The Bulletin
WORLD IN BRIEF
- MAGA setting its sights on Wikipedia: The emerging coalition of MAGA supporters and Silicon Valley's tech bros and venture capitalists has found a new shared target: the world's largest free encyclopedia. Here's why.
- Thailand's landmark marriage bill: Hundreds of same-sex couples are tying the knot across Thailand today, as the country makes history as the first in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality.
- Davos event panelist: As business and economic leaders gather in Davos, Switzerland for the 2025 World Economic Forum, Newsweek hosted an event on Monday that brought together global climate leaders. Here's a look at the key topics they explored.
- Nashville school shooting: Two students are dead, and two others were injured after a shooting at Antioch High School in Tennessee on Wednesday morning, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. Find out more.
- Saudi Arabia to invest $600B in the US: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince announced Thursday that the kingdom is set to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years. Know more.
- Musk's post-election moves: Since Donald Trump's November election win, Elon Musk has been constantly on the move, shuttling between Mar-a-Lago, his corporate HQs, and other key locations. Here's where he's been.
Trump Said He'd End Ukraine War in First 24 Hours. He Hasn't
The rundown: President Donald Trump has missed his deadline for ending the war in Ukraine within a day of taking office but even if his pledge to halt hostilities was far-fetched, his new administration has insisted that the conflict can be ended quickly. Learn more.
Why it matters: Trump's special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg has been tasked with ending the war within 100 days, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed source, but even that time frame would be optimistic. Vuk Vuksanovic, associate at the London School of Economics think tank, LSE IDEAS, told Newsweek whatever ambition Trump has for a hasty end to the war, there is no agreement either on the territories Russia says it has annexed from Ukraine, or about Kyiv's membership of NATO. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS about his wish for a "sustainable" end to the conflict so it did not just restart in the next few years.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Kyiv Open to Peace Negotiations With Putin, Official Signals
TL/DR: The new president's repeated pledge he could end the war in 24 hours had raised doubts.
What happens now? Details of the Trump administration's plans will become clearer in the coming weeks, but Rubio has already said that any talks would require concessions from both Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine wants security guarantees and it is not yet known whether the ones that Trump will agree to will satisfy Kyiv.
Deeper reading Donald Trump Said He'd End Ukraine War in First 24 Hours. He Hasn't
Timelapse Video Shows Hughes Fire Explode in Southern California
The rundown: A timelapse video has shown the Hughes fire explode, casting an enormous cloud of smoke over Los Angeles County in Southern California on Wednesday. Find out which areas are under evacuation orders.
Why it matters: Hughes is the newest fire to ignite as Southern California has been overwhelmed with deadly blazes this month. The fire has burned through over 5,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties since it started late Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A timelapse video created by the University of San Diego's Alert California program showed smoke billowing from Los Angeles County's mountainous terrain within one hour. Meanwhile, yet another blaze broke out in the Los Angeles area on Wednesday night. Dubbed the Sepulveda fire, it had grown to 20 acres by the early hours of Thursday morning.
Read more in-depth coverage:
How LA Hughes Fire Compares to Palisades, Eaton Blazes
TL/DR: The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest in Los Angeles County, sparked numerous mandatory evacuations, destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 28 people.
What happens now? According to the NWS Los Angeles, the red flag warning runs until Friday morning. The fire is currently zero percent contained and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Deeper reading Timelapse Video Shows Hughes Fire Explode in Southern California
Trump's Executive Orders Have 'One Big Limitation': Attorney
The rundown: President Donald Trump is witnessing the limitations of his executive orders as they face legal challenges and opposition, a legal expert has said. Find out how.
Why it matters: Trump signed 26 executive orders on Monday, the first day of his second term in office. Writing in her Civil Discourse blog, Joyce Vance, who served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama during the Barack Obama administration, said, "one big limitation" of the president's executive orders is that they can only be implemented within the executive branch and must comply with the Constitution and federal laws. Some of the orders signed by Trump on Monday are already facing legal challenges. The National Treasury Employees Union is suing the Trump administration for reintroducing Schedule F, which strips federal employees of certain employment protections, making it easier to fire them.
Read more in-depth coverage:
How Trump's Executive Orders Compare to Project 2025
TL/DR: Trump also signed an executive order aiming to end the right to citizenship for some children born in the U.S.
What happens now? Despite Trump indicating sweeping changes would be enacted from day one of his new term, Vance is suggesting that some may be restricted in how they are implemented or enforced, even with a GOP trifecta in government. Each of the legal challenges to Trump's executive orders could be argued in court over the coming months.
Deeper reading Donald Trump's Executive Orders Have 'One Big Limitation': Attorney
Photos Shows US Ally Shadowing Chinese Ship in Contested Waters
The rundown: The Philippines is publicizing the movements of the Chinese Coast Guard, which continues to occupy waters off the U.S. ally's maritime zone in the South China Sea. Here's what we know.
Why it matters: The neighbors' long-running dispute, where standoffs have usually been centered on a handful of reefs and rocks within the Philippines' internationally recognized exclusive economic zone, has recently come closer to the Southeast Asian country's shores. The Philippines on Wednesday released new photos that show its vessels the BRP Cabra and Suluan patrolling while on their mission to keep the Chinese ships from approaching closer to the Luzon island coast. The Cabra was deployed to relieve the Suluan and continue monitoring China Coast Guard ship No. 3013. However, upon its arrival, another Chinese Coast Guard vessel, No. 3304, approached the areas.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Satellite Photo Captures US Ally's Standoff With China's 'Monster Ship'
TL/DR: Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela detailed on X the Chinese side's apparent efforts to outmaneuver their large Philippine counterparts.
What happens now? With an eye toward China, former President Joe Biden and Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. further strengthened strategic ties, with Washington committing hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid and Manila expanding U.S. military access to more of its bases.
Deeper reading Photos Shows US Ally Shadowing Chinese Ship in Contested Waters
Map Shows 5 Most and Least Affordable States
The rundown: The Midwest and South dominate a list put together by real estate website Zoocasa for the most affordable states in the country to live in this year, where residents don't have to break the bank to buy a home. Here's the list.
Why it matters: With mortgage rates still ticking up and home prices remaining near their pandemic peaks across much of the country, aspiring homebuyers are struggling to get on the property ladder. The list evaluated states based on their average monthly mortgage payment and how much of a median household's monthly income would be required to cover that expense. Zoocasa also considered the house price-to-income ratio in each state, which determines how affordable properties are in each state for local homebuyers.
Read more in-depth coverage:
How to Get a Mortgage Rate Under 3% as Rates Climb Above 7%
TL/DR: Newly sworn-in President Donald Trump has promised to improve affordability in the housing market by increasing inventory and lowering mortgage rates.
What happens now? Most housing experts believe that home prices will continue creeping up this year, though at a slower pace than previously recorded due to dwindling demand. In states like Florida and Texas, which have build more new housing than any other in the past few years, a flood of inventory is expected to give homebuyers an advantage.
Deeper reading Map Shows 5 Most and Least Affordable States
If Politicians Want the Support of Latinx Voters, They Need To Face Facts | Opinion
One clear lesson from the recent election cycle, which will certainly carry forward to the next one, is that Republicans and Democrats are chomping at the bit to attract more Latinx and Hispanic voters.
Republicans, for their part, are looking to continue their progress. A greater share of Latinx and Hispanic voters cast ballots for Donald Trump in this one election than for any Republican candidate in history. Meanwhile, after underperforming among these voters, Democrats are scrambling to figure out how to bring them back.
