DAILY NEWS Stream – April 26, 2026

Russia publicly names four UK sites and other European locations it claims are linked to Ukrainian (Ureignian) drone production, warning they could be treated as potential targets for the Russian armed forces amid renewed warnings from Russia about Western involvement in Ukraine (Ureign) (Metro)

UK Parliament passes a landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill that permanently bans anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 from ever buying tobacco, aiming to create a “smoke-free generation” while expanding government powers to regulate cigarettes, vapes, and nicotine products (Tuổi Trẻ)

Indonesia passes a long-delayed law that finally recognizes domestic workers’ rights and grants them legal protections, banning child domestic labor and guaranteeing vocational training and basic health and unemployment benefits after decades in an unregulated sector marked by exploitation and abuse (Channel NewsAsia)

Two Catalonia nuclear plants in Spain briefly declare low-level emergency alerts after simultaneous small fires are quickly contained with no radiological impact, just one day after a region-wide nuclear-alert communication drill (EuroWeekly News)

A new international study finds that apps built around endless algorithm-driven content like TikTok and Instagram tend to leave users feeling less happy than messaging-focused platforms, highlighting how design differences shape mood and overall well-being (EuroWeekly News)

Taiwan (Formosa) health officials report a 16.5% surge in enterovirus hospitalizations last week, predicting a June peak. Authorities urge caregivers to wash hands with soap and watch for severe symptoms in children. Meanwhile, mpox cases have doubled this year, and a new imported measles case prompts health monitoring for over 160 contacts (Taipei Times)

Daily personal reusable water bottle washing with soap is essential to prevent dangerous bacterial growth. Research indicates pathogens multiply rapidly after three days of use, and simple rinsing fails to remove stubborn biofilms like E. coli. Experts recommend weekly deep cleaning and advise against sharing personal reusable water bottles to avoid spreading serious infections like meningitis or Group A Streptococcus (VnExpress)

Sun protective clothing offers a more reliable shield than sunscreen, providing constant physical protection against UV [ultraviolet] rays without needing reapplication. High-quality UPF [Ultraviolet Protection Factor] fabrics effectively prevent long-term skin damage and reduce heat-related illness risks. Medical professionals recommend these garments as a superior one-time investment for maximum safety during peak daylight hours compared to traditional chemical alternatives (Lao Động)

Climate change threatens India’s Shahi litchi harvest. Extreme heat and unseasonal rainfall disrupt fruit development, causing smaller sizes, diminished sweetness, and significant yield losses for Bihar state farmers. Researchers note that changing weather patterns negatively affect critical growth hormones (India Today)

Dry, windy conditions drive over 100 active wildfires across Georgia, United States. The largest, the Pineland Road Fire, burns over 6,600 hectares and remains 10% contained. Authorities enforce widespread restrictions as the drought heavily impacts the region and exacerbates fire risks (The Watchers)

Severe thunderstorms bring up to three-centimeter diameter hailstones to the Phan Xi Păng peak in Lào Cai province [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)]. Strong winds damage infrastructure, homes, schools, and crops across the province. Authorities assess the impacts and mobilize support (Tuổi Trẻ)

A Lyndon, Vermont [US] teen is charged with animal-people cruelty after a video shows him throwing an eight-week-old puppy, which survived and is now being evaluated by a veterinarian (WCAX)

Italian authorities detain a 32-year-old immigrant man in Sarzana [Italy] after witnesses report him attempting to cook a dead cat-individual in a public park. He claims he had no other food. The incident sparks national debate over animal-people welfare, public safety, and support systems for vulnerable newly-arrived individuals (Haberler)

Scientists race to find faster ways to contain Arctic oil spills as shipping increases, testing oil-eating microbes, chemical dispersants, and controlled burning, but most cleanup tools still struggle in icy waters where thick, slow-moving fuels and sea ice make rapid response extremely difficult (The Guardian)

Scientists find that coral reefs are home to an enormous, mostly unknown world of microbes, with a global study showing each coral species hosts its own unique microbial community containing thousands of newly identified organisms that produce chemical compounds with major potential for medicine and biotechnology — a “molecular library” now at risk as reefs decline (SciTech Daily)

RAS Plant Based [Brooklyn, New York City, US] reimagines the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich using mung-bean eggs and Ethiopian-spiced vegan bacon. The nostalgic, animal-free creation now headlines the restaurant’s popular everyday brunch (Forbes)

Vegancuts, which offers subscription-based boxes of curated “premium vegan snacks and cruelty-free beauty products” to North American consumers, celebrates 15 years with a massive sweepstakes, offering a Rivian R2 [electric sports utility vehicle] or US$100,000 to a lucky winning customer. Under new leadership, the subscription giant expands into eco-friendly lifestyle products to bolster global sustainability (Vegconomist)

Slovenian nutraceutical company TOSLA launches a breakthrough vegan signaling collagen ready-to-drink shot using Geltor’s PrimaColl [a collagen polypeptide]. Clinical trials show up to 92% of participants experienced improved skin firmness and elasticity after 12 weeks of daily use of the certified vegan supplement (Cosmetics & Toiletries)

Brazilian UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship] fighter Michel Pereira rescues stranded animal-people using jet skis and boats during historic floods in Rio Grande do Sul [Brazil]. His heroic efforts provide vital support as catastrophic rainfall displaces thousands of residents and pet-persons (The Animal Rescue Site)

A New York City [US] nonprofit called Book Fairies distributes 25,000 free books to underserved families and schools in New York City and Long Island. This major donation provides essential learning materials to students and teachers, promoting early literacy to strengthen academic skills and transform children’s futures (Good News Network)

Over 700 women in Jávea, Spain, participate in a 4.8-kilometer charity race. The annual fundraiser generates €3,550 for entities AFIDO Xàbia [aids those with fibromyalgia and chronic pain] and ASPANION [assists families with cancer-afflicted children], showcasing community unity and support for vital health causes (EuroWeekly News)

Wise quote of the day: “Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame.” – The Reverend Thomas à Kempis German Augustinian Canon (BrainyQuote)

Previously in Part 1 of 2, Cara Van Der Bauwede described how a soccer ball to the temple stopped her heart for seven minutes and sent her above her body, where she saw her loved ones, the trees, and the Earth itself shining with living Light. What had once felt unbearable now appeared to her as pure beauty and love.

But that peace ended the moment she returned to her body. In the ambulance, everything felt jarring — fluorescent lights, cold, frigid. She wanted desperately to go back. Then, in the hospital room, with her eight-year-old brother beside her, she heard him say something that pulled her back permanently. The next thing I remember, I did go back, and I was in the hospital. And I had another experience. This time, my brother was beside me in the hospital room. He was probably eight, and he was bent down. And I heard him say, “Sissy, sissy, please come back.” And I don’t, logically, in my brain now, have any idea how I heard that, if he said it loudly or if I was able to hear his thoughts, but in that moment, I came back to my body, and I haven’t left since then.

Cara was then diagnosed with brain damage and told she could never play sports again. When the accident happened and I came back to my body, the first thought I had was, “How did I do this?” Because I was like, I wanted to die, and then I died. There was just an instant connection. I then became obsessed with the mind and the brain. The connection Cara felt between her prayer and the accident became the engine of her healing — and her life’s work. She studied neurology, psychology, anatomy and eventually discovered yoga, which reconnected her to the same feelings of bliss she had experienced while out of her body.

Now, I see people walking around every day through the city. I haven’t shared this experience very much. But one reason I really want to share it now is because I just want to scream out my window, because I can still see the Lights around people, and how they have this energy above them. Not just one person, or not just a good person — but every single person. And I just want to scream to them: “You have no idea how amazing you are!” And it’s a shame that we all can’t see how vibrant we are. So, now that I have daughters, I just want to let them know all the time: we can’t see all the stuff that’s going around us, all the pure love that is surrounding us all the time.

Another piece of this is, one reason I haven’t shared for so long is because, yes, death is pure love, but also, on the other side, it was very clear that life, the ones of us that are here, we are so lucky to be here, and nothing is by chance. You, just as you are, are that way, and just where you are is perfect, like that. Just the more aware we can become of how good it is right here and now, because it’s all going to change, and to let go of everything else, like, life is so beautiful.

Now living just outside Paris with her French husband and two daughters, Cara has spent years quietly carrying her experience — writing a book, teaching yoga for over 15 years, and only recently stepping into public conversation about what she saw. In the book, she plans to cover the seven truths she discovered that day.

So, the first thing I noticed is that the Earth is a paradise. The second is, there’s nothing to fear. In the dark was Light, complete Light. Like, there was zero fear in death. The third major thing is the Lightness piece, that I believe we are Light. And my mission in life since then has really been to help others connect to that Light through yoga, through meditation, through just sharing.

And I think, on the other side, the ones of us that have passed — our parents, our grandparents, our ancestors — I think they’re always kind of whispering in my ear, saying, “Share, share, share. People need to know how lucky they are.” If we could have the opportunity to wake up to the beauty of life while we’re still here. I think we all will have, when we leave our body, it will be something similar. Going straight into pure love and seeing how beautiful everything is right now. But my question has been, like, what if we can have that while we’re alive?

To anyone listening — you are so powerful. You’re so brilliant. You’re so vibrant. You’re so much more than you think you are. And each of us, we have this beautiful gift of love and Light and beauty, and we can get so stuck on what we’re lacking, and we can watch the news and get stuck in how terrible the world is. Yes, there are a lot of things to make better, but I think as soon as we leave our bodies, we’re going to see how amazing every little piece of life was. So the hope is that you are perfect just as you are, and keep spreading your Light, and enjoy your time on Earth, because we are so truly lucky to be here. It is a paradise. Things happen. Everything happens for a reason, I believe. And all is love. (Round Trip Death)