Iranian President Says Nuclear Program Poses No Threat  —  KHONDAB, Iran — Iran's hard-line president on Saturday inaugurated a heavy-water production plant, a facility the West fears will be used to develop a nuclear bomb, as Tehran remained defiant ahead of a U.N. deadline that could lead to sanctions.

Mrs. Clinton Offers to Raise Money for Lamont Campaign  —  In a private meeting at her Chappaqua, N.Y., home on Friday, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton offered to help Ned Lamont in his battle to unseat Senator Joseph I. Lieberman by sponsoring a fund-raiser, campaigning by his side and lending him one of her top political strategists.

DEBKA-Net-Weekly 267 Revealed: Palestinian warlord Zakaria Dughmush (picture) kidnapped the Fox News journalists on behalf of Hamas  —  The Hamas team which abducted Israeli soldier Gilead Shalit on June 25 sought to ease the pressure for his release by staging a more spectacular snatch.

Down, down, down!  —  Newsweek:  —  Bush's approval rating has taken a slight dip since the last NEWSWEEK Poll in mid-August.  While 38 percent of respondents approved and 55 percent disapproved of his job performance back then, now 36 percent approve and 56 percent disapprove.

President's Radio Address  —  THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.  —  Earlier this week, I had coffee with Rockey Vaccarella in the White House.  Rockey is from Saint Bernard Parish in Louisiana, and he and his family lost everything they owned to Hurricane Katrina.

Science by Press Release  —  "NEW STEM CELL METHOD avoids destroying em-bryos," the New York Times headline blared.  "Stem cell breakthrough may end political logjam," chimed in the Los Angeles Times.  "Embryos spared in stem cell creation," affirmed USA Today.

The Man Who Said Too Much  —  A book coauthored by NEWSWEEK's Michael Isikoff details Richard Armitage's central role in the Valerie Plame leak.  —  Katsumi Kasahara / AP (l.)  ; Lawrence Jackson / AP  —  According to a new book, the State Department has known for years that Armitage (left) outed Plame

Army Corps worries about Big Easy levees  —  NEW ORLEANS - Despite aggressive efforts to repair the New Orleans levee system following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, it isn't clear yet whether it could withstand a hurricane with heavy storm surge this year, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers conceded Saturday.

Fined for Being a Christian  —  I was listening to the news this morning and caught the tail end of a piece which I thought said that a footballer had been arrested to making the sign of the cross during a football match.  Nah, I thought.  Must have misheard.

Israel seeks troops from Muslim nations  —  JERUSALEM - Israel said Saturday it was encouraging some Muslim countries to send peacekeepers to southern Lebanon, a contribution that would lend credibility to the heavily European force.  —  EU nations pledged 6,900 troops Friday …

Gov. Settles Suit Brought by Former TV Host  —  SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has settled a lawsuit in London brought by a former British TV host who accused the governor of fondling her and later said the governor's aides had smeared her reputation, attorneys for both sides said today.

Protests intrude on Bush's trip to Maine  —  KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - President Bush came to his parent's century-old summer home on the Maine coast for a little relaxation, a distant cousin's wedding and some family time.  He got all that, along with a boisterous reminder nearly on his bucolic doorstep …

Israeli airstrike on Reuters SUV?  (Update: Video added)  —  The BBC says the cameraman, Fadel Shana, is with Reuters.  The other journalist, who is seriously injured, is affiliated with a local website.  Three bystanders were also hurt.  Witnesses say the car was clearly marked "TV" on all sides.

Iraq looting portends handover trouble  —  AMARAH, Iraq — Iraqis looted a military base vacated by British troops and stripped it of virtually everything removable on Friday, an indication of possible future trouble for U.S.-led coalition forces hoping to hand over security gradually to the Iraqi government.

The Katherine Harris Follies Continue  —  Easily the most dysfunctional Republican campaign this year is the Senatorial bid of Katherine Harris in Florida.  Her staff keeps walking out on her, and in a state where Republican Governor Jeb Bush remains very popular and George Bush won twice, she trails by almost 30 points to Bill Nelson.