Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the 267th pope – and the first from the US – after he was chosen in a centuries-old ritual.
The cardinal, 69, has taken the name Pope Leo XIV. He was greeted by cheering crowds as he made his first appearance on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
"Greetings, brothers and sisters," he told them in his first address as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. "May peace be with you." He called worshippers to pray for the late Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
He thanked cardinals who elected him as Bishop of Rome and the spiritual successor to Saint Peter, the first pope. “We have to be a church that works together to build bridges," he said.
US President Donald Trump called the election of the first American pope a "great honour for our country". He said he looked forward to meeting Pope Leo in what would be a "very meaningful moment".
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed wished Pope Leo success in "continuing to promote mutual understanding, peace and harmony throughout the world", as congratulations poured in from leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
Named a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, the new pontiff was born in Chicago in 1955. Having worked as a missionary in Peru, he later served as a bishop there.
In his first address he spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his years in Peru.
Observers regard a pope's choice of name as an early clue to their intentions. Pope Leo XIII, the last with that name, served from 1878 to 1903 and helped to set up the Catholic University of America in Washington.
Pope Francis, who died at 88, was seen as a moderniser and a champion of the unfortunate, including refugees and those affected by the war in Gaza. A former archbishop in Argentina, he was the first pope from the Americas.
Pope Leo XIV elected - in pictures
White smoke
As is tradition, the announcement that the 133 cardinals making up the conclave had come to a decision was made using white smoke, which rose from a specially built chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Cheers went up as the white smoke emerged at 6.07pm local time, accompanied by the ringing of Vatican bells.
It fell to French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti to deliver the words "habemus papam" – Latin for "we have a pope" – to those gathered in the piazza.
The conclave began on Wednesday when cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel two by two, chanting the meditative Litany of the Saints as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn, and the one that followed, implores the saints and the holy spirit to help the cardinals find a new pontiff.
Coming from 70 countries, the cardinals were sequestered from the outside world. Their mobile phones were surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they reached a two-thirds majority decision.
Italian clergymen had held a firm grip on the papacy for almost 400 years, until Pope John Paul II became the first Polish pontiff in 1978. Since then, Italian contenders have been overlooked in favour of the German Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, the Argentinian Pope Francis in 2013, and now Pope Leo XIV.
More than 80 of the cardinals in this year's conclave were appointed by Pope Francis, who died last month after a 12-year papacy.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TEST SQUADS
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
