Tuesday morning news: September 30, 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.

AUDIO (WH intro): Ladies and gentleman, the president of the United States and the prime minister of the state of Israel.

Trump-Netanyahu meeting / Qatar regret » The introduction at the White House Monday as President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed reporters in the State Dining Room after a closed door meeting.

TRUMP: This afternoon after extensive consultation with our friends and partners throughout the region, I'm formally releasing our principles for peace.

The 20-point Gaza peace proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages within days, and the creation of a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump to oversee a postwar Gaza government.

Under the framework, Israel would slowly withdraw while preserving a security perimeter.

Netanyahu said he’s on board with the plan. But he added that the war in Gaza will end, one way or the other.

NETANYAHU:  This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done. We prefer the easy way, but it has to be done.

The White House is awaiting a response from Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, welcomed the announcement and pledged to implement reforms. But the Palestinian Authority does not speak for Hamas.

Israel latest » Meanwhile in Tel-Aviv, demonstrators gathered last night to call for an end to the war. WORLD's Travis Kircher reports from just outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

SOUND: [Demonstrators in Tel Aviv]

TRAVIS KIRCHER: Hundreds of demonstrators protested outside the embassy last night, waiting to hear the results of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with President Trump.

Activists waved Israeli and U.S. flags and called for an end to the war in Gaza. As the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attack approaches, participant Temar Bermam said she blames both Hamas and Netanyahu for the failure to reach a ceasefire agreement.

BERMAM: Most of the people in the country want to live in peace. It's just a very few ministers and prime minister -- stupid prime minister -- that doesn't do it.

With Trump and Netanyahu now on the same page for a ceasefire plan, all eyes are on Hamas to see if the terror group will agree to the terms.

Demonstrator Tzipy Dudai Frank is calling on Trump to pressure the government of Qatar to force Hamas to cooperate.

DUDAI: Qatar is the fuel of this war. Qatar give the money for the weapon. So if they stop it—no Hamas! Finished!

Reporting for WORL from Tel Aviv, I’m Travis Kircher.

Government funding » Back in Washington, the deadline to avert a government shutdown is now just hours away.

Lawmakers gathered at the White House Monday in a last-ditch effort to strike a deal. But the two sides left just as far apart as they were when they arrived.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer:

SCHUMER:  It is up to the Republicans whether they want to shut down or not. We've made to the president some proposals. Our, our Republican leaders will have to talk to them about them,

House Speaker Mike Johnson says, yes, Democrats did make a proposal, but in his view, not a serious one.

JOHNSON:  You should go take a look at what they requested, $1.5 trillion in new spending that is unrelated to the ongoing appropriations process.

Republicans insist on a clean stopgap spending bill — with no policy add-ons. Democrats refuse to cooperate unless the GOP negotiates on healthcare, including on Obamacare tax credits.

The deadline to pass funding and avoid a shutdown is midnight.

There is no bill on the table right now that would be able to pass in both chambers. And the House is out of session this week, making a shutdown increasingly likely.

Trump tariff on movies » President Trump says he wants to make Hollywood great again, using tariffs. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher explains.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Major studios are making more and more of their movies outside of Hollywood and the United States as a whole. They’re finding lower costs and tax incentives overseas.

Disney just moved most of its big Marvel productions from Atlanta to the UK, continuing that trend.

And President Trump has announced a proposed 100% tariff on films produced outside the United States

He says the move is designed to protect Hollywood from unfair foreign competition.

The directive is still vague. The White House hasn’t explained how the tariffs would be applied or when.

Supporters say the move could revive U.S. jobs in the film industry. Critics warn it could invite retaliation and add new costs for audiences.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Mormon shooting update » The FBI is investigating Sunday’s deadly attack at a Mormon chapel in Southern Michigan.

Special agent Ruben Coleman:

COLEMAN:  I can confirm at this time that the FBI is now leading the investigation and is investigating this as an act of targeted violence.

At least four people were found dead at the scene, after a 40-year-old suspect killed at least four people after he drove a truck into the building, began shooting at parishioners, and then set the chapel on fire.

ATF Special Agent James Deir added:

DEIR:  I will confirm that there were some suspected explosive devices that were located. Um, but as far as using them to initiate the blaze, I can't say that.

The FBI said they’re still working to understand the attacker’s motives before labeling the incident as religiously motivated.

Meanwhile, Dr. Michael Danic of the Henry Ford Genesys Hospital gave an update on the injured:

DANIC: We had a total of eight patients…from the ages of six to 78. Five were gunshot wounds, and three were smoke inhalations. Two of the smoke inhalation have been discharged. One is still intubated at this time. For the gunshot wounds….One of the victims did die in the emergency department.

Danic said two more gunshot victims were in critical condition.

Tropical Storm Imelda » Some residents in Georgia and other coastal communities in the southeast are breathing a sigh of relief. That after forecasters said Tropical Storm Imelda was tracking to the east, away from the U.S. shoreline.

But as one lifeguard on Georgia’s Tybee Island noted, rough surf and dangerous rip currents remain a threat.

AUDIO:  We're trying to keep people out of the water. We just keep them knee deep so that nobody has the opportunity to get swept into a rip.

But the Bahamas were bracing Monday for tropical storm conditions, with powerful winds and driving rain.

Imelda was forecast to start pulling away from the Bahamas this morning while strengthening into a hurricane.

Imelda already triggered flooding in the northern Caribbean and was blamed for at least one death in Cuba.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: an indictment for former FBI director James Comey. Plus, making education meaningful, and challenging.

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.