Cuba

The Cuban leader, who went to Jesuit schools as a child, says he might "resume praying and turn to the Church again" if Francis "continues in this vein."

At least four companies said they received approval for ferry licenses. It's been five decades since ferry service between the U.S. and island has been offered.

The Holy See is in talks for Francis to make a trip to the island nation in September. The pontiff helped forge a breakthrough in relations between Havana and Washington.

The White House said Tuesday that President Obama would remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Iran, Sudan and Syria are also on it. But some states have made it off, too.

The move is just one part of the Obama administration's push to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba.

The president made history by shaking hands with Cuba's Raul Castro at the Summit of the Americas. There was less talk about the drug trade and the military, and more talk about economic opportunity.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the gathering in Panama City. It was the first substantive meeting between leaders of the U.S. and Cuba in more than five decades.

The president's tenure has been marked by outreach to nations that previous U.S. presidents, Republican and Democrat alike, ostracized for decades. It may take years to see if this approach succeeds.

Earlier in the day the two leaders spoke by telephone. It's only the second time in the past 50 years that the heads of the U.S. and Cuba are known to have spoken.