MARYLAND
Easing out PSC members
After a year in which the General Assembly tried to fire members of the Public Service Commission over its handling of skyrocketing electricity rates, legislative leaders are still seeking the ouster of one or more panel members but now say they want an amicable parting. pg 1b
WORLD
Troops ill-equipped for Iraq
After nearly four years of war in Iraq, the Pentagon's effort to protect its troops against roadside bombs is in disarray, with soldiers and Marines having to swap access to scarce armored vehicles and the military unsure whether it has the money or industrial capacity to produce the safe vehicles it says the troops need. pg 1a
Mexico hands over drug lords
Breaking with long-standing practice, Mexico extradited four major drug traffickers to the United States late Friday and sent a signal that the country's newly elected president, Felipe Calderon, is serious about cooperating with his northern neighbor to dismantle cartels. pg 17a
NATIONAL
Clinton declares candidacy
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton made it official yesterday, launching her bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination and a chance to return to the White House as the nation's first female president. pg 1a
Firing blanks in germ warfare
Awash in antimicrobial soaps and wipes, Americans these days seem to be fending off germs at every turn. Yet scientists contend that the introduction of the hundreds of antimicrobial products has had no discernible impact on the rates of infectious disease in the United States. pg 4a
BUSINESS
Backlog of vacant homes grows
An unprecedented number of unoccupied homes for sale are piling up, creating unexpected headaches for homeowners. Those with little or no equity in their homes face a tough choice of accepting a loss or taking a risk that eventually a buyer will meet their price. Others are straining to pay two mortgages or renting while they try to sell their old home. pg 1a
SPORTS
Mauresmo suffers upset
Defending champion and second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo tumbles out of the Australian Open, falling 6-4, 6-3 to unseeded Lucie Safarova. pg 11d
MODERN LIFE
Fairy dust for the face
Cosmeceuticals - skin products with medical-sounding ingredients -now account for more sales than all other basic skin-care products, and what's new is that many dermatologists are aggressively selling them in their offices. pg 1n
TRAVEL
A colorful road to Morocco
From the pueblos blancos (white villages) that still show their Moorish origins to the open-air markets of Tangier and Marrakech, a tour of Spain and Morocco makes a memorable adventure. pg 1r