Welcome back to Ghost Reader – a publication to help you stay informed when you don’t have the time, access or energy to keep pace with today’s news cycle.
Here’s what you can look forward to this edition:
High-Impact Events: President Trump’s trip to the Middle East; and the latest on potential talks between Russia and Ukraine this week.
Executive Orders & Legislative Impacts: An overview of South African refugees arriving to the U.S. and what some see as a contradiction between their arrival and Trump administration immigration policies.
Human Experience & Rights: The latest economic inflation report and the difference in experience between remote and in-person workers.
Federal Government Operations: Department of Energy plans to repeal certain energy efficiency rules that could drive up costs for consumers.
Good for the Soul: A vending machine that distributes mini art instead of snacks.
Let’s get into it.
High-Impact Events
Monday, President Trump began a four-day trip to the Middle East where he’ll spend time in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He will notably not visit Israel and Iran, despite Israel being in the midst of a war in the Gaza Strip and Iran working toward development of nuclear weapons.
Here’s a recap of the trip so far and what to expect in its remaining days.
A major investment deal with Saudi Arabia
Tuesday, Trump announced a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the United States.
What should I know?
About the deal: Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signed an agreement covering energy, defense, and mining. It includes deals with more than a dozen U.S. defense companies in areas such as air and missile defense, air force and space advancement, and maritime security and communications. Here’s what’s reported as confirmed so far:
A $142 billion defense sales deal that will provide Saudi Arabia with “state of the art war-fighting equipment and services” from more than a dozen U.S. defense firms.
Commitments from DataVolt (a Saudi digital infrastructure business) to pursue a $20 billion investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in the U.S.
A combined $80 billion in commitments from DataVolt, Google, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber to invest in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Who’s traveling with Trump: One of the trip’s goals is to secure investments in AI and tech. Based on this, several tech leaders are accompanying the president this week, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Tesla CEO and DOGE leader Elon Musk.
There’s potentially more to come: Bin Salman said the aim is to raise the U.S.-Saudi partnership to $1 trillion across the military, security, economic, and technological sectors throughout Trump’s four years in office. While this has been touted by both Bin Salman and Trump, economists say any efforts to realize that will be a challenge, as Saudi Arabia faces astronomical costs for its own investment ambitions over the next five years.
No more U.S. sanctions for Syria
While in Saudi Arabia, Trump also announced he will order the removal of all U.S. sanctions against Syria at the request of the Saudi Crown Prince and “to give [Syria] a chance at greatness.”
What should I know?
Some context: The announcement was a surprise. Following it, Trump briefly met with Syria’s president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and urged him to normalize relations with Israel. No U.S. president has met with a Syrian president in 25 years.
About Syria’s president: Ahmed al-Sharaa is the former al Qaeda commander who took power after Bashar al-Assad – the former Syrian president – fled the country last year. He joined al Qaeda in Iraq around the time of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and spent years in U.S. prison before returning to Syria to join the rebellion against Assad. In 2012, the U.S. designated Sharaa as a terrorist, saying al Qaeda had tasked him with overthrowing Assad’s rule and establishing Islamic sharia law in Syria, carrying out suicide attacks that killed civilians. He is said to have cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016, slowly reframing his group as part of the Syrian revolution.
Some historical background: The United States declared Syria a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979, added sanctions in 2004, and imposed further sanctions after their civil war broke out in 2011.
How Trump can remove the sanctions: Most sanctions passed by Congress include a provision allowing a president to suspend them if deemed to be in U.S. national security interest.
The potential impact: Many believe the removal of U.S. sanctions will enable greater engagement by humanitarian organizations in Syria and ease foreign investment and trade as the country rebuilds from its civil war. The United Nations – which has pushed countries to lift sanctions on Syria – responded positively, saying the lifted sanctions will help the country’s reconstruction, its people, and re-building efforts after a decade of under-investment.
And yet: U.S. ally Israel opposes sanctions relief for Syria and has escalated military strikes there since Assad was toppled. The lifting of sanctions came despite Israeli suspicion of Sharaa’s leadership. Israeli officials have described Sharaa as a jihadist, despite severing ties with al Qaeda in 2016.
Speaking of Israel…
It’s important to note President Trump will not visit Israel or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while in the Middle East.
What should I know?
The general sentiment: By not scheduling a trip to Israel, Trump is reinforcing a recent pattern that Israel’s interests may no longer be top of mind. Trump’s announcement the U.S. will halt airstrikes on the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, and this week’s lifting of sanctions on Syria are several examples of the U.S. acting in ways that go against Israeli interests.
What else it shows: Generally, this trip is more focused on investment and business than security – both for the U.S. and Trump’s personal and familial interests. The places he’s visiting – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – are energy-rich nations and home to existing or planned Trump-branded real estate projects.
An example: The Trump Organization announced a new luxury real estate deal in Qatar two weeks before the trip, and also has projects in Jeddah, Dubai, and Oman.
What’s happening behind the scenes: Hours before Trump left for his trip, his envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff secured a release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, who was in Hamas custody. Witkoff and White House hostage envoy Adam Boehler were also sent to Doha this week to advocate for a broader hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. If no deal is reached before Trump’s trip ends, Israel said it will begin an operation to occupy and “flatten” all of Gaza.
A catch up on Qatar
Trump arrived in Qatar today, where he announced a $200 billion deal for the country to purchase 160 jets from U.S. manufacturer Boeing. This follows news earlier in the week about Trump planning to accept an aircraft from the Qatari government. For context, check out Monday’s edition of Ghost Reader.
What should I know?
What’s expected to happen: Aside from the commercial aircraft deal with Boeing, the Qataris are also expected to sign a $2 billion deal to purchase MQ-9 Reaper drones from the U.S.
Now, let’s talk about Russia and Ukraine
Thursday, representatives from Russia and Ukraine might meet to discuss an end to their ongoing war. This would be the first direct talks between the countries since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
What should I know?
If it’ll actually happen: To be determined. As of Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’ll be in Turkey on Thursday no matter what. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to confirm if he – or others from his delegation – will be present.
The context: It goes back to April when Putin announced a three-day ceasefire to mark World War II Victory Day celebrations in Russia. Ukraine never agreed to the ceasefire and both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of violating the “truce” last week. Even so, Putin’s suggestion for a ceasefire led Ukraine – with backing from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, and the U.S. – to call for an extended 30-day ceasefire.
Putin’s response: He made a counter-offer. In an appearance with journalists over the weekend, Putin proposed direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey this week.
What’s happened since: Zelenskyy jumped on the offer and said he will be in Turkey Thursday with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan regardless of if Putin shows up. He positioned himself as a more reliable partner for peace than Putin, noting how Russia dismissed the 30-day ceasefire proposal and violated its own ceasefires over Easter and last weekend. He said, “We will do everything to make this meeting happen. If Putin is truly ready not just in the media but in real life to meet, and then, at the level of leaders, we will do everything to agree on a ceasefire. Because it is with him that I must negotiate a ceasefire. Because he is the only one who decides on it.”
And … cue Trump: Tuesday, Trump said he “might” stop by to attend the talks. Either way, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg will be present. He also said Russia could face massive sanctions if they don’t show up to the discussions.
Executive Orders & Legislative Impacts
Today, this section focuses on various aspects of how the U.S. granted refugee status to a group of white South Africans. We’ll look at the basics of what’s happening, potential contradictions with the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and a recent move by the Episcopal Church against it.
Fair warning: There’s a lot of historical context in here - hang with me.
Catch me up on the basics
What happened: A group of 49 white South Africans – mostly descendants of Dutch settlers referred to as Afrikaners – who were granted refugee status by the Trump administration for being deemed victims of racial discrimination arrived to the U.S. on Monday. The South Africans now have a path to U.S. citizenship and are eligible for government benefits.
The recent background: This resettlement effort comes after President Trump signed an executive order in February claiming minority Afrikaners were treated unfairly in South Africa, offering them possible resettlement in the U.S. With this, Trump also cut off aid to South Africa overs its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and support of Palestinians. He also claimed the South African government was taking land from Afrikaners. While the South African government did pass a land reform law earlier this year that allowed for expropriation without compensation in rare circumstances, no land has been seized. In fact, white individuals in South Africa only account for about 7 percent of the population but own about 70% of commercial farmland.
The broader historical context: Apartheid – a system of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government of South Africa from 1948 – 1994 – was repealed in 1992. South Africa held its first free and non-racial election in 1994. At that point, Nelson Mandela – an activist who spent 27 years in prison for his opposition to apartheid – became the first Black president of the country. Since then, the once-ruling white minority has retained most of its wealth. Despite only making up about 7% of the South African population, white individuals have about 20 times the wealth of Black individuals. Less than 10% of white South Africans are out of work, compared with more than one third of their Black counterparts. Despite those facts, the claim that white South Africans face discrimination by Black individuals has become a theme by right-wing voices and is often echoed by South African-born Elon Musk.
How South Africa responded: The South African government maintains there is no evidence of white persecution and the Trump administration is “wading into a domestic issue it does not understand.” Speaking at a conference in Ivory Coast, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa said the South Africans left because they were opposed to policies aimed at addressing racial inequality since apartheid. Many South Africans – Black and white – also disagree with what’s happening regarding the refugee resettlement in the U.S. Many have shared they are concerned race relations in the country will be set back because of this.
Now tell me about the contradictions
Refugee advocates in the U.S. note how unusual it is the Afrikaners were processed so quickly – especially amidst recent immigration-related executive orders. In this case, the process took about three months from the time President Trump signed the executive order in February; while normally, applications for refugee status in the U.S. take years to process. Additionally, the Afrikaners’ arrival comes after Trump effectively suspended the U.S. refugee admissions program in January.
What should I know?
An example: On the same day the South Africans arrived in the U.S., thousands of Afghan refugees were told they could be deported this summer. In this case, it includes Afghans who were granted “temporary protected status” after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 – many of whom risked their lives to help American forces.
The Trump administration’s rationale: Trump officials said the process went as quickly as it did because the South Africans would “assimilate easily” into the U.S. Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of state, told reporters the group of South Africans were “carefully vetted” and did not pose a national security threat. Additionally, in relation to the Afghan’s temporary protected status, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the status was being used improperly.
About the contradiction, overall: Trump has long been against refugees, claiming resettlement programs “flood the country with undesirable people” and allow “criminals and terrorists” into the U.S. Yet, he made an exception for the Afrikaners. Monday, he said the U.S. “essentially extended citizenship” to the individuals because they are “victims of genocide.” Others see something different. P. Deep Gulasekaram, a professor of immigration law at the University of Colorado Law School, said the exceptions “overtly advance a narrative of global persecution of whites” evident in many of the Trump administration’s policies and actions related to immigration and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
And what did the Episcopal Church do?
This week, the Episcopal Church’s migration service refused a directive from the federal government to help resettle the white South Africans.
What should I know?
The details: Monday, presiding bishop Sean Rowe made the announcement, adding the Episcopal Migration Ministries will halt its decades-long partnership with the federal government at the end of this fiscal year (September 30). He said, “In light of our church’s steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not able to take this step.”
What else Rowe said: That it’s “painful” to watch one group of refugees, “selected in a highly unusual manner,” receive preferential treatment over many others who have waited for years. He also said he is “saddened and ashamed” that many of the refugees being denied entrance to the U.S. are individuals who worked alongside the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home because of their service. He said the church will focus on other ways they serve immigrants.
About Episcopal Migration Ministries: As a program within the Episcopal Church, it partnered with the federal government to resettle refugees under federal grants for nearly four decades. It’s served an estimated 110,000 refugees from countries such as Ukraine, Myanmar, and Congo. The Episcopal Migration Ministry is part of 10 other national groups that partner with the U.S. government for refugee resettlement.
Who will fill the gap: Another faith-based group, Church World Service, said it will help resettle the Afrikaners. Rick Santos, CWS president and CEO, said the organization is concerned about how the government chose to fast-track the Afrikaners’ refugee applications while denying others access; and that it proves the U.S. government can screen and process refugees quickly despite historical precedent and claims it cannot. Still, Santos said CWS remains committed to helping all eligible refugees.
Human Experience & Rights
Catch me up on the most recent inflation report
April’s inflation report showed prices rose less than expected following President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcement.
What should I know?
The details: The Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Tuesday shows the consumer price index rose 2.3% from April 2024 to April 2025. This is the most moderate inflation reading since February 2021. It fell below the 2.4% economists forecasted for April.
What to keep an eye on: Economists largely agree tariffs lead to higher inflation – even if we’re not seeing it yet – since most companies pass import costs to the consumer. However, the frequent shifts in tariff rates over the past month make it difficult to forecast how large the tariff inflation impact will ultimately be.
Let’s talk about happiness and well-being in the workplace
A recent “State of the Global Workplace” report by Gallup showed that globally, fully remote workers are most likely to be engaged at work when compared with their hybrid and on-site peers, but less likely to be thriving in their lives overall.
What should I know?
About the report: It provides data from around the world on employee mental health. Administered by Gallup, it’s the world’s largest ongoing study of the employee experience. In 2024, more than 128,000 employees from 160 countries responded to the survey.
How it defines employee engagement: The enthusiasm workers feel for their work and attachment to their team and organization. The study positions it as a factor that directly affects team performance and business outcomes.
What the report found: Below are some of the more interesting findings.
Globally, fully remote workers are the most likely to be engaged at work (31%) compared with hybrid (23%), on-site, remote-capable (23%), and on-site, non-remote-capable (19%). This also means at most, only 31% of respondents said they’re engaged at work.
Despite that, fully remote workers said they are less likely to be thriving in their lives overall (36%). 42% of hybrid and on-site, remote-capable workers said they are thriving in their lives overall.
Fully remote employees were more likely to report experiencing anger, sadness, and loneliness than hybrid and on-site workers. They were more likely to report experiencing a lot of stress the previous day (45%) than on-site workers (39%). These differences hold true when accounting for income.
What the findings suggest: Generally, that a lot of people aren’t engaged at work or thriving. But also, that while remote workers may be more engaged, it could be more emotionally and mentally taxing. The report considers several factors that may explain the findings.
Physical distance can create mental distance: For some, remote work may feel like “just work,” with a lack of social interactions that go along with in-person or hybrid work experiences.
Autonomy can be stressful: While many employees want more autonomy in their jobs and it can boost engagement, too much autonomy can create stress. If clear boundaries don’t exist, managing one’s time independently and virtually collaborating with others can be difficult.
Technology can be frustrating: Past Gallup research shows remote work requiring high levels of coordination is harder than independent remote work. Collaboration through technology isn’t always smooth or easy; and remote employees may have less access to certain resources and equipment than on-site workers.
Why this matters: Sustainable, long-term performance and job commitment depend on employee engagement and well-being. The recent study showed that globally, 57% of fully remote workers are actively or passively looking for new jobs. But, when fully remote workers are engaged and thriving in their lives outside of work, only 38% of respondents said they were looking for new opportunities. This shows that by supporting both employee engagement and overall well-being, employers can help their remote employees find greater success in and outside of work, contributing to a stronger overall workforce.
Federal Government Operations
I heard the cost of operating my household appliances might increase
Monday, the Department of Energy said it was preparing to roll back energy and water conservation standards for many electric and gas appliances. It plans to target 47 regulations the department says are “driving up costs and lowering quality of life for the American people.”
What should I know?
What prompted it: This move follows an executive order from last week where President Trump directed the Energy Department to “eliminate restrictive water pressure and efficiency rules that make household appliances less effective and more expensive.”
The details: The list of appliance regulations includes those geared toward air cleaners, battery chargers, compressors, cooking tops, dehumidifiers, external power supplies, microwaves, dishwashers, and faucets. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to eliminate Energy Star, the popular energy-efficiency certification for dishwashers, refrigerators, dryers, and other home appliances.
Some context: Like many countries, the U.S. historically adopted standards that govern how much energy or water appliances can use. According to federal scientists, efficiency standards saved the average American household about $576 on water and gas bills in 2024 while cutting the nation’s annual energy consumption by 6.5% and public water use by 12%. Thanks in part to those measures, the total amount of energy and water used by American households has not grown as fast as the population.
Trump’s rationale: The Trump administration framed the standards as government overreach. Conservative groups also argued the efficiency standards hurt performance of appliances like dishwashers.
The response: Energy-efficiency experts and climate advocates said the move would increase the cost of running household appliances. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers - which represents 150 manufacturers behind 95% of the household appliances shipped for sale within the U.S. - said it was still evaluating the announcement. Even so, Jill A. Notini, a spokesperson for the association, said the standards have helped achieve decades of improvements in appliance efficiency. She said with most appliances operating near peak efficiency, additional meaningful savings are unlikely for some products without loss of performance.
Good for the Soul
In a world full of chaos, it’s often the small things that brighten one’s day. Let’s look at one artist’s attempt to do that through vending machines that distribute small pieces of artwork people can take with them while on the go.
What should I know?
About the vending machines: There are currently 50 across the United States. For four quarters, the machines spit out a linocut print made from carved linoleum. The prints primarily focus on food and the items used to make that food. Individuals don’t know what they’ll get when they use the vending machine. Examples of prints include artwork depicting a single fried egg, a strawberry, overalls worn while picking vegetables, or a blue tin of sardines, among others.
Where the idea came from: It was born in 2023 with an Instagram reel that got more than 17 million views. The artist – Ana Inciardi – says her inspiration was childhood memories. She said there was a sticker and tattoo vending machine at a supermarket where she grew up that she looked forward to using. When reflecting on that, she wondered what it would be like for a vending machine to sell her little prints.
She inspired a sense of community: Collecting Inciardi’s artwork has become a hobby of many, who try to visit every machine and collect + trade prints with other enthusiasts. One of her machines is now in the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., and you can check out the other locations here.
So if you stumble upon a vending machine that sells little pieces of artwork representing food and other daily items, now you know the story of why.
That’s all for today. Until Friday, let’s keep creating clarity in the chaos.
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