News Wrap: Israel says Rafah crossing will remain closed until hostage bodies are returned

Wildflowers are blooming in the Atacama Desert, an inhospitable stretch of land west of the Andes Mountains that normally gets just 2 millimeters of rain every year. But this July and August, a rare alignment of conditions led to a beautiful, fleeting burst of color that has drawn tourists and scientists alike. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Saturday, Hamas blamed its slow progress in returning hostage remains on lack of machinery to dig through rubble in Gaza, Trump says two survivors detained after a U.S. strike on a vessel in the Caribbean will be returned to their home countries, former Rep. Santos is out of prison after Trump commuted his sentence, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are headed back to the World Series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For years, China’s government has used what’s known as the “Great Firewall” to censor the internet inside its country and block access to select foreign websites. Now, a document leak shows that a little-known Chinese company is exporting these tools to other countries, including Myanmar, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. Ali Rogin speaks with WIRED senior writer Zeyi Yang to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy returned to Washington to meet with President Trump, who is continuing his efforts to end Russia's nearly four-year invasion. But Trump didn't seem willing to give Ukraine what it really wanted, long-range missiles that could strike deep into Russia. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Jon Finer, the deputy national security adviser during the Biden administration. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Gaza health ministry says nearly 70,000 Palestinians have been killed over the last two years of fighting. The scale of the death has been staggering, and the war's toll on children is overwhelming. Tens of thousands have been killed and thousands more are left with grievous wounds of war, often treated with near-medieval means due to a lack of supplies. Leila Molana-Allen reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Trump administration authorized a $20 billion financial lifeline for Argentina as it faces an economic crisis. The deal has raised major questions and criticism about its merits. President Trump also said it’s contingent on Argentine President Milei’s party winning elections later this month. John Yang discussed more with Monica de Bolle of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The U.S. military destroyed a fifth boat in the Caribbean Sea this week that the Trump White House alleges carried narcotics bound for the U.S. Now, President Trump has raised the prospect of striking Venezuela on land. Amna Nawaz has two views on the actions from John Feeley and Sergio de la Pena. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The process of returning dead hostages continues as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds. Israel accuses Hamas of stalling the return of remains as promised in the deal. Hamas and the Red Cross say Israel’s destruction in Gaza has made recovery nearly impossible. As Leila Molana-Allen reports, Palestinians who survived the war are returning to ruins where their homes once stood. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Wednesday, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire following days of deadly clashes, Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga died at 80, a federal judge in Montana dismissed a lawsuit brought by young climate activists who tried to stop Trump’s executive orders on fossil fuels and Boston's mayor pushed back on Trump's threat to move World Cup matches. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The fragile Israel–Hamas ceasefire faces new tension. All 20 living hostages were released on Monday and were supposed to be accompanied by the bodies of 28 deceased hostages. But as of Tuesday evening, only eight have been handed over. As Leila Molana-Allen reports, caring for the living is now a priority, while awaiting the delivery of the dead is excruciating. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy