NEWS With a puff of white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and to the cheers of thousands of rain-soaked faithful, a gathering of Catholic cardinals picked a new pope from among their midst on Wednesday â€" choosing the cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina, the first South American to lead the church. Rachel Donadio reports from Vatican City.
In what is expected to be his final year in office, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan is intensifying his criticism of his American allies at a critical moment in their Afghan endgame. Alissa Rubin reports from Kabul.
Ieng Sary, the former foreign minister of the Khmer Rouge who is one of three eldrly leaders on trial now for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, died Thursday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He was 87. Seth Mydans reports.
North Korea issued a direct personal attack on the South’s new president for the first time since her inauguration two weeks ago, saying on Wednesday that her “venomous swish of skirt†was to blame for rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Choe Sang-Hun reports from Seoul.
On the day he named a replacement for the United States ambassador slain at the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in September, President Obama also met with Prime Minister Ali Zeida! n of Libya and emphasized the need for his country’s help in finding the attackers who carried out the assault that led to death of the envoy and three other Americans. Michael Gordon reports from Washington.
As Spaniards deal with the lingering economic crisis, a new movement hopes to lift the nation with a focus on silver linings. Raphael Minder reports from Madrid.
The lawmakers of the European Union gave austerity a poke in the eye Wednesday by overwhelmingly rejecting the bloc’s proposed budget of €960 billion in its current form. James Kanter reports from Brussels.
For flights originating in Europe, proposed rules from the E.U. would clarify passengers’ rights to compensation for delayed or canceled flights. Nicola Clark reports from Paris.
ARTS The question of censorship looms large this month in the United Arab Emirates, a time when art and cultural events fill the calendar. In Dubai, early March was marked by a five-day literary festival, which will be followed mid-month by the annual art fair, Art Dubai. Next door, the Sharjah Biennial started on Wednesday. Vinita Bharadwaj reports from Dubai.
