Erudite Risk’s Post

✍ Did you know that most Iranians really like the United States and dislike China simply because they want to oppose the government's ideology? This has implications for journalists in Iran. 1️⃣ Yesterday, my boss sent me an article claiming, "China has been the fifth military supplier to Israel after October 7." This was fake news spreading on Iranian social media. But why does it appeal to Iranians? 2️⃣ Because it's anti-China! Most Iranians don't mind that the U.S. is the primary supplier of military aid to Israel, but they care if China is the fifth. Why? Because the Iranian government is aligned with China and opposes the U.S. 3️⃣ In fact, most Iranians just want to oppose their government and its rulers. Of course, this doesn't apply to all Iranians. Some support Gaza, some are against the U.S., or don't care about China. But most prefer the U.S. and oppose China simply to show their disapproval of their government. 4️⃣ This is a challenge for journalists in Iran. Even if they share the truth, some people might accuse them of being government agents or taking orders from the government. If I say China isn't the fifth supplier to Israel but that the U.S. is the first, some Iranians might see me as defending the government instead of telling the truth. It's a big challenge. ⁉ So, do YOU face similar challenges in your work? #Journalism #Iran #FakeNews #MediaChallenges #PoliticalInfluence #GovernmentIdeology #TruthInMedia Photo by: Fatih Turan 

What is a #war correspondent? Last week, two journalists from RAI (the Italian public broadcaster), Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, were the first international correspondents to enter the #Kursk region following the advance of Ukrainian forces. Their reportage showed an important episode in this war, entering Sudža, filming some Russian prisoners, and talking to the town's inhabitants. This work, however, provoked an outcry from the Russian government, which first communicated its displeasure to Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni and then threatened to sue the two journalists for “illegal crossing of state border.” RAI responded by bringing Battistini and Traini back to Italy to ensure their safety. But how does a war correspondent work? War correspondents are specialised journalists who have permission from a country's armed forces to follow them and document their work in the field. These journalists are protected by the troops they follow and by international humanitarian law. In particular, the Geneva Conventions condemn violence inflicted on them and treat them as civilians as long as they wear recognition signs that differentiate them from the armed forces and do not participate in military actions. Unfortunately, this is not the first case in which #Russia has failed to respect the rights of journalists in #Ukraine, who have been targeted on several occasions since the invasion of Crimea in 2014. According to the Ukrainian Institute of Mass Information, 13 journalists were killed between 2014 and 2024 while carrying out their work to document the war. Francesco Danieli #Journalism #RussianInvasion #WarInUkraine #Rai #Italy

The sentencing of Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist, to 6.5 years in prison is another blow to media freedom in Russia. Alsu was convicted in a secret trial on charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian military. This verdict, delivered after a secret trial, exemplifies the Russian Government’s ruthless suppression of independent voices and dissenting opinions. But I think it should also be a critical reminder for all those calling for ‘peace’ with Russia! It is yet another example of why we need a cautious and realistic approach when considering diplomatic relations or peace negotiations with a regime that shows little regard for international norms and human rights. True peace cannot be achieved while the Russian government continues to suppress free speech and imprison journalists for their work. #Russia #media #freespeech #mediaFreedom #humanrights #journalists #falseinformation #military #Ukraine #peace https://lnkd.in/e4gJTRNX

The New York Times instructed journalists covering Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip to restrict from using certain words: 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲: “Do not use in datelines, routine text or headlines, except in very rare cases such as when the United Nations General Assembly elevated Palestine to a nonmember observer state, or references to historic Palestine.” 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀: While termed refugee camps, the refugee centers in Gaza are developed and densely populated neighborhoods dating to the 1948 war. Refer to them as neighborhoods, or areas, and if further context is necessary, explain how they have historically been called refugee camps. Words like ‘𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿,’ ‘𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲’ and ‘𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲’ often convey more emotion than information. Think hard before using them in our own voice. 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁: It is accurate to use ‘terrorism’ and ‘terrorist’ in describing the attacks of Oct. 7. Avoid ‘𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀’ when referring to the Oct. 7 attack; the term suggests a conventional war rather than a deliberate attack on civilians. And 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 ‘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀,’ which is interpreted in different ways and may be confusing to readers. Similarly, in addition to ‘terrorists,’ we can vary the terms used to describe the Hamas members who carried out the assault: attackers, assailants, gunmen.” 𝗢𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: When possible, avoid the term and be specific (e.g. Gaza, the West Bank, etc.) as each has a slightly different status.” https://lnkd.in/g8zZSTXi

Today marks the #InternationalDayinsupportofPalestinianJournalists – a day nominated by the International Federation of Journalists to show solidarity with their Palestinian counterparts. According to the Federation, 102 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war broke out, 95 of them Palestinians, in what UN experts have described as the “most dangerous conflict for journalists in recent history”. That figure, horrifying as it is, pales in comparison to the growing number of Palestinians killed by Israel over the past few months, which is expected to pass 30,000 this week – almost as many as the number of Ukrainian soldiers who have been killed in the two years since Russia’s invasion, where the number of civilian casualties is far lower. The Israeli government is pressing ahead with plans to attack Rafah – the southern border town where an estimated 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering – despite gentle admonishments from its allies, in what feels like the most dystopian of groundhog days. When, if ever, is the Australian government going to take a proper stand against this genocide? https://lnkd.in/gJZn-4r2

In the latest MUST-READ piece on The Washington Outsider, Giovanni Giacalone provides a breakdown of the events around the Bologna-based Pakistani hate preacher Zulfiqar Khan, discussing the latest developments including Khan's attack on an Egyptian convert to Christianity and on members of the Italian government. Amidst all of this, the Minister of Interior appears to be MIA, leaving lower-ranking officials in charge of handling the mess. SCANDAL! #Islamism #Islamists #terrorism #counterterrorism #extremism #counterextremism #intelligence #counterintelligence #Israel #Europe #EU #EuropeanUnion #characterassassination #nationalsecurity #security #informationwarfare #propaganda #disinformation #foreignpolicy #foreignaffairs #diplomacy #geopolitics #Hamas #middleeast #Iran #Gaza

Morocco: King Mohammed VI gets France’s support on Western Sahara, pardons some jailed journalists and activists: King Mohammed VI of #Morocco is celebrating 25 years on the throne. The event was celebrated nationwide, and in a give-and-take moment, the King receiving a massive gift from #France and gave back the freedom to some journalists and activists who have been in prison. The gift the King received was in the form of a letter from French president, Emmanuel Macron, announcing France’s alignment to Morocco’s position on the #WesternSahara crisis. In the letter, President Macron proclaimed Morocco's autonomy plan for the Western Sahara as the "only basis" for resolving the conflict, a position that is now in sharp contrast to the stance of neutrality Paris adopted for decades. This now puts France on the side of Morocco among the many top nations that have sided with the Kingdom on the issue, including Spain and the United States. Continue here: https://lnkd.in/e75cD-dg

It is very important to have a clear view on the problem before eg demanding universities to cut ties with Israeli institutions. It is a difficult situation in Gaza and in Palestine in general. Wishing peace for the innocent living there, but I am outraged by all the protests in the western world demanding all sorts of things from governments and universities. I find the way all is portrait during the protests shocking and humiliating to the people of Israel and especially to the innocent who lost their lives in the October 7th massacre and the poor souls still held captive in Gaza by Hamas. I hate the suffering of the people in Gaza, but please stop shouting all this nonsense. It is all too easy the way it is portrayed in the pro Palestine protests and a bit of contemplation is of utmost need. I find it all difficult as I think it is all shifting more and more towards negative views on Israel in general but also on Jews overall not being able to take into account the different views held by the people of Israel on the problem and the massacre in Gaza. The views of the state of Israel does not necessarily reflect the views of the people. Just look at the many protests in Israel to ask for a ceasefire. Next to this within Israeli politics and the different institutions including for example IDF and secret services there is a lot of debate on the way the war is being fought and the suffering of the people of Gaza and the acceptability of the current violence. The country is divided and this is also mentioned in media, however the level of detail is very minimal. I find it all leaning towards antisemitism and a loss of ability to judge the Hamas actions and sometimes even referring to the attacks as a way of resistance to the Israeli suppression justifying the horrifying violence. Open up, do your research. You will find eg many peace projects by Palestinians and Israeli on all levels and within all sectors. I am posting this, because these protests are hurting me and with so many people openly speaking up for a free Palestine in a simplistic way and the way of coverage of the war by media, I feel it is my obligation given the difficult relations with Jews in the history and especially the Second World War most recently to ask for attention as it is very much shifting towards full blown antisemitism. We must not forget. Please try to take into account that it is also the wish of the majority of Israeli to live peaceful together and for the conflict to be finally solved respecting the rights of the Palestinians and acknowledging their suffering throughout the years without the presence of terrorist or extremist groups leading to continuous escalation and violence.

Morocco: King Mohammed VI gets France’s support on Western Sahara, pardons some jailed journalists and activists: King Mohammed VI of #Morocco is celebrating 25 years on the throne. The event was celebrated nationwide, and in a give-and-take moment, the King receiving a massive gift from #France and gave back the freedom to some journalists and activists who have been in prison. The gift the King received was in the form of a letter from French president, Emmanuel Macron, announcing France’s alignment to Morocco’s position on the #WesternSahara crisis. In the letter, President Macron proclaimed Morocco's autonomy plan for the Western Sahara as the "only basis" for resolving the conflict, a position that is now in sharp contrast to the stance of neutrality Paris adopted for decades. This now puts France on the side of Morocco among the many top nations that have sided with the Kingdom on the issue, including Spain and the United States. Continue here: https://lnkd.in/e75cD-dg