#diplomatic challenges

[kesarijournal]

Unraveling India’s BRICS and BRI Conundrum

In a world where geopolitics often resembles a complex game of 3D chess, India finds itself pondering its next move on a board set by two ambitious projects – the expansion of BRICS and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Imagine a chessboard, not with mere black and white squares, but a vibrant mosaic of global interests, strategic rivalries, and the occasional pawn aspiring to be a queen.…

[backpackingspace]

Of course post-canon odysseus and penelope love each other (they are a little bit insane about the other. Neither is allowed to leave the others side for months after odysseus gets back. They cycle between sobbing on one and another and aggressively making out. ) but it's true that they have both changed. It's been twenty hard years after all. So

Odypen courting each other again just for the fun of it. Odypen deciding to act like teenagers again and make elaborate plans pretending to sneak into the others room.

Odysseus sending penelopes 90 year old dad a letter challenging him to a race for penelopes hand in marriage. (This does not go over well but penelope though it was hilarious)

Odysseus begging Athena to help him win penelopes heart/hand again. (Athena: What no why you're already married I don't understand you ) (she helps anyways)

Penelope weaving all of odysseus's clothes. Penelope hauling out every tapestry she made of telemachus's childhood (she made one for every year. To gift odysseus on his birthday when he returned.)

Odypen leaving telemachus incharge while they go off on dates (to harssass, cause problems, and badger other people into giving them things). It should be fine Athena has been sticking close to the house lately. And it's only for an afternoon anyways (at first. Headcanon that penelope came with odysseus when he had to go plant the oar and call it a windmill quest.)

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Princess of Wales Winter 2024 Photo Challenge!

Day Eight: Favourite photo(s) of Catherine at Diplomatic Receptions

[what-eats-owls]

Hello! I'm a fan of Tangled and its spinoff series, and I'm curious about your upcoming book "Rootbound."

It sounds like it explores many of the same plot elements that Tangled the Series did (ie Eugene's identity/past, understanding Rapunzel's Sundrop powers, and traveling to a mysterious kingdom). I really like that it also focuses on the awkward phase of personal growth that comes after escaping an abusive situation/surviving severe trauma. (I'm in that phase right now, and I'd really like to see Rapunzel get the chance to work through it herself.)

I was wondering if you could go into more detail about your vision for Rootbound in relation to Tangled the Series. Do you see the book as "your version" of the series (meaning it's what you would have written if you were in charged of the show's plot)? Or do you think of it as a continuation of the movie that's completely different/separate from TTS?

(If you explained this already, I may not have understood due to my Autism. I'm genuinely curious to know what your perspective is tho!)

Hi friend! If this sounds short at all, I promise it's not because I'm upset, haha—I just want to be really clear so readers have the right expectations going into Rootbound! (While also not getting too deep into the fifty pages of publishing context.)

Your second option, that it's more of a continuation of the original movie and separate from TTS, is pretty much right on the money. The one thing I'd like to clarify is that I wouldn't call it solely my vision/version! When I was approached for the project, the lovely folks in charge had an early seed concept for the story, and from that, I was able to build a more detailed outline, and once that was approved, draft the manuscript. This is pretty normal for when you're working with another entity's IP!

That initial seed concept directly followed the original film, but did not draw on any characters/plot/lore introduced in TTS, and explored different takes on some things TTS covers, such as Eugene's history. Now obvs, I'm not an official spokesperson here, but my view on it is that Rootbound is only as canon as you want it to be. TBH, I think that's the better approach—the TTS fandom is enormous and passionate, and I'd rather not tinker with a story already told so well.

(And if anyone's worried that Rootbound will be the basis for a sequel film... let's just say for multiple reasons, no one would be more surprised than I, haha.)

So tl;dr: characters and lore from TTS are not part of Rootbound, I think that's a good thing (why mess with perfection?), I hope y'all enjoy my spin on things while knowing TTS isn't going anywhere.

[bisclavret]

i haven't been able to stop thinking about how these two are parallel variations of the guinevere archetype that complement and contrast each other so, so perfectly: tashi is a woman who above all else wants to be a champion. fate cruelly takes her dream away from her, so she opts to marry and live vicariously through the (blond) man who loves her (named arthur). she molds him in her image and helps him rise to greatness in her stead but it's not enough, he's never good enough. gwen is a woman who never truly expects to have power but it is thrust upon her through the (blond) man she marries for love (named arthur). she, too, uses her wisdom and leadership to mold her husband and help him rise to greatness. she believes in him, but fate and the world outside their bubble do not. he is not good enough for them. fate wants her. both women and their husbands set aside their desires to focus on the bigger picture (said desires partially exemplified by brunettes who may be exceptional but don't quite fit into the high-stakes social structure), and yet, despite everything they've sacrificed, despite navigating their lives with the utmost grace and caution, in the end both women lose the things they worked hardest for. but they do, however, gain the things they've needed the most: gwen loses her soulmates/family but gains immeasurable independence and the power to use her wisdom and talent on an enormous scale (the sort of thing tashi would've killed for). tashi loses her dream and her claim to power but she gains a family of two soulmates who adore each other and her (the sort of family unit gwen would surely have preferred more than anything). HOWEVER. crucially. although they'd never admit it and the story never quite spells it out. their respective fates align perfectly with who they truly are, deep down.

[ay-miphae]

Ayreontasiatober day 31: Fall-themed free space!

I am NOT immune to wholesome coffee shop AU. My poor Source children have so much trauma let’s let them chill at a cafe okay. This was originally going to be another sketch of just Astro because your honor I love him and then I thought. What if I drew Captain too. And also Biologist and Prophet chilling and why not draw everybody’s blorbo???? So here’s all twelve (12) Source characters. I fit them in one ink sketch and they’re chilling at a cafe!!

Since it’s a free space I also decided to invoke some Mid-Autumn Festival imagery (that was the week I drew this) with the lanterns and mooncakes :) (and also Historian reading a book about the moon). I am not going to render that much foliage again for a very long time.

Foreground, left to right: Historian, Astronomer, Captain, Preacher, Counselor, Prophet

Background, left to right: TH-1, Chemist, Biologist, Diplomat, President, and Opposition Leader

Chemist is indeed the barista, and out of Politician Trio in the back, Pres spilled his drink :(, OL is facepalming at him, and Fundip is grabbing the mop (2-for-1 with the Favorite Character Dynamic prompt haha). Counselor and Prophet (and Preacher I guess) are fanonically besties so they’re yapping. Cap is indeed distracting Astro. I have more deets under the cut

Prophet: something obscure nobody’s heard of like an espresso con panna. (It is literally a shot of espresso topped with whipped cream) Captain: cold brew with a cursed combination of flavors. Asked for his drink to be spiked. Chemist refused. Diplomat: a hot choccy :)  Chemist: the unwilling barista. Everybody lost him after “arabica beans” and “siphon brew” and “strawberry infusion”. Counselor: a cherry blossom matcha :)  Biologist: a double cappuccino. Usually opts for black coffee but it’s a special occasion. Astronomer: a latte with brown sugar and cinnamon? I genuinely don’t know President: he needed a caramel frappe. He didn’t get it Historian: green tea (his favorite) Opposition Leader: only drinks straight espresso shots to assert dominance TH-1: windex Preacher: strawberry milk tea with boba (iykyk)

[lockheed-martin-unofficial]

Well! My eyes are about to spontaneously combust!

I probably should’ve gone to sleep instead of finishing this but look how they turned out! Various character designs and ocs that I don’t often get a chance to draw.

[pepperf]

[jilllovesmike]

Mike Faist, the diplomat.

[not-poignant]

Daily excerpt from chapter 40 of The Nascent Diplomat:

'Can you feed from Gwyn now?' 'I always could – just a little – from the both of you. I do not need touchspeak to feed, only intimacy. It is not the same quality of food as with the vench, it is like the shell of the food rather than the food itself. But with Gwyn it is now more like a food of its own. Something new. I suspect he feeds from me too, in his own way.' Gwyn looked ahead and didn’t react.  'I think Gwyn's healing can be accelerated now,' Temsen said, sighing softly, 'and the timing is auspicious, for Odayi and the others do not want you here much longer.' 'The vench want us gone?' Gwyn said.  'No, not all the vench. Some would have you stay longer. Radula Enris. Kithkalkith Kimerrin. Even myself, though I am of two minds. We all agree your magic must be healed to at least what it was before, if not to a better state.'  'Will you... Will you please teach me how to hold energy like you do?' Gwyn said. 

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

you know, I think that all the murder business in aknh-morpork would once again plummet if vetinari let downey and his people do their job again. he initially made the assassins' guild and thieves' guild legal for crime prevention and let them deal with people who performed unlicensed inhumation/theft. and then he got a new favourite toy in vimes and was like "actually no guys, let him do it, it's funny" "people are dying, dog-botherer."

Right??

Downey and Boggis are all about crime prevention. Cops aren't, by their very nature. They're reactive.

If the Assassins and Thieves' approach to prevention is colourful and florid—especially if you like the colour red—it is hardly their fault that this is what works best.

--

Vetinari: To be fair, Downey, under your methodology people still die.

Downey: Correct, but it's a lot less of them and it's all far more efficient. Plus, I make more money.

Vetinari: I'm not sure I can put "Lord Downey makes more money" into my cost-benefit-analysis chart on how to better approach crime prevention and reduction.

Downey: Look, if you do it my way, the city saves money! There's less murder, since everyone knows who will come for them in the dark of night if they're a little too knife happy. Or the bright of the day, I like shaking it up. With less murder the city spends less on the police budget, less on food and board for prisoners, and the hang-man might need a second job. It's a win-win, really.

Vetinari: I think some people might contest that point.

Downey: Just. Think about it, babe.

--

Downey argues that fine, fine, if they can't get regular-degular murderers, can they at least get serial killers. He had so much fun hunting down that guy the last time! It was a highlight in his recent life!

Vetinari says he'll think about it. He wants to know what Downey constitutes as a serial killer. Downey is like, 'anyone who has killed, in a sequential manner, more than two people. If it's a mass killing, I'll leave that to the Watch. Unless it happens more than once. Then it drops into serial killer bucket.'

Vetinari points out that this is a very low bar. The scope is wider than the ocean. The Assassins' Guild could lump so many people into that category. Really, if it's so broad, Vetinari isn't sure the definition is entirely useful. Downey beams at him.

[spaceratprodigy]

I love the pair dork ass mfs that are like "we would rather talk our way out of this peacefully but we are not beyond beating you into paste"

[themyscirah]

Just saw a bunch of atrocious wonder woman takes and I hate everything

Someone google nearest bridge to jump off of im so done w this

[space-mouse]

i can be trusted on a nature walk i promise. i promise i will walk at normal human speeds and you won't need a crowbar or anything to get me to move on from one particular bug or turtle

[narrative-theory]

Saudi Arabia & Iran

My latest video upload:

Saudi Arabia & Iran: Unlikely Alliance

[justsaying4041]

The Future of U.S. Embassy Operations Under Project 2025: A Critical Perspective

Project 2025 outlines a transformative vision for U.S. embassy operations, aiming to streamline diplomatic missions, increase efficiency, and align embassy roles more directly with U.S. foreign policy goals. While the plan seeks to modernize embassy functions and reduce operational costs, critics argue that the proposed changes could compromise the diplomatic effectiveness, flexibility, and local…