"Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday promised top Vatican officials he would remain in "spiritual proximity" with them even after he resigns next week, at the end of a week-long spiritual retreat in the Vatican. The pope also told members of the Roman Curia -- the government of the Church -- that the beauty of God's creation "is constantly contradicted by the evil of this world, by suffering and by corruption.""
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"A massive car bomb explosion in the Syrian capital, Damascus, has killed at least 53 people and injured another 200, reports say.
Syria blamed "terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda" for the blast, which hit a central district near the headquarters of Syria's ruling Baath Party.
TV pictures showed images of bodies, wrecked cars and shattered windows.
The violence comes as Russia and the Arab League say they want to broker direct government-opposition talks.
No group has said they carried out the attack."