Obama Denounces Statements of His Pastor as ‘Inflammatory’  —  In the handful of years Senator Barack Obama has spent in the national spotlight, his stance toward his pastor has gone from glowing praise to growing distance to — as of Friday — strong criticism.

Call girl laments use of exotic photos  —  NEW YORK - The lawyer for the call girl linked to the downfall of Gov. Eliot Spitzer lashed out at the media on Friday for thrusting the 22-year-old woman into the “public glare” without her consent and publishing revealing photos.

Saddam's Dangerous Friends  —  What a Pentagon review of 600,000 Iraqi documents tells us.  —  This ought to be big news.  Throughout the early and mid-1990s, Saddam Hussein actively supported an influential terrorist group headed by the man who is now al Qaeda's second-in-command …

Obama says Rezko played a bigger fundraising role  —  This corner lot at Hyde Park Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue in Chicago, formerly owned by Antoin “Tony” Rezko's wife, Rita, is next door to the home (right) of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.  (Tribune photo by Milbert O. Brown / March 6, 2008)

Hard-Won Progress In Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD — Since I arrived here last August, I have been struck by four things: the financial commitment we have made to reconstruction; the precipitous decline in violence; the inklings of representative government; and the small yet significant progress …

Delegate Battles Snarl Democrats in Two States  —  Democrats in Michigan and Florida struggled Friday to resolve the impasse over their disputed January primaries, coming up with a plan to hold a June primary in Michigan while remaining deadlocked in Florida.

Muslims nations: Defame Islam, get sued?  —  DAKAR, Senegal - The Muslim world has created a battle plan to defend its religion from political cartoonists and bigots.  —  Concerned about what they see as a rise in the defamation of Islam, leaders of the world's Muslim nations …

Violence in Tibet as Monks Clash With the Police  —  Chinese security forces in Lhasa, Tibet, took cover during a fifth day of protests.  The banner overhead reads, “Strengthen public safety management, safeguard political stability.”  Beijing is facing the most serious demonstrations in Tibet since the 1980s.

House Votes to Reject Immunity for Phone Companies Involved in Wiretaps  —  WASHINGTON — After its first secret session in a quarter-century, the House on Friday rejected retroactive immunity for the phone companies that took part in the National Security Agency's program of eavesdropping without warrants …

Obey lays down the law on procedural votes  —  House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) said Friday he canceled meetings with a New Orleans delegation because a Louisiana lawmaker had defied party leadership on a procedural vote the night before.  —  And he's warning others …

AP Says McCain Is A ‘Man Of The People’ For Taking Train Despite Noting He Rode First Class  —  Earlier this month, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) hosted a “thank you” Sunday cookout for over 40 reporters from a wide variety of news outlets at his vacation home in Arizona.