In brief
Peter Arnett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning war reporter who covered significant global conflicts from Vietnam to Iraq, has died at the age of 91. Celebrated for his fearless journalism and powerful storytelling, Arnett's contributions left a lasting impact on war reporting. His legacy includes winning a Pulitzer for his Vietnam War coverage and being a prominent face during the first Gulf War. He is survived by his wife and children.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and war correspondent Peter Arnett has died at the age of 91, US media has reported.
Arnett won the international reporting prize in 1996 for his Vietnam War coverage at the Associated Press (AP). But he was also well known for his work at CNN, having become a household name while reporting on the first Gulf War.
His career spanned decades and covered several conflicts in countries including Iraq, Vietnam, and El Salvador.
The New Zealand-born journalist died on Wednesday surrounded by family and friends in California, his son told reporters. He was receiving hospice care for prostate cancer.
Arnett first worked for AP as a wire-service correspondent in Vietnam, from 1962 until the war's end in 1975, often accompanying troops on missions.
At a talk in 2013, he recalled witnessing a soldier being shot in Vietnam while he paused to read a map, a haunting moment that encapsulated the perils of war reporting.
In 1997, he became the first Western journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan. Arnett continued his career at NBC, where he was controversially sacked after criticizing US military strategy during the Iraq War.
Throughout his life, Arnett was recognized for his fearless approach to journalism and his commitment to truth, leaving a remarkable legacy that inspires ongoing generations of journalists.
Arnett is survived by his wife Nina Nguyen and their children, Andrew and Elsa. He will be remembered as one of the greatest war correspondents of his generation.
