LBN: Fidel Castro resigns

[Maddy McCall]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3187857

[fishwax]

1. wow

:wow:

[MonkeyFunk]

2. Ya know

it's times like this I just hate the cable news outlets.

I remember when you could turn to CNN any time day or night, and they'd be covering a breaking story like this. Instead, I get to see Larry King - the only guy who's held on longer than Castro.

[Maddy McCall]

3. I KNOW!

Especially one this huge! If Britney were being committed again, it'd be all over the 24 hr news networks.

Shows how screwed our media's priorities are.

[MonkeyFunk]

6. MSNBC

broke in to report it, briefly. Then back to Hardball.

[Dorian Gray]

4. Is this for real?

This is huge news!

[Maddy McCall]

5. I've flipped through news networks...

no mention of it on TV.

This is from BBC, though:

Fidel Castro announces retirement

Cuba's ailing leader Fidel Castro has announced he will not return to the presidency, in a letter published by official Communist Party paper, Granma.

"I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," he wrote in the letter.

Mr Castro handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent intestinal surgery.

The 81-year-old has ruled Cuba since leading a communist revolution in 1959.

In December, Mr Castro indicated that he could possibly step down in favour of a younger generation.

In the letter published on Granma's website during the middle of the night in Cuba, Mr Castro said he would not accept another term as president because of the health problems when the National Assembly meets on Sunday.

"The moment has arrived to propose and elect the Council of State, its president, vice-president," he added.

The National Assembly is widely expected to elect Raul Castro as his successor.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7252109.stm

[malaise]

7. There's good coverage on BBC International

including video of Fidel and the Carters.
Thanks for putting your people above all else Fidel and for being a good neighbor to your Caribbean friends.

Thanks for standing up to the neighborhood bully.

You are loved.