Duke Lacrosse Case Charges to Be Dropped  —  Three Players Were Facing Charges of First Degree Kidnapping, First Degree Forcible Sexual Offense  —  ABC News Law & Justice Unit  —  The office of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper will announce that he is dismissing all charges …

Gilchrest Seeking White House Deal on Iraq  —  A diverse collection of House Republicans has formed an ad hoc group to negotiate with the White House on a compromise Iraq spending bill, Politico's Ryan Grim reports.  The group plans to hold talks with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley …

House Panel Subpoenas Gonzales for Documents  —  The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today seeking hundreds of pages of new or uncensored records related to the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year, officials said.

Columnists React to Don Imus' Remarks About Rutgers Players  —  Radio and television talk show host Don Imus apologized for making disparaging remarks about black players on the Rutgers women's basketball team, but the public outcry has continued.  Two columnists offer their views on the issue.

Panel Said to Alter Finding on Voter Fraud  —  A federal panel responsible for conducting election research played down the findings of experts who concluded last year that there was little voter fraud around the nation, according to a review of the original report obtained by The New York Times.

Bush inviting Dems to meet about Iraq  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush on Tuesday invited Democrats to discuss their standoff over a war-spending bill, but he made clear he would not change his position opposing troop withdrawals.  The White House bluntly said the meeting would not be a negotiation.

Diabetics cured by stem-cell treatment  —  Diabetics using stem-cell therapy have been able to stop taking insulin injections for the first time, after their bodies started to produce the hormone naturally again.  —  In a breakthrough trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes …

Defaults Rise in Next Level of Mortgages  —  Some of the problems afflicting mortgages sold to borrowers with weak, or subprime, credit increasingly appear to be cropping up in loans made to homeowners who were thought to be less risky.  —  The latest sign of possible further deterioration …

Is Nancy Pelosi a Rove mole?  —  Undaunted by the bad smell she imparted to the Democratic Congress when she took it upon herself to spread her own foreign policy to Syria, bungling her pathetic attempt at shuttle diplomacy, Nancy Pelosi is planning to repeat the same performance in Iran, making a Republican win in '08 more likely.

A New Prescription to Curb Health-Care Spending  —  Laura Meckler reports on a new idea to cut health-care spending.  —  If you ask Americans what the biggest problem in health care is today, they might tell you that insurance companies are too stingy.  Or they might say that not enough people have insurance.

Busted!... Multi-National Force Iraq Scores on Mainstream Media  —  Special Update: For the "Think Progress" visitors below...  It's refreshing to see the world's finest military win a battle on the media front!  —  Of all of the 1,800 plus articles published yesterday …

Some in G.O.P. Express Worry Over '08 Hopes  —  Republican leaders across the country say they are growing increasingly anxious about their party's chances of holding the White House, citing public dissatisfaction with President Bush, the political fallout from the war in Iraq and the problems …

Producer: PBS dropped 'Islam vs. Islamists' on political grounds  —  The producer of a tax-financed documentary on Islamic extremism claims his film has been dropped for political reasons from a television series that airs next week on more than 300 PBS stations nationwide.

Kerry Forces Gingrich To Admit Inhofe Is Off-Base On Global Warming Science  —  Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) engaged in head-to-head debate this morning on global warming.  During the event, Kerry challenged Gingrich on his commitment to global warming science …

More downs than ups?  —  Roller-coaster developments leave the British feeling low  —  LONDON — Can an entire nation go on an emotional roller-coaster?  —  Britain's public has been on such an emotional adventure since its 15 sailors and marines were seized in the Persian Gulf.  It may not yet be over.

Oliphant's Children  —  I'm on the road for the next couple of days—thanks in advance to Stinkeye, Democommie, and Nez for volunteering to cover for me—and I wasn't going to post tonight.  But sometimes my inner Frenchman demands that I grant him an opportunity to speak his mind, and tonight is one of those times.

Imus vs. the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Chart (language warning)  —  My syndicated column this week: THE CULTURE OF "BITCHES, NIGGAS, AND HOS"  —  Let's stipulate: I have no love for Don Imus, Al Sharpton, or Jesse Jackson.  I repeat: A pox on all their race-baiting houses.

When CEO Buys a Mansion, It's Time to Sell Shares  —  Judith Burns reports on a new signal to sell stocks.  —  With House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank pushing a bill to give shareholders more say on executive compensation, a couple of academic researchers suggest another …