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Daily news brief — 31 July 2026

10 stories · 10 sources · 5 minute read

While Hamas contests the agreement, US economic growth slows to 1.5% and Amazon's Zoox makes robotaxi history

01worldCovered by 2 outlets

Trump announces 'historic' agreement for complete disarmament of Hamas and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. However, Hamas stated it will not disarm before a full Israeli withdrawal, revealing significant implementation challenges.

Why it matters

While the announcement represents a major diplomatic development, immediate disagreements over the sequencing of disarmament and withdrawal threaten the viability of the peace plan.

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Sources

  • Anadolu Agency
  • Anadolu Agency
02worldCovered by 2 outlets

Ukraine targets Russian online giant Wildberries with repeated drone strikes on logistics warehouses

Ukrainian drones targeted multiple logistics warehouses belonging to the major Russian online retailer Wildberries overnight, sparking large fires. The strikes aim to disrupt the operations of the retail giant, which is considered a key pillar of Russia's consumer economy.

Why it matters

By targeting a major domestic retailer, Ukraine is expanding its strategy to directly impact Russia's consumer economy and disrupt its internal supply chains.

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Sources

  • Reuters
  • ABC News
03worldCovered by 2 outlets

US economic growth slows to 1.5% in Q2, undershooting market expectations

Advance estimates showed the U.S. economy expanded at an annualised rate of 1.5% in the second quarter of 2026, below forecasts, adding an economic dimension to ongoing geopolitical tensions and policy debates.

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Sources

  • Anadolu Agency
  • Saxo Hong Kong / Collinson Forex

“Why it matters” for the rest of today's stories is available in the Fivly app.

04techCovered by 2 outlets

Amazon’s Zoox wins first US approval for steering‑wheel‑free paid robotaxi service

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle startup Zoox has received final federal approval from U.S. regulators to launch a commercial, paid robotaxi service. The service will utilize custom-built vehicles designed entirely without steering wheels or pedals.

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Sources

  • Yonhap / U.S. DOT via Hanmi Ilbo summary
  • Instagram Tech News Digest
05techCovered by 2 outlets

Google unveils new dexterous robotics AI model targeting manipulation challenges

Google introduced a new generation of robotics AI designed to improve physical dexterity and manipulation, positioning the model to tackle one of the toughest problems in robot control and automation.

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Sources

  • Capital Futures
  • Capital Futures
06business

HSBC to sell $25 billion Australian mortgage book to Blackstone in major portfolio reshaping

HSBC has agreed to sell its $25.3 billion Australian home-loan portfolio to Blackstone. The transaction is part of a broader effort by the bank to streamline its balance sheet and restructure its global retail banking footprint.

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Sources

  • Financial Times (via Devdiscourse)
07markets

Tokyo inflation edges higher, reinforcing BoJ’s earlier hike but still below 2% target

Tokyo's core CPI rose to 1.9% year-on-year in July, up from 1.6% and slightly above forecasts, while the Bank of Japan's core measure reached 2.0%. This uptick supports the central bank's recent decision to raise its policy rate to the highest level since 1995.

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Sources

  • Saxo Hong Kong
08ai

Banks in talks to lend $15 billion for Anthropic data centers in Google-backed financing

Major banks are in negotiations to provide a $15 billion loan package to fund Anthropic's AI data center expansion. The deal, which is reportedly supported by Google, highlights the massive financial resources required to build and maintain frontier AI models.

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Sources

  • Capital Futures
09markets

Japan’s FX reserves book $31 billion surplus, highlighting windfall from weak yen

Japan recorded a 5.06 trillion yen surplus in its foreign reserves special account for fiscal year 2025, marking its second-highest surplus on record. The $31 billion windfall was driven by the depreciation of the yen and significant interest rate differentials between the U.S. and Japan.

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Sources

  • InvestmentGuruIndia
10business

BP to cut 700 jobs in reorganisation drive amid warnings on oil oversupply

BP has announced plans to cut approximately 700 non-frontline roles as part of a restructuring drive to simplify its operations and boost returns. The decision comes alongside warnings from the company regarding an oversupply in the global oil market.

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Sources

  • Financial Times (via Devdiscourse)