effort to counter the Islamic State’s propaganda machine, acknowledging that the terrorist group has been far more effective in attracting new recruits, financing and global notoriety than the United States and its allies have been in thwarting it.

Tags: united states, isis, counter terrorism, us state department, obama, propaganda

In Washington D.C.’s Chinatown, a nonprofit called the The Wong People Association, trains community members every year to perform the traditional lion dance during new year festivities.

Tags: united states, china, Cultural Diplomacy, cultural relations, non state actors

The U.S. Agency for International Development is seeking partners to implement a new initiative with Major League Baseball which aims to improve education, support children with disabilities and counter domestic violence in the Dominican Republic.

Tags: usaid, baseball, aid diplomacy, international development, dominican republic