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Iraq authorities say 3 separate bomb attacks in Bagdad have killed at least 3 people and wounded 2 dozen others. Among the dead were 2 Iraq policemen earlier on Saturday. Iraq's interior ministry announced plans to dig trenches around the city to restrict insurgents and explosive-ladden cars from getting into the capital. A spokesman said access to Bagdad would be limited to 28 checkpoints along the main roads leading into the city of 6 million people.

Thousands of Afghan and US-led troops have launched a new offensive against Taliban insurgents in 5 central and eastern Afghan provinces. Operation Mountain 1 involves 7000 soldiers operating in P* and P* provinces. Soldiers also will help with economic growth and development in those areas.

Pope Benedict says he is upset that a speech he gave this week offended Muslims. The Pope said on Saturday he is very sorry that his comments were interpret as offensive to Islam. Benedict has received widespread criticism from Muslim leaders from his remarks Tuesday linking Islam with violence. President M* of P* spoke at the summit for non-aligned nations in H*, Cuba.
"Our strategy must clearly oppose the sinister tendencies to associate terrorism with Islam and discrimination against Muslims. We targeting 1 ominous alienation between the west and the world of Islam."
And Iranian foreign ministry spokesman the Pope's comments were a great mistake.

Witnesses in the West bank city of Naples say unknown assailants threw several fire bombs at 2 churches there early Saturday. The attacks on an 3 and a Greek orthodox church follow a day of protests in the Middle East and south Asia concerning Pope Benedict’s comments.

President Bush will meet with Palestine president Mahmoud Abbas next week in New York. A Palestine spokesman said Saturday the 2 leaders will meet Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN's General Assembly. President Bush in his weekly radio address Saturday urged Congress to pass his version of a law allowing the use of tough interrogation tactics on terrorist suspects.
"We have one test for this legislation. The intelligence community must be able to tell me that the bill Congress sends to my desk will allow this vital program to continue. The second bill before Congress will modernize our electronic surveillance laws and provide additional authority for the terror surveillance program."
One part of Mr. Bush’s proposal would allow US officials to use military commissions to try terrorist suspects who are accused of war crimes, it would allow classified evidence to be withheld from the defendants and provide clear roles for detention and interrogation of suspects. On Thursday, a US Senate panel rejected the president's bill on interrogation approved a bill that gave prisoners more legal rights than Mr. Bush wants.

The UN SC has formally placed B* on its permanent agenda as a threat to international peace and security. VOA correspondent at the UN Peter reports the move comes days before First Lady Laura Bush were host a UN meeting on B*'s humanitarian crisis.
The US succeeded in placing B*, also known as M* on the council's peace and security agenda over strong objections from Russia and China. Two earlier attempts had failed over the past year and diplomats say a close door session Friday was marked sharp verbal exchanges. In the end the issue was brought to a formal vote 10 of 15 council members voted in favor one more than the 9 necessary for adoption. But Russia and China voted no along C* and C*. The council action came as First Lady Laura Bush is planning to host a roundtable discussion on B*'s humanitarian crisis next week during the UN GA debate. Mrs. Bush also says the meeting is aimed at raising awareness of conditions in B* and gaining support for a possible SC resolution condemning the country's rights record. P*, VOA news, the UN.

Powerful hurricane Lene is due to slam into Mexico North central Pacific coast Saturday with winds around 195 kilometers per hour. Satellite images show the hurricane is east of Mexico.