The Bulletin
WORLD IN BRIEF
- China reacts to Trump-Putin summit: China was positive about the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, despite it yielding no immediate deal on a ceasefire in the Ukraine war or a broader peace settlement. Know more.
- Newsom's team unveils new nickname for JD Vance: After pivoting into a Trump-style of social media posting to mock the U.S. president, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's team has now introduced a new nickname for Vice President J.D. Vance, "Just Dance Vance." Read more.
- US shadows Chinese ships near Alaska: The United States is monitoring a fleet of Chinese research vessels operating in Arctic waters near Alaska in support of "homeland defense and security," the Coast Guard said.
- Buckley draw fire burns hundreds of acres in Utah: A wildfire is raging across a swathe of land in Utah after a blaze broke out early on Sunday evening. More on the incident.
- USPS reveals new forever stamp: The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has announced a commemorative Forever stamp honoring former President Jimmy Carter. Check it out here.
Trump Sets Out His Peace Terms for Zelensky
The rundown: President Donald Trump has said that Ukraine will not be able to reclaim Crimea nor become a member of NATO if Kyiv wishes to sign a peace deal with Russia. Find out more.
Why it matters: Trump wrote on Truth Social that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky "can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight." Trump appeared to blame former President Barack Obama for Ukraine's loss of Crimea, and said there would be "no going into NATO by Ukraine" in any agreement brokered by the U.S. to end the war. "No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!" Trump said.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump's Approval Rating Surges After Putin Summit
TL/DR: Russia annexed Crimea, the peninsula to the south of mainland Ukraine, in 2014, when it propped up separatists in Ukraine's Donbas and Luhansk regions.
What happens now? Zelensky is due to meet Trump in the White House later on Monday, along with several European leaders and the NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. It follows Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Deeper reading Donald Trump Sets Out His Peace Terms for Zelensky
Trump's New Census Could Be Bad News for Texas
The rundown: President Donald Trump's proposal for a new national census that excludes people living in the United States illegally could reduce Texas' political power by reducing both its number of Electoral College votes and seats in the House of Representatives. Get more details.
Why it matters: On August 7, Trump said he had instructed the Department of Commerce to begin work on a new national census that would exclude illegal migrants, using data from the 2024 presidential election as a baseline. Census Bureau data is used to determine how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives and also how many Electoral College votes it gets during presidential elections. So if a state loses population disproportionately once illegal migrants are excluded, it would see its political influence decrease. In 2024, the Department of Homeland Security estimated that in January 2022 there were 10,990,000 people residing in the U.S. illegally.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Is Trump's New Census Constitutional? Experts Weigh in
TL/DR: The Trump administration is pushing for a new census despite the next one not being due until 2030.
What happens now? If Trump pushes ahead with his plan, it will almost inevitably spark a major legal battle. Even if the courts approve, experts agree that the overall effect on American politics is hard to determine, though states with a high illegal migrant population—such as Texas—will likely lose some influence.
Deeper reading Donald Trump's New Census Could Be Bad News for Texas
Iran Sends Ominous Warning to US
The rundown: An Iranian lawmaker has warned that the country's missiles can hit Europe and could eventually target U.S. cities. Read his full remarks.
Why it matters: Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, told Iranian media on Sunday that Tehran has been developing long-range strike capabilities for two decades. He warned that "perhaps our next missile will hit Washington directly." Hayat-Moqaddam said Iran's missiles can already reach targets anywhere in Europe. He added that Iranian naval vessels could move close enough to reduce the distance to U.S. cities such as Washington and New York from 10,000 kilometers (about 6,200 miles) to roughly 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles), also placing them within striking range one day.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Iran Turns to China for Missile Boost: Report
TL/DR: The comments underline the heightened risk of a broader conflict as Iran openly discusses offensive capabilities against both European capitals and the United States.
What happens now? With Iran asserting that its missiles can already reach Europe and may soon be able to target American cities from the sea, Western governments face mounting pressure to enforce sanctions and safeguard their security. The coming months will test whether diplomacy or confrontation will dominate the next phase of the crisis.
Deeper reading Iran Sends Ominous Warning to US
NATO Ally Issues Warning to Ukraine After Russia Pipeline Strike
The rundown: Hungary accused Ukraine of attacking and disabling a Russian oil pipeline that supplies the NATO ally, and fired a warning to Kyiv about its reliance on Hungarian electricity supplies. Here's what to know.
Why it matters: The Orban government in Budapest has criticized Western involvement in helping Ukraine to defend against the Russian invasion, and has sought to maintain its relations with Moscow, despite its membership of NATO and the European Union. "This latest strike against our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable!" Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó posted to X on Monday morning, August 18. "For 3.5 years Brussels and Kyiv have tried to drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine. These repeated Ukrainian attacks on our energy supply serve that same purpose," Szijjártó said on X.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Steve Witkoff Applauds 'Game-Changing' Security Guarantee for Ukraine
TL/DR: "For 3.5 years Brussels and Kyiv have tried to drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine. These repeated Ukrainian attacks on our energy supply serve that same purpose," Szijjártó said on X.
What happens now? Szijjártó said Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin told him they were working to restore the supply, but could not give a time for its resumption.
Deeper reading NATO Ally Issues Warning to Ukraine After Russia Pipeline Strike
Michigan Homes Were Swallowed by a Dam—There's No Sign of Compensation
The rundown: On May 19, 2020, the Edenville Dam in Midland County, Michigan, collapsed after heavy rainfall, forcing thousands to evacuate and flooding homes, though no lives were lost. Here's how survivors are pursuing a class action lawsuit against the state for allegedly ignoring warnings before the disaster.
Why it matters: The failure destroyed properties, including Midland County residents Matt Smith's $175,000 in damages and Bob Woods' $60,000–$65,000 losses, along with irreplaceable belongings. Many residents without flood insurance were forced to sell at reduced prices. In 2023, a federal judge found the dam's private owner responsible, awarding $120 million in damages. Still, survivors argue that state agencies ignored warnings and ordered higher water levels, worsening the risk. Michigan denies liability, citing historic rainfall.
Read more in-depth coverage:
This Small Town Is Seeking a 225% Property Tax Increase
TL/DR: Five years on, many of those who survived that tragic event are living in a sort of limbo as they try to get state regulators to take their part of the blame for the failure of the Edenville Dam.
What happens now? In July 2025, a judge allowed residents’ class action lawsuit against the state to proceed, with trial set for January 2026.
Deeper reading Michigan Homes Were Swallowed by a Dam—There's No Sign of Compensation
What the Fast Food Industry Is Telling Us About the Economy
For many Americans, cutting back on dining out is one of the first signs of financial pressure—especially among lower- and middle-income households. And when they do choose to eat out or order in, they're shifting to lower-cost options.
That change is showing up in restaurant sales. Between January and March, Americans ate one billion fewer restaurant meals than during the same period last year, according to market research firm Circana.
So-called "fast casual" chains like Cava, Sweetgreen, Panera Bread and Shake Shack—viewed by many as too expensive for everyday dining—are the first to send the distress warning. Cava, which posted double-digit same-store sales growth in the first quarter, slowed to just 2.1 percent in the second. Sweetgreen reported a 7.2 percent sales decline in Q2, while Chipotle dropped 4 percent.
