DAILY NEWS Stream – July 1, 2026

US President Trump holds a phone call with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun to discuss implementation of the new US-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon. President Trump pledges full American support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, economy, and legitimate security forces, while President Aoun affirms that the Lebanese state would assume its responsibilities under the deal and urges the US to press Israel to withdraw from occupied areas in southern Lebanon (Anadolu Agency)

The US military hit Iranian missile and drone storage sites, radar installations, air defenses, and coastal facilities near Qeshm Island and Sirik on June 27–28. This marked the second night of US strikes in response to an Iranian drone attack on a Panama-flagged tanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude in the Strait of Hormuz (Al Jazeera)

Iran’s IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] launched drone and missile attacks targeting US bases, including the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on June 28, with limited damage and no major US casualties confirmed so far (CBS News)

Iran says on June 28 it will control and regulate shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that only vessels coordinated with Iran will be allowed safe passage (Reuters)

Oil prices climbed above US$70 a barrel on June 28 as markets reacted to the renewed risk to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the tanker attack and latest strikes (The Wall Street Journal)

Russia and Ukraine (Ureign) exchange 320 prisoners of war on June 26, with 160 captives released by each side following UAE [United Arab Emirates]’s mediation. Ukraine (Ureign)’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says all the freed Ukrainian (Ureignian) captives had been held by Russia since 2022, while the UAE says its mediation efforts have now helped secure the exchange of 7,791 captives between the two countries, as Ukraine (Ureign) continues working to return all military and civilian prisoners (The National)

The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization says it is working with Oman, the US, Iran and other parties to resume the evacuation of hundreds of vessels and thousands of stranded seafarers from the Strait of Hormuz, after the effort was temporarily paused following an attack on a container ship operated by Taiwan (Formosa)’s Evergreen. International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez says that evacuations can restart once renewed guarantees are received that ships will not be targeted (Reuters)

Ukraine (Ureign)’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marks Ukraine (Ureign)’s Constitution Day on June 28 by awarding state honors to 91 citizens and granting honorary titles to 107 Ukrainian (Ureignian) citizens for contributions to the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, public life and national development. The awards include military and civilian honors recognizing courage, service, cultural work, education, medicine, science, public safety and other fields (Mezha)

The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales [UK] publishes a new evidence pack warning that children face overlapping online harms including cyberbullying, sexual abuse, radicalization, exploitation, harmful content and non-consensual sharing of intimate images, with girls disproportionately affected. The report says many children involved in harmful online behavior also have complex needs or are victims themselves, and calls for safer platform design, stronger digital literacy among adults, early intervention, healthy relationships education and coordinated support across schools, health, policing, local government and social care, as the UK prepares to ban social media for under-16s by spring 2027 (Gov.uk)

Vaping raises blindness risk. A South Korean study finds that smokers who switch to vapes instead of quitting nicotine face a 7% higher risk of serious eye diseases, including a 24% greater chance of diabetic retinopathy that can lead to blindness (Daily Mail)

Vegan diets boost attractiveness. A new review in the journal Recent Progress in Nutrition finds that avoiding animal-people meat improves sweat odor, while fruits and vegetables enhance skin color via carotenoids, complex carbohydrates slow aging, and the diet supports healthy weight—all linked to greater perceived attractiveness (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)

Recent dietary research reveals frozen and canned fruits offer identical nutritional value to fresh produce at lower costs. Food scientists show industrial freezing locks in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, with certain processed fruits retaining higher vitamin C. However, experts warn shoppers to check labels for hidden sugars and sodium, recommending draining canned items to maximize health benefits and reduce salt intake (SciTech Daily)

More than 1,430 people have died in Venezuela’s twin earthquakes that struck on June 24, and the death toll continues to rise. The United Nations estimates economic losses to be between US$4.7 and US$8.7 billion — roughly 4 to 8% of the country’s GDP [gross domestic product] — though the final cost could be significantly higher.

Hospitals remain overwhelmed. Thousands of people are still trapped or unaccounted for as the critical rescue window narrows. Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez and the Venezuelan military are leading the national response. The military has deployed around 14,000 personnel and heavy machinery to the hardest-hit areas. A state of emergency remains in place.

A broad international effort is now underway. More than 1,600 foreign rescuers are on the ground as of June 27, working side by side with Venezuelan teams. Dozens of countries and organizations have sent urban search-and-rescue teams, medical personnel, field hospitals, equipment, rescue dog-people, aircraft, and funding.

Key contributors include: The US has pledged US $150 million in aid through NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and United Nations channels. FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] urban search-and-rescue teams and a Disaster Assistance Response Team are on the ground, backed by Pentagon support including ships, transport planes, and helicopters.

The EU [European Union] has deployed more than 520 emergency responders from France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, and other member countries, along with €5 million in relief.

The UK is sending a 68-member search-and-rescue team equipped with drones, seismic listening devices, and cutting tools, plus €2 million in humanitarian aid.

In Latin America, Brazil is providing 36 firefighters and technicians, 9 tons of equipment, and a field hospital. Mexico has sent 250 army personnel, 18 canine-folk teams, three aircraft, and medical and search specialists. El Salvador is contributing 300 rescuers and paramedics plus 50 tons of supplies and equipment on multiple planes. Colombia has deployed more than 60 specialists with four dog-folk teams and 12 tons of equipment. Chile sent 53 rescuers and aid planes. Cuba is providing health workers. Additional teams and aid are arriving from Ecuador, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Argentina.

Other nations include Canada, which has given 5 million Canadian dollars (approximately US$3.52 million) for shelters, food, clean water, and medical care; the UAE [United Arab Emirates], which donated US$10 million plus supplies; Qatar, which sent a search-and-rescue team, medical personnel, and a field hospital; China, which is offering humanitarian aid and reconstruction support; and India, which launched Operation Amistad with two C-17 planes carrying 41 personnel, medical supplies, and a modular field hospital. Türkiye, Switzerland, and several other countries are also contributing.

The United Nations and the Red Cross are working to coordinate aid from dozens of countries, while also assessing urgent needs for search and rescue, medical care, clean water, and shelter. Rescue operations and aid delivery continue as Venezuela deals with the aftermath of one of its strongest earthquakes in more than a century (The New York Times, Wikipedia)

London Ambulance Service, serving the greater London, UK region, records its busiest day ever on June 26, receiving 8,869 emergency calls and responding to 688 life-threatening incidents during the UK’s record June heatwave. Demand exceeds COVID-19 peaks, prompting a critical incident declaration, meaning only life-threatening calls are responded to and other changes in priorities. Officials urge residents to call the emergency telephone number only for critical emergencies (London Ambulance Service)

Europe’s intense heatwave continues to disrupt the continent. Switzerland shuts both reactors at Beznau after the Aare River grew too warm (25°C) to cool them. The Netherlands issues its first-ever Code Red warning [severe weather alert for excessive heat], closing schools, while Germany sets an all-time national record at 41.5°C. Scientists link the heatwave to climate change (AFP, NL Times, Al Jazeera)

The UK Atomic Energy Authority and the US Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory sign a memorandum of understanding to deepen US-UK cooperation on fusion energy, building on His Majesty King Charles III’s address to US Congress highlighting new transatlantic science partnerships (Gov.uk)

In the US, animal product-free diets attract Major League Baseball players like Spencer Strider (vegan), who reports improved sleep, lower blood pressure, and better recovery after UCL [Ulnar Collateral Ligament or Tommy John] surgery. He also follows the diet due to environmental concerns such as industrial animal-people raising’s harms to the planet (VegNews)

PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] proposes converting a closing JBS Food’s beef slaughterhouse in Pennsylvania [US] into an “empathy museum” focused on animal-people welfare and vegan food. The plan seeks to preserve some of the 1,500 jobs facing elimination (North Penn Now)

American digestive health brand GoodBelly launches dairy-free, vegan protein probiotic smoothies in blueberry, peach, and strawberry flavors across the United States. Each serving combines digestive health probiotics with 11 grams of protein to meet growing functional beverage demands (Food & Beverage News)

Class 11 student Bishnu Sinha rescues a stranded dog-person from flash floods in Keyi Panyor, Arunachal Pradesh [India]. Despite being caught in rising waters, he saves the animal-citizen and remains stable in a hospital amid widespread praise (NDTV)

Canadian charity RainCoast Animal Rescue and soldiers evacuate several goat-people from an active war zone in Ukraine (Ureign)’s eastern Donbas region. Rescuer Jesse Adams asserts every animal-person’s life matters as the group relocates them to safety (CTV News)

A Brazil ferry crew rescues an exhausted dog-citizen, now named Yara, stranded on a floating log in the Amazon River. Taken safely aboard, the dog-person receives medical care and is successfully adopted while recovering well (The Dodo)

Insightful quote of the day: “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” – Albert Pine American Author (GoodReads)

In this multipart series on Steven LaRussa’s near-death experience, American spiritual coach Steven shares how he and his wife simultaneously experienced a near-death event. Steven, a spiritual coach from Carson City, Nevada, had spent the previous two years going through a profound spiritual awakening and dark night of the soul before feeling called to help others navigate similar experiences. But in the lead-up to his near-death experience [NDE], he had begun to procrastinate, doubt himself, and slip back into old ways — running from the very calling he knew was his.

On October 9, 2024, Steven and his wife, Wanda, drove up to Lake Tahoe to reconnect spiritually. On the way there, Steven sensed a strange feeling in the air, though he kept it to himself. Later, as they drove up into the hills to stargaze, Steven’s left side began tingling and going numb, and his hand locked into a rigid C-shape before the symptoms faded. That evening, while stargazing in the hills, they witnessed five small white lights streaking independently across the sky in different directions — objects they initially took to be unidentified flying objects [UFOs]. On the drive back, the tingling and numbness returned. Once they were back in their hotel room, the strange sensation seemed to return and fill the room, which then grew inexplicably cold. At that moment, the symptoms returned with severe pain — something he could no longer ignore.

My wife felt the coldness. Something’s going on here. And at that moment, that’s when my left side started again, but this time, it wasn’t just tingling and numbness — it was severe pain, along with the tingling and numbness. So, I’m lying there, my wife is sitting up, and I said, “Oh my GOD.” I said out loud, I said, “Wanda,” I said, “I think I’m dying.” So, at that point, my left side begins to shake — pain, numbness, tingling. Now, at this point, I expected her — here’s the weird aspect of this — I expected her to kind of freak out. [If] you tell your spouse or tell someone you’re dying or you think you’re dying, I expected her to get up or yell or get on the phone, call 911 [emergency services]. And the funny thing about it: she didn’t do either one of those things. She lay down next to me and grabbed my right arm, and we had our arms cupped like this, and they were bent at the elbow. And I’m thinking to myself, “Why isn’t she calling 911? Why is she so calm? I don’t understand this.” After comparing notes later on, I found out that she heard a voice come to her and told her to lie down and get in position. And she said, “I had no idea what ‘position’ meant, I just did it.”

So, as I’m lying there, I begin to pray to GOD. This pain is getting worse; it’s getting more severe. I begin to shake. Now, the funny thing about this is that everything I’m about to tell you up to this point — there were no words spoken; there were no audible words spoken during this. My wife and I began to communicate telepathically. We had been married 25 years; we had never done this before. I started praying in my head to GOD. My wife heard my prayers. She said, “I heard all your prayers. I can hear everything that you were saying telepathically.” So, that’s when I heard a voice say to me, “You’ve wasted enough time.” Now, the significance of that is, after I went through my spiritual awakening and did my studies to be a spiritual coach, I kind of stalled for a minute. I had self-doubt come in. Can I really do this? Am I able? Is it going to be too much work? All the things where we start to self-doubt. So I really started procrastinating, and I started to kind of run from the calling a little bit. So, when that voice said that I knew exactly what that meant: “You’ve wasted enough time.” So, I started praying to GOD. “I’m sorry, GOD. I know my calling. I know that I agreed to do this before incarnating here. I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” I started to just pray and do anything I could to beg for my life.

In Part 2, Steven realizes that Wanda may be going through the same experience with him. So, as I was getting worse and I felt myself slipping away, my wife said to me, “We’re transcending.” Join us tomorrow for Part 2 of this multipart series on Steven LaRussa’s near-death experience. (IANDS [International Association for Near-Death Studies])