Deep Dive
Shownotes Transcript
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stephens. For the first time in history, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church is an American. Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago will succeed Pope Francis and lead the church's 1.4 billion members. Prevost has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.
NPR's Ruth Sherlock was in St. Peter's Square, where people from around the world gathered for the announcement of a new pope. Just incredible variety. It's amazing walking through the crowd because you hear languages from all over the world. It's such an international scene. And then you had people who had brought...
their small children, tiny babies. I've met somebody who's had a baby who's just days old, you know, coming hoping that they would be blessed by the new pope. Also, a French woman in a shimmering gold sequin floor-length ball gown had come to celebrate this moment. NPR's Ruth Sherlock in Rome. While the Catholic Church's new pope is an American, he's also a naturalized Peruvian citizen.
Pope Leo XIV spent decades in Peru, where those who knew him say he is now a faithful and accessible religious servant.
More from NPR's Keri Kahn. Robert Francis Privo spent two decades in Peru, first as a missionary and ultimately as Archbishop of Chiclayo, the South American country's fourth largest city. In 2015, he became a naturalized Peruvian citizen. 28-year-old Ximena Valdivia is part of Chiclayo's youth ministry and says she can't stop smiling. I screamed.
screamed when I heard his name, she says. God is great to have given us such a humble man as Pope.
Peruvians are posting multiple memes claiming Pope Leo theirs, including pictures of the new head of the Catholic Church wearing the national soccer team's jersey, eating Peru's national dish ceviche, and drinking an Inca cola. Carrie Khan, NPR News. Weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, the acting head of FEMA has been fired after appearing to disagree with the Trump administration's calls to eliminate the agency.
More from NPR's Jeff Brady. FEMA has been criticized for its disaster response in recent years. Now the agency confirms that Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton is no longer serving in that capacity. No details were offered on why he's gone, but earlier this week, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said this on Capitol Hill. The president has indicated he wants to eliminate FEMA as it exists today and to have states have more control over their emergency management response.
Then on Wednesday, Hamilton said this during a different congressional hearing. I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A FEMA spokesperson says Homeland Security Assistant Secretary David Richardson is now serving as acting administrator. Jeff Brady, NPR News. When Wall Street stocks closed higher today with the Dow gaining 254 points, the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 189. This is NPR.
This message comes from NPR sponsor CFP, certified financial planner professionals committed to acting in their clients' best interests. Learn more at letsmakeaplan.org.