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.
Nigeria Signs $1.2M PR Deal to Improve Image After Boko Haram Kidnaps
The Nigerian government has signed a contract worth more than $1.2 million with a Washington DC public relations firm to deal with the fallout from the Boko Haram kidnappings. In a report in The Hill, documents show that the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, who is up for re-election in February, is seeking to counter the perception that he has not done enough to combat the Islamic extremists in his country who abducted more than 270 schoolgirls in Chibok in April.
Google Execs Visit Cuba: How is Digital Diplomacy Working?
Google’s motto is “Don’t be evil.” Can the company practice what it preaches – even in Cuba? A delegation of Google employees, headed by executive chairman Eric Schmidt, traveled to Cuba this past week in an effort to advocate for removing government restrictions on the Internet. The executives met with Yoani Sanchez, a prominent blogger and dissident who runs the independent 14ymedio news portal, a site blocked in Cuba.
New Index Ranks Countries' 'Goodness'
A new index, which attempts to rank the countries of the world by their “goodness,” is turning heads. “What the Index does aim to do is to start a global discussion about how countries can balance their duty to their own citizens with their responsibility to the wider world, because this is essential for the future of humanity and the health of our planet,” said Anholt.
ISIS Opponents Take Aim at Its Online Presence
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has taken to Twitter to spread its message, trumpet bloody successes, and recruit potential jihadists, but its social-media campaign has come under attack from forces that range from the U.S. State Department to the mysterious group of hacker-activists who call themselves Anonymous.
U.S. Jews React to Murders with Fury, Calls for Peace
Mainstream American Jewish organizations reacted with grief and fury to the murders of kidnapped Israeli teenagers Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach, while their liberal counterparts responded with grief and calls for peace.
Obama: U.S. to Help Chile Build Massive Solar Plant
President Obama said Monday that the U.S. would help construct a major solar power plant in Chile. The power plant will help diversify Chile's energy sources while supporting Obama's national export agenda by facilitating roughly $97 million in U.S. exports, according to the White House.
Citing Terrorism, Egypt to Step Up Surveillance of Social Media
Egypt is tightening its control over social media by acquiring new software that would facilitate extensive monitoring of dissidents’ communications, putting even stay-at-home opposition supporters at risk. Authorities say they need such tools to fight terrorism in Egypt.
World Cup at the UN Mixes Tax-Free Beer with Diplomacy
Watching World Cup matches while drinking tax-free imported beer is an important part of diplomacy at the United Nations. The roars and groans of the thousands of diplomats who represent the UN’s 193 member states and support their national teams are loud enough to be heard across the world body’s New York headquarters. Right now, at least, international competition is taking center stage over cooperation on unrest in Iraq, the Syrian civil war and conflicts in Africa.
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