标签： Africa

Reverend Jesse Jackson, the towering figure of America’s civil rights movement and one of the nation’s most influential African American voices, passed away peacefully on Tuesday at age 84, according to a family announcement. The Baptist minister’s six-decade career spanned from marching alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to pioneering presidential politics that paved the way for the nation’s first Black president.

The Jackson family confirmed his passing without disclosing the specific cause, though the reverend had publicly disclosed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2017. Recent months had seen hospitalizations related to additional neurodegenerative conditions.

In an emotional statement, Jackson’s family memorialized him as “a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.” They urged supporters to “honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by” — justice, equality, and unconditional love.

Jackson’s remarkable journey began in segregated Greenville, South Carolina, where he was born Jesse Louis Burns to a teenage mother in 1941. His self-described background — “I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had a shovel programmed for my hands” — fueled his determination to overcome racial barriers through education and activism.

His civil rights career ignited in 1965 during the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, where he captured Dr. King’s attention. Jackson would later stand beside King during the tragic Memphis assassination in 1968. His activism evolved into political history-making when he became the most prominent Black presidential candidate until Barack Obama’s election, running twice for the Democratic nomination in the 1980s.

President Obama acknowledged this legacy on social media: “We stood on his shoulders,” recognizing Jackson’s foundational role in making his own historic presidency possible.

Beyond domestic activism, Jackson emerged as an international mediator, negotiating prisoner releases in Syria, Iraq, and Serbia while advocating against South African apartheid. He founded the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 1996, continuing his social justice work through political activism and organizational leadership.

Political figures across the spectrum offered tributes, from President Donald Trump’s description of Jackson as “a force of nature” to Vice President Kamala Harris’s characterization of him as “one of America’s greatest patriots.” Former President Joe Biden remembered Jackson’s “determined and tenacious” spirit in the ongoing fight to “redeem the soul of our Nation.”

Jackson’s presence marked pivotal moments in racial justice history — from weeping at Obama’s 2008 victory to standing with George Floyd’s family during the 2021 trial. He is survived by his wife and six children, leaving a legacy that forever altered America’s political and social landscape.

The United Arab Emirates has officially confirmed the commencement of Ramadan 2026 following the successful sighting of the crescent moon on February 17. The Moon-Sighting Committee, convening at Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi, verified the astronomical event that marks the beginning of Islam’s holiest month.

The UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments has released comprehensive prayer schedules for the duration of Ramadan. According to the announcement, February 18 will mark the first day of fasting for millions of Muslims across the Emirates. The atmosphere throughout the UAE was filled with anticipation as communities gathered to witness the celestial phenomenon that determines the Ramadan timeline.

Regional synchronization sees several Gulf Cooperation Council nations aligning their observances. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain have concurrently confirmed February 18 as their Ramadan commencement date following successful moon sightings. However, Oman has declared a divergent start date of February 19 after its astronomical committee reported no visual confirmation of the crescent moon on February 17.

The announcement triggers widespread adjustments across UAE society, from modified business hours to altered dining patterns and special spiritual activities. The holy month represents a period of intensified worship, reflection, and community bonding for Muslim residents, while also influencing the daily rhythms of the entire population regardless of faith background.

In a significant religious synchronization, numerous nations across the Middle East have collectively confirmed the commencement of Ramadan 2026 on February 18 following successful moon sightings on Tuesday evening. The holy month’s initiation was formally declared by religious authorities and governmental bodies across the region.

The United Arab Emirates’ Moon Sighting Committee officially verified crescent visibility, setting February 18 as the inaugural day of Ramadan. Similar announcements echoed throughout the Gulf region with Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court, Qatar’s religious authorities, and Kuwait’s official channels all confirming identical start dates.

Bahrain’s news agency, Iraq’s governmental offices, and Yemen’s official sources simultaneously proclaimed Wednesday as the first day of fasting. Lebanon and Palestine joined the regional consensus, with Palestinian authorities confirming February 18th as their Ramadan commencement date.

This synchronization demonstrates the remarkable astronomical alignment across these nations. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, represents one of the Five Pillars of Islam where observant Muslims abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn until sunset. The month holds profound spiritual significance for the global Muslim community, emphasizing prayer, reflection, and communal unity.

The collective announcement facilitates regional harmony in religious observance, allowing millions of Muslims to begin their spiritual journey simultaneously. This coordination is particularly important for international families, businesses operating across multiple Muslim countries, and religious travelers seeking consistent observance schedules.

A spontaneous gold rush has erupted in the informal settlement of Gugulethu, east of Johannesburg, transforming a former cattle pen into a scene of frenzied excavation. The discovery of gold particles by a local resident several days ago triggered an influx of fortune seekers armed with pickaxes and shovels, all hoping to uncover valuable nuggets in the soil of this economically depressed region.

Springs, once a prosperous mining town, faced economic collapse when formal mining operations ceased years ago due to the prohibitive depth and cost of extraction. Now, the area surrounding this ghost of South Africa’s golden era has become home to informal settlements populated largely by migrants from neighboring countries.

Despite government warnings declaring the activities illegal and environmentally destructive, dozens of residents continue to sift through soil using dangerous chemicals like mercury and sodium cyanide to separate gold from ore. Several participants confirmed to BBC reporters that they had successfully sold findings on the black market, where a single gram of gold fetches approximately $100 – a substantial sum compared to South Africa’s monthly minimum wage of $368.

The mining ministry has expressed grave concerns about ground instability caused by unregulated excavation, warning that nearby communities face “significant risk of injury or loss of life.” This development occurs against the backdrop of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcement to deploy military forces to combat illegal mining operations and criminal gangs nationwide.

Many miners acknowledge the illegality of their actions but plead for official mining permits that would allow them to work legally and pay taxes. As one anonymous father of two explained, the desperate economic circumstances leave few alternatives for providing education and sustenance for his family.