I was alone, reading a copy of the Saturday Evening Post last week from January 1962, when I thought to myself, "Richard, you need a life."

Evidently, the management at NBC News agreed. They decided to give me the opportunity to open a Middle East bureau based in Beirut, Lebanon -- a dynamic city with enough high-life and low-life to keep things spicy. I can have a home there. Life in Baghdad has involved a lot of nights reading old magazines in a dingy, poorly lit, empty hotel room. Ah, the romantic life of a foreign correspondent!

I will continue to cover the Baghdad beat, my daily diet for the past three years, but also be able to explore the rest of the region, which brings me back to the Saturday Evening Post article. It was entitled "The Seething Arab World." In words as appropriate today as they were 44 years ago, the magazine reported: "The observer, looking at the Arab world today and trying to predict what may happen there, is in a position of a seismologist peering at a great range of volcanic mountains and trying to guess which smoldering cone will explode first."

I think a seismologist examining the region today might be even more nervous. I suspect the mountains are even more explosive. The new bureau will allow us to look beyond Iraq and to examine how the war has affected the wider region, asking questions like: Why has neighboring Iran been emboldened by the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime? What are the Gulf States doing with the their windfall oil revenues? And why does this region consistently supply radical groups with young people willing to kill themselves to kill Americans?

Covering the broader Middle East is a daunting task that reporters have struggled with for decades.  Again, I quote the Saturday Evening Post from 44 years ago: "There is a saying in the Middle East that a foreign journalist who comes there and stays for a week goes home to write a book, in which he presents a pat solution to all the Middle East's problems. If he stays a month, he writes a magazine article, filled with 'ifs' and 'buts' and 'on the other hands.' If he stays a year, he writes nothing at all, for the complexities and paradoxes of this explosive area have left him bewildered and confused."

After 10 years living and reporting in the Middle East, three of them in Iraq, I am equally bewildered and confused, but also excited and immensely grateful. I will endeavor to do my best.

We made an important announcement at NBC News today. Rather than cutting back our international coverage, as has been the norm in the news business for far too long, we invested in arguably the most important corner of the world. NBC News has established a bureau in Beirut, Lebanon, and our highly-regarded correspondent Richard Engel will be the bureau chief. We announced this on a day when Ted Koppel lobbed a grenade of sorts in the direction of the network news divisions, complaining that international coverage had no place in network news. While that may be the case in some of the shops Mr. Koppel is familiar with, it is not the case at NBC News. Our track record speaks for itself and the viewers have responded favorably by making this network the leading news division in America. It is a network, by the way, that has placed enormous emphasis on covering the world. There has been no one better at covering the complexity of the Iraq situation than Richard Engel. He's lived in that region for more than 10 years now. He's fluent in Arabic and he understands the people, the cultures, the politics and the customs of that complex region better than most. He now takes that considerable experience to a new headquarters in Beirut.

I have to admit, when we first started thinking of Beirut as a base of operations, it brought back images of Beirut during more difficult times -- the kidnapping of the likes of Terry Anderson and others, and the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. But now, in 2006, Beirut is a new place and our operation will be strategically located to cover the Middle East, Arabic issues and the Islamic world. When you combine Richard Engel's new operation with the extraordinarily talented Martin Fletcher and crew in Tel Aviv, and the talented journalists in our Baghdad bureau, you see a commitment to journalistic excellence in a vitally important part of the world. 

Opening an office is not enough and we intend to follow through with a commitment to cover this region aggressively, fairly and with open eyes.  It's a fascinating part of the world, and the news that comes out of there will dominate the headlines for most of our lifetimes. For those reasons and so many more, I'm thrilled to be able to announce the establishment of the Beirut bureau. It's a good day for NBC News and a good day for journalism.

Closer to home, here are some of the stories we are covering in the broadcast tonight. We begin with the stunning revelation today from the Veterans Affairs Administration that the Social Security numbers of 26.5 million veterans have been stolen. We'll have the details on how this happened and what all those veterans are supposed to do to try to protect their identities. Then the government's forecast for another busy storm season... as many as 10 hurricanes are expected this season, with between four and six of those expected to be major storms. And more worrisome given that forecast, there are new concerns about the levees in New Orleans. I'll have those stories from New York with Brian in Africa. See you tonight. 

BAMAKO, Mali -- We are in a hotel room, feeding videotape and writing the segments we will handle out of Africa tonight. This is a very poor nation, and so we are making full use of a very basic setup.

It has been a long day -- two nations, one flight, many tribal chiefs and rainfall here tonight of Biblical proportions. All the while I've had my first exposure to a 46-year-old Irish rock star who moves with great ease through this world and has devoted so much of his life of late to this cause. We had a long conference on the plane and over hours of driving -- between visits with local officials and aid workers, Bono is briefed by very sharp experts in these fields... the only entourage he seems to travel with  has to do with brainpower -- when we first met this morning, he was talking about political instability in Africa.

I had the good fortune to fly in from London on the same flight as Gordon Brown, the U.K's chancellor of the exchequer and the consensus favorite for prime minister in a post-Blair England. His sincerity on the topic at hand is obvious, as is his knowledge of the problem on a country-by-country basis.

Tomorrow we travel from Mali to Ghana... all of it part of a promised tour by Bono to check up on spending versus need. While he sees more to be optimistic about, it was hard to feel that way while looking into the eyes of children today. As you so often hear on trips like this one -- we all feel the same -- our only frustration is that we cannot scoop them all up in our arms and take them home to share in all that we're so lucky to have in America.

Tonight I'll be splitting the anchoring duties with Campbell Brown in New York. Due to the nature of our travels and very limited technology (no e-mail, no access to news other than by phone) anchoring the entire broadcast out of here tonight would be a dangerous game... so I will limit my role to our Africa coverage.

And since we needed a light moment, having been up for a few days, it just arrived: our soundman, trying to find his camera-crew partner on the dark and rain-soaked grounds of our dimly-lit hotel, just walked right into the hotel pool while wearing all of his sound gear around his waist and over his shoulder. I've been assured he has enough redundant equipment to record all the sound we need. But he sure did get wet, and he sure was angry at the hotel employee who directed him to follow a course that seemed to pass in a straight line right through the swimming pool. This is also our coy way of telling New York that we are out several thousand dollars in audio equipment.

The middle of the night is approaching, and baggage call will arrive early in the morning for this OTHER kind of Bono tour. We hope you can join us tonight.

It turns out the man who created Zoo TV and made mirror balls cool again is pretty at ease in front of a camera in Africa. After his performance last week at our afternoon editorial meeting (noted by Brian in his Friday post), we asked U2 front man Bono to tell our cameras why he's so inspired by the continent and raising millions of dollars and awareness to forgive debt, fight HIV/AIDS, and end poverty there.

Click here to watch Bono's video blog from Tanzania. It's 3 minutes, 22 seconds, straight from the heart. For those of you who don't have Windows Media Player, I've included a transcript below.

Brian will join up with Bono Monday and travel to Abuja, Nigeria, and Bamako, Mali, as the humanitarian rock star assesses the progress of the relief organizations, DATA and ONE, with whom he is working in Africa. For more about the trip, including briefings about each country they will visit, click here.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO BLOG
This is Bono here at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, if you can believe it, and I'm on NBC and that's very cool. Let me tell you this, not every network has a camera crew trekking across Africa for the right reasons. And so I'm very pleased about being on NBC.

I'm a little worried about Brian Williams coming out next week. Uh, it is a bit of a worry because you know he thinks he's cool and I'm going to take him to some very hot, sweaty places and we're going to be real close and that, so I hope he's prepared, because we are going to make him sweat. But I will introduce him to some very, very,  very cool Africans. And very cool things are happening in Africa, actually. It's a whole new mood on this continent that really fight backs.

So for those people in the heart of America and the coasts of America who got us up and running, this is a message from the heart of Africa.

Since debt cancellation started, we have an astonishing statistic. There are 15 million more kids going to school since the "drop the debt" campaign. Since we got busy on HIV/AIDS, since President Bush's historic AIDS initiative, 800,000 Africans are on these drugs.

When I was here, whenever it was, three or four years ago with the United States treasury secretary, there was none to speak of –- only wealthy people. Malaria, which is like the number one killer disease in the world, we're going to chase that out of town with the right insecticides and bed nets. I think there is something like 5 million bed nets that have gone out since politicians in D.C. heard this was important.

So some very cool things happening. Africans are getting busy. Because there's hope I suppose. And they've heard that you're with them in this struggle. It's a monumental struggle. We've seen some terrible things over there the last while and I guess we will the next week.

I had the most sickening experience watching people three in a bed, well actually six in a bed if you can imagine -- that's in one hospital there in Rwanda. Three mothers, three children, same bed. 

So there's a lot to do. I don't think we should take our foot off the gas or anything, rather I think we need to accelerate. But they love Americans here now and I'm in awe of what you've done, so let's see what happens over the next week.

Over and out from Tanzania. Probably can't see it over my head, it's a big head, it could even block Mt. Kilimanjaro. But stay tuned (flashes the peace sign).

The National Hurricane Center predicts another above-average season beginning June 1 and running through the end of November. Correspondent Kerry Sanders will report the story tonight on the broadcast, but here are the highlights:  For the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA predicts 13-16 named storms, with 8-10 becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

Compare this year's forecast to last year's record-breaking year, which saw 28 named storms (seven more than predicted), 15 hurricanes (four more than predicted), and the seven major hurricanes (which fell in the range of what the Hurricane Center had predicted). Four of those major storms hit the U.S.

The major concerns this year are the warm ocean waters -- the fuel that gives these storms power to grow -- and winds which favor development of stronger storms rather than tearing the tightly wound storms apart.

The government also published the new alphabetical names for this year' s storms: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William. Some names from the 2005 season have been retired, never to be used again: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma.

For residents in hurricane-prone areas, the government is asking people to take this week to get prepared and have a hurricane plan, trying to avoid the long lines for plywood at hardware stores and empty shelves at supermarkets.

The House will today debate and likely pass a measure that would ensure the needs of household pets and service animals are taken into account when disaster preparedness plans are developed and presented to FEMA.

The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, HR 3858, was sponsored by Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., who can often be seen strolling through the Rayburn building with a small dog in tow. More information than you care to know about this fact was provided upon request by Lantos' office: "The little Westie mix who rules the Lantos office is named Max. His Hungarian name is Macko (pronounced "MOT-sko"), which translates to "Teddy Bear." Max is owned by the Lantos' neighbor, a researcher at the Congressional Research Service, who cannot take pets to work. So he contentedly spends his days by Tom's side."

The bill would require Senate approval and a presidential signature if it is to become the law of the land.

We are following several developing stories tonight.  One of them is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where police are investigating a shooting at a church.  Authorities say a gunman walked into the church killed 4 people, then killed his wife and was later captured by police.  We are hoping to have more information on tonight's broadcast.

From Iraq, a new promise from Iraqi leaders that "maximum force" will be used to stop the violence.  However, there was another bombing at a restaurant in Baghdad today that killed at least 12 people.  What does this new government mean for U.S troops in Iraq and how much longer will they stay there?  NBC's Jim Maceda is in Baghdad.

All of us who watched yesterday's Preakness were saddened by the sight of "Barbero" limping down the track.  The horse's leg was broken in 3 places and is undergoing surgery at this hour.  NBC's Mike Taibbi will bring us an update tonight.

NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports from Florida tonight on the recent alligator attacks in that state ... and why we are seeing more of them this year.

Those are just a few of the stories we're following tonight.  We hope to see you then.

It's a busy Saturday... several stories could top the newscast tonight. 

There was an explosion and fire overnight at a coal mine in Harlan County Kentucky.   5 miners were killed... only one walked away from the explosion unharmed.  It's the latest example of the dangers facing miners. NBC's Rosiland Jordan is on the scene tonight. 

Also, the people of New Orleans will choose a new Mayor today.  The incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin faces challenger Mitch Landreau in the runoff election. We're not expected to know the results until after the polls close at 9pm.  NBC's Martin Savidge is in New Orleans.

From Iraq... word that the Parliament has approved a new goverment.  A step forward for a country still struggling to get back on its feet.  At the same time, more violence and death to report in Iraq today.  NBC's Jim Maceda is in Baghdad.

Our usually vigorous discussion about which story will rise above the others... continues.  We hope you will join us later tonight for those stories and more on NBC Nightly News.

An insanely busy Friday for your humble host: while I was able to attend the morning and afternoon editorial meetings, in between (to make good on a long-standing commitment) I had to travel round-trip to Princeton, N.J., to give a luncheon speech to a group of 400 executives. Following our afternoon meeting, I will sit down for an interview with Steve Jobs -- he will be in Midtown Manhattan for the opening of the new Apple store, which I'm told must be seen to be believed. Tonight you'll hear from the man who is the core of Apple and the inventor of so much of our modern, computer-based life.

IN THE NEWS
Overnight developments at Guantanamo Bay will be the subject of a Pentagon teleconference this afternoon, and we'll cover the latest developments on that. We'll also look at where the "English Only" debate stands in light of what's been said by the White House and the Senate. It's a dicey, emotional and divisive issue.

Tonight I'll preview my upcoming whirlwind trip to Africa and back. We have producers and camera crews already traveling with Bono in Rwanda -- and judging by the vocal and instantaneous response to the post from there on this blog yesterday, interest is high. Thanks to the heroic efforts of our Director Brett Holey, we were able to receive videotape pictures from Africa overnight that were sent by laptop computer -- we'll show Bono's travels so far and lay out the stakes. We will also hear from Rick Warren -- we had a fascinating conversation -- albeit by satellite, as I've not yet had the pleasure of meeting him -- and he has high praise for Bono and especially for their joint mission.

TANZANIA CALLING
Bono made our afternoon editorial meeting a bit different than usual today by calling into it from Tanzania (though we strongly suspect that traveling producer Subrata De put him up to it). Via speakerphone, he laid out the issues as he sees them, and described the scene in the Africa he's come to know. He warned us that while he was on the phone with us, 150 French tourists walked into the hotel lobby. The French love their part time rock star resident. It made for an interesting start for today's meeting. I can't say that has happened before.

Anne Thompson will introduce us to a woman who is Making a Difference (as part of our popular series), and we'll preview tomorrow's mayoral election in New Orleans.

The trick is to get all our work done before the digital clocks in the studio and control room tick down to 6:30:00 EDT. We hope you will join us.

Editor's note: There's no doubt about it, childhood obesity is now a nationwide epidemic. There are more than nine million overweight kids in America. In tonight's promoted story by NBC Chief Financial Correspondent Anne Thompson, you'll meet a woman who is doing something about it. Below, she offers her own account of how she's "Making a Difference."

March 11, 1996, marked the day that my dreams were realized. It was on this day that I opened the door to Body By Brandy's Aerobics Studio in Roxbury, Mass. As a Division I basketball player and marketing representative for Reebok, I always had a passion for exercise. Unfortunately, in my community, like so many other urban communities I have visited, there was an absence of fitness facilities.

Seeing a void in the availability of services that would increase awareness around health and living healthy lifestyles in my community, I was inspired to become a certified aerobics instructor. I began my career teaching aerobics classes at a local community center and dedicated all of my energy to learning about the fitness needs of the people of my community while relishing in my dreams of opening my own fitness facility.

Although opening my own aerobics studio accomplished my goal of providing a service to a community that is plagued by diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, and a host of other coronary risk factors, I wanted the people in my community to have more.  Over the past five years I worked tirelessly on finding a new space, developing a business plan and finding a bank to finance my vision. 

It was just one year ago that this dream became a reality and I was able to move from the facility at which I started my journey -- a mere 3,000 square feet consisting of two renovated studio apartments -- to a facility that is 15,000 square feet, and allows me to provide a space where members of the community can make "their bodies their business" through creative fitness programming, health education, self empowerment and community outreach programs.

One would think that the realization of my dreams would have been enough to satisfy me. However, what has bothered me tremendously over the past 10 years is the declining health of America's youth. Our youth are plagued by obesity and obesity-related illnesses due to inactivity, diet and too much television. It is my belief that our children and children all around the world need to get up and get moving in pursuit of establishing and sustaining healthy lifestyle habits! Parents need to serve as role models and communities need the resources to help parents empower their children to get fit for life. It is this belief that led to the establishment of Body By Brandy 4 Kidz, a non-profit organization that seeks to lead the charge against childhood obesity and its impact on our youth.

Partnering with just an idea and no fiscal backing, I presented a family fitness DVD called "The House is Getting Fit" to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The DVD teaches families that fitness can be fun and also strengthen their bond. Produced in conjunction with The South End Community Health Center, Blue Cross/Blue Shield supported the concept and asked where I would like to go from there. The rest is history! We were able to bring together like-minded agencies like the United Way of Boston and Good Sport, who supplied the equipment for BBB 4 Kidz non-profit. Children's Hospital of Boston, the leading medical facility for youth in the state, can now prescribe to children diagnosed with obesity or obesity-related illnesses free participation in BBB 4 Kidz through a free program we created called "Fitness In The City." 

Ten years ago I was like a child, just dreaming with a healthy mind, healthy body and a strong heart. Today my dreams have been realized, and Body By Brandy Fitness Center and Body By Brandy 4 Kidz sit on the side of the housing projects were I grew up. As the signs hang from the building and the music vibrates the walls and the people come and go, making fitness a part of their daily routine, I know that there is a child out there just like me and I am humbled that I have been able to be a part of the creation of a place where their dreams can be realized and their lives can be changed "one workout at a time."

The Senate on Thursday voted to make English the "national language" of the United States. Moments later, they approved a competing amendment making it the country's "common and unifying language." While the Senate figures out what really will end up in the immigration bill, we've asked correspondent Mike Taibbi tonight to find out what this means to a nation that's always seen itself as a cultural melting pot.

But it does give us pause to wonder:  If the Congress succeeds in making this an English-only nation, perhaps they should start on Capitol Hill and see how it goes first. They'll have to begin with the nation's motto: "E Pluribus Unum." That would be Latin, and means "One from Many." Senators, if you all pitch in on weekends, it should not take long to redo all those government office buildings, and then the country's currency.

No longer will the "President Pro Tempore" preside over the Senate. You're just President for the Time Being.  Senators & Representatives: no more "adjournment sine die." No more participating "ex officio" at hearings. You'll have to redo your "agenda." That's Latin for "things that have to be done." No more giving the other side of the aisle an "ultimatum." Definitely no more going "mano a mano." That's "verboten."

Try to get through a hearing without the use of a "subpoena" or "habeas corpus" or, gasp, "per capita." No more "ad hoc" Senate committees. Goodbye "quid pro quo". Typically, most elected officials don't make much use of the phrase "mea culpa" anyway, so that one should be easy. Please make an effort not to use "vice versa," "versus," "status quo," "post mortem," or "ad nauseam" in your next press conference.

When you go out for lunch on the Hill, please don't ask for the "maitre d'." And you'll have to dine on something besides "nouvelle cuisine," "sangria," "salsa," "tacos," "burritos," "hamburgers" or  "pasta."

But let's not stop there. No more "Semper Fi" for the U.S. Marine Corps, or "Semper Paratus" for the U.S. Coast Guard. You folks are just going to have to be "Always Faithful" and "Always Ready," in English.

Next week, Brian heads to Africa to report on suffering in that continent, and on the people working to make things better.  The trip has me thinking about our unique ability to take viewers to sad and important places, and about a legendary television broadcast about misery here at home.

The documentary was "Harvest of Shame," Edward R. Murrow's famous report about migrant farm workers, and I recently had the professional pleasure of watching it again at a private screening in New York. (Television news historians will note that its broadcast in 1960 essentially marked the start of a bull market for network news documentaries. Read an NBC white paper on the beginnings of the long-form documentary.)

Since you are reading this blog, I know you'd find Harvest of Shame fascinating as a work of its time, and as something timeless.  Modern news viewers might be surprised by the angry advocacy of the work -– Murrow takes a strong position and demands action. Some of the production techniques show their age, as do some of the unusually candid answers and admissions of failure that Murrow and his producer, David Lowe, hear from employers and government officials. 

The eloquence of the downtrodden adults and children, the photography, with its obvious allusions to WPA-era work, Murrow's resonant voice all are elements that fix this amazing video document in its time, but also give this 46-year-old work staying power.  (It's exactly as old as I am and has aged much better.)

What hasn't changed?  Conditions for migrant workers haven't improved much, as Dateline NBC reported in 1998 (read a New York Times review) and the Washington Post found last year.

But another constant is television's ability to focus our attention on serious problems -– whether the misery is here in the states, or half a world away.  The audience at this screening gasped as simple workers described their appalling living conditions. I couldn't help but think of our Katrina coverage.  And I look forward to watching next week as Brian shows us what he finds so far away.

There's no doubt about it, childhood obesity is now a nationwide epidemic. There are more than nine million overweight kids in America. Tonight, you'll meet a woman who is doing something about it, using the gym she owns to create a better future for kids. And by doing so, she's "Making a Difference."

As I hope to somehow point out on the broadcast tonight, Americans (of a certain age... several generations of us, actually) entered this new century with two enduring mysteries still before us: the identity of Deep Throat and the location of Jimmy Hoffa. Deep Throat has been revealed (heck, he's already been on Larry King) and it is now possible that in the days ahead, we will know the truth about the latter as well.  A mild-mannered FBI agent briefed the press at the perimeter of an idyllic Michigan horse farm today. In very matter-of-fact terms, he explained: they are indeed digging for Jimmy Hoffa. They may have to move a building. They will try not to disturb the horses. We will update you on the story tonight, at or near the top of our broadcast.

Another prominent story in the news is the Hayden hearings: the questioning  of the nominee to run the CIA. There were moments of what approached high drama today, and we'll have that for you tonight.

CHICO AND THE MAN, aka STRETCH AND POTUS
David Gregory was granted an interview on the Mexican border with President Bush today, and tonight he'll share with us highlights from that conversation. You can already read and watch the entire thing here. We also have reporting out of Afghanistan tonight, on a troubling coordinated attack, and the recent rise of the Taliban, an organization some insist never really went anywhere in the first place.

THE PERFECT SLEEPER
By popular demand (OK, our executive producer was curious for personal reasons) we've extended our sleep series -- and tonight Robert Bazell will report on that question that always comes up when you read those Fortune magazine profiles of those insanely rich and successful CEOs who only require three  hours of sleep: are they any smarter than the rest of us? Is there any correlation between how much sleep a person requires and their smarts or success in life? At our editorial meeting, we did discuss the napping habits of past presidents (I mentioned that both JFK and LBJ were religious about their afternoon naps, but don't try that at the office) and CEOs we've known and loved. Beyond that, I'm not saying a word about why our executive producer was so curious about this question.

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD
Next Monday and Tuesday I will be reporting from Africa. I leave this weekend on a four-day, four-nation trip during which I will travel with Bono, who himself is touring under the banner of the DATA and ONE organizations. Like millions of Americans, I am a fan of his music and have followed his good works with great interest. I find it fascinating that through sheer force of will and the use of his celebrity, he has successfully managed to pressure nations with great wealth and power into helping those without either. His now-famous speech before the G8 meeting in Gleneagles was dramatic and gutsy. His lobbying of President Bush brought immediate and tangible results. I have already seen AIDS in Africa first-hand. I have not seen Bono in action (without The Edge by his side) and that is what this trip is all about, in addition to using the power of this television network to focus attention on the ongoing tragedy that motivates an Irish rock star. I will be back in our New York studio, somewhat worse for wear, next Wednesday...having filed reports via satellite the two preceding days. My trip binder... the briefing book... is indistinguishable from those I used to get while covering the president. In fact, the frenetic schedule (I don't see "sleep" mentioned anywhere in this thing) is reminiscent of those days, as well. I will file in this space when I can, but I would strongly urge all those interested to watch our coverage from Africa.

First things first: we hope you can join us tonight.

The church altar in Nyamata shows the blood stains where hundreds were massacred. Photo by NBC's Paul Nassar.

From the outside, it looks just like the countless other churches we drove past on our way from Kigali: A simple brick structure, with a corrugated tin roof.  This modest building, however, is no longer a place of worship- it has instead become a memorial for the victims of humanity's worst crime: Genocide.

The church in Nyamata is just over an hour away from the bustle of the Rwandan capital. Its interior is bare. Empty wooden pews line either side of the aisle leading up to the altar. This is the site where hundreds of Rwandans fled during the massacres that gripped this nation between April and July 1994. They huddled in the building, hoping that as a place of worship, they would somehow be shielded from the atrocities outside. They were wrong.

The killers easily breached the meager defenses and began lobbing grenades and firing randomly at the crowd inside. Hundreds died in this one location and the crimes committed here have left an indelible mark. The simple white cloth covering the altar is still stained by the blood of the victims, and the cool dark interior is pierced by the sun's rays, filtering through the holes in the ceiling left by the shrapnel and bullets.

In the middle of the room is a staircase leading to the basement. There stands a three-layered glass pyramid. The top holds the bones of many of the victims, yellowing with the passing of time. The middle layer carries the skulls of 156 people, some obviously those of children. Many have visible cracks where the machetes hit, or where the bullets pierced. In the final and bottom layer lies one coffin, that of a pregnant woman who was gang raped before being speared to death.

There is no solace to be found outside the church either. Behind the structure lie two underground bunkers. A staircase leads to the heart of both. Countless coffins are stacked on shelves, some with names, and others simply unmarked. Nyamata's province alone has recovered the bodies of 75,000 people, and is still unearthing victims to this day -- twelve years after the nightmare that gripped this tiny country ended, and in its wake left 800,000 dead.

We headed back to Kigali, hitting the same dirt road that led us to Nyamata. All along the way, people trekked up and down the road, going on with their lives. The more we drove, the more normal day-to-day scenes we witnessed: Children returning from school, women carrying jugs of water on their heads. The lucky ones bicycled their way home or carried umbrellas to shield them from the unforgiving sun. I wondered how the genocide touched their lives. How many loved ones did they lose? Were the people around us victims or perpetrators of the kinds of crimes we just witnessed? Somehow, on the surface, it did not seem to matter.

Rwanda may not have forgotten, but it is trying to move on.

Editor's note: Paul is in Africa in advance of Brian's trip next week. Brian will be reporting from Nigeria, Mali and Ghana about the extraordinary work U2 singer Bono has done for the continent. He also promises to blog on the trip, connectivity willing, and we'll post photos of the church mentioned in this post as soon as we can.

The confirmation hearing for General Michael Hayden to be the next director of the CIA is underway. We are streaming the video live if you want to watch. Just click here. Our sister blog First Read is watching the hearings and filing periodic posts. Below is guidance about the hearing from Ken Strickland, the producer who covers the Senate for NBC News.

Each senator will be given 20 minutes to question Hayden. It will go in order of seniority, alternating sides: a Republican, then a Democrat, back to a Republican, etc. A senator may use part of their time to make an opening statement. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, says he's prepared for two, maybe three, rounds of questioning.

Following the open hearing, the committee will take a break before going into a closed session to discuss any classified matters. This is when Hayden will be able to address concerns about the controversial NSA warrant-less surveillance program in detail. Yesterday, for the first time, the entire committee was briefed on the program. Previously, only seven members were allowed to have detailed knowledge of it.

SENATORS TO WATCH
Of the Democrats, watch Carl Levin, Mich., and Dianne Feinstein, Calif. They, along with Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. (recovering from back surgery and not attending the hearing) are the Democrats with the most knowledge about the NSA programs. The group was part of the seven who had been previous briefed about the program, which included a trip to NSA headquarters. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is also worth watching. As a tremendous privacy rights advocate, he was the only senator to vote against the original authorization on the Patriot Act. He's also considering a White House bid in 2008. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has also been extremely critical of Hayden in the past week.

On the Republican side, watch senators Mike DeWine, Ohio, Chuck Hagel, Neb., and Olympia Snowe, Maine. All three have co-sponsored legislation that would grant the committee more oversight of NSA programs and were critical of the administration when the program first leaked. Hagel is also a possible presidential contender. Saxby Chambliss, Ga., has questioned Gen. Hayden's role as a military-man taking over the civilian intel agency since the day Hayden was nominated. Chambliss had ties to fired CIA Director Porter Goss. Both men previously served in the House.

We've reported before on all the ways high gas prices affect more than just how much it costs you to drive. Tonight, you won't believe how expensive it makes it to fly. We'll tell you what one airline is doing about it, as they go to great extremes to conserve fuel and make every gallon and every mile count.

At this hour and given the happenings of this Wednesday, any number of stories could bubble up to the top of the broadcast. It has been that kind of day.

Congressman John Murtha, D-Pa., made news again today, and again it has to do with the war on Iraq... but this time the allegation is of wrongdoing on the part of U.S. service personnel there. Immigration continues to simmer along as an issue, as both sides hash out what the President has laid down as his proposal.

Tonight we have part three of our series on sleep... with a special focus on the business of sleep -- how much we pay, as a nation, to get enough rest. And we'll cover the story that shocked a lot of people who heard it upon waking up this morning: Mr. and Mrs. McCartney are no more as a couple. Luckily, the sedate British press will be respectful and measured in their coverage of this sad and ultimately private moment between two adults.

NOTES ON THE NEWS
As the son of a man from Framingham, Mass., it's been interesting (as it always is when news strikes an area familiar to you) to hear the various pronunciations of the quirkily-pronounced towns in the Commonwealth. Peabody and Haverhill come immediately to mind...

My favorite story of the day, as an old romantic and an admirer of all things military, is the sinking of the USS Oriskany. Tonight we will show the pictures of the once-mighty aircraft carrier being sent to the bottom of the sea off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., as an artificial reef. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who as a Naval aviator served on the ship, today called her "proud and brave" and said in an interview that he'd someday love to dive down and visit his old quarters on board. Now the Oriskany sleeps with the fishes, and the memories of all the fine people who served on board... will live on.

As I mentioned in this space a few days ago, this is the "Up-Front" week here in New York...when the networks present their fall schedules to advertisers to generate pre-season, or "up-front" sales. As a courtesy, the networks watch each others' presentations by taking in the satellite feed. So it was an unusual sight earlier this afternoon when I passed by a television monitor showing a live feed of CBS' gathering... to see Katie Couric walk to center stage and take her place beneath the CBS logo. It will be new territory for us both -- competing against someone who has been a friend and co-worker for so long -- but I believe it will generate much positive interest in the network evening newscasts. Competition is good for all of us, and it ultimately serves our viewers most, by keeping us all sharp and making our journalism the very best it can be. Still, as we prepare to gather to lift a glass to Katie here at NBC News tonight, I imagine it will take some getting used to nonetheless.

As for tonight's edition of NBC Nightly News, we hope you can join us.

We all need sleep. But did you know we shell out billions of dollars a year to get that good night's rest? Are we paying too big a price to get the rest we need? Find out as our special series "Sleepless in America" continues.

Part I in the series: The scope, and cost, of sleep disorders, reported by NBC's Lester Holt.
Part II: What happens in your brain when you sleep and when you don't? NBC's Robert Bazell reports.

It does not take much to trigger feelings of the past, and so it is watching these newly-released sequential still color photos of American Airlines flight 77 hitting the Pentagon.

We'll review the president's message on immigration last night, and look at the debate that awaits. We'll take a look at what 15 inches of rain can do to New England, where the worst may be yet to come for some communities, and where there is real misery and suffering going on tonight. We'll continue our series on sleep (we have a fascinating segment tonight from Bob Bazell, on what HAPPENS while you sleep...think: computers), and we will have a reality check on the rebel campaign for Texas Governor by one Kinky Friedman.

PAYING TRIBUTE
Earlier today, many of us in the industry gathered at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan to pay tribute to a friend of ours: Bob Schieffer was given the Fred Friendly First Amendment Award. I was honored to be seated with Bob, with Fred's widow Ruth, Walter Cronkite and others. Bob has received many, many honors before, but as all veteran CBS'ers know, the Friendly name is special... and so today was hallowed stuff... and it moved my friend Bob to tears. It was great to see everyone, and it was wonderful knowing we all share a profound sense of respect for Bob.

THE NEW MAN
Lisa Daniels just did some fine off-the-cuff reporting on MSNBC about the personal differences between Scott McClellan and the man who replaced him at the lectern in the briefing room: Tony Snow. Today's was his first on-camera briefing, and aside from all matters of policy and substance, there was an intensely personal moment when he was asked about the yellow LIVESTRONG bracelet he wore. Tony is a cancer survivor who, like so many of us, has lost family to the disease. His answer moved him to tears, which he later jokingly called a "Muskie moment." But as Lisa intimated, it was more personal than anything Scott McClellan ever did from that same lectern, over years of daily briefings. She chalked it up to the difference in personal styles between the two men, and nothing more.

On a harsh note, I see some folks on the Web are already calling Tony out on his use of the phrase "tar baby" today in a policy context during the briefing.

We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to deal with several important international issues this week, including the future of Darfur and pressing Syria to recognize Lebanon's independence (after decades of occupation).

Today, the U.S. is expected to push for a vote on a draft resolution that would set a one-week deadline for Sudan to permit a joint African Union-U.N. military assessment team to visit Darfur. The aim is to evaluate requirements for a transition from an African peacekeeping mission to a larger, better-equipped U.N. force. So far, Khartoum has refused entry and has not agreed to such an operation.

On Wednesday, Washington hopes to secure adoption of a draft resolution,co-sponsored with  Britain and France, regarding Lebanon. It would strongly encourage Syria to respond to Lebanon's request to demarcate their common border and establish diplomatic relations. The proposed measure would also endorse a recent U.N. report that, among other things, urges Syria and Iran to cooperate in helping Beirut to restore its political independence and disarm Hezbollah militias. The report says that Hezbollah "maintains close ties" with both Syria and Iran.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is in Asia this week visiting heads of state and other high-ranking officials in South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand. On his agenda: urging support from Asian leaders for major U.N. management reform. He's also expected to discuss stalled efforts to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. While it's widely believed that the next Secretary General will likely hail from Asia, before leaving for the trip, Annan said he would steer clear of discussions on who would be a good successor. His term expires Dec. 31, 2006.

We all know how important it is to get a good night's sleep, or do we? What are the real dangers of not getting enough sleeping? Our special series "Sleepless in America" continues.

If you missed part one of the series, click here.

Today's schedule for many of us will be complicated by a huge gathering next door at Radio City Music Hall: the annual "Up Front" presentation to advertisers. Many of us have to make an on-stage appearance during the two-hour presentation, which is designed to lay out the fall schedule and the network's plans in all on-air divisions.  While it's always a great day for NBC -- and enormously entertaining to watch and be involved in -- as a practical matter, it will complicate our afternoon editorial meeting, and so today I am posting early. Some of our plans will obviously change before air time.

That said, we can anticipate with high likelihood discussing the topic of immigration, and the president's speech on same, at or near the top of the broadcast tonight. Our coverage will include David Gregory, George Lewis and Tim Russert, for starters. We'll also look at today's developments in Libya, the extraordinary set of atmospheric circumstances that have given us flooding in New England and a kind of perma-cloud layer over a huge section of the country. 

TELEVISION CORNER
This being Monday -- and since it's early to be all that exact about tonight's news coverage -- and since, as the brother of a former television critic, I'm genetically predisposed to watch and discuss television, a word or two about last evening.

Two big events on television last night: in addition to The Sopranos, my usual obsession, NBC aired a wonderful two hours of television... the first and last episodes of The West Wing. It is a shame that the show will no longer air.  It was always great television, however many liberties it took with reality. In the real West Wing, not quite that many rapier-sharp conversations take place while careening through hallways at breakneck speed... apparently miles and miles of hallways... under harsh lighting and in shirt sleeves. The real West Wing is quieter, with a more respectful and reverential atmosphere... yes, even during the so-called "college dorm" years of the Clinton Administration. And that huge glassed-in suite of offices where Toby used to sit bouncing a ball against the wall? Doesn't exist, nor has anyone ever habitually bounced a ball off the wall, as far as I know. Though people who worked there have themselves been known to bounce off a few walls.

But as we say farewell to some great television -- and some great writing -- it's useful to list the words and descriptions the series has conjured: majestic, romantic, towering, regal, sentimental, knowing, nuanced, sly, ironic, sardonic, noble... the show and the cast and the repartee always made viewers say "I wish I was that smart." It made us wish politics was that way. It was the work of smart creators, writers, producers and actors. While it had its flaws (how about the tourist stopping C.J. on her exit from the West Wing? She was a national celebrity, having conducted the daily televised briefing for years, and thus probably would have been recognized by name. Would she really have replied that she didn't work there? Further: where was the reviewing stand for the Inaugural Parade, scheduled to start just minutes after she crossed the street?), it was great television, and it will be missed.

And about The Sopranos last night: many noticed a strange continuity error -- after Vito drives under the "95 South/New York/New Jersey" sign, he gets into a car accident on a Massachusetts country road. Otherwise an interesting episode, featuring Neil Young, vodka in large amounts, spooning, Sinatra, Dean Martin, the Giants, the Chargers, Johnny Sack's Fidelity and Vanguard funds, "a classic fountain," Sal the Lawnmower Man and alocution. I guess we can figure that Carm is headed for a crisis of some sort (her family may soon be forced to buy groceries) and Vito, front-end damage and all, surfaces somewhere back on home turf. Coming as he does from a culture of nicknames, how poignant that we heard "Johnnycakes" only once before he pointed his Caddy south (with a side trip along the scenic route in Massachusetts) and headed back to who-knows-what.

OK -- those who tuned in only for news: it's safe to read again.

We hope you'll join us for Nightly News tonight, and don't forget to join us for our live coverage of the President's speech on Immigration, beginning at 8 p.m. ET on your NBC station.

Preparing tonight's first installment of our special series on sleep has in many ways been like looking into the mirror.  Last summer, I was wired head-to-toe with electrodes, monitors, and all manner of devices, and made to sleep under the watchful eye of medical technicians looking in on me via video cameras.  They were trying to get to the bottom of a sleep issue I had been experiencing.  When the results of my sleep study were analyzed several days later, I learned I was one of the 40 million Americans who suffer from a sleep disorder.  Nice, I suppose, to learn I'm not alone.

Like most of us, I could offer plenty of reasons why I was tired during the day. Getting up early to do the "Today" show. Staying out late.  Long days on the road. A sleep disorder wasn't one of them.  Our ability to rationalize our drowsiness is why experts say the vast majority of sleep disorders go undiagnosed. Tonight I'll introduce you to an Ohio mother who learned she had a life-threatening sleep ailment only after she was nearly in a serious accident. Her story is an important wake-up call and underscores the fact sleep disorders are not only being better recognized as a major health problem, but also a serious public safety issue.

Thankfully my sleep problem is not severe and has been easily treated. Yet I recognize that I still suffer from another sleep disorder that may be more societal in its cause than medical: Our tendency to burn the candle at both ends.

I hope you'll join us for the next three nights as we offer what we think will be an eye-opening look at our restless nation.