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.
America Finally Grounds Anti-Castro Propaganda Plane for Good
The United States officially ended one of the most ineffective and widely criticized programs of the last decade aimed at undermining the Cuban government, the State Department revealed Monday. Foggy Bottom's inspector general released a report showing that AeroMarti, a multimillion-dollar boondoggle that involved flying an airplane around Cuba and beaming American-sponsored content to the island's inhabitants, quietly ended in April.
Jakub Parusinski: Winning the Information War
The Ukrainian flag is once again proudly flying above the former separatist bastion of Sloviansk. One by one, the towns and villages of Donbas are being recaptured. But even as Ukraine gains the edge in its military conflict with Russia, the information battle continues to be one of David against Goliath. Whether it’s through the state media giant Russia Today, soft power campaigns or diplomatic backchannels, the Kremlin has implemented what some commentators have dubbed “the biggest information special operation” to date.
Why North Korean Cheerleaders May Soon Descend on the South
When you think of North Korea, "cheerleaders" may not be the first thing that springs to mind. But the news that Pyongyang plans to send a "cheerleading squad" to the South Korean city of Incheon for the upcoming Asian Games is not just a surprising and weird news story – it may actually be quite an important political sign.
#BringBackOurGirls Still Hasn’t Brought Them Back
Despite the encouraging news that 63 girls and women have reportedly escaped the grips of Boko Haram, the militant Islamic group still holds the more than 200 schoolgirls it kidnapped in April captive. Meanwhile, in Chibok, the home of the schoolgirls whose April 14 kidnapping by the group sparked off the #bringbackourgirls campaign, things have not improved.
The Relatives of a Murdered Palestinian Teen Receive Comfort From an Unlikely Source
As tensions between Palestinians and Israelis remain high, there is a moment of hope in the middle of everything that is bleak: The father of a murdered Palestinian teenager was consoled by the uncle of a slain Israeli teenager. "We expressed our deep empathy with their sorrow, from one bereaved family to another bereaved family," said Yishai Fraenkel, the uncle of Naftali Fraenkel, one of three Israeli teenagers found dead after being abducted on June 12.
Culture Exchange Pivotal to China-U.S. Relationship
As a Chinese folk art festival closed in Washington on Sunday, burgeoning cultural exchanges between China and the United States has been deemed a more active and pivotal role in promoting bilateral ties.
Welcome Homecoming
The safe return of 46 Indian nurses from Iraq is the result of astute diplomacy and a calibrated exercise of soft power by multiple agencies of government. While External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj engaged her counterparts at the political level in West Asia, including Foreign Ministers of the six oil-rich monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council, sound tactical leadership seemed to have been provided by Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
Art Project Celebrates Korea-Australia Friendship
The Australian Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday launched the “Australia-Korea Friendship Tree” art project to celebrate 125 years of contact between South Koreans and Australians. The project will explore the connection between the two nations through old and new artistic mediums. Smartphone users will be able to scan posters around Seoul to access a digital model of a tree, where they can view 125 images of Australian-Korean friendships, watch music videos from both countries, and even upload their own selfies.
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