NATIONAL
Smoking, movie ratings linked
Movies and cigarettes long have gone together like Bogey and Bacall, but after years of pressure from advocacy groups, films will now get tougher ratings if their characters light up. pg 1a
Accord sought on war spending
Seeking to end the partisan standoff over funding the war in Iraq, politically moderate senators from both parties pressed their efforts yesterday to find a compromise that could put new requirements on the Iraqi government without holding up money for U.S. troops. pg 3a
MARYLAND
Man convicted in fatal beating
A Baltimore County jury convicted former University of Maryland, Baltimore County student John C. Gaumer of murder and rape yesterday in the beating death and sexual assault of a woman he had met online. pg 1b
WORLD
Britain's Blair to step down
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who upended the old politics of liberalism and conservatism in Britain and pushed for an "ethical" foreign policy, said he will step down June 27 after more than a decade in power. pg 1a
Security crackdown in Samarra
U.S. and Iraqi troops have imposed a strict security crackdown in Samarra, a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency, prompting residents to complain that basic necessities such as drinking water have not reached the city for seven days. pg 14a
BUSINESS
DOW -- DOWN
-147.74
13,215.13
NASDAQ -- DOWN
-42.60
2,533.74
S&P; -- DOWN
-21.11
1,491.47
SUN INDEX -- DOWN
-0.38
350.08
Area home prices inch up
Amid a continuing slowdown, home prices in metropolitan Baltimore eked out a slim gain in April, thanks largely to strength in Baltimore County. The city recorded its first decline in more than four years. The average sale price in Baltimore and the five surrounding counties rose 1.88 percent from $310,323 in April last year. pg 1e
SPORTS
McNair charged under DUI law
Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was arrested late Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn., and charged with a little-known Tennessee misdemeanor offense, commonly referred to as "DUI by consent," which prohibits a vehicle owner from letting the vehicle be driven by someone who is inebriated. pg 1f
TODAY
One aim for 'Idol' contestant
For American Idol's Lakisha Jones, the past four months comes down to a set of house keys. Fresh from her elimination, the singer was asked whether she was planning any splurges in light of her newfound fame. "I'm going to buy a new home for me and my daughter," the former Millersville bank teller said. pg 1c