DAILY NEWS Stream – December 17, 2025

US President Trump’s administration launches the Pax Silica coalition to secure silicon supply chains, partnering with allies across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The alliance will be guided by the “Pax Silica Declaration,” which covers crucial minerals, semiconductors, and AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure. Coalition members include Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Israel, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Canada and the European Union (Anadolu Agency)

UK Development Minister Baroness Jenny Chapman visits Pakistan, highlighting UK-backed border training to combat human trafficking and illegal migration, while announcing a new partnership to support development, climate adaptation, education, infrastructure and trade (Gov.uk)

Greece offers to deploy peacekeepers as part of a multinational force to post-conflict Gaza, citing its balanced regional ties, and pledges support for humanitarian aid, reconstruction and Palestinian police training, with operational details expected by late 2025 (Greek Reporter)

US Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz says the situation in the Middle East looks dramatically improved compared with a year ago as President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan begins to take shape on the ground. Mr. Waltz, returning from a regional trip, describes “amazing progress” in coordinating humanitarian and security efforts with US partners and allies (Fox News)

His Majesty King Charles [UK] says His cancer treatment will be significantly reduced in the New Year after responding exceptionally well and urges early cancer screening in a televised message (Daily Mail)

The UK government launches a £3.5 billion National Plan to End Homelessness, aiming to halve long-term rough sleeping, end unlawful short-term lodging placement of families by councils, and prevent homelessness through expanded housing, support services, and cross-sector coordination (Gov.uk)

Abu Dhabi [United Arab Emirates] unveils the Fintech, Insurance, Digital, and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster initiative to bolster its presence in international finance, projecting a US$15.2 billion GDP [Gross domestic product] boost, 8,000 new jobs, and US$4.6 billion in investment by 2045 (Gulf News)

US House halts the latest President Trump impeachment push. A bid by Representative Al Green [Democrat] to impeach President Donald Trump was stopped when the House voted to table the resolution 237–140, effectively ending consideration of it before debate. About 23 Democrats joined all House Republicans in blocking the effort (Fox News)

Laos launches the Mekong Children’s Heart Care Project (2025–2027), funded by China, to address congenital heart disease. The initiative aims to screen 10,000 children, provide treatment, and train over 110 health workers (Capital News)

Dermatologists warn that during winter, unwashed sheets and cozy fabrics trap bacteria and oils, causing skin breakouts. Experts recommend breathable cotton bedding, washing pillowcases often, and caution against filling hot water bottles with boiling water to prevent burns (Fox News)

A new study finds a strong link between insufficient sleep (under seven hours) and lower life expectancy across over 3,000 US counties. Researchers stress that prioritizing adequate sleep is crucial, alongside diet and exercise, for overall health (Fox News)

Australia experienced a dramatic weather divide the weekend of December 13-14, with severe storms and hail in the east, heat and fire danger in the west, and even snow in some cooler high-elevation areas (Sky News)

In Death Valley National Park [California, US], ancient Lake Manly unexpectedly reappears after unusually heavy rainfall broke records in the region long known for extreme heat and dryness. Locals and park employees describe the sight as striking, with calm reflective waters backed by snow-tipped mountains (Znews)

French Ambassador to Âu Lạc (Vietnam) Olivier Brochet, urges strong global action on climate change at a press briefing in Hanoi marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. He cites France’s commitment to the cause, namely his nation’s previous pledge of €1 billion in funding to support Aulacese (Vietnamese) climate-related projects from 2020 to 2030. France and the European Union emphasize that developed countries need to help developing nations tackle climate change and hope others follow suit (VnExpress)

HCM CT [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] is blanketed by unusually heavy haze, with the sky appearing thick and opaque and visibility sharply reduced across many districts. Air-quality monitors record PM2.5 fine-dust levels far above World Health Organization safety guidelines (Tiền Phong)

Scientists using the robotic submersible Icefin find warm ocean water melting Antarctic ice shelves from below, weakening glacier brakes and speeding global sea level rise (Earth)

A man in his 30s in South Korea is sentenced to eight months in prison and must complete 40 hours of animal-people-abuse education after adopting two cat-individuals and then killing them by dropping them from his 8th-floor apartment window the day after adoption (The Asia Business Daily)

A welfare check on a rural property in Grass Valley [California, US] leads Nevada County Sheriff’s Office deputies and animal services officers to find hundreds of neglected and sick animal-people after a neighbor reported concerns. Over two days, authorities seized 229 animal-folk, including sheep, goats, dogs, horses, pigs, calves, chickens, a donkey, a cat, a pony and a rabbit. The 39-year-old property owner was arrested and booked on eight felony counts of animal cruelty (Fox 40)

A prototype bubble-wrap-inspired window coating devised by US researchers could cut energy use by improving insulation and reducing heat loss (and heat gain) in buildings worldwide (Earth)

Japan’s vegan tuna market is growing as urban flexitarians drive demand for ready-to-eat foods with foodservice adoption expected to outpace household use after 2030 (Vegconomist)

Taiwan (Formosa)’s Agriculture Ministry launches program providing pensions, healthcare, and food stipends for retired police, rescue, and other service dog-people. All 264 active dog-persons are now insured, with 28 retirees this year (Taipei Times)

Spain authorizes a €2 million contribution to the UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] to support Malian refugees and host communities at the M’Bera Camp in Mauritania, citing growing regional instability (The Diplomat in Spain)

Delhi Fire Services [India] rescues over 6,700 animal-folk and bird-individuals between January and November 2025, averaging 20 daily operations. Firefighters face growing urban demands, from handling trapped cow-people to bird-persons in power lines (The New Indian Express)

I was having a conversation with God. I was in Heaven, but I didn’t want to see my foster mother. And I was told I wouldn’t be, that she went to hell for what she did to me. So then I was asking, well, am I going to see Kenny? Kenny was my high school sweetheart who died in a car accident. He was 19 and I was 17. And They were like, “Yes, yes, you’re going to see Kenny.” And I’m like, “Am I going to see my mother? Am I going to see Lori, a friend of mine who died of breast cancer?” And then I was, “Am I going to see Princess Diana?” “And am I going to see all my dogs?” I was just so excited about, am I going to see all these people? And the answer was yes, yes, yes. American patient advocate Dawn Debois shares how she nearly died from severe post-concussion syndrome and was given the choice to reunite with her deceased high school sweetheart in Heaven or return to Earth.

Dawn had experienced a traumatic childhood. Born in 1969 to a 16-year-old mother, she was shuffled between foster homes, her mother, and her great-grandfather. When Dawn was four, her mother died of an accidental overdose on the day of Dawn’s great-grandfather’s funeral. At five, she entered a foster home where she remained until 18— a stable placement, but one marked by abuse and manipulation that left her confused and guilty.

By March 2020, Dawn was managing a rare autoimmune disease called Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) while supporting other patients and her three adult sons during COVID lockdown. On March 20th, stress triggered a POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) flare. She fainted and landed face-down on her hardwood floor, knocking herself unconscious for 45 minutes and suffering a severe concussion. Her post-concussion care was poor—doctors were overwhelmed by COVID protocols. By June, Dawn’s brain couldn’t process emotions properly. After an emotionally overwhelming weekend, she spiraled and spent seven hours in the ER (Emergency Room). A CT (Computed Tomography) scan ruled out brain bleeding, and she was sent home to rest. Days later, unable to tolerate sound or light, Dawn went to bed Thursday evening and didn’t wake until late Saturday, July 4th— over two days unconscious.

When I went to sleep, it was a very different falling asleep process in that, I saw the stars and all of this going on and it was just, it was a weird falling asleep experience. But then the next thing I knew and the next thing I can remember is I was levitating above my city. And then the next thing I remember is I was seeing all of the trauma that I experienced as a child, but understanding it as an adult, as a 50-something year-old female. I remember going into this huge room.

I remember it was like this bright, beautiful, calm place. You can’t really describe exactly what it was if that makes sense because I was just focusing on I got to see Kenny. So one of my questions was, “Which religion is right?” I’d always had that question and God said it isn’t the religion, it’s the belief. It’s the belief in God that’s right. And it’s not just believing in God that brings you to Heaven. You still have to be a good person and walk with faith and whatnot. But then we’ll get back to Kenny. So, I was so excited to be reunited with him. And then I was asked, “Do you want to see him as he would be now if he had lived and to be your age now or do you want to go back to being 17 and have him being 19 when you know the age that he died?” And I was thinking about it and I couldn’t quite decide. And then I was given, “Or do you want to go back?” And I chose to go back.

Dawn returned to her body, and she awoke. It took her a day to piece together how long she’d been unconscious. I was traumatized by the realities of my foster family and the traumas of my childhood, but I was also comforted by the fact that there was indeed a life after and that I would be reunited with those I wanted to be reunited with.

Inspirational quote of the day: “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” — Elbert Hubbard US Writer, Artist, and Philosopher