While the most intense phase of fighting in Gaza appears to be over, and aid is picking up, America, Israel and Hamas remain trapped in an impasse—with none willing to change course econ.st/43WGdaw 👇

The most-read non-fiction book in America measured by views on Kindle and listens on Audible, an audiobook service, is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. But its themes can also be found in a bestseller from the early years of the 20th century econ.st/3xr5HQU 📚

There are still big gaps between what Israel and Hamas are willing to accept—the same ones that have bedevilled negotiations for months econ.st/4cV9gz1 👇

For the third straight month, inflation in America has exceeded forecasts. Although growth has remained impressively strong, it now appears to be bumping up against the economy’s supply limits econ.st/3xwHMzB 👇

Western and Arab negotiators had hoped to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas before the start of Ramadan, and then before Eid al-Fitr. Those deadlines came and went. Talks are still slogging along in Egypt and Qatar econ.st/3xqHWsa 👇

When will Americans see interest-rate cuts? Following another nasty surprise, some wonder if it may be after the presidential election econ.st/3TWNGBJ 👇

America, Israel and Hamas are trapped in a dangerous impasse. The fighting in Gaza has ebbed. But ceasefire talks are going nowhere econ.st/3vMqVbw 👇

Huntington Beach is fighting California on several fronts, from housing regulations to voting rules to the flying of the gay-pride flag. Its ill-advised battles against Gavin Newsom are emblematic of the friction in the state econ.st/3JfQRiZ 👇

♦️ Arizona can enforce a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions.

♦️ Witness names in a Trump case will remain secret.

♦️ The State Department steps in as Ukraine aid stalls in Congress.

Follow the latest in American politics: econ.st/4aQt2tE 👇

America has slipped down the global happiness rankings. Yet all are not equally sad: econ.st/3U3Ymj1

Photo: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Today on “The Intelligence”: America hosts Japan’s prime minister, Somali pirates and AI’s potential for music econ.st/3TRsNI3

Some 41% of Huntington Beach residents are registered Republicans, making them the city’s largest political tribe.

Recently the city’s flavour of Republicanism has taken a hard-right turn econ.st/3Jegy3o 👇

The politics of Huntington Beach’s city council is indicative of how quickly California Republicanism has changed under the influence of Donald Trump econ.st/3vKeH3e 👇

America has slipped down the global happiness rankings. Yet all are not equally sad econ.st/4cJKrWD 👇

Joe Biden is running a traditional playbook, while Donald Trump’s approach to electioneering is as unconventional as ever. We head to Michigan to take the pulse of the Biden campaign: econ.st/3xvL1ao

Great­-power rivalry has grown, making an intensification of nuclear com­petition more likely. A growing number of influential thinkers in America believe that deterrence is getting harder—and could become precarious econ.st/3xxMcWQ

Arizona’s Supreme Court has upheld a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions except to save a mother’s life. Follow the latest in American politics econ.st/3vI70KX 👇

Today on “The Intelligence”: Russia’s doomsayer-defying economy, Britain’s unwitting success in assimilating immigrants and why lorries need electrifying fast econ.st/43PGYBQ

♦️ Joe Biden’s latest student-debt plan is sure to face pushback.

♦️ Donald Trump defends his abortion stance.

♦️ The former president’s bid to delay a criminal trial is denied.

Follow the latest in American politics: econ.st/3vzsz0g 👇