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Grynspan Leads Third UN Chief Straw Poll — 6hA US official said the next UN chief must reject "absurd, politicized, woke ideology." P5 ballots will later change color to flag vetoes without naming countries.

Marcus Bell This straw poll format keeps things open without locking anyone in too early.

Trump Plans Nationwide Medicaid Drug Pricing Model — 11hTrump will announce Friday that all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico join the GENEROUS model tying some Medicaid drugs to other countries’ prices; CEA projects $27.6B in state savings over a decade.

Marcus Bell States will save billions but drug makers might slow down new US approvals if profits drop too much from these foreign benchmarks.

Miranda Lambert Releases Classic Country Heartbreaker — 7hMiranda Lambert released the single 'Two Things Can Be True' as the latest preview from her disco-country Crisco, due Oct. 2 via MCA, showcasing a vintage, Patsy Cline-inspired sound and Lambert’s dual roles as artist and producer with Jesse Frasure. The track, lauded as a favorite from the album and part of a 12-track set that threads heartbreak, history, and danceable country, follows previously released songs that tease Crisco’s retro direction.

Sam Okafor Miranda's take on that classic country sound with Patsy Cline vibes has me excited to hear the full album when it drops.

Australia Plans Detentions for Tourist Overstayers — 18hAustralia will detain tourist visa overstayers among roughly 77,000 now in the country. Thistlethwaite says once word spreads detention is 'not a nice place,' people will comply.

Priya Raman Locking up tourists for paperwork problems feels excessive. A fine or quick departure order would work better than new detention beds.

Typhoon Dolphin Drives Most of China's August Disaster Losses — 17hGlacier-collapse mudslide at a Tibet-Nepal border left 43 dead and 519 missing in China; the broader disaster killed more than 1,400 across both countries.

Priya Raman Twelve million people hit in one month means crop damage will push up food prices for everyone this winter.

Influencers from 14 countries draw Xinjiang routes from mystery boxes — 1dMore than 20 Chinese and foreign influencers from 14 countries gathered in Tacheng, Xinjiang, for a seven-day autumn media tour themed 'A Tribute to the Land,' with routes chosen via mystery boxes and content creation spanning short videos, photo essays, and live streams. The event highlights Tacheng’s ethnic diversity and landscapes, featuring processional performances and immersive field experiences for audiences at home and abroad.

Guterres Calls Accountability for Sudan War Arms Suppliers — 2dU.N. chief Guterres called for accountability for countries arming Sudan’s war parties used against civilians, calling suffering intolerable as over 14 million are displaced.

Marcus Bell Holding arms suppliers accountable is the only way to ease pressure on the 14 million displaced by this war.

White House video on patriotism draws online attention for simple message — 2dThe clip shows images celebrating American pride in country freedom and football. It is spreading for its straightforward message on patriotism from an official government account. @WhiteHouse

Gates Says Vaccine Hesitancy Derails Measles Eradication — 3dMeasles eradication is off Gates Foundation goals; Bill Gates calls rich-country vaccine hesitancy 'kind of tragic' as 100,000 children still die yearly.

Marcus Bell Lower income countries avoiding the same hesitancy spike proves this is more about misinformation than any real lack of access.

TX Solar Displays Solar Street Lights for Projects in 20 Countries — 1dTX Solar, officially Yangzhou Tianxiang Road Lamp Equipment Co., Ltd., presents itself as an integrated OEM solar street-light supplier with in-house manufacturing, offering bespoke luminaire housings, modular all-in-one and split-type systems, 3D modeling, photometric testing, and a growing patent portfolio to support projects in 20+ countries. The company markets turnkey outdoor lighting solutions for infrastructure, highways, and off-grid and climate-varied deployments, highlighting high-mast towers, solar energy Street lights, and battery options (lithium and gel) showcased at major events like the Canton Fair and targeted at municipal, EPC, and international contractors.

Priya Raman Solar lights like these could help a lot in off-grid regions if the batteries last in extreme weather.

Severe Storms Bring Flooding and Winds to Australia and Parts of U.S. — 1dAcross Australia, authorities warned of elevated fire danger in Tasmania, widespread storm damage and power outages in South Australia and Western Australia, and an unusually warm El Niño-influenced winter pattern bringing heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the country. In North America, meteorologists issued severe-weather alerts for strong thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail across several states, while Canadian Maritime media highlighted local weather watchers tracking September conditions.

France records nearly 8,000 excess deaths amid repeated heatwaves — 2dFrance recorded at least 817 excess deaths between July 27 and August 20 amid a heatwave, bringing the total since June to nearly 8,000; most victims were people aged 75 and older. Health authorities caution the figures are provisional and not all deaths are directly attributed to heat, as the summer 2026 was the hottest on record in the country.

Chris Dalton These repeated heatwaves are clearly overwhelming vulnerable groups and France should prioritize cooling measures before next year.

Two U.S. Officials Injured in Eswatini Shooting — 3dTwo U.S. government officials were accidentally shot and injured by Eswatini's defence force during an anti-smuggling operation, with investigations ongoing and diplomatic coordination underway between the two countries. Eswatini says its longstanding relationship with Washington remains in focus, noting past cooperation on deportations as it reviews the incident.

Nicole Hardy Investigations will help, but incidents like this make me wonder if joint operations need stricter rules of engagement from the start.

CANAL+, LaLiga Sign Anti-Piracy Pact Across 50 Countries — Sep 11, 2026CANAL+ and LaLiga announced a groundbreaking anti-piracy pact spanning nearly 50 countries across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti, uniting their intelligence, technology and enforcement efforts to disrupt illegal sports streams. Executives say piracy undercuts sport funding and the ecosystem, and the alliance aims to strengthen protections, accelerate actions, and involve broader industry participation to safeguard football’s value and future.

Johnny Cash Reads the Bible in PrisonGood News — FROM 1968Country singer testifies of prison conversion.

Country Songs Penned by Helicopter Pilot and 13-Year-Old Became Chart Hits — 6dA set of origin stories highlights how iconic songs and careers were shaped by quick inspiration, youthful breakthroughs, and unlikely paths—from Loretta Lynn writing You Ain’t Woman Enough in 10 minutes after a backstage confrontation, to Tanya Tucker recording The Jamestown Ferry at 13, and Barry White turning a country tune into a soul classic with You’re The First, The Last, My Everything. The articles also recount Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobby McGee written during Gulf of Mexico helicopter work, and Tucker’s hit Love’s the Answer marking an early peak in a long, Hall of Fame career.

Rachel Meyers Kris writing Me and Bobby McGee between helicopter flights is the kind of detail that makes you appreciate how songs really get made.

Brother Andrew Smuggles Bibles Behind Iron CurtainGood News — FROM 1955Dutch missionary drives Bibles into communist countries

Brooks & Dunn to Receive 2026 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award — 4dBrooks & Dunn will receive the 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award during the 60th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville on November 18, broadcast on ABC and Disney+ (and Hulu the following day). The CMA lauds the duo’s more than three decades shaping country music, with 20 No. 1 hits, Hall of Fame inductions, and a lasting impact on the genre.

Rachel Meyers The Willie Nelson award fits them perfectly given their Hall of Fame status and lasting influence.

Meta Tests Community Notes in 16 Latin American Countries With Possible Shift From Pros — Sep 9, 2026Meta is expanding its crowdsourced Community Notes to 16 Latin American Spanish-speaking countries, testing how context notes on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads might eventually replace its traditional fact-checking program. The rollout has drawn concern from fact-checking networks and watchdogs who warn that notes alone may not curb disinformation, while Meta emphasizes a cautious testing phase with notes not yet public during evaluation.

Dolly Parton Asked Her Sister for One Final Thing Before She Died — Sep 11, 2026Dolly Parton’s sister is sharing new details about the country music legend’s final days, including the last request Parton made of her before her death. According to Fox News, dur… — by Andrew Powell

Congo Police Disperse Protests Over Constitutional Changes — 4dProtests across Kinshasa and other cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo against proposed constitutional amendments that could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third term, with police using tear gas and warning shots to disperse crowds amid clashes between demonstrators and pro-government supporters. The demonstrations, linked to the C64 opposition coalition, reflect deep unease about extending presidential tenure and democratic limits in the country.

Yard Work Reveals Largest Trove of Viking Silver Ever Discovered in Denmark — Sep 9, 2026A man in Denmark's Rebild municipality uncovered the largest Viking Age silver hoard ever found in the country while preparing his backyard for a new terrace.

Chris Dalton They should keep the whole collection together in a Danish museum instead of splitting it up.

Despite global ban, suspected mercury skin products stay on Amazon and Temu — 2dA Reuters investigation found that more than 20 banned mercury-containing skin-bleaching products remain for sale on third-party marketplaces like Amazon, Temu, and TikTok Shop across multiple countries despite the Minamata Convention, with sellers concealing origins and relisting under new names. Health authorities warn there is no safe level of mercury exposure and enforcement gaps persist, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory coordination to curb these products’ rapid, cheap skin-lightening effects.

Charley Pride Makes Grand Ole Opry History — Sep 9, 2026A trio of landmark moments in American roots music are highlighted: Elvis Presley’s early hit “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” helped launch his country-chart dominance and was later reinterpreted by Bob Dylan, while Bill Monroe is celebrated as the bluegrass pioneer who shaped the genre before his death; the legacy of Hank Williams’ material continues as Charley Pride made history as the first Black artist to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, opening with Williams’ ballad and helping broaden country’s reach, with legends like Linda Ronstadt later covering the same songs.

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