Monday morning news: September 29, 2025

Editor's note: The following text is a transcript of a podcast story. To listen to the story, click on the arrow beneath the headline above.

Shutdown standoff » It appears Democrats will get their chance this week to negotiate with the president today in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown.  House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said good news came out of a talk this weekend with Speaker Mike Johnson.

JEFFRIES: There had been a conversation between Republican leaders and the president. And as a result, the meeting is back on.

That comes days after President Trump said he had called off the planned meeting.

But Jeffries says Democrats won't support a partisan Republican spending bill that “continues to gut the healthcare of the American people.”

Republicans, meantime, say they need to keep cutting fraud, abuse, and government overspending.

And Speaker Johnson said Sunday:

JOHNSON:  The purpose of the meeting is so that the president can assemble the four leaders, you know, the two top leaders in both chambers, to come in and have this discussion. And I talked with him at length yesterday about this and, and he's gonna tell Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries to stop playing political games.

Republicans say that Democrats need to help them pass a simple extension of government funding by tomorrow night to avoid a shutdown … to allow more time for negotiations.

Democrats say they want immediate talks on health care and that they are willing to shut down the government if they don’t get concessions.

Church shooting » Police are investigating a deadly attack against a Mormon church in Michigan on Sunday that killed at least two people and injured eight others.

Grand Blanc Township Police Department Chief William Renye:

RENYE:  He drove his vehicle through the front doors of the church. He then exited his vehicle firing, uh, several rounds at individuals within the church.

Renye said one of the wounded people was in critical condition Sunday evening and seven others were stable

Police killed the 40-year-old suspect in a shootout.

Authorities are working to determine a motive.

RENYE: We're gonna do search warrants on the suspect's residence. We're gonna go through cell phone records, things like that.

He is also believed to have deliberately set fire to the church building. Flames and smoke were visible for hours before the blaze was extinguished.

New sanctions against Iran » United Nations sanctions are back in place against Iran over its nuclear program.

The UN reimposed those sanctions under the “snapback” mechanism. France, Germany, and the UK triggered the snapback after declaring Iran out of compliance.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday claimed that Iran is being unfairly targeted.

PEZESHKIAN (Speaking in Farsi): Unfounded accusations that they’re blowing out of proportion is unacceptable. We have never sought nuclear weapons. We never will seek nuclear weapons.

Experts note that Iran has for years enriched uranium at levels close to weapons-grade … Well beyond what is needed for peaceful purposes.

Iran’s allies, China and Russia tried, unsuccessfully, to block the sanctions.

The “snapback” provision of the 2015 nuclear deal, freezes assets, halts arms sales, and penalizes missile development.

Comey indictment reaction » Democrats are sparring with the Justice Department over the indictment last week of former FBI Director James Comey.

 Comey is charged with lying to Congress and obstructing a government proceeding.

Democrats charge that President Trump is weaponizing the Justice Dept and seeking political retribution. Hakeem Jeffries:

JEFFRIES:  These charges are gonna be dismissed, James Comey will win in court, but what it reflects is a broader attack on the rule of law that should frighten every single American, whether you're a Democrat and independent or a Republican.

But Vice President JD Vance shot back on Sunday …

VANCE:  The idea that this is driven by politics, I think it's preposterous when you actually read the details of the indictment and the obvious fact that James Comey did lie under oath to Congress multiple times.

Comey is scheduled to be arraigned on October 9th.

Eric Adams drops out » New York City Mayor Eric Adams is dropping out of the mayoral race.

The incumbent pulled the plug on his struggling reelection campaign in a video message Sunday.

He blamed a campaign finance board decision that he said undermined his ability to raise the needed funds.

ADAMS:  Despite all we've achieved, I cannot continue my reelection campaign.

Adams was elected as a Democrat in 2021 but amid controversies and growing disapproval within his own party, Adams decided to mount his reelection bid as an independent.

Former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo also mounted an independent campaign. He’s still in the race. But recent polls show Democratic nominee, self-proclaimed socialist Zoran Mamdani leading a crowded field by nearly 20 points.

I'm Kent Covington.

This is The World and Everything in It.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.