Canadians voted in an election scrambled by Trump’s threats
Polls opened across Canada’s six time zones yesterday in a momentous election that will decide the country’s response to President Trump’s trade war and annexation threats. Many Canadians believe the election is the most important of their lifetime.
Opinion surveys showed the Liberals, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, with a slight advantage over the Conservative Party and its leader, Pierre Poilievre. We have live updates and we’re tracking results here.
Three more parties are expected to secure small numbers of seats in the country’s parliament, the House of Commons. The two leaders vying to become Canada’s next prime minister are central to voters’ choices, and they offer different personalities, experiences and visions for the nation at a critical juncture.
The Trump effect: Just as polls opened, Trump again insisted that Canadians should “vote for the man” who would make their country part of the U.S. as the 51st state. The new government in Ottawa will need to deal with Trump’s tariffs, which have pushed Canada closer to recession, and his coveting of the country’s vast resources.
Putin declared a three-day cease-fire in Ukraine
The Kremlin said yesterday that President Vladimir Putin had ordered a three-day cease-fire in Ukraine beginning May 8 as Trump showed impatience with his refusal to stop the war. Ukraine responded with skepticism to the unexpected announcement.
A Kremlin statement said that Russian forces would stop fighting for 72 hours to mark the May 9 celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II, a major holiday in Russia.
“Why wait until May 8th?” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, wrote on X. He continued, “Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire.”
Putin’s declaration appeared to be his latest attempt to placate Trump, who last week urged him in a social media post to “STOP!” bombarding Ukraine. His refusal to make a quick deal has increasingly frustrated the Trump administration.
On the battlefield: Ukraine, uncertain about U.S. support, is banking on expanding the use of domestically produced drones.
North Korea: Kim Jong-un ordered a monument to North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia. It’s the first time the North has confirmed being involved in the war.
A blackout affected millions in Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal were hit by a major power outage yesterday that forced businesses to shut down along with trains, subways and airline flights. Hospitals in Spain were forced to run on generators. The cause of the outage was unclear.
Hours after the power shut off, officials remained in emergency mode. An E.U. official said there were no indications of a cyberattack. By late afternoon, power was flickering back on in many areas. The Basque region of France was also briefly affected. Here’s what else to know.
In photos: Take a look at these images from the blackout.
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Welcome to the poetry challenge
Can you memorize “Recuerdo,” a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay?
For this weeklong poetry challenge, A.O. Scott and Aliza Aufrichtig were looking for a poem that was “just right,” they wrote. “Not too difficult, but not too simple; not obscure but not a chestnut; not a downer but not frivolous either.”
Learning a poem by heart can be a way to hold on to something beautiful or to drive away the noise of everyday life. Start by meeting the poem and learning its refrain. You’ll learn more of it over the course of the week. Begin the challenge here.