Trans military members; conclave; India-Pakistan : NPR

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Today’s top stories

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday allowed the Trump administration to start executing its ban on transgender military service members. Trump signed an executive order shortly after his second term banning transgender individuals from serving in the military. The new policy mimics a previous ban established during the president’s first term. The Supreme Court allowed the policy to remain in place in 2019, but it was reversed when President Biden took office.

• NPR’s Nina Totenberg tells Up First that the fact that the Supreme Court allowed the ban to proceed now, even on a temporary basis, is a strong indicator the administration is likely to prevail in the long run. The order appears to strengthen the order from the first administration by barring transgender individuals from enlisting and discharging active duty transgender service members. The decision about the ban will now go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for the policy to be reviewed. The appeals court will attempt to make a decision on the issue, however, it can be appealed to the Supreme Court.

The papal conclave starts this morning at the Vatican. One hundred thirty-three electors will take part in the secretive process of choosing the next leader of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis’ death on April 21 set the process in motion. A special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica for the election of his successor will precede the conclave.

• The voting will begin after spiritual preparation today. NPR’s Jason DeRose, who is in Rome, spoke with Cardinal Michael Czemy, a Canadian Jesuit who works at the Vatican. It is his first time participating in a conclave. Czemy says he considers this primarily a religious experience, and the cardinals are not focused on church or world politics. The Vatican has said that the cardinals are discussing internal problems, including church finances, clergy sex abuse and divisions within the church over doctrine.

India conducted numerous strikes on various targets in Pakistan and its controlled territories overnight, marking the most extensive military action in over 50 years. The Indian military said it struck nine sites in “Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.” These strikes followed India’s accusations that Pakistan was involved in a militant attack in late April that killed 26 people, a claim that Pakistan denies. The Pakistani military retaliated by firing into areas of Indian-held Kashmir. It claimed to have downed five Indian aircraft. The Associated Press reports that with the recent strikes, at least 26 people were killed in Pakistan, and India says at least three people were killed on its side.

• NPR’s Diaa Hadid says that the locations of the strikes are significant, as several occurred deep within Pakistan and one was near the country’s second-largest city. Michael Kugleman, who writes for Foreign Policy’s weekly South Asia brief, says the scale and intensity of the recent strikes stand out. Hadid says the problem with the strikes is now with the death toll; Pakistan may feel like it has to strike back to show its people that their army isn’t weak.

Life advice

The day has finally come. Today, TSA will begin enforcing the Real ID at U.S. airports. The goals behind the law, which dates back to 2005, were to have state-issued IDs that are harder to counterfeit and require states to do more to check the veracity of the details they put on the cards. Travelers will need an ID that complies with the law to board a domestic flight and enter certain federal facilities. The IDs resemble regular driver’s licenses and will feature a golden star. They require more documentation, such as a valid Social Security number, to obtain. Clint Henderson, managing editor at the travel magazine The Points Guy, gave Morning Edition some guidance for travelers who still don’t have their Real ID:

• A two-year “wiggle room period” gives airports discretion on a case-by-case basis to subject travelers to more screening instead of requiring the new ID.
• Passports, passport cards, Global Entry, NEXUS, FAST, SENTRI, DoD IDs, green cards, and enhanced driver’s licenses from specific states are compliant with the law.
• Consider flying out of a smaller airport. They will be easier to get through than a larger one, which will likely have TSA agents with more Real ID training.

Read more about the history behind the law and why it took 20 years to enforce.

Picture show

Nearly 1,000 women from across the U.S. recently flew to New York City with one dream: to become dancers with the Rockettes. The precision dance troupe, known for its high kicks, appearances at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and annual Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, turns 100 this year. They began in St. Louis, with 16 dancers known as “The Rockets.” Though entertainment and American culture have changed since the 1920s, the Rockettes continue to evolve and kick on.

3 things to know before you go

1. Four former housekeepers of R&B legend Smokey Robinson have filed a complaint for damages in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing him of sexual battery, rape, and other offenses.
2. In 1962, 20-year-old mother Aubrey Backeberg disappeared from a small Wisconsin town. Six decades later, authorities have found her alive and well, living in another state.
3. MrDeepFakes has been shut down after losing a key service provider. The AI-generated pornography site is known for allowing users to upload nonconsensual sexual content, particularly of celebrities.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.