Global Watch Daily – September 26, 2026
A concise summary of significant developments in Israel and the world through a grounded Christian worldview.
Israel & Jerusalem
Nada Tawfik of the BBC explains why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not arrested after delivering a speech at the United Nations, despite an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Netanyahu condemned those who walked out during his address at the United Nations General Assembly, calling them “moral cowards.” (BBC News; BBC News; Al Jazeera)
Diplomat Nickolay Mladenov warned at an American Jewish Committee event that the greatest risk in Gaza is the entrenchment of the current situation as permanent. Joe Ouaknine, co-host of Project Legacy, identified antisemitism as the organization’s top priority, while CEO Ezra Friedlander stressed the necessity of dialogue across political and national divides. Meanwhile, a swift military advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast has drawn international attention to the Iran-backed Houthi movement, raising concerns about its impact on the global energy market. (JNS; JNS; BBC News)
A figure related to these developments was announced during a meeting of the group’s board on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (BBC News)
Wars & Security (Israel and Region)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi has proposed a plan to disarm Iran-backed militias by June 2027, coinciding with the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. This timeline aligns with an agreement for Turkey to gradually transfer control of its Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Iraqi authorities. In the past 72 hours, law enforcement agencies across four countries announced arrests, charges, and an extradition related to alleged Islamic State activities, including an assassination plot, a chemical attack, propaganda dissemination, and financing travel to Syria. The Kurdistan Regional Government declared the completion of a multi-year effort to unify the Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, resolving longstanding divisions between units affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. (Long War Journal; Long War Journal; Long War Journal)
The Houthis and Yemeni Armed Forces, supported by allied militias, continue to fight on multiple fronts, with the Houthis focusing on securing the highlands inland from their recent coastal gains. They have also maintained attacks against Saudi Arabia. (Long War Journal; FDD)
Effective enforcement of American sanctions is critical, including in the High North. In early September, two U.S.-sanctioned vessels departed China carrying the last two power-related shipments, highlighting weaknesses in sanctions enforcement that are fueling China’s “Polar Silk Road.” (FDD)
The Pakistani Air Force conducted airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan targeting terrorist training centers in retaliation for a recent complex suicide attack in western Pakistan. The Taliban denied involvement in the attack and promised an “appropriate response” to Pakistan’s strikes. Meanwhile, it has been 20 years since the United Nations’ Alliance of Civilizations identified the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a major factor in the widening rift between Muslim and Western societies. (Long War Journal; FDD)
Global Macro & Geopolitics
The growing imbalance in global energy supplies could have severe consequences worldwide. The European Union has warned member states about a potential energy price crisis driven by the conflict in the Middle East. It urged governments to consider demand-reduction measures and continue filling gas storage facilities ahead of the winter season. (Bloomberg; Bloomberg)
AI Dominion, Deception & the Antichrist System
It is getting harder for college students and recent graduates to compete in the job market as artificial intelligence is used as a hiring tool and employers demand it as a skill (cnbc.com).
Digital identity tends to gain traction in use cases that solve real-world problems. Travel is a process filled with pain points, so it is not surprising that it has quickly moved to integrate digital ID and biometrics into airports, seeking improvements to the post-9/11 model that prioritized security at the expense of comfort and efficiency. Specialized law enforcement officers from 11 countries gathered in Tunis, Tunisia, in June to capture and analyze face biometrics from suspected terrorists, according to an announcement from Interpol. Interpol coordinated the operation, and it was the first of its kind. Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is proposing a national facial image registry to help law enforcement identify suspects, investigate crimes, find missing people and identify human remains using facial biometrics. The proposal comes as Moldova, which borders Ukraine, expands its law enforcement and border security capabilities amid concerns about organized crime, terrorism, and other cross-border threats tied to the war and the wider region (biometricupdate.com).
Pestilence & Global Health
A comprehensive Swedish study involving 3.7 million individuals found that rare TORCH infections transmitted from pregnant women to their fetuses significantly increase the risk of autism and intellectual disability in later life. Children with congenital TORCH infections were approximately three times more likely to develop these conditions. Additionally, researchers have identified evidence that long COVID may damage dopamine-releasing neurons in the brain, potentially explaining symptoms such as persistent fatigue, low motivation, slowed movement, and memory difficulties. This discovery opens avenues for treatments targeting the brain’s dopamine system. Furthermore, scientists have developed a more precise method to date ancient plague genomes, linking many of them to historical outbreaks. (ScienceDaily; ScienceDaily; ScienceDaily)
An expanding outbreak of Bundibugyo virus—a lesser-known relative of Ebola—is demonstrating how rare but deadly viruses can pose major threats when diagnosis and treatment options are limited. Experts caution that focusing preparedness solely on familiar pathogens may leave the world vulnerable to sudden reemergence of such viruses. (ScienceDaily)
Natural Disasters & Signs in the Heavens
The United States Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Laupāhoehoe, Hawaii, and a magnitude 4.7 earthquake in the North Indian Ocean. (USGS; USGS)
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake was recorded near Tadine, New Caledonia, while Thailand issued a green flood alert. (USGS; GDACS)
Middle Eastern Artifacts
Archaeologists discovered the tomb of an ancient Egyptian royal chamberlain in Sector A of the Bubasteum necropolis in Saqqara during its inaugural excavation season. Meanwhile, the Pyramid of Menkaure has been closed to visitors following recent developments. A final report on Italian excavations in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher revealed a clear historical sequence from stone quarry to farmland, cemetery, and finally church, though access to the full report requires a subscription. Authorities have also utilized other archaeological findings in ongoing research. (BiblePlaces; BiblePlaces)