Clinton Announces Step Toward '08 Bid  —  Six years after making history by winning a United States Senate seat as first lady, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton announced this morning that she was taking the first formal step to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 …

Leading Senator Assails President Over Iran Stance  —  The new chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday sharply criticized the Bush administration's increasingly combative stance toward Iran, saying that White House efforts to portray it as a growing threat are uncomfortably reminiscent …

Rule by decree passed for Chavez  —  Venezuela's National Assembly has given initial approval to a bill granting the president the power to bypass congress and rule by decree for 18 months.  —  President Hugo Chavez says he wants "revolutionary laws" to enact sweeping political, economic and social changes.

Republicans elect Martinez to party's top post  —  WASHINGTON — Looking to rebuild after November's stinging midterm election losses, the Republican Party turned Friday to a Cuban-American senator from Florida to carry their message into the 2008 presidential election campaign.

Democrat backlash against US oil industry  —  The oil industry faces a $14bn (£7.1bn) bill over the next 10 years after the US House of Representatives agreed on measures that would strip the industry of tax breaks and force it to make larger royalty payments.

Cancer study ordered into mobile phones  —  A mass study of the long-term impact of mobile phones is to be undertaken amid fears that people who have used them for more than ten years are at greater risk from brain cancer.  —  More than 200,000 volunteers, including long-term users …

Turks grieve over journalist's killing … ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) — Angry, saddened Turks took to the streets of Istanbul and other cities Friday night to mourn the death of a prominent Turkish journalist of Armenian descent who was gunned down earlier in the day in front of his newspaper office.

U.S. plans envision broad attack on Iran: analyst  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. contingency planning for military action against Iran's nuclear program goes beyond limited strikes and would effectively unleash a war against the country, a former U.S. intelligence analyst said on Friday.

TOP SENATE DEMOCRAT WARNS BUSH NOT TO ATTACK IRAN WITHOUT CONGRESS' APPROVAL  —  WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders in Congress lobbed a warning shot Friday at the White House not to launch an attack against Iran without first seeking approval from lawmakers.

Hezbollah vows 'very big action' ahead  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised Friday that his opposition alliance would intensify its campaign to bring down the government, pledging to mount an "effective" action in the coming days.

Tell the Troops  —  It is bad enough for troops in Iraq to learn that their tours of duty have been extended.  It is terrible for them to have to hear about it from loved ones at home rather than from their military commanders.  —  This is what happened to about 150 New Jersey National Guard troops …

Memorable moments from this week's Libby jury selection  —  Judge Reggie Walton has "another matter" he is dealing with most of today unrelated to the Scooter Libby case.  So, the pool of potential jurors will not be returning until Monday.  This break in the "voir dire" …

Olbermann: Why does O'Reilly still have a job?  —  As John noted on Wednesday, Bill O'Reilly tried to blame Shawn Hornbeck, the 15 year old boy abducted in Missouri four years ago, for not trying to escape from his captor, saying he "didn't buy" Stockholm Syndrome, and later adding …

Late Nite FDL: We Need Your Picture  —  I just talked to Jane and she sounds fantastic.  Actually, I had snuggled up with Juan Carlos the Wonder Kitty™ about an hour ago and dozed off thinking about what to write about tonight.  The phone rang and I grabbed it before I was all the way awake.

US moves on Sadr Aide  —  Bombings Wrack Baghdad, Mosul  —  Baathists Plan Convention in Damascus  —  US and Iraqi troops arrested Sadr aide Abdul Hadi Darraji in East Baghdad at midnight Iraqi time last night.  The Sadr movement maintains he is just a spokesman and is not involved in militia operations.

Court to hear campaign ads cases, six other cases  —  Returning to the much-litigated controversy over political campaign ads broadcast during election season, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to rule on two cases that newly test the constitutionality of congressional curbs on such ads.