DAILY NEWS Stream – July 4, 2026

US officials say US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held positive discussions in Doha [Qatar], on June 30, as the US and Iran continue indirect talks aimed at turning last month’s interim peace deal into a permanent agreement. The talks focus on disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, possible transit fees, frozen Iranian funds, and Iran’s nuclear program (Military.com)

The US-based Institute for the Study of War [ISW] says Russian online searches asking when the war will end reached a record high in the week of June 22–28, with more than 137,000 searches, the highest level since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine (Ureign) began in February 2022 (Mezha)

Finland lifts a decades-old ban on nuclear weapons, approving changes to its Nuclear Energy Act that allow nuclear weapons to be transported, supplied, or possessed in Finland if required for national defense (Fox News)

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan [UNAMA] says at least 28 civilians are killed and 49 others are injured in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces, with women and children among the casualties. UNAMA says the figures are preliminary and could rise, while Pakistan says the strikes targeted hideouts used by anti-Pakistan militants (Amu TV)

The European Union [EU] and China agree to launch a new high-level Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism aimed at easing commercial tensions and avoiding a wider trade conflict. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič says the mechanism will focus on trade imbalances, export controls, intellectual property rights, and World Trade Organization reform (Politico)

Lufthansa and ITA Airways are resuming flights to Israel on July 1 after suspending operations for four months due to the Iran war (Fox News)

Oil prices fall on July 1 as optimism over US-Iran technical talks in Qatar eases concerns about supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate crude both drop to around US$70 a barrel, their lowest level in more than four months (Reuters)

The UK government repeals the Vagrancy Act, ending nearly two centuries of legislation that allowed people to be punished for sleeping on the streets or begging in England and Wales. Ministers say the change shifts the response to homelessness away from punishment and toward support (Gov.uk)

The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese [US] agrees to pay US$395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by church officials. The settlement will cover about 530 survivors and requires Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to write an apology letter to each survivor. The settlement also includes child-protection reforms and new transparency measures, including a public list of clergy accused of abuse (AP)

US President Trump announces that the Republican Party will hold its first-ever US midterm convention in Dallas, Texas [US], on September 9 and 10, aiming to rally supporters ahead of the November 2026 US congressional elections. President Trump says the two-day event will highlight what He calls the administration’s “America First” achievements, while Republican officials frame the convention as an effort to build momentum and protect the party’s congressional majorities (Fox News)

Skipping bedtime brushing increases the risk of heart disease and heart failure. Experts warn that poor oral hygiene allows harmful mouth bacteria to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation that can damage cardiovascular health over time. To protect both teeth and heart health, dentists recommend brushing twice daily for at least two minutes alongside regular professional cleanings (Thanh Niên)

A large Japanese study disproves the belief that formula-fed infants sleep better, finding that exclusive breastfeeding for six months helps babies sleep longer by age one. Analyzing over 82,000 pairs of mothers and infants, researchers link breastfeeding to a 23% lower risk of insufficient sleep. Melatonin, tryptophan, and healthier gut microbiota in breast milk help regulate the infant’s sleep cycles and circadian development (Báo Tin tức)

Michigan [US] health officials warn of a dangerous foodborne parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, spreading through food and water that is contaminated through contact with feces. The tropical infection causes nausea, prolonged watery diarrhea, and severe cramps. Epidemiologists advise consumers to thoroughly wash and refrigerate fresh produce to prevent contracting the biological illness (People)

Heavy rainfall triggers severe flooding in Ghana’s Greater Accra region, killing at least 12 people and prompting rescue of nearly 500 others. Emergency teams continue recovery operations as authorities warn of rising climate-driven risks (The Watchers)

Torrential rain floods Puebla [Mexico], killing one person as water reaches 70 centimeters deep in city streets. Emergency crews rescue residents and evacuate elderly people from flooded areas, while officials continue damage assessments and urge caution during ongoing recovery operations (The Watchers)

Wildfires force evacuation of Wrigley, Northwest Territories [Canada] residents, as an out-of-control blaze grows to over 13,000 hectares. Evacuees receive a warm welcome in the town of Fort Smith, with hotels, shelters, and community support. Recent rainfall slows the fire’s advance toward the community (The Watchers)

Vegan food manufacturer Beyond Meat rolls out its new vegan steak filets at H-E-B grocery stores in Texas [US], utilizing avocado oil and mushroom mycelium to deliver a high-protein, beef-like texture for everyday retail consumers (Chron)

A survey reveals half of those aged 18-28 in India are likely to adopt a vegan diet within a year. Among barriers to adoption cited by respondents, limited information about the diet, rather than cultural attachment to dairy, is the primary cause (Vegconomist)

Swiss chocolatier Lindt launches its HELLO Vegan Hazelnut Crunch bar in Switzerland, utilizing vegan fats to mimic traditional milk chocolate texture for mainstream dairy-free and flexitarian consumers (Ad Hoc News)

Tsunami, a rescued search dog-person, finds survivors beneath rubble in Venezuela’s recent earthquake disaster. The 9-year-old Border Collie-individual locates at least 13 trapped victims with his keen sense of smell that can exceed the limits of search technology available. Tsunami has saved over 300 people across disasters including earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria in 2023 and Venezuela’s 2022 floods and landslides (EuroWeekly News)

PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] convinces major US retailers, including Neiman Marcus and Ulta, to drop brushes made with badger-people hair after releasing undercover footage of cruelty in Chinese badger-folk raising facilities. The animal-people rights group urges manufacturers to transition to synthetic alternatives (New York Post)

A man finds an injured barn owl-person in his yard in South Africa and sends it to the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre via a ride-hailing service in the middle of the night. The rescue center emphasizes that ride-hailing services are becoming vital for delivering emergency wildlife care cases (Good Things Guy)

Enlightening quote of the day: “When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite ones should be thought of.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Patanjali (vegetarian) (The Yoga Sutras)

Previously, in this multipart series on Steven La Russa’s near-death experience, Steven and his wife Wanda saw five strange white lights streaking across the sky near Lake Tahoe [US] — lights they first believed were UFOs. Later that night, Steven says he entered a near-death experience [NDE] in their hotel room, where he felt himself fading, believed he was dying, saw the white Light, and felt his soul getting closer to death. When Steven asked Wanda to help him, she began praying and chanting in languages she did not know — and only then, he says, everything lifted off of him. Afterward, Steven paced the floor, trying to process what had happened.

I was told, and I had this downloaded, Divine download, Divine information, that those were actually angels. Those were angels showing themselves to us. They weren’t UFOs [unidentified flying objects]. I don’t know, getting in position, getting us prepared to go through this incident, showing us they were near or whatnot.

This incident could have easily happened to me by myself, but we were meant to go through this together. And I do think that one big thing, the reason why GOD told me, “Steven, be quiet, listen to your wife,” I think that GOD wanted me to hear her speak in those other languages and allowed her to speak in those other languages to basically make it clear that there’s no way that you guys could have imagined this. It couldn’t have been lucid dreaming. It couldn’t have been your imagination. It couldn’t have been anything like that, because we weren’t asleep at the time. We didn’t wake up out of sleep. We were talking, the TV was on, we were cognizant, we were awake.

So, I look back on this incident and the way things happened, happened for a reason, so there would be no doubt left. So, GOD put circumstances in this where it couldn’t be questioned, or it couldn’t be doubted. Even as much as we try to come up with logical explanations for it, there is nothing, seeing the angels in the sky, seeing the little white dots streaking through the sky just a couple of hours before the incident. I was drawn to go to Lake Tahoe, to go to that room, and I had no idea why.

Steven reflects on what the experience ultimately meant and what GOD was communicating to him through it all. It was a scary experience, but it was good. A couple of people I have told asked me, “What was your feeling during that? Did you feel the Love of GOD?” And I’ll be honest with you — I didn’t feel any Love of GOD. A few months ago, I went through an incident where I felt the Love of GOD, saw white Light, and it was incredible. But this felt more like a parent coming into the room about to discipline you. You know your parent loves you, but it’s more so about tough love. I almost felt like it was a spiritual whipping — that you need to get back on track, you’ve been called to do something, and you’re slipping back into your old ways, and I didn’t bring you this far to slip back into those old patterns and old ways. You’re meant to help people, to help raise the vibration of the world, to spread Light, to help people that are going through similar situations as you that are maybe going through the spiritual awakening, maybe just people that are feeling unfulfilled or lost, or looking for meaning. People need guidance. They need help going through those things, because a lot of times, we don’t understand them, and we don’t know them. (IANDS [International Association for Near-Death Studies])