Cuban President To Give Way To Younger Generation

Fidel Castro, the Cuban Veteran President has finally realised it is high time he steps aside to give his ruling power away to a younger generation. As the 81-year-old took office in Cuba since 1959, his aspiring younger successor can now take a deep sigh after such a long awaiting moment. On Tuesday December 18, it was announced on state Television in a read out letter, that the unwell President said that his fundamental responsibility was not “to cling to office” nor to stand in the way of the younger people, but to “pass on” the experiences and ideas…”
Over the years, Castro has proven to have firmly stood his ground against America’s imperialism until his health betrayed him. He might be loved and respected by the Cuban population for being a steady leader for a long time. Unfortunately, as the saying goes “everything comes to an end”. Maybe it is time for Castro to let go of his power. In fact, if it was not for his recent critical intestinal operation, it might has been another story altogether – who knows, perhaps the communist leader made a vow before embarking onto his political career saying ‘Till death do part’. As for the new wannabe Cuban leader, who could well be Carlos Lage Dάvila, the actual vice-President, with regards to socialism in Cuba, will he be able to sustain the legacy of his soon-to-be predecessor?

Will Israel and Palestine live in peace at last?

Israel and Palestine have being having vicious conflicts for decades. On November 27, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to officially engage in a peace process negotiation for the first time in seven years. Their decision came after the US President George Bush announced a preliminary agreement between the two sides at a conference in Annapolis. The Middle East leaders of the two long-lasting opposing countries are due to meet again at the White House on December 12 in order to continue with the peace process.
Great. It sounds like a good start. However, one has got to keep in mind that this is not the first time that an attempt is made to stop the endless conflicts in these respective countries. And although the US is standing in the gap acting like a referee, is there hope? Knowing that for years Israel has been backed up by the US in its every move; in fact, just like a loyal big brother would do to his little one. Then, good luck to Palestine. So really, the question is not will this peace process work this time, but what will be done differently to see a radical change settling in these two nations?

Men Hanged In Iran

UN Numbness on Human rights abuses in Iran

The merciless Iranian regime publicly hanged three more men last month on September 27. Following the previous week’s hangings of some political prisoners, this time the victims were students [Hadi Jafartabar, Mirhadi Mirtaghi and Seyyed Shoja Mousazadeh] accused of raping and robbing 12 women. According to Amnesty International, the death toll has now reached 210 people since January 2007, a number which has exceeded last year record which 177 was. There has been indeed a chain of public executions despite the International law’s condemnation urging Iran to stop these human rights violations. Iran death penalty ranges from people who have committed an “outrageous” offence such as rape or murder, to theft. Surely, the whole situation in Iran is extremely appalling. However, the UN Human Rights Council vote to no longer monitor human rights abuses in Iran, is even more disgraceful.

The future of war correspondents

According to CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists), 71 percent of journalists who were killed from 1992 to 2006 were murdered, 18 percent were killed by Crossfire / Combat related, and only 10 percent died during other dangerous assignments. Most of them were Print reporters and writers, Broadcast reporters, Camera operators, Photographers, Columnist / Commentators etc.

So, what does the future holds for war correspondent?
Our nation still needs courageous and outstanding journalists to bring news from dangerous places. Let face it. Danger is everywhere anyway. In fact, who would have thought that the peaceful and “Peacemaker” America would see a day like September11? In other words, if you are a journalist out there, you’ve got to be ready or at least be willing to embrace unpredicted as well as unexpected challenges, such as reporting from war zones, in order to satisfy your nation with outstanding breaking news.

A sad situation

November 13, 2006, Ap Associated Press reported the killing of another journalist in Baghdad, a television camera man. It is reported that at least 89 journalists have been killed in Iraq since hostilities began in March 2003, according to Associated Press count based on statistics kept by the New York-based Committee to protect Journalists.

What a sad situation. So then, what is the future of reporting from dangerous zones? In March 2006 Richard Gizbert, a war reporter was fired by the TV network ABC after repeatedly rejecting assignments in war zones like Iraq. The thing is, maybe this journalist was being shrewd enough to think twice about how worth was his life.

I guess it must be great to be labelled ‘Valiant To Work In Dangerous Places’, however, Mission or no mission, life comes first. One could wonder whether or not the money counts? Say your Editor make an offer of an unimaginable dream sum of money. It would go into your bank account on the completion day of your mission, and after bringing an exclusive story to your newspaper or TV network. Well, that sounds great, but what about facing the bombs? Does your Editor know what it feels like to disappear in a flame? I don’t think so.

End of a Courageous and Outspoken Critic

Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian investigative journalist was killed on Saturday October 7, 2006 at her apartment block in Moscow. According to the CIJ (Centre For Investigative Journalism), she was a courageous and outspoken critic of President Putin and was renowned for her principled reporting on the Chechen conflict.

What is happening with our journalism world? How many more indispensable journalists are we going to lose? Although I love adventure, one thing I am sure of is that being a war correspondent is no longer an attractive job to me. Moreover, Reporters Without Borders annual roundup in 2006 counted on January 1, 63 journalists killed, more than 1300 attacked or threaten around the world. A worldwide total of 126 journalists imprisoned.
This doesn’t sound good, does it?