Before the votes begin, Cardinal of Colleges will meet at a special mass at 10am local time (4am) in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The service, known as the “Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice,” will be led by Cardinal Card, dean of Cardinal of University.

During the service, the Cardinal delivers Homily, the result of a conversation with the Cardinals who have gathered in Rome since Pope Francis’ death.

Around noon, the cardinals break down for a long lunch and a final reflection.

At 4:30pm (10:30am), the Cardinals begin an elaborate procession to the Sistine Chapel. When he sat under Michelangelo’s fresco, the Cardinals recite the Latin hymn, “Spiritus Thanks.” In the final ceremony, all 133 cardinals pledge both group and individual oaths, pledging enduring secrets about the Pope election.

Chapel means “extra omness.” The chapel door is near the outsider and leaves Cardinals to vote.

After that, you will start the waiting game. If there is a boldness of white smoke from the chimney of the chapel, this means that a new Pope has been chosen – and he will be open to the public from the balcony of St. Peter’s Cathedral.

If the smoke is black, that means the cardinal has not won two-thirds of the vote. The second round, and potentially the third, fourth and fifth, will be held on Thursday.

Islamabad, Pakistan/New Delhi, India
CNN
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India launched a military strike in Pakistan on Wednesday, claiming that Pakistan had fired down five Indian Air Force jets in an escalation that pushed two countries to the brink of war.

Due to escalation, India and Pakistan are two neighbours with a long history of conflict, and in dangerous territory, Islamabad has vowed to oppose India’s strike, and the international community is calling for restraint.

New Delhi said the strike corresponds to the massacre of 26 people (mostly Indian tourists). India blamed Pakistan for its attack, which Islamabad denied.

This is what we know so far.

India launched “Operation Sindoor” early on Wednesday morning (ET on Tuesday night) and said it was targeting “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Indian officials said nine sites were targeted, but claimed that Pakistani civilian, economic or military locations were not struck.

The name “Sindoor” appears to be a reference to a red insect, or powder. Many Hindu women wear it on their forehead after marriage. Tourists in April left a few Indian women widowed.

However, Pakistan paints another picture of the strike – saying civilians were killed and mosques were attacked. CNN has not yet verified these claims.

A Pakistani military spokesman said six locations were hit by 24 strikes. According to the Pakistani military, some of these strikes collided with the densely populated Punjab, and the deepest India struck in Pakistan since 1971, when the two countries fought one of four wars in 1971.

Pakistani security sources claimed they fired down an Indian Air Force jet and one drone during an Indian attack.

They didn’t say exactly where or how the Jets went down, but they said three Rafalejets were inside those planes. The Indian Rafare Fighters jet was purchased only from France a few years ago and is a respected military asset.

India has not confirmed that the plane has been lost. CNN was unable to verify the claim and reached out to the Indian government and the military for comment.

Witnesses and local government officials said an unidentified aircraft crashed in the Indian-controlled village of Uyyan in Kashmir. Photos issued by AFP News Agency showed the remains of an aircraft in the field next to the red brick building.

It was not immediately clear who the aircraft belonged to.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif on Wednesday said the country had “all rights” and called India’s actions “acts of war.”

Eight people were killed and 35 were injured on Indian strikes, according to Pakistani military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhri. The murdered people include teenagers and children. The youngest of them was three years old, he said.

Three Indian-controlled Kashmir civilians were also killed in artillery bombardment by Pakistani forces across the border, according to the Indian Army.

On Wednesday, the two sides exchanged gunfire and gunfire over Control (LOC), the de facto boundary that divides Kashmir.

The Indian-controlled Kashmir authorities have ordered citizens to evacuate from areas deemed dangerous, saying that accommodation, food and medicines will be provided.

The strike disrupts flights and Pakistan is closing some of its airspace. While several major international airlines have avoided flying through Pakistan, several Indian airlines have reported that they have closed the north flights and airports that have closed the airport.

Some context: During the weeks of the Pahargam Massacre, there were regular exchanges of gunfires along the control line.

Kashmir, the majority of Muslims, has been the flashpoint for relations between India and Pakistan since the two countries gained independence from the UK in 1947.

Bloody division of India in Britain – Both countries, emerging from Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Pakistan, claimed Kashmir in full and after gaining independence several months later, fought the first war of three wars over the territory.

The divided region is currently one of the most militarized locations in the world.

India has long accused Pakistan of having extremist groups attacking across the border. Islamabad has long denied it.

The April massacre of tourist hotspots in Pahargam caused widespread rage in India, putting a lot of pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu government.

India quickly condemned Islamabad, causing neglected retaliation measures as they both downgraded ties, cancelled visas for each other’s citizens, and saw India withdraw from the major water-sharing treaty.

The three previous wars over Kashmir were each covered in blood. The last of 1999 killed more than 1,000 Pakistani troops, by the most conservative estimate.

In the decades since then, extremist groups have been fighting Indian security forces. The violence has killed tens of thousands. The two countries have clashed multiple times, but most recently in 2019 when India launched an airstrike in Pakistan after denounced Islamabad for a suicide car bomb attack in the region.

However, these recent clashes did not explode into an all-out war. Both parties are aware of the risk. Since 1999, both countries have been working to strengthen their military forces, including arming them with nuclear weapons.

The strike has raised global alarms and pleas for the two countries to prevent further escalation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed “deep concern” over India’s strike and warned that the world “cannot afford military conflict” between the two countries.

A State Department spokesman said last week that the US, which had been urging detention from both countries, would “keep close monitoring of development.”

“We are aware of the report, but there are no ratings to offer at this time,” the spokesman said Tuesday. “This remains an evolving situation and we are closely monitoring development.”

The United Arab Emirates, China and Japan are also urging both sides to de-escalate.

A senior Indian government official told CNN that New Delhi had explained to international counterparts the measures taken, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Hong Kong
CNN
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As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for frequent choreography for the “Victory Day” military parade on May 9th, he was clear who was on top of the guest list, Xi Jinping.

Chinese leaders are scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday for a four-day state visit, according to Beijing, deepen their “mutual trust” with Putin and attend the activities to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany.

XI attendees strongly demonstrate the unity between the two dictators and their country at the moment when US President Donald Trump’s “America First” diplomacy rocked a global alliance and shaped the relationship between Washington and both powers. In his remarks last month, Putin described XI as his “main guest.”

Lam and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s Vietnamese President Louise Inacio Lula da Silva are among the other leaders expected to attend the celebration. Conditioning from the honor guards of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army also joins the parade that takes place in the shadow of Putin’s attack on Ukraine.

To commemorate the event, Putin proposed a three-day ceasefire with Kiev. This is the decision that some analysts say was motivated by their desire to uninterruptedly show off Russian military power in front of foreign high-ranking officials. Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky rejected the proposal, calling it a “theatrical performance,” and reiterating his support for the previous US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

Earlier this month, Zelensky warned senior officials traveling to an event where Kiev “cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

Ukraine launched multiple drone attacks in Moscow during the course of the war, including on a recent day. Three people were killed in the biggest attack on the Russian capital in March.

Ukraine says the attack is intended to destroy the key key to Moscow’s war effort, and responds to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.

Russia’s “Victory Day” on May 9th is one of the nation’s biggest celebrations and marks the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in 1945. The supply of military hardware has been declining over the past few years as Russian tanks are mobilised at the forefront of its war.

Europe celebrates VE Day and marks Germany’s surrender in all aspects a day ago.

Changing landscape

It is the third visit in Russia, more than three years ago, since President Putin began his war more than three years ago, but there have been many changes since his last visit over six months ago.

China and the US are now trapped in an escalating trade war that threatens a major impact on both economies, and Beijing realizes that it needs to strengthen friendships and trade partnerships with other countries, including Russia. The top US and China officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland later this week.

Meanwhile, Moscow has discovered a much more sympathetic America under Trump compared to his predecessor, but has recently misunderstood the recent warming link between Washington and Kiev as the US president appears to be losing patience with Putin in search of an end to the conflict.

“Now… China and Russia have more incentives to present a solid image of their collaboration,” said Yun Sang, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank.

“Given the turbulence created by Washington’s policy around the world, China and Russia show that international issues still have stability and reliability, they are already ongoing.

For Moscow and Beijing, the event celebrating the end of World War II, which saw the formation of a UN-led international system, creates an ideal background for the United States to play such rhetoric when it leaves several UN agencies and rattles off longtime alliances in Europe.

An article published by a newcomer at Chinese provincial news agency argued that XI and Putin “lead the right direction for global governance, explicitly oppose unilateralism and bullying, and work together to promote an equal and orderly world with multipolarity and comprehensive economic globalization.”

The two leaders are known for performing shows of their close relationship, but in recent years they have strengthened the country’s economic and security ties. They also cooperated to frame themselves as responsible alternative leaders for the US, despite Russia having waged wars in Ukraine, Beijing increasing attacks in the South China Sea and Taiwan, a self-employed island that Beijing declares itself.

Despite Beijing’s claim to be neutrality in conflict, the country’s relations have only been accelerated by the Russian war as Beijing emerged as an important lifeline for Moscow.

China and Russia reached record bilateral trade last year as sanctions-bound Moscow increasingly seeks China as an export market and product source. The Western government says double-use products from China, such as microchips and mechanical parts, support Moscow’s defense industrial base, and lose Beijing’s goodwill in Europe. China defends “normal trade” with Russia.

“Stand together”

On the visit, observers say XI is trying to ensure China has continued access to Russia’s natural resources and markets. Currently, the country faces 145% tariffs on most exports to the US, throwing high retaliation tariffs on its own in a fixed trade war.

“Given the current US administration’s policy towards China, China really needs Russia in many ways. It’s trade wise and energy resources wise,” said Tamas Mathura, senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis.

But these same trade tensions, and Trump’s questions with Europe about US economic and strategic ties, have also created potential opening up by China to repair its ties with Europe, analysts say it is likely to be recognized as XI navigates diplomacy over the coming days.

“Many European observers watch and listen to Xi Jinping’s speech in Moscow. Will he talk about peace in Ukraine in a meaningful way? Machula said.

A similar question has been raised about whether changing the US stance will allow Moscow to approach Washington at the cost of Beijing.

In recent months, Trump appears to have been open to concessions courtesy of Moscow, aiming to overturn traditional US policies against Russia, parrot Kremlin rhetoric about the war in Ukraine, and end the conflict he has established.

But despite the 30-day Ukraine-backed ceasefire proposal, the Trump administration has shown signs of impatience with Putin’s ongoing onslaught on Ukraine. And last week, Washington and Kiev’s signature on natural resources agreements is widely seen as strengthening Ukraine’s position with Washington.

Anyway, close observers of both XI and Putin’s governments say there is little incentive to cast what was carefully crafted relationship with deep ideological and economic interests.

That was the main view from Beijing. According to Wang Yi-Wei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Lenmin University, China’s capital, “Russia is “being jointly with China” by supporting the international order, and “in cooperation with China.”

“Russia has a distrust of the United States…and it cannot be changed (by Trump) basic hostile attitudes towards Russia from the United States and in general from the West,” Wang said.

Instead, analysts say that XI and Putin’s upcoming meetings are likely to send another message. China and Russia remain consistent as always.

Islamabad, Pakistan/New Delhi, India
CNN
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India has launched a military strike in Pakistan over targets, the two countries said on Wednesday. Pakistan claimed that in a massive escalation between its nuclear rivals, it fired down five Indian Air Force jets accordingly.

The Indian missile said early on Wednesday it targeted Pakistan’s densely populated Punjab and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir ‘terrorist infrastructure’. They have been more than two weeks after the Indian-controlled massacre of Kashmir tourists, where New Delhi denounced its neighbors.

Pakistan said it had fired down five Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafalejets during India’s attack, one MIG-29, one SU-30 fighter and one drone.

A briefing from Pakistani security sources did not say where the jet was defeated or how to do so. CNN cannot independently verify claims and is urging the Indian government to respond.

India, a majority of Muslims, Pakistan and Hindu majority, have approached an open conflict since the massacre last month, and India’s Hindu nationalist government is under intense pressure from bases to respond to the attack.

From early on Wednesday, the two exchanged artillery and gunfires across the border, with Pakistan-controlled Kashmir CNN journalists hearing multiple major explosions.

Witnesses in Srinagar, the largest city in Kashmir, controlled by India, told CNN that the explosion had shaken the city. The cause is currently unknown. The city’s airport director told CNN that the airport had been closed to private transport.

The US State Department said it was “closely monitoring” the flare-up between neighboring South Asian countries, which have fought three wars over Kashmir since its independence from Britain in 1947.

“Our actions are inherently focused, measured and non-active,” India’s Ministry of Defense said in its strike statement.

“Pakistan’s military facilities are not being targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the way it selects and implements targets,” the statement said.

Pakistan rejected the claim, saying the attacks mostly hurt civilians. – Kill at least three people, including children, and injure at least dozens.

Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif said he has the right to respond to what he described as an “act of war,” adding that he has “benefited a reply.”

A Pakistani military source said CNN had five locations struck at Kotli, Ahmadpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Muridke.

Both Ahmadpur East and Malidke are located in Pakistan’s densely populated Punjab, and have been hit by India, the deepest in Pakistan since the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

Wednesday’s attack was the first time since 2019 when India struck within Pakistan’s territory, when Indian jets targeted multiple locations after they blamed a suicide car bomb attack that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in the region.

The Indian military said it had achieved nine targets in “Operation Sindoor.”

“Justice is provided,” the Indian Army wrote to X in a short statement. “Jai Hind!” means “Victory over India.”

A senior Indian official spoke with counterparts in many countries to explain the measures taken by New Delhi, a senior Indian official told CNN.

Among the briefed countries were the United States, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.

Kashmir is one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the world. It is partly controlled by India and Pakistan, but both countries have fully argued for it.

India-Pakistan relations have gained craters in recent weeks after a fatal rampage by gunmen who killed the majority of Indian tourists in the scenic location of Pahargam, Kashmir.

The massacre sparked immediate and widespread rage in India, putting in immense public pressure for Modi to retaliate with force.

India has long accused Pakistan of having extremist groups attacking across the border, and it denies the charges – it has vowed to retaliate against those they were responsible for.

Major world powers, including the United States, were urging controls a few weeks after last month’s attacks. They feared that the military conflict between Pakistan over Kashmir could soon escalate.

India accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack on Pahargam. Islamabad also denies this. Pakistan offers a neutral investigation into the incident.

A few days after the tourist attacks, the two countries quickly downgraded each other and have since engaged in a escalation of intense hostilities.

India ordered its citizens to return from Pakistan, closed across major borders and suspended its involvement in the important water sharing treaty, which has been in effect since 1960.

Pakistan halted trade with India and expelled Indian diplomats. He said attempts to stop or detour the waters belonging to Pakistan would be considered “an act of war.”

New Delhi and Islamabad were bent the forces of the army along the Control (LOC), the de facto boundary that divides Kashmir. Both sides also closed airspace to other airlines.

CNN’s Rhea Mogul, Manveena Suri, Azaz Syed and Vedika Sud contributed to this story