DAILY NEWS Stream – February 19, 2026

Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Saudi Arabia sign a new cooperation deal to rebuild Yemen’s key road networks, shifting from emergency aid to long-term development (Asharq Al-Awsat)

China announces it will remove tariffs for 53 African countries starting May 1, as China’s President Xi says the policy will create new development opportunities as Beijing deepens trade links across Africa (VnExpress)

The US carries out a new wave of large-scale airstrikes on dozens of ISIS targets in Syria— part of Operation Hawkeye launched after the December 2025 ambush that killed two US soldiers— destroying weapons sites and killing or capturing more than 50 ISIS fighters (New York Post)

Azerbaijani civil-society representatives cross a newly demarcated land border to attend Armenia’s Peace Bridge roundtable— part of a recent civil-society initiative created to foster people-to-people dialogue after years of conflict— as participants from both countries discuss regional security, the peace agenda, and the role of grassroots engagement in building trust (News.az)

Âu Lạc (Vietnam) hands over 250 metric tons of rice to Cuba as part of its 2026 aid commitment, supporting Havana’s food security amid ongoing economic difficulties (VnExpress)

Mass demonstrations across major cities worldwide call for political change in Iran as hundreds of thousands rally— from Munich [Germany] to Toronto [Canada], London [UK], Tokyo [Japan] and Los Angeles [US]— amid reports of a deadly crackdown, with exiled figures and international politicians urging continued pressure and support for protesters (Fox News)

The state of São Paulo [Brazil] enacts a new law allowing pet-folks to be buried alongside their caregivers, formally recognizing the human-animal-people bond (Noticias Ambientales)

Saudi students take part in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve’s rapidly growing “In Our Nature” art competition— now drawing over 1,600 entries— as children depict key rewilding species like the Arabian wolf-people, Arabian oryx-folks and Persian onager-individuals to promote environmental awareness, cultural heritage and the next generation’s connection to conservation (Arab News)

The United Nations warns that Afghanistan’s aid system is being pushed to the brink as more than 5 million people— about 12% of the population— have returned from Pakistan and Iran since late 2023, overwhelming relief efforts amid deepening hunger, shrinking foreign assistance and a US$216 million United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) funding appeal that is only 8% met (Reuters)

Senegal launches an online platform to report cybercrimes against children, developed by Senegal’s Special Division to Combat Cybercrime with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF’s) support (Tech Africa News)

UK shoppers are warned that a surge in unsolicited “mystery package” brushing scams— where fraudsters use stolen personal data to send unwanted goods to individuals and post fake verified product reviews by them— may signal compromised information and even carry risks such as the unrequested items being unsafe, including malware-laden USBs or QR codes, prompting experts to urge tighter account security and caution with unexpected deliveries (Daily Express)

Singapore moves to regulate “blind boxes”— sealed mystery packages that contain random collectibles and mimic gambling-style chance mechanics— as the Home Affairs Ministry drafts rules that may include mandatory odds disclosure amid growing concerns that these chance-based purchases can trigger addictive behavior, especially among children and youths (Channel News Asia)

Dozens of costumed dog-people join Rio de Janeiro [Brazil]’s Blocão Carnival street party as their caregivers turn the long-running celebration into a protest against pet-folk cruelty, honoring Orelha— the dog-individual whose recent killing shocked Brazil— while promoting animal-people protection and keeping their pet-folks safe from the city’s intense heat (AP News)

Watermelon effectively lowers blood pressure and lipids [blood fats] according to a new study in the Nutrients journal. This traditional fruit provides abundant Lycopene and L-citrulline, supporting vasodilation and neutralizing inflammatory free radicals. Regular watermelon consumption helps overweight individuals reduce systolic blood pressure, improve BMI [Body Mass Index], and enhance cardiovascular health. Experts confirm watermelon acts as a promising functional food in preventing global chronic diseases (Thanh Niên)

State of Minnesota [US] health officials report the nation’s largest known outbreak of TMVII, a sexually transmitted fungal infection. With 13 confirmed and 27 suspected cases in the Twin Cities, authorities urge testing for painful, itchy rashes spread through skin-to-skin contact (Z News)

Brazilian researchers find that authoritative parenting— blending strong bonds with clear rules— significantly reduces teenage substance abuse risk. While parental drug use increases teen addiction likelihood by up to 28%, maintaining open dialogue and a substance-free home remains the most powerful protective factor (News Medical Life Sciences)

A major storm hammers New Zealand’s North Island with winds up to 193 kilometers per hour, cutting power to 30,000 properties, causing flooding, grounding flights, and triggering severe weather warnings (NZ Herald)

Volcano Piton de la Fournaise on the southwest Indian Ocean island of Réunion erupts for the second time this year, sending lava down the Grandes Pentes [eastern flank of the volcano] as authorities close public access to the caldera [collapsed magma chamber] and monitor seismic activity (The Watchers)

Canada’s warming winters disrupt wildlife-person patterns, with bear-people waking early and hare-folk losing camouflage to hide in snow with less or no snowpack, signaling severe risks to ecosystems from climate change (Yahoo News)

Eco Amigos teams up with the Mil Playas project to clean Manilva’s beaches [Spain], removing 248 kilograms of litter while raising funds for conservation and highlighting both groups’ broader missions— from local monthly cleanups to Mil Playas’ 6,000-kilometer quest to clear 1,000 beaches and promote environmental awareness along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts (EuroWeekly News)

A stray lamb-person delights spectators as it crashes a Turkish duathlon [running and cycling event] in Izmir. The unexpected guest joins athletes on the course, sparking cheers and lighthearted calls for veganism (Haberler)

A 2026 report by The Vegan Society identifies India, the United Kingdom, and the United States as the world’s most accessible travel destinations for vegan explorers. The surge is driven by a mix of deep-rooted culinary heritage, high-end fine dining, and massive urban restaurant density (EnVols)

Tofutti Brands of the United States rebrands with explicit “vegan” labels for its products like cream cheese and sour cream to boost its competitive edge. The dairy-free pioneer targets Canada and international growth to drive revenue (AD HOC NEWS)

Researchers in New South Wales [Australia] rescue an exhausted humpback whale-person entangled in rope and chain. Using an underwater camera and drone for precision, marine scientist Olaf Meynecke at Griffith University and his team free the animal friend (DiscoverWildlife)

HCM CT [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] flower seller Đỗ Thị Yến donates 500 unsold Tết [Lunar New Year] plants [kumquat and poinsettia pots] to low-income workers and elderly residents, choosing joy over profit (Thanh Niên)

Georgia National Guard members reunite a lost puppy with her caregiver in Washington DC [US]. The soldiers took the pup into custody after she was left on a transit bus. She was later safely returned to her caregiver (War.gov)

Wise quote of the day: “Perfect happiness is the absence of striving for happiness.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master and Philosopher Chuang Tzu (vegetarian) (AZ Quotes)

Previously, in Part 1 of 2 of Bubba Herrick’s near-death experience, the 19-year-old baseball player described dying during surgery and watching from above as doctors fought to revive him. He was pulled into a life review that showed him the truth of his choices, leaving him overwhelmed with regret and longing for a second chance. But in the silence that followed, no answer came. Now, in Part 2 of 2, Bubba shares what happened when he reached the moment of surrender.

So eventually, I just let go, and I was like, you know what? All right. That’s the reality of how my life ended. So I surrendered. Just take me into whatever is next. And as soon as I said the words, “I surrender,” I was shuttled into this different place, but it was a part of the same thing. And it was the most beautiful, overwhelming, unconditional love I had ever experienced in my life. It was as if I was looking at the outside world from the perspective of the inside of the purest diamond in the Universe. It was just this most magnificent place. Time didn’t exist in this place. In fact, it felt like me and time were the same thing. And it felt like my true home. Like when I was shuttled into this place, immediately I just felt like I was home, like I belonged for the first time in my life.

Then Bubba’s deceased stepdad Mike appeared—a man who had come into his life when he was 12 and been a saving grace for their family. Suddenly, this person approaches me and passes me a basketball. And as soon as this person passes me the basketball, I recognize the person. It was my stepdad, who had passed away a couple years prior to my near-death experience. And what’s interesting about this is the basketball game that we played in this place was a re-creation of an exact moment that I had just witnessed in my life review moments ago— moments ago or eternity ago, I’m not sure. This basketball game that he had played with me in real life when I was 12 years old, it always stuck with me. It stuck with me throughout the rest of my life because I had never been shown that type of love from a father figure. He was a nurturer and just a caring and genuine person. So now in my near-death experience, I got to replay the same game with him, the game that just meant so much to me. The game was full of loving, competitive—but not overly egotistical competitive. It was just a fun, competitive environment where it was a bond.

But after the game, when he stepped back, his tone changed from that loving kind of energy to more fatherly, stern, firm. And he was like, all right— he wasn’t talking, by the way, like neither of us were talking. We were communicating almost telepathically. We both knew what one another was saying. But if he were able to talk, he would have said something like, “All right, let’s cut the crap. You’re here for a reason. I’m here for a reason. Let’s talk about it.” And he said, “I’ve been sent here to offer you something.” He said, “I know how badly, after your life review, you wanted a second chance. I know the regret that you felt and the anger and the disappointment, and I know the longing that you had to do right by yourself, to go make the wrongs right.” And then he says to me, “I’ve been sent here to offer you that second chance, but if I do so, the next time you die, you need to make sure you’re ready for it.” Then he said, “You have a great purpose to serve, Bubba. And if I grant you this second chance, you need to make sure you serve that purpose and give everything you have to that purpose.”

Though Bubba didn’t want to leave that beautiful place, he felt he had to accept. Mike vanished, and Bubba found himself back above the operating table, watching as doctors revived his body. He woke up throwing punches at the medical staff, confused and wanting to return. When his mother visited, he told her everything, but she laughed it off as drug-induced hallucination. A nurse corrected her, explaining these were called near-death experiences and were real. Still, Bubba tried to dismiss the experience because accepting it would mean changing everything about his life.

He returned to baseball but reinjured the same ligament 10 months into rehab. He lost his passion for the sport and began journaling instead. Eventually, he accepted the experience was real and retired from baseball. The shift transformed his relationships, leading to a falling out with his family. He sold everything, moved into his car, and drove to Arizona to attend an International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) conference, where he finally found others who understood.

And I had a moment with this gentleman named Chase DeMayo, and at the end of his talk, he opened the floor for questions. And I was not intending to talk to anyone or speak at all, but something just took over me, and I went up to the podium, and I was the last person to speak, and he made time for me to speak. And I asked him, I said, “Hey, I’ve experienced all of these after-effects, like I’ve had a falling out with my family, I don’t know who I am anymore, all this stuff.” And I asked him, “Have you experienced that?” And you could feel that in the room, other people were also wanting to ask that same question. So it was almost like I had asked our question, not just my question, and his answer was, “Yes.

I would look up to the sky, and I would ask God, “Why did You bring me back? Why did You give me the second chance?” And then he said, “You’re not alone in that, and everybody else in this room, you’re not alone in that.” And from that moment, I just felt so much closure with that experience. And I finally felt like I was able to move past it.

While living in his car, former teammates kept calling for help with anxiety, addiction, and social media struggles— the same issues he’d seen in his life review. A friend who owned a baseball training facility in Florida invited him to work as a mental performance coach, helping young athletes find identity beyond sports. Bubba returned to the game— but this time with a different purpose. Together, they opened a baseball training facility focused not just on performance, but on helping young athletes discover who they are beyond the sport. (NDE Journey)