The Bulletin

• Ukraine war ultimatum deadline passes: The Kremlin was silent Tuesday morning as Ukraine's ultimatum for a full and unconditional ceasefire passed its deadline. Here's what happens next.

• Pope Leo's message to the US: Asked if he had a message for Americans, the new Pope Leo XIV—born in Chicago—gave a short reply with a hint of more to come. Read his message here.

• Join Istanbul talks, Zelensky tells Putin: Ukraine challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to join talks in Istanbul on Thursday and said if he failed to do so, it would show he was not serious about peace, and that the world should toughen action against Russia.

• Hasan Piker detained by CBP: Hasan Piker, among the most influential voices in progressive politics, said over the weekend that he was detained and questioned by immigration officials at Chicago's O'Hare airport. Know more.

• Millions face losing health insurance: A Republican-led proposal to scale back Affordable Care Act subsidies could result in millions of Americans losing their health insurance, according to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

• IRS allowed to share tax data with ICE: A federal judge on Monday declined to halt the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants' tax information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Find out more.

• Supreme Court to curtail judges' powers to stop Trump: The U.S. Supreme Court could soon curtail judges' powers to rein in President Donald Trump. Here's what to know.

The rundown: The first group of white South Africans has arrived in the U.S. after President Donald Trump's granted them refugee status. Here's what to know.

Why it matters: The decision to admit the Afrikaners, who are a minority in their country, came despite Trump cracking down on admissions of other asylum seekers. Senior officials from Trump's administration were waiting at the Dulles International Airport outside Washington D.C. to personally welcome the new arrivals on Monday. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Troy Edgar addressed the crowd of around 59 people, including children. Many of them were seen waving American flags. Landau said: "Welcome. Welcome to the United States of America. It is such an honor for us to receive you here today. This is the land of the free!" Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch described the decision to admit the individuals as a "racial twist in Trump's cut-off of refugee admissions."

Read more in-depth coverage:
Church Rebukes Trump Administration Over White South African Refugees

TL/DR: The Afrikaners who flew to the U.S. on Monday are claiming refugee status, saying they are being persecuted by their government.

What happens now? The Episcopal Church's migration agency is rejecting a directive from the federal government to help resettle white South Africans granted refugee status, citing the church's enduring commitment to racial justice and its historic ties to southern Africa.

Deeper reading White South African Refugees Welcomed by Trump Admin as They Arrive in US

The rundown: President Donald Trump has slashed the "de minimis" tariff on low-value packages imported from China to 54 percent, down from 120 percent, the White House confirmed in an updated executive order published late Monday. Get more details.

Why it matters: Earlier on Monday, the U.S. and China announced they had reached a deal to cut the reciprocal tariff rate on each side by 115 percentage points for 90 days, and that they had established a mechanism for ongoing negotiations during that pause. It brought the U.S. reciprocal tariff on Chinese imports down to 30 percent—a 10 percent baseline and a 20 percent levy for China's role in the fentanyl trade. A $100 flat fee will also apply to the packages, down from a $200 fee due to hit in June. It means those importing packages from China via postal services that fall below the de minimis threshold of $800 in value will face a lower tariff, offering some relief to Chinese e-commerce giants such as Shein and Temu and their American customers.

Read more in-depth coverage:
China's State Media Claims Victory After US Trade Talks

TL/DR: The changes are one significant part of a broader de-escalation between the U.S. and China on trade in a conflict between the world's two largest economies that spooked global markets and increased the probability of a recession.

What happens now? The new measures will all take effect on May 14. Trade Secretary Scott Bessent has said there will be further talks with China during the 90-day pause to resolve the many differences on trade. If more progress is made, such as on the fentanyl issue, we may see other tariffs removed, and the current cuts made permanent.

Deeper reading Trump Slashes 'De Minimis' Tariff on China for Low-Value Packages

The rundown: As President Trump signed an executive order Monday that promises to drastically lower prescription drug prices in the U.S., Newsweek spoke with experts to find out what the new order will mean for those on Medicare. Here's what they said.

Why it matters: The executive order is aimed at a long-standing issue: Americans pay significantly more for prescription medications than consumers elsewhere, with branded drugs in the U.S. costing around three times more than those in other countries. Americans who use Medicare Plan B drugs could see a drop in cost, Minal R. Patel, a professor at the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, told Newsweek. Citing RAND's 2024 report, Jean Bae, a professor at the School of Global Public Health, New York University, told Newsweek that U.S. drug gross prices were on average 278 percent more expensive than the prices in the 33 other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Read more in-depth coverage:
What Trump's Executive Order Means for Medicare, Medicaid

TL/DR: The order could therefore reduce the costs of drugs used by millions of Americans on Medicare. However, whether the change in cost reaches Medicare recipients is another thing.

What happens now? Jean Bae, a professor at the School of Global Public Health, New York University, told Newsweek that Drug companies could limit the impact of the order for recipients by delaying the launch of a new expensive drug in referenced countries or pulling out of such countries altogether.

Deeper reading Could Prescription Drug Costs Change for Medicare Users? Experts Weigh In

The rundown: As President Trump sets out for the Middle East in the first international trip of his second administration, signs of disagreements have emerged between the U.S. leader and one of the men who most enthusiastically welcomed his return to office. Here's why.

Why it matters: Once close allies, the two now appear divided over key issues including U.S. outreach to Iran, Hamas and the Houthis, and rising tariffs on Israel. Analysts say Netanyahu feels sidelined, while Trump wields significant leverage, with Israel still reliant on U.S. support. Despite public reassurances from officials, deep policy disagreements—especially regarding Gaza, nuclear diplomacy and Saudi normalization—signal growing friction. Trump's "America First" approach has increasingly diverged from Israel's strategic aims. Netanyahu, constrained by a far-right coalition, has limited flexibility to align with Trump's rapid diplomatic moves.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump Reveals Humanitarian Concerns for Gaza in Netanyahu Call

TL/DR: The extent to which Trump and Netanyahu are truly at odds remains a matter of debate. Officials on both sides have downplayed reports of divisions between the two men.

What happens now? While a major break seems unlikely, experts note a widening gap and diminished coordination between the two leaders, hinting at a more transactional and less predictable U.S.-Israel relationship in this new term.

Deeper reading What Cracks in Trump-Netanyahu Ties Could Mean for US Support of Israel

The rundown: High-speed rail has been touted as one of the top priorities by many politicians in the U.S., but despite almost two decades of talk, the country's top projects are barely taking off. Find out why.

Why it matters: The largest high-speed rail project being worked on is in California, where 500 miles of track are planned to connect San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. The smaller-scale Texas high-speed rail project, which would connect Dallas with Houston over 240 miles, was first proposed in the 2000s but has yet to break ground, despite partnerships with investors from Japan who have a proven track record with bullet trains. One of the biggest barriers the projects face is political opposition. Infrastructure projects are costly, take a long time to yield any benefit, and the nature of high-speed rail means that a lot of stakeholders in a variety of locations need to be on board. Also, one of the other biggest delays facing U.S. high-speed rail is the very ground it's being built on

Read more in-depth coverage:
How California's High-Speed Rail Progress Compares To Texas

TL/DR: During his first administration, Trump branded high-speed rail as a "green disaster" and a "waste" and demanded that California return $3.5 billion in federal funding allocated for its project.

What happens now? Despite the setbacks, the California and Texas projects maintain an optimistic outlook. However, on their current timelines, neither project is set to become fully operational before 2030, meaning from beginning to end, their planning and construction will take more than two decades, assuming there are no further delays.

Deeper reading Why Is US High-Speed Rail Taking So Long?