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.

China’s Goals in South America

China’s main goals in South America are economic, but it also hopes to win public and political support.  Thus, an economic push by China is also a soft power push, as Beijing uses its funding (both public and private) to win goodwill in developing countries.

Tags: china, south america, public opinion, economic diplomacy, international development, foreign investment, soft power

In Iran, a Spark of Enthusiasm for America’s National Pastime

Down a dirt road in a back corner of a vast Tehran sports complex, several dozen young men recently took part in tryouts for Iran’s national baseball team.  These ballplayers, some of them fasting for the holy month of Ramadan in the scorching July heat, are part of a small but growing number of Iranians taking up America’s pastime despite long odds.

Tags: baseball diplomacy, sports diplomacy, iran, united states

Obama Pledges US Help for Malaysian Plane Probe

President Barack Obama directed U.S. officials on Thursday to do all they could to support an investigation into what caused a Malaysian jetliner to crash in a Ukraine war zone and pledged support to the affected countries as the probe moves forward.

Tags: united states, barack obama, foreign aid, aid diplomacy, assistance diplomacy, malaysia airlines, malaysia

Israeli Ambassador's #AskDermer Q&A on Gaza Goes Terribly Wrong

Israel's Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer(link is external) landed himself in hot water Thursday when his Twitter Q&A #AskDermer(link is external) was hijacked by Palestine activists. The Q&A was held amid escalating violence between Israel and Hamas forces in Gaza.

Tags: hashtag diplomacy, israel-palestinian conflict, gaza, israel, government pd

Indian Media Praise PM Modi's Diplomacy at Brics Summit

Media in India are praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's performance at the Brics summit in Brazil amid calls for better ties with China.  Papers feel the PM's "debut on the world stage" has put India "squarely on the path of pragmatic internationalism".

Tags: brics, india, narendra modi, media, public opinion, international development

Hip-Hop Diplomacy: Fostering Cross-Cultural Creative Expression

The Next Level program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in association with the University of North Carolina's Department of Music, uses hip-hop as a tool to foster cross-cultural creative expression and exchange in diverse communities around the world.

Tags: americas, asia pacific, hip-hop diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy, exchange, conflict resolution, community development, cross cultural understanding, musical diplomacy, jazz ambassadors

Colombia's Image Problem: Moving forward?

It seems an impossible mission to achieve economic, social and cultural growth in a country bled dry by drug trafficking guerrillas such as FARC operating in the most productive regions and retaining violent influence in the main cities. But Colombia has been making it happen.

Tags: colombia, international development, global image, drug trafficking, direct foreign investment

Israel and Hamas Clash on Social Media

The lethal military confrontation between Israel and Hamas is being mirrored in a bitter clash on the battlefield of social media. Each side has taken to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to denounce the other, and to present accounts that are at best partial and often blatantly distorted. The propaganda war between Israel and the Palestinians is not new, but this battle-round is being fought with unprecedented ferocity.

Tags: digital diplomacy, social media, israel-palestinian conflict, hamas, twitter, facebook

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