Headlines (4:54)
PRESS CORPS CONFRONTS BUSH ON TORTURE, IRAQ
(sound) President Bush: "I never said there was an operational relationship". US President George W. Bush was confronted by a hostile White House press corps during a press conference this morning. Reporters challenged him on everything from the escalating violence in Iraq to Bush's past statements connecting Saddam Hussein to Al Qaeda. (sound) President Bush: "I was making the point that Saddam Hussein had been declared a state sponsor of terror for a reason, and therefore he was dangerous." Bush had linked Hussein to Al Qaeda as recently as August 21st of this year—but a recent report released by the Senate intelligence committee shows the CIA knew no such relationship existed as early as 2002, and the administration knew by 2005 that Hussein had actually sought to locate and capture Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. Bush also dismissed the notion that there's a civil war underway in Iraq, saying he relies on the analysis of his military commanders there: (sound) Bush: "They, and the Iraq government, just don't agree with the hypothesis just don't agree with the hypothesis it is a civil war. " That remark came as U.S. commanders in Iraq told the press they're pulling troops out of heavy fighting in Anbar province because they need more forces to quell sectarian violence in Baghdad. Overnight, Baghdad police found 60 more bodies bearing signs of torture around the city.

MOUNTING ANGER OVER POPE'S REMARKS ABOUT ISLAM
Anger is growing over remarks Pope Benedict made in a speech on Tuesday that appeared to endorse a view that early Muslims spread their religion by violence. The 57-nation organization of the Islamic conference called it a "smear campaign," and public protests have broken out in many Muslim areas. Shahnawaz Khan reports from Kashmir:

In Srinagar, hundreds of lawyers marched with local people carrying placards against the pope and in favour of Islam. The protestors called the pope's remarks highly irresponsible. Police are worried about unrest. Yesterday, they seized copies of newspapers carrying the pope's remarks before they could be distributed in Kashmir. This morning, they placed two senior separatist leaders under house arrest. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who's been under house arrest since yesterday, called the remarks 'highly painful.' (sound) Geelani: "As far as prophet Muhammad is concerned he has given lot of values to the whole mankind. it is very unfair and irrelevant that he has given evil and bad things to humanity." Pakistan's parliament has adopted a resolution condemning the pope's remarks, and seeking an apology from him for hurting the feelings of Muslims. For FSRN I'm Shahnawaz Khanm

E.U. ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN "UNITY" GOVERNMENT
The Foreign Ministers of the European Union agreed today to support the Palestinian National Unity government being forged by President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas. Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, who chaired the talks, said abbas had assured the European union that the new government is committed to honoring all agreements negotiated with the Palestinian Liberation Organization: (sound) Tuomoja: "This gives us grounds for expecting this means also meeting the requirements of the international community and allows us to re-engage directly with the Palestinian administration." Tuomoja said it is still too early to decide whether or not to resume direct aid to the cash-strapped Palestinian authority. In separate remarks , he called on the U.S. to respect international law in handling terror suspects, saying that "human rights and humane standards have to be maintained."

ACLU SETTLES WTO LAWSUITS IN SEATTLE
The American Civil Liberties Union has just have settled a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Seattle for violating the constitutional rights of protesters during the 1999 World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference. Mark Taylor-Canfield has more:

The ACLU filed the suit in March of 2000 on behalf of citizens whose rights to freedom of speech were violated by the City's actions. Three plaintiffs who were originally parties to the lawsuit accepted settlements from the City in August 2000. Yesterday's settlement resolved the claims of the two remaining plaintiffs in the suit. The City of Seattle has agreed to pay Victor Menotti, the Program Director for the International Forum on Globalization $62,000 to settle a lawsuit stemming from the 1999 conference. The city has also agreed to pay Doug Skove from Washington State $12,000. Skove claimed that a police officer confiscated his sign and he was told he was not allowed to protest in that area. The ACLU, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice and other civil rights groups are still in the process of challenging the establishment of the "no-protest zone" by city officials. This is Mark Taylor-Canfield for Free Speech Radio News in Seattle.

Features
Bush Defends Detainee Policy (2:45)
President Bush is on the defensive today. In a wide-ranging press conference at the White House this morning, reporters grilled him with questions on everything from immigration to the situation in Iraq. But the harshest questions came on Bush's desire to get Congress to pass a law authorizing new interrogation techniques for terror suspects and wants to exempt the CIA from having to follow any human rights regulations. Critics say that amounts to legalizing torture, but Bush said that's not so. Host Aaron Glantz reports.

US Gives Up On Anbar Province (2:30)
The chief of intelligence for the US Marine Corps in Iraq said in a report this week that Iraq's western Anbar province -- which includes the the resistance centers of Fallujah and Ramadi -- is politically lost. He said that "there is almost nothing the US military can do to improve the political and social situation there." President Bush stated in his speech today that the situation is Al Anbar is not important. From the Pentagon, Anastasia Gnezditskaia has more.

Iraqi Politicians On Capital Hill (4:00)
Republicans and Democrats are dueling with political rhetoric over the strategy in Iraq, as both parties wish to score points in the campaign season. This week, embattled Republican Christopher Shays of Connecticut produced Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurdish politicians who want the US military to stay in Iraq. Yanmei Xie has the story on Capitol Hill.

House Of Representatives Votes For Fence On US-Mexico Border (3:00)
The House of Representatives passed a bill last night that would construct nearly 700 miles of fence along the US Mexico border. Critics say the move was opportunistic and will have little practical effect. Leigh Ann Caldwell reports from Washington.

One Year Since Israel's Withdrawl From Gaza (2:10)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said this week he plans to send a Palestinian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly next week to revive the long-stalled “road map” peace plan. The internationally backed road map, a staged plan that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, was launched by U.S. President George W. Bush with great fanfare at a summit in Aqaba, Jordan, in June 2003. But neither the Palestinians nor Israel met their initial obligations, and the plan never got off the ground. The announcement comes almost exactly one year after Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip September12, 2005. Rami Almeghari reports from Gaza.

Protesting For Public Health In England (2:00)
In Britain, the campaign against the privatization of public health services has been boosted by a court case victory by a 67 year old retiree; she reversed the awarding of a public health contract to the European branch of America's biggest private healthcare company, United Health. Demonstrations and other actions are being stepped up across the country as the campaign gathers momentum. From London, Naomi Fowler reports:

Day On Pencils Remembered In Argentina (4:00)
On Saturday, Argentina will mark 30 years since the military operation known as the Night of the Pencils, when the military kidnapped and disappeared 20 high school students from the city of La Plata as part of a plan to get rid of political dissidents during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship. Witnesses say the students were taken to a detention center and torture facility that has been a site of contention for many years. Human rights groups say that the Buenos Aires Governor wants to prevent human rights organizations from holding a vigil on Saturday for the disappeared at the former clandestine detention center.... Marie Trigona reports from Buenos Aires.