SUMMARY: Protesters in Israel staged a nationwide strike demanding the government negotiate for the release of about 50 hostages held in Gaza by militants. Organized by families of hostages and bereaved relatives, the protest blocked roads and closed businesses, fearing an offensive could endanger hostages believed mostly alive. Police arrested 32 protesters amid clashes. Israeli leaders are divided, with Prime Minister Netanyahu opposing deals favoring Hamas, fearing political fallout. Meanwhile, Israel launched airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen responding to missile threats. Aid deliveries of tents to Gaza resumed ahead of planned evacuations, as the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict causes massive casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions.

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SUMMARY: President Trump is preparing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House to discuss a potential agreement to end Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. The meeting follows Trump’s nearly three-hour summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking Putin’s first visit with a U.S. president since invading Ukraine. Trump has since softened his stance on economic sanctions against Russia, suggesting moving directly to a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first. European leaders express concern over this shift and the terms Trump and Putin agreed upon. Both Trump and Zelenskyy, along with European leaders, are working toward a trilateral summit to stop the conflict that has caused significant casualties and loss of territory in Ukraine.

CBS News’ Taurean Small has the latest as the two world leaders prepare to meet for the first time since their controversial Oval Office meeting back in February.

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SUMMARY: In Serbia, protests escalated with violent clashes between demonstrators and police in Valjevo and Belgrade. Protesters, upset over alleged police brutality and corruption linked to a fatal train station collapse, attacked Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) offices, setting them on fire. Police responded with tear gas amid confrontations involving flares, bottles, and rocks. The unrest follows months of largely peaceful student-led protests demanding early elections, which President Aleksandar Vucic has refused, accusing protesters of foreign interference. Dozens have been injured, and many detained. The European Council urged peaceful assembly, while Serbian police denied brutality claims. Serbia seeks EU membership despite Vucic’s strong ties with Russia and China.

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