You are here

Feed aggregator

Schweiz - Ukraine: Vier Jahre Krieg in der Ukraine: Diese Hilfen leistet der Bund

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 10:24
Seit dem Beginn der grossangelegten russischen Invasion am 24. Februar 2022 hat der Bund die ukrainische Bevölkerung im In- und Ausland mit mehr als sechs Milliarden Franken unterstützt. Auch in den kommenden Jahren sollen die Hilfsgelder weiter fliessen.

Deportation of Chagos Islanders blocked by judge

BBC Africa - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 10:22
A court upholds a challenge about the lawfulness of the orders to remove four men who travelled to the territory.

Ode to U.S. Civil Rights Icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr: A Life That Carried the Rainbow

Africa - INTER PRESS SERVICE - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 10:06

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was saddened to learn of the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a giant of the civil rights movement in the US and a longtime champion of human rights, equality and justice around the world. Credit: United Nations

By Purnaka L. de Silva
NEW YORK, Feb 20 2026 (IPS)

When the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. declared, “Keep hope alive,” it was not a slogan. It was a discipline. It was a moral posture. It was a promise to those America had locked out of its prosperity and pushed to the margins of its democracy. And for more than five decades, Jackson kept that promise – organizing, marching, preaching, negotiating, and standing in solidarity with oppressed peoples at home and abroad.

In mourning Jackson, the United States does not simply bid farewell to a towering civil rights leader. It salutes one of the architects of modern American conscience.

The Heir to a Movement, the Builder of a Coalition

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Jackson came of age in the crucible of segregation. As a young activist, he worked alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, absorbing the lessons of nonviolent resistance while sharpening his own gifts for oratory and mobilization. After King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson did not retreat into despair. He stepped forward.

In 1971, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), later merging it into the Rainbow Coalition. That phrase – Rainbow Coalition – was not rhetorical flourish. It was strategic genius. Jackson understood that America’s power structure thrived on division: Black against white, native-born against immigrant, worker against worker. His coalition sought to transcend those fault lines.

Black, brown, yellow, and poor white Americans; labor unions; family farmers; peace activists; Arab Americans; Jewish progressives; Asian Americans; Latinos; Native Americans—Jackson invited them all into a shared moral project. In the 1980s, when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, millions who had never seen themselves reflected in presidential politics suddenly felt visible. He did not win the presidency. But he expanded the boundaries of who could plausibly seek it.

In doing so, Jackson helped pave the road that others would travel – most notably Barack Obama who went on to become the first African American President of the United States of America. Without the Rainbow Coalition, the arc of American political inclusion would have bent far more slowly.

Internationalism as Moral Imperative

Jackson’s courage was not confined to domestic battles. At a time when Cold War orthodoxy and Middle East politics discouraged nuance and punished dissent, he insisted that American moral credibility required consistency.

He extended solidarity to the oppressed people of Palestine long before it was politically fashionable – or safe – to do so. Jackson argued that the dignity and rights of Palestinians were inseparable from the universal principles Americans claimed to cherish. He sought dialogue with leaders across divides, believing that empathy was not endorsement, and that engagement was a prerequisite for peace.

He was equally forthright in condemning South Africa’s apartheid regime. While many U.S. leaders hedged or prioritized strategic interests, Jackson stood with the anti-apartheid movement. He supported sanctions and economic pressure to dismantle a system that codified racial subjugation. When Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years of imprisonment, Jackson was among those who celebrated not only a man’s freedom but a nation’s rebirth.

In both Palestine and South Africa, Jackson’s stance reflected a deeper conviction: that civil rights were not an American export but a universal birthright. His faith demanded it. His politics operationalized it.

Faith, Integrity, and the Politics of Presence

Jackson was first and always a preacher. His sermons were political, but his politics were pastoral. He believed that despair was the greatest ally of injustice. To tell the forgotten that they mattered was itself an act of resistance.

He traveled where others would not. He negotiated for the release of hostages in Syria and Cuba. He met with heads of state and with families in housing projects. He listened.

Critics sometimes accused him of courting controversy or of grandstanding. But Jackson understood a hard truth: marginalized communities often need someone willing to occupy uncomfortable space on their behalf. Silence, in his view, was complicity.

His life was not without flaws or missteps. No life of consequence is. Yet what distinguished Jackson was his refusal to abandon the struggle. He endured political setbacks, media caricatures, and internal party resistance. He persisted.

Leadership, he demonstrated, is not about perfection. It is about fidelity—to principles, to people, to purpose.

The Rainbow as a Democratic Blueprint

In an era increasingly defined by polarization, Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition reads less like a relic of the 1980s and more like a blueprint for democratic survival. He recognized demographic change not as a threat but as a promise. He saw in America’s diversity the possibility of moral and economic renewal.

He championed voting rights, labor protections, public education, and economic justice. He opposed apartheid abroad and discrimination at home. He insisted that foreign policy reflect domestic values and that domestic policy reckon with global inequality.

The Rainbow was not naïve about power. It was strategic. It sought to translate moral energy into electoral leverage. Jackson registered voters. He built grassroots networks. He forced party platforms to incorporate issues once dismissed as fringe.

His presidential campaigns altered the calculus of American politics. They demonstrated that Black candidates could compete nationally, that poor and working-class voters could be mobilized across racial lines, and that progressive foreign policy positions had a constituency.

A Hand Extended Across Divides

Perhaps Jackson’s most underappreciated gift was his willingness to extend a hand of friendship where animosity seemed entrenched. He believed in meeting adversaries face-to-face. He believed that even hardened systems could yield to persistent moral pressure.

In Palestine, Rev. Jesse Jackson Senior spoke of human rights and mutual recognition. In South Africa, he, spoke of freedom and reconciliation. At home, he, spoke of multiracial democracy.

When few American leaders dared to articulate solidarity with Palestinians living under occupation, Jackson did. When Washington’s establishment hesitated to confront Pretoria’s apartheid regime, Jackson did not. His courage was not abstract. It was embodied in travel, in speeches, in alliances, in risks taken.

He paid political costs for these positions. But he did not recalibrate his convictions to suit prevailing winds.

The Best of the United States

To commemorate Jesse Jackson is to acknowledge the paradox of America itself. He emerged from a nation scarred by slavery and segregation, yet he believed in its redemptive capacity. He criticized its failures unsparingly, yet he invested his life in its institutions.

He was, in that sense, profoundly patriotic.

The United States at its best is not defined by military might or economic dominance. It is defined by its capacity for self-correction. By its willingness to expand the circle of belonging. By its recognition that justice delayed is democracy diminished.

Jackson embodied that tradition. He did not romanticize America. He challenged it. He called it to live up to its founding ideals – not selectively, but universally.

As debates rage today over voting rights, racial equity, immigration, Middle East policy, and America’s global role, Jackson’s life offers a moral compass. He reminds us that coalitions are built, not assumed. That solidarity is practiced, not proclaimed. That hope is sustained through organization.

Keeping Hope Alive

In the final analysis, Jesse Jackson’s greatest achievement may have been psychological. He taught millions that their voices mattered. That they were not condemned to permanent marginalization. That politics could be an instrument of empowerment rather than exclusion.

For Black Americans who had never seen a serious presidential bid from one of their own, he opened a door. For Palestinians seeking recognition of their humanity, he offered validation. For South Africans resisting apartheid, he offered solidarity. For workers, immigrants, and the poor, he offered a coalition.

He lived the conviction that the struggle for justice is indivisible.

Today, as the rainbow he envisioned faces new storms, the measure of our tribute will not be in words but in action. To honor Jesse Jackson is to organize. To vote. To speak. To stand with the oppressed – whether in Chicago, Johannesburg, or Gaza. To build alliances across lines others insist are permanent.

He demonstrated that leadership grounded in faith, integrity, and courage can alter a nation’s trajectory. He showed that America’s story is not finished – and that its best chapters are written by those who refuse to surrender to cynicism.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. kept hope alive.

The question now is whether we will.

Purnaka L. de Silva, Ph.D., is College and University Adjunct Professor of the Year 2022, Best Adjunct Professor 2024-2025 and Nominated Best Adjunct Professor 2026 at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations Seton Hall University; Visiting Professor Sol Plaatje University Faculty of Humanities; Director Institute of Strategic Studies and Democracy (ISSD) Malta; and Strategic Advisor Lead Integrity.

IPS UN Bureau

 


!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');  

Loipen-Debakel in Italien: Skigebiet schlägt Alarm wegen Rücksichtslos-Touristen

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 10:02
In Trentino zerstören Spaziergänger und Schneeschuhläufer frisch präparierte Langlaufloipen. Die Betreiber wenden sich an die Öffentlichkeit und warnen: Es drohen Mehrkosten und Stürze.
Categories: Africa, Swiss News

India elnökével találkozott Pellegrini, hogy elmélyítsék az együttműködést

Bumm.sk (Szlovákia/Felvidék) - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 10:00
TASR: Peter Pellegrini köztársasági elnök csütörtökön (2. 19.) Újdelhiben találkozott Draupadi Murmura indiai államfővel. Pellegrini úgy fogalmazott, Szlovákia készen áll az együttműködés elmélyítésére Indiával, beleértve az ösztöndíjakat, a cserediákprogramokat és a technológiai képzéseket – közölte Pellegrini a Facebookon.

Rega im Einsatz: Rollerfahrerin wird in Reichenburg angefahren und schwer verletzt

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:54
Eine Rollerfahrerin ist am Donnerstag in Reichenburg SZ bei einem Unfall erheblich verletzt worden. Die 34-Jährige wurde um 21.35 Uhr von hinten von einem Auto angefahren. Sie verlor die Kontrolle über ihr Motorrad und stürzte.
Categories: Africa, Swiss News

Les deux fermes sénégalaises qui fournissent une grande partie des légumes consommés au Royaume-Uni

BBC Afrique - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:50
Pendant l'hiver en Grande-Bretagne, des produits frais sont expédiés chaque semaine par cargo depuis ce pays d'Afrique occidentale.
Categories: Afrique, European Union

Elektrogeflüster Folge 18: Mythencheck 2.0: Droht bei zu vielen E-Autos der Blackout?

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:50
Von der Sorge um überlastete Netze bis hin zum Vorwurf der Emotionslosigkeit: Das sind die neusten Mythen rund um die E-Mobilität.
Categories: Africa, Swiss News

«Prizefighter»: Nach ihrem Comeback veröffentlichen Mumford & Sons ein neues Album

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:49
Am Freitag erscheint das sechste Album der britischen Folk-Rock-Band Mumford & Sons. «Prizefighter» erinnert stark an die Anfänge der Gruppe. Keystone-SDA hat mit dem Keyboarder Ben Lovett und dem Bassisten Ted Dwane gesprochen.

Athènes envisage une clause pour exclure la Turquie des futurs contrats d’armement

Euractiv.fr - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:45

Athènes pointe particulièrement du doigt l'Allemagne dans le cadre des négociations visant à l'achat de nouveaux sous-marins.

The post Athènes envisage une clause pour exclure la Turquie des futurs contrats d’armement appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Rätselhafter Tod in Thailand: Asos-Mitgründer stürzt aus 17. Stock

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:45
Quentin Griffiths, Mitgründer des Modehändlers Asos, starb nach einem Sturz aus dem 17. Stock seines Apartments in Thailand. Die Polizei untersucht, ob Fremdverschulden vorliegt.

Englische Härte dient als Vorbild: Jans will Fussball-Chaoten rote Karte zeigen

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:44
Nach Krawallen beim YB-Spiel gegen Aston Villa und harten Strafen in England könnte die Schweiz nachziehen. Justizminister Beat Jans will Schnellrichterurteile prüfen, um Gewalt in Stadien effizienter zu ahnden.

Vorwürfe gegen Russland: Polizei verhindert Attentat auf hochrangige ukrainische Persönlichkeiten

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:38
Die ukrainische Polizei hat eine Agentengruppe aus Moldau festgenommen. Sie plante laut den Behörden, gezielte Tötungen von ukrainischen Politikern und Journalisten. Die Verdächtigen sammelten Informationen über ihre Opfer und warteten auf Befehle.

Bilder zeigen meterhohen Schnee: Glacier 3000 – 184 Zentimeter Neuschnee in 7 Tagen

Blick.ch - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:36
Glacier 3000 bei Les Diablerets VD erlebte mit 184 Zentimetern Neuschnee und starken Winden in nur einer Woche extreme Winterbedingungen. Über 840 Zentimeter Schnee sind es seit November! Die Lawinengefahr bleibt auf Stufe 4 – Vorsicht ist geboten.
Categories: European Union, Swiss News

Human Rights Watch: Az USA Trump alatt "az emberi jogok teljes ökoszisztémája ellen fordul"

Bumm.sk (Szlovákia/Felvidék) - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:30
Trump visszatérése a Fehér Házba felerősítette az emberi jogok "lefelé tartó spirálját", amely Oroszország és Kína nyomására már korábban is zajlott – olvasható a Human Rights Watch által közzétett éves világjelentésben.

Tunisian MP jailed for eight months over posts mocking president

BBC Africa - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:01
The MP was arrested this month after mocking the president's handling of the recent floods in the country.
Categories: Africa, Défense

Les émissaires de Trump sèment la pagaille en Europe

Euractiv.fr - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:00

Dans l'édition de vendredi, également : Qatargate, migration en Espagne.

The post Les émissaires de Trump sèment la pagaille en Europe appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Csak 34 fityinget romlott a forint: 379,19 HUF = 1 euró

Bumm.sk (Szlovákia/Felvidék) - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 09:00
Mfor.hu: Gyengült kissé a forint péntek (2. 20.) reggel a nemzetközi devizapiacon. Az euró hét órakor 379,19 forinton állt, magasabban a csütörtök esti 378,85 forintnál. A dollár jegyzése 322,12 forintról 322,55 forintra erősödött, a svájci franké pedig 415,20 forintról 415,77 forintra emelkedett. (MTI)

Blanár megfigyelőként vett részt Trump béketanácsának alakuló ülésén

Bumm.sk (Szlovákia/Felvidék) - Fri, 02/20/2026 - 08:30
A béketanács jelenleg az egyetlen releváns kezdeményezés, amely békés rendezést hozhat el a Gázai övezetben és az egész Közel-Keleten – jelentette csütörtökön (2. 19.) Juraj Blanár külügyminiszter, aki megfigyelőként vett részt a Donald Trump "békeszervének" washingtoni alakuló ülésén.

Attacks on Kurds and other minorities in Syria – answering citizens’ concerns

We replied to those who took the time to write to the President.

Main elements of our reply Violence in north‑east Syria may amount to war crimes

In its resolution of 12 February 2026 on the situation in north‑east Syria, the European Parliament expresses concern over credible reports of human rights violations, particularly against the Kurdish population – which may constitute war crimes.

Parliament calls for swift investigations into crimes against civilians by government forces and militias, and urges the Syrian authorities to grant full access to UN bodies.

The European Parliament welcomes the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian transitional government, calling on all parties to respect the ceasefire. It denounces Turkey’s continued military intervention in north‑east Syria.

Parliament recalls the decisive contribution of Kurdish forces against Daesh and expresses grave concern over Daesh fighters who have escaped from detention.

It calls on Syrian authorities to protect all ethnic and religious communities, ensuring full recognition, participation and rights for Kurds.

A press release about this resolution is available on the European Parliament’s website. Parliament also adopted resolutions on Syria and the Kurdish community in May 2025, July 2025 and January 2026, during its current mandate.

European Union foreign policy

Although the European Parliament takes political positions on world developments, it is the governments of EU countries that decide the EU’s common foreign and security policy in both the European Council (heads of government) and the Council of the EU (government ministers). The European External Action Service, led by High Representative Kaja Kallas, implements the EU’s foreign and security policy.

Background

Citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament expressing their views and/or requesting action. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP) within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) replies to these messages, which may sometimes be identical as part of wider public campaigns.

Categories: Défense, European Union

Pages

THIS IS THE NEW BETA VERSION OF EUROPA VARIETAS NEWS CENTER - under construction
the old site is here

Copy & Drop - Can`t find your favourite site? Send us the RSS or URL to the following address: info(@)europavarietas(dot)org.