The Bulletin

• Iran issues new threat to US: Iran's top commanders have issued a new warning to the United States and Israel, vowing a far stronger and more punishing counterstrike if either launches new attacks against the Islamic republic. Learn more.

• US debt reaches $37 trillion: The U.S. government's gross national debt has climbed past $37 trillion, a record-breaking milestone that underscores the rapid growth of America's fiscal obligations and the mounting cost pressures on taxpayers. Know more.

• New urgent travel warning for Mexico: The State Department updated an advisory for Americans traveling to Mexico, warning of "terrorism, crime, and kidnapping." Get more details.

• US tracking Chinese ships near Alaska: A United States reconnaissance aircraft was tracked flying over Arctic waters near Alaska over the weekend, as five Chinese research vessels arrived in the region. Find out more.

• Social Security warning: The Department of Justice has warned that overturning tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act would risk a "1929-style" crisis that could endanger the country's social welfare programs. Here's how.

The rundown: President Donald Trump is looking to change the way the U.S. Census Bureau collects data, wanting to exclude immigrants who are in the United States illegally. Here's how.

Why it matters: Several experts told Newsweek that excluding people living in the country without legal status from the head count used to allocate congressional seats among the states and determine how federal funding is distributed would run afoul of the U.S. Constitution. They say excluding undocumented immigrants from the census would violate the Fourteenth Amendment. Trump wrote on Truth Social last week that he had instructed the Department of Commerce to have the Census Bureau start work on "a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024."

Read more in-depth coverage:
As Trump Floats New Census, How Many People Really Live in the US?

TL/DR: Experts say excluding undocumented immigrants from the census would violate the Fourteenth Amendment.

What happens now? Though any efforts to change how the census is conducted are sure to face legal challenges, Trump's directive threatens to shift the balance of political power in the country.

Deeper reading Is Donald Trump's New Census Constitutional? Experts Weigh in

The rundown: A federal judge has ordered President Trump's administration to restore some of the funding it cut from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in July, handing a partial victory to the state's public university system which is facing a $1 billion settlement demand from the White House over accusations of antisemitism on campus. Get more details.

Why it matters: Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District Court of California, who issued the order on Tuesday, had in June barred the National Science Foundation (NSF) from terminating grants to University of California researchers. UCLA said in early August that the Trump administration had suspended $584 million in federal grants. In her Tuesday ruling, which Newsweek has reviewed, Lin said in the directive, referring to her earlier order, that the NSF was in violation after cutting off funding to UCLA and she ruled that suspended grants be restored. "NSF's actions violate the preliminary injunction," Lin said in the ruling.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump Admin Seeks $1 Billion UCLA Settlement: Report

TL/DR: The White House has cracked down on pro-Palestinian campus protests across the country since Trump returned to office in January.

What happens now? In her ruling, Lin ordered a joint status report by August 19, 2025, to confirm all steps to comply with the Preliminary Injunction have been completed by NSF.

Deeper reading Trump Admin Ordered to Restore Portions of Grants Stripped From UCLA

The rundown: Elon Musk will have to face court charges of running a "years-long harassment campaign" against OpenAI after a judge refused his request to dismiss the case. Here's what to know.

Why it matters: US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled on Tuesday that Musk would face allegations of weaponized legal claims and continued social media attacks against his former business colleague-turned-rival Sam Altman, and the artificial intelligence company that they co-founded together, which produces ChatGPT. Musk asked for the counterclaim, which was filed in April, to be dismissed, as the latest stage in a legal battle between Musk and Altman over the management of OpenAI, which Musk departed from in 2019.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Elon Musk Reacts as Grok Account Gets Temporarily Suspended

TL/DR: Musk and Altman are not on good terms. After co-founding OpenAI in 2015, Musk left the company, citing disagreements over the organization's direction.

What happens now? A trial in a federal court in California is scheduled for March.

Deeper reading Elon Musk Suffers Legal Blow in War With Sam Altman

The rundown: Support among Ukrainians for continuing the fight against Russia has slumped, according to polling that shows most want to end the war through negotiations. Here's what else it reveals.

Why it matters: The Gallup survey found that most Ukrainians backed ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for Kyiv fighting on until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict. This is a reversal from 2022, the year the war started, only 22 percent of Ukrainians favored a negotiated end to the war, and 73 percent favored Ukraine fighting until victory. Gallup also found that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had an approval rating of 67 percent, up seven percentage points from 2024.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Ukraine's Zelensky Says Putin Will Benefit From Trump Meeting in 3 Ways

TL/DR: Three and a half years into the war, Gallup found that 69 percent of Ukrainians backed a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible.

What happens now? In statements issued so far this week, Ukraine's European allies have publicly said that changing borders by force was not acceptable and emphasized that Kyiv must be part of any peace deal, with high-stakes diplomacy likely to continue before Friday's summit.

Deeper reading Ukrainians Have Changed Their Minds on Ending War

The rundown: Democrats face declining support among young male voters, but New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is emerging as a potential bright spot. Find out how.

Why it matters: A July poll shows him leading the NYC mayoral race with over 50 percent support, backed by 85 percent of young men—contrasting with national trends favoring Republicans. Focus groups reveal many young men feel abandoned by Democrats, citing economic struggles, lack of college access, and limited job opportunities. While drawn to Trump's economic messaging, some reject his harsher policies, leaving them politically up for grabs. Mamdani's platform—centered on affordability, housing and public services—directly addresses these concerns, offering Democrats a possible path to reconnect with this critical demographic.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Zohran Mamdani Meets With Democrats As He Attempts To Gather Key Support

TL/DR: A July poll of 1,453 New York City residents, conducted by Zenith Research and Public Progress Solutions, found Mamdani leading his opponents by double digits in the crowded five-way mayoral race.

What happens now? The Young Men Research Initiative summed it up: "Young men want to be able to protect and provide for their family," and "home ownership remains a defining life goal." They concluded, "Mamdani is tapping into these aspirations, and it may just work out."

Deeper reading Is Zohran Mamdani the Key to Democrats Winning Back Young Men?