The Bulletin

• US aircraft at war with Houthis: A new satellite image shows the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman operating in the Red Sea as the war escalates with the Houthis and tensions rise with their alleged Iranian backers. Learn more.

• Airport staffing meltdown: Travel plans for thousands of passengers could be disrupted as the air traffic control staffing meltdown at Newark Liberty International Airport continued into its second week on Monday. Here's what to know.

• Trump statue unveiled in South Dakota: A new statue of President Donald Trump has been unveiled in South Dakota, the latest edition to the area's City of Presidents art project. Know more.

• Trump announces new national holidays: President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he had designated May 8 and November 11 as new national holidays to commemorate U.S. victories in the Second and First World Wars.

• In the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian forces have struck a rare and prized Russian naval radar system mounted on a vehicle, according to a video released by a Ukrainian military unit.

• Palace emerging at world's biggest construction site: Before-and-after satellite images reveal the ongoing progress of a lavish palace complex under construction along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, part of the larger Neom megacity project, which is expected to cost $500 billion. See the images.

• Ukraine nears Patriot missile boost: Ukraine could receive additional Patriot air defense systems from its allies, including the U.S., in the coming weeks, according to new reports, as Washington-brokered peace talks fail to yield a deal to stop the fighting.

The rundown: President Donald Trump has demanded the immediate release of Tina Peters, a Colorado election clerk who was jailed for tampering with voting machines after the 2020 presidential election. Read more.

Why it matters: Writing on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said: "Radical Left Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser ignores Illegals committing Violent Crimes like Rape and Murder in his State and, instead, jailed Tina Peters, a 69-year-old Gold Star mother who worked to expose and document Democrat Election Fraud. In August 2024, Peters was found guilty of seven of 10 charges in a 2021 breach of Colorado's election system. She was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public official; conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; official misconduct; violation of duty; and failure to comply with an order by the secretary of state. The jury acquitted her on three other charges: conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, criminal impersonation and identity theft.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump's Alcatraz Prison Idea Faces Scrutiny Over Costs

TL/DR: Peters was sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2024, making her the first election official in the U.S. convicted of criminal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

What happens now? Trump said that “Colorado must end this unjust incarceration of an innocent American. I am hereby directing the Department of Justice to take all necessary action to help secure the release of this 'hostage' being held in a Colorado prison by the Democrats, for political reasons. FREE TINA PETERS, NOW!"

Deeper reading Who is Tina Peters? Donald Trump Demands Jailed Election Clerk Be Released

The rundown: The University of Washington slammed the "offensive and destructive behavior" of activists who ignited dumpsters and occupied a campus engineering building, and said it opposed antisemitism, as police arrested around 30 of those involved. More about the incident here.

Why it matters: The activists said they were pro-Palestinian and fighting for the university to end its relationship with Boeing over the manufacturing giant's dealings with Israel amid the war with Hamas. Footage posted to social media showed protesters pushing back against police earlier in the day, and dumpsters ablaze in the street. It also showed riot police moving into the occupied Interdisciplinary Engineering Building to remove the activists. "The UW is committed to maintaining a secure learning and research environment, and strongly condemns this illegal building occupation and the antisemitic statement that was issued by a suspended student group Monday," a spokesman for the university said in a statement sent to Newsweek.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Republican Students Break With Trump Over Deporting People for Protests

TL/DR: "The University will not be intimidated by this sort of offensive and destructive behavior and will continue to oppose antisemitism in all its forms."

What happens now? "The University of Washington is a direct partner in the genocide of the Palestinian people through its allegiance to its partnership with Boeing," said the post on Facebook by SUPER. "RALLY NOW outside the IEB to take action with these students, alongside the people of Palestine and their brave resistance. Wear a mask, and cover identifiable features."

Deeper reading 'Antisemitism': UW Slams Activists Who Occupied Building, Set Fires

The rundown: A federal judge said disputed ballots in the race for a seat on North Carolina's Supreme Court must remain counted, a ruling that would secure the victory of Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs. More on the ruling.

Why it matters: It is a key moment in a legal battle over the 2024 election that was mounted by her Republican challenger, Jefferson Griffin, who may yet appeal the decision by U.S. District Judge Richard Myers of the Eastern District of North Carolina, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019. U.S. District Judge Richard Myers agreed with Riggs and others who argued it would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution to carry out recent decisions by state appeals courts that directed the removal of potentially thousands of voter ballots they deemed ineligible. Myers wrote that votes couldn't be removed six months after Election Day without damaging due process or equal protection rights of the affected residents.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Supreme Court 'Intimidated' and 'Scared' by Trump's Attacks—Ex-Prosecutor

TL/DR: "Today, we won," Justice Riggs said in a statement posted to social media following the ruling. "I'm proud to continue upholding the Constitution and the rule of law as North Carolina's Supreme Court Justice."

What happens now? The judge also ordered the State Board of Elections to certify results that after two recounts showed Riggs the winner—by just 734 votes—over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin. But the judge delayed his order for seven days in case Griffin wants to appeal the ruling to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Deeper reading Trump Appointee Blocks GOP Efforts To Overturn NC Supreme Court Election

The rundown: Germany's conservative leader Friedrich Merz narrowly lost a vote in the Bundestag to become the next chancellor in an unexpected setback that plunges Europe's largest economy into political uncertainty. Find out more.

Why it matters: Merz needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes in a secret ballot in Germany's lower house of parliament, but only received 310 votes. He is holding together a fragile coalition of left and right parties, put together to keep the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) out of power after it finished second in the most recent election. Germany's spy agency said AfD is a "proven right-wing extremist endeavor". The AfD demanded fresh elections after Merz's loss, the first time in German history that a chancellor-designate has failed to win in the first round of voting. The Bundestag has 14 days to elect a candidate with an absolute majority.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Marco Rubio Blasts Germany for Labeling Far-Right AfD Party as Extremist

TL/DR: Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD, called for Merz to resign immediately and for a new election in Germany.

What happens now? Volker Resing, who wrote the recent biography Friedrich Merz: His Path to Power, expressed surprise at the turn of events, something he said that "has never happened before" in post-war Germany. Resing said that if Merz gets elected in the second round, then everything will be fine and people may soon forget about this hiccup. But "for now everything is wide open," he added.

Deeper reading AfD Tells Merz to Resign, Call New Election After He Loses Key Vote

The rundown: The Department of Education is set to begin garnishing the wages of workers whose student loans are in default this summer. Learn more about it.

Why it matters: Federal law allows the Department of Education to garnish up to 15 percent of a worker's paycheck without a court order if they go into default on federal student loans. The department said that from May 5, it would begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department's offset program, which withholds government payments—including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits—from people with past-due debts to the government. About 195,000 defaulted student loan borrowers will receive a 30-day notice from the Treasury Department beginning May 5, notifying them that their federal benefits will be subjected to the program, the department said in a news release.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Student Loans Are Changing Today: Here's Which Borrowers Aren't Impacted

TL/DR: The move is expected to affect the roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in default on their federal student loans. Another 4 million borrowers are late in making payments.

What happens now? The Department of Education said all borrowers in default would receive emails from Federal Student Aid informing them of the developments and urging them to contact the department's Draft Resolution Group to make a payment, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan or sign up for loan rehabilitation.

Deeper reading Student Loan Update: Wage Garnishment Timeline Revealed by Education Department