To the Point

Israeli Offensive, the Arab Media and US Credibility

There's heavy fighting again today in Southern Lebanon, as Israel ramps up the ground war against Hezbollah. Meantime, Arab television news programs are broadcasting pictures of dead children and other images of the widening humanitarian crisis. It's the twentieth day of fighting which began after Hezbollah captured two of Israel's troops. In the beginning, public opinion in Lebanon was divided over who to blame. Can Washington still be an "honest broker?" Will continuing violence mean declining effectiveness for the diplomacy of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice? We speak with pollsters and communication experts journalists in the Middle East about what the ongoing conflict means for America's reputation in the Arab world, where the US is seen as Israel's principal ally. Making News: Ra--l Castro Takes Reigns from FidelIn Havana, Fidel Castro has relinquished power for the first time since becoming Cuba's President in 1959. Castro will be 80 this month and is facing intestinal surgery. His 75-year old brother Ra--l will run the government until Castro recovers. Vanessa Bauz-- who covers the Caribbean for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, has an update and a look at the two brothers whose power extends beyond politics.Reporter's Notebook: Reaction in the US to Castro's Transfer of PowerFidel Castro has relinquished power for the first time since the Cuban revolution. If there's a somber mood in Havana, the reverse is true in Miami, where Cuban exiles have become a potent force in Florida politics and in American policy-making toward Castro's Communist government. Since 1959, they've been waiting for signs that Castro is failing. We hear more about this "temporary" transition of power, and get the reaction of exile groups in Miami and Washington's plans for the time when Castro passes away.