DAILY NEWS Stream – January 29, 2026

Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agree to extend their ceasefire by 15 days amid territorial changes and international mediation (Reuters)

New reporting from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty says estimates of deaths from Iran’s nationwide protests now diverge sharply — with Human Rights Activists News Agency [HRANA] confirming 5,848 fatalities, the Iranian government claiming 3,117, and a Time magazine report citing Iranian health officials who say the true toll may surpass 30,000 — while a 400-hour-plus Internet blackout continues to block communication and hinder independent verification (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty)

The European Union sends 447 emergency generators to Ukraine (Ureign) after Russian strikes cut power for over one million people in –20°C temperatures (European Commission)

Residents of Sakhalin Island in Russia captured a rare moment in which two suns seemed to hang in the sky (The Express Tribune)

Military Working Dog (MWD) Nick — widely known across the US military as “Doggles” for the goggle-clad photo that greets users logging into military systems — retires after eight years of Army service. Trained in explosives detection, Nick supported 58 Secret Service missions, major national events, a NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] summit, a Democratic National Convention, state funerals and the United Nations General Assembly. Staff Sergeant Justin Peyton will adopt Nick, his longtime partner, and the family says they’re eager to give him a peaceful retirement after his years of service (US Department of Defense)

Gym-goers in the United Kingdom are being warned about scams involving fake gym memberships and personal trainer offers, as criminals clone real ads and push them through sponsored links and social media. Fraudsters use these tactics to steal payment information and personal data, which can ultimately drain victims’ bank accounts to £0 (Birmingham Mail)

A rare annular solar eclipse will occur on February 17 coinciding with the new moon that marks the Lunar New Year and the start of the Year of the Horse. The eclipse will form a “ring of fire” visible mainly over Antarctica, obscuring about 96% of the sun, while parts of southern Africa, South America and nearby islands will see partial phases (SSB Crack)

Food manufacturer Danone has recalled a specific batch of Aptamil First Infant Formula (800 grams, batch code and best-before 31/10/2026) in the United Kingdom after detecting low levels of the cereulide toxin (VnExpress)

A new study finds that US adults who use generative AI [artificial intelligence] tools daily had a 30% higher likelihood of at least moderate depressive symptoms compared with less frequent users (Türkiye Today)

US scientists test red light therapy on American college football players to prevent brain injury. Using near-infrared light, the noninvasive treatment boosts mitochondrial energy and reduces inflammation, successfully stabilizing white matter against repeated head impacts during the competitive season (Earth.com)

Experts advise correcting these smartphone habits to protect vision: 1. Avoid screen use while moving, such as while walking or on the bus to reduce eye strain. 2. Skip using it in the dark as this forces the eyes to work harder. 3. Maintain a 40-centimeter distance from the screen to avoid eye muscle exhaustion. 4. Avoid continuous use without pauses. Follow the 20-20-20 rule [resting every 20 minutes for 20 seconds by looking at something 20 feet [6 meters]] away is recommended (VnExpress)

Health experts report that balance exercises substantially lower fall risks for adults over 50. Simple routines performed three times weekly— such as one-leg stands and heel-to-toe walking— strengthen core muscles, improve coordination, and enhance brain-muscle synchronization to stabilize the body’s center of gravity. Doctors recommend using support like a wall or chair initially, emphasizing consistent low-impact practice to preserve mobility and independence (Lao Động)

Health officials in West Bengal, India, are working to contain a Nipah virus outbreak linked to hospital-based transmission in the Barasat area near Kolkata. Five cases—mostly among healthcare workers— have been confirmed, with no reported fatalities. Patients have shown acute fever, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, and vomiting, with some cases rapidly progressing to respiratory distress and encephalitis (brain inflammation). The bat-borne virus, which has no vaccine or cure, spreads from animal-people to humans through contaminated food or direct contact, and between people via close contact with bodily fluids. Authorities have quarantined nearly 100 close contacts, tested around 180 people, and isolated confirmed cases, while contact tracing and enhanced surveillance continue. The World Health Organization lists Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its 40–75% fatality rate and epidemic potential. Neighboring countries including Thailand, Taiwan (Formosa), and Nepal have stepped up airport screening. So far, there are no signs of wider community spread (The Weather Channel, Reuters, weather.com)

Indonesia resumes the search for around 80 missing people after a deadly West Java landslide, as heavy rain kills at least 10 and hampers rescues while flood risks rise across the region (Reuters)

Arctic warming triggers a major sudden stratospheric warming event, weakening the polar vortex. Meteorologists warn this split likely unleashes severe Arctic cold surges across North America and Europe in mid-to-late February. While southern Europe remains stable, northern regions face increased risks of freezing temperatures and heavy snow (The Watchers)

Record snowfall paralyzes transport across parts of Japan, closing major highways and suspending rail services, mainly along the Sea of Japan coast, including Ishikawa and Tottori. Four people die and 26 suffer injuries amid ongoing heavy snow and sub-zero warnings (VietnamPlus)

A deadly winter storm unofficially named Fern has claimed at least 25–29 lives caused by crashes, hypothermia, and storm-related incidents. Power outages peaked at over a million homes and businesses, with restoration slowed by sub-freezing temperatures. Heavy snow reached 30 centimeters or more in parts of the Midwest and Northeast, while ice accumulations up to 2.5 centimeters crippled southern infrastructure.

The heaviest precipitation has now moved offshore from the Northeast, but dangerous Arctic cold persists, with wind chills well below zero and some spots dipping to minus 45.5 degrees Celsius (The Telegraph, Times of Islamabad, People.com, Daily Mail, Bangkok Post, Manchester Evening News, IB Times UK)

Long-term exposure to even low levels of air pollution is linked to higher amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS], a neurodegenerative disease, risk and faster disease progression, a major Swedish study finds (The Brighter Side News)

Thailand’s dugong-people population collapses as seagrass die-off pushes endangered ‘sea cow-people’ to wash ashore, signaling a wider marine biodiversity crisis (The Guardian)

Vegans can easily meet omega-3 fatty acid needs without fish as experts say foods like walnuts, chia and flax seeds, and algae oil supplements support heart, brain, and vision health while avoiding seafood toxins (VegNews)

US vegan seafood maker Bayou Best Foods rolls out vegan shrimp nationwide through major distributors letting chefs serve sustainable, ocean-free shrimp (Plant Based News)

Baker Claudia Marsh (vegan) grows her company, The Vegan Bakes, from a home kitchen hobby into a booming multi-location business. After spotting a gap in the UK market for vegan treats, she scales up operations through persistence and savvy social media promotion (Bordon Herald)

Bắc Ninh Province [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)] driver Nguyễn Văn Huấn returns over US$38,000 found on the highway to the owner after helping police trace her through surveillance footage and an online post by the woman asking for help in locating her cash (VnExpress)

San Luis Obispo County [California, US] firefighters rescue a stranded five-month-old calf from the steep Harmony Coast cliff using a rope system after the cow was trapped for over a week (KEYT)

Papua province [Indonesia] plans to build around 14,000 new homes for residents in 2026, starting with a pilot project on Kosong Island, aiming to boost welfare, improve urban coastal settlements, and align with national housing programs (Antara News)

Inspirational quote of the day: “Hugs can do great amounts of good - especially for children.” Her Royal Highness Princess Diana (BrainyQuote)

God asked me, “Are you sure you’re willing to go through with this?” And I said, “Yes, I’m sure.” And with that, it’s like I was shot very quickly. American near-death experiencer Aaron Green shares how a near-fatal breathing crisis at age five led to a near-death experience in which he remembered choosing Earth, planning his life before birth, and being taught that love must be freely chosen.

Aaron was playing with friends in a neighbor’s backyard shortly before his sixth birthday when he developed a severe breathing problem. No matter what he did, he couldn’t breathe. He started walking home to find his parents for help. I got maybe 20 feet [6 meters] away from my friends, and this breathing problem, it triggered like a release. My consciousness, my soul, whatever it is that I really am, like the real me, left my body. And I watched as my body fell to the ground. I was just kind of floating there next to my body, and I could see it laying on the ground. I noticed my friends were still playing in the backyard, but everything about this life seemed almost trivial or unimportant. My friends didn’t notice that my body had collapsed on the ground.

My entire life, it replayed in front of me very quickly in extreme detail. It’s like nothing was left out. I could feel everything I experienced, all my emotions, everything I’d been through, but I could also feel how I had affected other people. What I had done, how other people had been affected by it. I could literally feel that. Aaron noticed a bright light in the distance but didn’t focus on it. He began having questions, and detailed answers came to him. He saw himself as a round orb of consciousness with faint light. When he asked where he came from, a spiritual memory replayed.

I re-experienced what I had done to come to this point, like how I’d gotten here. I had started out, I was the same thing, a round orb with consciousness, but I was with hundreds or thousands of others who were just like me. And we just kind of existed in what I call a sea of light. It was very bright. We were all happy and comfortable and content. But it’s like we were ignorant. We didn’t really know anything, but we were happy. I view it as like a spiritual nursery. Anyway, we would periodically get a gift. It was like a treat. Kind of like a kid getting candy or something like that. One time, these gifts came down, and there was one fewer gift than there were souls in this group. And so I made the conscious decision, I’m going to give up this gift because I know all these others around me, they want the gift as much as I do. So I’m just going to let them have it, and I’m just going to go without. When the last soul received the last gift, I was very, very gently lifted up out of this group.

A much higher-level entity contacted Aaron telepathically, explaining it was his creator. It contacted me and basically said that it was my creator. And I’m just going to call it God for simplicity. He said that I was loved, that I was very important, and not just me but all of us souls, and that what I had done, giving up this treat that I wanted for the benefit of those around me, was very important and that it indicated that I was ready to start something to begin — to move on to another step, or something like that.

And basically the way God described it as, He said, “There’s a wonderful existence in store for all of us, like an absolutely fantastic existence. We’re going to be extremely happy. But before we can really enjoy our existence, we need to go through an experience and learn things. We need to mature and grow and become to where we are capable of enjoying this wonderful existence.”

God was loving, compassionate, kind, honest, all these wonderful attributes. And we were simple free-will beings. And in order for us to really enjoy our existence, we needed to freely adopt those same traits for ourselves. We needed to freely choose love, compassion, kindness, honesty, integrity. But God wasn’t going to force us. We needed to choose those for ourselves. But God had created this training realm, or whatever you want to call it, where we would be able to learn for ourselves through our own actions that these things are good, these are positive traits, and if we do stuff that’s like opposite of that, it’s not good.

God then asked if Aaron wanted to see His face. What I saw was it looked like a Sun-like entity, like just extremely huge and bright, looked kind of like the Sun except inside the Sun there were like billions and billions of beings that were all together. These orbs of consciousness were all together, and the collective of all of them glowed very brightly.

God asked me, “Are you sure you’re willing to go through with this?” And I said, “Yes, I’m sure.” And we looked at, it’s like we started looking at all these places I could go, these planets I could go to. There were like thousands and thousands of thousands, and we looked at a countless number of them. I had the intelligence to understand very quickly what each one was like. It’s like I was choosing where I was going to go, where I was going to get these lessons I needed. When we got to Earth, there’s something about it. I was just absolutely positive. This is where I want to go.

Aaron was then shown another memory of planning his specific life. He had lived on Earth many times before and had made mistakes in a past life. Though initially resistant, guides showed him souls he could help. We went and we looked at a person I could become. And this person was like a very angry person. But I flat rejected that life. I said, “No, I’m not living that life.” At first, I wanted to be really good-looking, like a really good-looking guy. And my guides pointed out but if you’re really good-looking, women are going to treat you differently. Basically, I would have been too promiscuous. I wanted to be super intelligent, like the smartest guy on the planet. But there are downsides. You’re going to be arrogant. You’re going to look down on other people because they’re not as smart as you. You’re going to be kind of a jerk, and you’re going to be atheist. We picked everything about this body. It was my choice.

Aaron’s guides then showed him karmic consequences from past lives. They showed me things I had done in a past life that were now specifically going to be incorporated into this upcoming life. They showed me that in a previous life, I had gotten in a fight and I had beaten up somebody else pretty badly. It’s like I had written a check in a past life and now I had to cash it. I was going to get my nose broken as a 12-year-old, get in a fight, and get my nose broken. And that would be a learning opportunity for me to learn that it’s not good to go around hurting other people.

Aaron agreed to this life plan, and his awareness then returned to the moment where he was floating above his body in the backyard. An angel appeared. He came at me very quickly. It was an absolutely beautiful being. And essentially, he said, “You are not to leave your body.” And with that, it’s like bam, I was back in my body. Six months later, Aaron’s guides asked to hide the memory so he could live his life as intended. At age 35, reading about Dr. Eben Alexander’s near-death experience triggered the memories to return.

The most important thing is that we need to treat each other well. Being loving, kind, compassionate, honest, acting with integrity, forgiving other people, being generous, serving other people, all of that stuff is very important. And we just need to be good to each other, and that really helps us with our spiritual growth and sets us up for a lot greater happiness when we leave this life. (NDE Journey)