President Donald Trump plans to meet with the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, one day before the deadline to fund the federal government or face a shutdown.
The meeting involving House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune as well as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was confirmed Saturday by a White House official and another person familiar with the planning. Both were granted anonymity to discuss a meeting that has not been announced.
The meeting was first reported by Punchbowl News.
The parties have been in a standoff for days as Democrats, namely in the Senate, have refused to offer the necessary votes to pass a funding measure that would keep the government open beyond Tuesday.
Absent any action, a shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Democrats, believing they have leverage, have insisted on key health care provisions in exchange for their votes. They want an extension of subsidies that help low- and middle-income earners purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Democrats are also insisting on reversing cuts to Medicaid that were included the GOP’s signature tax measure earlier this year.
Republicans say those demands are nonstarters and that they are willing to have a conversation with Democrats on those issues separate from government funding talks. The GOP is asking for a straight extension of current funding for seven weeks.
Earlier in the week, Johnson acknowledged he encouraged Trump not to meet with the Democratic leaders this past week after the White House had already scheduled a meeting for last Thursday. Trump abruptly pulled out.
“He and I talked about it at length yesterday and the day before. I said, look, when they get their job done, once they do the basic governing work of keeping the government open, as president, then you can have a meeting with him,” Johnson, R-La., said on the Mike & McCarty Show. “Of course, it might be productive at that point, but right now, this is just a waste of his time.”
Thune, R-S.D., said he “did have a conversation with the president” and offered his opinion on the meeting, which he declined to disclose. “But I think the president speaks for himself, and I think he came to the conclusion that that meeting would not be productive,” Thune said.
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Italian race organiser says there is high possibility of race disruption due to participation of Israeli team.
Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025
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The Israel-Premier Tech cycling team has been excluded from Italy’s upcoming Giro dell’Emilia competition due to concerns over public safety, race organisers said.
The decision announced on Saturday comes after the recent Vuelta a Espana cycling race suffered several disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters who took to the streets of the Spanish capital, Madrid, to block the participation of Israel-Premier Tech, forcing the cancellation of the race’s final stage.
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Calls for Israel to be excluded from global sporting events, festivals and music competitions have been growing since the country’s invasion of Gaza, which has killed almost 66,000 Palestinians, in an operation the United Nations has described as a “genocide”.
“It is with regret that, following recent events and given the characteristics of the final circuit, for the safety of all athletes, technical staff, and spectators, I have had to forgo the participation of the Team this year,” said Adriano Amici, organiser of the one-day Giro dell’Emilia, which will take place on October 4, finishing in Bologna.
“We had to make this decision for reasons of public security,” Amici told the Reuters news agency.
“There’s too much danger for both the Israel Tech riders and others. The race’s final circuit is run five times so the possibility of the race being disrupted is very high,” he said.
Police in the Italian city of Milan clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday, during a nationwide strike in Italy called by trade unions to protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The Giro dell’Emilia race concludes with a climb to the Madonna di San Luca sanctuary, not far from the historic centre of Bologna, which has a large student population and a long history of left-wing politics.
Bologna’s local government, which is controlled by the centre-left Democratic Party, called for Israel-Premier Tech’s exclusion from the race, noting the Israeli government’s guilt in carrying out “serious crimes against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip”.
Roberta Li Calzi, the city’s sport councillor, welcomed the decision to exclude the Israeli team, which is owned by Israeli-Canadian property developer Sylvan Adams.
Adams, the president of the Israel region of the World Jewish Congress, is referred to by that organisation as “committed to promoting Israel’s global image”.
“Given what is happening in Gaza it would have been hypocritical to consider the presence of a team linked to this [Israeli] government as insignificant,” Calzi said in a statement.
Pressure is mounting on Israel on all fronts over its brutal war and continued ignoring of international calls to end the slaughter of Palestinians.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, is expected to soon vote on whether to suspend Israel’s football team, whose men’s side is in the middle of attempting to qualify for next year’s World Cup, from all competitions under its jurisdiction. The 20-member UEFA ruling committee is expected to secure a majority to exclude Israel from games if that vote is called.
Members of the Eurovision Song Contest are also due to vote on excluding Israel from the 2026 competition due to its military onslaught in Gaza.
A deal to transfer TikTok’s US operations to US owners appears to be getting closer.
Donald Trump yesterday (September 25) signed an executive order providing the legal framework for a “qualified divestiture” that would transfer majority control of TikTok’s US operations to American investors, though the deal still requires Chinese government approval.
The executive order, titled “Saving TikTok While Protecting National Security,” establishes the structure for a transaction that would allow TikTok’s 170 million US users to continue accessing the video-sharing platform under strict new security protocols, while granting a 120-day enforcement delay to finalize the deal.
Speaking on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said the proposed transaction would value TikTok’s US operations at “around $14 billion.”
Reutersnoted that the price tag is “far below some analyst estimates”.
Under the proposed framework, American investors would control more than 80% of TikTok’s US operations through a newly established joint venture, while ByteDance‘s stake would drop below 20%.
Oracle would serve as the “trusted security partner” responsible for operating, retraining, and continuously monitoring TikTok’s powerful reccomendation algorithm in ths US, in order to “ensure content is free from improper manipulation or surveillance,” according to White House officials.
The tech giant would also oversee application development and source code review, building on its existing relationship with TikTok through the multibillion-dollar Project Texas data storage partnership.
The arrangement addresses longstanding Congressional concerns that China could pressure ByteDance into sharing user data or manipulating content recommendations for propaganda purposes.
Under the proposed structure, all US user data must be stored in cloud environments operated by American companies, with ByteDance excluded from any “operational relationship” with the US joint venture.
High-profile investors reportedly joining the consortium include media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell, and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison, alongside venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Silver Lake Management.
ByteDance would hold just one seat on the seven-member board and would be excluded from the security committee.
For the music industry, the platform has become integral to breaking new tracks and driving streaming consumption, with many labels and artists heavily dependent on TikTok’s algorithm for reaching audiences.
The executive order grants a 120-day enforcement delay, during which the Justice Department will not pursue penalties against app stores or hosting services supporting TikTok. Trump’s order also provides legal immunity for any conduct occurring during previous delay periods dating back to January 2025.
However, questions remain about Chinese government approval and the effectiveness of separating TikTok from Beijing’s influence. Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said last week that he remained concerned about “ongoing reliance by the new TikTok on a ByteDance algorithm” that could enable continued Chinese control.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday (September 23) that users will maintain access to international content, while stating on Saturday (September 21) that the administration is “100% confident that a deal is done.”
The arrangement must still secure final approvals from both US and Chinese governments to take effect.
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says his country has no intention of attacking EU or Nato member states but warned of a “decisive response” to any “aggression” directed towards Moscow.
In a wide-ranging speech delivered at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov said threats against Russia by Western countries were becoming “increasingly common”.
He also took aim at Israel, saying that while Russia condemned the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas, there was “no justification” for the “brutal killings” of Palestinians in Gaza, or for plans to annex the West Bank.
Israel has previously said its Gaza operation is necessary to defeat Hamas.
At least 65,926 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, while about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage in the 7 October attacks.
He decried Israeli aggression towards other countries in the Middle East which threatened to “blow up” the region.
Israel has used its mission to eliminate Hamas in order to justify air strikes on other Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar.
The sanctions came into force at 00:00 GMT on Sunday.
Speaking about tensions in Europe, Lavrov said: “Threats of force against Russia, accused of practically planning an attack on the North Atlantic Alliance [Nato] and the European Union, are becoming increasingly common. President Putin has repeatedly debunked such provocations.
“Russia has never had and does not have such intentions, but any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response.”
Moscow has denied responsibility after Denmark said drones were flown over its airports. Denmark itself has said the incidents appeared to be the work of a “professional actor” but that there was no evidence of Russian involvement.
US President Donald Trump has gone as far as to say that Nato nations should shoot down Russian planes in their airspace, while Nato itself has warned it would use “all necessary military and non-military tools” to defend itself following the recent military incursions.
Lavrov addressed the US-Russian relationship in his speech on Saturday, saying: “In the approaches of the current US administration, we see a desire not only to contribute to ways to realistically resolve the Ukrainian crisis, but also a desire to develop pragmatic cooperation without adopting an ideological stance.”
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Here are the key events on day 1,312 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025
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Here is how things stand on Sunday, September 28 :
Fighting
Ukrainian long-range drones hit an oil pumping station in Russia’s Chuvashia region, causing a fire and forcing the suspension of operations, an official from the Ukrainian security service, the SBU, told the Reuters news agency.
Russian forces had taken over three more villages in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Dnipro regions, amid a grinding Russian advance in the area, Russia’s military said in a post on Telegram.
Moscow and Kyiv have traded blame for attacks on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has forced the facility off the main power grid for the last four days.
Regional security
NATO has announced that it is upgrading its mission in the Baltic Sea with an air-defence frigate and other military assets deployed to the region, after several days of unidentified drone sightings at airports in Denmark and military bases.
Earlier, Latvia and Lithuania called on NATO to increase its military protection of the Baltic States, citing alleged Russian violations of the military alliance’s airspace.
Norway has launched an investigation into “possible sightings of drones” near its biggest military base, Orland, where its advanced F-35 fighter jets are stationed, a military spokesman said.
Military aid
Politics and diplomacy
Any aggression against Russia “will be met with a decisive response”, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov warned NATO and the European Union in his address at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday. He warned that Moscow is prepared to act if provoked.
In separate remarks to journalists, Lavrov also suggested that Germany is returning to its Nazi past, in what was seen as a personal attack on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government moves to ramp up defence spending amid growing threats from Moscow.
Russia has fallen short of the 93 votes necessary to get elected to the UN aviation agency’s governing council, in the latest rebuke following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia received 87 votes during the agency’s assembly in Montreal.
South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met Lavrov in New York, where he expressed Seoul’s “grave concern” over military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Thousands of North Korean troops have been sent to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, and Pyongyang has bolstered Moscow with a huge transfer of weapons.
Nicole KolsterReporting for BBC News Mundo from Caracas
Nicole Kolster/BBC
Edith Perales joined the militia years ago
When Edith Perales was younger, he enlisted in the National Bolivarian Militia, a civilian force created by the late President Hugo Chávez in 2009 to help defend Venezuela.
“We have to be a country capable of defending every last inch of our territory so no one comes to mess with us,” Chávez said at the time.
Sixteen years on, Perales, who is now 68, is joining thousands of other militia members getting ready for a potential US attack.
The rag-tag force, mainly made up of senior citizens, has been called up following the deployment of US navy ships in the South Caribbean on what US officials said were counter-narcotics operations.
Nicole Kolster/BBC
Many of those training with the militia said they had never handled a weapon
The US force has destroyed at least three boats it said were carrying drugs from Venezuela to the US, killing at least 17 people on board.
Venezuela’s defence minister, Vladimir Padrino, said the attacks and the US naval deployment amounted to a “non-declared war” by the US against Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro swiftly called the militia into active duty.
Perales has got his uniform and boots at hand, ready to defend his “bastion” – the Caracas neighbourhood where he lives.
He lives in 23 de Enero, an area in the capital which has traditionally been a stronghold of Chavismo – the leftist ideology founded by the late President Chávez and adopted by his handpicked successor in office, Nicolás Maduro.
A loyal government supporter, he says he is “ready to serve whenever they call me”.
“We have to defend the fatherland,” he tells the BBC, echoing speeches given by President Maduro in the wake of the strikes on the boats.
Nicole Kolster/BBC
Graffiti in a pro-government neighbourhood reads: ‘If you mess with Maduro, you mess with the neighbourhood”
While experts have told the BBC that the deployment of US naval forces in the South Caribbean is large, they have also pointed out that it is not large enough to suggest that it is part of a planned invasion.
There is little doubt though that the relationship between Venezuela and the US – which has long been strained – has deteriorated further since Donald Trump returned to office.
The US is among a raft of nations which have not recognised the re-election of Maduro in July 2024, pointing to evidence gathered by the Venezuelan opposition with the help of independent observers showing that his rival, Edmundo González, won the election by a landslide.
Shortly after coming into office for the second time, Trump declared the Venezuelan criminal gang, Tren de Aragua, a terrorist group, which he has used as justification for deporting Venezuelan migrants from the US and for the recent military action in the Caribbean.
The Trump administration has also accused Maduro of being in league with drug cartels and recently doubled the reward it is offering for information leading to his capture to $50m (£37.3m).
Maduro has vehemently rejected Washington’s accusations and has defended his government’s actions against drug trafficking.
But the Maduro government has also co-operated with the Trump administration by taking back Venezuelan migrants deported from the US, whom US officials had accused of being gang members.
After the first boat strike, Maduro also sent a letter to his US counterpart calling for a meeting – an approach which has been rebuffed by the White House.
But his rhetoric internally has remained combative.
Maduro has ordered the Venezuelan military – the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) – to train local militias like the one to which Edith Perales belongs.
These groups are mostly made up of volunteers from poor communities, although public sector workers have reported being pressured into joining them as well.
In the past, the militia has mainly been used to boost numbers at political rallies and parades.
Its members tend to be much older than those who join the feared “colectivos” – gangs of hard-core government supporters which have been accused of committing human rights abuses and which are often used to break up anti-government protests.
But seemingly jittery in the face of what it perceives as a US threat, Maduro’s government is now training up the militia.
On a Saturday afternoon, soldiers fan out in Caracas’ Petare neighbourhood to fulfil Maduro’s order that “the barracks come to the people”.
The soldiers’ task is to teach the locals how to handle arms to respond to “the enemy”.
The training scenario includes tanks, Russian-made rifles – not loaded – and instruction posters.
A soldier is giving instructions to a small group on a loud speaker.
“The important thing is to familiarise yourselves with the weapons; we aim at the target and make a hit.”
Nicole Kolster/BBC
Armoured vehicles were on display at one of the militia exercises in Caracas
Everyone in the neighbourhood, including women and children, is listening.
Most of the volunteers taking part in the training exercise have no experience in armed fighting, but what they lack in experience they make up for in enthusiasm.
“If I have to lay down my life in battle, I’ll do it,” Francisco Ojeda, one of the locals taking part, tells BBC News Mundo.
The 69-year-old hurls himself on the sun-baked tarmac and holds a combat position as he clutches an AK-103 rifle. A soldier corrects his form.
“Even the cats will come out here to shoot, to defend our fatherland,” he says.
His eagerness is matched by that of Glady Rodriguez, a 67-year-old woman who recently joined the militia. “We are not going to allow any US government to come and invade,” she insists.
Home-maker Yarelis Jaimes, 38, is a little more hesitant. “This is the first time I grab such a weapon,” she says. “I feel a bit nervous, but I know that I can do it.”
But while the residents in Petare are learning to handle a rifle, outside of Maduro’s strongholds, life goes on as normal, with few seeming to give much thought to the possibility of an invasion.
Even just a few metres from where Francisco Ojeda was taking position in the dusty street, residents go about their daily routine unperturbed. Street sellers display their wares, while other people do the shop for the weekend without even glancing at the militia members carrying out their exercises.
Benigno Alarcón, a political analyst at the Andrés Bello Catholic University, says Maduro’s plan for the militia is not for it to engage in battle but rather to act as a “human shield”.
Prof Alarcón argues that by calling up civilians, the Maduro government wants to increase the human cost any potential US military action would incur by making the possibility of human casualties much higher.
According to Prof Alarcón, it therefore does not matter if the militia are not well trained or even if they are unarmed.
Maduro has claimed that more than 8.2 million civilians are enlisted in the militia and in the reserves, but this figure has been widely questioned.
Perales, who has been in the militia for decades, sees his role as a “defender” of his street, the neighbourhood where he lives, what he knows.
While he has taken part in previous training exercises, he has opted out of the more recent ones, due to his age and health.
But were a conflict to happen, he says he is ready: “We must defend the territory. To wear the uniform already implies a responsibility.”
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Cinco Perez from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has announced he will stay in-state with his commitment to Pitt for fall 2026.
“I am beyond excited to announce my commitment to continue my athletic and academic career at the University of Pittsburgh! I would like to thank Coach Chase, Coach Michael, Coach Kaersten, Coach Gideon, and my Club Coaches for helping me with this amazing opportunity!#h2p”
Perez swims for Team Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics. He most recently competed at Summer Juniors and swam to an 19th place finish in the 400 IM. He swam to a best time of a 4:28.74 in the event. He also swam in prelims of the 200 back for 68th and 200 IM placing 36th.
He attends Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and finaled in numerous events at the Pennsylvania 3A State Championships. He was 5th in the 500 free in a 4:30.33 as well as 5th in the 200 IM in a 1:51.36. Both swims marked best times. He also swam a personal best in the 100 free leading off the team’s 400 free relay with a 47.92.
Perez’s Best SCY Times Are:
400 IM: 3:54.57
200 IM: 1:50.37
500 free: 4:30.32
1650 free: 15:46.48
The Pitt men finished 10th out of 15 teams at the 2025 ACC Championships with 456.5 points, finishing just behind Georgia Tech who had 465 points. Max Matteazzi led the way for Pitt was 56 individual points and was highlighted by a 4th place finish in the 400 IM with a 3:40.89. Matteazzi notably graduated this past spring, so the team will search for its next top scorer.
Based on his best times, Perez has some room to improve before scoring at ACCs, but he still has a year until his arrival. It took a 3:47.80 in the 400 IM, a 1:44.70 in the 200 IM, and a 4:20.80 in the 500 free to earn a second swim. The 400 IM was the team’s top scoring individual swimming event as they scored 40 points, led by Matteazzi.
Perez will arrive next fall as a member of the class of 2030. He is the first public commitment for the class.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.
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Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
Out of the Big 3 US automakers, “Chrysler” is definitely the name that doesn’t belong in a conversation about RVs and overland campers. Its siblings Jeep and Ram, sure, and competitors Ford and GM both offer RV-ready trucks and vans, but the actual Chrysler badge? No. That said, Chrysler was the one to introduce a new concept camper van at this year’s Overland Expo Mountain West. The Grizzly Peak is a vision for a ruggedized everyday MPV that’s as ready to camp on a remote canyon rim as it is to shuffle the kids off to baseball practice and dance lessons.
Even without looking at motorhome base vehicles specifically, Chrysler barely has any new vehicles to sell at all. The marque has been working through a painful identity crisis for years (being generous), and currently only has two models left to its name (also being generous – the Voyager is essentially an entry-level fleet Pacifica).
Ram and Jeep vehicles, on the other hand, are inextricable staples of the annual slate of Overland Expo shows.
Dodge? Not so much, but it does at least have history offering the trucks and vans that are now sold under Ram. In fact, you might occasionally still see a Sprinter camper van with a Dodge badge on its grill instead of a Mercedes three-pointed star.
Stellantis North America shook things up a little bit this year, though, following up the May debut of the awesome Jeep Wrangler ARTT at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff with the ruggedized Pacifica Grizzly Peak minivan camper at Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado last month.
Chrysler debuts the new Pacifica Grizzly Peak concept, building on four decades of minivan leadership and a century of innovation to demonstrate that the adventure doesn’t have to end, even if the pavement stops for America’s best-selling minivan.
Chrysler/Stellantis
And why not? Chrysler’s two remaining models are both minivans, which, while not as RV-friendly as boxier commercial vans, are perfectly capable of serving as the subject of various styles of mini-camper conversion.
Turning a minivan into an intercontinental off-road 4×4 requires extreme engineering of SEMA proportions, so Chrysler keeps the Grizzly Peak concept more in all-roader SUV territory.
The company starts with an all-wheel-drive Pacifica, its most logical vehicle for this kind of thing, turning up the off-roadable traction factor with 31-in BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires mounted to 18-in black Foreshadow wheels. A full suspension lift, measuring 2.75 in (7 cm) up front and 2.5 in (6.4 cm) at the rear, helps the MPV clear larger rocks and bumps that might tear up a stock model.
The Chrysler Grizzly Peak doesn’t have its own kitchen, but it makes a functional shaded outdoor space with its ARB awning
Chrysler/Stellantis
A set of TYRI lights underlining the front edge of the Rhino-Rack roof platform helps the rig deliver enough illumination for off-road detours in International Dark Sky country, and the rack itself holds a spare wheel and pair of traction boards up top, an ARB awning on the side.
Even with that retractable awning, the Grizzly Peak is more of an all-terrain day tripper than an all-out camper van, but Chrysler does prep it for minimalist camping. Instead of teaming up on a pop-up roof conversion like Jeep did with its ARTT, it keeps things simple by replacing the third-row seats with concept floor panels that extend the rear cargo floor up to the base of the second row.
It looks a little tight here, but Pacifica solutions like removable/Stow-and-Go flat-store second-row seating can extend the sleeping area
Chrysler/Stellantis
Chrysler throws down a pair of sleeping bags behind the second row, but campers could also drop the Pacifica’s Stow ‘n’ Go second-row seats down into the floor, or simply remove them all together, for more sleeping/cargo space. Only the driver and front passenger are going to fit inside to sleep, anyway, so it’s really a two-person adventure rig as presented (without a rooftop tent).
Chrysler wires in a 115-V/450-W outlet in the rear cabin so campers can plug in accessories and appliances to run off the Pacifica battery. A set of Chrysler-badged Mopar totes keeps gear and van life provisions organized on the road and around the night’s base camp.
A rear electrical socket serves to run appliances, charge portable power stations and keep smartphones topped off
Chrysler/Stellantis
Chrysler may be withering down to nothing at the moment, but the Grizzly Peak serves as a sort of loose teaser for the brand’s forthcoming refreshed Pacifica and all-new crossover model.
Beyond that, we suspect the Grizzly Peak might make an appearance or two at upcoming shows like SEMA 2025 and maybe some of the early 2026 Overland Expo events, but we don’t reckon Chrysler is preparing to announce its expansion into the adventure van market.
