Peace in the Middle East remains elusive as U.S. President Donald Trump calls Iran's response to a deal unacceptable. In Spain, passengers are being evacuated from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, at the World Table Tennis Championships, China's men's and women's teams continue their long-running winning streaks.

Iran is considering a temporary peace proposal to end the conflict with the U.S. amid reports of new strikes. The World Health Organization says a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic does not signal the start of a COVID-like pandemic. The Chinese foreign minister has met with a visiting delegation of U.S. lawmakers.

The Chinese foreign minister has met his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, pushing for dialogue and an immediate ceasefire to ease Middle East tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump has abruptly paused a mission to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming great progress in negotiations and issuing a new threat to Iran. Meanwhile, three patients have been evacuated from a cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak, while more than 140 others remain aboard off the coast of Cape Verde.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says a new U.S. military mission in the Strait of Hormuz is temporary and separate from earlier operations against Iran. Iran's top diplomat is heading to Beijing, highlighting China's diplomatic efforts to help end the crisis. The number of deaths from an explosion at a fireworks factory in central China has risen.

A string of claims and denials has emerged between the U.S. and Iran, with the two sides giving sharply different accounts of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. Passengers are stranded on a cruise ship following an outbreak of a rare and dangerous virus that has left three dead and several others ill. Young players are trying to revive Hungary's table tennis legacy in a sport long dominated by China.

Tehran says Washington has responded to Iran's peace proposal, which includes a 30-day deadline for the U.S. to end its naval blockade. The Israeli military has ordered more evacuations from southern Lebanon despite the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. Middle East tensions are weighing on American voters, with six months to go before the midterm elections.

The U.S. and Iran are in a tense standoff in the Persian Gulf as oil prices hit a four-year high. Israel intercepts an aid flotilla to Gaza, detaining over 170 activists near Crete. Britain raises its threat level after two Jewish men were stabbed in an attack.

U.S. lawmakers have grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over issues related to the conflict with Iran, including budget, strategy and the direction of the war. Iran's social media campaign is garnering millions of views, with viral Lego-style videos shaping narratives around the war and challenging America's longstanding policies. Meanwhile, authorities have lifted protection for endangered wildlife in the name of U.S. energy security.

Iran's latest proposal has fallen short with the Trump administration, raising new questions about the path to peace. Fears of a wider war are growing as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon shows signs of crumbling. Meanwhile, consumers worldwide are feeling the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, particularly in food and energy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg as nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain in limbo. New questions are emerging following a major security breach at a Washington gala attended by the U.S. president, journalists, and politicians. Meanwhile, Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla are in the U.S. for a rare state visit amid heightened security concerns and strained transatlantic relations.