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.

North Korea Calls Hollywood Film ‘Act of War,’ Demands US Ban its Release

Pyongyang on Wednesday condemned an upcoming Hollywood film starring actors James Franco and Seth Rogen — who play characters caught up in a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — as an “act of war.” The reclusive communist country has vowed to unleash a “merciless countermeasure” if the U.S. government fails to ban the movie’s release. 

Tags: north korea, united states, kim jong un, hollywood, north korea foreign ministry, military action

EU’s Hard Decisions on ‘Soft Power’

Instead of hiding behind America’s military shield, Europe needs to spend on arms to protect its security interests, according to Nick Witney. In the run-up to last December’s European Union defence summit, British general Nick Houghton warned Britain’s armed forces risked being “hollowed out.”Too little of Britain’s reduced defence budget was being spent on personnel, he noted, and too much on “exquisite” equipment bought for the wrong reasons. “We must also be careful,” he cautioned, “that the defence budget is not disproportionately used to support the British defence industry.”

Tags: soft power, european union, britain, defense, military power, security

Broader Foreign Aid Urged

Japan should expand its use of overseas development assistance by targeting new regions and projects and consider funding noncombat operations led by foreign military forces, a panel said Thursday in a report to Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. If the recommendations are accepted in the upcoming review of the ODA charter, it would reverse Japan’s long-held principle of not funding foreign armed forces.

Tags: japan, foreign aid, international development, foreign minister fumio kishida, shinzo abe, government pd

Twiplomacy: 15 Interesting Facts about World Leaders and Digital Diplomacy on Twitter

The rise of social media in politics is no secret, and more and more world leaders are now turning to Twitter. According to Twiplomacy, a study by Burson-Marsteller, more than two-thirds (67.88%) of all heads of state and heads of government have personal accounts on the social network. For many diplomats, Twitter has becomes a powerful channel for digital diplomacy and 21st century statecraft. As of June 23, 2014, more than 80% of the UN member countries have a presence on Twitter. 

Tags: twitter, twiplomacy, social media, public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, world leaders

How the Kremlin Wields Its Soft Power in France

Amid mounting criticism of its actions against Ukraine, Moscow is stepping up efforts to repair its image and make its voice heard in Europe, with Russian-funded think tanks and media on the ground working hard to woo Europeans.

Tags: france, russia, europe, soft power, media diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy

China Calls Congress ‘Really Absurd’ for Renaming the Street Address of Its Embassy

The Chinese Embassy in Washington blasted members of Congress forvoting to rename its street address after an imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate in what was a clear -- if somewhat juvenile -- attempt to needle Beijing for its human rights record.

Tags: china, united states, human rights, government pd, washington dc

The State Department Is Using Hip-Hop to Do Something Politicians Rarely Accomplish

For half a century now, America's best diplomatic tool has been its music.  Embassies overseas still want American musicians to come for diplomatic reasons. But these days they're not asking for jazz — they're asking for hip-hop.

Tags: hip-hop diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy, government pd, united states, us department of state, music diplomacy

America's International Broadcasters are Losing the Air Wars

China and Russia are fighting a heated war with the United States. It is an intense battle of words and ideas fought between state-sponsored broadcasters, on the airwaves, and online.

Tags: americas, asia pacific, international broadcasting, news, china, russia, u.s., bbg, soft power, hard power, smart power, U.S. foreign policy, public diplomacy, viewership, global news networks, state sponsored broadcasting

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