Welcome to the Bulletin,

• Boeing whistleblowers: An attorney who represented the two Boeing whistleblowers who died in recent months said that the men were "heroes." Conspiracy theories have swirled around following the deaths despite there being no evidence to suggest foul play in either case. Find out more.
• Ole Miss protest fallout: Phi Delta Theta fraternity announced yesterday that one of its members at the University of Mississippi who was caught on tape spewing racist attacks at a Pro-Palestinian protester has been kicked out of the organization. Watch the video that led to the decision.
• Climate change: An interactive map shows how the state of New Jersey may be affected by climate change-related sea level rise, with experts warning that coastal areas are most at risk. See the map.
• Social Security: Millions of retirees receiving Social Security benefits will get their May payments this week. Here's the payment amount.
• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia has accidentally bombed its own territory close to the Ukrainian border while carrying out strikes on the city of Kharkiv, according to reports.

Israel Begins ‘Limited’ Rafah Evacuation

TL/DR: Israel’s military has issued a call for residents of eastern Rafah to “evacuate immediately."

Israel urged civilians to evacuate parts of Rafah, along the border with Egypt, on Monday, hinting at preparations for an anticipated assault on remaining Hamas strongholds in the southern Gaza Strip.

Why it matters: Three Israeli soldiers were killed on Sunday in a Hamas rocket attack near Rafah, according to Reuters. Israel has been vowing to invade Rafah for months to rid the remaining Hamas militants. The move comes after cease-fire talks stalled over the weekend and as the Biden administration pauses ammunition shipment to Israel, according to CNN. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday that Israel had no choice but to act in Rafah.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Where Is Rafah? Map Shows Israel's Next Attack

Rafah 'Annihilation' Could Deal Huge Blow to Joe Biden

Israeli Advance on Gaza's Last Refuge Could Prove 'Catastrophic'

What happens now? Israel offered no specific explanation and did not indicate imminent military action. The potential for a high-casualty operation concerns Western nations and neighboring Egypt, currently facilitating new ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, according to Reuters. These talks may involve Hamas releasing hostages as part of the agreement.

Trump Is Beating Biden Among Educated Voters

TL/DR: According to a poll, Donald Trump is the favorite candidate among college graduates and those with only a high school education.

According to a poll, Donald Trump is the preferred candidate over President Joe Biden among higher and lower-educated voters. An ActiVote survey of 953 likely voters found that Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee, is leading Biden in a head-to-head presidential race by 5.4 points (52.7 percent to 47.3).

Why it matters: Trump leads among high school-educated (51-49%), some college/associate's degree (54-46%), and college graduates (53-47%), posing a challenge for Biden's reelection bid. In 2020, 55% of college graduates voted for Biden, while 48% chose Trump, according to CNN exit polls. Trump maintained favor with non-college-educated voters (50-43%). These findings signal potential hurdles for Biden in November's election rematch against Trump.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Full List of Polls Where Joe Biden Now Leads Donald Trump

Donald Trump Leads Joe Biden in Every Battleground State: Polling Averages

Joe Biden's Approval Rating Falls to All-Time Low

What happens now? The ActiVote poll also found that Trump has a major lead over Biden among rural voters (68-32 percent) while the president is much more preferred among urban voters (64-35 percent). "Biden seems to be doing just fine with Black voters (88 percent support vs. 81 in our previous poll), but his problems continue with Latino voters, of whom 40 percent support Trump, significantly more than in 2020," ActiVote CEO and co-founder Victor Allis wrote.

How American Views Are Shifting on China

TL/DR: More than 90 percent of Americans said "limiting the power and influence of China" should be given some priority in U.S. foreign policy.

The U.S. public's opinion of China remains overwhelmingly negative this year, even as the two governments continue encouraging exchanges between their peoples. A May 1 Pew Research Center poll found that 81 percent of Americans held unfavorable views of China, including 43 percent of respondents whose views of the country were unfavorable.

Why it matters: Officials in Washington describe China as a generational challenge to the existing international order; others go further, calling the Communist Party a threat to America's long-term security and prosperity—most in the U.S. tend to agree. Beijing has ideas about a just and fair global order, one in which the rise of its soft and hard power can be viewed on its own merits rather than through a Western-centric lens.

Read more in-depth coverage:

China and Japan: How Asia's Top Two Economies Compare

China Housing Market Crisis Given New Theory

China's Coast Guard Sails Near Neighbor's Front-Line Islands

What happens now? Pew found around seven in 10 Americans believed China's influence in the world was growing. These results echo polling done in developing regions such as Southeast Asia, where Beijing is a major player thanks to its economic heft. "The American people do not see Beijing as a partner. Indeed, most view the CCP as a competitor or an adversary," Michael Sobolik, a senior Indo-Pacific researcher at the American Foreign Policy Council, said.

GOP Chances of Taking Senate From Democrats in 2024

TL/DR: According to the latest bookmakers' odds, the GOP is likely to win control of the Senate in November, six months before voters go to the polls.

According to the odds offered by UK-based bookmaker Betfair, the Republican Party is strongly favored to take back control of the Senate in November.

Why it matters: The odds come six months out from the key elections that will determine control of the White House, Senate, and House on November 5. 51 Senators, including three independents, are aligned with the Democrats in the Senate against 49 Republicans, giving a wafer-thin majority. "Whoever wins the Presidential election will need support in the Senate, as has become clear in recent months as Senators wrangled with President Biden's funding for Ukraine, amongst other issues, "Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom told Newsweek.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Ted Cruz Gets A Boost Out Of Texas

Eric Hovde's Chances of Beating Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin: Polls

Elissa Slotkin's Chances of Beating Mike Rogers in Michigan: Polls

What happens now? Republican hopes of retaking the Senate seemed to take a blow in recent polling, which shows Democratic candidates ahead in Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. A poll in Pennsylvania shows incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey ahead of Republican challenger Dave McCormick 45 percent to 41 percent. In better news for the GOP, a recent survey put Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on track to defeat the challenge from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred and secure reelection.

How This Next Phase of Russia's Ukraine War Looks

TL/DR: Russian President Vladimir Putin's apparent plan to outlast his adversaries may be working. Or this year might yet prove to be Ukraine's dark before the dawn.

The first five months of 2024 have proven to be one of the most difficult periods in Ukraine's two years of full-scale war with Russia and arguably the most straining in a decade-long conflict with Moscow that erupted in 2014.

Why it matters: Ukraine's troops are under pressure along the frontline, facing a reconstituted Russian military bolstered by China's support. Western backers are slow to provide weapons, and political distractions are causing hesitation among Ukraine's allies. Ukraine's Western bloc is creaking, distracted, and divided by several elections. Overall, the situation remains fluid and uncertain, with Russia aiming to solidify control over Donetsk and Luhansk while Ukraine seeks to disrupt and weaken Russian forces.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Drone Video Shows Dozens of Russians Targeted with ATACMS Cluster Rounds

Russia Needs 'More and Better' Weapons to Sustain Ukraine Offensive: Shoigu

Russian Black Sea Fleet 'Missing' After Crimea ATACMS Strikes

What happens now? The current plodding offensive is laying the groundwork for an expected fresh summer campaign. Among the potential targets of the new push are the Donetsk city of Chasiv Yar—which is already on the frontline and may even fall before summer—and the Kharkiv city of Kupiansk, a vital gateway to Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv. While Ukraine digs in, Kyiv will also look to disrupt Russian communications, logistics, and industry as much as possible.

Bird Flu in US: What We Know, What We Don't

The U.S. is in the midst of a multistate outbreak of bird flu, with 1 in 5 commercial milk samples testing positive for genetic traces of the virus. But does the virus pose any threat to humans?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an infectious viral illness that spreads primarily among wild and domestic birds. But the virus that causes bird flu can sometimes jump into animals, including dairy cows and, in some cases, humans.

"Bird flu, or avian influenza, infects more than 100 species of wild birds, especially migratory waterfowl," Carl Abraham, an assistant professor of medicine at the New York Institute of Technology, told Newsweek. "In birds, it is highly contagious [and] causes a respiratory illness that is categorized as either highly pathogenic or low pathogenic.