NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-30-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Tonight is the deadline for Congress to strike a bipartisan compromise to avert a government shutdown. Democratic leaders left a White House meeting on Monday without reaching a deal with Republicans. NPR, Sam Greenglass reports the two sides remain far apart on key issues, and the stalemate could lead to agency closures starting at midnight. Outside the White House, Democratic. leadership called the discussion Frank and direct, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said large differences remain. I think for the first time the president heard our objections

and heard why we needed a bipartisan bill. Their bill has not one iota of Democratic input. Democrats want the stopgap funding measure to include an extension of subsidies for health insurance premiums set to expire this year, something Republicans have resisted. Here's Vice President Vance. I think we're headed to a shutdown because, because the Democrats won't do the right thing. I hope they change their mind, but we're going to see. Without action, the government will shut down Wednesday at 12.1 a.m. Sam Greenglass, NPR News. Israel has accepted a White House proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports the 20-point plan outlines the next steps in the conflict. Among those are a plan for governing Gaza.

It would be headed by a committee of what the plan calls qualified Palestinians and international experts. And that committee itself would be overseen by what's called a Board of Peace, which would be chaired by President Trump. And Hamas would have no role in this. Besides that, all hostages still held by Hamas would be returned. And in turn, Israel would return a number of prisoners and detainees that it has been holding. That's NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reporting. Hamas has yet to respond to the plan. Members of the National Guard are set to be deployed to Portland. Oregon Public Broadcastings, Troy Brenelson reports there are few details on when troops will arrive and what they'll be doing in the city. The Oregon National Guard has begun calling up guards and has more than 160 members who volunteered so far.

While their arrival could in theory come Thursday, vetting them takes at least 96 hours. Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Beaumar with the Oregon Military Department says it's just as likely the troops won't be ready this week. We had all ready to go. The earliest would be shortly after that 96-hour mark, but I do not see that happening in this case. Since Trump's order, there's been little communication between the Guard and Portland officials, including its mayor and police chief. The order itself says the troops' mission will be to protect federal property and staff. National Guard deployments are also expected in cities such as Chicago and Memphis. In Portland, I'm Troy Brennelson.

You're listening to NPR News. Washington. Major League Baseball's postseason kicks off today. It's a wide open field this year. No team in baseball won more than 97 games. And of the 12 teams in the playoffs, three have never won the World Series. MPRs Becky Sullivan has this preview. It's been 27 years since the San Diego Padres last played in a World Series. 43 years for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Seattle Mariners have never made the trip at all. All of them are hoping for their first World Series title this year. It was a season with no big dominant super team on top.

The Brewers led the majors with 97 wins, with the Philadelphia Phillies just behind at 96. They're the top two seeds in the National League. The American League is led by the Toronto Blue Jays with the Mariners and the two seed. The two teams that competed for last year's title, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees are both back in contention, but both must first survive a wildcard series, the Dodgers against the Cincinnati Reds, and the Yankees against their rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Becky Sullivan, in PR News. A federal judge is temporarily blocking a White House proposal to cut hundreds of jobs at the agency that oversees Voice of America.

The judge in the case ruled that the U.S. agency for global media cannot move ahead with plans to eliminate more than 500 full-time positions. The judge says the job cuts set to begin today would affect most of the agency's remaining staff. The OA is a government-funded broadcaster created to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News, in Washington.