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.

Katrina's Damage Lingers For Bush  —  For Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), three images define George W. Bush's presidency: Bush throwing out the first pitch of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium, Bush with a megaphone atop the rubble of the World Trade Center — and Bush staring …

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.

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.

Poll: Iraq, Lebanon Hurt the U.S. War on Terror  —  In survey, 59% say Bush has no clear policy to deal with terrorism, but his job-approval ratings improve  —  While President Bush may be getting a slight uptick in his job-approval numbers, the situation in Iraq and Lebanon has been a setback in the war on terrorism, Americans say.

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

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.

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.

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 …

The McCain Makeover  —  IT'S FEBRUARY 15, 2000, a pivotal moment in the race for the Republican nomination for president, and at the televised candidates' debate in Columbia, S.C., temperatures are rising.  —  John McCain, fresh off an upset victory in the New Hampshire primary …

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 …

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.