House drops "deem and pass" plan for health-care bill in favor of straight vote on Senate bill on Sunday: The House will take three votes: on a resolution to set terms of debate, on a package of amendments to the Senate bill demanded by House members, then on the Senate bill itself. | Washinton Post

Thousands rally in Washington on seventh anniversary of start of Iraq war: Some carried signs reading "Indict Bush Now" and flag-draped cardboard coffins. | Associated Press

Judge orders renegotiation of World Trade Center agreement: He said the multimillion-dollar deal to compensate 10,000 police officers, firefighters and other laborers didn't include enough money for the workers. | Associated Press

Killer of Malcolm X is granted parole: Thomas Hagan has been on work release for more than 20 years but had been passed over for parole 16 times before succeeding. | New York Times

Camera will monitor speeds on I-170 in Charlack: It will be the first of its kind on a highway in Missouri. | STLtoday

Mizzou defeats Clemson, 86-78, to advance in NCAA basketball tournament: The Tigers forced 20 turnovers as they won their fifth straight opening-round game. | Associated Press

Illinois House votes to ban monkeys as pets: The issue was prompted by the mauling of a Connecticut woman by a pet monkey. | STLtoday

U.S. will proceed with plans to buy Thomson, Ill., prison: The deal will go ahead even if Guantanamo detainees are not housed there, Justice official says. | Chicago Tribune

Pope rebukes Irish bishops for their handling of sex abuse cases: He cited "grave errors of judgment" but he laid no blame for the problem on the Vatican's policies of keeping such cases secret. | Associated Press

Seventh anniversary of Iraq war draws little attention in Baghdad: Many Iraqis view U.S. plans to withdraw with pride that their country is regaining full sovereignty but also concern that the lull in violence may end. | Associated Press

Netanyahu disavows statement from his brother-in-law calling Obama anti-Semitic: The remark comes as U.S.-Israeli relations have cooled after new apartments were announced for east Jerusalem. | Christian Science Monitor

Attacks against al-Qaida has left the terrorist group leaderless, CIA chief says: Leon Panetta said Osama bin Laden and other leaders have been driven farther into hiding. | Washington Post

Obama administration pays owers to sell homes at loss: Program helps owners to sell for less than they owe to avoid foreclosure. | New York Times

Defense Secretary Gates cites communication failures before Fort Hood shootings: Officers may face discipline after not sharing key information regarding Maj. Nidal Hasan, military psychiatrist accused of killing 13 at Army base.| New York Times

White House, congressional Democrats reach deal with unions over health care coverage: Agreement exempts union contracts from tax on high-end health-insurance plans until 2018, adds pressure to find new money to pay for health bill. | Wall Street Journal

New Jersey Cub Scout endures TSA scrutiny: Agency won't comment on case of Michael "Mickey" Hicks being on government watch-list of suspicious persons. | Sky News Online

Here's a new kind of Final Four: Government report says Minneapolis, Buffalo, Oklahoma City and Rochester, N.Y., had the smallest increase in unemployment over the past two years for cities with at least 1 million people. | Associated Press

Icahn launches hostile bid for Lions Gate Entertainment: He already owns 19 percent of the company, but his offer of $6 a share for a larger stake was rejected last week. | Wall Street Journal

Consumer prices unchanged in February: A rise in food prices last month was offset by a drop in gasoline and other energy costs. | Associated Press

First-time claims for jobless benefits fall for third straight week: But the average has increased by 30,000 since the start of this year, raising  concerns among economists that persistent unemployment could weaken the recovery. | Associated Press

School districts sell ads on buses to raise revenue: Some compare the tactic to dressing teachers in ad-laden uniforms. | Associated Press

No sexual assault case at Mizzou has been prosecuted for at least five years: The record is similar on other campuses nationwide. | Columbia Missourian

Urbana, Ill., school district pays $2.6 million to settle abuse claims: Former teacher Jon White is serving a prison sentence for abusing students in his classes. | Bloomington Pantagraph