Thursday morning news: October 9, 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.

Israel and Hamas agree to ‘first phase’ » President Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first Phase” of his peace plan to halt fighting.

The president said this means—his words… “that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line…”

Shortly before Trump made that announcement on social media, he cut short a roundtable event at the White House …

TRUMP:  I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we're very close to a deal in the Middle East and they're gonna need me, uh, pretty quickly. So, uh, I will take a couple of more questions.

The Hamas terror group announced in an official statement … “the reaching of an agreement that ends the war” in Gaza, “provides for the withdrawal” of Israeli forces … and—quote—“implements a prisoner exchange.”

Israel would release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages … though the details of that exchange were not immediately clear.

Negotiators have been meeting in Egypt for days to hash out a Trump-backed peace plan aimed at bringing a permanent end to the two-year war.

Shutdown latest / back pay » Another day, another failed funding vote in the US Senate, as the government remains partially shut down.

AUDIO:  On this vote, the A's are 54. The nays are 45. Three fifths of the Senate is duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is not agreed to.

Republicans once again trying to pass a clean bill that would restore and extend the funding levels that were already in place before the shutdown with no changes.

But they cannot get to the 60-vote threshold in the Senate without help from Democrats. And Democratic leaders say that won’t happen until Republicans agree to add healthcare policy changes to the bill.

Meantime, House Speaker Mike Johnson made clear Wednesday that he believes all furloughed federal workers should be paid for any time missed once the government reopens.

JOHNSON:  It has always been the case that is tradition and I think it is statutory law that federal employees be, be paid, and that's my position. I think they, they should be.

President Trump suggested recently that some furloughed workers might not receive back pay.

Shutdown flight delays » And the shutdown is being felt in airports across the country.

Air traffic controllers, since Monday, have been working without pay, at least for now. And some have seemingly felt less motivated to show up.

A surge in controllers calling out sick has led to thousands of flight delays this week.

In fact, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says a majority of flights are now running behind.

DUFFY: In the last couple of days, it’s been 53%. And so my message to the air traffic controllers that work for DOT is, show up for work! You have a job to do.

Essential employees are still expected to work amid the shutdown and they are assured backpay.

Comey pleads not guilty » Former FBI Director James Comey says he is not guilty of lying to Congress. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher reports:

BENJAMIN EICHER: Comey entered his plea in a federal court in Virginia Wednesday.

Prosecutors say Comey authorized leaks to the media about the Russia probe and then lied about that under oath during a 2020 Senate hearing.

His legal team says the former FBI director is the target of a political prosecution orchestrated by President Trump.

And they’ll argue that the acting U.S. attorney overseeing the case was illegally appointed after her predecessor declined to bring charges.

The indictment follows public calls from Trump for the Justice Dept to investigate Comey.

His trial is set for January 5th.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Palisades fire arrest » Authorities have charged a California man with igniting the most destructive fire in the history of Los Angeles.

ATF Special Agent Kenny Cooper:  

COOPER: After more than eight months of tireless, meticulous work, I stand here with our partners proud to announce an arrest in connection to the devastating Palisade fires.

Authorities have charged 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht with igniting the January fire. And federal prosecutor Bill Essayli says the government intends to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he started the fire intentionally.

ESSAYLI:  As the world watched in horror as the Palisades fire burned, victims perished in the smoke and flames, homes were cherished. Family memories and belongings were turned to rubble and ash.

The suspect faces charges including malicious destruction.

The blaze killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the wealthy coastal neighborhood of LA.

EU chief: Russia grey zone campaign » The European Union says Russia is conducting a "targeted gray zone campaign" against Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says that has included violations of European, and even NATO, airspace by Russian drones and aircraft.

LEYEN:  One incident may be a mistake, two incidents, a coincidence, but 3, 5, 10. This is a deliberate and targeted gray zone campaign against Europe.

She said that campaign has also included acts of sabotage and cyberattacks.

And she added, “if we hesitate to act, the gray zone will only expand.”

LEYEN:  Europe must respond. We must investigate every incident, and we must not shy away from attributing responsibility.

She says fighter jets breached Estonia's airspace and drones flew over military bases in several countries.

Von der Leyen stresses the need for an affordable anti-drone system and is urging greater European investment in defense.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: the war on drugs takes a new turn. Plus, making a living as an artisan.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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