BAGHDAD, Iraq — A roadside bomb exploded outside a health clinic in a Shiite neighborhood of southwest Baghdad today, killing three civilians and injuring up to nine just hours before Iraq's parliament was to address ways to combat sectarian violence.

Another bomb barely missed a police patrol in eastern Baghdad and injured two others, police said.

The violence occurred as British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Baghdad, the first world leader to visit the country since the national unity government took office two days ago. The visit was aimed at shoring up international support for the government as it takes on the security crisis.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has made security the top priority of his government.

VATICAN — Even as he was dogged by claims of sexual abuse, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ religious order remained a favorite of Pope John Paul II. On Friday, Pope Benedict XVI showed a bold willingness to correct his beloved predecessor by disciplining the Mexican priest."Benedict was certainly a big fan of John Paul's and probably even considers him a saint," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, former editor of the Jesuit magazine America and an expert on the Vatican. "Benedict is correcting some of the things he thinks John Paul did wrong."The case against the Rev. Marcial Maciel had been building for years, with no official response from Vatican leaders. Nine former seminarians first accused him in 1996 of having abused them when they were boys or teenagers during the 1940s to 1960s. Later, other alleged victims came forward.The order's success recruiting candidates for the priesthood and its loyalty to Roman Catholic teaching and the pope made the Mexican founder a hero to many traditional Catholics. In January 2005, John Paul hailed Maciel for his "paternal affection and his experience."

GENEVA — Dr. Lee Jong-wook, who spearheaded the World Health Organization's successive battles against SARS and bird flu and was the first South Korean to head a U.N. agency, died today following surgery for a blood clot on the brain. He was 61.Lee fell ill Saturday while attending a function in Geneva and underwent surgery later that day, the agency said.U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Lee "a valuable leader to WHO staff the world over."Lee took over as director-general of WHO in 2003 as the agency battled the SARS outbreak in Asia. After that threat was contained, WHO turned its attention to bird flu amid fears the virus could mutate into a strain transmitted among people.Time magazine named Lee one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2004.