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Pope Francis is the first pope from Latin America, a choice that makes sense strategically as the church becomes less Europe-centric. But how he will direct the church, which is still dealing with the fallout of the sexual abuse crisis and other challenges, remains unclear.

After nearly 30 years on the Chicago police force, Richard Piña, 69, now owns Rich's Den in Calumet City, Ill. He had other businesses during his police career — hair salons, a taco stand, a rooming house. "I don't want to say I was an entrepreneur, but I was a hustler," he says.

Steve Inskeep has a remembrance of Parveen Rehman, a Pakistani woman he meet there while reporting in 2008. Rehman was head of the Karachi-based Orangi Pilot Project, a research center that aids in the development of impoverished communities. She was killed on Wednesday at the age of 56.

In Florida, an investigation into storefront Internet gambling parlors has forced the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who is stepping down because of her involvement with a group called Allied Veterans of the World. The group runs dozens of what it calls "Internet cafes" — storefront operations where people essentially gamble using electronic slot machines.

This annual gathering of conservatives is the first since President Obama thwarted Republican efforts to retake the White House, a defeat of Mitt Romney that many in the GOP didn't see coming. And while there will be some backward glances, the conference is mostly about finding the way forward.

In Herkimer, N.Y., people are puzzled about why 64-year-old Kurt Myers allegedly opened fire at two different locations. Thursday morning, after a 19-hour standoff, he was killed in a shootout with police.

The pace of claims for unemployment insurance continues to be the lowest since January 2008. Meanwhile, higher energy costs pushed wholesale prices up sharply in February. But the upward pressure has since eased somewhat.

Lawyers, prosecutors and judges across Massachusetts are sorting through thousands of cases that may now unravel. With a former chemist accused of falsifying as many as 34,000 test results, hundreds of former defendants have already been released and police are bracing for an uptick in crime.

An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians were killed during the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. As "Brother Number Three" in the leadership and foreign minister, Ieng Sary allegedly convinced many Cambodians who had fled to return. Then, many were allegedly tortured and executed.

Studies show there are a growing number of homeless people around the age of 50. But it's common for them to experience illnesses and injuries more common among people well beyond their age. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR correspondent, Pam Fessler and homeless advocate, Tony Simmons, about the rising number of aging homeless.