President Trump is now pursuing more than just the rights to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. Canada has a new leader. And an enterprising matchmaker is offering rewards for single men.
Here’s what you need to know today.
What Trump is truly seeking from Zelenskyy American and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia this week for critical conversations, with President Donald Trump having privately communicated to aides that a signed agreement granting U.S. rights to rare earth minerals won’t suffice to resume aid and intelligence collaboration with Ukraine, according to an administration official and another U.S. insider.
Trump insists on signing the deal. However, he also expects a shift in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s stance on peace negotiations, including a readiness to make concessions, such as ceding territory to Russia. Additionally, Trump desires Zelenskyy to initiate processes for elections in Ukraine and potentially consider stepping down as leader, the officials revealed.
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In the wake of the U.S. suspension of equipment and intelligence sharing this week, Russia has intensified its assaults on Ukraine, leading to one of the deadliest days for civilians this year, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Read the complete story here.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cautioned about potentially grave consequences for Ukraine should the Trump administration fail to renew military aid and intelligence sharing with the country.
Mystery clouds the DOGE acting administrator
There is no doubt about who serves as the public face of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. Elon Musk’s presence alongside Trump in the Oval Office and at Cabinet sessions leaves little ambiguity.
Nonetheless, many questions linger regarding who is actually at the helm of DOGE, the task force central to Trump’s initiatives aimed at streamlining the federal government.
Towards the end of February, the White House disclosed that a relatively low-profile health care data expert, known for his efforts to simplify access to electronic medical records, has been appointed as DOGE’s acting administrator. Amy Gleason, 53, had previously worked on health data projects at the U.S. Digital Service, DOGE’s predecessor, during both Trump’s first term and the Biden administration.
The White House has not clarified the reasons for selecting Gleason to lead DOGE, and her connection with Musk remains ambiguous. Read the complete story here.
More political news:
- The Department of Homeland Security has started conducting polygraph tests on employees to identify potential leaks of information regarding media coverage of immigration operations.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a funding bill to prevent a government shutdown at the week’s end and ensure continued operations through September.
- Federal workers, including many veterans, expressed to NBC News the serious mental health crises they have been facing due to firings and buyout initiatives.
Canada welcomes a new prime minister
Former central banker Mark Carney will take the role of Canada’s next prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader in a resounding vote over the weekend. Carney, 59, succeeds Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January.
Carney will assume leadership amidst rising Canadian nationalism in response to Trump’s consistent threats of tariffs and his remarks about making Canada the 51st state. Read the complete story here.
5 injured in small plane crash in suburban Pennsylvania
A small aircraft crashed in a residential neighborhood in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, yesterday afternoon, striking several vehicles and igniting flames. Fortunately, all five individuals aboard the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza survived and were transported to hospitals, authorities reported. No injuries occurred on the ground.
The plane had just departed from Lancaster Airport when it went down in the parking lot of the Brethren Village retirement community. The local police chief stated that the aircraft appeared to have skidded about 100 feet before hitting the ground. First responders arrived within three minutes and faced multiple severe fires.
Air traffic control communications revealed that someone aboard the plane reported an open door shortly after takeoff and requested clearance to return to the airport. Read the complete story here.
Read All About It
- Israel cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip over the weekend as it pressures Hamas to agree to an extension of the initial phase of a ceasefire.
- Federal immigration authorities have arrested a Palestinian graduate student who played a significant role in protests against Israel at Columbia University, as reported by his attorney.
- International officials are on the lookout for a University of Pittsburgh student who vanished while on a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic last week.
- More than a thousand civilians have died in Syria during the most violent outbreak of conflict since the fall of the Assad regime in December.
- The Buffalo Bills announced that NFL MVP Josh Allen has signed a breathtaking contract extension valued at $330 million.
Staff Pick: What’s the true worth of a real-life bachelor?
As more singles become weary of the endless cycle of dating apps, in-person dating events are experiencing a revival. However, attendees and organizers face a common challenge: tickets for women sell out quickly, while men’s tickets often struggle to find buyers. To address this, Tommy Flaim, in organizing his cornhole dating league, turned to TikTok, offering a reward to encourage single men to participate. Instead of spending on advertisements, Flaim promised friends and family of single men a $50 bounty for getting a man to sign up. I attended the event at the Lawn Club in New York City, known for its tough dating landscape, to observe whether the strategy succeeded. — Doha Madani, senior breaking news reporter
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