In a surprising development amid the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, President Donald Trump announced Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a three-day ceasefire and a prisoner swap at his request, hailing it as potentially the 'beginning of the end' of the war. Speaking as he left the White House for a dinner at his Virginia golf club, Trump said, 'I asked and, President Putin agreed. President Zelenskyy agreed — both readily,' adding, 'And we have a little period of time where they’re not going to be killing people. That’s very good.' The agreement was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser.
Trump had earlier taken to social media to reveal the details, stating, 'I am pleased to announce that there will be a THREE DAY CEASEFIRE (May 9th, 10th, and 11th) in the War between Russia and Ukraine.' He noted that Saturday marks Victory Day in Russia, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, and emphasized Ukraine's historical role in that victory as well. The ceasefire, set to run from Saturday through Monday, comes after more than two years of intense fighting that has devastated Ukraine and drawn international condemnation of Russia's invasion.
While the announcement offers a brief respite, questions remain about enforcement and long-term prospects for peace. Ukrainian officials have previously expressed skepticism toward Russian commitments, citing past violations of agreements. Russian state media, meanwhile, portrayed the pause as a gesture of goodwill tied to the holiday, without elaborating on the prisoner exchange details. The swap's scope—potentially involving hundreds of captives—could provide humanitarian relief, but neither side has released specifics on numbers or timelines.
Shifting to the Middle East, escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz saw U.S. forces disable two Iranian oil tankers Friday after an overnight exchange of fire with Iranian positions. The U.S. military reported that the tankers were attempting to breach an American blockade of Iran's ports, prompting the action. Hours earlier, U.S. forces thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and conducted strikes on Iranian military facilities in the strait, according to a Pentagon statement.
The United Arab Emirates separately reported another Iranian missile and drone attack, further straining a fragile month-old ceasefire that Washington maintains is still active. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for progress, saying he anticipates 'a serious offer' from Iran later Friday in response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war, reopening the strait, and curbing Tehran's nuclear program. The conflict, which erupted on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes, has blocked the vital waterway for global oil shipments, driving Brent crude prices up 1.2% to $101.29 per barrel Friday—still below the war's peak above $119 but far above pre-conflict levels around $70.
Domestically, Republican-led efforts to reshape congressional districts gained momentum in several Southern states following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that curtailed Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. In Alabama, lawmakers passed and Gov. Kay Ivey quickly signed legislation Friday allowing new primary elections if courts approve GOP-drawn House districts for the November midterms. The move, part of a broader redistricting push, faced fierce opposition, including a chaotic scene at the Alabama Statehouse where security dragged a protester from the House gallery.
Similar battles unfolded in Louisiana and South Carolina, where civil rights activists and Democrats decried the plans as diluting minority voting power. Tennessee's new districts, enacted Thursday, split a Black-majority Democratic seat in Memphis, prompting a lawsuit from the state Democratic Party to block their use this year due to logistical challenges. The Virginia Supreme Court added to the Republican tilt Friday by invalidating a Democratic ballot amendment on redistricting, ruling it violated constitutional requirements.
In a nod to public fascination with the unknown, the Pentagon released a new batch of declassified UFO files Friday, spotlighting unresolved sightings from pilots and astronauts. Among the documents: Buzz Aldrin's observation of a 'fairly bright light source' during Apollo 11, a mysterious object executing 'multiple 90-degree turns' at high speed, and a bright orb performing corkscrew maneuvers over Kazakhstan. President Trump, who teased the release months ago, posted on Truth Social, 'Whereas previous Administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new Documents and Videos, the people can decide for themselves, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?” Have Fun and Enjoy!'
The files, including State Department cables, FBI reports, and NASA transcripts, are housed on a new Pentagon website featuring retro black-and-white imagery and typewriter-style fonts. Officials described them as 'never-before-seen,' though some had surfaced previously. The government labels these as 'unidentified anomalous phenomena' (UAPs) that couldn't be conclusively explained, leaving interpretation to the public amid Trump's push for transparency.
Back on the economic front, U.S. stocks surged to records Friday despite war-driven oil price hikes, buoyed by a stronger-than-expected jobs report. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to an all-time high after data showed employers added 115,000 more jobs than lost last month—nearly double economist forecasts, though slower than March. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained just 12 points, or less than 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.7% to its own record, marking the S&P 500's sixth straight winning week, the longest since 2024.
Investors appeared optimistic that the Iran conflict won't derail global growth, with hopes pinned on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Yet Friday's tanker incident underscores ongoing risks, as the U.S. insists the ceasefire holds while preparing for potential Iranian retaliation.
Other headlines included the recovery of the Canvas online learning platform after a cyberattack disrupted tens of thousands of students worldwide. Instructure, Canvas's operator, confirmed late Thursday that the system was mostly restored, following chaos that forced exam rescheduling. At the University of Maryland, student Elizabeth Polo recalled the panic in her creative writing class when a hacking message appeared, saying, 'Our whole class just like was like freaking out about it,' as her professor struggled to calm the room.
In a somber legal development, Preston Henry Tolth, the sole suspect in the 2021 disappearance of Navajo elder Ella Mae Begay, was sentenced to five years in federal prison Friday after pleading guilty to robbery. The plea deal, accepted by U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes in Phoenix, credited Tolth with three years served and dropped an assault charge, with prosecutors agreeing not to pursue further charges if Begay's case advances. Begay's niece, Seraphine Warren, tearfully urged rejection of the deal, stating, 'A 62-year-woman is still nowhere to be found. No amount of time is enough if he won’t tell us where she is.' The case highlights the epidemic of violence against Native Americans, complicated by suppressed evidence and lack of physical proof in Begay's vanishing.
California authorities reported evidence suggesting human remains at a home linked to Paul Flores, convicted in 2022 of killing college student Kristin Smart, who disappeared in 1996. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said during a news conference that scientific analysis of soil and decomposition samples from the Arroyo Grande property—owned by Flores' mother, Susan—indicates 'a human’s remains were there at one time — or still there.' He cautioned, 'We can’t call it Kristin, but there’s evidence to support human remains.' Prosecutors had alleged Smart was killed during an attempted rape after a party at California Polytechnic State University; she was declared dead in 2002, but her body remains missing.
Finally, the NFL averted a potential labor dispute by agreeing with the NFL Referees Association on a seven-year collective bargaining deal Friday, running through the 2032 season. Union President Carl Cheffers called it 'a partnership with the league that benefits our membership but also seeks to make our game better,' allowing focus on the 2026 season preparations. The deal, ratified by union members, followed tense negotiations that had prompted onboarding of replacement officials last month.
These developments, from fragile ceasefires abroad to domestic political maneuvers and economic resilience at home, underscore a world navigating uncertainty as midterms and international deadlines loom. Officials in Washington and beyond will watch closely for whether today's announcements lead to lasting stability or further volatility.