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Pope Benedict XVI gives the keynote address of his state visit to Britain on Friday, after meeting the head of the world's Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in London. Relations between their two churches are said to have been strained ever since the Vatican unveiled plans to make it easier for dissident Anglicans to become Catholics. Friday's meeting will be seen as a gesture of reconciliation, as will the pope's appearance at Westminster Abbey, Britain's Anglican Cathedral.

Euro zone finance ministers are in Brussels to consider what to do about Ireland. The Irish government is considering ways to tackle its debt crisis. Fears are growing that the issue might prove contagious, and could threaten the euro. Ireland dismisses speculation it's about to become the second euro zone nation after Greece to request assistance from its partners.

More than 5,000 people in Britain converted to Islam last year. That's an average of 14 a day, and most of them are women, including Lauren Booth, Tony Blair's sister-in-law. Academic studies in the U.K. have concluded that the idea that these conversions are driven mostly by marriage is a myth, and that most converts are simply attracted by the values of Islam. But there's a paradox here. In a controversial speech this week, Britain's first female Muslim Cabinet minister complained of growing intolerance toward Muslims in the U.K.

The attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan, is an embarrassment for the Pakistani government. Islamabad has had trouble convincing other cricketing nations to compete in Pakistan due to the deteriorating security situation.

Pakistan, a key U.S. ally, is marking the 60th anniversary of its creation. The celebrations have come in the midst of a political crisis in that country that could bring down President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

As a new administration slowly begins to take shape, questions abound on how it will handle foreign policy issues such as its nuclear arsenal, relations with Afghanistan and the war on terror, as well as Kashmir.

Taliban militants continue to grow in strength and influence in Pakistan, particularly in the country's northwest region. In the lead-up to parliamentary voting next week there have bombs and suicide attacks.

Pakistan's opposition wants President Pervez Musharraf to lift a week-old state of emergency. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says emergency rule would make campaigning "difficult" in a promised election in January. Musharraf says the emergency decree is needed for a fair vote.

Chilean protesters were back on the streets Friday to vent their anger over the country's paltry pensions, fragile safety net and police brutality against demonstrators.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is on the rise. With fire season underway, the rainforest faces the threat of even more destruction. But President Jair Bolsonaro dismisses those fears as a lie.