DAILY NEWS Stream – September 21, 2026

US President Donald Trump told US news outlet Axios on September 17 that He faces a major decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks against Iran. US officials say American forces will remain in the Middle East through the end of the year to prepare for a possible return to full-scale combat (Axios)

The US has approved visas for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and essential delegation members to attend the United Nations General Assembly next week in New York City. The approval came a day after the US denied visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation (Fox News)

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on September 16 over escalating violence in Yemen and military activity around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. United Nations officials warned that nearly half of Yemen’s 41 million people need humanitarian assistance, while further shipping disruptions could worsen food and fuel shortages (Báo Tin tức)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on September 16 for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine (Ureign) as a first step toward a just and lasting peace consistent with the United Nations Charter and international law. He warned that Russia’s invasion continues to cause immense civilian suffering and disrupt global food, fertilizer and energy supplies. Secretary-General Guterres also expressed readiness to participate in peace talks and stressed the need to ensure safe exports of Ukrainian (Ureignian) and Russian products (RBC-Ukraine)

Finland has completed approximately 200 kilometers of fencing along parts of its border with Russia to strengthen security against what Finnish officials describe as Russia’s efforts to direct Russian migrants toward Finland, an accusation Russia denies. The barrier supplements border checkpoint closures introduced in 2023 (Fox News)

French President Emmanuel Macron, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan met in Paris [France] on September 17 to discuss support for Lebanon’s underfunded army and plans for an international presence after the United Nations peacekeeping mission’s mandate expires at year’s end (AP)

Russia began three days of parliamentary and regional voting on September 18, with only parties supporting President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine (Ureign) on the ballot, after anti-war party Yabloko was barred from participating. The elections will fill all 450 seats in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, alongside regional posts (euronews)

Russia’s potato harvest is projected to fall from 8.5 million metric tons last year to 7.5 million this year, potentially leaving a domestic shortfall of 500,000 to 1 million metric tons. Shrinking planting areas and lower yields are reducing supply, while farmers face rising production and transportation costs. Retail potato prices were already 35% higher than a year earlier by late August, and analysts expect imports will be needed earlier than usual to cover the gap (UNITED24 Media)

The US poverty rate fell to a record low of 10.2% in 2025, according to US Census Bureau data (Fox News)

South Korea is providing nationwide digital training to help older adults use smartphones, apps and self-service kiosks for everyday tasks such as booking taxis and paying hospital bills. A government survey found that 60% of people over 60 struggled to access public and commercial services because of limited digital skills, compared with 6% of those under 40. More than 65,000 training sessions reached about 650,000 people over 60 in 2025, with mobile classrooms also visiting community centers and regional festivals (Taipei Times)

Japan’s population aged 100 and older has surpassed 100,000 for the first time, reaching a record 107,677, according to Japan’s Health Ministry figures released September 15. Women account for about 88% of the total, which has risen from just 153 people when records began in 1963 (Dân trí)

About 17,000 children in Nepal need urgent mental health and psychosocial support after glacier-collapse-triggered floods on August 26, UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] said on September 15. The disaster affected more than 84,000 people, including about 32,000 children, with 541 children still separated from their families. UNICEF is supporting family reunification and mental health services, while the United Nations’ Education Cannot Wait fund has allocated US$1 million for education, protection and risk reduction efforts for children (UN News)

Wood sorrel is a common lawn and garden weed that is often mistaken for clover, with each leaf divided into three small, heart-shaped leaflets. Rather than simply being removed, it can be gathered as an edible wild green with a tart, citrus-like flavor. The plant provides vitamin C, and its leaves can be eaten raw, added to salads, or used to bring a lemony brightness to other dishes. Its flowers and young seed pods are also edible. Common weedy species grow in sunny or partially shaded areas and can be gathered from spring through fall, depending on the species and local conditions. Because wood sorrel contains oxalic acid, it is best enjoyed in small amounts (EverFood YouTube channel)

Florida [US] reports a fourth Vibrio death linked to a resident who contracted Vibrio vulnificus. The Broward County resident, aged 75 to 79, died after becoming infected, though officials said the source remains unclear. The state has recorded 21 cases this year. The bacterium can spread through consuming contaminated shellfish or seawater entering open wounds (New York Post)

Air-popped popcorn offers fiber and antioxidant compounds. Plant Based Science London YouTube channel highlighted plain, oil-free popcorn as a whole-grain food containing fiber and polyphenols. Three cups [24 grams] provide about 3.5 grams of fiber and roughly 100 calories. American physician Dr. Michael Greger (vegan) recommends adding nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, or balsamic vinegar instead of butter for extra flavor (Plant Based News)

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control reported 64,937 COVID-19 cases and 87,770 influenza cases in August 2026. Through September 15, COVID-19 had reached 135,667 cumulative cases and 26 deaths, while influenza caused 57 deaths. Respiratory syncytial virus recorded 8,578 cases and one death from January 1 through September 8 (The Nation)

Flash floods kill three people near Newcomb [New Mexico, US] on September 16 during monsoon storms affecting the Navajo First Nation. Evacuations and road closures impact several communities. In Tucson [Arizona, US] emergency responders had to save multiple motorists trapped in floodwaters (The Watchers, Daily Mail)

Heavy rain from a tropical depression floods 8,419 households in Thanh Hóa [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] as of September 17, forcing 1,016 households to evacuate. About 6,700 hectares of agricultural land are affected. Several rivers rise above alert levels 50 sections of national and provincial highways flood and landslides hit 11 locations on the highways. Authorities run 24-hour emergency operations and deploy pumps (VietnamPlus)

Torrential rain hits the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Valencia and Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast after the country’s hottest summer on record, submerging streets. A man dies in Olivella, near Barcelona, when floodwater sweeps his car away on September 16. Valencia records more than 70 millimeters of rain in 30 minutes, Catalonia logs over 850 emergency calls and more than 20 municipalities suspend classes in Almería and Murcia (The Local, Euro Weekly News, Daily Mail)

Indian consumer goods firm Hindustan Unilever introduces the Horlicks Protein line in India, with two of the three items offered free of animal-person ingredients. The chocolate and coffee flavors feature vegan yeast protein delivering essential amino acids and supporting gut health. It provides 24 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per 36-gram serving (Green Queen)

Singaporean designer Apple Lau launches eco-conscious label Aomorie, crafting coffee-infused vegan leather jackets and accessories from recycled grounds to expand sustainable, cruelty-free fashion across Southeast Asia (The Straits Times)

PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] honors legendary German-American visual pop artist Peter Max (vegan) following his passing, celebrating his decades of vibrant artwork, dedicated animal-people activism, and lifelong commitment to promoting veganism and animal welfare (PETA)

Since late August 2026, authorities in Hà Tĩnh Province [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] have carried out inspections and dismantled illegal bird-trapping sites, destroying more than 20,100 trapping tools and releasing 110 live bird-people back into the wild. In Cổ Đạm Commune alone, officials destroyed more than 5,000 glue-coated sticks, 550 foam bird decoys and 10 hunting shelters (VietnamPlus)

US firefighters rescued an injured dog-person stranded along a bluff in Phelps County [Missouri, US] on September 15. The Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District responded to a report of a dog-individual unable to move on Highway P. Crews safely reached the animal friend and brought it to safety (KRCG)

British racecar driver Ollie Millroy survived a fiery crash during a China GT [Grand Touring] event after Dutch driver Loek Hartog stopped to help. Mr. Hartog used a fire extinguisher and pulled Mr. Millroy from the burning Ferrari. Mr. Millroy suffered multiple broken bones and a bruised lung, later calling Mr. Hartog his “superhero” and crediting him with saving his life (Daily Mail)

Uplifting quote of the day: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of GOD, which is why we call it the present.” – Bil Keane Noted American Cartoonist (GoodReads)

In this two-part series on Rodney Jones’s near-death experiences, American musician Rodney describes encountering a Light of Divine Love that deepened his understanding of his life’s purpose — to give and receive unconditional love. Rodney is a professional musician who has taught at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City [US] and toured the world with some of the biggest names in music. Behind the scenes, though, he had always been a seeker, chasing an understanding of Divine Love that he says he’d felt calling to him since he was a small child.

Rodney’s first near-death experience followed a performance at high altitude in Telluride, Colorado, US. When Rodney got home, he began feeling ill, and a doctor diagnosed him with pneumonia in both lungs and sent him home with antibiotics. Three days later, he could barely breathe. Getting up late one night, he fell, hit his head on a table, and crawled out to his couch, where he sat down and lowered his head. And I felt an arm go over my shoulder, so much so that I [was] startled. I sat up, and there was nothing there. And I put my head down again, and I felt this feeling enfolding, enveloping me, this sense of unconditional Love like I had never known before. This Love answered every question that no longer needed to be asked. This Love gave context and understanding about the why of my life. Not only what I had done, but why. Why I had the children I had, why I had grown up where I had, why I had chosen the music. Every question was answered before I could ask it.

I said to this Light — it was a beautiful, golden blue hued Light before me — I said, “If to know You, I must die, then let me die now.” And I meant that with every fiber of my being. I was ready to go. This Light was Home. This Light was everything. This Light was Truth. It was unconditional Love. And the Light spoke in a voice back to me. And it said, “You do not have to die to know Me.” Rodney says his fever went away that night, though it took him a couple of months to recover from the pneumonia. The Light’s message gave his spiritual search a new direction: how could he experience that same love while still living? He came to understand that giving love was itself a way to receive it, and that his purpose was to learn to give and receive Divine Love. That encounter deepened his commitment to a life of love and service.

In Part 2, Rodney faces another severe illness and reaches a moment of surrender as he struggles to breathe. And I remember thinking to myself, “Maybe this is where I just let go. Maybe this is how I go. Maybe this is it.” Join us tomorrow for Part 2 of this two-part series on Rodney Jones’s near-death experiences. (Love Covered Life Podcast YouTube channel)