Rivals try to deflate F. Thompson campaign  —  Fred Thompson has had a relatively easy ride as he has flirted with a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.  His strategists have found traction promoting him as the heir to Ronald Reagan — and a conservative alternative to the top tier of the GOP field.

Analysis: Hamas's Gaza and Fatah's West Bank  —  Jamal Abu Jadian, a top Fatah commander, fled his home in the northern Gaza Strip Tuesday evening dressed as a woman to avoid dozens of Hamas militiamen who had attacked it.  He and several members of his family and bodyguards were lightly wounded.

New Justice Dept. Emails Reveal Top Rove Aides' Involvement In Attorney Scandal  —  Justice Department documents released tonight include new emails linking Karl Rove's top aides — former White House political director Sara Taylor, who resigned last month, and her deputy Scott Jennings — to the U.S. attorney scandal.

Minarets on Shiite Shrine in Iraq Destroyed in Attack  —  Left, a file photo from Dec. 2003 shows intact the two minarets and the Golden Dome of the al-Askari mosque in Samarra.  At right, the mosque today after the attack on the minarets.  The dome was destroyed in the 2006 attack.

TV's 'Mr. Wizard' Don Herbert dies at 89  —  LOS ANGELES — Don Herbert, who as television's "Mr. Wizard" introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday.  He was 89.  Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home, said his son-in-law, Tom Nikosey.

Bush Lobbies G.O.P. Senators on Immigration  —  In an effort to revive a crippled immigration bill, President Bush visited the Capitol on Tuesday to try to assure wary Senate Republicans personally that border security was a driving force behind his push for changes in immigration law.

Coleman faces challenge from his former adviser  —  An Iraq war veteran and former adviser to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) yesterday said he is considering a primary challenge against the lawmaker in 2008.  —  Retired Lt. Col. Joe Repya (R) lost a race for the state Republican Party chairmanship last week …

Investigator: Nifong privately acknowledged doubts in Duke lacrosse case  —  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — As Mike Nifong was calling the Duke lacrosse team a "bunch of hooligans" in public, he was privately acknowledging that the rape case would be hard to prove and that the accuser's story was filled …

CBS blames sexism for bad ratings  —  Leslie Moonves, CBS chief executive, on Tuesday suggested that sexist attitudes were partly to blame for the faltering performance of Katie Couric, the news anchor he recruited to the network with a $15m annual pay package.  —  "I'm sort of surprised by the vitriol against her.

Vote-Fraud Demagogues  —  Americans overwhelmingly support voter ID.  Are they are all racists?  —  Appointments to the Federal Election Commission rarely draw attention.  But at a confirmation hearing today, there's likely to be some fireworks over Hans von Spakovsky.

Iraqis Are Failing to Meet U.S. Benchmarks  —  Iraq's political leaders have failed to reach agreements on nearly every law that the Americans have demanded as benchmarks, despite heavy pressure from Congress, the White House and top military commanders.  With only three months until progress reports …

Simon Kelner: Would you be saying this, Mr Blair, if we supported your war in Iraq?  —  'Opinion and fact should be clearly divisible.  The truth is, a large part of the media today not merely elides the two but does so now as a matter of course.  In other words, this is not exceptional.

Casting Ballot From Abroad Is No Sure Bet  —  Over the last six years, the Defense Department has spent more than $30 million trying to find an efficient way for American soldiers and civilians living abroad to vote in elections back home.  —  But with the presidential primaries approaching …

Florida primary will not count, Dean warns  —  Sure, Florida is America's biggest political swing state.  But don't expect the national Democratic Party to back off punishing Sunshine State Democrats for scheduling an early presidential primary.  —  "Their primary essentially won't count …

Database Is Tool in Deporting Fugitives  —  Police Officers Find Illegal Immigrants In Warrant Searches  —  Hugo Vinicio Hernandez knew that immigration agents could detain him at any time for having disregarded a deportation order in 2001.  But the Guatemalan man didn't think he would wind …

Bush no money magnet  —  Financial projections for the President's Dinner tonight confirm that Republican confidence in the president is in a state of collapse.  —  The National Republican Congressional Committee's (NRCC) fundraising goal is $7.5 million, which is half what was raised last year.