DAILY NEWS Stream – April 16, 2026

South Korea resumes tourist train service to Dorasan Station near the North Korean border for the first time in over six years, with South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young calling the station’s reopening a small but meaningful step toward everyday peace and renewed inter-Korean engagement (Yonhap News Agency)

US Central Command says it will begin enforcing a blockade on all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports starting April 13, applying the restrictions to vessels of any nation while allowing normal transit through the Strait of Hormuz for ships bound to or from non-Iranian ports (US Central Command)

US NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] astronaut Christina Koch describes the profound perspective she gained while viewing Earth from deep space during the Artemis II lunar mission:

So, when we saw ‘tiny’ Earth, people asked our crew what impressions we had. And honestly, what struck me wasn’t necessarily just Earth. It was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbingly in the Universe. So, I may have not learned— I know I haven’t learned— everything that this journey has yet to teach me. But there’s one new thing I know, and that is: planet Earth, you are a crew. (NASA)

US President Donald Trump says large numbers of empty oil tankers are currently heading to the US to load US oil and gas for export as global energy markets remain disrupted by the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)

Scientists on the German icebreaker Polarstern accidentally discover an uncharted Antarctic island — roughly the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza — after a storm forces the crew to seek shelter near Joinville Island [Antarctica], revealing land previously mistaken for hazardous ice on nautical maps (Kênh 14)

Thailand temporarily increases monthly welfare payments for more than 13 million low-income residents from 300 to 400 baht (about US$9.30 to US$12.40) and rolls out low-interest loans and transport subsidies to cushion households and businesses from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict (Thanh Niên)

Amid extreme heat in Hà Tĩnh [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)], hundreds of households in Đức Thịnh face severe disruptions as the local water plant breaks down, forcing residents to rely on rainwater, ponds, and borrowed water for daily use (Tuổi Trẻ)

Doctors at A9 Emergency Center (Bạch Mai Hospital) warn that instinctively picking up an unconscious person can lead to permanent paralysis or worsened conditions if done incorrectly. The primary rule is to perform an ABC assessment (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) before moving the victim. In cases involving suspected spinal injuries from accidents or falls, the victim must remain still with the head and neck stabilized. Moving or turning the patient to a recovery position is only advised to clear an obstructed airway or prevent choking on vomit. Maintaining a straight head-neck-torso alignment is a vital technique when transportation is mandatory (Tuổi Trẻ)

Dietitians identify five high-fiber powerhouses that outperform oatmeal: chia seeds, lentils, raspberries, beans, and peas. These staples target the fiber deficiencies in diets, promoting better gut health and blood sugar regulation (National Today)

Doctors warn that early Parkinson’s symptoms, like fatigue and loss of smell, are often dismissed as aging. Specialists highlight that subtle signs—including tremors, stiffness, and sleep disturbances— frequently precede major motor issues. Experts urge those over 50 to seek evaluations for persistent changes, as early diagnosis is crucial for better symptom management and slowing the disease’s progression (Lao Động)

Scientists from the World Glacier Monitoring Service and Monash University [Australia] report that global glaciers lost 408 gigatons of ice in 2025, further raising sea levels by around 1.1 millimeters. The rate of ice loss is now nearly four times higher than late 20th-century rates (VietnamPlus)

Cyclone Vaianu strikes New Zealand’s North Island with gusts above 130 kilometers per hour in some areas and heavy rain, forcing hundreds to evacuate and cutting power to about 5,000 homes. Air New Zealand cancels over 90 domestic flights amid the emergency (Channel News Asia)

A University of British Columbia [Canada] study finds that as climate change reshapes Arctic food webs, ringed seal-people are venturing into risky polar bear-person territory to access varied meals, trading safety for better foraging opportunities (The Cool Down)

A Yale University analysis finds that counties in the US states of California, Iowa, and Texas with the highest density of large animal-people livestock feeding operations show higher overall cancer rates, raising public health concerns (Inside Climate News)

As fuel prices surge after the Iran conflict, a record number of households in Great Britain turn to solar panels, heat pumps, and electric vehicles to cut energy bills, with suppliers reporting sharp spikes in demand (The Guardian)

Norway orders 20 Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil ferries that lift above the water, cut energy use by about 80%, and offer fast, zero-emission travel along the country’s long coastal routes starting next year (Good News Network)

Buffalo Energy Drink surges in popularity across the US with its vegan, taurine-free “Classic” formula. The brand disrupts the market by prioritizing clean ingredients and a no-crash experience for health-conscious, high-performance consumers (Market Realist)

A five-week “Kickstart Your Health” series will debut in Jaffrey, New Hampshire [US] in May, teaching residents to adopt whole-food vegan diets. Led by physician Dr. Nora E. Hanke (vegan), the program focuses on reversing chronic disease. It is based upon the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s successful 21-Day Kickstart program (The Keene Sentinel)

Glasgow [UK] will host the Vegan Summer Festival on July 12, featuring over 80 stalls of vegan food and cruelty-free fashion. The event showcases sustainable living and supports local animal-people rescue efforts (Glasgow Times)

Detroit [US] firefighters rescue a starving puppy found trapped at the top of a chimney in an abandoned house after a neighbor calls for help, and the puppy — now named Stack — is recovering under charity Michigan Humane’s care (CBS News)

Heroic 12-year-old Macy Johnson saves her two brothers from a Georgia [US] house fire. After spotting garage flames, she rushes inside to alert her siblings, ensuring everyone escapes safely before firefighters contain the blaze (Good News Network)

Patricia Bauer rescues horse-people from the slaughter pipeline at her Alto, Texas [US] Highway 21 Horse Rescue. She rehabilitates neglected equine-folk and hosts weekly events for the public to meet the residents for a small fee to help pay for their care expenses (KTRE)

Trần Ngọc Thiên Thanh rescues an injured baby barn owl in HCM CT, nursing it back to health. Currently a household companion as it is unable to fly, the now grown owl-person helps the woman challenge superstitions about this bird-people species and promotes wildlife-people conservation online (Thanh Niên)

Wise quote of the day: “We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.” – Reverend Oswald Chambers Scottish Baptist Evangelist and Teacher (BrainyQuote)

In Part 1 of 3 of Randy Riverstone Graves’ near-death experience, American minister, chaplain, and musician Randy shares how he died during a heart attack and soared through the cosmos, met God, received a life-changing message, and came back overflowing with Music.

Randy grew up in a conservative Christian home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA, where faith was central, but questions were welcomed. He eventually became a United Methodist minister, though his tenure as a pastor lasted less than a year after conflicts arose over his inclusive theology. He later found his calling as a hospital chaplain, helping people of all faiths transition from this life to the next — an experience he feels quietly prepared him for what was coming.

On a beautiful Sunday in late November, Randy and friends were enjoying the day atop Mount Sequoyah, a place he had considered sacred for 40 years. He began feeling strange, the world growing shimmery and golden around him. Recognizing he might be experiencing hypoglycemia, and without his phone nearby, he sat on a bench and watched the world grow brighter — until he lost consciousness. He had suffered a heart attack.

The world around me was just — it wasn’t getting dark, it was getting brighter and sparkly, and I was just kind of amazed. And I thought, if I’m dying, this is kind of cool. And then I suddenly found myself like, this is an ineffable experience, really. I don’t really have words to describe what’s happening next, but I’ll do my best. I found myself kind of like underwater, but kind of like in a womb. The water was warm, and I was floating. It was like being under a sea, like a purple, violet kind of sea, and I was just floating there. My arms were stretched out, my legs were stretched out, and I was just floating and looking around. I was looking up, and I could see the surface of the water above me and all around, and I could see it rippling, so I knew I was under some kind of water, but it felt like I was in a womb. And I thought, “This feels so good.” And, I don’t know how long I was there, but I was just enjoying the sensation and the peace and the comfort, and then I felt hands touching me from below, and they started lifting me up toward the surface, and where I was, it was darker water. And as they raised me up, the water got brighter and brighter. And then I stopped a few feet from the surface, and they held me there kind of in suspension, and I was kind of floating a little bit.

And I knew that I had a choice to make at that point, that if I broke the surface — at this point I knew that I was almost dead. And I knew that if they pushed me through the surface higher, that I would be dead, and there would be no coming back, at least this is what I thought at the time. I had no thought at this time of my life here. I didn’t think of my wife, who I love dearly. She’s life to me. I didn’t think of my kids. I didn’t think of anything other than the moment that I was in. But I did know I had a choice. And so I kind of thought, let’s go for it.

Beyond that shimmering surface, Randy was carried into the cosmos, where radiant beings, Divine Music, and an astonishing encounter were waiting for him. And then suddenly I heard like the most amazing Music I had ever heard. And it was like the Music of God. Join us tomorrow for Part 2 of 3 of Randy Riverstone Graves’ near-death experience. (Spiritual Warrior Journey)