Editors' Pick

The Diplomacy Cable 9/12/2016

The Diplomacy Cable

With the invention of the telegraph cables in the 19th century, international consulates and embassies began sending shorter encrypted telegrams, using Morse Code. While the messages are now sent electronically, the moniker “cable” stuck and the term is still in use today for shorter, encrypted diplomatic messages.

 

Ceasefire in Syria: US-Russia Talks

After months of talks between Russia and the US, a deal was finally reached Friday in Geneva. While it is still unclear if the cessation will be observed, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that early reports indicate “some reduction of violence.” According to BBC, if the deal holds up for a week, Russia and the US will carry out co-ordinate air strikes.

Baby Born on Rescue Boat

A baby boy was born aboard a MSF Rescue Boat to Nigerian parents Otis and Faith. His parents had just left Libya the day before on an overcrowded rubber boat in hopes of reaching Europe. According to NBC News, over 3,000 migrants have died during this journey across the Mediterranean.

541,000 Social Recluses in Japan

A recent survey suggests that almost half a million young people in Japan are hikikomori, a Japanese term for social recluse. CNN reports that there continues to be much debate on what causes Japanese youth to refuse to leave their homes and interact with others. Takahiro Kato is currently working on creating a hikikomori support center in Fukuoka to provide therapy for this condition.

Chinese Textbooks on Homosexuality

Qiu Bai, a gay rights activist has launched a suit against the Chinese ministry of education to have textbooks that describe homosexuality as a mental disorder removed. According to the Guardian, while it is not illegal to be homosexual in China, there continues to be familial pressure to get married and have children.

Russian Orthodoxy and Pokémon Go

Ruslan Sokolovsky was arrested for playing Pokémon Go and posting a video of it on YouTube in a Russian Orthodox cathedral. According to Moscow Times, Sokolovsky made the video because he was annoyed to learn that there was a penalty of paying half a million rubles or three years in jail for playing Pokémon Go in a church.

Diplomacy Fast Facts:

How many embassies and ambassadors are now active on Twitter?

Over 3,100 embassies and ambassadors are currently active on Twitter. #DigitalDiplomacy

Patricia Mace is a second semester graduate student at Seton Hall University. She is currently pursuing her dual master’s degrees in Diplomacy and International Relations and Strategic Communications. She received her undergraduate degrees from University of Delaware.

Follow the Journal of Diplomacy on Twitter at @JournalofDiplo

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