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Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Video shows terrifying moment man tries to snatch child at supermarket

February 18, 2026
Video shows terrifying moment man tries to snatch child at supermarket

It's every parent's biggest fear. A shocking video shows a man attempting to snatch a child away from her mother at a northern Italian supermarket.

USA TODAY

The incident occurred at Esselunga mall in Bergamo on Saturday, Feb. 14, Storyful reported.

Surveillance footageshared by the Italian State Policecaptured the alleged attacker grabbing the girl before trying to flee, resulting in a violent physical confrontation between the man, the child's parents and other witnesses on the scene.

"The woman's resistance prevented the worst from happening until her father, the security guards, and the bystanders stopped the attacker until the police arrived," police said in the press release translated to English.

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Watch video of the attempted kidnapping

Children dressed as pandas perform during a night parade celebrating the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse, in Hong Kong, China, February 17, 2026. People watch as a performer blows fire during Lunar New Year celebrations at Chinatown in Binondo, Manila, Philippines, February 17, 2026. People attend Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations during the 28th annual Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival in Chinatown on February 17, 2026 in New York City. Hundreds of people turned out to watch the festivities, which this year mark the Year of the Horse, which symbolizes energy, independence, and transformative change. Worshippers lights their incense sticks on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse, at the Taoist temple of Sin Sze Si Ya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia February 17, 2026. A performer blows fire during Lunar New Year celebrations at Chinatown in Binondo, Manila, Philippines, February 17, 2026. Offerings to Buddha consist of fruits, flowers and food for the first day of Lunar New Year at the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quincy Point on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The service was led by Temple Master Kuan Xian Shi, who is 95 and has been at the temple since its founding in 1995. The faithful gathered to pray on the first day of Lunar New Year at the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quincy Point on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The service was led by Temple Master Kuan Xian Shi, who is 95 and has been at the temple since its founding in 1995. People attend Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations during the 28th annual Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival in Chinatown on February 17, 2026 in New York City. Hundreds of people turned out to watch the festivities, which this year mark the Year of the Horse, which symbolizes energy, independence, and transformative change. People celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Horse in New York's Chinatown on February 17, 2026 in New York City. People perform dragon dance as Panama marks the Lunar New Year with celebrations in Panama City's Chinatown, ushering in the Year of the Fire Horse through traditional festivities aimed at preserving cultural heritage, in Panama City, Panama, February 17, 2026. People pray at a Chinese temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year, in Bangkok, Thailand, February 17, 2026. Residents set off fireworks on the first day of the Lunar New Year Festival in San Francisco's Chinatown district, California, February 16, 2026. People pray at a Chinese temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year, in Bangkok, Thailand, February 17, 2026. A part of a costume, during the lion dance on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing, China, February 17, 2026. People visit Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations in Binondo, Manila, Philippines, February 17, 2026. People visit Chinatown during Lunar New Year celebrations in Binondo, Manila, Philippines, February 17, 2026. Worshippers watch the lion dance performance on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse, near the Taoist Guan Di Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia February 17, 2026. People attend Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations during the 28th annual Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival in Chinatown on February 17, 2026 in New York City. Hundreds of people turned out to watch the festivities, which this year mark the Year of the Horse, which symbolizes energy, independence, and transformative change.

See Lunar New Year celebrations around the world full of color, tradition

Man arrested, charged following attempted kidnapping

A kidnapping attempt at an Italian grocery store ended when bystanders rushed in to help a mother protect her baby during a violent struggle.

According to the Italian State Police, the victim was transported to the hospital and was determined to have a fractured femur.

More news:Gisèle Pelicot's rape trial captivated world. Her memoir tells the story.

The unidentified man was arrested. Following an investigation, he was charged "with attempted aggravated kidnapping, as it was committed against a minor, and aggravated bodily harm," the news release from Italian police stated.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Man tries to snatch child in attempted kidnapping at supermarket

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Authorities are using deep-sea tech to try find the sunken fishing boat off Massachusetts

February 18, 2026
Authorities are using deep-sea tech to try find the sunken fishing boat off Massachusetts

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A coalition of authorities is deploying technology to try to locate the wreck of a fishing boat that sank last month off Massachusetts, killing all seven aboard. But winter weather and sea conditions have thus far slowed their efforts.

Associated Press Gryphon Orfanos, who in the past worked on the fishing vessel U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Boston, Captain of the Port and Commander Jamie Frederick, right, speaks during a news conference about the commercial fishing vessel, the Lily Jean, that sank off Gloucester, as Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey listens, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Gloucester, Mass. (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi) Christine Porper of Gloucester, Mass. pauses at the fisherman's memorial near the homeport of a fishing boat that went missing with seven onboard, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Gloucester, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Missing Fishing Boat

The 72-foot (22-meter) vessel Lily Jeanwas returning to portearly Jan. 30 to repair fishing gear when it sank in frigid Atlantic waters off the historic fishing port of Gloucester. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Massachusetts Environmental Police, are cooperating to try to find the wreck of the ship and potentially recover the bodies of the deceased, officials said Wednesday.

The Lily Jean sank in waters that were more than 300 feet deep and very inhospitable in winter. Environmental police have deployed side-scan sonar to try to gather data and detect anomalies on the ocean floor, officials said. They said they also hope to be able to send a remotely operated vehicle to the site to gather photos and video, but seas have thus far made that challenging.

Officials will provide updates to the community that is still grieving the loss of the victims, said Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican of Gloucester.

"One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing," Tarr said during a news conference on Wednesday. "Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort."

The Coast Guard initially launched a search and rescue mission after receiving an alert from the vessel about 25 miles (40 kilometers) off Cape Ann. Searchers found a debris field near where the alert was sent along with a body in the water and an empty life raft, the Coast Guard said. The search wassuspendedthe following day, and the community has rallied around the families of the victims since.

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Gloucester is America's oldest seaport and is well known for its close-knit fishing community. The book and movie "The Perfect Storm" were inspired by the FV Andrea Gail, which went missing at sea in 1991.

Coast Guard officials identified the victims of the sinking of the Lily Jean as captain Accursio "Gus" Sanfilippo and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien. Also aboard was Jada Samitt, a fisheries observer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Ricky Beal, brother of Paul Beal Sr., said during Wednesday's news conference that he is hopeful the investigation will help families in the community better understand what happened. He also encouraged anyone following the investigation not to spread false information about it.

"As of now, hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened. But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning," Beal said.

The Lily Jean, Sanfilippo, and his crew were featured in a 2012 episode of the History Channel show "Nor'Easter Men." The captain is described as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman, out of Gloucester, in the Georges Bank. The crew is shown working in dangerous weather conditions for hours on end, spending as many as 10 days offshore catching haddock, lobster and flounder.

Whittle reported from Portland, Maine.

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Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks End Abruptly

February 18, 2026
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks End Abruptly

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is pictured in Munich on Feb.14 2026. Credit - Sven Hoppe—Getty Images

Time

The second day of peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Geneva ended abruptly Wednesday morning, after just two hours of discussions.

Ahead of the sit-down, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hadremarkedupon the "difficult" first day of negotiations, which lasted six hours, and accused Russia of stalling progress.

"We can state that Russia is trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage," he said. "I set a clear task for the Ukrainian delegation—to do everything possible so that the negotiations are nonetheless productive and increase the chances for peaceful solutions."

After the talks ended, Zelenskyreportedlytold members of the press over WhatsApp: "We can see that progress has been made, but for now, positions differ because the negotiations were difficult."

Rustem Umerov, head of the on-site Ukrainian delegation, also delivered a briefstatement, describing the discussions as "intensive and substantive."

"Within the delegation, both political and military tracks were engaged, and security parameters and mechanisms for implementing possible decisions were discussed. A number of issues were clarified, while others remained under additional coordination," he said.

Russia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, similarly described the talks as "difficult, but businesslike," adding that "the next meeting will take place soon."

During a White House press briefing Wednesday afternoon, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said "meaningful progress" had been made and reiterated that "another round of talks" will take place in the future. An exact date was not given.

TIME has reached out to the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries for further comment.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin welcomes U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Jan. 22, 2026. <span class=Alexander Kazakov—Getty Images" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Security guarantees andproposed land concessionsremain at the heart of the Ukraine-Russia stalemate. Moscow is fighting for Ukraine to give up parts of the Donbas region that Ukrainian forcesstill control. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected any such land concessions.

The U.S. mediation team—led by Special EnvoySteve Witkoffand Jared Kushner,President Donald Trump's son-in-law—are expected to largely focus on these territorial disputes when talks resume.

The Geneva negotiations had already been somewhat overshadowed byrenewedfighting. Zelensky said Russia launched a missile strike on the same day talks began.

"Russia greets with a strike even the very day new formats begin in Geneva—trilateral and bilateral with the United States. This very clearly shows what Russia wants and what it is truly intent on," he said, urging U.S. officials to press Moscow to refrain from further attacks.

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Meanwhile, ZelenskytoldAxios on Tuesday that it was "not fair" for Trump to have publicly called on Ukraine to make concessions for peace. He said he hoped those remarks were "his tactics and not the decision."

By contrast, Zelensky said his conversations with Kushner and Witkoff do not involve that kind of pressure. "We respect each other," Zelensky said, adding that he is not a person who folds easily.

When asked about Zelensky's remarks at the White House press briefing on Wednesday, Leavitt said: "I think the President would respond to that by saying he does not think it's fair that thousands of Ukrainians are losing their lives, and Russians too, in this deadly war... the President views this entire situation as very unfair."

Zelensky's comments came after Trumptoldreporters at the White House on Feb. 13: "Russia wants to make a deal and Zelensky is going to have to get moving. Otherwise, he's going to miss a great opportunity."

On Feb. 16, the day before the peace talks in Geneva, Trump revisited the topic once more,tellingreporters aboard Air Force One: "Ukraine better come to the table, fast. That's all I'm telling you. We are in a position, we want them to come."

Progress stalls as fourth anniversary of Russian invasion looms

Next week marks the fourth anniversary ofRussia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With another round of peace talks ending abruptly, and little sign of compromise over key issues such as land concessions, a stable peace agreement remains elusive.

Ahead of returning to the White House, Trump vowed to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict on his first day back.

In an April 2025 interview with TIME marking his first100 daysback in office, Trump said the24-hour timelinehad been "said in jest" but emphasized the war "will be ended." Trump added that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had shared "very good talks" and a deal was "very close." That deal has yet to materialize.

While the U.S. has stayed on as mediators between the two warring countries, tensions between the Trump Administration and Ukrainian leadership have, at times, proved distracting.

During aheated Oval Office exchangein February last year, Vice President J.D. Vance accused Zelensky of being ungrateful. Trump seemingly agreed, telling the Ukrainian leader: "You don't hold the cards… You're gambling with World War III!"

In a March 2025interviewwith TIME, Zelensky suggested the moment reflected a broader pattern and claimed that U.S. officials had begun taking Putin at his word. "I believe Russia has managed to influence some people on the White House team through information," Zelensky said. "Their signal to the Americans was that the Ukrainians do not want to end the war, and something should be done to force them."

Since then, significant shifts have taken place.Trump urged Ukraine to abandonit's long-sought efforts to join NATO, Kyiv signed anagreement granting the U.S. preferential accessto new Ukrainian minerals, and the Trump Administration shared a28-point planfor peace. The widely-leaked proposal reportedly included calls for Kyiv to reduce its army and make territorial concessions—terms Ukraine swiftly rejected, as they have done before. It has since been revised following talks with both camps.

Trump, in January, also invited Russia to join his Gaza Board of Peace—a move that sparked concernamong European leaders. Notably, when Trump previously floated the idea of allowing Russia to rejointhe G7, Zelensky warned it would lift the most concrete punishment Putin has faced since the invasion: isolation. "That's a big compromise," Zelensky told TIME last year. "Imagine releasing Hitler from his political isolation."

Contact usatletters@time.com.

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Mark Pope can do what John Calipari never did — make Kentucky a football school

February 18, 2026
Mark Pope can do what John Calipari never did — make Kentucky a football school

Mark Popeis attempting to pull off the unthinkable, a feat Mark Stoops never had a prayer of achieving. He's turningKentuckyinto a football school.

USA TODAY Sports

Seriously, afterKentuckylost toGeorgiainside Rupp Arena on Feb. 17 for the first time since 2009, spring practice can't get arrive quickly enough in the Bluegrass State.

OK, so one look at the Rupp environment tells you Big Blue Nation remains ravenous for hoops — and particularly hungry for a team that plays better than this one did inan 86-78 upset lossthat serves as the latest rebuke of Pope's second season.

John Caliparionce made sure everyone, including Stoops, knewKentucky is "abasketballschool," andGeorgiais afootballschool.

Well, that makes this weird, then.

March Sadness:College basketball's 10 most disappointing teams

Bracketology:Who is rising in latest March Madness predictions

Kentucky is unranked and not about to be ranked after a home loss to a bubble team.

"We feel like we got a beautiful Ferrari, and we can't wait to take it for a spin," Pope told reporters before the season.

Those mega millions bought a team that keeps stalling.

Mark Pope: 'Disappointing effort' in Kentucky loss to Georgia

What went wrong against Georgia?

"We were not good defensively," Pope said.

"Disappointing effort."

"They got us on our heels."

Yep, this too:

"We fell apart."

"You cannot take plays off in this league. You can't get distracted."

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Other than that, coach, how was the game?

Buck up, Kentucky. Will Stein's first season on the way

In Pope's defense, multiple injuries haven't helped Kentucky. Also, there's no quit in these 'Cats, at least. Kentucky nearly rallied past another double-digit deficit, just as it did in a pair of critical victories against rival Tennessee.

Kentucky is consistent. It's perfected the art of falling behind by big margins and then furiously trying to erase the deficits.

Question is, why was Kentucky losing by double digits to Georgia in the first place?

Maybe, because Pope's team had 13 turnovers. Or, because Georgia drilled 14 3-pointers.

Best thing you can say about this Kentucky season is it could be worse. These are tough times for basketball royalty. Take it from UCLA. The Bruins are a bubble team. After their latest loss, Mick Cronin saidhe could "give a rat's ass"about Michigan State's student section, as UCLA's cantankerous coach popped off at a reporter. At least Kentucky's coach isn't a jerk.

Speaking of ass, the Bruins played like it in a 23-point loss to the Spartans.

This came on the same night North Carolina lost by 24 points to rival NC State.

Banners hanging inside historic arenas don't carry the weight they once did. Just don't tell blue-blooded fans that. Though the Wildcats are still pointed toward the NCAA Tournament, this is not the product Kentucky expects, and Pope knows that better than most. Heavy is the head that wears his alma mater's crown.

Hey, it's not all bad around Kentucky. The snow finally melted. How long 'til fall?

New football coach Will Stein signeda top-10 transfer class.

As for Pope's 2026 recruiting class, well, it doesn't include a single commitment.

Not that Calipari is keeping score. Well, maybe he is. He's got three five-stars lined up for Arkansas.

What day do the shoulder pads go on in Lexington?

Stoops, Stein's predecessor, could tell you all about just how much Kentucky invested in basketball and how much he wished it invested in his football program. In Stoops' final seasons,he bemoaned Kentucky's football cheapness.

That didn't stop Stein from lining up Notre Dame transferKenny Minchey, who's got the potential to be Kentucky's most exciting quarterback in years.

"We have plenty of (money) here," Stein said after Kentucky hired him.

There's a refreshing new energy at the head of a football program that badly needed it.

Used to be in Kentucky, Midnight Madness would provide a necessary distraction from the doldrums of football season. Times change. When's the spring game?

Blake Toppmeyeris a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:After latest Mark Pope loss, is Kentucky now a football school?

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Tickets for No. 1 Michigan, No. 3 Duke fetching record prices

February 18, 2026
Tickets for No. 1 Michigan, No. 3 Duke fetching record prices

Ticket costs for Saturday's potential Final Four preview featuring No. 1 Michigan and No. 3 Duke in Washington, D.C., went from expensive to astronomical on the resale marketplace this week.

Field Level Media

The Wolverines (25-1), the projected No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and Blue Devils (24-2) are currently leading their respective conferences and are frontrunners to cut down the nets in Indianapolis in April.

Billed as the "Duel in the District," the pairing is making for a hot ticket with available tickets fetching four figures for the Saturday night (6:30 p.m. ET) showdown.

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VividSeats listed single seats located in the upper reaches of Capital One Arena's second deck behind the basket starting at $348 on Wednesday. The cheapest pair of lower-level tickets was $1,191, and two 100-level seats at midcourt were going for $6,520.

For premium ticket shoppers, SeatGeek listed courtside seats -- "Gold North, Row AAA," meaning a folding chair with your shoe soles on the hardwood -- for $7,974 per ticket. With fees, the cost runs to $15,946.22.

--Field Level Media

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Mamdani reboots homeless encampment sweeps in New York City

February 18, 2026
Mamdani reboots homeless encampment sweeps in New York City

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the city will resumeclearing makeshift homeless encampments, promising to take a more humane approach to a practice he previously criticized.

Associated Press New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NYC Budget

Mamdani paused the previous mayor's policy for clearing encampments days after hetook officein January, arguing that it did not do enough to get people into housing.

But the Democrat on Wednesday said his new approach — led by the city's homeless services department, rather than police, and involving days of sustained outreach — will be more successful.

"We will meet them looking to connect them with shelter, looking to them with services, looking to connect them with a city that wants them to be sheltered and indoors and warm and safe. And that is something that I believe will yield far better results," he said at an unrelated news conference.

The decision came as at least 19 people havedied outsideover several days of brutal cold in the city, prompting concerns about the city's response. There is no evidence that anyone who died had been living in encampments, according to the mayor's office, which has conducted an aggressive campaign to coax homeless people into new shelters, heated buses and warming centers.

Still, the spate of outdoor deaths has posed an early test for the Mamdani administration, raising questions about whether the city could have done more and refocusing criticisms about the new mayor's relative lack ofmanagerial experience.

Mamdani's predecessor, Eric Adams, touted sweeps of makeshift encampments as a centerpiece of his efforts to restore order to the city. Led by police and sanitation crews, the efforts drew fierce protests from homeless advocacy groups and yielded mixed results; while most encampment sites were not re-established, only a fraction of those targeted in the sweeps accepted temporary shelter.

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Under the new approach, the mayor's office said the city would first post a notice that the encampment will be cleared and then send homeless department outreach workers there every day for a week to guide people into social services.

City sanitation workers would then dismantle the encampment on the seventh day, with the hope that people would have cleared out of the area. Police officers would be present as observers, a spokesperson said.

David Giffen, the executive director of Coalition for the Homeless, said his organization was "blindsided" by the announcement, which he decried as a "political response" that would do little to help homeless New Yorkers.

Rather, he said, the efforts would fray trust between the city's outreach workers and unsheltered residents, potentially resulting in more deaths during the next extreme weather event.

"When a city worker shows up and throws out all your belongings, you're not going to trust that person the next time they show up offering you a place to sleep inside," Giffen said.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Democrat, called Mamdani's move "an important step forward."

"Allowing New Yorkers to stay on the street during extreme weather is inhumane," Menin said in a statement, adding that after oversight hearings at the Council, "it was clear that the City needed to take a closer look at how this policy was being implemented. Protecting lives must remain our top priority."

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The children of late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson honor his legacy a day after his death

February 18, 2026
The children of late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson honor his legacy a day after his death

CHICAGO (AP) — From jokes about his well-known stubbornness to tears grieving the loss of a parent, the adult children of the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. gave an emotional tribute Wednesday honoring the legacy of the late civil rights icon, a day after his death.

Associated Press Jesse Jackson, Jr. stands near a picture of his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, during a news conference outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Congressman Jonathan Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Yusef Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Santita Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of her father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Darius Brooks is emotional during a news conference regarding the death of the Rev. Jesse Jacksond outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Jesse Jackson

Jackson died Tuesdayat his home in Chicago after battling arare neurological disorderthat affected his ability to move and speak. Standing on the steps outside his longtime Chicago home, five of his children, including U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, remembered him not only for his decades-long work in civil rights but also for his role as spiritual leader and father.

"Our father is a man who dedicated his life to public service to gain, protect and defend civil rights and human rights to make our nation better, to make the world more just, our people better neighbors with each other," said his youngest son, Yusef Jackson, fighting back tears at times.

The family said details on funeral arrangements for Jackson would be announced at a later time, but services will begin next week, with him lying in repose at the headquarters of the organization he founded, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago, which his son Yusef oversees. Services will follow at a church large enough to accommodate expected crowds.

Jackson rose to prominence six decades ago as a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., joining thevoting rights marchKing led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King later dispatched Jackson to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference effort to pressure companies to hire Black workers.

Jackson was with King on April 4, 1968, when the civil rights leader was slain.

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Remembrances have poured in worldwide for Jackson, including flowers left outside the home where large portraits of a smiling Jackson had been placed. But his children said he was a family man first.

"Our father took fatherhood very seriously," his eldest child, Santita Jackson, said. "It was his charge to keep."

His children's reflections were poetic in the style of the late civil rights icon — filled with prayer, tears and a few chuckles, including about disagreements that occur when growing up in a large, lively family.

His eldest son, Jesse Jackson Jr.,a former congressman, said his father's funeral services would welcome all, "Democrat, Republican, liberal and conservative, right wing, left wing — because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American."

The family asked only that those attending be respectful.

"If his life becomes a turning point in our national political discourse, amen," he said. "His last breath is not his last breath."

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