In a philosophical speech before diplomats at the United Nations, Pope Benedict XVI said the "promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security."

He also said priorities for the Vatican include protecting the environment, and making sure that poor nations, especially in Africa, also reap the benefits of globalization.

Update: Kwame Holman reports on Benedict's speech to the U.N.
Analysis: Analysts examine Benedict's message that America is at a "crossroads."
Update: Gwen Ifill talks to John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter about the pope's trip.
Analysis: A panel examines the state of the U.S. Catholic identity.

Pope Benedict's visit to Washington, D.C., and New York this week marks the first time a pontiff has come to the United States in nine years. Watch NewsHour coverage of the last papal U.S. visit -- by Pope John Paul II in 1999 -- and of Pope Benedict's rise to the papacy, with in-depth analysis by Catholic theologians and church historians.

Young Catholics from across the country are flocking to Washington, D.C., and New York to see Pope Benedict XVI on his first official trip to the country as the pope. Students attending his April 17 mass in Washington talked to NewsHour Extra about their impressions of the pontiff, what's on his iPod and being witness to the historic visit.

The death of Pope John Paul II on April 2, 2005 ended one of the longest tenures of any pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. A major international figure, John Paul also advocated a strict Church stance on issues such as birth control and divorce despite changing social times, and sent an unswerving message of peace to the world's conflict zones.