Jacob Zuma elected leader of ANC in South Africa

Notwithstanding the fact that he has in the past been accused of rape and corruption charges, Jacob Zuma defeated incumbent South African president and leader of the African National Congress, Thabo Mbeki for the leadership of that South African political party. In internal party elections held last Tuesday Zuma received 2,329 votes, compared to 1,505 votes polled for Mbeki.

The results were a bitter disappointment for Mbeki, who although not eligible to run for president of the country, wanted to be reelected as leader of the ANC, so that he could have a say in who should run for president in elections later next year. However, Mbeki’s leadership was always threatened by the populist Zuma. Despite the allegations against Zuma, including the possibility of being charged for corruption in a multimillion-dollar arms deal, his supporters believe that these allegations were a part of a political smear campaign, which should not prevent him from being elected ANC president.

South African political analysts believe that Zuma succeeded in one of the most divisive campaigns the ANC had ever experienced because ANC members wanted a change from Mbeki. Although Mbeki guided post-apartheid South Africa to sustained economic growth during his administration, he has been accused by the masses for moving too slowly to lift them out of poverty.

Fidel Castro hints of stepping down

In a letter read on Cuban nation television on Monday, ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro told the Cuban people that he does not intend to cling to power forever or stand in the way of a younger generation. He said that although his duty is not to cling to positions, or obstruct the path of younger people, he plans to share “experiences and ideas whose modest worth comes from the exceptional era in which I lived.”

However, in the letter Castro who, despite handing power over to his brother Raul since August 2005 when he fell ill, is still the president and leader of Cuba’s government. He did not say when he would permanently step down from the presidency of Cuba’s Council of State. Since his illness which has kept him out of the public’s view, Castro has made his presence felt several times a week by writing and publishing essays on international issues via the state media.

Castro, despite his absence from public political life, is currently a candidate for reelection as a deputy to the National Assembly – the Cuban parliament, during national elections to be held on January 20.

Death penalty abolished in New Jersey

While the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the death penalty, New Jersey has become the first state in 42 years to ban that ultimate punishment in 42 years. New Jersey’s Governor Jon. S. Corzine signed a law earlier this week that abolishes the death penalty in that state. The new law which was approved by the state’s Assembly and Senate, replaces the death sentence with life in prison without parole.

New Jersey had reinstated the death penalty in 1982 six years after the U.S. Supreme court allowed states to resume punishment by death, but never executed anyone since 1963.

The action by the state has received international acclaim as a historic victory against capital punishment. According to an AP report Rome plans to shine a golden light on the Colosseum, a symbol in the fight against the death penalty, in support of the measure.

The last states to abolish the death penalty were Iowa and West Virginia in 1965. Over the years since 1976 when the Supreme Court reauthorized the death penalty, the incidents of executions have been diminishing with only 53 such executions in 2006, the lowest since 1996.