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WORLD
New Pope
is elected
VATICAN CITY: Jorge
Bergoglio of Argentina was
elected Pope yesterday and
chose the name Francis,
becoming the first pontiff
from the Americas and the
first from outside Europe in
more than a millennium.
Looking stunned, the Pope
shyly waved to the crowd of
tens of thousands of people who
gathered in St Peter’s Square,
marvelling that the cardinals
needed to look to “the end of the
earth” to find a bishop of Rome.
In choosing a 76-year-old
Pope, the cardinals clearly
decided that they didn’t need
a vigorous, young Pope who
would reign for decades but
rather a seasoned, popular pastor
who would draw followers
to the faith.
The cardinal electors overcame
deep divisions to select
l Argentine to lead
Catholic Church
the 266th pontiff in a remarkably
fast, five-ballot conclave.
The Pope asked for prayers
for himself, and for retired Pope
Benedict XVI, whose surprising
resignation paved the way for
the conclave that brought the
first Jesuit to the papacy.
“Brothers and sisters, good
evening,” the Pope said to wild
cheers in his first public remarks
as pontiff. “You know that the
work of the conclave is to give
a bishop to Rome. It seems as
if my brother cardinals went to
find him from the end of the
earth. Thank you for the welcome.”
He had reportedly finished
second in the 2005 conclave that
produced Pope Benedict — who
last month became the first pope
to resign in 600 years.
After announcing “Habemus
Papam” — “We have a pope!”
— a cardinal standing on the
balcony of St Peter’s Basilica
yesterday revealed the identity
of the new pontiff, using his
Latin name.
n Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the central balcony of
St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican
The longtime archbishop of
Buenos Aires has spent nearly
his entire career at home in
Argentina, overseeing churches
and shoe-leather priests.
In a lifetime of teaching
and leading priests in Latin
America, which has the largest
share of the world’s Catholics,
the Pope has shown a keen
political sensibility as well as
the kind of self-effacing humility
that fellow cardinals value
highly, according to his official
biographer, Sergio Rubin.
He showed that humility yesterday,
saying that before he
blessed the crowd he wanted
Gulf Daily News Thursday, 14th March 2013 19
their prayers for him and bowed
his head. “Good night, and have
a good rest,” he said before
going back into the palace.
Tens of thousands of people
who braved cold rain to watch
the smokestack atop the Sistine
Chapel jumped in joy when
white smoke poured out a few
minutes past 7 pm.
Meanwhile, the Vatican yesterday
divulged the secret recipe
used: potassium perchlorate,
anthracene, a derivative of coal
tar, and sulfur for the black
smoke; potassium chlorate, lactose
and a pine resin for the
white smoke.
Muscat airport
workers end
safety strike
MUSCAT: Thousands of South
Asian labourers working on the
expansion of Muscat airport
resumed work yesterday after
authorities agreed to improve
safety conditions at the site,
workers said.
Thousands of labourers
had downed tools on Tuesday
demanding better safety conditions
after a colleague was
killed in an accident. But the
company said the workers were
given the day off to mourn for
the deceased colleague.
“We are assured by the company
that an investigation is
being conducted and safety
issues will be improved at the
airport,” Mohan Raman, a BEB
worker said. “That is the reason
we are back to work today.”
Seven are executed
for armed robbery
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday
executed seven men for
an armed robbery committed
before they were 18, the
Interior Ministry said.
The seven, sentenced to
death in 2009 for a crime committed
in 2006, had been due to
die last week but were granted
a stay of execution while
authorities reviewed their case.
The men, from Asir province
in the south, were convicted of
robbing a jewellery store.