09/30/2025

Netanyahu backs Trump’s Gaza cease-fire blueprint, Hamas yet to decide

Washington & the Middle East

Standing side by side at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw their weight behind a 20-point proposal that promises an immediate truce, a staged Israeli withdrawal and a “Board of Peace” to guide reconstruction in Gaza. Netanyahu called the offer “our war aims achieved”, while Hamas negotiators asked Qatar and Egypt for the full text before responding.

European leaders rushed to endorse the move: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed a “chance to end hostilities”, and Turkey’s President Erdogan praised Trump’s “leadership”. But Gazans such as Ibrahim Joudeh dismissed the plan as a “farce” that leaves war intact. In a phone call brokered by Trump, Netanyahu also apologised to Qatar for a recent Israeli strike in Doha.

Washington’s other headline with Tehran came from immigration: an unusual deal will see the United States deport about 400 Iranians, beginning with a first flight of 120 returnees this week.

Budget Standoff & Domestic Flashpoints in the US

Global markets slipped as Vice-President JD Vance warned the U.S. was “headed to a shutdown.” If Congress fails to act by Tuesday, key releases such as the September jobs report will vanish from calendars, the Labor Department confirmed in a separate shutdown advisory.

The Trump administration opened two new legal fronts at home: suing Minnesota over “sanctuary” rules and facing a judge who froze sweeping layoffs at Voice of America, saying officials showed “concerning disrespect” for earlier court orders.

Trade, Visas & the Global Jobs Puzzle

Hollywood gasped as Trump vowed a 100 % tariff on overseas-made films, while U.S. tech firms weighed shifting R&D to India after a $100,000 H-1B fee hike. Beijing spotted an opening: its new “K-visa” for STEM graduates debuts this week, pitched as a no-sponsor alternative for talent burned by U.S. hurdles. In Africa, businesses watched nervously as the White House offered only a one-year lifeline for the AGOA trade pact, tying renewal to a stop-gap spending bill.

Security Hot Spots

Moscow warned of a “steep escalation” if Washington supplies Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine; Kyiv argues the long-range weapons would match Russia’s deep-strike arsenal. On the Korean peninsula, Pyongyang’s envoy told the U.N. that North Korea will “never” disarm, echoing a blunt message delivered earlier by the same official in a rare New York appearance.

NATO’s eastern flank stayed on alert: France, Germany and Sweden rushed anti-drone teams to Denmark ahead of EU summits after multiple drone incursions, while a ban on civilian flights took effect across Danish skies. Further east, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia unveiled bunker and net projects to shield power grids from Russian drones.

Democracy & Unrest

Madagascar plunged into crisis as President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government after “Gen Z” protests over blackouts left at least 22 dead, according to the U.N. Demonstrators vowed more rallies despite the shake-up, and police again used tear gas in Antananarivo.

In Moldova, President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU party celebrated a decisive parliamentary victory against a Moscow-leaning bloc—an outcome European leaders called a blow to Kremlin meddling. Across Europe, officials probed anonymous TikTok networks that have boosted radical narratives ahead of Czech elections, while Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned the continent was “no longer at peace” with Russia.

Climate, Disasters & Humanitarian Strains

Typhoon Bualoi lingered over central Vietnam for an unusually long 12 hours, killing 19 people and flooding farms. In Gaza, doctors pleaded for safe passage for at least 25 premature babies in incubators as Israeli tanks edged closer to Al Helo Hospital.

The plight of displaced peoples echoed at the U.N.: island leaders berated rich nations for “broken” climate finance pledges, while investigators said Myanmar’s military had razed Rohingya villages to build security outposts after the 2017 expulsion.

Business, Sport & Culture

Germany’s flag-carrier unveiled plans to cut 4,000 jobs after profits slumped. In Milan, city councillors finally approved the sale of San Siro, clearing the way for Inter and AC Milan to demolish the iconic stadium and build a 71,500-seat successor.

The International Paralympic Committee voted—narrowly—to lift Russia’s suspension for 2026, a move a former IOC executive called a “bold, controversial step.” And in entertainment, rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs faces an 11-year sentence request, while Hollywood digested both a proposed film import tariff and the news that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have separated.