American Hostage Jill Carroll Free (Updated)  —  American journalist Jill Carroll has been freed by her captors.  This post will be updated throughout the day.  Scroll through for updates.  —  Jill Carroll had been held hostage for nearly three months by a terrorist organization calling itself 'The Revenge Brigades'.

Photographer: Herald got it right  —  Amid a growing national controversy about the gesture U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the freelance photographer who captured the moment has come forward with the picture.

THE VERDICT, TAKE 2  —  Last night John rendered his "Verdict: The New York Times blew the story."  The "story" was the testimony of five federal judges — Magistrate Judge Allan Kornblum and four former FISA court judges — on Senator Specter's proposed reform of the FISA statute.

Senate GOP Fears Frist's Ambitions Split Party  —  By pushing his way to the front of the volatile debate over immigration, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has reignited complaints that his presidential ambitions conflict with his leadership duties at times and put him at odds with his GOP caucus.

Senate Approves Lobbying Limits by Wide Margin  —  WASHINGTON, March 29 — The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed the first major restrictions on lobbying in more than a decade, banning lobbyists from giving gifts and meals to lawmakers and tightening rules for pet projects known as earmarks.

Iran Defiantly Rejects New U.N. Demands  —  BERLIN (AP) — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran on Thursday the "international community is united" in the dispute over its nuclear program, but a Tehran envoy defiantly rejected a U.N. call to reimpose a freeze on uranium enrichment.

Beleaguered Premier Warns U.S. to Stop Interfering in Iraq's Politics  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 29 — Facing growing pressure from the Bush administration to step down, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari of Iraq vigorously asserted his right to stay in office on Wednesday and warned the Americans …

Chief of Staff Is Expected to Shake Up 2 Key Teams  —  WASHINGTON, March 29 — Joshua B. Bolten, the incoming White House chief of staff, is expected to press President Bush to assemble new economic and Congressional relations teams and overhaul the management of the West Wing, Republicans close to the White House said Wednesday.

Mason Magic Isn't Rocket Science  —  It's Economics, at Least When An Acclaimed Faculty Theorizes  —  Back before George Mason University's basketball team was two wins away from a national championship, the school had a different set of all-stars: its economics department.

Canada cuts ties to Palestinian Authority  —  OTTAWA — Canada has become the first country after Israel to cut funding and diplomatic ties to the Palestinian Authority over the new Hamas government's refusal to renounce violence.  —  The Conservatives say they will still offer humanitarian aid …

Perspective: Google does K Street  —  Google is setting up a political operation in Washington and collecting big-name lobbyists with Republican connections faster than you can search the Web for Jack Abramoff.  —  At first, I thought it was another of those famed Google April Fools' Day jokes, just a week early.

This is about war and democracy  —  In 1968, there was one overriding issue in America, and that was the war in Vietnam.  America had what was known as "the peace movement."  I am one who was a small part of it - teach-ins, marches, vigils, and politics.  —  Our president lied to us about that war.

O.K., Knockoffs, This Is War  —  FOR readers of Marie Claire, one of its most popular monthly features is Splurge vs. Steal, a column that shows an expensive runway look next to a knockoff costing a fraction of the price.  But within the fashion trade the magazine column is roundly disliked …

Insulating Bush  —  Karl Rove, President Bush's chief political adviser, cautioned other White House aides in the summer of 2003 that Bush's 2004 re-election prospects would be severely damaged if it was publicly disclosed that he had been personally warned that a key rationale for going to war …

DEMOCRACY CRUMBLING: New Electronic Voter Registration Database Rejects 43% of New Los Angeles Voter Applications!  26% Rejected State-Wide in California!  —  Applications That Don't Match EXACTLY With DMV Records are Automatically Dumped by New System!  —  California's League …

Borders, Waldenbooks Won't Carry Magazine  —  Borders and Waldenbooks stores will not stock the April-May issue of Free Inquiry magazine because it contains cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked deadly protests among Muslims in several countries.  —  "For us, the safety and security …

G.O.P. Risking Hispanic Votes on Immigration  —  WASHINGTON, March 29 — The battle among Republicans over immigration policy and border security is threatening to undercut a decade-long effort by President Bush and his party to court Hispanic voters, just as both parties are gearing up for the 2006 elections.