The Bulletin

• Houthis killed in US airstrikes: At least 82 Houthi officers in addition to over 120 fighters have been killed in U.S. airstrikes since Trump ordered attacks against the Iran-backed group in Yemen in mid-March, according to a Newsweek analysis.

• Zelensky rival adds pressure to compromise on Russia: Kyiv's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko added to the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to compromise on recognizing Russian control of the land Moscow currently occupies. Get more details.

• Canada election: Mark Carney's Liberal Party is predicted to win this week's general election in Canada, but is unlikely to win a landslide, according to recent polling.

• China waives some US tariffs: Chinese importers noted a sudden and unannounced reduction to zero of tariffs on U.S. imports of certain semiconductor and integrated circuit products, a sign that Beijing is feeling more pressure from Trump's trade war than it acknowledges. Find out more.

• DOGE cuts update: The Department of Government Efficiency has issued a new update on its "major cleanup" of death records at the Social Security Administration. Check it out here.

• US-Iran deal talks: U.S. President Trump said negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program are progressing "very well on an agreement with Iran," adding, "we're doing a lot of things, I will say—but that one is well on its way. We could have a very, very good decision, and a lot of lives will be saved." Read his full remarks.

The rundown: The peace deal put forward by President Donald Trump's administration seeks to change the status of Crimea and "freeze the territorial frontlines" in Ukraine as a Newsweek map outlines the contentious proposal. Find out here.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has warned it would walk away if Moscow and Kyiv did not reach an accord soon. After weeks of separate negotiations with Russian and Ukrainian sides, the U.S. offered a deal, seemingly agreed to by Moscow, that Kyiv has rejected. There are many aspects, including Ukraine not joining NATO and an easing of sanctions on Russia. Central to the territorial dimension of the war is the push for Crimea to be accepted as controlled by Russia. But Zelensky said Ukraine will not legally recognize Crimea's occupation, prompting a stern response from Trump that the Ukrainian leader was getting in the way of a peace deal.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Russia, Ukraine Defy Trump Plea to Stop Attacks

TL/DR: Talks to end the war in Ukraine are stalled, as Trump becomes increasingly frustrated and blames Zelensky for failing to accept a U.S. peace plan.

What happens now? Anticipation continues to build over whether talks that Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to have with Putin on Friday will yield any progress, and whether the Trump administration will follow through on its threat to walk away if no deal can be struck.

Deeper reading Map Shows What Ukraine Could Look Like Under Trump's Proposed Peace Deal

The rundown: The weekend of April 30–May 1, 2011, marked a pivotal moment in 21st-century U.S. history. Find out why.

Why it matters: April 30, 2011, was a warm spring day in Washington, and the White House was oddly abuzz for a weekend. President Obama delivered a scathing comedic speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner—mocking Trump amid birtherism conspiracies—while secretly authorizing the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The speech, seen as a political triumph at the time, is now viewed as a turning point that publicly humiliated Trump and may have solidified his resolve to run for president. That night also symbolized the deepening divide between the press and the public, as media and political elites celebrated themselves while voter disillusionment simmered. Though Obama succeeded short-term, historians argue he missed a key moment to end the war in Afghanistan after bin Laden's death.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Trump's Approval Rating Worst Among Post-WWII Presidents

TL/DR: Now, almost a decade-and-a-half later, the glitzy tentpole event for the Washington media establishment is a shadow of its former self, boycotted and browbeaten by Trump and his supporters.

What happens now? The Correspondents’ Dinner has since declined in relevance, and the weekend's events are now seen as laying the groundwork for Trump’s rise and the erosion of political norms in Washington.

Deeper reading The Weekend That Defined Obama, Provoked Trump—and Changed History

The rundown: Democratic Michigan U.S. Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed believes Democrats have an "opportunity" to win back young men, while also focusing on speaking to the pain many voters are feeling throughout society. Read his full interview here.

Why it matters: The former public health official, who has been endorsed by progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, announced his campaign on April 17, joining an increasingly crowded primary field of Democrats aiming to replace Michigan's outgoing Democratic Senator Gary Peters in 2026. El-Sayed plans to focus on the economic issues and pain many Americans are feeling. Similar to Sanders, he's taking aim at the billionaires and "oligarchs," while elevating the issues facing American workers. Having previously run unsuccessfully to become Michigan's governor in 2018, El-Sayed, 40, is familiar with voters' concerns across the Midwestern state. In particular, he sees young men as a key constituency Democrats need to work to win back, after they were seen gravitating toward Trump and Republicans in the 2024 election.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Democratic Senator Urges Party to Adopt 'Goddamn Alpha Energy': Report

TL/DR: "They're disaffected for a lot of reasons. I think we have an epidemic right now of feeling like you don't belong, and I think that hits young men hardest," he said.

What happens now? El-Sayed, former director of Wayne County's Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services, told Newsweek that “we have to see people's pain, understand it, and then help them to believe that it can get better and then make it better," "That's a tough thing to do. But it starts with being able to see that pain."

Deeper reading Bernie Sanders-Endorsed Abdul El-Sayed Sees 'Opportunity' With Young Men

The rundown: As President Donald Trump grapples with wars raging in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, another major flashpoint is simmering in South Asia, where tensions are escalating after a deadly attack along one of the most militarized boundaries on Earth. Learn more.

Why it matters: In the bloodiest strike of its kind in years, Islamist militants killed 26 people Wednesday in Pahalgam, a hilly town that lies in the India-administered stretch of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region. The attack—for which a lesser-known outfit known as the Resistant Front, reportedly tied to the alleged Pakistan-linked Lashkar-e-Taiba insurgent group, has claimed responsibility—took place as U.S. Vice President JD Vance was elsewhere in India for an unofficial visit alongside his wife and children. As Vance pledged counterterrorism support to Indian PM Narendra Modi, India began retaliatory measures, including diplomatic expulsions and water treaty suspensions. Analysts warn of potential military action, risking escalation along the heavily armed Line of Control.

Read more in-depth coverage:
India Warned of 'Act of War' By Pakistan As Relations Collapse

TL/DR: Kashmir has been at the front lines of the India-Pakistan rivalry since the two nations were partitioned from the formerly United Kingdom-ruled subcontinent in 1947.

What happens now? President Trump, juggling crises in Ukraine and Gaza, may be drawn into mediation, though experts question its effectiveness. For now, the Trump administration appears to be carefully curating its response. Asked for the U.S. position on India indicating blame for Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to speak beyond support for condemnation of the bloodshed.

Deeper reading Trump Faces New Nuclear Crisis as India-Pakistan Tensions Soar

The rundown: A former Democratic judge and his wife were detained by federal agents during a raid on their New Mexico home on Thursday. Get more updates.

Why it matters: Joel and Nancy Cano are facing charges of evidence tampering and hosting three people with alleged links to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, including a man named Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who was detained for being in the U.S. illegally, according to FOX14. The case is being led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a law enforcement branch within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The New Mexico Supreme Court permanently barred Cano from serving on the bench after he resigned in March following the arrest of Ortega-Lopez at his home, KRQE reported. He had served as a magistrate judge in Doña Ana County since 2011. According to the Justice Department, investigators discovered social media posts showing Ortega-Lopez posing with multiple firearms.

Read more in-depth coverage:
Pam Bondi Charges Tren de Aragua Leader with Terrorism in Landmark Case

TL/DR: Trump has sought to paint his Democratic opponents as sympathetic to illegal migration, and the arrest of Joel and Nancy Cano will be seized upon by the president's supporters.

What happens now? HSI is continuing to lead the investigation into the case. Joel and Nancy Cano currently remain in custody at the Doña Ana County Detention Center.

Deeper reading Joel Cano, Democratic Judge, Arrested Over Link to Venezuelan Gang Members