July 31, 2026
Polls, Maps, and the Weekend
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Today, we will look at a series of U.S. political developments, the situation in the Middle East, and this day in history.
Let’s get to it.
United States
-The average U.S. gas price stood at $4.09 yesterday, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to AAA.
-Republicans’ approval for President Donald Trump’s handling of the war against Iran has slid, according to a new AP-NORC poll.
Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating in The New York Times’ daily average of polls has fallen to 38%.
-Abdul El-Sayed holds a 15-point lead over Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, according to a new Emerson College poll.
The race has become the latest proxy battle to determine the Democratic Party’s future, with Stevens getting the backing of traditional party figures such as Governor Gretchen Whitmer and South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn while El-Sayed has won the backing of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Yesterday, Ocasio-Cortez appeared in an ad alongside El-Sayed.
Separately, a Michigan Education survey shows presumptive Republican nominee Mike Rogers leading El-Sayed by 10 points, while neck-and-neck with Stevens.
-South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman holds a slight lead over Senator Darline Graham in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, according to a new Emerson College poll.
Graham was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster earlier this month to fill the seat left vacant by the death of her brother, Lindsey Graham.
Trump’s endorsement of Graham’s candidacy did not clear the Republican field, with a slew of candidates joining the race before the filing deadline passed.
Graham formally launched her campaign yesterday with a video posted to her social media.
-Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes dropped out of the Democratic primary race for governor yesterday.
The move comes as democratic socialist candidate Francesca Hong holds a wide lead in the race ahead of the August 13 vote.
Earlier this month, Governor Tony Evers convinced Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to reenter the race and quickly endorsed his candidacy in a bid to consolidate establishment support against Hong.
The victor will take on presumed Republican nominee Tom Tiffany in the general election.
-Elon Musk is planning to spend at least $100 million to support Republican candidates in the midterm elections.
-Trump said he would consider temporarily withdrawing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve in his post in a permanent capacity and resubmitting his name once Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are out of office.
The comment came after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed advancing the nomination amid pushback from the two retiring Republican lawmakers.
-Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman got into a testy exchange with Drop Site News reporter Julian Andreone this week.
View the exchange here:
-Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said in an interview with The Des Moines Register that he continues to support the Senate filibuster despite Trump’s call for Republican lawmakers to eliminate the procedural rule.
-James Carville and Hasan Piker sat for interviews with CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan to discuss the future of the Democratic Party.
It will air on Sunday at 8:00 P.M. EST.
-Former President Barack Obama released his annual summer reading list.
-Trump will hold a Cabinet meeting at Camp David today.
-On this day in 1986, President Ronald Reagan hosted then-Arizona Senate candidate John McCain in the Oval Office.
Other Links:
Top senators consider blocking Trump’s grant shakeup in spending stopgap - Politico
Senate committee advances nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Trump’s CDC director - AP
Potential roadblocks ahead for Graham-led Russia sanctions bill - Politico
Schumer pitches new federal agency to investigate corruption - The Washington Post
Commerce Department quietly announces 7 new equity stakes in private companies - The Hill
U.S. Sees Iran as Likely Behind Cyberattack on Minnesota Water Systems - The New York Times
Trump unveils $22.5 billion plan to overhaul Dulles International Airport - ABC
Senator’s daughter files new restraining order against GOP Rep. Max Miller - The Washington Post
Fox News Poll: GOP divisions shape Texas Senate race - Fox News
Sources detail years of concerns about Barnes’ behavior toward women - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Troy Jackson ran anonymous account to troll Republicans online - CNN
Mills declines to endorse Jackson in Maine Senate race - The Hill
Democratic Senate candidates pursue a new strategy in rural states: Dropping out - NBC
Noah Kahan slams Trump, White House for using his song in new post - USA Today
Colin Gray, who gave his son the gun used in Georgia school shooting, is sentenced to 15 years - AP
Africa
-World Food Program chief Carl Skau warned this week that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is worsening hunger in the country’s east, saying, “My number one message is that this situation requires much, much more attention.”
Skau visited Congo’s Ituri province on Wednesday, the epicenter of the current outbreak, saying the region is facing a “crisis on top of a crisis” with 1.9 million in need of food there amid surging cases of the disease.
In total, nearly 10 million people are in need of food in the region, driven by the long-running conflict between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
-A U.S. government AI-generated map of Africa mislabeled every country listed during a presentation by the U.S. State Department at a global conference in Brazil.
-On this day in 1996, President Bill Clinton hosted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak at the White House, where they discussed the ongoing Middle East peace process.
Other Links:
Ebola outbreak sparks global vaccine race - Semafor
Detained Ugandan opposition figure is unconscious, in intensive care, his wife says - Reuters
South Africa says African Union backs broad migration debate - Reuters
Ghana’s government backs extending presidential term from four to five years - Africa News
Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries - AP
Archbishop of Canterbury committed to £100m slavery fund - BBC
South Sudan’s president dismisses central bank governor - Africa News
Oprah Winfrey Is Closing Her South Africa Leadership Academy - Yahoo
Americas and the Caribbean
-Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made a virtual appearance via an AI-generated avatar at the presidential launch event for his son, Flávio Bolsonaro, this week.
Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison term for his effort to remain in office following his 2022 election defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He is currently serving under house arrest on medical grounds.
As part of his prison sentence, the far-right leader is barred from communicating publicly.
The junior Bolsonaro, who has served in the Federal Senate for over seven years, is currently trailing Lula in his bid for a fourth non-consecutive term, according to one recent poll.
-Canadians and Mexicans now hold a more favorable view of China than the United States, according to a new Pew survey.
-The new issue of TIME magazine features Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, President Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with the headline, “The Venezuela Experiment.”
-On this day in 2006, Cuban leader Fidel Castro handed over provisional power to his brother Raúl due to health challenges.
In 2007, Mexican President Felipe Calderón hosted former Vice President Al Gore at the presidential palace in Mexico City to discuss the impact of global warming.
Other Links:
Cuba loosens control of its private sector in a struggle with a mounting humanitarian crisis - AP
Brazil’s President Lula confirms rejection of visas for US officials - BBC
Brazil withholds approval of Trump’s ambassador pick, deepening rift with US - Reuters
Argentina’s Milei seeks to deport foreigners that spread ‘hate’ of country - Al Jazeera
Chinese EVs Are Everywhere in Argentina Despite Milei’s MAGA Ties - Bloomberg
Mexico in Numbers: Internet use hits record high, but rural gap persists - Mexico News Daily
Asia/Indo-Pacific
-The Chinese government said this week that a U.S. import ban on humanoid robots “severely damages” relations between Washington and Beijing.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which issued the ban, said it imposed the measure due to cybersecurity concerns.
-Russia likely used a North Korean missile to strike Ukraine, according to Reuters.
The attack marks the first time in nearly a year that Moscow has relied on missiles from Pyongyang to attack Ukrainian territory.
According to the latest estimate, North Korea has deployed roughly 15,000 soldiers to Russia to aid in its war effort against Kyiv.
-A new Pew survey shows a broad swath of people in countries throughout the developing world, including several European nations, holding more favorable views of China than the United States.
-New Zealand will acquire strike drones as the country seeks to modernize its military.
-On this day in 1961, the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) was founded in Bangkok, Thailand.
The regional grouping, made up of the Federation of Malaya, the Philippines, and Thailand, sought to foster economic and political cooperation among its members.
The bloc served as the predecessor to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which was established six years later.
In 1969, President Richard Nixon visited New Delhi, India, as part of a multi-country tour through Asia.
Other Links:
As China’s A.I. Gets Stronger, It Poses New Risks to Beijing - The New York Times
The U.S. wants Asia to use its AI — but China dominates cheaper models - CNBC
China’s open-weight model lead exposes America’s AI blind spot - CNBC
Macao’s first national security case raises concerns over fairness a year after arrest - AP
Pakistan-administered Kashmir vote marred by deadly clashes - Reuters
BTS boycott Grammys over new Asian pop award category - Reuters
Europe
-The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said yesterday that a Russian missile hit Poland during an attack on Ukraine.
-Ukrainian drones struck two more facilities belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries yesterday.
Kyiv has now struck nearly a dozen of the company’s sites as part of its effort to disrupt Russia’s consumer economy. Wildberries is often described as Russia’s equivalent to Amazon.
-A surge of migrants from Morocco has inundated the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
The territory’s president, Juan Jesus Vivas, called the situation a “total humanitarian and social emergency.”
The territory is one of Europe’s only outposts on the African continent.
In the last several days, thousands of migrants have stormed the border. At least nine died while attempting to make the crossing.
Yesterday, the Spanish government deployed the military to the area in a bid to restore order.
-The Bank of England held its key interest rate steady at 3.75% for a fifth consecutive meeting.
-In a new interview, Pope Leo spoke about being the first American pope.
-Denmark will assume the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council on Saturday.
The post changes on the first day of each month, rotating alphabetically by the English names of its member states.
The Democratic Republic of Congo currently serves as president of the Council.
-On this day in 1991, President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) in Moscow, a pact committing both the United States and Soviet Union to cutting roughly a third of their strategic nuclear arsenals.
Other Links:
US begins review of its military presence in Europe - Euronews
U.S. turns to war-weary Ukraine for help with drone technology - NBC
Danube’s record low levels force shutdown of Hungary’s only nuclear plant - BBC
European Wildfires Amplified by Emptying Countryside and Fewer Farms - The New York Times
As France tames wildfire and lets 84,000 evacuees go home, blazes flare across Europe - AP
George and Amal Clooney flee their luxury French home due to wildfires - Reuters
Middle East
-President Trump said yesterday that his Board of Peace overseeing post-war Gaza had reached an agreement on the “complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups” in the coastal enclave.
The deal was signed earlier in the day by Hamas, members of the Board, and mediating countries Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, according to The Times of Israel.
After Trump’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying that the deal did not meet Israel’s demand for a complete demilitarization of the territory.
-Vice President JD Vance and Netanyahu reportedly had a “direct” conversation about their differences during a meeting at Blair House this week.
-Saudi Arabia is announced an international coalition composed of 14 countries to protect ships transiting the Red Sea from attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
-The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners (OPEC+) will hold its monthly meeting on Sunday.
The oil cartel was founded in 1960 and seeks to coordinate oil production levels among its members.
In April, the United Arab Emirates, the grouping’s third-largest oil producer, announced it would withdraw, leaving the organization with 11 members.
-On this day in 2024, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran just hours after attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Israel formally claimed responsibility for the attack later that year.
Other Links:
Iran’s Araqchi presses European counterparts over use of bases in US operations - Reuters
Most Gulf markets ease as hostilities resume between the US and Iran - Reuters
The U.S. Liberated Kuwait but Now Struggles to Protect It From Iran - The Wall Street Journal
Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Launching Drone in Southern Lebanon - The New York Times
Iraq’s balancing act is only getting harder as the war between the US and Iran widens - AP
Turkey detains another opposition mayor among dozens of suspects in crackdown - Reuters
That’s all for today. See you next week.
TGIF Jacob ☕ have a great weekend and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
Thank you, as always, Jacob. Interesting news about the Brazilian election and the U.S. primariies. Glad to read that some in my erstwhile Party, the Republicans, are pushing back against trump. A year ago, i had the intuition that was peaking. I still believe trust that thought. The hard part is that trump is likely to be more dangerous going down than he was during is usurpation of the Party of Lincoln. Following Karen's suggestion of a re-stack.