DAILY NEWS Stream – September 16, 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on BRICS countries to play a peacemaking role in the Middle East during the BRICS summit in New Delhi [India] on September 12. President Xi said the war involving Iran does not serve the international community’s common interests. His remarks came as Iran said it wants to strengthen coordination and expand cooperation with China (Fox News)

A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, in an incident reported to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations late on September 12 (Fox News)

Iraq closed two border crossings with Iran on September 12 after authorities determined that attacks on Saudi Arabia had been launched from Iraq’s Maysan province near the Iranian border (Fox News)

British intelligence estimates that about 500,000 Russian troops have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine (Ureign) in February 2022. The head of the UK military, Sir Rich Knighton, said total Russian casualties — including those killed, wounded and missing — are believed to have reached about 1.5 million. He said most Russian losses have occurred since January 2023, during which time Russia gained only about 2% of Ukrainian (Ureignian) territory (Kyiv Independent)

At least 11 people were killed and 96 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine (Ureign) on September 11 and overnight into September 12, according to local authorities. Odesa Oblast came under a large overnight missile and drone attack that injured at least 35 people, including a five-month-old infant and a 17-year-old. Russian strikes also caused deaths and injuries in Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, while 18 people were injured in Kherson Oblast (Kyiv Independent)

At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying about 180 people derailed near Cléon in Normandy, northern France, on September 11. One 18-year-old passenger was reported to be in critical condition, while the others suffered minor injuries. Police said the train struck an unidentified object on the tracks, and authorities have opened an investigation into the cause (Daily Mail)

Olive oil played an important role in biblical times, when it was used for food, anointing, and lighting lamps. Extra virgin olive oil provides monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and antioxidant polyphenols. Research links Mediterranean diets rich in extra virgin olive oil to lower levels of some inflammatory markers and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (Old Oak Gardening YouTube channel)

A US study found that annual cancer deaths attributed to alcohol more than doubled from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. Among adults ages 20 to 54, colorectal cancer was the leading alcohol-attributable cancer death in men and the second leading in women, while breast cancer was the leading alcohol-related cancer death among women overall. Researchers said alcohol is linked to several cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer, and that reducing consumption may help reduce long-term cancer risk (Fox News)

A national survey found that only 20% of US men were aware of research linking higher animal-people dairy consumption with increased prostate cancer risk. Observational studies and meta-analyses have associated animal-people dairy intake, including milk and cheese, with higher prostate cancer risk. Vegan diets have also been associated with lower prostate cancer risk and better outcomes after diagnosis, but should complement rather than replace screening and medical care (SciTech Daily)

Persistent thirst can have causes beyond dehydration, including hot weather, exercise, salty foods, caffeine, medications and hormonal changes. Consistently high blood sugar can cause excessive thirst as the body loses water through urine. Kidney disease and high blood calcium may also contribute. Persistent thirst with frequent urination or fatigue warrants medical evaluation and possibly blood sugar testing (Thanh Niên)

Neck lumps often result from infections rather than cancer, but persistent swelling warrants medical evaluation. Lymph nodes may enlarge after colds, sore throats, tonsillitis, or ear, dental and oral infections, then shrink as infections clear. Doctors recommend evaluation if an unexplained node persists for about 2–4 weeks, grows, or feels hard or poorly mobile (Thanh Niên)

A new study suggests nighttime light exposure may be linked to unfavorable heart changes. Researchers analyzed 11,071 UK Biobank participants and found greater nighttime light exposure was associated with thicker heart walls, greater left-ventricle mass and slightly weaker contraction. Researchers say light may disrupt circadian rhythms and melatonin, but the study cannot prove causation. They recommend dark bedrooms and adequate sleep (Thanh Niên)

Rare snow-covered parts of Chile’s Atacama Desert in August 2026. US NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] satellite imagery shows the cover stretching from the Andes across the hyper-arid desert towards the Pacific coast. A large atmospheric trough spawned a cutoff low [isolated low-pressure system cut off from the jet stream] which, with abundant coastal moisture, brought exceptional rain and snow. Flash floods and mudflows damaged hundreds of homes on August 18 (SciTech Daily)

A waterspout suddenly formed off Gia Lai province [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] on September 12. The rare phenomenon appeared near Mỹ Đức as a rotating column extended from a thundercloud to the sea surface, drawing water into the air. Weather officials said strong convective clouds, temperature differences and unstable atmospheric conditions likely triggered the waterspout. They warned that similar thunderstorms and local tornadoes could develop across Gia Lai and nearby areas during the early rainy season. Authorities urged boat operators and people at sea to move away from waterspouts and avoid approaching them to watch or record footage (VietnamPlus)

Rare flashes known as red sprites appeared above thunderstorms, photographed from Almería’s coast and from Ayora in Valencia [Spain]. The nation’s meteorological agency says sprites form around 50-90 kilometers above Earth. A powerful lightning strike about 220 kilometers south of Ayora likely triggered some. Each lasted milliseconds (EuroWeekly News)

Animal-people welfare activist Michelle Farnham (vegan), 28, is spending three weeks inside a 43-inch-tall [109-centimeter-tall] pig-person farrowing crate in London’s Trafalgar Square [UK] to highlight the confinement endured by mother pig-individuals in factory farming. Wildlife presenter Chris Packham (vegan) joined her in the crate on her ninth day, describing the conditions as “horrific” and calling for an end to animal-people factories. Ms. Farnham and campaign group Animal Rising are urging the UK government to commit to ending animal-people factories by 2040 (Daily Mail)

PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] India staged a demonstration in Pune [India] on September 11 using a fake charred dog-individual on a barbecue grill to challenge people to consider why some animal-folk are eaten while others are treated as companions. The group said chicken-, goat-, cow- and other animal-individuals can also experience pain and fear, and urged people to reject speciesism and choose vegan food. The protest was intended to draw attention to animal-people suffering in the food industry and encourage greater compassion toward all animal-folk (PETA India)

A new global report says one in nine migratory bird-folk species is threatened with extinction. It also found that 45% are declining, including cuckoo-, turtle dove- and Arctic tern-people. Major threats include habitat loss, the intensification of farming, illegal hunting, pollution, invasive species and climate change, with seabird-folk and shorebird-individuals among the groups under the greatest pressure. At a summit on migratory bird-people in Nairobi [Kenya], governments, conservation groups and development banks also backed new efforts and billions of US dollars in funding to protect and restore habitats along major migratory routes (The Guardian)

Global investment in clean hydrogen projects has surpassed US$130 billion, with more than 570 projects securing investment commitments and about 90% already under construction or operating. The projects represent about 6.9 million metric tons of annual clean hydrogen production capacity, with China accounting for more than half of committed renewable-hydrogen capacity and Europe ranking second for investment (VTV)

International climate advocacy organization Madre Brava says recent retail data shows that UK consumers are cutting back on processed animal-people meat substitutes while boosting purchases of whole plant proteins like beans, pulses, tofu, and tempeh in the first half of 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, to prioritize health, nutrition, and affordability (Plant Based News)

The 2026 Charlotte VegFest returns to Charlotte [North Carolina, US] on October 10, bringing over 100 vegan vendors to thousands of visitors while actively recruiting community volunteers ahead of the event (Queen City News)

American investment firm Beyond Investing lists its International Vegan Climate ETF [exchange-traded fund], trading symbol VEGX, on the Cboe BZX Exchange in Chicago [US], tracking sustainable companies across developed markets, while excluding investing in companies involved in fossil fuels, tobacco, animal-people exploitation, including animal-derived products and use of animal-persons in sport or entertainment, and more (Vegconomist)

A Ukrainian (Ureignian) dog-person named Boomer climbs into a rescue van during a mission in a war-damaged area, apparently seeking help. Rescuers Lala and Krystina of the Ukrainian (Ureignian) non-profit frontline animal-rescue organization 12 Guards say the friendly, healthy Labrador mix may have been abandoned or displaced. They hope his original family claims him; otherwise, they will find him a loving home (Greater Good)

A goose-individual in England [UK] was rescued after getting trapped in a dried-up pond, where thick, hardened mud covered its body and left it unable to move. The RSPCA [Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] rescue team quickly washed away the mud, then allowed the bird friend to dry and rest. The goose-person initially appeared extremely weak and lethargic, but soon developed a strong appetite and began recovering. The incident highlights how dried-up ponds filled with thick mud can pose serious dangers to wildlife-people (The Cool Down)

One of the city of Marbella [Spain]’s community programs, carried out by the non-profit Marbella Voluntaria, aims to reduce loneliness and support vulnerable elderly residents. Volunteers regularly contact and visit 240 participants, check on their well-being and help identify people who need additional assistance. The initiative strengthens community connections while providing companionship and reassurance to older people living alone (EuroWeekly News)

Enlightening quote of the day: “A man who prays lives out the mystery of existence, and a man who does not pray scarcely exists.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Saint Charbel Makhlouf (vegan) (Angelico Press)

Previously in Part 1 of this two-part series on Cliff Green’s near-death experience, four-year-old Cliff fell into a swimming pool while trying to save an insect. Unable to swim and close to exhaustion, he heard a voice tell him to surrender and let go. When he surrendered, he found himself within a Light of unconditional Love, complete fulfillment, and peace, with no sense of where he began or ended.

And suddenly, I don’t know how I got out of this place, but I asked my brother several years later and asked him, “Do you remember what happened on Katarina’s island?” And he said, “Yeah, you drowned, and father saved you. He did CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation]. So, you came back, and you were just crying and screaming like a newborn baby.

It’s like I’m always looking for that same experience while I’m living. It’s like, “Where is it?” I feel that has been my life journey. Where is it? Why am I never satisfied? Where am I? Because it’s like after coming back from that, it’s an emptiness. It’s like I’d rather be there than be here, because here you can’t experience so much Love and beauty.

For decades, Cliff kept the experience mostly to himself— grown-ups told him as a child to be quiet about it, and even his ex-wife asked him not to share it with their children. During his childhood, his grandmother became what he describes as a safe haven. Their bond was largely nonverbal, and Cliff says she gave him unconditional love before she died when he was nine. One day, as they walked from his schoolyard into an open grassy area with trees, the familiar surroundings suddenly appeared to become a luminous space filled with beautiful colors.

One day, we were out walking, and suddenly we walked in Heaven together. It just happened in front of me. We were walking together, and suddenly we were walking in Heaven. It was just such a shock, and I was like, “Oh.” It was wonderful. It wasn’t until Cliff found a Swedish doctor’s study on cardiac arrest survivors, nearly 40 years after his own experience, that he connected with the near-death experience community— eventually helping found the Swedish chapter of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) Today, he works as an educator and facilitates sharing groups for people who have had near-death experiences. When someone shares an experience— whether or not it is a near-death experience— Cliff’s advice is simple.

Just listen, and what they experience is real to them. I mean, what do we know? We don’t know. Who are we to judge or tell? I mean, we don’t know anything except what we experience right now. The message Cliff heard underwater— “give up, surrender, and let go”— became a lasting source of guidance. Whenever he feels lost or finds himself trying to force an outcome, he returns to the same sense of trust he experienced in the pool.

I have used that a lot in my life— when you’re forcing things. Like, nonviolence is non-force. When we stop forcing things through thoughts, through worries, and through anxiety or desperation or fear. So, when we just give up, we don’t care what’s going to happen. I say [that] a lot to myself in many situations, because I’m here to learn and to experience this life, and a lot of times, I’m lost. I don’t know what to do, and then I tell myself, “Ge upp, let go, give up.”

And it has a power, the power of letting go and giving up. It was tremendous because things [then] just work out. For Cliff, the meaning of his near-death experience does not rest on proving what happens after death. What matters most is how it shapes life here and now— and whether people can create well-being together.

So, for me, it’s not so important if it’s true or not. It’s about how does it live within me? Also, I would say, the near-death experience— in that place is total well-being, and what do we want more than life and anything? Well-being. So, I would say, it doesn’t matter what anybody experiences, as long as we are creating well-being together. I think that is what I feel is most serving life, [more than] to focus more on if it’s real or not. It’s more important: how do we create the life we want to live, and well-being here on Earth? (AJ Parr Spiritual Journalist NDE Podcast YouTube channel, Nondual Communication YouTube channel)