博客

The Arab media landscape is mourning the loss of Jamal Rayyan, the pioneering broadcaster and foundational voice of Al Jazeera, who passed away at age 72. With a distinguished career spanning over five decades, Rayyan’s death signifies the closing of a transformative chapter in modern Arab journalism.

Rayyan’s legacy is inextricably linked to the rise of Al Jazeera, where he made history as the first presenter to appear on the network during its 1996 launch broadcast. His authoritative delivery and distinctive style became synonymous with the channel’s identity, helping establish it as a formidable international broadcaster that challenged conventional media narratives across the region.

Born in Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank on August 23, 1953, Rayyan held Jordanian citizenship. His Palestinian roots profoundly influenced his perspective throughout a career that would span multiple countries and major media institutions. He began his journey in 1974 as a broadcaster on Jordanian radio and television before expanding his reach to international platforms including the Korean Broadcasting System, Emirates Television, and the BBC.

For nearly three decades, Rayyan remained one of Al Jazeera’s most recognizable and trusted faces, presenting news and political programs that reached millions of viewers across the Arab world and beyond. Colleagues and audiences alike remember him as a transformative professional who expanded spaces for political debate and public discussion through Arabic-language broadcasting.

Rayyan’s passing represents the end of an era for the generation of journalists who redefined Arab media in the late 20th century. Throughout his half-century career, he left an indelible imprint on television journalism and inspired countless younger reporters entering the field. He will be remembered not only as a pioneering broadcaster but also as an enduring symbol of Al Jazeera’s formative years, when the network emerged as one of the most influential voices in regional media.

China’s annual Consumer Rights Day gala has uncovered alarming food safety violations in the poultry processing industry, revealing widespread use of toxic chemicals to bleach chicken feet for aesthetic enhancement. The nationally televised 3.15 Gala, produced by China Central Television, documented how producers are illegally using hydrogen peroxide to transform chicken feet into visually appealing but potentially hazardous products.

Undercover investigations in Sichuan province and Chongqing municipality exposed multiple facilities operating without proper health certifications or sanitation protocols. At Chengdu’s Mingyang food production workshop—a preliminary processing site for Shufuxiang Food Co—reporters documented filthy conditions where chicken feet underwent chemical bleaching processes. Workers openly admitted using hydrogen peroxide, a strong oxidizer banned in food processing, to achieve the desirable white appearance.

The investigation expanded to reveal similar practices at Zengqiao Food Co in Chongqing, where barrels labeled with hydrogen peroxide concentrations as high as 35% were discovered. Employees at both facilities acknowledged avoiding the chemically treated products themselves while continuing to produce them for market distribution.

Medical experts warn that hydrogen peroxide consumption destroys proteins and nutrients in food, potentially damaging oral mucosa, liver, and kidney function. Excessive intake can prove life-threatening, raising significant public health concerns about long-term consumption.

Following the exposé, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation launched immediate enforcement actions, conducting surprise inspections and seizing numerous barrels of hydrogen peroxide from implicated facilities. Initial findings confirm Shufuxiang had purchased over 5,242 barrels of the chemical since May 2025 specifically for chicken feet processing.

The Sichuan Market Supervision Administration has announced a comprehensive province-wide rectification campaign targeting food production and processing standards, signaling intensified regulatory scrutiny following the consumer rights revelation.