Author: PBS NewsHour

In our news wrap Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says he's considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks with Hamas, European diplomats attempted to restart negotiations over limiting Iran's nuclear program and Ghislaine Maxwell wrapped up questioning as the Justice Department pushes back on criticism it's concealing aspects of Jeffrey Epstein's relationship with President Trump. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump’s Middle East envoy announced that he was bringing his team home from Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Steve Witkoff said he was withdrawing from talks where Israel, Hamas and mediators had been discussing a deal. As Nick Schifrin reports, it comes as nearly all of Gaza’s two million people are hungry. A warning, images in this story are disturbing. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, more than 100 aid groups are warning of an increasingly dire situation in Gaza as Palestinians face mass starvation, Volodymyr Zelensky says he's reversing course on a bill that aimed to limit the powers of two anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine and reports say Attorney General Bondi told Donald Trump that his name appeared in files related to Jeffrey Epstein. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The U.S. and Japan announced a trade agreement that President Trump hailed as a significant victory for American companies and consumers. In return, he said the U.S. won’t impose 25% tariffs on Japan at the end of this month. William Brangham discussed the details with Kate Kalutkiewicz of McLarty Associates, an international trade consulting firm. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Iran's nuclear program led to a direct military confrontation with the U.S. last month. Now, the Islamic Republic is trying to stabilize its nation, its program and its negotiating stance with the West. Nick Schifrin was among a group of reporters who sat down in New York with Iran's top nuclear negotiator. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, the UN human rights office says Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Gazans seeking aid since May, the Trump administration is citing an alleged anti-Israel bias in its decision to again withdraw from UNESCO, the Labor Department proposed rollbacks to workplace regulations and GM posted a 35% drop in quarterly profit dragged down by the impact of tariffs. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump says he reached a trade agreement with the Philippines following a White House visit by its president. The U.S., the Philippines and other Asian allies are increasing their cooperation to counter China, but these partners are also being targeted by U.S. trade policies. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Randall Schriver and Lyle Goldstein. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It is a pivotal moment in Ukraine as Kyiv announced it will hold another round of peace talks with Russia on Wednesday. It's the first such meeting in seven weeks and comes as NATO leaders try to answer Ukraine’s desperate call for more weapons after Moscow launched one of its largest-ever aerial assaults. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

There are signs that Israel is preparing to expand ground operations into an area of central Gaza that has been a relatively safe refuge for displaced Palestinians and humanitarian aid groups. While the Israeli military issued evacuation orders, at least 85 more Palestinians were reportedly killed while seeking food aid. John Yang speaks with The Wall Street Journal’s Sudarsan Raghavan for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee met in Paris this month to add to its list of cultural sites around the world deemed to be of “outstanding value to humanity.” The 26 new sites reflect the wide range encompassed by UNESCO’s criteria. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders