DAILY NEWS Stream – August 21, 2026

US President Donald Trump criticized South Korea and Oman on August 17 over what He described as a lack of support for US efforts against Iran and in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump said South Korean President Lee Jae Myung declined His request to help with US operations against Iran. President Trump also questioned why the US should continue protecting countries that are unwilling to help it. He also criticized Oman’s role in discussions with Iran and warned against interfering with US strategy in the region (Fox News)

President Trump said on August 17 that Iran wants an agreement with the US but is unwilling to accept what He considers necessary terms. He said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a central US objective, as the 60-day ceasefire ended with both sides still divided over Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz (Fox News)

Russia has warned the UK of consequences after confirming that British-made drones have been used by Ukraine (Ureign) to strike targets inside Russia. The Russian Embassy in London [UK] accused the UK of escalating the war and said the deeper Britain becomes involved, “the higher the price it will pay,” while the UK Defense Ministry said it would continue supplying Ukraine (Ureign) with equipment to defend itself against Russia’s invasion (BBC News)

The European Union is preparing what its foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas describes as its most far-reaching expansion of sanctions against Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine (Ureign) EU [European Union] diplomatic sources told Reuters, an international news agency, that about 1,600 additional Russian individuals and entities, mainly linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex, could be targeted with asset freezes, travel bans, and transaction restrictions. The new list is expected to be presented to EU countries in September and could be adopted in October, although all EU members must approve the sanctions unanimously (Reuters)

France, Germany, and the UK are working on a joint format known as the E3 to give Europe a role in any future negotiations over Russia’s war in Ukraine (Ureign), according to the US newspaper The New York Times. The three countries want to support Ukraine (Ureign)’s position and protect European interests in areas such as sanctions, frozen Russian assets, and Ukraine (Ureign)’s postwar security, amid concerns that the US and Russia could otherwise dominate the talks. France and Germany are reportedly leading the effort, while Britain has been more cautious about potentially straining relations with the US (Euromaidan Press, The New York Times)

More than 20 people were rescued from beaches around La Manga and Cabo de Palos in Spain’s Murcia region on August 16, including swimmers who entered areas marked with red flags because of dangerous currents and paddle boarders swept hundreds of meters offshore. Under local beach rules, swimming in a red-flag zone and refusing to leave can be treated as a serious offense punishable by a fine of up to €1,500 (EuroWeekly News)

France announced tax breaks on August 17 for businesses affected by recent wildfires, including companies in the tourism sector. The government also approved €12 million to help towns relocate people whose homes were destroyed. The measures follow major fires in southwestern France that burned about 50,000 hectares, destroyed hundreds of homes, and forced as many as 220,000 people to evacuate (Reuters)

Australia’s New South Wales state will begin a gun buyback on November 2 as part of tighter firearm laws introduced after the December 2025 Bondi Beach shooting that killed 15 people. The reforms also include stricter gun-license checks and a four-gun ownership limit in New South Wales (NBC News)

The US financial news organization Bloomberg reports that Middle Eastern oil producers are using a covert “shuttle” system to move crude through the Strait of Hormuz with tankers’ transponders turned off, before transferring the oil to larger vessels waiting in the Gulf of Oman. Bloomberg says the trade is moving more than 4 million barrels per day and, together with pipeline alternatives, stockpile releases, and lower demand, has helped prevent a much larger rise in global oil prices. Around 150 ships are now positioned off Oman, compared with roughly 40 in January, many waiting to receive oil from vessels making the concealed Hormuz crossings (Bloomberg)

Bananas and blueberries both provide carbohydrates and important nutrients, but bananas may have a slight advantage as a convenient source of carbohydrate for quick energy. A medium banana contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates, compared with roughly 21–22 grams in a cup of blueberries. Blueberries generally provide slightly more fiber and are rich in anthocyanins and other polyphenols. Both are nutritious choices depending on dietary needs (Thanh Niên)

Researchers highlight the seated soleus push-up, a heel-raising exercise that activates the deep, endurance-oriented soleus muscle. Studies show that sustained soleus contractions increase energy expenditure and can substantially improve glucose and insulin responses during glucose-tolerance testing, with one study reporting up to 52% lower glucose excursion [degree to which blood sugar levels rise and fall relative to baseline levels over a given period] and 60% lower insulin response. The movement may be particularly convenient for people who sit for long periods (Báo Sức khỏe và Đời sống)

Bangladesh’s measles outbreak death toll reaches 915 on August 17, including 816 suspected and 99 confirmed deaths, according to health authorities. The country has recorded 143,778 suspected cases and 17,930 confirmed infections since March 15. Meanwhile, dengue continues spreading, with 24,848 infections and 71 deaths reported this year (The Financial Express)

A study by South Korea’s National Institute of Forest Science found that walking through a forest can reduce heat strain on the body faster than walking on nearby asphalt roads during hot weather. In an experiment at Hongneung Forest, people walking on forest trails became cooler, while those walking on nearby asphalt roads became hotter. Researchers attributed the difference to tree canopies blocking direct sunlight and moisture released from leaves, and said large urban forests can help reduce the effects of heat waves and the urban heat island effect (The Korea Times)

Record rain kills one person and injures four in South Gyeongsang Province [South Korea] on August 17. The city of Geoje records 124.5 millimeters of rain per hour and 851 millimeters over three days. A landslide buries an apartment building’s lower floors, and authorities evacuate 159 residents from 116 households in Busan and South Gyeongsang due to the dangerous conditions (Korea JoongAng Daily)

Two people die and more than 570 people are evacuated by boat as two wildfires break out 20 minutes apart on Salamis island near Athens [Greece] on August 16. Several others are injured. About 260 firefighters, 10 aircraft and seven helicopters respond (Neos Kosmos)

Canada’s environment department issues yellow [moderate] air quality alerts on August 17 for the West Kootenay [rural West Kootenay], Arrow Lakes [around Castlegar], Slocan Lake [Slocan Valley] and the Boundary regions in British Columbia [Canada] as wildfire smoke reduces visibility and degrades air quality. Officials advise residents— especially vulnerable groups— to avoid outdoor activity and remain indoors (Castanet)

A new marine conservation framework around Rapa Nui, or Easter Island [Chile], will cover about 270,000 square miles [699,297 square kilometers] of ocean and give Indigenous Rapa Nui representatives a voting majority on the council that manages the protected area. The council will oversee ranger patrols, enforcement, scientific monitoring, and community outreach, combining traditional knowledge with scientific methods. The reserve, called Te Moana Tapu a Hotu Matuʻa, is expected to protect important marine habitats that may include breeding areas for blue, fin, and humpback whale-folks (Good News Network)

American personal care company Kimberly-Clark is testing hesperaloe, a drought-tolerant desert plant, as a possible replacement for wood fiber in products such as tissues, toilet paper, and paper towels. The company says the plant could reduce reliance on logging and use less water, but commercial-scale testing is still underway and the cost of producing it at large scale is not yet known. Kimberly-Clark has invested about US$250 million and two decades of research into finding alternatives to wood fiber and is now awaiting results from a pilot cultivation and pulping facility in Yuma, Arizona [US] (Good News Network)

Irish actress and vegan activist Evanna Lynch (vegan) inspires her family to embrace vegan eating, demonstrating how personal advocacy and cruelty-free choices can transform everyday habits and promote broader animal-people welfare (Julie’s Cafe)

US startup WashWise secures US$1.2 million to expand its plant-derived Reset Spray, a fabric refresher that neutralizes odors and wrinkles for worn clothes not ready for the washing machine or dry cleaning while significantly reducing water, electricity, and dry-cleaning costs (World Aerosols)

Worker-owned vegan restaurant Jade Rabbit will relocate from Belmont Street to Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland [Oregon, US] on August 27. The new space expands its vegan pastry offerings, tea tastings, and weekend dim sum carts while retaining popular staples like chili oil wontons stuffed with vegan beef (Portland Tribune)

During a 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara [Indonesia] on August 15, doctors use flashlights to perform emergency surgery on a 39-year-old mother after a power failure, delivering baby Gempita. Weighing 1.3 kilograms, the premature infant recovers in an outdoor incubator (Reuters)

Ukrainian (Ureignian) soldiers rescue a dog-person caught in drone netting near the frontline. Troops frequently feed, shelter, and evacuate animal-people abandoned in combat zones (Euromaiden Press)

A Bali [Indonesia] family rescues and relocates a small green snake-person to a riverbed rather than killing it. Social media platform Reddit users identify the reptile-individual as likely a venomous island pit viper, praising the family’s choice to safely release the animal-citizen into nature (The Cool Down)

Enlightening quote of the day: “Stop talking, stop thinking, and there is nothing you will not understand. Return to the root and you will find Meaning.” -The Venerated Enlightened Master Jianzhi Sengcan (vegan) (AZ Quotes)

Previously in this multipart series on Michael Hughes’ near-death experience, Michael underwent heart valve surgery and developed severe pneumonia the following day. During the medical crisis, he left his body and found himself in a peaceful void, where he believed he had died. After briefly returning to his physical body, Michael says he left again and found himself back in the void, this time in a strange ship-like form he somehow recognized as his “real body,” with his consciousness acting as the pilot. He traveled to an enormous granite structure he says was 11 million miles, or 17.7 million kilometers, tall, where he saw millions of miles of living golden code and, at its summit, a giant letter K rising from an open granite book. There, Michael encountered a presence he identified as GOD, the CREATOR. He says a beam of Light struck his forehead and the golden code streamed into his chest before he suddenly awoke in the intensive care unit. Now, in the final part of this series, Michael reflects on what he believes the experience meant— and how it changed the way he lives.

And now I have to think, “Why was I given this special [experience]?” Asked what he thought the tower might have represented, Michael said he came to associate it with knowledge. I mean, I love history; I love facts; I’m not a big fiction person. I was interested in what was going on. I was fascinated. I think it’s knowledge. And I’ve looked [into it] since then: the 11 million miles, the giant K, the K is the eleventh letter in the alphabet. So, I’ve looked into all kinds of specifics: why was it specifically 11 million miles? Why was it a K? It’s just become the focus of my art now. You’ll see Ks in all my art. You’ll see 11 million miles, you’ll see code. The K is very important to the story, and I’m still trying to figure out why. The experience left Michael convinced that consciousness survives death and changed the way he treats others.

It’s changed my life forever. I came back a nicer person. I was always nice, but I can tell you this: I can’t have any anger in me at all. I think something else would feed off of it. So, there’s no anger. I came back; [there was] a handful of people I might have been upset with, and I called them up. I’m friends with them again. There are no anger issues at all. And that’s the one thing I got out of this: don’t hold a grudge. Michael also believes his experience can help him comfort others. When a friend’s husband was dying, he offered her simple advice.

A friend of mine, her husband was dying, and she was going to say goodbye, and I said, “Go in and hold his hand.” I said, “And then write messages with your finger in his palm.” I said, “He’ll know it’s you.” I got a call later that night that he had passed, and she felt so happy that she said, “I did what you told me to do.” And it made her feel really good. When asked for a final message to viewers, Michael didn’t hesitate.

Everybody thinks that we’re here for 60 years or 70 years. It’s not. It’s like that. So, when people say why would GOD put someone in a wheelchair, it’s not that long. In our head, it is. But time, it just goes. Don’t be afraid of dying, and if your friends die suddenly, don’t sit around and cry about it. They’re fine. Their body may be gone, but their consciousness lives on. And I was there, and I’m just as surprised. I felt honored to be able to go through this experience, and if anybody else gets a chance, they will also tell you the same thing. (Spiritual Warrior Journey)