*Prince William places the wedding ring on Catherine Middleton's finger with the words, "With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I thee honor" *Prince William and Catherine Middleton exchange their wedding vows *Prince William says "I will". Catherine Middleton says "I will"
** Check bottom of page for more minute to minute developments
MAIN STORY:
Kate Middleton has arrived at Westminster Abbey for her wedding to Britain's Prince William, heir to the British throne.
Her appearance relieves weeks of speculation about what dress she would choose. Her dress, designed by Sarah Burton, has long sleeves of lace, a "V" neckline with lace overlay, and a full skirt and long train.
Her maid of honor, sister Pippa, is wearing a much simpler, form-fitting white dress. She walked the red carpet out to Kate's limousine to help her out of the car.
Moments before Kate's arrival, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrived for the ceremony. Like Prince William and Prince Harry earlier, they drew massive cheers from the throngs of onlookers gathered to witness the festivities.
Some 1,900 guests are expected for the mid-morning ceremony. An estimated 2 billion viewers are expected to witness the event on television, the Internet, or other media. And hundreds of thousands of people are filling the streets of London for a glimpse of the royal couple.
Among the guests are Australian swimming champion Ian Thorpe, British football (soccer) star David Beckham, and British music icon Elton John. Former Prime Minister John Major is also attending.
Five thousand police officers have been deployed in London to handle the massive crowds. Police say they arrested three people late Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance and breach of the peace. The three were suspected of plotting to cause a disturbance at the wedding.
The couple have said they are "incredibly moved" by the outpouring of affection toward them since their engagement last November, and have thanked the public for joining in the celebration of what they hope will be one of the happiest days of their lives.
Buckingham Palace has announced that after they are married, William and Kate -- who will officially be known as Catherine -- will be given the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
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*For more information on the Royal Wedding, visit our Special Report page
UP TO THE MINUTE DEVELOPMENTS
The royal wedding ceremony begins: "We are gathered here ..." Catherine Middleton's veil has been lifted as she and Prince William stand next to each other
** Bride Catherine Middleton, her hand placed above that of her father Michael Middleton walks down the aisle of Westminster Abbey to the singing of "I Was Glad". Behind her are four bridesmaids, Lady Louise Windsor, 7, the Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, 8, Miss Grace van Cutsem, 3, Eliza Lopes, 3, William Lowther-Pinerton, 10, and Tom Pettifer, 8.
**The dean of Westminster welcome bride Catherine Middleton as she prepares to walk down the aisle to marry Prince William. ** The bells of Westminster Abbey ring out, as bride Catherine Middleton steps out of the Rolls Royce, waving to the crowds, holding a small bouquet of white flowers, her veil held in place by a tiara
** Bride Catherine Middleton, accompanied by her father Michael Middleton, arrive at Westminster Abbey.
** Thousands of people burst into cheers as Catherine Middleton, the future Princess, waves from a Rolls Royce on her way to Westminster Abbey.
* Catherine Middleton is ushered into a Rolls Royce Phantom VI, the clouds of the white train of her dress folded gently into the car around her. Middleton's face is covered in a long white veil
**The Dean of Westminster welcome a smiling Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Westminster Abbey as the bells ring out over London. A royal fanfare by the state trumpeters announces the queen's arrival.
**The Queen, dressed in yellow, and the Duke of Edinburgh depart for the Abbey amid a surge of cheers as the excitement builds along the streets of London
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess Cornwall, traveling in their Rolls Royce, head toward Westminster Abbey to the cheers of thousands of fans waving flags
Members of the extended British royal family, including the Duke of York, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, arrive as the bells peal out at Westminster Abbey.
In the Abbey, members of different royal families, from Norway and Denmark to the Netherlands to Serbia, have joined the list of some 1,900 invited to attend the royal wedding The bride's mother and brother are on their way to Westminster Abbey in a Jaguar, with a motorcycle escort.
Prince William and his best man Prince Harry walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey, lined with trees brought in for the occasion
Prince William, dressed in red and gold, with black trousers, and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey, as the bells of the Abbey ring out
Crowds burst into cheers as Prince William is Driven to Westminster Abbey
The Royal Cavalry, dressed in red and black finery, await to escort Prince William to Westminster Abbey, as excited crowds waving Union Jacks start chanting "We want Will!"
Prime Minister David Cameron arrives at Westminster Abbey, holding hands with his wife. Elton John and his partner David Furnish are seated together, smiling. John sang at Lady Diana's funeral in 1997.
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Syrian opposition protesters are planning to take to the streets again in defiance of an intense and deadly government crackdown on their demonstrations.
Another day of nationwide protests is planned for Friday, in what has become a weekly outpouring of anger and dissent against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria's banned Muslim Brotherhood has for the first time directly joined the call for protests. In a statement to the Reuters news agency, the group urged citizens to take to the streets and to "chant with one voice for freedom and dignity."
In Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Council will discuss Syria Friday in an emergency session requested by the United States.
A draft resolution proposed by the U.S. calls for the creation of an independent commission to probe allegations of rights abuses in Syria.
The U.N. Security Council failed earlier this week to agree on a statement condemning Syria's violence against protesters following resistance to the move by Syria's allies on the council - Russia, China and Lebanon.
Hundreds of people have been killed in Syria since pro-democracy demonstrations first erupted six weeks ago. Much of the violence has taken place in the southern city of Daraa, which has become the center of the protest movement.
The government has sent soldiers into Daraa in the past week, backed by tanks and snipers, keeping residents off the streets.
There are also reports that Syrian army units have clashed with each other in Daraa, because soldiers from one unit refused orders to fire on civilians. The military released a statement Wednesday denying any splits within its ranks.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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U.S. authorities say the number of people killed in a series of tornadoes and thunderstorms across the southern United States has risen to at least 305, making it the country's deadliest tornado outbreak in almost four decades.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says the tornadoes that struck his state on Wednesday killed at least 195 people, by far the highest toll of the eight southern states hit by deadly storms. Speaking Thursday, he said Alabama's final death toll may not be known for another day or two.
U.S. President Barack Obama said the loss of life has been "heartbreaking, especially in Alabama." In a White House address, he said the damage from the storms has been "catastrophic" and promised the federal government will do "everything it can" to help the region recover.
The National Weather Service says about 150 tornados tore through parts the southern states of Mississippi and Alabama on Wednesday. Alabama's city of Tuscaloosa was one of the hardest hit. Several buildings were flattened, and many city operations are unable to function.
Water dripped through the roof of the grocery store Mike Honeysutt manages in Tuscaloosa. He watched as it was destroyed.
"The power went out and the building started shaking, the windows were shaking and part of the roof was flying off the building, the windows came into the front and then the wind started blowing stuff of the shelves," said Honeysutt.
Honeysutt said the tornado was gone 15 or 20 seconds later. The damage was not, however, and many people are missing among the rubble.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to assist in search-and-rescue efforts.
"We do have major destruction in the state, especially in the northern part of Alabama," said Bentley. "We have 131 confirmed fatalities at the present time. We expect that number to rise today. In fact, we are sure it will. There may be as many as a half million to a million people in the state without power at this time."
Bentley also reported the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama automatically shut down after it lost power to its three units. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the plant's safety systems are operating as needed.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed teams to the region to assist in response efforts, after U.S. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Alabama.
Bentley said Alabama was as prepared as it could be to face tornados, with winds averaging 400 to 500 kilometers per hour. That measure is the most destructive on the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale.
"When you have a catastrophic F 4 and F 5 tornado that hits, there is not much you can do to change the outcome of that," he said. "But we did have a good response from the weather bureau and we have had a good response from our Emergency Management Agency. We were prepared."
FEMA Director Craig Fugate said the violent streak of tornados that have struck the southern United States in recent weeks is not uncommon.
"Actually what we are seeing is springtime. Unfortunately many people think of Oklahoma as tornado ally and forget that the southeast United States actually has a history of actually longer and more powerful tornados that stay on the ground longer," said Fugate.
Severe weather that began Monday also caused dozens of fatalities in Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Arkansas, making it the deadliest series of storms to hit the southern U.S. region in four decades.
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Additional Syrian troops have reportedly been sent to the troubled Syrian town of Daraa and other areas on Thursday. The deployment comes after several hundred members of the ruling Baath Party resigned in protest of the crackdown on anti-government demonstrations.
The resignation of 200 Baath Party members late Wednesday happened days after three members of parliament and the state-appointed Mufti of Daraa quit too in protest.
But Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, says the resignations are largely symbolic and will not have much effect because Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in charge:
He says that the resignations, while numerically significant, are unlikely to have an impact, because the Baath Party does not control the upper echelons of Syria's political hierarchy.
The military remained firmly in control in Daraa on Thursday. Neighborhoods are cut off from each other and food and water are in short supply. Witnesses say that sporadic gunfire crackled through the day.
Organizers of a Facebook support group are calling for a "day of rage" across Syria in support of Daraa after Friday prayers.
Syrian government television warned citizens against demonstrating, saying that there is a "difference between peaceful protests," which are permitted, and what it called "rioting"
The government also warned people against carrying firearms and urged citizens not to stock up on bread.
For the third day in a row, state television showed confessions of alleged Islamic militants it says were captured in Daraa and elsewhere.
Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar al Jaafari defended the government crackdown at a U.N. Security Council session Wednesday, repeating official claims that outside forces were plotting to destabilize the country:
He says that the Syrian government is exercising its right to defend its citizens and to save them from sectarian strife. He says the opponents' goal is to destroy Syria's political independence and stability.
The U.N. Security Council discussed Syria's military crackdown but was unable to agree on a draft statement condemning the violence. Russia and several other council members opposed the statement.
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Fighting continues in the besieged, rebel-held Libyan city of Misrata, as a United Nations panel pursues an inquiry in Libya into violence and abuses committed during a government crackdown on the opposition.
Clashes were reported overnight in Libya in several places between rebel fighters and forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Opposition sources said Gadhafi's forces have been firing rockets at Misrata and the western town of Zintan following NATO airstrikes to halt government attacks on Misrata's port. The port is the only access for international aid into the battle-torn city.
On Wednesday, a NATO warplane mistakenly attacked a rebel position on the front lines in Misrata, killing 12 fighters and wounding several others.
Meanwhile, a three-member commission sent by the U.N. Human Rights Council is in Libya seeking access to prisons and hospitals to interview possible victims of the crackdown by Libyan forces.
The U.N. General Assembly suspended Libya's membership in the Human Rights Council last month following the government's violent repression of opposition protesters.
The United States Treasury has moved to authorize oil and gas deals with the opposition's Transitional National Council.
Wednesday's order aims to clear up concerns over legal complications related to international sanctions placed on Libya.
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President Barack Obama on Thursday formally announced leadership changes for the Department of Defense, CIA, and command of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. Mr. Obama said the choices will help the United States confront ongoing challenges to its security.
In moving CIA chief Leon Panetta to the Pentagon by July, and switching Afghanistan commander Army General David Petraeus to the CIA, President Obama says he is confident they will bring continuity and efficient management to major military objectives.
Related video report by Carolyn Presutti
These include the war in Afghanistan and what Obama said must be "steadfast" efforts against al-Qaida as well as the process of withdrawing remaining U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
At the Pentagon, Panetta will have to carry out President Obama's objective of trimming $400 billion in spending from a huge defense budget.
General Petraeus will bring to the CIA counter-terrorism strategies and respect he gained leading operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will pass on his command responsibilities for U.S. military forces in Afghanistan to Marine Corps Lieutenant General John Allen.
In the White House East Room, President Obama said he believes he has picked the right team at a challenging time.
"Given the pivotal period that we are entering, I felt it was absolutely critical that we had this team in place so that we can stay focused on our missions, maintain our momentum, and keep our nation secure," said President Obama.
In Afghanistan, General Allen will work with veteran diplomat Ryan Crocker, nominated as the new U.S. ambassador in Kabul, to implement President Obama's and NATO's road map, which involves a U.S. troop drawdown beginning in July and a full transition of security to Afghan government forces by 2014.
President Obama praised outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates as someone who helped wind down the war in Iraq while challenging "conventional thinking" about the military.
Gates, the only holdover from the cabinet of former President George W. Bush, outlined what he saw as his main responsibility as defense secretary.
"My highest priority, from my first day in office, has been to do everything I could for our uniformed men and women in harm's way - to help them accomplish their mission, to come home safely and, if wounded, to get them the best possible care from battlefield to home front," said Robert Gates.
Panetta praised the employees of the CIA and their work, and spoke about what he called "a time of historic change" for the United States.
"Today, we are a nation at war and job one will be to ensure that we remain the strongest military power in the world, to protect that security that is so important to this country," said Leon Panetta.
Panetta referred to what he called "a time for hard choices" demanding that "we be strong and disciplined in applying our nation's limited resources," a reference to spending reduction challenges ahead.
President Obama said General Petraeus's knowledge of the Middle East and Afghanistan uniquely qualify him to lead the CIA in its effort to defeat al-Qaida, adding that Petraeus understands the importance of sharing and coordinating information.
General Petraeus praised what he called the "quiet professionals" of the CIA, saying he had seen their expertise, commitment and courage.
Petraeus, who returns to Afghanistan on Friday to prepare the transition to his successor, said he is optimistic that the new national security team will be able to deal with the challenges ahead.
"As I return to Afghanistan tomorrow, I will do so with a sense of guarded optimism about the trajectory of the mission and the exceptional civil-military team the president will nominate to lead that effort," said General Petraeus.
Lieutenant General Allen said he was "mindful" of the significance of the responsibility of leading U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Crocker spoke about the U.S. mission there:
"The challenges are formidable and the stakes are high," said Ambassador Crocker. "9/11 [the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States] came to us out of Afghanistan. Our enemy must never again have that opportunity."
In his remarks, President Obama said the challenges facing his new team include ensuring that the United States stands with people across the Middle East and North Africa who are seeking to determine their own destiny, including continuing support for international military operations to protect the Libyan people.
All of President Obama's selections for the Pentagon, CIA and leadership positions in Afghanistan are subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Already, they have met with wide praise from Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, including key members of the Senate who will be involved in their confirmation hearings.
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Israel has rejected a reconciliation agreement between the two major Palestinian factions, saying it could kill the peace process. Some Palestinians are also expressing skepticism about whether the moderate Fatah faction that runs the West Bank can ever join with the militant Hamas group that rules Gaza.
Musab Sirhan, a 20-year-old university student, stands next to a tent in central Ramallah's Menara Square. The tent is now empty. Sirhan is among the demonstrators who have ended a sit-in they started last month to call for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.
Unity among the Palestinian factions, he believes, will be the most effective tool in achieving Palestinian statehood. Sirhan says he and his fellow demonstrators have succeeded. He says that once they are united, the Palestinians can get get rid of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and end the occupation.
Down the street at the Palestine Coffee Shop, among the older men who gather here to sip coffee and smoke, there is less optimism.
Jemal Ismail does not see how two factions that are so different in their views can truly reconcile unless they give up some essential part of their beliefs. He sees no evidence of that. He asks, what is their plan? He wonders what is new in this agreement. He says he has seen these reconciliation deals before and he says they have always failed.
Hamas drove Fatah out of the Gaza Strip four years ago after a week of bloody clashes.
Fatah is open to negotiations with Israel, while Hamas opposes peace talks and its charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Israel calls the reconciliation agreement a mistake, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Palestinian Authority to choose between peace with Hamas, or peace with Israel.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, speaking on Israeli army radio, warned that Hamas militants might flood the West Bank.
He said such an agreement crosses a "red line," and noted that Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by members of the international community.
Supporters of Hamas in the West Bank welcomed the agreement. Fadel Hamdan, an Islamist Palestinian legislator, considers it a historic moment that he says was made possible by the new interim government of Egypt.
He said Hamas wanted reconciliation, but was not allowed to do so by the regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. He said that once Mubarak was gone, the process started working and he hopes that Fatah will align itself with the goals of Hamas.
The agreement, to be signed next week in Cairo, comes as public pressure grows on Fatah leaders to move the stalled peace process forward and end Israel's occupation of the West Bank.
Analysts say Hamas is dealing with similar pressure in Gaza, where demonstrations have been held as frustration grows over the group's failure to bring an end to Israel's blockade of the enclave.
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Yemen's government and an opposition coalition are moving forward with plans to sign an agreement that calls for the president to hand over power, although opposition leaders warn that continued violence against protesters could derail the plan.
The opposition alliance released a statement Thursday saying that it may be unable to sign the agreement if, in its words, President Ali Abdullah Saleh uses the accord to kill civilians.
On Wednesday, at least 13 people were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters at anti-government rallies demanding Saleh's immediate departure from office.
Some in the opposition say they oppose the agreement because it gives the president a month-long window to resign and because Saleh and his family would be granted immunity for prosecution.
VOA's Davin Hutchins speaks with journalists Nasser Arrabyee and Erik Stier who have been following developments on the GCC agreement to the political cirisis in Yemen:
Yemen's main opposition coalition, however, remains behind the plan.
An official with the rights group, Middle East and North Africa director Malcolm Smart, said Saleh should not be allowed to "evade accountability for the long catalogue of human rights crimes committed under his rule."
However, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has welcomed the deal. She said the plan represents Yemen's "best chance" for addressing its economic, social and security challenges.
The agreement was brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council. It calls for Saleh to hand over power to a deputy and resign within 30 days of signing the initiative. It would establish a unity government that would include opposition members.
Gulf council officials say the agreement may be finalized during a Sunday meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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Voting is underway in two states in northern Nigeria where polling was delayed by violence that followed last week's presidential election. Nigeria's ruling party retained the presidency, but appears to have lost control of several state governments.
Security forces accompanied electoral workers to polling stations in Kaduna and Bauchi where state-wide elections were postponed after supporters of opposition presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari last week battled riot police following the election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The human rights group the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria says at least 500 people were killed in violence across the north. Vice President Namadi Sambo's home in Kaduna was set on fire.
Observers say early voter turnout in Kaduna and Bauchi Thursday was smaller than during the presidential poll. Some Buhari supporters destroyed their voter cards after their candidate said the presidential ballot was rigged.
But Buhari says that is a mistake and is calling on his supporters to come out for the poll, which he says is an opportunity to "disgrace your oppressors who have stolen your votes"".
President Jonathan's ruling People's Democratic Party currently controls the governorships of Kaduna and Bauchi but is facing strong opposition candidates from Buhari's Congress for Progressive Change party.
Buhari's party is challenging results from Tuesday's gubernatorial elections in Niger and Katsina states. The opposition Action Congress of Nigeria party is contesting the outcome of the gubernatorial election in Akwa Ibom.
That party held on to control of the commercial capital, Lagos, and appears to have defeated the ruling party in the states of Ogun and Oyo, putting opposition parties in control of all six states in the southwest region.
The ruling party also lost control of Zamfara and Nasarawa states, but retained control in the oil-rich Niger Delta and picked-up the governorship of Kano, which is the north's most populous state.
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Less than 24 hours after being released, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been arrested again in the capital, Kampala.
A spokesman from his political party said Besigye has been arrested for the fourth time since the beginning of the "Walk to Work" protests just three weeks ago.
The arrest comes the morning after Besigye was released on bail after seven days in prison on charges of unlawful assembly. Fellow opposition figure Norbert Mao is still being held at Nakasongola Prison some 64 kilometers outside of Kampala.
After Besigye's arrest last week, video emerged showing a confrontation between the opposition leader and police, with Besigye being forced into the back of a truck. Reports of Thursday's arrest indicate a similarly hostile confrontation with police using teargas to extract Besigye from his car. According to Wafula Ogutu, a spokesman from Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change [FDC], the opposition figure was injured while being apprehended.
"Dr. [Besigye] was driven from town to a police station near his home and he is being held incommunicado," said Ogutu. "When they were arresting him he was in his car. They smashed the window and I think the glass cut him in the face. So they have allowed us to send a doctor to treat him and that is the only person who is allowed to go and see him."
According to Ogutu, Besigye's driver and personal assistant both were injured during the arrest. The opposition figure reportedly was travelling to his office in Kampala when he was stopped by Ugandan police.
The judge who released the opposition leader Wednesday warned him against engaging in "conduct that could lead to the commission of crime and the destruction of property." While Besigye promised to continue the walks shortly after his release, Ogutu maintains he was not walking or protesting Thursday morning. The FDC spokesman said the police have yet to indicate on what charges Besigye is being held.
"The police station is surrounded by military soldiers and police men, about 100 of them and they don't allow any of us to move near," said Ogutu.
Besigye is a three-time presidential candidate and runner-up in Uganda's February elections.
The "Walk to Work" demonstrations were first organized by Besigye and his allies on April 12 to protest the rising cost of fuel and food in the east African nation. President Yoweri Museveni immediately declared the walks illegal, and each of the demonstrations has been met by the full force of Uganda's police.
Hundreds of Ugandans have been arrested and at least five have been killed, including a two-year-old girl who was shot by security forces in the town of Masaka last Thursday.
Spokespersons for the Ugandan police did not answer calls for comment on Thursday.
FDC spokesman Ogutu said another demonstration is planned for Monday.
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My memories of being a reporter covering Pope John Paul II have come flooding back lately, as the Roman Catholic Church prepares to declare the former religious leader "Blessed," the final step before sainthood.
So what was it like traveling with the pope around the world on his plane? Well, in some ways, it was like going on tour with the world's biggest rock star.
I don't mean to be irreverent - John Paul was much more than any rock star. He was a spiritual leader who, at one open air mass in Ireland, gathered and inspired 2 million people. And there is no way to easily describe what it felt like to be in the middle of 2 million people praying and singing fervently together in an open field.
But no, reporters traveling with John Paul did not fall to their knees in prayer when he came to talk to us. And there were plenty of lighter moments.
Once, while taking a ferry across the Congo River to Brazzaville, a group of reporters decided to serenade the pope with an inappropriate song. Hearing the lyrics, John Paul covered his ears in mock horror and just shook his head.
While he had a sense of humor, though, John Paul also had an edge. On a flight to Rome from a trip to Turkey in 1979, a group of Spanish reporters began dominating the conversation when the pope came to the back of the plane to talk. Other reporters, many of whom did not speak Spanish, became frustrated. One of them finally shouted that the Spanish reporters were being undemocratic. To our surprise, John Paul raised his index finger and said, "You are right. It is undemocratic." He turned around, went back to his cabin and closed the door.
John Paul also was a brilliant scholar, an avid skier and fluent in seven or eight languages. And he was a skilled diplomat with a clear sense of what he wanted to accomplish.
While he sharply criticized communism - John Paul was born in communist Poland - he did so from his own perspective: that it denied the existence of God and robbed humans of their dignity. He backed that up with timely support of Poland's Solidarity labor movement that led to the fall of communism in that country.
There were deeply spiritual moments during the dozen or so international trips that I took with John Paul.
One was in Hiroshima, Japan, when the pope stopped to pray before a monument honoring the victims of history's first atomic bomb attack. I've visited Hiroshima a few times since then, but the memory of the pope and a group of Shinto priests chanting their prayers that day is one I will always carry with me.
Another was in late 1978, when John Paul visited the shrine of St. Francis in the Italian hill town of Assisi. I was the designated reporter on that trip, and when the pope went down to the grotto to pray before St. Francis' tomb, we were alone. Watching him pray silently on his knees for more than five minutes, it seemed as if he had left this world.
Traveling with the pope remains the highlight of my years as a foreign correspondent.
Where else would I have seen Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, then president of the Vatican bank, stretched out on a church pew in full bishop's regalia, napping while the pope and the patriarch of all Eastern orthodox churches led a three hour prayer service around him?
Or had to have negotiated a toll with a group of entrepreneurial lepers in Kinshasa, Zaire - now the Democratic Republic of Congo - to enter the post office and reach the only international phone line in town?
It's been three decades since those experiences. But when John Paul is officially named a "Blessed" of the Roman Catholic Church and put on the final step towards sainthood, I will once again closely follow the news - but this time on television.
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It's been a high octave build up and now Britain's royal wedding day has finally arrived.
The build up to Britain's royal wedding has been spectacular, with interest and excitement flowing from all corners of the world.
Now the event has finally arrived and interest is high in Britain's capital, London.
"There is terrific excitement," noted Richard Fitzwilliams, a specialist on the royal family. "It's one of the weddings, not only of the decade, but also of the century and I think that we'll get something like one million people in the streets of London."
About 5,000 police have flooded London's streets to keep a close eye on the hundreds of thousands of people expected to be in the capital, along with top dignitaries from around the world, pop stars and footballers, and of course, the royal family itself. Quite a last minute stir was raised on Thursday when Syria's ambassador to Britain was taken off the list of invited guests as a result of a violent crackdown by the Syrian government against protesters there.
Human rights groups have been critical of a number of invitations, including Swaziland's absolute monarch and Zimbabwe's ambassador to Britain.
Fitzwilliams says the guest list should not be a controversy.
"All nations with whom Britain has quote 'normal' diplomatic relations - and that includes, I'm afraid, Zimbabwe - have been sent an invitation to send a representative," noted Fitzwilliams. "In the case of Libya and the case, now, of Syria that invitation has been withdrawn."
Political woes did not interfere with the excitement outside Westminster Abbey on the eve of the wedding, as royal fans waited in anticipation.
Many camped outside the church for days, hoping to get a look at the royal procession as it passes through London.
"We're right in front of the abbey," one of the spectators said. "We're not in front of the prime location, which is just behind me. But we think we have a very good view of Kate arriving and Kate and William leaving so we're very happy with our spot."
People from around the world, including the USA, Canada, and Indonesia, had pitched their tents. Many nations' flags flew high in the air along with royal souvenirs, hats, banners, and balloons.
Canadian Margaret Kiddle has travelled to Britain for many royal events, including the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer 30 years ago. She says it's a tradition.
"Well if I don't see anything, I'm a monarchist and I'm here for the Queen and Prince Phillip and her family and she's the queen of Canada too. Don't forget that," noted Kiddle.
It may be a British royal wedding, but it seems to have captured the imagination of the world.
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Four former world leaders say North Korea has shifted its stance on talking about key issues with South Korea. But the senior statesmen, who spent three days in Pyongyang this week, were not able to meet with the top leaders in either country.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that the delegation failed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but a North Korean vice minister read out a message from him. It indicated a change in Pyongyang's position that it would only discuss key issues with Washington.
"They tell us now that they are very willing to discuss nuclear issues or any other military issues directly with South Korea, including at the highest possible level between Kim Jong Il and the president of South Korea," Carter said.
The group, however, was unable to deliver that offer directly to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who did not meet with them.
Carter was accompanied by Finland's former president, Martti Ahtisaari, the former prime minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and former Irish president, Mary Robinson. They are members of a group of former heads of state known as The Elders.
After a flight from Pyongyang to Seoul Thursday the four briefed two South Korean cabinet ministers and spoke to reporters.
They say North Korean officials are adamant that Pyongyang will not end its nuclear weapons programs without "some kind of security guarantee" from Washington.
Talks to end North Korea's nuclear program broke off two years ago.
Beijing's chief negotiator in the talks, Wu Dawei, was in Seoul this week discussing ways to resume them. China has suggested North Korea first meet with South Korea and then with the United States.
North Korea has conducted two nuclear weapons tests and is believed to have enough plutonium for about six nuclear bombs.
The delegation also asked North Korea to release to them an American citizen who has been detained there for five months. But they were told the man has not yet been charged and could not be freed until the judicial process is completed.
North Korea says the Korean-American missionary Jun Young-su has confessed to an unspecified crime against the nation.
The four envoys stressed their visit was primarily intended to explore North Korea's humanitarian crisis.
Carter told reporters that he doubts any outsider can change the North Korean government's attitude toward human rights. He says, however, the rest of world has an obligation to alleviate the suffering of those going hungry in the communist country.
"But one of the most important human rights is to have food to eat," Carter said. "And for the South Koreans and for the Americans and others deliberately to withhold food aid to the North Korean people because of political or military issues not related is really indeed a human rights violation."
Former Irish President Robinson called the lack of food for North Korea's women and children "a matter of utter life and death urgency."
She says South Korea told the delegation it is "seriously considering" a resumption of food aid to the impoverished North.
Relations between the two Koreas have been in a chill for more than a year. Seoul wants apologies for two lethal incidents last year before it will resume high-level talks with Pyongyang. Carter says the North Koreans regret them but will not publicly apologize.
An attack on a South Korean navy ship in the Yellow Sea last March killed 46 South Korean sailors. Pyongyang denies any involvement. An international investigation concluded the ship was hit by a North Korea torpedo.
In late November, four South Koreans died when North Korean artillery bombarded Yeonpyeong island. Pyongyang said its army was responding to threatening maneuvers by the South's forces on the island near the border.
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Pakistani officials say a roadside bomb has hit a bus carrying navy personnel in Karachi, killing five people, in the third such attack this week.
Thursday's blast killed four navy employees and a civilian on a motorcycle. Five people were wounded and nearby buildings and vehicles were damaged in the bombing.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as for a pair of blasts Tuesday that also targeted buses carrying navy personnel in the southern port city. Those attacks killed four people and wounded more than 50 others.
A Taliban spokesman on Thursday vowed more strikes against security forces.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attack and called for an investigation.
Karachi is Pakistan's economic hub and its largest city with roughly 16 million people. It has been plagued by criminal, sectarian and militant violence. The Pakistani navy is based in the city, which is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea.
Security experts say the navy was a soft target and that attacks in Karachi could be a sign that militants are expanding their reach beyond the country's northwest.
The attacks come days after Pakistan's army chief said his forces have "broken the back" of insurgents linked to the Taliban and al-Qaida. Army General Ashfaq Kayani said Saturday that Pakistan is fully aware of the internal and external threats to the country.
Pakistan has launched several offensives against militants in the northwest along the Afghan border, but bombings and suicide attacks have continued.
Earlier this month, the United States criticized Pakistan's counterterror efforts, saying the country had no clear path to defeating Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants in the border region.
The top U.S. military commander, Admiral Mike Mullen, also said some members of Pakistan's military intelligence agency have a long-standing relationship with Haqqani militants fighting in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has denied any link with the al-Qaida affiliated group, and Kayani has rejected criticism of the country's efforts in the war on terrorism.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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Chinese officials say two days of talks with the United States on human rights issues have ended with the sides committed to continuing dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
But foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China is against the United States using human rights as a pretext for interfering in its internal affairs. The U.S. delegates to the talks scheduled a news conference for later Thursday to give their own account of the meetings.
The countries have held three previous human rights dialogues since 2002, but this year's session came amid strains over a Chinese crackdown which has seen dozens of lawyers and dissidents arrested in recent weeks. The United States said before the talks that it would press Beijing on what it called a "negative trend of forced disappearances, extralegal detention, and arrests and convictions."
China adopted a defiant tone in an editorial Thursday in the Communist Party-controlled newspaper Global Times. It said most Chinese are disgusted by outside pressure on human rights and that there would be no progress in the talks if the United States tried to assert such pressure.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong was more conciliatory at a briefing this week, where he said the delegates would discuss new developments in their countries, as well as cooperation on human rights issues at the United Nations.
The U.S. delegation in Beijing was led by Michael Posner, the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor. The Chinese side is led by Chen Xu, the foreign ministry's director-general of international organizations and conferences.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
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Morocco says terrorists were behind a bombing that killed at least 15 people in a popular square in Marrakech.
Government spokesman Khalid Naciri says it is too early to say what group might be involved in Thursday's attack, which left at least 20 other people wounded.
Officials say about 10 of the people killed in the blast at a cafe were foreigners. Some officials and witnesses say it appears a suicide bomber may have caused the explosion.
The blast tore the facade off the two-story cafe in Jemaa el-Fna square in the heart of Marrakech's old city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Morocco's King Mohammed has ordered a speedy investigation into the attack. In a statement, he also expressed condolences to the victims.
Morocco was rocked by a series of Islamic extremist attacks in 2003 that left 45 people dead, including 12 suicide bombers..
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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Turkey's intelligence chief led a delegation to Syria Thursday to urge the neighboring country to quickly start reforms amid a military crackdown on demonstrations against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkey's Anatolia news agency reported that National Intelligence Agency head Hakan Fidan discussed reform and other measures with Assad. The agency said meetings are planned with other Syrian officials.
The Turkish mission comes after at least 228 members of Syria's ruling Baath Party resigned Wednesday in protest of Assad's use of deadly force against pro-democracy demonstrators.
The Associated Press reports that Syrian tanks headed into the northern port of Latakia on Thursday, a scene of recent protests, where security forces reportedly fired on demonstrators.
The crackdown also continued in the southern town of Daraa, which has been under siege from troops and tanks, keeping most people off the streets. There is a strong military presence in other Syrian towns, including two suburbs of Damascus.
The Reuters news agency reported on Thursday that a Syrian human rights organization said at least 500 people have died during the uprising in recent weeks, while thousands have been arrested.
The Baath Party resignations on Wednesday included more than 200 party members from Daraa province. In the coastal city of Banias, another 28 party members resigned, accusing troops and pro-government gunmen of opening fire against "honorable citizens."
Syria says the military clampdown is designed to protect, and not harm, citizens.
Watch Behind the Wall: Syria
On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on a statement condemning the violent crackdown. Diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the violence will continue Friday when the U.N. Human Rights Council holds a special session on Syria.
Russia, which has opposed outside interference in Syria, on Thursday urged Syrian authorities to bring to justice those responsible for killing civilians during the demonstrations.
In other diplomatic moves, five European Union nations - France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain - summoned Syrian ambassadors Wednesday in a coordinated demand that Assad's government stop the violent crackdown.
EU officials also are considering imposing economic sanctions on Syria.
Assad last week ended the country's 48-year-old emergency law - a key demand of protesters - and abolished a state security court. But the government then unleased its military crackdown.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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