Duke Case Prosecutor Says He Will Resign  —  Durham County district attorney Michael B. Nifong said today he plans to resign his job, after admitting that he had "crossed the line" of ethical standards in some of the public statements he made about the Duke University lacrosse players he charged with rape.

Iran Curtails Freedom In Throwback to 1979  —  Iran is in the midst of a sweeping crackdown that both Iranians and U.S. analysts compare to a cultural revolution in its attempt to steer the oil-rich theocracy back to the rigid strictures of the 1979 revolution.

Conservative bloggers revolt over immigration … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Different conservative blogs have different pet issues — government transparency, federal judges, Fred Thompson, to name a few.  —  But no issue in recent memory has united conservative bloggers like the debate over immigration.

Contingency?  Irony?  Solidarity!  —  Young Ezra observes that "One could easily imagine a left win that's closer to the Dobbsian/Christian Democrat compromise of social conservatism with economic progressivism."  And, as he says, it's easy to imagine a situation in which politics takes place …

Inside the Ring  —  China arming terrorists  —  New intelligence reveals China is covertly supplying large quantities of small arms and weapons to insurgents in Iraq and the Taliban militia in Afghanistan, through Iran.  —  U.S. government appeals to China to check some of the arms shipments …

Tancredo wins surprise immigration vote  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives this morning voted to withhold federal emergency services funding for "sanctuary cities" that protect illegal immigrants.  —  Anti-illegal immigration champion Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. …

Hearing officer: Evidence does not support murder case  —  The officer in charge of a military hearing expressed serious doubts Friday about the government's prosecution of Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, one of three Marines charged in the November 2005 shooting deaths of Iraqi civilians in the city of Haditha.

Stanford's New Driverless Car  —  Junior the autonomous car passes an initial round of tests in preparation for DARPA's Urban Challenge, slated for later this year. … Yesterday, a Volkswagen Passat drove around a parking lot in Mountain View, CA, made three-point turns …

The Saturday Cartoons  —  We have an added treat today: Another animation from our friend, Nick Anderson.  This time, Nick gives us a fun game to play called Bush Administration Missile Defense and it's a takeoff on the old arcade game.  It's certainly a challenge to make this defense system work — give it a try.

Push for Blair as new EU president  —  By George Parker in Brussels, John Thornhill in Paris and James Blitz in London  —  Tony Blair, the British prime minister, could end up swapping Downing Street for a job as the first full-time European Union president, under a plan being actively touted by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president.

DoJ Purge Figure Resigns  —  Nothing like a Friday afternoon resignation to end the week.  —  From the AP: … Update: Some highlights from Elston's tenure at DoJ:  — He allegedly called three of the fired U.S. attorneys and made an implicit threat that the Justice Department …

ROBIN OLDS PASSES ON  —  Email from my Dad passes on this sad news:  —  Brigadier General Robin Olds, 1922-2007 … Your six is clear, General!  Have a safe trip...a grateful nation thanks you for your service.