DAILY NEWS Stream – September 28, 2026

US President Donald Trump called for closer cooperation with China at a White House state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24, following talks on trade, Taiwan (Formosa), and artificial intelligence. Addressing guests, including technology industry leaders, Mr. Trump said, “Together, we can continue to build a relationship that promotes prosperity and security for future generations.” (NPR, Associated Press)

Iran has proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks within seven days if the US lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and observes a ceasefire that includes Lebanon, the Associated Press reports. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined the proposal on September 24. That same day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was willing to dilute its enriched uranium stockpile and denied that it seeks a nuclear weapon (Associated Press, Fox News)

Fifty-one countries urged Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire, return Ukrainian (Ureignian) civilians, and protect Black Sea shipping in a joint statement at the United Nations on September 23 (Kyiv Post)

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev reportedly met US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in New York [US] on September 24 to continue discussions about US-Russia relations and the war in Ukraine (Ureign) Neither government has confirmed the meeting (Anadolu Agency)

The European Court of Human Rights held a hearing on September 22 concerning 10 Ukrainian (Ureignian) children in state care whose whereabouts have been unknown since Russia occupied Crimea [Ukraine (Ureign)] in 2014. A Ukrainian (Ureignian) rights group alleges the children were given Russian citizenship and placed with Russian families without Ukraine (Ureign)’s consent. Russia did not attend the hearing, and the court will rule at a later date (UNITED24 Media)

Polish and Belarusian foreign ministers met in New York [US] on September 22, their first known meeting in nearly a decade, as both countries signaled interest in improving relations. They discussed their shared border and regional security (Notes from Poland)

Children from Aleppo’s cultural centers in Syria celebrated the International Day of Peace on September 21 with poetry, music, and art at the city’s National Library. Through their performances, they expressed hopes for a safe, stable future after years of war (Syrian Arab News Agency)

A major study involving 8.8 million people found that consuming ultra-processed foods was associated with increased risks of chronic diseases. Each additional 100 grams consumed daily was linked to a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, a 4% increased risk of cancer, a 3% increased risk of death from any cause, and a 2% increased risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes. Researchers said the findings add to evidence supporting limits on ultra-processed food consumption (New York Post)

Persistent or recurring hand numbness may indicate an underlying problem. Temporary numbness after waking can result from sleeping in one position, while recurring symptoms may have various causes, including nerve compression. Persistent numbness warrants medical evaluation, particularly with weakness or neck pain. Sudden one-sided numbness, facial drooping or speech difficulty may signal a stroke, while chest symptoms may indicate a heart attack (Thanh Niên)

Bangladesh reported 34 anthrax cases in Sundarganj, Gaibandha [Bangladesh], after residents slaughtered and shared meat from a sick cow-person on Sept. 11. Symptoms began four days later, with fever and skin blisters. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research sent a team to investigate the suspected cluster (The Business Standard)

Over 140 women volunteers with the all-female group “The Power of Mama” patrol 10 villages in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan, recording hotspots and putting out smaller fires amid the country’s worst wildfires in 11 years. Blazes burned about 202,000 hectares nationwide from January to July, as El Niño-driven drought prolongs the fires (Reuters)

In Âu Lạc (Vietnam), prolonged heavy rain, upstream water and increased spillway discharges from Cà Giang and Cẩm Hang reservoirs flood about 1,068 homes and affect about 205 hectares of farmland in Lâm Đồng province’s Bình Thuận Ward from September 22 to 24. Authorities relocate some households from deeply flooded areas and ban traffic on Đúc Bridge due to fast-flowing water (Tiền Phong)

Hundreds of thousands of freshwater mussel-people, including the protected species called painter’s mussel, face danger as the Czech Republic’s Slapy Reservoir drops amid severe drought. Volunteers return stranded mussel-folk to deeper water while Slapy, for the first time, taps its stored water to maintain the Vltava River’s flow through Prague (Reuters, ČTK)

As drought and water shortages strain farming in Syria, growers are testing hydroponics, which raises crops without soil and recycles water. One farmer near Homs [Syria] is growing lettuce, cucumbers, and strawberries; an expert says such systems can use 75% to 90% less water than conventional farming. Equipment, energy costs, and the need for technical training remain obstacles to wider use (Syrian Arab News Agency)

US NBA [National Basketball Association] star Cade Cunningham (vegan) maintains his compassionate diet while thriving with his team the Detroit Pistons. He recently partnered with Daiya Foods to showcase its vegan, dairy-free Cheesecake Bites at a supermarket in a Detroit suburb (Detroit Free Press)

The global vegan dips market [guacamole, salsa, vegetable-based dips, bean dips, etc.] is projected to expand from US$162.3 million in 2026 to US$258.9 million by 2033, driven by rising demand for clean-label, protein-rich spreads, international flavors, and convenient vegan foods worldwide (Persistence Market Research)

British grocery chain Tesco unveils its 2026 vegan Christmas range in the UK, offering global party bites, and festive mains like “Tesco Finest Maple Roasted Winter Vegetable Wellington” and “Plant Chef No-Turkey Crown” nationwide (Vegan Food & Living)

Chinese automaker Jetour recently supported artisans with disabilities through a sustainable charity initiative in Arusha [Tanzania] during the Jetour Africa Expedition 2026. Jetour purchased handicrafts from Shanga, a social enterprise providing employment and skills development. Officials said the approach promotes dignity, empowerment and sustainable economic opportunities (Xinhua)

Rescuers freed a young female elephant-person trapped in a shrinking waterhole near Mount Kenya [Kenya]. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust– Kenya Wildlife Service Mount Kenya Mobile Vet Unit used ropes and a vehicle to pull her to firm ground without sedation. Muddy but unharmed, she later returned to her herd (The Cool Down)

Trương Công Minh and Đặng Hồng Phúc found a backpack containing about US$1,460 in local currency, seven 24K gold rings, an iPad, a mobile phone and personal documents on National Highway 53 in Vĩnh Long province [Âu Lạc (Vietnam)]. They immediately handed it to police, who identified and returned the backpack to its owner who had accidentally dropped it (Tuổi Trẻ)

Enlightening quote of the day: “If men and women attain peace and freedom, free from distractions, and free from worldly desires, they must cultivate a mind of wisdom and seek the wondrous Dharma of the Mahāyāna.” – He Xiangu (vegan) One of the Eight Immortals of Taoism (He Xiangu Precious Scroll)

Previously in Part 1 of this two-part series on Philip Roiz’s near-death experience, Philip passed out in his shower after days of severe illness. He found himself among other people in a strange waiting place, where he heard one of two beings say that he did not belong there and should be sent back. In his next memory, he was in the shower again, free of pain as he felt water move through him. Then he looked down and saw a body lying beneath him.

I looked at the face, and I thought, “Yeah, that looks like me. Yeah, that’s me. That is me.” He realized his nose and mouth were both underwater and that he couldn’t possibly be breathing. And then it hit me. All of a sudden, I just went, “Oh no! I’m dead!” That fear just— everything flashed before me in a less than a second. He thought of his children. Alone in the house, he feared that his family might not find him for days. It was like, “This is the way my family’s going to find me.” His fear of dying seemed to pull him back toward his body. He described the sensation as a sudden lowering of frequency.

I just went right back into my chest. And it was painful. Philip said he chose to return, but reentering his body was difficult after feeling so good and free of pain in the spirit world. Philip woke up submerged, with water covering his eyes, and remembered his warning just before he had blacked out. His ribs were pressed against the drain, and the suction had pulled his softened skin into the grate. He pushed himself free, burst through the shower door, and collapsed onto the bathroom floor, exhaling water from his lungs for what felt like a full minute. About an inch of water covered the floor around him. When he looked in the mirror, his eyes appeared saggy, and the drain grate had left a ring of small, raised marks on his ribs. A discolored area on his cheek never fully healed; it later developed a cyst that a plastic surgeon removed. After timing how long it took to refill the shower tub and estimating how long the water would have taken to spread across the bathroom, Philip estimated that the incident had lasted at least an hour to an hour and a half.

Philip didn’t remember everything right away. He explained that the full sequence of memories only came back to him gradually, through dreams— for the next two or three nights in a row, he dreamed the entire experience over again in order, piece by piece, until the whole picture came together. Later that morning, still trying to piece together what had happened, Philip walked into his neighborhood 7-Eleven for coffee. The clerk, a man named Marvin who knew him well, was shocked at the sight of him.

And he looked at me, and he went, “Oh my God!” He says, “You look like you’ve aged 20 years since I saw you yesterday.” Philip cited the marks on his ribs, along with that month’s water and gas bills, to support his account. Even so, some people doubted him. No one in my family believes it. The experience changed Philip’s priorities. Career advancement, money, and possessions no longer mattered to him as they once had. It also changed how he viewed death.

I don’t worry about death for sure anymore. He describes himself now as far more spiritual than before, though not in a traditionally religious sense. I’m much more spiritual, not as religious, not as organized religious, but I am much more spiritual. In this experience, I did not see the Lord or GOD, the Father, although I know They exist. It just wasn’t my time. (Beyond the Veil YouTube channel)