JOHN YANG: Tonight on PBS News Weekend,## the strains on the week old ceasefire# between Israel and Hamas, as Israel## says it launched strikes inside Gaza in# response to Hamas attacks on its troops.

Then, how the Department of Education is spurring# dramatic change in this country's public schools## and a rare fleeting burst of color in# one of the unlikeliest places on Earth.

MAN: The Atacama Desert is the driest in the world# and also one of the territories with the highest## solar radiation.

And the fact that a plant can# grow in these conditions is quite remarkable.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening.

I'm John Yang.

Tonight,#there are major strains on the fragile## ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which# has only been in place for just a little## more than a week.

Israel said it carried out# a series of strikes across Gaza in response## to Hamas attacks on troops near Rafah# on the border with Egypt.

In addition,## Israel says it's cutting off aid# shipments into Gaza until further notice.

One of the Israeli targets was a# seaside coffee shop in Deir Al-Balah## in all Gaza.

Health officials say dozens# of Palestinians were killed.

In Israel,## it is been a bittersweet day, celebrations# as more freed hostages return to their homes## and their families and mourning as# Uriel Baruch was laid to rest.

He## was killed in the October 7 attacks# and his body kept in Gaza until now.

Meanwhile, the remains of two more hostages who## died in captivity were returned, so# they may be given a proper burial.## Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen is# in Tel Aviv tonight.

Leila, it seems like## this cease fire is running to a lot of problems# rather rapidly this weekend.

What's the latest?

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: That's right, John.# And actually there were problems right## from the very beginning.

On Monday, just# the 20 living hostages were released and## only four of the 28 deceased hostages'# bodies were released.

That prompted an## outcry from the families and the# Israeli government said to Hamas,## unless you release it to other bodies# immediately, that is a ceasefire violation.

They started threatening to close the# Rafah Crossing and not let the amount of## aid in that is supposed to be coming in.# What then happened was that, of course,## Hamas hasn't agreed that they are going to# leave the Gaza Strip or they're going to stop## being in charge of it so they reinforced# their presence in the cities and towns.

As the IDF pulled back, they went around# and they started essentially arresting## and did some public executions of# these gangs that they say Israel## has armed to try and fight them and# they want to reestablish their power.

Now there was immediately a comment from President# Trump who said if they're killing people in Gaza,## that violates the ceasefire and# we will go back and kill them.

He## clarified that he did not mean U.S.# troops, but he meant Israeli troops.

Then the next thing that happened was this weekend# we've seen multiple ceasefire violations and both## sides are saying that each side is violating.# Yesterday what happened was there was a bus## that crossed into Gaza City, a family who# were looking to try and find out what had## happened to their home as so many hundreds of# thousands Gazans are returning to their homes.

Now 11 people were killed when# the IDF fired a shell at that bus,## including seven children.

Then in the south in# Rafah, what happened was that the IDF said they## had been attacked by Hamas fighters and that two# soldiers were killed when Hamas fighters fired## anti-tank missile at them.

They responded with# a massive wave of airstrikes that as you said,## has killed dozens of people thus far.# So many violations of both sides.

Where it's been left this evening is# that Israel cats.

The defense minister## has said that they are going to put down# border markers for the yellow line where## the IDF's meant to have pulled back to.

They're# going to reestablish the situation, cease fire,## but anyone crossing that line can be fired upon.

JOHN YANG: Leila, the idea of the ceasefire# was going to give them time to negotiate## the big questions, what Gaza would# look like after the war.

Is there## a chance this could all fall apart and# they never get to those big questions?

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: There absolutely is.

And# that was really the problem from the start,## of course, when President Trump was here on# Monday, addressing the Israeli parliament,## he said, this is it, we've ended the war.# It's all over.

Best thing to happen to the## Middle East in decades.

That was really premature.

The fact that President Trump is a deal# guy.

They wanted to push this through.## They wanted to do the initial stage, which# is to stop the killing.

They wanted to stop## people in Gaza dying.

They wanted to get aid# in.

They wanted to start that now.

There has## been a lot behind the scenes where all the# parties involved here, the U.S.

of course,## but also mediators in Egypt and Qatar, they're# trying to keep this deal on the road.

They're## focusing on deconfliction, stopping the bombing,# stopping the shelling and getting the aid in.

But the reality is that the next stage# of this huge Trump 20-point peace plan,## we may never get there.

Nothing else has# been negotiated and the fruits of that## are being born now if we forever stay in# this stage where it's all about stopping## and starting.

Many people are concerned that# this will turn into a Lebanon situation.

It's## been nearly a year since a ceasefire was agreed# with the Lebanon war.

There have been hundreds## of violations documented by the Lebanese# armed forces where Israel has struck both## with airstrikes and shelling Lebanon.

And they# say there has been complete impunity for that.

And they're worried that the same situation# will repeat itself here, where Israel continues## to strike, when they say there's been some sort# of violation, when they say that Hamas has done## something which means will never progress to# the next stage, reconstruction, will they ever## be able to get the materials in?

Where will all# those Gazans live while that's happening?

Will## Israel allow building materials in unless Hamas# is out of power, which they have not agreed to.

And beyond that, a Palestinian state, there are# references to that in this peace plan, but can## that ever happen?

This technocratic committee, is# this just going to be for Gaza?

Is there going to## be something that unites of them all the different# Palestinian territories?

What's the future here?

This is a huge and ambitious plan and# we are languishing in that first stage,## which may not even be able to survive.

JOHN YANG: Leila Molana-Allen in# Tel Aviv, thank you very much.

LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: Thank you, John.

JOHN YANG: And tonight's other headlines.# There was a brazen daytime .. Louvre Museum today, carried out while# the museum was open to visitors.

The## caper that sounds straight out of a movie# Officials say the thieves used a basket lift,## forced open a window, smashed display cases# of price Napoleonic jewels took eight of them,## made good their escape, all# in less than 10 minutes.

Museum officials see the thieves entered# through an area where construction is underway.## Visitors were steered out of# the museum but weren't told why.

JOAN CARPENTER, American Tourist: We were# just ready to go in to see the Mona Lisa## when they swept us out of the gallery, swept# us down the stairs by the Wing Victory.

Then## were headed out the exit.

We didn't realize# the whole museum was being evacuated and then## we asked a guard and the guard said# we're having technical difficulties.

JOHN YANG: One piece was recovered inside the# museum and will be evaluated for damage.

In June,## Louvre staff staged a walkout saying the museum## was understaffed and that# security was insufficient.

President Trump called Colombian President Gustavo# Petro an illegal drug leader and said he's cutting## U.S.

aid to the country.

In a Truth Social post# today, Mr.

Trump said that if Petro doesn't shut## down drug production that he said is killing# Americans, the U.S.

will close them up for him.

This comes hours after Petro accused the U.S.# government of assassination and demanded answers## for a Thursday U.S.

strike on a Colombian boat in# Caribbean waters.

Shortly after Mr.

Trump's post,## Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S.

forces# on Friday carried out a strike on another vessel## alleged to be smuggling drugs, killing three.

It# was the seventh known attack since last month.

London police say they are investigating# allegations that Prince Andrew asked a former## bodyguard to dig up damaging information# about the woman who accused him of sexual## assault.

Media reports say that in 2011,# the prince gave Virginia Giuffre's birth## date and Social Security number to a London# police officer.

Giuffre, who took her own## life earlier this year, said the prince# assaulted her when she was 17 years old.

On Friday, Prince Andrew gave up the# royal title Duke of York following years## of controversy over his friendship with# convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, how the# Trump administration is reshaping education## in America and a burst of blooms in# one of the driest places on Earth.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: In March, President Trump# signed an executive order to begin## shutting down the Department of Education,# though it would take an act of Congress## to actually close it.

In the meantime, the# department is taking dramatic steps toward## fulfilling a conservative vision of a reshaped# system of primary and secondary education.

Jennifer Smith Richards is the co-author of# a ProPublica investigation looking into all## of this.

Jennifer, what is the Department of# Education doing?

What steps are they taking?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS, ProPublica:# Yeah, so they've been very clear## since Trump took office that the idea was# to shut down the department.

Linda McMahon,## the Secretary of Education, has called# it her final mission.

And Donald Trump,## of course, has called the department a# big con job.

So that part has been clear,## this desire to phase out many of the# functions of the department and close it down.

What's been less clear is why# Linda McMahon has brought in## a number of political strategists and, you know,# ultra conservative activists into the office,## even as it's supposed to be shutting down and# winding down.

Those people have been quiet,## frankly, about what they are doing# behind the scenes at the department.

JOHN YANG: Is there a common thread running# between through these appointments?

And are## they all have similar goals or similar things# they've talked about in the past about education?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: They have.

My colleague# and I at ProPublica went through, you know,## hundreds and hundreds of hours of speeches# and podcast interviews and read essays that## were from these appointees that really lay out# a vision for the future of American education.

And the through line really is# that they want to break up what## they view as a monopoly that public# schools have.

And they envision in## the future that far fewer students# will be attending a public school.

JOHN YANG: I've heard people talk about# this, and it's all in the view of the## idea of returning power to the parents,# letting them sort of figure out what schools## are doing well and let them send the money# there.

What do the critics say about this?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: Well, critics say# you need a strong public school system for## many reasons.

One is that public schools are# required to serve students with disabilities,## whereas private schools typically are not.

You# know, the American school system is a democratic## idea.

It was designed to serve any and all# students who come through their doors.

And private## school choice means that private schools also get# to choose which students they're going to accept.

JOHN YANG: On the one hand, the administration# and conservatives say that most decisions about## what happens in school should be done at the# state and local level.

But are they talking## about getting involved at the federal# level about some curriculum decisions?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: Federal government# historically has not been involved in dictating## what is being taught in the classrooms.

They've# not been in the curriculum business.

But what## we're seeing under this administration is a# desire to promote certain types of curriculum,## for example, what they refer to as a# pro America or patriotic curriculum## that would be in public schools across America.

We've also seen a number of edicts and# mandates come out of the department## that have to do with teaching racism and gender# and diversity issues.

Those are steps into the## classroom that we haven't seen very frequently# in the last few years.

We really are seeing## the federal government start to really reach into# classrooms in a way that we are not familiar with.

JOHN YANG: There have been some states# have tried to do this, haven't there?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: There have been some of# the states that tend to have majority Republican## legislatures have advanced several bills# that you might have heard of as anti-DEI## bills or anti-CRT bills.

A number of states# have passed anti transgender bathroom bills.

So some of these, you know, reforms# have been tested individual states## and have been upheld by courts so far in many# of the states.

So, yes, there is certainly a red## state testing ground for many of these ideas that# we're seeing play out now at the federal level.

JOHN YANG: And how have the results been, these# testing grounds?

What have been the results?

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: I can't say for# sure in every state, but there have been## states where the testing grounds have really# held up.

So states have been able to adopt## laws that restrict pretty severely teaching# about racism and teaching about gender.

They## have been successful in passing bathroom# bills that prevent transgender students## from using the bathroom or locker room at# school that matches their gender identity.

Those have been in place.

And a# number of states have been pretty## successful in limiting just the# type of material that can be at a## school or in a school library or on a# teacher's bookshelf in her classroom.

And so we're seeing kind of a copying# of that at the federal level now,## where we're hearing for the first time, at least# in many years from the federal government that## they want to push certain types of curriculum# and certain types of teaching into classrooms.

JOHN YANG: Jennifer Smith Richards# of ProPublica, thank you very much.

JENNIFER SMITH RICHARDS: Thank you.

JOHN YANG: The end of breast cancer# treatment is cause for celebration,## but for many patients, it can bring new# challenges.

They can include lymphedema,## painful swelling of tissue# due to excess fluid retention.## Some studies show up to 65 percent of women who# undergo breast cancer surgery develop lymphedema.

Ali Rogin spoke with two members of the nonprofit# Lymphedema Education and Research Network, Dr.## Stanley Rockson of Stanford Medicine, and retired# Army Colonel Susan Fondy, who's also a physician.

ALI ROGIN: Thank you both so# much for being here.

Dr.

Rockson,## let's start with you.

Why is lymphedema# so common among breast cancer patients?

DR.

STANLEY ROCKSON, Stanford Medicine:# Lymphedema occurs because the lymphatic## system has been damaged.

And systematically# we have to do that, both to determine the## appropriate treatment for breast cancer and to# curtail the cancer.

So lymph nodes are removed,## but that creates damage.

80, 85 percent of the# time, that damage can be accommodated by the body,## but 15 percent of the time, it results in# malfunction, and that's what we call lymphedema.

And because breast cancer is so common# among women in the United States,## the numbers of people affected, even if it's# only 15 percent will be relatively large.

ALI ROGIN: Colonel Fondy, you were diagnosed# with stage three breast cancer and developed## lymphedema following your treatment.

But as a# physician yourself, when you were going in for## consultation, you asked questions about your# risk.

What did doctors at the time tell you?

COL.

SUSAN FONDY (RET.

), Army: When I# was first diagnosed with breast cancer,## the surgeon saw me, and he talked to# me about the possible treatment options## as far as surgery went, but he never mentioned# lymphedema.

And then he reached for the doorknob,## and he turned back and asked# me if I had any questions.

And I said, what about lymphedema?

And# he said, what about it?

And I was kind## of surprised.

I just sort of stammered,# I don't want to get it.

And he said,## you won't.

You're small.

And he# was mistaken and misinformed.

The only risk factor that I did not# have for lymphedema was obesity,## but I had all of the other risk factors,# and he was just not educated in that.

And## he didn't know what to do about it,# so he didn't want to talk about it.

ALI ROGIN: When I was first diagnosed, I was given# a lymphedema compression sleeve.

Very quickly,## my hand swelled up, and then I was# given a glove as well.

I have worn## compression sleeves and gloves day and# night for more than 10 years.

I pursued## a surgical option in 2016 and it didn't# help.

I pursued another surgical option## about a year ago and that I've seen# some big improvement from Dr.

Rockson.

ALI ROGIN: How common is it for doctors who# treat breast cancer to not have a tremendous## awareness of the potential for and# treatment options for lymphedema?

STANLEY ROCKSON: It's unfortunately# very common.

The situation is improving,## but not rapidly enough.

I did a study# back in 2004 to determine what amount## of time is spent in a medical school# education on the lymphatic system in## total and learned that on average it's 15# to 30 minutes out of a four year education.

So there's not really enough time to properly# educate clinicians on the diagnosis and## treatment of even a common disorder of# the lymphatic system if it's not studied.

ALI ROGIN: And Dr.

Rockson, walk us through# the spectrum of efforts and options to both## prevent getting lymphedema and then also# mitigating it once it's been detected.

STANLEY ROCKSON: The most important preventive# strategy, of course, is minimizing the number of## lymph nodes that need to be surgically excised.# And there has been a movement over the last 20## years progressively to accommodate that need.# Radiation protocols have also been curtailed in## such a way as to minimize lymphatic damage.

Then# we need surveillance and in well informed centers.

This occurs on a quarterly basis over# the next 24 months at a minimum.

And## if we undertake aggressive treatment at that# point, we can actually prevent lymphedema in## about 50 percent of cases.

Once the lymphedema# occurs, then there is a very standard protocol## for physical interventions to minimize the# amount of edema that has developed during## that period of time and then a maintenance# regimen that includes compression garments## and devices and other approaches to# try to maintain that benefit over time.

ALI ROGIN: Colonel Fondy, I'd like to# ask you about what it's like living## with this condition.

You recently# retired as an army flight surgeon,## but how did it affect both your# military career and your everyday life?

SUSAN FONDY: It's something that causes you to# not be able to ever be done with cancer.

I have## this thing that I look at or I have to manage# every minute of every day.

And in the military,## it was particularly bothersome, both because I# wasn't able to do some of the things I needed## to be able to do, but also because every# time I shook hands with somebody or saluted,## my lymphedema was front and center,# so I couldn't step beyond it.

ALI ROGIN: And Colonel Fondy, you have been# advocating on Capitol Hill in support of## federal funding for lymphedema research.# What is the state of those efforts?

SUSAN FONDY: In 2023, lymphedema# and lymphatic diseases were added## to a list of diseases that receive federal# funding for basic research.

This past year,## lymphedema and lymphatic diseases were dropped# entirely from the list, and nobody knows why.

So we've been advocating on Capitol Hill# to get lymphatic diseases added back to## that list of diseases that can compete for that# funding.

This is critically important because our## lymphatic researchers, they have not been able# to do the amount of research that is needed.

What we need on Capitol Hill is we need# one of the senators to be a hero.

We## need them to step up and add lymphatic# diseases back to that list of diseases## so our researchers can continue doing# research for this very prevalent disease.

ALI ROGIN: Dr.

Stanley Rockson,# Colonel and Dr.

Susan Fondy,## thank you both so much for joining me.

SUSAN FONDY: Thank you so much.

STANLEY ROCKSON: Thank you.

JOHN YANG: We leave you tonight with# a beautiful sight in an unexpected## place.

William Brangham tells us about it.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (voice-over): These wildflowers,# gently blowing in the breeze are delicate and rare## because they live in one of# the driest places on Earth,## a place usually hostile to# any kind of flowering plant.

This is the Atacama Desert, a sprawling stretch# of land squeezed between the Pacific Ocean and the## Andes Mountains, mostly in Chile.

It normally# gets just 2 millimeters of rain every year,## but this July and August, some parts of# the desert got 60 millimeters of rain.

But rain isn't the only condition needed# for this landscape to be transformed,## says Victor Ardiles, the head of botany# at Chile's Museum of Natural History.

VICTOR ARDILES, Museum of Natural History,# Chile (through translator): We understand## that there is a thre.. to activate.

But in addition to water# or precipitation, we need temperature,## we need a certain number of hours of# daylight, and we also need humidity.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (voice-over): This year,# those proverbial stars aligned and the blooms## are bursting.

Ariel Orellana studies plant# biotechnology at the Andres Bello University.

ARIEL ORELLANA, Andres Bello University (through# translator): The Atacama Desert is the driest in## the world and also one of the territories with the# highest solar radiation and ultraviolet radiatio.. on the planet.

This means there are very adverse# conditions for the growth of any living being.

And the fact that a plant can grow in these# conditions is quite remarkable.

We wanted to## investigate it and understand the mechanisms it# uses to survive in such a hostile environment.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (voice-over): This# floral display has drawn tourists## and scientists for the opportunity to# understand just how these plants do it.

CESAR PIZARRO GACITUA, National Forest# Corporation, Chile (through translator):## Coordination and joint work with# academics and researchers studying## the physiology of this plant is very# important.

How can it produce enough## food and perform photosynthesis# to withstand extreme conditions?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (through# translator): Orellana says## understanding these individual plants# is k.. ARIEL ORELLENA (through translator):## This plant has the ability tolerate drought very# well, which is a serious and growin.. global agriculture.

Therefore, by understanding# the genome, the genetic information of this plant,## and at the same time identifying which genes# are expressed when it is exposed to drought,## we could potentially use that knowledge to# develop crops with greater drought tolerance.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (voice-over): Most of these# flowers will disappear by November as South## America edges closer to its summer season.# For PBS News Weekend, I'm William Brangham.

JOHN YANG: And that is PBS News Weekend# for this Sunday.

I'm John Yang.

For all## of my colleagues, thanks for# joining us.

Have a good week.