WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama headed into the 17th week of their increasingly contentious struggle for the party's presidential nomination on Sunday under widening fissures over the race, gender and economic status of U.S. voters. ...

Seventy years after his death, Robert Johnson (l, circa 1935) is still considered "King of the Delta Blues." By others, Robert Johnson is considered to be the "Grand-father of "Rock-and-Roll." Younger and younger audiences are discovering the artistic merits of Johnson's blues lyrics and guitar.

Two revered spiritual leaders were in Seattle this week as part of the five-day Seeds of Compassion event, whose mission is to nurture kindness and compassion in the world, starting with children and all who touch their lives.
His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, the head of state and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, appeared together Tuesday to talk about inspiring compassion in youth....

WARRI, Nigeria — Four people from a Seattle-based film crew and a Nigerian man accompanying them who were arrested and accused of traveling illegally in restive southern Nigeria, have been released, according to a statement from Sen. Maria Cantwell's office.
Security forces fighting militants in the Niger Delta consider much of the vast wetland region a military zone and have barred outsiders from traveling there without express consent by authorities.
Nigerian Brig. Gen. Wuyep Rintip said the group was seized Saturday for flouting the ban and were to be flown to the capital, Abuja.  ...

This year Portland will be voting to elect four out of the city's five City Council members. .... The Skanner decided the fairest way to cover the races was to offer all candidates the chance to respond to two broadly framed questions:
1. What qualifies you as the best candidate for the job?
2. What would be your key priorities as council member/ mayor? ....

Renters, as a new report concludes, are getting stuck with a large share of the bill. ...What makes this latest report so troubling is that while the 'housing wage' has increased by 18 percent since 2000, incomes have only increased by one third of that amount, according to the Oregon Employment Department. ....

This Lent Elementary teacher has been pioneering a different approach to education in his classes. When they're not studying math, science, reading and art, Muir's students are learning how to produce their very own play – from start to finish. ...

Calling all young Bible scholars. A Childrens International Arts Festival sponsored by columnist Carey Kinsolving's online ministry, "Kids Talk About God," is sponsoring an art competition  about the bible. The nondenominational ministry is looking for writing and art by children aged 5 – 12 that answers questions about the Bible, posted on the Web site www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org.
"Art is a universal language," said Kinsolving. "Children have a way of cutting right to the heart of a Bible story when they draw art to illustrate it. ...

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) stood behind President George Bush as he sat down, pen in hand, in front of the open folder. Among the string of witnesses beside Davis were Black Caucus members Reps. Bobby Scott (Va.), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (Ohio) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (Mich.).
It was a rare, but happily unified non-partisan gathering to sign what had once appeared to be a mission- impossible for Davis. It was five years ago when he first conceived, introduced and began fighting for the Second Chance Act to deter the recidivism rate that is so disparate among Black inmates.

The Hip Hop Anniversary Tour will bring legendary artists and some of the talents who created the rap music genre to Portland and Seattle this June. But this tour is NAACP approved, and promises to offer family friendly concerts, with no swearing and a positive message.
Last year Kurtis Blow, former 'gangsta' rapper Master P, his son Romeo, other entertainers and media corporations, signed on to the NAACP's STOP Campaign. Blow, now a minister, also participated in the NAACP's symbolic burial of the N-word at its annual convention in Detroit.
"The music from the past was fun," rap industry legend Blow said Friday in Washington, D.C. "The tour brings those beats and good feelings back with three hours of Hip Hop with no profanity and within the bounds of universal acceptance."