Ramadan -- Feb 17 to March 19 this year

 

Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a period of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection, and community. It commemorates the month in which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. 

Ramadan 2026 Dates

Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, dates shift roughly 11 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. 

• Start: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (first full day of fasting was Wednesday, Feb 18).
• End: Expected around Wednesday, March 18 or Thursday, March 19, 2026.
• Eid al-Fitr: The "Festival of Breaking the Fast" marks the end of Ramadan, expected around March 19 or 20, 2026. 

Core Practices

• Fasting: One of the Five Pillars of Islam. Healthy adult Muslims abstain from all food, drink (including water), smoking, and sexual relations from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib).
• Daily Meals:
  • Suhoor: The pre-dawn meal consumed before the fast begins.
  • Iftar: The meal to break the fast at sunset, traditionally starting with dates and water.
• Spirituality: Increased prayer, recitation of the entire Quran, and nightly communal prayers called Tarawih are central to the month.
• Charity: Known as Zakat or Sadaqah, Muslims are encouraged to be extra generous and support those in need. 

Exemptions

Fasting is not required for those who are ill, traveling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating. Children are also exempt until they reach puberty, though many participate in "half-day" fasts to practice. 

Greetings

Common ways to wish someone a blessed month include:

• Ramadan Mubarak: "Blessed Ramadan".
• Ramadan Kareem: "Generous Ramadan". 

Starvation remains a problem in DPRK

Yes, starvation remains a significant and systemic problem in the 

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)

 as of early 2026. While the country is not currently experiencing a nationwide famine on the scale of the "Arduous March" of the 1990s, food insecurity has reached its most critical level in decades. 

Current Food Security Status

• Widespread Malnutrition: Approximately 12 million people—nearly half the population—are estimated to be undernourished.
• Starvation Reports: Reliable accounts from inside the country, including those collected by the BBC, indicate that some North Koreans have recently starved to death in their homes as informal markets and coping mechanisms collapsed.
• Stunting: Chronic malnutrition is evident in the physical development of children; one in five North Korean children suffer from stunting (being too short for their age). 

Key Drivers of the Crisis

The current situation is exacerbated by a combination of government policy, environmental factors, and international isolation: 

• Isolation & Border Closures: Strict border controls initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted the import of grain, fertilizer, and farming machinery.
• Economic Mismanagement: The regime continues to prioritize funding for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs over agricultural investment.
• Extreme Weather: Successive years of drought, heatwaves, and severe flooding (notably in 2023 and 2024) have devastated crop yields.
• Market Crackdowns: The government has recently reasserted control over private food sales, banning many items from local markets (Jangmadang) and forcing people to rely on a failing state distribution system. 

Regional Disparities

Food availability is highly unequal. While the elite in Pyongyang often have access to relatively stable supplies, those in rural areas and northern provinces face the highest risk of acute hunger. Vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and orphans, are frequently the most affected when rations are cut. 

Despite offers of humanitarian assistance from the UN, South Korea, and Russia, the DPRK leadership has frequently rejected aid, insisting on national "self-reliance" even as prices for staples like rice and corn reach record highs. 

These reports detail the critical food security situation in North Korea, including widespread malnutrition and government market crackdowns:

https://youtu.be/I2QZJAONJFI?si=7WzQXsrzYl222UH3

About the Reagan amnesty for certain immigrants (1986)

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), also known as the Simpson-Mazzoli Act, which granted legal status to approximately 2.7 to 3 million undocumented immigrants. 

Who Was Eligible?

The "amnesty" primarily applied to two specific groups: 

• Long-term Residents (LAWs): Undocumented immigrants who could prove they had resided in the U.S. continuously since January 1, 1982.
• Special Agricultural Workers (SAWs): Immigrants who had performed at least 90 days of seasonal agricultural work in the year leading up to May 1986. 

Requirements for Applicants

To qualify, individuals had to meet several strict criteria:

• Documentation: Provide proof of continuous residency, employment history, and financial stability.
• Good Moral Character: Pass a criminal background check and prove they had not been convicted of any felony or three or more misdemeanors.
• Civic Knowledge: Demonstrate a minimal knowledge of U.S. history, government, and the English language.
• Fees: Pay a processing fee (roughly $185) and, in some cases, back taxes. 

Key Provisions of the Act

The law was a bipartisan compromise that combined legalization with enforcement measures: 

• Employer Sanctions: For the first time, it became illegal for employers to knowingly hire undocumented workers, mandated by the introduction of the I-9 form.
• Border Security: The act authorized increased funding and resources for the U.S. Border Patrol.
• Path to Citizenship: Successful applicants were granted temporary legal status, which could be converted to permanent residency (a green card) after 18 months, eventually leading to citizenship eligibility. 

Reagan's 1987 Executive Action

Because the 1986 law did not address the status of spouses and children who didn't qualify on their own, Reagan used his executive authority in 1987 to grant a deferral of deportation for minor children (under 18) living with a parent who had been granted amnesty. This action affected approximately 100,000 families. 

         A Facebook inquiry by CSPAN inspired this post.