US Signs Mineral Deal With Ukraine
The United States has signed a critical mineral deal with Ukraine in a “historic partnership,” sending a clear signal to Russia of its neutral involvement in the peace process.The deal will involve rare earth minerals and other natural resources such as oil and natural gas that will also aim at helping Ukraine rebuild its economy following the three-year conflict since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were spotted talking together at the late Pope Francis’s funeral in the Vatican in Rome on April 27, following their infamous spat at the White House on Feb. 28, when discussions turned into a shouting match.
Trump has been trying to resolve the peace process between Russia and Ukraine since coming into office.

Trump Admin Announces Cabinet Reshuffle
President Donald Trump has announced a Cabinet reshuffle, appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to be his new secretary of defence and nominating outgoing Mike Waltz to be his U.N. ambassador.This will be the most significant change to his inner circle since he took office on Jan. 20.
It will be the first time since the 1970s when Henry Kissinger also held both positions of secretary of state and national security adviser.
This comes weeks after Waltz confirmed that he accidentally invited The Atlantic media editor Jeffrey Goldberg into a Signal chat that discussed U.S. airstrikes over Yemen.

US Economy Contracted in First Quarter Amid Recession Fears
The U.S. economy declined by 0.3 percent in the first quarter, down from a 2.4 percent increase in the previous quarter, amid concerns about a recession and the threat of global tariffs.There had been an import spike of 41.3 percent driven by businesses stockpiling in preparation for the global tariffs coming into effect, coupled with a 1.4 percent decrease in government spending.
The decrease was directly related to the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to reduce the size of government.
This is the first economic contraction in the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022.
Federal Judge Declares Strikes Down Alien Enemies Act
A federal judge has struck down President Donald Trump’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Southern Texas as unlawful.This may stump the Trump administration’s efforts to detain any gang members in this region before deportation, an area which also covers part of the southern border with Mexico.
This is also the first ruling of this kind, which could affect the decisions of other challenges that are currently pending.