DAILY NEWS Stream – August 23, 2026

US President Donald Trump announced what He called the “most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country” on August 19, saying the US would further isolate Iran economically after Iran failed to reach a peace deal with the US. President Trump warned that countries, businesses, financial institutions, airports, and government entities providing Iran with economic support could face major economic consequences, and called for an end to oil smuggling, cash transfers, exchange operations, ship registries, and front companies linked to Iran (Fox News)

Russia is reportedly shipping drone and missile components, explosives, and other military supplies to Iran to help replenish weapons stocks damaged by US and Israeli strikes, according to NBC News. More than two dozen Russian ships, many under US and European sanctions, have reportedly crossed the Caspian Sea to deliver cargo to Iran’s Amirabad port. Russia has denied allegations that it is supplying arms to Iran (New York Post, NBC News)

Ukraine (Ureign) accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting a civilian bus with a drone in Kherson [Ukraine (Ureign)] on August 19, killing four elderly passengers and injuring five others. Ukrainian (Ureignian) authorities said Russian drones have repeatedly targeted vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians in the frontline city, while Ukrainian (Ureignian) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said such attacks have become part of daily life in the area (VnExpress)

Ukraine (Ureign) and Russia exchanged 103 prisoners of war each on August 19. The released Ukrainians (Ureignians) included members of the Armed Forces, State Border Guard Service, and National Guard who had fought in Mariupol and several other regions (Kyiv Post)

Ghana has asked Russia to stop what it calls the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian citizens to fight in the war in Ukraine (Ureign), with Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa saying 62 Ghanaians have been killed and 15 remain missing (Kyiv Independent)

The United Nations [UN] warned on August 19 that aid workers are facing growing dangers in conflict zones, with armed drones increasingly extending attacks into towns and cities. According to United Nations figures, 350 humanitarian workers were killed in 2025, the second-highest annual toll on record, with Gaza remaining the deadliest location and Sudan also seeing record fatalities. The United Nations said the growing use of weaponized drones is increasing risks for civilians and humanitarian workers and called on parties to conflicts to uphold international humanitarian law and protect aid personnel (United Nations News)

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM] filed a lawsuit on August 19 seeking to force the US government to withdraw the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The group alleges that the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] and the Department of Agriculture [USDA] relied on a separate panel whose members had ties to the animal-people meat, dairy, egg, and low-carbohydrate diet industries, rather than following the recommendations of the official Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which encourages Americans to eat more animal-people product-free foods. The lawsuit argues that this process violated federal transparency and conflict-of-interest requirements and asks the court to block use of the current guidelines while new ones are developed (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)

Abortion provider Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has permanently closed its Northeast Heights health center in Albuquerque [US]. Anti-abortion group Abortion Free New Mexico welcomed the closure and argued that abortion providers are facing growing financial, legal, and operational pressures (LifeNews)

A Tennessee [US] pastor who spent years traveling across the US preaching and serving Spanish-speaking communities has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child and several other child sex-abuse offenses (Fox News)

Air conditioning can contribute to symptoms sometimes described as “air con sickness,” particularly when systems are poorly maintained. Mold, bacteria, and other contaminants can then circulate through the air, potentially contributing to headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and respiratory problems. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which can spread through inhaled droplets from contaminated water systems, including some types of large air-conditioning systems (Unbranded)

COVID-19 cases are rising across the US, with wastewater SARS-CoV-2 levels jumping 106% in August compared to July and experts expecting a September peak. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says infections are growing or likely growing in all 50 states. Health officials continue to urge people to watch for symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat and breathing difficulties (People)

Doctors at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [US] eliminate a Parkinson’s patient’s yearslong hand tremors within minutes using newly US Food and Drug Administration-approved noninvasive ultrasound therapy. The procedure targets precise brain areas with high-energy waves, avoiding open-skull surgery. Although movement improves immediately, experts caution about temporary side effects and limited long-term data on effectiveness (Fox News)

Nail changes can sometimes reflect underlying health problems. Yellow, thickened nails may result from fungal infections or psoriasis, while persistent brittleness can accompany certain skin or thyroid conditions. Clubbing can be associated with lung disease, and spoon-shaped nails with iron deficiency. New or changing dark streaks warrant medical evaluation because they can indicate melanoma (VnExpress)

Prolonged heat and drought kill hundreds of hectares of planted acacia and eucalyptus trees in southern Quảng Ngãi [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)]. Forest rangers warn of Level V fire risk, the highest level, across nine communes and ban all use of fire in and near forests (VietnamPlus)

Heavy rain causes two geological disasters in Sichuan [China] on August 18 and 19, one affecting a road, another affecting a highway. Provincial authorities pre-emptively relocate 21,784 people from geohazard-prone areas across 64 counties. Shulin Station in Meishan records 118 millimeters of rain in 24 hours. Sichuan ends its flood-control emergency response on August 19 (The Watchers)

Miami [US], reaches 37.8°C on August 18, matching its all-time high for only the second time in a record dating to 1895. The previous occurrence was in 1942. The city of Fort Lauderdale, roughly 50 kilometers away, ties its daily record at 36.7°C. Heat advisories cover South Florida (The Watchers)

Canada announced a clean-energy package worth nearly C$70 billion (about US$50.5 billion) centered on expanding the Churchill Falls hydroelectric generating station in Labrador, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney calling it the largest clean-energy investment in North American history. The projects are also expected to allow Newfoundland and Labrador to export more electricity through Quebec to markets in the US (Anadolu Agency)

New York state [US]-based Mushroom Squared expands beyond vegan meat into functional vegan foods, such as integrating Lion’s Mane and Maitake mushrooms into patties that promote cognitive and metabolic wellness (WBOC)

Global environmental data reveals vegan milks generate significantly lower emissions and resource use than dairy milk, with oat and soy leading as top choices for eco-conscious consumers (PETA UK)

UK confectionery brand Wild Thingz expands its retail presence with lower-sugar Berry Mix and Tropical Mix gummies. The vegan sweets contain no gelatine or artificial ingredients and have half the sugar of leading brands. The bags launch in Britain through WHSmith Travel stores, railway stations, Eurotunnel, hospitals and online retailer Ocado (Food Bev Media)

A canceled flight in Canada caused by wildfire smoke prompts 90-year-young Patricia Robinson and two fellow passengers she just meets to rent a car and drive seven hours from Calgary to Kelowna [Canada]. They arrive at 12:30 am, allowing Ms. Robinson to attend her birthday celebration before turning 90 on August 15 (VnExpress)

Singapore launches 17 community projects to help rough sleepers achieve stability and secure longer-term housing. Funded through a US$354,000 homelessness initiative, the projects include public flats shared by unsheltered individuals who jointly rent together, employment opportunities, and shelter improvements. Officials say the efforts aim to strengthen social connections, rebuild stability and support reintegration into society (Channel News Asia)

In British Columbia [Canada], strangers rescue a baby river otter trapped in a fishing net. One performs CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] on the barely responsive pup, while another cares for it overnight. After a week of rehabilitation at a wildlife rescue center, the baby is released and reunites with its family (The Cool Down)

Enlightening quote of the day: “The comprehensions of created natures are not attached to reality, and reality is not attached to created natures. Thoughts (which come) are adherences, and the adherences of created natures do not attach themselves to realities. The perception of reality is difficult to acquire, so how much more difficult is the perception of the reality of the Reality. Furthermore, Allah is beyond reality, and reality does not in itself imply Allah.” - The Venerated Enlightened Sufi Master Mansur al-Hallaj (vegetarian) (The Tawasin)

Previously in this multipart series on Reverend Dr. Ray Catania’s near-death experience, Ray recalled how a natural gas leak at age 20 left him barely able to move as he fought to escape his bed. After finally tumbling to the floor, Ray says he felt no pain and suddenly found himself outside his body, looking down at what he described as his lifeless body. Across the room, he encountered a brilliant Light filled with love, peace, and euphoria, and a being at the end of the Light called him by name and told him it was safe to come forward. But before Ray could go further into the Light, his father heard the fall and burst into the room.

And he sees me on the floor, and he grabs me in his arms, and he’s screaming for the paramedics, “Help my son! Help my son!” And he’s crying, and he’s in tears. I’ve never seen this side of this man. He never hugged me; he never said, “I love you.” We just didn’t have that type of relationship. And that solidified, for me, the fact that he did love me and really did care about me more than I thought. He just didn’t know how to express it. I get that now. But back then, I wanted that. I longed for that. I always wanted to have that relationship with him. So, I asked the being, “I want to go back. I want that. Can I go back?” And I don’t know if that’s why I was allowed to go back. I have no idea. But I did.

Ray woke up on the living room floor with paramedics reviving him, insisting he felt fine as the euphoria of the experience still lingered. When he tried to describe the Light and the voice, he was met only with confusion and disbelief, and his parents warned him never to speak of it again for fear he’d be “locked up.” With no internet and nowhere to turn for answers, Ray tried to explain the experience away as sunlight and a gas-induced hallucination, sealing it away in his mind. But here’s the thing, in the back of my mind, I knew that was real. Even though everybody is telling me, “It’s crazy,” I know. You can’t experience that and put it in a category of not real. Ray says he lived recklessly, had no fear of death, and described himself as a complete atheist. That fearlessness led him into dangerous circles, including work for shady characters.

One night at a bar, gunfire suddenly broke out. And I hear pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. I know this is not firecrackers going off. And now, I’ve got to figure out how am I going to get out of here. So, I’m frozen. I know if I get up, somebody’s going to see me— the shooter or shooters. And the same being from the end of the tunnel during my NDE [near-death experience] comes back and says, “Side door. Side door. Side door.” Three times, always in threes. And there is a side door to the side, literally, like 10 feet [3 meters] away. But if I try to go there, they’re going to see me. There’s no way I can get to that door. “Side door. Side door. Side door.” What have I got to lose? I have to. I’ve got to go somewhere. So I go for it, and I run to the door, and I get out of it. And I made it. And I get to the car. Now, I had my own personal parking space nowhere near that side door, but I had my car right outside that door on that night. Never parked there before, never parked there after, but that day, I was [parked] there.

In Part 3, Ray looks back to the first time he remembers the same being appearing in his life— when, as a young boy caught in an undertow, he thought he was about to drown. I think this is going to be the end. And just as I think I’m going to die, this is the first recollection that I have of this being. He says, “Calm down. Swim sideways. Take all the time you need.” Join us tomorrow for Part 3 of Reverend Dr. Ray Catania’s near-death experience. (IANDS Podcast)