By Jade Walker

“I’m sorry. We’re unable to connect your call right now. The cardinal you’re trying to reach is voting for a new pontiff …” The process of choosing a successor to the late Pope Francis begins Wednesday. To maintain absolute secrecy, the Vatican plans to confiscate all electronic devices from the 133 participating cardinals and deactivate all mobile phone signals for the duration of the conclave. Signal jammers will also be set up around the Sistine Chapel to prevent electronic surveillance or communication.

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Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Generals

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered significant cuts to the highest ranks of the US military. According to a memo he signed on Monday that was obtained by CNN, senior Pentagon leadership must reduce the number of four-star generals and admirals by at least 20%, the number of general officers in the National Guard by 20% and the total number of general and flag officers across the military by 10%. These removals are in addition to the firing of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Navy chief in February. Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, has previously railed against senior officers in the military, claiming they were “playing by all the wrong rules” to cater to “idealogues in Washington, DC.” “And so they’ll do any social justice, gender, climate, extremism crap because it gets them checked to the next level,” he said in a podcast interview.

Israel

Israel launched airstrikes in Yemen last night, one day after a Houthi attack on Tel Aviv over the weekend. The rebel group fired a ballistic missile in the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday “in rejection of (Israel’s) crime of genocide” against the people of Gaza, it claimed. Despite numerous attempts, the Israeli military was unable to intercept the missile. Although no one was injured or killed in the attack, it appears to be the first time Israel’s international airport – one of the most heavily protected sites in the country – has been successfully targeted by the Houthis. In response, the Israel Defense Forces sent 20 fighter jets to bomb dozens of Houthi targets in Hodeidah and surrounding areas. At least one person was killed and another 35 were injured, the Houthi-run Ministry of Health reported.

HHS lawsuit

Another lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration, this time to protest the restructuring at the Department of Health and Human Services. Democratic attorneys general from 19 states and Washington, DC, filed the suit against HHS, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other health officials, claiming that firing thousands of federal health workers and terminating numerous health programs endangers the public. The states are seeking an injunction to halt the firings and restore the programs. “HHS is responsible for protecting and preserving public health. And since taking office, this administration has fired scientists, closed labs, shuttered lifesaving programs, without rhyme, reason or any legal authority,” New York State Attorney General Letitia James said in a news conference Monday. An HHS spokesperson said the Trump administration is following the law and simply making reforms to strengthen the agency. 

'Weather weapons'

The National Weather Service has received threats from a violent militia-style group that apparently views Doppler radars as “weather weapons.” An internal NOAA email that was sent on Monday said the anti-government organization Veterans on Patrol is calling for “penetration drills on NEXRAD sites to identify weaknesses which can be used to ultimately destroy the sites.” The Next Generation Weather Radar system (NEXRAD), which is used by meteorologists, the FAA and the Air Force, detects precipitation and wind and helps pinpoint tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. It’s unclear what exactly the militia believes the radars are doing, but NWS staffers have been urged to adopt a buddy system when working at remote sites and be alert for suspicious activity. 

Jennifer Aniston

A man was detained on Monday after allegedly driving a car through the front gate of a Bel Air mansion that reportedly belongs to Emmy-winning actress Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show,” “Friends”). A security guard on the premises apprehended the suspect, who was described as a white male in his 70s, and called police. When LAPD officers arrived on the scene, they took the driver into custody without incident. Although it’s not known if the crash was accidental or intentional, police said the homeowner was home when the car smashed into the gate.

Trump to meet with Canada's prime minister at White House
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit President Donald Trump at the White House today in what could be one of the most contentious meetings between the neighboring countries’ leaders in years. Canada is America’s second-biggest trading partner and one of its closest allies on many fronts, from national security to commerce. But Trump’s aggressive tariff blitz in recent months has undermined that long-standing relationship — and inadvertently helped Carney consolidate political power.

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Look, up in the sky!
A Soviet-era spacecraft that failed to reach Venus more than 50 years ago is due to crash back to Earth this week. Although much about the piece of space debris, called Cosmos 482 (also spelled Kosmos 482), is unknown, it “might well survive Earth atmosphere entry and hit the ground,” one astrophysicist said.

81-year-old ship sinks a tad too soon
A former World War II-era warship was supposed to go down in a blaze of glory during a live-fire exercise off the coast of the Philippines on Monday. Instead, the ex-USS Brattleboro met a different end.

Ri-Ri makes red carpet revelation
There were many dramatic appearances and striking outfits at this year’s Met Gala – and then there was Rihanna. The singer’s classy pinstripe Marc Jacobs ensemble with a polka dot cravat and oversized hat celebrated the night’s theme of Black style and dandyism. But her outfit went the extra mile by highlighting her newest feature: a baby bump.

Here birdie birdie birdie
Residents in Pinecrest, Florida say the loud and colorful peacock population has become a major nuisance. One exotic animal and avian veterinarian has come up with a unique solution.

“May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks”
Two massive eagle sculptures inspired by “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” books and movies will be removed from the Wellington Airport in New Zealand this week. The 1.2-ton eagles have loomed over air travelers for more than a decade.

1.8 million

That’s how many SharkNinja pressure cookers were recalled last week due to reports of over 100 burn injuries. More than 50 were second- or third-degree burns to the face or body.

“If the last three years teaches us anything, it’s that Vladimir Putin doesn’t want peace; he wants Ukraine.”

— Former Vice President Mike Pence, in an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Monday. 

Mr. Rogers defends PBS to Congress in 1969
President Trump signed an executive order last week calling for an end to federal funding for NPR and PBS. This is not the first time politicians have targeted public broadcasting.

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