Pope Leo XIV Makes History; India-Pakistan Tensions Flare; Meta AI Privacy Concerns Mount; Gaza Aid Plan Shifts; German Migration Emergency to be Declared

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In a historic turn for the Catholic Church, American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first U.S. pontiff in history. Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer between nuclear neighbors India and Pakistan, with reports of a blast in Lahore amid renewed analysis of their unique conflict patterns. Tech ethics takes center stage as Meta AI's personalized chatbots trigger privacy concerns, while in the Middle East, a controversial U.S.-backed plan emerges to reshape Gaza's aid distribution system. In Europe, Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz is poised to declare a state of emergency over migration issues, signaling a potential policy shift in one of Europe's most influential nations.

Top Stories

• Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, First American Pontiff (nyt.com)

• India and Pakistan don’t fight wars like other countries. Here’s why (apnews.com)

• Meta AI's Personalized Chatbot Raises Privacy and Ethical Concerns (wapo.com)

• A US-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution in a plan similar to Israel’s (indiatimes.com)

• Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz to declare state of emergency over migration (www.euronews.com)

• Blast heard in Pakistan's Lahore amid tensions with India (www.reuters.com)

United States

• Democrats unveiling bill requiring retailers to display cost portion of Trump tariffs (thehill.com)

• Trump Blames Air Traffic Control Problems on Pete Buttigieg (www.newsweek.com)

• Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, First American Pontiff (nyt.com)

• Meta AI's Personalized Chatbot Raises Privacy and Ethical Concerns (wapo.com)

• A US-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution in a plan similar to Israel’s (indiatimes.com)

• Trump keeps 10% tariffs on UK but cuts taxes on British autos, steel and aluminum with trade deal (apnews.com)

Africa

• South Sudan clashes block aid to 60,000 malnourished children (reuters.com)

• As Europe celebrates the triumph of V-E Day, Algeria marks parallel legacy of colonial-era massacres (apnews.com)

• 4 Lessons for Trump From the UK’s Failed Rwanda Migrant Deportation Deal (nyt.com)

• Kenya court fines four men for trafficking thousands of queen ants (reuters.com)

Middle East

• A US-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution in a plan similar to Israel’s (indiatimes.com)

• Jordanian exports to Syria increase by about 500% (english.enabbaladi.net)

• Israeli forces close three UN schools for Palestinians in East Jerusalem (france24.com)

• Israel mounts heavy airstrikes in south Lebanon (reuters.com)

Indo-Pacific

• South Korea says North Korea has fired several missiles toward its eastern waters (apnews.com)

• Pakistan claims to have shot down Indian drones as tensions increase (www.thetimes.com)

• Japanese stocks jump, dollar firms on trade hopes; bitcoin soars (reuters.com)

• North Korea says leader Kim supervised missile tests simulating nuclear strikes against rivals (apnews.com)

• Nagasaki extends invitation to all countries to memorial marking A-bomb anniversary (abcnews.com)

• Taiwan president marks World War Two anniversary, warning indulging aggressors only whets appetite for expansion (reuters.com)

Europe

• 'Spectre of war has returned' to Europe, Macron warns on 80th anniversary of V-E Day (france24.com)

• US removes tariffs on UK steel and aluminium, and cuts car rate to 10% after deal (www.bbc.co.uk)

• Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz to declare state of emergency over migration (www.euronews.com)

• Ukraine accuses Russia of violating its own truce over 700 times as Kyiv ratifies US minerals deal (apnews.com)

• German spy agency pauses 'extremist' classification for AfD party (reuters.com)

• EU publishes hit list of US imports for reciprocal tariffs in Trump trade war (france24.com)

• Portugal police arrest crime ring over fraudulent permits for 10,000 foreigners (reuters.com)

Latin America

• House follows Trump’s lead with a vote to change the Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ (apnews.com)

• Haiti gangs' US terrorism designation risks harming most vulnerable, NGOs warn (reuters.com)

• Bolsonaro Leads Rally At Site Of 2023 Brazil Insurrection (barrons.com)

• Brazil April beef exports to the US soar despite new tariffs, beef lobby says (reuters.com)

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