U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as more countries join the call to recognize a Palestinian state in September. CBS News' Robert Berger has the latest.

Jerusalem

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff is currently in Israel, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss efforts to revive ceasefire talks with Hamas. These discussions occur as international pressure increases on Israel due to the humanitarian situation in Gaza and as more countries, including Canada, announce plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly.

Israel has expressed strong opposition to these recognitions, viewing them as rewarding terrorism, while the U.S. administration under President Trump has reiterated its support for Israel and imposed new visa restrictions on officials from the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization. The situation remains complex, with the U.S. and Israel rejecting the Palestinian Authority as a post-war alternative to Hamas, despite support for this approach from European and Arab states.

Trump envoy in Israel as Canada joins call on Palestinian statehood

All right. We want to begin with this breaking news out of the Middle East. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff is in Israel right now and has been holding talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning. You're looking at these fresh new pictures. And this visit comes as international pressure mounts on Israel over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. Yesterday, Canada announced it would recognize the Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly coming up in September, and they're joining France, the U.K., and other countries in that pledge. CBS contributor Robert Berger has more for us and joins us now from Jerusalem. Good morning, Robert. What do we know about Steve Whitkoff's morning meetings and his specific objectives today? Well, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the purpose of the visit is to try to get ceasefire talks back on track. A couple of weeks ago, both Israel and the U.S. pulled out of the talks and blamed Hamas for basically refusing to make a deal. There's been a deal on the table for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of about 10 living Israeli hostages for a long time, but Hamas hasn't gone for it. And so the question is, what did the U.S. and Israel do now? Because Hamas is clearly in no hurry to make a deal. You have a lot of international pressure on Israel right now, with nations recognizing a Palestinian state, with the pictures of hunger coming out of Gaza. So the question is, what does Israel and the U.S. do now? Does Israel make more concessions at the negotiating table or perhaps more military pressure by stepping up attacks in Gaza? Neither of those tactics have worked so far. And Robert, Israel has taken the position that it doesn't want to negotiate with Hamas. It's a terror organization. Netanyahu wants to see it eliminated. So now that we're looking at Canada and other states looking to recognize a Palestinian state, how might that add to the complicated picture? I understand, as part of these agreements, Hamas would not be a part of any future Palestinian state, but how might Israel and the U.S. react to that? Well, Israel and the U.S., but especially Israel, is really angry about this—it's being called a tsunami of political pressure now on Israel. We have major countries in Europe—France, Britain, Canada, Portugal, a lot of countries—Australia, all coming on board now to recognize a Palestinian state when—at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Now Israel is saying that this is a reward for terror, for the October 7th attacks. What the Israelis call a genocidal attack on Israel. And you'll be rewarded with a state. So far, the voice that really counts in all of this, President Trump, is backing Israel and opposing this move for a Palestinian state. Now there are political organizations that do represent Palestinians. And what's interesting is, at this moment, the Trump administration has just announced that it is blocking officials with the Palestinian—the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority—that's the PA and the PLO—from getting U.S. visas for the U.N. General Assembly. Can you help us understand that? Yeah, these sanctions just announced a short time ago, and the U.S. State Department accusing the Palestinian Authority of supporting terrorism. For instance, they say, paying stipends to families of terrorists who have carried out attacks against Israel, and also bringing Israel to international forums like the International Criminal Court in The Hague and accusing the Israelis of war crimes, which the U.S. says is a violation of the terms of peace. And so the problem with all of this is that Europe and the Arab states basically see the Palestinian Authority as the only viable alternative to Hamas and post-war Gaza, but neither Israel nor the U.S. are going for that. Such a complicated picture. Robert Berger helping break it down for us. Robert, thank you.

The U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas in its investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James. CBS News' Jake Rosen reports.

New York

Trump's DOJ subpoenas New York AG Letitia James

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will meet in the coming days, the Kremlin said on Thursday (August 7), as the U.S. president seeks a breakthrough to end the Ukraine war after voicing mounting frustration with his Russian counterpart and threatening him with new sanctions.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Kremlin says Trump, Putin to meet soon; Ukraine seeks role for Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump's rushed deadline for Russia to strike a ceasefire deal or face more sanctions has arrived without much movement from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Washington

Trump deadline for Russia to reach ceasefire arrives

Protesters in Israel are voicing their concerns about a plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet to take over Gaza City. CBS News' Debora Patta has more.

Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take over Gaza City

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to take full military control of Gaza and push a new offensive, despite mounting international criticism over the war’s human toll and growing hunger crisis.

Israel intends to take full control of Gaza, Netanyahu says

U.S. President Donald Trump said that there is a good chance he'll meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin soon over Russia's war with Ukraine.

Trump says 'good chance' he'll meet with Putin soon

U.S. President Donal Trump officially began levying higher import taxes on dozens of countries on Thursday (August 7), just as the economic fallout of his months-long tariff threats was beginning to create visible damage to the U.S. economy.

Global Tariffs

Higher U.S. tariffs officially take effect

The man accused of killing two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., earlier this year has been charged with federal hate crime charges. CBS News Justice reporter Jake Rosen has more.

Hate crime charges filed in killings of Israeli Embassy staffers

As Sean "Diddy" Combs awaits his sentencing, his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo says he has not talked to anyone at the White House about a possible pardon.

Sean "Diddy" Combs' attorney says he hasn't had talks about a pardon

Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, blamed Hamas when asked about starvation in Gaza, saying, "Hamas has not allowed the food to get to the people who are hungry." Huckabee also addressed questions over the controversial aid sites.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel faces questions over starvation in Gaza

On "T-Day," the US began enforcing Trump's new tariffs, raising average rates from 2% to 15% after a 90-day pause allowed some countries to negotiate reduced deals while others, like India and Brazil, faced hikes. These tariffs have generated over $150 billion in revenue by July, impacting various sectors and aiming to address trade imbalances.

U.S. begins collecting Trump's new global tariffs

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says he plans to call the leaders of China and India, to discuss a joint response to new US tariffs. The announcement came as Brazil and India were hit with 50 percent levies - the highest imposed by President Donald Trump.

State of Rio de Janeiro

Brazil halts U.S. trade talks as Lula condemns new tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil in a move that sharply escalated tensions between the two nations after trade talks reached a deadlock.

Trump imposes extra 25% tariff on India over Russian oil imports

President Trump has been briefed about the shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia, the White House press secretary says. At least five soldiers were shot before a suspect was apprehended, officials say.

Fort Stewart

Five soldiers shot at Fort Stewart in Georgia; suspect apprehended

A Russian official said President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, had a "useful and constructive" conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.

Witkoff, Putin had 'useful and constructive conversation'

The U.S. aims to deploy nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, targeting the first launch by decade’s end. A new NASA directive, revealed by Politico and AFP, calls for appointing a nuclear power czar to choose two commercial proposals within six months, aiming to outpace a Chinese-Russian collaboration.

NASA races to put nuclear reactors on Moon and Mars

Japan held a memorial service and ceremony for victims and the remaining survivors of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, marking its 80th anniversary and renewing pledges of working towards a world without nuclear weapons.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima marks 80th anniversary since U.S. atomic bombing

The U.S. is warning travelers as cases of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness, spreads in China. Health officials in China have ordered mass disinfection measures. The region near Hong Kong reported more than 7,000 cases in recent weeks.

Beijing

U.S. warns travelers as cases of chikungunya increase in China

Japan has commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing during World War II. Ceremonies at Peace Memorial Park honoured the victims of the 1945 nuclear attack by US forces.

Japan’s Hiroshima marks 80 years since U.S. atomic bombing

Multiple media outlets in Israel have reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants a complete military takeover of Gaza, while almost 600 former Israeli military and security officials are petitioning Washington to stop the fighting.

Netanyahu reportedly wants complete Gaza takeover

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he had a productive talk with President Trump focused on ending the war with Russia. CBS News national security contributor Samantha Vinograd has more.

Kyiv

Zelenskyy holds 'productive talks' with Trump about war

Family members of two of the victims from the 2023 implosion are demanding tougher regulations following the damning report released on Tuesday. Five people died when the submersible imploded off the coast of Newfoundland.

Deadly Titan submersible disaster was preventable, Coast Guard says

The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed multiple people over the Jeffrey Epstein files, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. CBS News' Jake Rosen has more details.

House committee subpoenas Clintons, others over Epstein files

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents have been directed through a federal court order to stop deportations under President Trump's asylum ban, sources say. CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez has more details.

Court blocks deportations under Trump's asylum ban, sources say

A man suspected of murdering four family members in Tennessee has been captured after a four-day manhunt, authorities said. CBS News' Nicole Valdes has more.

Jackson

Suspect arrested in murders of 4 Tennessee family members

The ruling comes a month after Brazil’s top court ordered the former president to wear an ankle monitor, submit to a curfew and abide by limitations on his activity as legal proceedings investigating an alleged coup plot continue.

Brazil's Supreme Court orders house arrest of Bolsonaro

The US and Lebanon have been holding talks on a roadmap to fully disarm Hezbollah. Lebanon's new leadership has pledged to extend its authority across all its territory but has so far avoided acting against Hezbollah.

Beirut

Lebanon faces renewed pressure to disarm Hezbollah

CBC News had exclusive access to a Canadian Armed Forces plane that dropped about 10,000 kilograms of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the first time Canada joined the airdrop operations. Several countries airdropped food on Monday, but aid organizations agree they are more symbolic than effective.

Trump envoy in Israel as Canada joins call on Palestinian statehood

Breakdown

See The Full Story

Middle East Conflict