GEOFF BENNETT: And we start today's other headlines in Washington, D.C.

The White House confirms that press secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role after less than a week on the job.

Speaking to reporters today, President Trump said he gave her the option to leave, saying -- quote -- "Maybe it's not for her."

Zacharia held her first and only briefing on Tuesday.

She took questions from just three outlets.

She's also faced scrutiny over her alleged legal credentials.

Zacharia has defended calling herself a lawyer, even though she's never passed the bar exam.

In Southern California, a number of large brushfires are forcing people to leave their homes, including a blaze in Malibu that's prompted evacuation orders and warnings for residents in the Santa Monica Mountains.

In Orange County, the fires burned multiple homes today.

Power companies have shut off service to tens of thousands of customers.

WOMAN: Airplanes picking up water, trying to put this fire out, but good luck.

GEOFF BENNETT: Strong Santa Ana winds have made firefighting especially difficult with gusts up to 70 miles an hour in some areas.

Weather officials warn that hot, dry conditions will last through Saturday, increasing the fire risk.

Across the West Bank today, dozens of Israeli settlers set cars and trees ablaze and attacked Palestinians as they gathered for their autumn olive harvest.

Masked men, some of them carrying gas canisters, chased and beat people, while others threw rocks and burned trees.

Health officials say more than a dozen people were injured across at least eight villages.

Among those injured was Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist with The Washington Post.

MAN: Run.

Run.

Run.

Run.

MAN: Run!

GEOFF BENNETT: Levine was forced to flee after she says the attackers kicked and beat her, even though she wore a vest clearly marked "Press."

Speaking from a hospital bed, she called the attackers monsters.

HEIDI LEVINE, Photojournalist, The Washington Post: They're not even humans.

And, yes, they are Jewish terrorists, and they are giving everyone in the country a horrible reputation.

GEOFF BENNETT: In a statement, The Washington Post said it is -- quote -- "outraged" by the unwarranted attack, while the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, but questioned what he called the facts surrounding the assault, saying they remain unclear and are under investigation.

Turning now to the war in Ukraine, President Trump is criticizing Ukraine's renewed strikes on Russian oil refineries as, in his words, a disgrace.

Kyiv had briefly halted such attacks after Mr.

Trump declared an energy cease-fire on Sunday, though Russia then continued its own strikes.

Appearing on Newsmax, Mr.

Trump went on to characterize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as -- quote -- "not a good guy for us to deal with."

Hours later, Zelenskyy pushed back during an E.U.

summit in Brussels.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President: Can you imagine?

Yesterday was 1,000 drones in Ukraine, 1,000.

But -- but the American side said that it is difficult to speak with Zelenskyy.

It's less difficult to manage with Putin.

GEOFF BENNETT: Officials say Russia struck nine Ukrainian regions, including in Odesa, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes.

At least 15 people were injured nationwide.

Meantime, a U.N.

report out today found a sharp increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties in recent weeks.

And President Zelenskyy warned that military communications via the Starlink network from Elon Musk's SpaceX have not been fully restored.

The Vatican says that Pope Leo spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin today and expressed deep concern for the humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky near the front lines.

The Kremlin says that Putin supports Leo's call to allow aid to reach the residents there.

It comes as the Vatican released the first images of the pope since his lung cancer surgery earlier this week.

He's seen celebrating mass at the hospital in Rome where he's being treated.

Church officials say Leo plans to deliver the traditional prayers this Sunday, though it's unclear whether he will do that from the Vatican or from the hospital.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended lower amid a sell-off in tech shares.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 175 points.

The Nasdaq dropped more than 2 percent.

The S&P 500 closed out its worst week since June.

Still to come on the "News Hour": the controversial language that President Trump has been using while stumping for Republican candidates; Jonathan Capehart and Matthew Continetti analyze the week's biggest headlines; and a new exhibit explores the connection between Black women and the works of William Shakespeare.