Week in 5: May 4-10, 2025

A historic American papacy, major U.S. foreign policy moves, and tech shifts led the week as Pope Leo XIV was elected, the U.S. struck deals on tariffs and fentanyl, and Amazon grows robot work force.

🇺🇸 U.S. News

An F/A-18 fighter jet went overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea, shortly after the U.S. and Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a ceasefire agreement. The jet’s failed arrestment forced both pilots to eject; they were rescued with minor injuries. Meanwhile, Israel bombed Sanaa’s airport, crippling Yemen’s air traffic and aid supply routes, prompting Houthi claims of a strategic victory. AP

The UK and US reached a narrow tariff agreement reducing duties on UK cars, steel, and aluminium exports to the US, but it falls short of a full trade deal. Car tariffs drop from 27.5% to 10% for up to 100,000 UK vehicles, steel and aluminium tariffs are scrapped but capped by quotas, and food standards remain unchanged; key areas like pharmaceuticals and digital taxes are unresolved. BBC

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the encrypted app Signal for official Pentagon communications far more extensively than previously known, including directing aides to inform foreign governments about military operations. Sources say he participated in over a dozen Signal chats covering sensitive but unclassified matters, raising fresh concerns about transparency and security just weeks after he denied mishandling classified information. WSJ

🌎 World News

Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, making him the first-ever American pope and a historic figure for both the Catholic Church and the United States. A calm and compassionate centrist with missionary roots in Peru and deep Creole ancestry from Louisiana, Leo XIV is seen as progressive on social issues but doctrinally traditional. His chosen name honors past reformist popes and suggests a vision of intellectual engagement with modernity. AP

China is sending its top security official, Wang Xiaohong, to U.S. trade talks in Switzerland, signaling how central the fentanyl crisis has become to strained relations between the two powers. As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer meet with China’s delegation, fentanyl cooperation is now seen as a bargaining chip in defusing Trump’s 145% tariffs, with Beijing possibly willing to crack down in exchange for lower economic pressure. WSJ

India and Pakistan reached a U.S.-brokered ceasefire Saturday after days of deadly cross-border attacks, but deep-rooted tensions over Kashmir, nationalism, and nuclear threats keep the region on edge. The conflict escalated after a deadly April attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir and India’s retaliatory missile strikes; experts warn religious divisions, water disputes, and unstable diplomacy could reignite violence. ABC

🧪 Tech & Science

The FDA approved three natural food color additives—Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate—amid rising health concerns over artificial dyes and their possible links to hyperactivity in children. While not banning synthetic dyes outright, the agency expanded use of natural alternatives, aligning with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push to replace petroleum-based additives in the food supply. CBS News

After 53 years in orbit, the Soviet spacecraft Kosmos-482, originally destined for Venus, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. Launched in 1972 but stranded in Earth orbit due to a booster failure, the probe was part of the Cold War-era Venera program, which pioneered Venus exploration. Its return highlights the enduring legacy—and debris—of early space missions. NYT

Amazon has unveiled a new AI-powered warehouse robot called Vulcan that can ‘feel’ what it touches, enabling it to pick and stow about 75% of items in storage pods. Using force-sensitive arms, AI vision, and suction technology, Vulcan operates alongside humans and is already in use in Washington and Germany, with a broader rollout planned. The Verge

⚡️Fast Five

Disney will open its first Middle Eastern theme park in Abu Dhabi, partnering with UAE firm Miral to build the resort on Yas Island. The project marks Disney’s seventh global park and aims to tap into the region’s massive tourism potential, with over 120 million annual travelers passing through the Emirates. CEO Bob Iger called it “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.” BBC

Netflix is overhauling its TV homepage with a cleaner design, TikTok-style vertical video feeds, and OpenAI-powered conversational search to enhance content discovery and support live events. Link

The Trump administration will pay $1,000 and cover flight costs for undocumented migrants who voluntarily leave the U.S., using a new app to streamline self-deportation. WSJ

A woman was stunned to receive an anniversary card from her late husband, arranged before his death. Delivered by their children, the surprise left her in tears as she realized the message was his, honoring their tradition one last time. Video

Long-lost sisters reunited in an unplanned twist—wearing the exact same dress. After discovering their connection through a DNA test, the viral TikTok moment captured their surprise and strikingly similar tastes despite decades apart. Today

Thank you for reading. Have a great week!