"The first thing I did was thank Ginnie, and then I thanked God, " Copeland says.

FORBES: From the heart

John Howard, the Australian prime minister, simply thanked God for him and ordered a state memorial service.

ECONOMIST: Donald Bradman

She nodded yes and I quietly thanked God that I was exactly where I needed to be, at the hospital in that moment.

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In a statement as he resigned, the cardinal thanked God "for any good I have been able to do" and apologised "to all whom I have offended for any failures".

BBC: Cardinal Keith O'Brien 'right' to resign ahead of conclave

In it, he thanked God for the technological advances that have made it possible for the "Man of the Shroud" to be seen by, and reach out to, so many people.

CNN: SHARE THIS

Mr Siniscalco declares that, when he was finance minister, he thanked God every day for the euro, without which his job would have been even more impossible than it was already.

ECONOMIST: The search for scapegoats | The

Mr Putin said he had thanked God that no big fragments of the meteor - which was thought to be made of iron and travelling at some 30km (19 miles) per second - had fallen in populated areas.

BBC: Russia sends clean-up team to meteorite-hit Urals

Casting back on his day in his nightly examination of conscience, Hopkins accused himself of a snorting, sour, unspiritual tone to some of his conversations, prayed for those who'd died, were injured, or lost loved ones in the shipwreck, but thanked God for the beauties and contrarities of nature, the tonic of outdoor exercise, and the cheer and solace of his Jesuit brothers.

NPR: Excerpt: 'Exiles'

Mr Sanford thanked volunteers and voters, saying that while he believes in "a God of second chances, at times voters are a little bit less forgiving".

BBC: Mark Sanford wins comeback nomination for Congress seat