Israel plans to take control of Gaza City. And, Trump wants a new U.S. census

By  Brittney Melton Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Israel's Security Cabinet voted early today to authorize the military to expand the war in Gaza and take control of Gaza City. This area is one of the last remaining territories not yet fully under military occupation. According to the United Nations, 90% of Gaza is already under military control or off-limits to Palestinians. The aim of the plan is to disarm Hamas, get hostages back and establish Israeli security control of Gaza before ending the conflict, according to Israeli officials. Before the cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel intends to take over Gaza, but not keep it. Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza City on Aug. 7, 2025. Jehad Alshrafi/AP hide caption Vice President Vance traveled to Indiana yesterday to discuss redistricting with Republican state leaders. The battle to redraw new districts to ensure that Republicans win more Congressional seats next year started in Texas. The fight continues to escalate as Texas Democrats remain out of the state to try to block the GOP-led redrawing of the congressional map. GOP leaders, in response, have issued civil arrest warrants for the fleeing Democrats. President Trump instructed his administration yesterday to develop a "new" census plan that would exclude millions of people living in the U.S. without legal status. This would be an unprecedented change to how the country has collected population data since its first census in 1790. The census numbers play a significant role in determining how the president and congressional members are elected. Former Jan. 6 defendant Jared Wise is working as a senior adviser for the Department of Justice less than five years after urging rioters to "kill" police at the Capitol. NPR obtained police bodycam footage of Wise berating officers and the transcript of his testimony, in which he tried to explain his actions. Wise was not convicted of any crimes related to Jan. 6, due to Trump's order to end all Capitol riot prosecutions. Overall divorce rates are down except for one key demographic: people over 50. This phenomenon is called gray divorce. As we get older, it's common to hear about how much harder it is to make friends or build new relationships. But Gen Xers spent most of their adulthood living in a society where divorce is viewed as more acceptable and less stigmatized. That's one reason why they're open to starting new chapters. In this episode of It's Been A Minute, host Brittany Luse discusses gray divorce and how it's never too late to write a new love story. Big Freedia poses for a portrait on July 15 at Esplanade Studios in New Orleans, LA. The studio was converted from a church. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend: 🍿 Movies: In the horror film Together, Alison Brie and Dave Franco play a couple whose bodies start fusing together after they visit a mysterious cave. The film explores toxic codependency. 📺 TV: Wednesday is back for a second season this week. To help prepare for the new episodes, Pop Culture Happy Hour revisits their conversation about Wednesday Addams, who moves from her home to the gloomy Nevermore Academy. 📚 Books: Manga: A New History of Japanese Comics examines Japan's eye-catching graphic storytelling style. The book chronicles the evolution of manga from its late 19th-century origins to its popularity today. 🎵 Music: Big Freedia's new album, Pressing Onward, fuses gospel and her love for bounce music, which she helped popularize. NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with her about how singing in church as a child led her to this moment. 🍲 Food: Social media influencers are bringing back recession-era recipes to help people cook cheap, easy and filling meals. Check out some videos and try one for yourself. ❓ Quiz: I was so close to 100%! I missed one question, yet again. Can you beat my high score? Test your knowledge. 'Superman' spinoff TV actor Dean Cain at a convention in Chicago. The actor shared an Instagram post on Wednesday about his plan to join ICE and urged his followers to join too. Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP hide caption This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.