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WORLD NEWS

Habemus papam (We Have a Pope)

The new leader of the Catholic Church is the first to hail from the US of A. 

After the Sistine Chapel’s smoke burned black Wednesday night and Thursday morning, the chimney finally billowed white around 6 p.m. Vatican time yesterday, meaning the 133 voting cardinals had chosen the 267th pope.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, who chose the papal name Leo XIV, was born in Chicago and ordained an Augustinian priest in 1982 before serving as a missionary and eventually a bishop in Peru. Two years ago, Pope Francis made him a cardinal and brought him to the Vatican to run the office that selects and manages bishops globally.

In his first statements—given in Italian and Spanish—Pope Leo said “peace be with you all,” gave honor to his predecessor, and emphasized the need to build bridges.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
The occasion of choosing a new pope is a great opportunity for us to commit to praying for all of our leaders, local and global. May God grant wisdom to all who lead His people.

“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (CSB) (read full passage)

WORLD NEWS

Neighbors on Edge

India and Pakistan’s Cold War is heating up.

Tuesday night into Wednesday, India launched an airstrike on Pakistan in response to last month’s attack on Hindu tourists in Kashmir—an attack Pakistan continues to deny any involvement in.

India says its offensive this week targeted nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites; Pakistan says six areas were hit—none of which harbored militants—killing 31 people and injuring 57 others. Pakistan further claimed it shot down 25 Indian drones on Wednesday, while India claims Pakistan sent its own drones and missiles across the border, killing at least 16 Indian civilians. 

As India-Pakistan tensions rise, global leaders are urging the South Asian neighbors to keep the peace. The U.N. has called for “maximum military restraint,” saying further conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors could “easily spin out of control.”

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Verse to consider when your neighbor turns on you… “He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.”
Micah 4:3 (CSB) (read full passage)

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U.S. NEWS

From the White House

Yesterday, the U.S. and U.K. unveiled the outline for a long-sought trade deal, marking a significant step in post-Brexit economic relations.

The deal grants tariff exemptions for steel and aluminum, lowers tariffs on most British-made cars from 25% to 10%, creates a secure supply chain for aerospace components and pharmaceutical products, and includes “billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.” Both President Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Starmer heralded the deal as a big win.

The Trump Admin is also celebrating big law enforcement wins: the DEA had its largest fentanyl bust in history, seizing 2.7M pills, and a five-day FBI crackdown saw 200 suspected child predators arrested. 

Meanwhile, a federal district judge preemptively stopped Homeland Security’s plan to deport migrants to Libya on military aircraft, saying it would violate existing court orders.

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RADIATE HOPE
Believers must balance engaging in politics (which can be important and impactful) with a calm, unshakable confidence in God (whose plans are not dependent on the actions of global leaders).

“Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:20 (CSB) (read full passage)

Mammoths are headed back on the ice... Salt Lake City’s NHL team announced Wednesday they’re now the Utah Mammoths—confirming last week’s leak on the team’s official YouTube. The team moved from Phoenix before the 2024-25 season and spent its inaugural season as the “Utah Hockey Club” while the permanent-name search (a 13-month process that included 850,000 fan votes) took place.


The Fed is still waiting and seeing. On Wednesday, it held interest rates steady, noting that while uncertainty is elevated, the actual impact of tariffs has been minimal so far. Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged “people are feeling stress,” but reassured, “unemployment hasn’t gone up, job creation is fine, wages are in good shape.” In short: the vibes are iffy, but the data’s solid.


Fighter jet overboard… again. The USS Truman—a naval aircraft carrier—lost its second $60M fighter jet in two weeks when an F/A-18 lost control during landing and slid off the side of the ship; its two pilots suffered minor injuries. Truman has been stationed in the Red Sea to defend commercial ships from Houthi rebel attacks.


The magic of Disney is heading to Abu Dhabi— but not on its own dime. The company announced its first Middle Eastern theme park (seventh overall), to be built and run by UAE-based Miral with Disney providing the pixie dust and oversight. The announcement dropped alongside an expectation-exceeding earnings report, leading to a nearly 10% jump in Mickey’s stock price.


Bill Gates announced his Windows update: he’s donating 99% of his remaining fortune (~$107B, one of the largest charitable donations ever) to the Bill Gates Foundation. Notably, he plans to spend the entire $200B endowment on global health, U.S. education, and other charitable causes by December 31, 2045, when the foundation will close—much earlier than previously planned.

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When you don't pay attention to the signs...

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