Here’s your morning news rundown—but first, a quick thank you. If you believe in this kind of journalism, please consider subscribing or becoming a supporter.
Now, let’s get into the news.
India and Pakistan are on the verge of a possible war right now. Tensions between India and Pakistan worsened after Pakistan warned that any move by India to block rivers would be seen as “an act of war.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used an unsecured "dirty" internet line in his office, bypassing Pentagon security protocols to access the Signal app on a personal computer. This connection exposed his activity to the public internet without the usual Pentagon protections.
Hegseth, furious over leaks, threatened top U.S. military officials with polygraph tests as chaos erupted at the Pentagon. He shouted at Admiral Christopher Grady and also threatened Lt. Gen. Doug Sims with a lie detector.
Russia launched another deadly wave of attacks on Ukraine, killing at least eight people, even after Trump urged President Putin to stop. A drone strike in Pavlohrad killed three, including a child and an elderly woman, and injured ten others, according to local officials.
Even though Trump has repeatedly said he's in talks with China about tariffs, China just released a statement denying any discussions are happening and telling the U.S. to "stop creating confusion."
In an interview with TIME, Donald Trump said his peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine war includes Crimea remaining part of Russia, adding that Ukrainian President Zelensky "understands that." Trump emphasized that Crimea has been with Russia for a long time and is a key issue in negotiations.
In the same interview, Trump claimed he has made “200 deals” after pausing new reciprocal tariffs, though none have been announced. He said talks with countries like China are going well and insisted, "I've made all the deals."
The Trump administration is considering cutting the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth to reduce next year’s mental health budget, according to an internal document reviewed by CNN.
China has quietly eased some of its 125% retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made semiconductors, according to import agencies in Shenzhen, as it looks to protect its critical tech sector amid the ongoing trade war.
Almost two dozen crypto wallets bought over 100,000 $TRUMP meme coins, worth about $100 million, after promoters offered top buyers a chance to have dinner with the president.
California’s economy has surpassed Japan’s, making it the fourth-largest in the world by gross domestic product.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
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