Good morning! Every major news organization in the world has a camera trained on the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Fortunately for their ratings, the 133 Catholic cardinals taking part couldn’t agree on a new pope on day one of the conclave yesterday. Don't expect any leaks, either. The Vatican is using signal jammers to block phones, cameras, and other snooping devices from getting any news into or out of the compound until the conclave is over.

WORLD

🌏️ Are India and Pakistan at war?

Well, that’s never a good headline to write. But the answer for now seems to be “probably not.” Two weeks ago, a terrorist attack killed 26 people in India. A Pakistani extremist group took credit. On Tuesday, India struck Pakistan. Pakistan (sort of) responded, but said they’d totally do more in the future. And here we are.

The terror attack on April 22 killed 26 people, 24 of whom were tourists. This took place near the Indian-controlled portion of a disputed area called Kashmir. Kashmir is a hotbed for violent skirmishes and is precariously divided between three countries: India, Pakistan, and China. China’s not involved in this situation.

• A Pakistan-linked terrorist group called The Resistance Front initially took credit for the attack. They later decided that was maybe stupid and took it back.

• India initially avoided a military response, choosing instead to suspend a 1960s water-sharing treaty and plug a major dam (don’t worry, the water’s flowing again).

India’s move: This week, India launched Operation Sindoor. Their attack consisted of 24 strikes across 9 sites in Pakistan. Five were in Pakistan’s portion of Kashmir, while four were in Pakistan proper. Pakistan said the strikes killed at least 21 people, and India’s government called the operation “non-escalatory in nature.”

Pakistan’s move: Pakistan mounted a quick defense and claims to have shot down five Indian jets in the process (a disputed claim) before firing some artillery shells across the border. Pakistan has vowed to retaliate soon, saying India must “pay the price.”

The history: These two have been at each other’s throats for a long time. There’s a reason they were given independence separately after being administered as a single colony by the British. That split happened in 1947, with India being mostly Hindu and Pakistan mostly Muslim. Kashmir’s on the border, and its government decided to join India. But it’s a Muslim-majority area, and here we are.

The world’s response: Pakistan and India have exchanged fire like this dozens of times, with the last real war being in 1999. Everybody’s a wee-bit on edge about this whole thing, though, since both countries have nuclear weapons and rank one (India) and five (Pakistan) in population. Most countries, including the U.S., are calling for restraint and de-escalation to avoid a larger war breaking out.

GOVERNMENT

⭐️ Say goodbye, little appliance labels. It's not a done deal yet, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to eliminate the $50 million Energy Star program. The program creates energy efficiency specifications for everything from dishwashers to lights to commercial equipment. Products that check the boxes get the sticker. The EPA says Energy Star has saved consumers more than $500 billion in energy costs since its creation in 1992. But opponents say the free market would do a better job at promoting energy efficiency, which would save consumers even more in the long run. The EPA is currently trying to reduce its activity down just only what is required (rather than allowed) by law.

🚀 NASA might send unmanned rockets to Mars next year. Launch windows to the Red Planet open in 2026 and 2028. The agency has recently shifted focus away from research and back toward space exploration and is planning missions to both the moon and Mars. That change is illustrated by the president’s 2026 budget proposal, which reduces non-exploration programs but boosts funding for Mars by $1 billion and funding for a mission to the Moon by $7 billion. NASA plans to send astronauts back to the Moon in 2026 or 20207 as part of its Artemis III mission.

✈️ The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering people in the country illegally $1,000 and a free plane ticket to self-deport. Going through the legal deportation process costs the government $17,000, and the system is already at max capacity, so DHS views this as a win-win. Whether anyone takes them up on the offer remains to be seen. Immigration activists say many don't trust that they'll get the payout, but the administration says it's a better option than getting arrested and fined (and sent to Alcatraz?)

MILITARY

🎖️ Pentagon to boot 20% of top military leadership

Even the big boys aren’t safe from government cuts. The Department of Defense has ordered a minimum 20% reduction in the number of four-star generals and admirals, aaaand at least a 10% cut to the ranks of one-, two-, and three-star officers.

Why? Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military is burdened by a “bloated headquarters” full of "unnecessary bureaucratic layers.” Slimming down the top, he says, will drive “operational excellence” and boost “growth and effectiveness.” Hegseth said the Pentagon will shift those freed-up resources down to the “warfighters” at ground level.

• The military today has 38 four-star jobs. Back in February, Hegseth noted that the U.S. won World War II with just 7.

• Just beneath those select few, there are about 900 generals and admirals.

Secretary Hegseth (and his boss, President Trump) have long believed that the Pentagon is overstuffed with high-ranking generals who mean well but gum up the works. According to Hegseth, “More generals and admirals does not lead to more success.”

• He didn’t give a timeline for the change, but noted it should be done both “carefully” and “expeditiously.”

Not everyone’s a fan, though. Opponents of the move say the only way to cut that many senior officers is by restructuring the entire department… which is something the Pentagon is considering.

On a related legal note, the Supreme Court will allow President Trump to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The order is temporary while the legal case plays out. The Department of Defense says just over 4,000 military members identify as transgender.

TRIVIA

Just about every country in Europe is celebrating today as Victory in Europe Day. The European theater of World War II officially ended 80 years ago today on the signing of Germany’s unconditional surrender. But with Japan still fighting in the Pacific, the war wasn’t over yet. When did Japan officially surrender and bring World War II to an end?

Hint: The surrender was announced on August 15, but it wasn’t official until it was signed.

POLITICS

🗳️ The final 2024 election is over

Vice President JD Vance’s half-brother is probably not going to be the next mayor of Cincinnati. Sure, he got that coveted brotherly endorsement. But Vance’s bro, Cory Bowman, emerged from Tuesday’s all-party primary race in second place with… 13% of the vote. The incumbent mayor got 83%. It turns out running for mayor of a deeply Democratic city as the brother of a Republican VP maaaaybe isn’t the best idea if you want to, y’know, win.

The 2024 elections are finally over. Yes, 2024. The Republican candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court conceded Wednesday after a six-month legal battle over the legality of thousands of ballots. More than 5.5 million people voted. The final tally? A difference of 734 votes.

• On the topic of 2024, Joe Biden told the BBC that he has no regrets about dropping out mid-campaign and that bailing earlier “wouldn't have mattered.”

Elsewhere in the “Sorry, Republicans” file, popular Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp opted out of challenging U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) next year. Polls showed Kemp winning, but he likely has his eyes on the White House. It’s a big blow to Republican hopes of picking up a Senate seat next year, as Georgia is widely viewed as 2026’s most competitive race.

BRIEFS

● The Catholic Church will excommunicate any priest who complies with a new Washington state law requiring priests to report child abuse they’re told about during confessions. The Church says the law violates its doctrine and is unconstitutional.

● The compliments flew as newly reelected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sat down for a “friendly” meeting with President Trump. Carney reiterated that Canada isn't for sale and made a case for lifting tariffs, to which Trump was reportedly receptive.

● The White House is walking back Trump's idea to slap foreign-made films with 100% tariffs. Meanwhile, top U.S. and Chinese officials are meeting in Switzerland this weekend for their first major trade talks of 2025.

● The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier isn’t doing so hot. During a landing accident last week, a $60 million F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet slid off the deck and into the Red Sea. Somehow, the exact same thing happened again this week.

● Disney will open its seventh worldwide resort and theme park just down the road from Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, UAE. One-third of the world’s population lives within a four-hour flight of the city, which also serves as the UAE’s capital (sorry, Dubai).

● The NFL will hold its 2027 draft live on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. President Trump made the announcement alongside NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, whose dad repped New York in the U.S. Senate back in the 1960s (as a Republican).

QUOTE

ANSWER

Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s surrender on August 15, 1945. That’s when the U.K. celebrates Victory Over Japan Day. The U.S. waits until the document was actually signed, which happened on September 2.