The European Union’s top official denounced Russia’s halt to natural gas shipments to Poland and Bulgaria as blackmail, as European leaders scramble for alternatives to avoid a major economic slowdown if Russia spreads the sanctions to other countries. European citizens are reportedly already feeling the pinch, just one day after the Kremlin's move. On the ground, military analysts report that Russian tactics have become more methodical, slowing the war’s early pace of aggressive attacks on Ukrainian cities. Similarly, a new report showed that Russia is ramping up cyberattacks, launching hundreds of subtle assaults that typically coincide with ground action to weaken Ukrainian forces from multiple angles. NY TIMES

Despite relations plummeting to their lowest point in decades, the U.S. and Russia agreed to a prisoner exchange where Russia released a Marine veteran and America released a convicted drug trafficker. The American, 30-year-old Trevor Reed, was serving a nine-year sentence following his arrest in 2019 for allegedly assaulting a Russian officer after a night of heavy drinking. The U.S. released Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence for trying to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. in 2010. A Biden official warned that the swap doesn’t signal a breakthrough on the Ukraine crisis, saying the negotiations centered on a “discrete set of prisoner issues.” CHEDDAR

On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the U.S. is “out of the pandemic phase,” a statement that garnered headlines of hope. Yesterday, though, the White House’s chief medical advisor clarified by saying, “The world is still in a pandemic. There’s no doubt about that. Don’t anybody get any misinterpretation of that.” Fauci says the U.S. is entering the “control” phase of the pandemic, making clear that the virus still poses a threat to Americans as the country enters a transitional period. Perhaps doubling down on the notion, Dr. Fauci decided he would not attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend amid Covid concerns. 
WASHINGTON POST

This guy’s a walking asterisk.

MUSK: A federal judge rejected Elon Musk’s bid to throw out a $20 million settlement over tweets claiming that Musk had secured funding to take Tesla private for $420 per share. In addition to a $20 million fine, the settlement requires that a Tesla attorney approve Musk’s tweets before they're published. Despite reaching an agreement to buy Twitter in its entirety, Musk may still be barred from tweeting freely about Tesla. AP

Maybe a lawyer should've approved Trump's tweets too. 

TRUMP: Former President Donald Trump appealed the contempt of court order that fines him $10,000 a day for failing to comply with a subpoena issued by the New York attorney general investigating the Trump Organization's finances. Trump isn’t required to pay the daily fine until the appeal is resolved. BLOOMBERG

The former president also grabbed headlines for a 2018 deal with Boeing that has now resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Boeing reported a loss of $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2022, including a $660 million deficit stemming from a deal the company negotiated with then-President Trump that provided $3.9 billion in upgrades for Air Force One. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in yesterday’s earnings call that the company should not have taken the risks involved with the deal. Boeing’s stock has dipped 25% in the last three months. THE HILL

Couldn’t they just buy a new plane for $3.9 billion?

Apple has opened its new Self Service Repair online store, which offers more than 200 parts and tools customers can use to repair the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and third-generation iPhone SE. The toolkit, which includes a manual for repairing features including the camera, battery and display, is available as a one-week rental for the price of $49 and free shipping. The move comes as a result of the “right to repair” movement, where Apple customers sought wider access to parts and manuals to avoid being locked into a limited number of authorized repair shops. The tech giant was reluctant to release self-repair kits, warning of safety or performance issues that could arise from unauthorized repairs. APPLE

We’re too lazy for this. 

Walmart’s membership discount program, Walmart+, now offers an instant discount of 10 cents on every gallon of fuel purchased at participating gas stations. The program is also expanding to 14,000 gas stations nationwide. Walmart+ costs $98 per year and includes free shipping for online orders, free Spotify Premium for six months and other benefits. Rolled out about 18 months ago, Walmart+ serves as the big-box corporation’s answer to Amazon Prime. As the national average for a gallon of gas currently sits at a hefty $4.12, Walmart is leveraging the impact of inflation to drive customers toward its subscription service. WALMART

Hope this goes better than CNN+.

SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA. The launch made history in multiple ways: It was the first NASA crew comprised equally of men and women, and Jessica Watkins is the first Black woman to be part of a long-term spaceflight. Watkins and the rest of Crew-4 will work with Crew-3 at the ISS for five days before Crew-3 hands over its duties and returns to Earth. It’s been an unprecedented week of busy space travel; just two days prior, NASA concluded its first all-private space mission with a flight chartered by wealthy businessmen. ABC NEWS

You couldn’t pay us to go up in one of those things.

… Netflix’s summer movie schedule. The streamer has certainly hit a rough patch, though this lineup provides a hint of optimism. The slate includes an Adam Sandler sports epic, a Jamie Foxx vampire thriller and a Dakota Johnson romantic drama. DEADLINE

If you’re waiting for an Adam Sandler movie to save you, good luck. 
                                                                                                       
… Margot Robbie as Barbie … officially. The heavily anticipated “Barbie” film is set to hit theaters in the summer of 2023, and the first look at Robbie as the iconic doll shows her sporting an ear-to-ear smile and a polka dot headband while behind the wheel of a hot pink Corvette, in typical Barbie fashion. CNN STYLE

UKRAINIAN: Anheuser-Busch is bringing Ukraine's most popular beer, Chernigivske, to the U.S. with proceeds benefiting humanitarian relief to the war-torn country. Chernigivske, which will be brewed at Anheuser’s facility in New Jersey before becoming available on draft in major American cities, is described as having "subtly fruity notes" and a "moderately bitter finish." CHERNIGIVSKE

BRAZILIAN: Well, not Brazilian beer — but beer brewed in Brazil. Heineken announced a $360 million investment to build a new production plant in the small city of Passos. The facility will start operations by 2025 and employ 350 workers. It’s Heineken’s 15th Brazilian location, but it's the first that the Dutch company is constructing from the ground up. REUTERS

Supporting a good cause, Brazil and beer. These are a few of our favorite things. 

Danny Trejo on Doing What He Likes, Partnering With Tostitos for Cinco De Mayo

Actor and restaurateur Danny Trejo joined Cheddar News to talk about starring in a Tostito’s commercial with Sofia Reyes, hoping to inspire people to celebrate the holiday. CHEDDAR