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Luke. Leia. Han. Chewie. Artoo. Threepio. All present and accounted for as StarWars.com unveiled the official cast of "Star War: Episode VII" Tuesday. Here's the full release: The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film. Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars:...

Lt. Gov. of Maryland and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, left, waves to the crowd with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y, right, at a fund-raiser, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Whether the Kennedy name is a political asset or a liability may be a subject worthy of debate in Maryland this year. But even Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, did not realize that her famous name would give rise to free advertising in the form of a conveniently timed TV movie about her father, Robert F. Kennedy.

In office buildings on either side of the Maryland State House yesterday, day-long deliberations about ethics replaced the usually somnolent summertime ambiance of Annapolis. Twelve politicians who might otherwise have been out campaigning sat in a dimly lighted conference room discussing allegations of misbehavior lodged against six of their colleagues. Nearby, the independent State Ethics Commission was putting the final touches on strict new rules that could lead to the expulsion of one of Maryland's top-grossing lobbyists.

Picture this, Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend urged a roomful of African-American supporters in Baltimore yesterday: As governor, me. And as secretary of state? Clarence W. Blount. Amid cheers, Townsend announced that Blount, 81, was taking on a role as "senior adviser" in her campaign for governor, and would be her choice for secretary of state if she wins the November election. At the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, host of yesterday's event, a wax figure of Blount is identified by a placard reading "Maryland's Political Warrior." Blount, a state senator since 1971, plans to retire at year's end.

DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. On a languid evening last week, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend brought her campaign for governor to southeast Baltimore. She wanted to tout an anticrime initiative she launched as lieutenant governor to create community policing programs in 62 "hot spots" in Maryland. But reporters hammered Ms. Townsend instead with questions about the latest bad news in her faltering campaign: her Republican rival, Representative Robert Ehrlich, had pulled nearly even in polls, and what once looked like an easy victory would now require tough political combat by the eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. In a clipped cadence, Ms. Townsend...

In a victory for cybersquatters and others who snatch up domain names containing personal monikers, a dispute-resolution board has refused to turn over Web addresses containing the words "Kathleen Kennedy Townsend." Townsend, Maryland's lieutenant governor and a potential candidate for governor this year, discovered that a Baltimore man had registered several Web addresses with her name, including kennedytownsend.org and kathleenkennedytownsend.com. Townsend argued that she has a trademark on her name and asked the World Intellectual Property Organization's Arbitration and Mediation Center--one of the groups charged with settling domain-name disputes--to transfer the addresses to her. However, the owner of the disputed...