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"Trump says a deal has been reached for the 'complete disarmament' of Hamas."

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Russ Roberts (https://trendsingeopolitics.blogspot.com).

View this email online July 31, 2026 Brittney Melton up first newsletter writer It takes resources to write this newsletter and keep you informed of the day’s biggest stories. With just hours to go until our monthly fundraising deadline, can you help power this work? Donate now. — Brittney Melton, Up First newsletter writer Today’s top stories Andrew Harnik/Getty Images President Trump is claiming that Hamas will completely disarm and Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza under a new groundbreaking deal. But a senior official from the Palestinian militant group told NPR they would only give up their weapons if Israel withdraws from Gaza first, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to respond. The president said that his Board of Peace agreed to the plan with the support of mediators from Egypt, Turkey and Qatar. The announcement comes more than nine months after a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire was signed. 🎧 The deal faces hurdles over whether the Israeli or Hamas portion of the agreement should take place first, NPR's Franco Ordoñez tells Up First. Trump needs a win with Gaza, veteran Republican strategist Alex Conant says, with the midterm elections just over three months away. Conant warns of political consequences if the Iran war continues and gas prices keep rising.  Trump is considering withdrawing his nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to officially take over the role. Two Republican senators are withholding their support for Blanche due to the Department of Justice's deal with the president to end his IRS lawsuit. Trump says the withdrawal could be temporary until those two senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, leave office in January. 🎧 The senators are requesting written assurances from the Justice Department that both the settlement and the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund are off the table, NPR's Ryan Lucas says. Cornyn and Tillis also want clarity on the tax immunity deal for Trump, his family and his businesses. Lucas says the bottom line is that Trump would rather withdraw Blanche's nomination than provide senators with guarantees of deals that favor him. The U.S. economy has largely managed the impact of rising energy costs resulting from the war with Iran, according to a recent Commerce Department report. From April to June, the U.S. gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 1.5%, a slight slowdown from the first quarter of 2026, when GDP grew by 2.1%. Much of the change stems from a decrease in government spending and a surge in imports. 🎧 A growth rate of 1.5% seems more promising than a recession when the economy shrinks, but the growth is slower than last year, NPR’s Scott Horsley says. Consumer spending, the main driver of the economy, remained strong despite soaring gasoline prices. Some analysts say much of the spending growth comes from upper-income families who feel wealthy currently due to a booming stock market and rising home prices. Horsley says a downturn in the stock market could cause them to cut back on spending.   Newsletter continues after sponsor message   Picture show Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of Dataland The new Dataland museum in downtown Los Angeles offers an experience so special that no two visitors' time there will be exactly alike. In one room, visitors follow a hummingbird’s view as it flies through a vividly colored landscape. In another, shapes leap out of the frame of a massive three-dimensional painting in response to biometric data captured from wearable wristbands. Smell and taste are also part of the museum's multisensory experience. Artist Refik Anadol uses AI algorithms to transform troves of images and sounds from museum archives, labs and even his own travels to create immersive environments he describes as joint collaborations between humans and machines. Step inside the vibrant museum with these photos.  Weekend picks Marvel/Sony Pictures Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend: 🍿 Movies: Tom Holland is web-swinging his way back into movie theaters this weekend with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Pop Culture Happy Hour says the film presents a more grounded tone than audiences have seen in the franchise. 📺 TV: In the serial killer drama Furious, Emmy Rossum plays a low-level FBI agent searching for a woman who has been targeting prominent men in New York City.  📚 Books: Leïla Slimani's I'll Take the Fire is the final book in a trilogy about a Franco-Moroccan family grappling with their identity. The book is inspired by generations of the author's own family. 🎵 Music: R&B group The Internet's breakout stars, Steve Lacy and Syd, released new solo albums on the same day. Lacy's Oh Yeah? and Syd's Beard both explore what it means to be a star, says NPR Music Editor Sheldon Pearce. ❓ Quiz: Senate drama, airport design, the Grammys and sexy robots not only made headlines this week, but they also inspired this quiz. Answer these questions and see where you land.  We, the people, sustain this essential public service. Together, we power independent journalism that delivers the facts and holds power to account. It’s been a year since Congress eliminated more than one billion dollars in funding for public media. Federal funding is gone, but we, the people, haven’t backed down one bit. With just one full day left in our July fundraising campaign, now is the time to give. Your gift will sustain this essential public service. Not just for you, but for the millions of people who rely on this reporting to stay informed. Donate Now ➔ 3 things to know before you go Frederic J. Brown/AFP 1 The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached its highest level in a year this week, hitting 6.66%, according to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. 2 Americans are increasingly embracing solo living, traveling and dining as more adults choose to remain single. If that sounds like you, NPR wants to hear about your experience. 3 In this edition of Word of the Week, NPR examines how the word "parasite" originated as a popular character trope in Greek literature and ultimately became a serious concept. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from HPR-1 News/Talk (edit station). Enjoying this newsletter Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! This newsletter was edited by Olivia Hampton. Download the NPR App Get in touch We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on today's newsletter. Reach the Up First team at upfirst@npr.org Unsubscribe    Manage your preferences     Privacy Policy You received this message because you're subscribed to Up First emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002