The Bulletin
World in Brief
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- UCLA protests erupt into chaos: Clashes have broken out near a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles. Learn how the unrest unfolded, and read below for more protest coverage.
- Democrats win special election: Timothy Kennedy, a Democratic New York state senator, has won the special election for the congressional seat vacated by the retired Democrat Brian Higgins. Find out more.
- Presidential debates: Former President Donald Trump's campaign is griping that the 2024 presidential debates have been "delayed" after the commission that organizes them declined a request to hold the debates sooner than usual. Find out more.
- Highway collapse in China: At least 19 people are dead after a highway gave way in Meizhou, a city in southern China's Guangdong province, this morning, state media reported. Get the latest toll.
- In the ongoing war in Ukraine, Kyiv's latest data indicating daily losses of more than 1,000 on most days over the last week and total losses of nearly 6,000 over the last five days.
NYPD Storm Columbia Building; Violence Escalates at UCLA As Protests Spread
New York police in riot gear stormed a Columbia University building and arrested pro-Palestinian protesters on Tuesday, according to videos posted online. Tensions have escalated at universities across the country. Police arrived in riot gear as violence between protesters escalated at the University of California, Los Angeles. Get the latest details on UCLA here.
Why it matters: Over the past two weeks, police raids on various U.S. campuses have led to confrontations and over 1,000 arrests. Police in riot gear stormed a Columbia University building and forcefully arrested pro-Palestinian protesters on Tuesday, videos posted online appear to show. Columbia said they had "no choice" but to ask the police to intervene. The university said that not all the protesters who occupied the building were students. "We believe that the group that broke into and occupied the building is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University," said the spokesperson.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump Rages at Columbia Protesters for Causing 'Tremendous Damage'
Columbia Protesters Storm Hamilton Hall
'Columbia Will Burn': Campus Protesters Refuse to Back Down
TL/DR: Police in riot gear stormed Hamilton Hall and arrested pro-Palestinian protesters, according to videos posted online.
What happens now? Columbia University officials say students inside Hamilton Hall face expulsion, and students who refuse to leave the encampment are being suspended. They say seniors will be ineligible to graduate. Columbia has asked the NYPD to remain on campus until May 17, two days after its graduation ceremony.
Deeper reading Videos Of Columbia University Raid Show NYPD Arrest Protesters
Texas Is No Longer the Hotspot for Illegal Migrant Crossings
The number of encounters between law enforcement and suspected illegal migrants across five regions of Texas fell dramatically in the 2024 fiscal year through March compared to the same period in 2023, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
Why it matters: The figures depicted sharp declines in El Paso, Big Bend, Del Rio, Laredo, and Rio Grande Valley. The drop in Texas could be seen as a win for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who implemented Operation Lone Star, deploying National Guard troops and installing razor wire at the border to curb illegal crossings. In contrast, Arizona and California, both governed by Democrats, saw increases in migrant encounters during the same period. Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake suggested that Abbott's policies have shifted migration into her state.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Texas Rancher Wants Greg Abbott to Pay Him a 'Premium' for Border Wall
Arizona Rancher Declares 'Nightmare Over' After Migrant Murder Case Dropped
Migrants Find Loophole for Work Permits
TL/DR: In the El Paso region of Texas, 30,420 law enforcement-migrant encounters were recorded in the 2024 fiscal year through March, a 24.1 percent decrease from the same period in the 2023 fiscal year.
What happens now? Control over irregular immigration has become a heated political issue. Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has made tighter controls a central pillar of his bid for a second White House term.
Deeper reading What We Know About North Carolina Shootout Killing 4 Officers
Student Loans Change Today: Here's Who's Impacted
Beginning May 1, millions of student loan borrowers will no longer be able to get their debts forgiven under President Joe Biden's administration.
Why it matters: Public service workers, including teachers and nurses, were able to get their debts cleared under specific Department of Education (DOE) rules, but that is no longer the case as of today. The DOE is transitioning those public workers with federal student loan debt from student loan servicer MOHELA (Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority) into the federal agency. Previously, borrowers working in public service could see their debt canceled after making 120 monthly qualifying payments.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Millions of People May Get Student Debt Canceled After Company Moves Loans
Joe Biden Sued by Multiple States Over Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
U.S. Students With High Loan Debt Get Poorer Grades
TL/DR: Public service workers were able to get their debts cleared under specific Education Department rules, but not as of today.
What happens now? Borrowers can expect the move to take through July. During that time, roughly 2 million borrowers in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program will see their forgiveness paused. The DOE moving the Public Service Loan Forgiveness under its leadership is just one major change coming its way. The department also said it would improve its administrative processes over the next few years to serve borrowers better.
Deeper reading Student Loans Change Today: Here's Who's Impacted
U.S. Lawmakers Urge Action Over China in the Caribbean: 'Alarm Bells'
The United States must do more to block fast-growing Chinese influence in the Caribbean and Latin America, two prominent members of Congress told Newsweek after its report on China's extensive involvement on the island of Antigua.
Why it matters: China's push into the strategically important region through diplomacy, loans, grants, and investments posed economic and security challenges for the U.S., and it should be met in kind, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) told Newsweek in a telephone interview. This follows Newsweek's report on China's new "Special Economic Zone" in Antigua, with plans for a new airline, infrastructure projects, and studies on Chinese governance.
Read more in-depth coverage:
China and Japan Face Off at Strategic Islands
Did China Humiliate Antony Blinken? Experts Weigh In
China May Be Preparing to Deploy Economic 'Nuclear Option'
TL/DR: An expanded U.S. presence should include meeting a request for more funding from SOUTHCOM, the Southern Command that is based in Florida, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said.
What happens now? Krishnamoorthi said, “It’s very important that we increasingly do outreach in this part of the world to ensure that countries like Antigua and others understand what it means to receive support from the CCP.”
Deeper reading U.S. Lawmakers Urge Action Over China in the Caribbean: 'Alarm Bells'
Gen Z Is Finding It Easier to Buy a Home Compared to Past Generations
The homeownership rate for Gen Zers between the ages of 19 and 25 is higher than that of Millennials and Gen Xers when they were the same age, according to a recent Redfin report.
Why it matters: In 2023, when the housing market saw a nationwide correction followed by a rebounding of prices nationwide, 26.3 percent of adult Gen Zers owned a home. Gen Z's 2023 homeownership rate for 24-year-olds was 27.8%, higher than the 24.5% for millennials and 23.5% for Gen Xers at the same age. The situation for Gen Z has changed drastically since March 2022, when the Federal Reserve approved its first interest-rate hike in more than three years.
Read more in-depth coverage:
House Prices Fall in Nearly Half of US States
Mortgage Rates May 2024: Housing Market Prediction for This Month
Number of New Homes for Sale Surges
TL/DR: The homeownership rates among millennials and Gen Xers in 2023 were 54.8 percent and 72 percent, respectively—up from 52 percent and 70.5 percent in 2022.
What happens now? The surge in mortgage rates affects everyone trying to buy a home in the U.S. and is even “unaffordable for first-time homebuyers, such as Gen Zers,” Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's chief economist, told Newsweek.
Deeper reading Gen Z Is Finding It Easier to Buy a Home Compared to Past Generations
Can Influencers Survive a TikTok Ban?
Amidst the looming possibility of a U.S. ban on the popular video-sharing app TikTok, influencers have found themselves grappling with the potential ramifications on their careers and livelihoods.
With 150 million users in the U.S., it is clear that there are many fans of TikTok, but for influencers it's more than another social media platform—it's the cornerstone of their online presence, a crucial avenue for audience engagement and a significant source of income.
Fueled by concerns about national security risks, President Joe Biden has signed into law a bill that demands TikTok's parent company ByteDance sell its stake in the company or the app will be banned in the U.S.
