DAILY NEWS Stream – September 26, 2026

During the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, US President Donald Trump said US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had held three hours of talks with Iranian officials about ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Witkoff described the talks as indirect, with mediators moving between the delegations. Iran’s stated conditions for reopening the strait include lifting the US naval blockade, releasing frozen assets, and ending fighting across what it calls the “resistance” fronts. Mediators plan to continue the talks (Al Jazeera, Reuters)

At the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met EU [European Union] foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to discuss ending the US-Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Ms. Kallas called for passage through the strait without tolls and said she expressed concern about the rise in executions and death sentences in Iran. Mr. Araghchi also met Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister as diplomatic efforts continued (Fox News)

On September 22, supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran rallied outside the United Nations in New York [US] during the General Assembly. They urged world leaders to act against executions of political prisoners in Iran and called for a democratic republic to replace the current government (Fox News)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iranian airlines would face new restrictions starting Wednesday, September 23, as part of US’s pressure campaign against Iran. He warned that companies providing those airlines with fuel, landing services or ticket sales could face secondary sanctions, including losing access to the US dollar system (Fox News)

After meeting US President Donald Trump at the United Nations on September 22, Ukrainian (Ureignian) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they discussed ending Russia’s war and a proposal for both sides to stop attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure (Reuters)

In a September 22 statement, G7 foreign ministers condemned Houthi attacks in Yemen and on Saudi Arabia and urged Iran to stop arming and supporting the group. They called on the Houthis to halt attacks on civilian shipping and return to political talks, warning that the fighting threatens regional stability and trade through the Red Sea (The Times of Israel)

The United Nations Refugee Agency has allocated US$2 million in emergency aid for people displaced by renewed fighting in Yemen and is preparing a shipment of shelter supplies. Yemen’s government said about 147,000 people fled their homes across eight provinces between the start of September and September 18 (Anadolu Agency)

Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza return to in-person schooling for the first time in nearly three years, attending classes in damaged buildings and makeshift classrooms, including tents. UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] says 98% of Gaza’s schools are damaged or destroyed, with at least 540,000 students expected to attend in-person classes this academic year (Reuters)

Barley appears in several accounts in the Holy Bible. Ruth 2:17 describes Ruth gathering barley until evening, then threshing what she had collected; she brought it home to her mother-in-law, Naomi. In Ezekiel 4:9, barley is among the grains and legumes used to make bread. The Gospel of John identifies the five loaves used by Lord Jesus Christ (vegetarian) to feed the multitude as barley loaves. Today, this ancient grain brings a mild, nutty flavor and a chewy texture to soups, stews, and porridge. It contains beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol and reduce the rise in blood sugar after a meal. Hulled barley retains its bran and is a whole grain, while pearled barley cooks faster and still provides fiber (Old Oak Gardening YouTube channel)

Simple lifestyle habits can significantly reduce the risk and severity of knee osteoarthritis. Experts emphasize that strengthening thigh muscles, maintaining a healthy weight, wearing a knee brace, and eating anti-inflammatory foods can help alleviate joint strain. Managing knee pain also lowers risks for secondary chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes from lessened physical activity (SciTech Daily)

New research finds that smartwatches can substantially misestimate calories burned, with accuracy varying among people and types of exercise. Nearly four in 10 US adults use wearable devices to monitor physical activity and calorie expenditure. Researchers caution that users may misjudge energy burned during workouts based on smartwatch estimates (New York Post)

The Rhode Island Department of Health confirmed the US state’s third Powassan virus case of 2026 in a Washington County man in his 60s. The tick-borne disease can cause fever, headaches, vomiting and weakness, then progress to severe brain inflammation, seizures and paralysis. No specific treatment exists. Officials urge precautions to prevent tick bites (Outbreak News Today)

Hurricane Polo rapidly strengthened to Category 5, the highest level on the scale, off Mexico’s Pacific coast on September 22, with sustained winds of about 165 miles per hour [265 kilometers per hour]. Its center was expected to remain offshore, but heavy rain and dangerous surf threatened southwestern Mexico with flooding and mudslides (Associated Press)

The current drought will affect wildlife in England and Wales for years to come, the UK government says. Despite recent rain, reservoir and groundwater levels keep falling, with England’s reservoir storage 19.7% below average for the time of year. So far this year, the hot, dry weather has triggered 349 potentially damaging environmental incidents, such as algal blooms and fish-people deaths, surpassing the 321 in 2025. Natural England, a government non-departmental public body, says wading bird-folk that nest in wetlands, along with insects and other small creatures that depend on them, have struggled significantly (The Guardian)

A landslide in Tân Hợp, Lào Cai [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)], triggered by days of heavy rain, worsens on September 22. More than 5,000 cubic meters of earth and rock block a road, isolating 37 households with more than 100 residents. Crews work to clear the road, but earth and rock keep falling, and authorities advise people to avoid the area (VietnamPlus)

Indonesia’s rainy season is expected to start in early November for most of the country, later than the previously forecast October, and to be shorter than usual, the national weather agency says. A strong El Niño weather pattern has extended the dry season. Sugarcane output has already fallen an estimated 25% this year due to drought and wildfires. The new crop will be delayed due to the rainy season’s projected late start, while rice output may drop 10% next year. The agency advises farmers to adjust planting schedules and choose shorter-cycle crop varieties (Reuters)

Solar and wind power supply a record 80.4% of electricity demand on Australia’s main grid during a 30-minute period around lunchtime on September 19, with rooftop solar alone providing more than half. Sunny weather and low demand for heating and cooling help drive the milestone (The Guardian)

A new documentary, How Deep Is Your Love, follows scientists exploring deep-sea life in the Pacific’s Clarion Clipperton Zone, where potential industrial mining threatens fragile ecosystems. Using an underwater robot, the team encounters remarkable animal-people five kilometers below the surface, including a bright pink sea cucumber-person nicknamed “Barbie Pig.” Opening in UK cinemas on October 2, the film aims to inspire understanding and empathy for this largely unexplored world (The Guardian)

Family-run brand Wild Root expands into Liverpool [UK] city center, securing a site on Old Hall Street to bring its high-quality vegan dining concept to a brand-new location (The Liverpool Echo)

Ripple Foods launches its new vegan product Ripple Toddler Plant-Based Milk exclusively at Walmart retail stores across the US, delivering 8 grams of pea protein, DHA, and key nutrients for toddlers with allergen-friendly dietary needs (Ripple Foods)

UK health brand Whitworths launches Nutty Kitchen Supermince line across 900 Tesco grocery stores in Britain, offering an unprocessed, nutrient-dense whole food vegan meat alternative made from walnuts, lentils, and red quinoa (Vegan Food & Living)

An elderly man, Chaman Lal, from Ludhiana district, Punjab [India], became lost during a pilgrimage to Amritsar [India] and accidentally traveled over 1,200 kilometers to Gaya, Bihar [India]. A local resident, Neeraj, provided shelter and food, then used ChatGPT and online searches to identify his village and reunite him with his family (NDTV)

The eighth annual Walk for Water fundraiser in McFarland, Wisconsin [US], raised funds for clean-water wells in Uganda. Participants walked about 4.8 kilometers, symbolizing journeys Ugandan women and children make daily to collect water. A silent auction featuring 43 baskets of Ugandan and local goods also generated several thousand US dollars for well construction (WKOW)

Fox cub Chance is recovering after being hit by a car in Nottinghamshire [England, UK]. Rescuers at Mansfield Wildlife Rescue provide assisted swimming sessions to rebuild his strength and mobility. Chance is regaining sensation and using his back legs in the water, while limited human contact helps prepare him for a possible return to the wild (Good News Network)

Enlightening quote of the day: “Make every effort to live, meditate, and teach in accordance with the intent of the Buddha.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Gedun Drupa (vegetarian) (The Fourteen Dalai Lamas)

Previously in Part 1 of this two-part series on Julie Cluff’s near-death experience, Julie recalled the Mother’s Day 2007 car accident in which her children David, 8, and Carrie, 10, were thrown from the vehicle and died. Her twelve-year-old son, James, survived with injuries. While awaiting news of her two younger children in the emergency room, Julie says her awareness shifted to a mountain meadow, where Lord Jesus Christ (vegetarian) held her hands, and she experienced an immense peace. The next three years, however, brought self-hatred, post-traumatic stress disorder, and complicated grief. As she worried about the tragedy’s effect on her surviving sons, she heard Spirit tell her, “Julie, this is their experience too,” reinforcing her belief that the family had agreed to this experience before coming here.

It was at the three-year mark that healing finally broke through. Afterward, Julie began waking with the recurring thought that she was meant to share her story— a thought she dismissed every time. That changed in 2012. At a lunch arranged by her mother, Julie reluctantly shared her story with a man who had endured hardships of his own and was now helping others through similar challenges. And as we were leaving that restaurant, that man stopped me, and he put his hand on my arm, and he looked in my eyes, and he said, “You’re supposed to do something with this.” And in that moment, I couldn’t deny that— it was like lightning struck. I felt it at this deep, visceral level. Along with the memories that returned after the accident came what Julie described as a knowing or remembrance: before coming here, the family had made a plan in which David and Carrie would depart young.

And I have this understanding that I was given a choice. Carrie would only live for so many years. David would only live for so many years. And do you want to be the mom under those circumstances? And I chose, and I said yes. It’s a strange thing to say, but I don’t feel like I missed out on the rest of their life because they came here to be here for a short period of time to open up a lot of people through their story, through their interactions with the people, with our family, with their friends, and so forth. I could be their mom in physical form for 8 and 10 years or not be their mom. And I chose to be their mom. And I remember that every day, and I stay connected with them on a regular basis. Over time, Julie said she learned to communicate with David and Carrie, as well as with a brother who had passed years earlier, first by sensing them nearby and eventually by talking with them and receiving messages.

Asked, finally, what message of hope she would offer a grieving parent, Julie responded. The emotions and the things that you’re experiencing now will shift and change and allow it to shift and change. And allow yourself, when you have those moments where you feel happiness, when you feel joy peeking through the cracks of the grief, allow that too. Grief is part of the healing process. We’re not meant to stay there. Love and joy are how we connect with the other side and how we stay connected with our loved ones. And so, we will get to that place of love and joy when we allow that to enter our lives again. And so, my heart goes out to anybody that’s experiencing grief and pain. In the middle of it, it can feel like there is no island of hope or relief in sight. But hold on, because there is. There will be. (Round Trip Death YouTube channel)