DAILY NEWS Stream – April 22, 2026

US President Trump says the US is prohibiting Israel from further bombing in Lebanon as a US-backed ceasefire takes effect, while stressing that any US deal with Iran remains separate from the Lebanon conflict (Reuters)

The IMF [International Monetary Fund] and World Bank restore formal ties with Venezuela under Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, reopening the door for Venezuela to seek financial assistance after years of isolation (Al Jazeera)

A consumer report says US ingredient labeling rules allow lanolin, which comes from sheep-folk, to be included in chewing gum under the vague term “gum base.” As a result, many gums may contain this animal-people-derived ingredient without listing it specifically on the label (Tasting Table)

British lawmakers Sir Edward Leigh, the Father of the House, and Matt Vickers, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, have spoken out against a clause in the Crime and Policing Bill that would decriminalize abortions carried out by a woman on her own pregnancy at any stage of gestation, including very late term; during debate on House of Lords amendments to the bill on April 14, Sir Edward highlighted the case of a woman who self-induced an abortion at 39 weeks and would receive an automatic pardon under the new provisions, describing it as “a terrible indictment of our society that a human life can be taken when it is about to be born, at 39 weeks,” while Matt Vickers expressed concern that many people across the country share these worries and criticized the way the clause was added after the committee stage, which meant it received limited scrutiny and no dedicated evidence sessions (LifeNews)

Hundreds of prominent American leaders, including President Trump, and citizens are publicly reading the entire Holy Bible aloud from Genesis to Revelation this week in Washington DC [US], with the full event being livestreamed worldwide as part of the landmark “America Reads the Bible” event, calling America back to its spiritual roots ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary (America Reads the Bible)

Kofu [Japan] starts gifting birthstones to babies born in the city, using the tradition to strengthen local identity in Japan’s long-established “town of gemstones” by pairing each newborn with a small stone linked to their birth month and presenting it in a locally crafted oak box (Tuổi Trẻ)

Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing pardons former President Win Myint and reduces former State Counsellor of Myanmar and Minister of Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence from 27 years to about 22 and a half years as part of a broader holiday amnesty (Tuổi Trẻ)

The UK government launches a new national agreement to provide firefighters with research-backed health monitoring, regular checks, and expanded prevention-focused support to address the unique long-term physical and mental health risks they face during and after service (Gov.uk)

New research links air pollution and heat waves to increased migraine frequency. Environmental stressors cause gradual brain sensitivity, with air pollutants, like fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, and extreme sunlight triggering inflammation and sudden attacks, necessitating careful monitoring of weather forecasts (Earth.com)

Mushrooms serve as a nutritious, low-fat addition to gout-friendly diets. Varieties like oyster and enoki offer low purine levels, while antioxidants and vitamins support overall health. Experts recommend moderate portions, proper hydration, and pairing mushrooms with vitamin C to maintain uric acid balance (Lao Động)

Thailand reports a surge in “soil fever,” with 732 melioidosis infections and 23 deaths. Caused by soil-borne bacteria, the disease spreads through contaminated water, dust inhalation, or wounds. Health officials urge farmers and flood-exposed residents to wear protection and seek immediate medical care (2Sao)

More than 20 tornadoes strike multiple US states, concentrating on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri. In the latter three states, power is lost by 160,000 households. In Wisconsin alone, the twisters damage about 75 homes in Marathon County and force the evacuation of Milwaukee Airport’s air traffic control tower (Daily Mail / Watchers News)

Waste chokes nearly 60 hectares of mangrove forests along Âu Lạc (Vietnam)’s Lam River in Nghệ An province after 2025 floods wash debris downstream. Plastic, foam, and clothing cling to trunks, branches, and roots, threatening biodiversity as authorities mobilize cleanup efforts (Vietnam Plus)

The US Coast Guard searches for six missing people off Guam [island in western Pacific Ocean] after a 44-meter cargo vessel loses contact during Super Typhoon Sinlaku (Taipei Times)

A new study finds that warming in the western US is causing more winter precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow, speeding water movement through mountain watersheds by about 18% and leaving rivers with far less slow-melting snow to sustain summer flows that ecosystems and water supplies rely on (Earth.com)

A new study introduces the Mangrove Threat Index, which uses proximity to human activity to identify mangrove patches at highest risk of degradation, correctly predicting future losses in 78% of high-risk sites and giving planners a tool for preventive conservation before ecosystems collapse (Phys.org)

Dubai [United Arab Emirates] completes what officials call the world’s first dedicated electric vertical-takeoff- and-landing (eVTOL) flying-taxi station near Dubai International Airport, a four-story facility designed to handle up to 170,000 passengers per year and set to begin commercial operations by the end of the year (Tuổi Trẻ)

ProVeg China [non-profit vegan protein advocate] and Jiangnan University [China] partner to launch the NeoProtein Innovation Center of Excellence. The hub targets scientific research and industry collaboration to accelerate next-generation, sustainable protein solutions in China (Vegconomist)

Bengaluru’s Phurr restaurant chain transforms vegetarian dining into a premium experience with outlets in Jayanagar and Indiranagar. The brand blends traditional flavors with modern presentation, targeting younger diners and planning nationwide expansion (Hindustan Times)

British TV presenter Chris Packham (vegan) reports a 73% drop in his dog companion’s blood fats after switching to a vegan diet. He promotes vet-formulated vegan pet food for health and environmental benefits (LBC)

Conservationists deploy robotic decoys at Jackson Hole Airport [Wyoming, US] to lure sage grouse-people from runways to safer habitats. These dancing, vocalizing robots mimic breeding displays at a safer site (AZ Animals)

Advocate Chong Kwek Bin, a visually impaired tech specialist, spearheads inclusion in Singapore, advising on national policy on accessibility and testing assistive tech. He champions independence and visibility, urging society to integrate disabled communities into decision-making for a truly accessible future (Channel News Asia)

Siberian cat-person Issy becomes a beloved mascot at a University of Oxford library in the UK. Riding the bus to campus with his caregiver, the friendly feline-citizen provides emotional support to stressed students, gaining fame and invitations from other universities to visit (Good News Network)

Wise quote of the day: “I cannot think that we are useless or God would not have created us. There is one God looking down on us all. We are all the children of one God. The Sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we have to say.” – Geronimo Medicine Man and Military Leader of the Apache First Nation (BrainyQuote)

Previously in Parts 1 through 3 of 4 of Jeffrey Olsen’s near-death experience, American author and speaker Jeffrey shared how a devastating car accident killed his wife Tamara and infant son Griffin, how Light came to him as he lay pinned beneath the wreckage, how his deceased wife urged him to return for the sake of their surviving son, and how he moved through the trauma center outside his body before he re-entered his shattered body, and how, near the end of his hospital stay, the guilt he carried from the crash rose up again when he was reunited in Heaven with Griffin and told, “There’s nothing to forgive. Everything’s in Divine order.”

And then I was given a tutorial on choice. But I did ask the why questions: “Why? Why, God? Why both of them? Why did they have to cut my leg off? Why, why, why?” And that was always transformed into, “But what are you learning? What are you becoming?” And I was kind of angry, and I was hurt. And in this tutorial on choice, I was told that I had a choice. I could be mad at God the rest of my life because this accident was allowed to happen. Or I could beat myself up for the rest of my life because I was driving the car. Or, and this was a third choice, I was told I could exercise my will. And I’m like, my will? It’s Your will be done. I’ve been taught that since I was a little boy. And this was profound. What the Creator said to me is, “My will is your will. That’s how much you’re loved. My will is that you have free will. You get to choose.” And I was told I could give my little boy back, that I could choose to hand him over and trust, and therefore it wouldn’t feel like he was torn away from me. And in all that love and all that peace and all that beauty, I kissed my little boy. And I gave him back. I handed him over to God, and I trusted.

Jeffrey returned not to peace, but to the hospital bed — to the amputation, the wounds, the braces, and everything that was wrong with his body. As the end of his hospital stay approached, he worried most about seeing Spencer again: how his seven-year-old son would respond to his father coming home in a wheelchair, with one leg gone above the knee, the other locked in a full brace, and his arm immobilized. Jeffrey was released not to his own home, but to his brother’s house, where Spencer had been staying — and when his brothers brought him there and lifted him into his electric wheelchair, he braced himself for that first reunion.

And I just thought, “How is he going to deal with all this?” And he came running out of the house, and he ran toward me, and then he ran right past me. And I thought, “Oh man, it’s too much. I mean, the injuries, the all that’s going on, it’s too much.” And I was a little heartbroken. And I continued toward the ramp that my brothers had built so I could drive the wheelchair up the ramp. And when I turned the wheelchair, I just looked to see where he’d gone. And he’d actually run across the street. And he began knocking on all the neighbors’ doors. And he started shouting, “Come out! Come out! My dad has made it home! My dad is here! Come see my dad!” And I burst into tears. I mean, he eventually made the loop, and he ran, and he threw himself on my lap, which just about killed me because I still had all the sutures and everything from the abdominal reconstruction. But there I was holding my son in this realm. And this is why I share that story. Here I am in a wheelchair, holding my surviving son. And it was no less profound than being on the other side, holding my son who had passed. I mean, Heaven was right here. For Jeffrey, that moment stayed with him as proof that Heaven was not only something he had touched on the other side, but something that could meet him here as well. Years later, reflecting on all that followed, he puts into words what the suffering taught him.

I don’t dismiss suffering. It’s easy for me to say, “Boy, it sure expands the soul.” I mean, pain has shown up and teaches me every day that I’m alive. And yet, in the greater Hands, in the higher perspective, we suffer for a moment, and our soul expands. And because there’s no death, we get to take all that wisdom with us. And it even serves us here and now. Perhaps because of the suffering, I can be more kind. I can have deeper compassion. I can have a greater capacity for empathy because I know how that felt. And that’s the near-death experience. And my life has transformed and unfolded, and now I’m a gray-haired man, and I still wouldn’t say I have it all figured out. I sometimes laugh and say my book’s called Knowing, and I don’t know if I know anything, but I’m quite comfortable not knowing. (Beyond The Light (NDE))