DAILY NEWS Stream – May 20, 2025

US President Trump pushes for the normalization of Syria-Israel relations, urging Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, a Middle East peace agreement brokered by President Trump and signed by several Arab countries already (VTV)

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa offered to build a Trump Tower in Syria’s capital Damascus as well as ease tensions with Israel and give the US access to Syrian oil and gas during the meeting with US President Trump last week (The Independent)

Analysis: The US-Houthi ceasefire in Yemen, which began on May 6, 2025, opens a path for lasting peace in the Middle Eastern country, says the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg (themiragenews.com)

EU prepares its 17th sanctions package against Russia, aiming to pressure a ceasefire by reducing Russia’s energy revenues and limiting its access to military-related technologies (source unavailable)

US State Secretary Marco Rubio attends Russia-Ukraine peace talks in the City of Istanbul [Türkiye] on May 15, 2025, to help facilitate a resolution. Also present was Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Russian presidential advisor Vladimir Medinsky - but not Putin or President Zelenskyy, as Putin declined to meet this time (Dân Trí)

US tech billionaire Elon Musk confirms President Trump’s “Gold Card” visa program, offering citizenship for a US$5 million investment, is being quietly tested and later will be open to the public (Mint)

US EEOC [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] moves to fire Judge Karen Ortiz for opposing President Trump’s order declaring the two biological sexes, male and female, are “immutable” and cannot be changed (AP)

COVID-19 returns to many Asian countries, especially Thailand, with the capital Bangkok recording more than 14,000 cases in just one week. Vietnam urges masks and proper hygiene to prevent infections after recent holidays (VTC)

Soy sauce rice vermicelli, a 433-calorie vegan breakfast traditional in Northern Vietnam, blends tofu, herbs, and sprouts for balanced high nutrition (Nhà Thuốc Pharmacity)

Extreme weather hits many US states, including floods in Maryland and heat waves in Texas (VTV)

Switzerland’s glaciers have lost 13% of their snow cover compared to 2010-2020. This will likely cause significantly more melting in summer 2025 (VTV)

Bắc Kạn Province [Vietnam] declares an emergency over land subsidence, with seven sinkholes appearing in the past two months, threatening 21 households and 12 hectares of farmland (VnExpress)

Heavy rain in Gia Lai Province [Vietnam] collapses several electric poles, disrupting traffic and cutting electricity to around 200 households (Dân Trí)

City of Trà Vinh [Vietnam] declares an emergency over severe erosion on Hô Isle, impacting 29 households and 25 hectares of crops (VnExpress)

Town of Sa Pa [Vietnam]: One dead after heavy rains causes severe landslides that collapsed houses (VnExpress)

India: Reflective paint and straw curtains help cool tin-roofed homes and bus stops in the City of Ahmedabad, combating heat with innovative solutions (AP)

University of St Andrews [Scotland] tests Mars rover technology in the Scottish Highlands to prepare for the European Space Agency [ESA]’s 2028 mission to search for fossils on the Red Planet (BBC)

Europe’s Large Hadron Collider transforms lead into gold, producing 89,000 gold atoms per second, to study particle behavior and enhance collider technology. The gold atoms, however, only exist for a tiny fraction of a second before breaking apart, limiting practical use (ABC)

Researchers find people’s fingers consistently wrinkle in similar ways when soaked in water, potentially aiding forensic science and criminal investigations (Science Alert)

US: A mysterious black smoke ring appears over the State of Kansas, then gradually fades away. Experts confirm it was not weather-related, leaving scientists puzzled (Báo Mới; Daily Mail) [Upon reading about it and seeing the photos, Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) said: “It is people’s fear formed with synchronized thoughts.”]

US: Vegan chef Reginald Scooby Morris II, founder of frozen food brand Great Foodz, wins over animal-people meat-eaters with vegan doughnuts, creptillas, and beefless wellingtons (CBS)

Northamptonshire County [UK]: Animals in Need sanctuary adds a new location with 23 acres to house 50 additional animal-friends. Founders Roy and Annie Marriott (both vegans), married, are now living separately across the two locations to better care for the animal- residents (BBC)

US: Vegan Mania Milwaukee will return to Greenfield Park, City of Milwaukee [Wisconsin], on June 22, 2025, featuring vegan food trucks, bakeries, and animal nonprofits – more info on Facebook, event name: “VeganMania Milwaukee ‘25” (The Vegan Society)

Hà Nam Province [Vietnam]: Tam Chúc pagoda serves 50,000 free vegetarian meals to worshippers of Lord Buddha (vegan)’s relics, to promote compassionate eating (Báo Mới)

City of Richmond [Virginia, US] restaurant Philly Vegan offers monthly pay-what- you-can food truck meals, fostering community support and generosity (WRIC)

University of Turku [Finland] study finds “processed food” labels misrepresent vegan protein’s high nutrition. They advocate better labeling of plant-based foods’ many benefits (Plant Based News)

Ludwigsfelde [Germany]: Veganz Group partners with Jindilli Beverages to produce Mililk oat and almond milks for Australia, New Zealand, and North America (GlobalData)

Indian startup High Time Foods raises US$1.2 million for non-refrigerated plant-based protein for samosas and kebabs (The Plant Base)

US-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM] study in India shows plant-based diets have numerous health benefits – reducing diabetes medication use, body weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels (Social News XYZ)

The global plant-based collagen market is projected to exceed US$274 million by 2030 – led by North America – driven by increasing veganism, health consciousness, and biotechnology advancements (Research and Markets)

The global plant-based sweeteners market is projected to reach US$4.75 billion by 2031, driven by healthier lifestyles and demand for low-calorie ingredients, especially in baking (Insightace Analytic Pvt Ltd.)

US: Huge blind taste test by 2,700 omnivores identifies twenty vegan products that taste as good or better than animal-people meat, with Impossible Foods’ vegan burgers and other plant-based meat products winning the competition overall (Vox)

PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] selects top vegan wedding cake bakeries in the US, including (by city): + Baltimore: Plant Baked by Sarah + Cincinnati: Happy Chicks Bakery + Denver: The Cake Bar + San Diego: Hazel & Jade + Philadelphia: P.S. & Co. + Milan [Michigan]: Botanical Bakeshop + Dover [New Hampshire]: cake. Vegan bakery + Atlanta: Flour + Time Bakery + Orlando and St. Petersburg [Florida]: Valhalla Bakery (PETA)

Cautionary quote of the day: “When the hour of the great man/woman has struck, he/she rises to leadership; but before his/her time has come, he/she is hampered in all that he/she attempts.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Lao Tzu (vegan)