FORMER SENATOR FRED THOMPSON IN REMISSION FOR LYMPHOMA  —  WASHINGTON — Former Tennessee Republican Sen. Fred Thompson announced Wednesday he's in remission from lymphoma.  —  Thompson, who is considering a run for the White House in 2008, told FOX News that the illness is treatable.

3 Generals Spurn the Position of War 'Czar'  —  Bush Seeks Overseer For Iraq, Afghanistan  —  The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies …

Iran may be helping Iraqis build bombs  —  BAGHDAD - Iranian intelligence operatives have been training Iraqi fighters inside Iran on how to use and assemble deadly roadside bombs known as EFPs, the U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.  —  Commanders of a splinter group inside …

A.G.'s Statement Dropping Duke Rape Case  —  Statement from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper on the Duke University lacrosse rape case.  —  Good afternoon, everyone.  —  On Jan. 13 of this year, I accepted the request of the Durham district attorney to take over three Durham cases.

Rare Protests at Brigham Young Over a Planned Cheney Appearance  —  The invitation extended to Vice President Dick Cheney to be the commencement speaker at Brigham Young University has set off a rare, continuing protest at the Mormon university, one of the nation's most conservative.

HOS AND BITCHES....Now that Don Imus has been universally condemned for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos," the conversation is moving on, as conversations do, to broader questions.  In the LA Times today, civil rights attorney Constance Rice joins in the condemnation …

Pelosi is open to Iran trip  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, just back from a trip to Syria that brought sharp criticism from Republicans and the Bush administration, suggested Tuesday that the two may be interested in taking another diplomatic trip — to open a dialogue with Iran.

Republican candidate off the mark on cost of milk, bread  —  MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani hasn't done a lot of grocery shopping lately — at least based on his answers about the cost of milk and bread.  —  Campaigning in Alabama on Tuesday …

A Word of Advice During a Housing Slump: Rent  —  A promotional spot for the National Association of Realtors came on the radio the other day.  The spot, introduced as something called "Newsmakers," was supposed to sound like a news report, with the association's president offering real estate advice.

I'M SORRY FOR SELLING MY STORY, SAYS IRAN HOSTAGE MR BEAN  —  Servicemen have rounded on the sailors who sold their stories of being held captive by Iran.  —  A series of messages on forces' websites ridiculed Arthur Batchelor and Faye Turney, who cashed in after being held prisoner for 13 days.

'Katie's Notebook' Item Cribbed From W.S. Journal  —  Katie Couric did a one-minute commentary last week on the joys of getting her first library card, but the thoughts were less than original.  The piece was substantially lifted from a Wall Street Journal column.