Pratfall in Damascus  —  Nancy Pelosi's foolish shuttle diplomacy  —  HOUSE SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad.

Democrats Outraged Over Fox Recess Appointment  —  Senate Democrats are livid over what they view as President Bush's illegal maneuver to bypass the Senate confirmation process and appoint controversial nominee Sam Fox as ambassador to Belgium while Congress is away on recess.

Belgium to impose tax on barbequing to fight global warming  —  The government of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, which has a population of about 4 million, has approved a tax on barbequing, local media reported.  —  Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2 …

EXCLUSIVE: Obama Bests Clinton in Primary Fundraising  —  Newcomer Obama Raises More Primary Cash than Clinton  —  ABC News has learned that the $23.5 million Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., raised for his presidential campaign for use in the primaries is more than that raised by the Democratic frontrunner, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

British navy crew leaves Iran for London  —  TEHRAN, Iran - Fifteen British sailors and marines held captive for nearly two weeks left Iran early Thursday aboard a commercial flight bound for London, ending a standoff a day after Iran's president announced their surprise release.

Two Soldiers Likely Killed by 'Friendly Fire' — Contrary to Press Reports — And One Was Not Fully Trained  —  WASHINGTON Two soldiers killed in Iraq in February may have died as a result of friendly fire, Army officials said Wednesday, not from enemy fire, as the press reported.

They're free, but Britain has been humiliated  —  Relief at the freeing of the British sailors and Marines in Iran is tempered with dismay at the humiliation to which they and the country they serve have been subjected.  —  The 14 men and one woman are due to return to Britain today …

Gonzales Prepares to Fight for His Job in Testimony  —  Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales has retreated from public view this week in an intensive effort to save his job, spending hours practicing testimony and phoning lawmakers for support in preparation for pivotal appearances in the Senate this month …

Students peacefully protest Cheney's upcoming appearance at BYU  —  PROVO, Utah (AP) — More than 200 demonstrators held a quiet rally Wednesday at Brigham Young University to protest Vice President Dick Cheney's upcoming commencement speech, while his supporters staged a counter-protest.

Iraq's Real 'Civil War'  —  Sunni tribes battle al Qaeda terrorists in the insurgency's stronghold.  —  ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq—Last fall, President Bush, citing the violence in Baghdad, said that the U.S. strategy in Iraq was "slowly failing."  At that time, though, more Americans were dying …

Thompson Bid May Fill a Void for the GOP Base  —  When George Allen fell to Jim Webb in the Virginia Senate race, it opened up a slot in the upcoming Republican presidential primary: the role of the reliable longtime lawmaker who has no serious disagreements with the conservatives who make up the party's base.

The history at the end of history  —  Condoleezza Rice wants to bring democracy to the Middle East.  Ms. Rice, an expert on what is now an obsolete subject, the Soviet Union, believes this can be done the way the United States brought democracy to Chile or Iran or Afghanistan - that is, by violently overthrowing governments.

Morphing a conspiracy?  —  'Honor system does not work on the Web'  —  A Chattanooga Internet firm doctored a photo of White House aide Karl Rove to show him holding a folder with the company's logo, fueling speculation in the blogosphere that the president's top adviser …

Favoritism Towards Wolfowitz Girl Friend  —  Employees of the World Bank have been "expressing concern, dismay, and outrage" regarding favoritism shown by the bank and the Bush administration towards the one-time girl friend of World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz, according …