Morning Buzz: April 24, 2007

This morning's top stories:

• A suicide bomber struck a military patrol base northeast of Baghdad today, killing nine U.S. servicemen and wounding 20 more.
• A congressional committee begins hearings today into possible coverup of the events surrounding the friendly-fire death of soldier and former National Football League star Pat Tillman.
• In case you missed it: As we reported yesterday afternoon, Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor, a Democrat, has yet to receive a call from embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, even though Gonzales promised to do so at last Thursday's congressional hearing.
• Geologists exploring a coal mine in Illinois have discovered a trove of fossil data from an ancient rain forest.
• After nine Palestinians died in fighting with Israel over the weekend, Hamas militants have fired several rockets into Israel today in a sign that the fragile cease-fire could be endangered.