DAILY NEWS Stream – February 15, 2026

South Korea marks the 10th anniversary of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex shutdown by expressing interest in reopening the joint industrial zone, located in North Korea and operated cooperatively by both Koreas from 2004 until its closure in 2016. As one of the peninsula’s few long-running projects of practical inter-Korean cooperation, its shutdown ended more than a decade of daily cross-border economic activity, and Seoul [South Korea] is now calling for restored communication channels to discuss its future (The Korea Times)

Angola’s President João Lourenço and African Union envoys call for a ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC] after meeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi in Luanda [Angola], urging all sides to implement agreed monitoring mechanisms as the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group continues its offensive inside the DRC despite recent US- and Qatar-brokered peace efforts (Africanews)

A Russian drone strike on the town of Bohodukhiv in Ukraine’s (Ureign’s) Kharkiv region kills a father and his three young children on their first night after evacuating frontline shelling, leaving the pregnant mother as the sole survivor (Fox News)

A Naugatuck [US] animal-people rescue turns old coolers into insulated outdoor shelters for stray cat-individuals, racing to meet soaring winter demand as volunteers build and give them away for free to help vulnerable animal-folks survive the cold (Stamford Advocate)

Venezuela’s National Assembly is holding nationwide consultations on an Amnesty Bill proposed by acting president Delcy Rodríguez to promote political reconciliation by pardoning certain political offenses committed between 1999 and 2026, while excluding serious crimes and preparing a revised draft for final approval in the coming weeks (VTV)

The European Union launches a 300-member rapid-response wildfire force to speed cross-border deployments during peak fire seasons, aiming to improve coordination and early intervention as climate-driven blazes increasingly overwhelm national services (Greek Reporter)

Qatar launches its first land-based aid corridor humanitarian program for Sudan, sending an initial convoy of emergency medical supplies as part of a 70-container shipment led by the Qatar Fund for Development and the Qatar Red Crescent to support the country’s war-damaged health system (Qatar Tribune)

A two-year-old child opens a rear car door in heavy traffic on Jalan Tun Razak, a major road in central Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], triggering a six-vehicle collision that injures two motorcyclists as police investigate for careless driving, with authorities reminding motorists to activate child-proof door locks to prevent similar incidents (People)

The White House cites a US political news outlet Axios analysis showing violent crime fell sharply in major US cities — including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia — with murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults all declining in 2025 as the administration credits its public-safety policies (White House)

Malaysia reports 10 new tuberculosis clusters ahead of Lunar New Year travel, prompting health experts to urge mask-wearing, early testing for symptoms, and better ventilation, with the states of Selangor and Johor recording the most active outbreaks (Thanh Niên)

Experts recommend home remedies like cloves or clove oil, warm saltwater rinses, and cold compresses to the cheek for temporary toothache relief. Garlic and peppermint tea bags can also mitigate symptoms. However, dental professionals warn these methods only mask underlying issues. They urge immediate clinical care for persistent pain or swelling to prevent serious complications, emphasizing that home treatments are not permanent cures (Lao Động)

Five family members in HCM CT [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] face emergency treatment after Ciguatoxin poisoning from sea fish. They experience severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and characteristic neurological symptoms like numbness and “cold-to-hot” sensory reversal. Doctors stabilize the victims and warn that this heat-stable toxin is undetectable (VietnamNet)

Physicians at Military Central Hospital 108 [Hà Nội, Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] save a 20-year-old man from a life-threatening coma caused by e-cigarette-induced lung failure. Experts warn of toxic additives in illicit vapes, especially since Âu Lạc (Vietnam)’s 2025 ban on the production and use of electronic cigarettes (VietnamNet)

Tropical Cyclone Gezani slams into eastern Madagascar with powerful winds, killing at least 31 people and displacing thousands while devastating Toamasina and surrounding areas (Reuters)

Mexico’s El Chichón volcano shows persistent hydrothermal unrest with seismic swarms and crater lake chemical changes. Authorities maintain a Yellow Alert but report no magma ascent or imminent eruption, while restricting crater access due to localized gas hazards (The Watchers)

January 2026 ranks as the fifth-warmest January on record globally, with temperatures 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels despite severe cold outbreaks in Europe and North America (VietnamPlus)

Scientists in the Australian Capital Territory are beginning to reintroduce captive-bred green and golden bell frog-people to wetlands around Canberra [Australia] for the first time since the species vanished locally in the 1980s due to chytrid fungus, using immunization, warm “frog-folk saunas,” and slightly saline “frog-folk spas” to help them survive in the wild (Good News Network)

Europe’s tofu market is projected to reach €1.7 billion by 2034, with 2026 sales hitting €670.2 million. Growth is driven by surging interest in vegan diets and health-conscious consumer shifts (Plant Based News)

Philippine House of Representatives member Leila de Lima, alongside actress Nadine Lustre (vegan), files landmark bills to establish Animal Welfare Desks in police stations and mandate only plant-based meals be served on Mondays in Philippine schools, government institutions, and hospitals (INQUIRER.net)

Food manufacturer Minsk Margarine Plant launches “Zalataya Kroplya Vegan,” a pea-protein mayonnaise in Belarus. The preservative-free, low-calorie sauce was designed for vegans and those observing religious fasts with an animal-fat-free, vegan recipe (Nasha Niva)

The European Commission partially registers a citizens’ plan to enhance stray dog- and cat-people welfare in shelters and further restrict testing on them. Trade rules would be updated to ensure “trade benefits or cooperation only go to countries that comply with verifiable animal welfare standards.” Organizers must gather one million signatures from seven member countries before further action (European Commission)

Terramed [US-based healthcare and veterinary real estate company] launches the TerraGives program to expand global animal-people healthcare. Among other projects, the firm pledges over US$50,000 to the Amici Cannis clinic for stray dog-people in Cotacachi [Ecuador] and supports the organization Rabies Free Africa, which has vaccinated 3 million dog-individuals in Tanzania (Main Line Times&Suburban)

Crews in Melbourne Beach, Brevard County [Florida, US] rescue a trapped manatee-person in a storm drain. Teams use a crane to lift the manatee friend from the drain during a cold snap. Officials say the animal-individual is unharmed (CBS News)

Enlightening quote of the day: “Be empty of worrying. Think of who created thought! Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?” – The Venerated Enlightened Master and Poet Mawlānā Jalāl-ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhi Rūmī (vegetarian) (Bookroo)

Previously, in Part 1 of 2 of Crystal McVea’s near-death experience, Crystal described dying at age 33 and finding herself in the presence of God. Overwhelmed by His Love, she expected to ask why He allowed her childhood abuse — but instead, the only words that came out were filled with regret: “Why didn’t I do more for You?” Today, in Part 2 of 2, Crystal continues her journey with God as He leads her toward the entrance of Heaven.

God told her that once they got there, she couldn’t come back. He showed her all four of her children—ages 13, 11, and the 10-month-old twins. He showed me that the plan for their life — all of their lives — was perfect. But what He showed me was that His perfection does not mean that we will not have sorrow and hurt and tribulations and that things will not be done to hurt us. His perfection is that in the end, no matter what, He takes it all and uses it for good, for His Glory. I knew that I was not truly leaving them. I knew that I was leaving them physically, but that I was going to experience every moment of their lives with them, almost more so in a way. I knew that I wasn’t going to miss a thing, and I knew that I was going to see them again.

God said she could go back and be their mom or continue with Him. Crystal chose to go with Him— the first time in her life she truly chose God above all else. They continued walking toward the entrance, God on her right, angels to her left. As they got closer, Crystal noticed a little girl, three or four years old, wearing a white frilly dress with little yellow flowers. The child was dipping a basket into the light and pouring it out like water, laughing with joy.

I remember instantly knowing like she’s mine, like if you’re going to stake claims to something like that, she’s mine. And I remember loving this child so much. And the whole time I’m just watching her play and smile, and something started to happen to my spirit. I started to — it was almost as if my spirit was being blown up like a balloon, but with love. And as I got close to her, I remember saying out loud, “I’m going to explode” because I could not take one more bit of love for her. And I was okay with exploding into a million pieces because I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Just before Crystal could scoop the child up, God changed the way she was viewing the little girl. Crystal looked down and recognized her immediately. And I recognized her as me. And in an instant, God explained everything. He said, “I have tried to tell you this your entire life. I have tried to show you your entire life.” It was one thing for God to say, “I love you.” But He allowed me to view myself through His eyes. What He showed me in that moment was that He does not interfere with the free will that He has given humans, that He was with me when I called out. That every moment of my life, He never left. When I was in that dark room, every Thursday night, He was there. I had felt alone my entire life, but to know that this God who could have not even looked upon what was happening to me, not only looked upon it, but sat with me so that when I went through this Earthly pain at the hands of another human that I did not do so alone.

God explained that He gave humans the gift of free will. If He interferes to help one person, He also interferes in another human’s free will. Crystal was not hurt at the hands of an unloving God— she was hurt at the hands of a human acting through their own free will, going against God’s Will.

He freed me from a lifetime of shame. He healed me. He freed me from the inside out. Bad things can continue to happen in my life, but what they cannot do any longer is take away the belief and the knowledge that I know that God is a loving God, that He is a loving Father. God healed Crystal’s sense of identity and removed the shame that had defined her. He showed her that she belonged to Him.

Crystal says she later returned to her body, back to the hospital, where doctors had performed CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] to bring her back. Ten years later, life continues with its struggles— including her husband Virgil’s suicide attempt two years ago. Yet Crystal holds onto what she learned.

He [God] is Love. I never understood that until I met Him, until I stood there. I love because You [God] first loved me, that His Love funnels through us. With Him, I touched the face of Love. I can’t even imagine one person not getting to experience that.

He is with us. Even when we feel, that He’s not, even when we feel completely alone, He’s with us. And more than anything, He is in the midst of all of this, and that He loves us more than we could ever comprehend. But the biggest thing that I take away from Him is that this is not it. This is just our beginning. The best is yet to come. (Imagine Heaven Podcast with John Burke)