World Briefs

KABUL, Afghanistan – An airstrike in northwest Afghanistan killed 13 Taliban militants and seven civilians Thursday, Afghan officials said, a day after President Hamid Karzai demanded a halt to civilian casualties in U.S.-led coalition operations.

The United States has conducted missile strikes in Afghanistan and in Pakistan's tribal areas along the border — strikes U.S. Gen. David H. Petraeus said Thursday have killed three of the top 20 extremist leaders there.

The strike came just days after another coalition airstrike in the south of the country killed 37 people, mostly woman and children.

The Thursday incident happened in Ghormach district of Badghis province. Thirteen militants and seven civilians, including two women and two children, were killed.

LONDON – Britain's business secretary Peter Mandelson urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday to embrace free trade.

Mandelson told a House of Lords committee he believes some of Obama's fellow Democrats want Obama to restrict imports in an effort to protect American jobs during the economic downturn.

"Mr. Obama has a pro-market approach, including government action to support markets and distribute their fruits more fairly — that is something he has strongly in common with the British government," Mandelson told a hearing of the Lords' European Union committee.

"But inevitably he and others within the Democratic Party are concerned about the impact of globalization on American workers and industry. This could lead to Democrats becoming more skeptical about the virtues of market openness," Mandelson said.

VATICAN CITY – Christians and Muslims must overcome their misunderstandings, Pope Benedict XVI told Muslim clergy and scholars Thursday as he pressed for greater freedom of worship for non-Muslims in the Islamic world.

His meeting in the Apostolic Palace with a delegation of scholars and other Muslim representatives capped a three-day conference in Rome involving Catholic clergy and professors and Islamic experts. Benedict told participants he had followed the "progress" of the talks closely.

Pope Benedict angered Muslims with comments linking Islam to violence in a speech in 2006. He has expressed regret for any offense caused by the remarks.

"Dear friends, let us unite our efforts, animated by good will, in order to overcome all misunderstanding and disagreements," the pope said. "Let us resolve to overcome past prejudices and to correct the often distorted images of the other, which can create difficulties in our relations."