Romney up big in Illinois  —  Mitt Romney is headed for a blowout victory in Illinois on Tuesday.  He leads with 45% to 30% for Rick Santorum, 12% for Newt Gingrich, and 10% for Ron Paul.  —  Romney's particularly strong among voters who live in suburban areas (50-29) and with those who live in urban areas (46-23).

The Hill Poll: Voter gloom on Obama's jobs, gas, debt policies  —  Half of likely voters expect the Supreme Court to strike down President Obama's signature healthcare law, and strong majorities see other major policies coming from the White House making life more difficult for themselves and the country …

Obama's high-dollar donations lagging  —  President Obama is struggling to draw in big-dollar donations, with half as many people writing large checks to his campaign than at this point four years ago.  —  Obama is outpacing his Republican rivals in fundraising overall …

Two polls: Mourdock within 6 of Lugar  —  Richard Mourdock has closed within single digits of Sen. Dick Lugar in the Indiana GOP Senate primary race, according to a pair of polls commissioned by groups seeking to oust the six-term incumbent.  —  Both polls — one paid for by Citizens United …

Nobel peace prize winner defends law criminalising homosexuality in Liberia  —  Exclusive: In joint interview, Tony Blair refuses to comment on Liberian president's remarks supporting anti-gay laws  —  The Nobel peace prize winner and president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf …

Apple Conference Call  —  WHAT: Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, and Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO, will host a conference call to announce the outcome of the Company's discussions concerning its cash balance.  Apple® will not be providing an update on the current quarter nor will any topics be discussed other than cash.

Republicans go on offensive over rumors Obama may tap emergency oil reserves  —  Republicans launched a preemptive strike last week against rumored plans by the White House to tap the country's emergency oil reserves.  —  Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve …

C-Span Founder to Step Down as Chief Executive  —  Brian Lamb, who created the revolutionary nonprofit cable television network C-Span in the late 1970s and has been its public face ever since, is handing it over to two lieutenants, Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain.

THE VETTING - HOLDER 1995: WE MUST ‘BRAINWASH’ PEOPLE ON GUNS  —  Breitbart.com has uncovered video from 1995 of then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder announcing a public campaign to “really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way.”  —  Holder was addressing the Woman's National Democratic Club.

A lion in winter  —  What's riveting about the documents taken from Osama bin Laden's compound, beyond the headline items about plots to kill American leaders, is the way they allow the reader to get inside the terrorist mastermind's head.  —  I've only seen a small sample of the thousands …

U.S. Made Profit on Mortgage Debt  —  In the latest sign of the government's gradual retreat from financial-crisis-related programs, the Treasury Department is expected to announce Monday that taxpayers reaped a $25 billion profit on mortgage bonds purchased at the height of the meltdown.

‘Honour code’ supported by young Asians, poll says  —  Two-thirds of young British Asians agree that families should live according to the concept of “honour”, a poll for BBC Panorama suggests.  —  Of 500 young Asians questioned, 18% also felt that certain behaviour by women that could affect …

There are many ways to gauge government integrity.  By one recent measure, Chicago ranks as the most corrupt city in the nation.  New York places first as the most corrupt state.  —  Those are the findings of a February report released by the University of Illinois' Institute of Government …

Israel shifts views on Iran  —  JERUSALEM - Despite saber-rattling from Jerusalem, Israeli officials now agree with the U.S. assessment that Tehran has not yet decided on the actual construction of a nuclear bomb, according to senior Israeli government and defense figures.

The Age of Double Standards  —  “But, Yossarian, suppose everyone felt that way.”  —  “Then,” said Yossarian, “I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way, wouldn't I?”  —Joseph Heller, Catch-22  —  Last November 29, American Airlines declared bankruptcy under Chapter 11 …