Extreme Weather, Texas Bible Mandate & Telescope Rescue - Monday, June 29, 2026

**Erica Mandy** (0:00)
Today is Monday, June 29th. We'll tell you about the extreme weather impacting a lot of the country, from flooding to wildfires to a major heat wave coming by the 4th of July holiday, while the heat dome over Europe has become the most severe and widespread in its history.
Also, new attacks and threats coming from both the US and Iran, what it means for the fragile ceasefire. Plus, a highly unusual new required reading list for all public schools in Texas, a first-of-its-kind NASA mission to save a space telescope, and the record number of adults under 35 living with their parents. Those stories and even more news to know next.
Welcome to The News Worthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.
A lot of the country has been dealing with extreme weather, from flash flooding in the East to wildfires in the West, and a major heat wave moving toward much of the country.
Starting in Kentucky, some areas got more than 10 inches of rain on Saturday alone. The downpour triggered flash flooding and high water rescues were still going on yesterday. At least four people died. Out West, dozens of wildfires are burning, with fires in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona growing more intense. Strong winds, high temperatures, low humidity, and months of dry conditions are making it harder for crews to get them under control. Three firefighters died battling a fire along the Colorado-Utah border. Two others were badly burned. All of Utah has now put sweeping restrictions on 4th of July fireworks. And looking ahead, extreme heat is moving toward the southeast, midwest, and northeast. By the end of the week, more than half of the country could be impacted with potentially dangerous heat leading up to or during the holiday weekend. Forecasts show the heat wave over East Coast cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, as well as Midwestern cities like Chicago and St. Louis, and southern cities like Dallas and Memphis.
The heat wave baking several European countries right now has become the most severe one Europe has ever recorded. It's believed to be responsible for at least 1300 deaths, most of them in France. And more records continue to be broken, the latest in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Other records have been broken in Switzerland, Denmark, France, the UK, Spain, and beyond. Of course, European homes, businesses, and schools were not built for the kinds of triple digit temperatures they're getting. Neither were the roads, which have been buckling. And hospitals are now under intense pressure, with thousands of people seeking care for heat-related illnesses. The Paris Pride March that was supposed to happen this weekend was postponed. On Friday, a collaboration of scientists put out a new study that found the heat wave would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, and that it's now 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.
President Trump has warned the US could be forced to return to an all-out war with Iran and said if that happens, quote, Iran will no longer exist. That warning comes after another weekend of escalating attacks. The US launched airstrikes against Iran, and Iran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting American military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. But as of this morning, there are no reports of casualties. This latest round of fighting started over efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Since the ceasefire was extended, the International Ocean Monitoring Group, run by the US. Navy, has been allowing more ships to pass through. But Iran says any ships using the waterway without its permission are, quote, responsible for any consequences. And some have come under attack. Complicating the ceasefire even more, this weekend, Hezbollah rejected a US brokered security deal between Israel and Lebanon. So fighting has also continued on that front. Still, mediators say talks between the US and Iran are scheduled to resume tomorrow. So, stay tuned.
In Venezuela, crews are now five days into a massive search and rescue effort. As of this morning, the death toll from last week's earthquakes has reached nearly 1,500 people, and tens of thousands are still missing. So rescuers have been digging through the debris. Over the weekend, 33 people were pulled to safety, and thousands of international rescuers have arrived to help, along with search dogs and advanced equipment. The US said it was sending $150 million in aid, along with ships and aircraft, to help with searches. Once the search and rescue period ends, it will be time to focus on the destruction. The UN has said nearly 7 million people may be affected by the earthquake in one way or another.