WORLD
N. Korea may close reactor
North Korea could shut down its nuclear reactor within weeks and return to disarmament talks, a U.S. envoy said yesterday. Russia has reported that disputed funds reached a North Korean account, clearing a key hurdle in negotiations. pg 16a
Seven U.S. troops die in Iraq
Seven U.S. troops were killed yesterday in three roadside bomb attacks, the military announced. The deaths came as Iraq's Parliament agreed to cut its summer holiday in half, and some observers said a deal had been reached on a law to share the country's oil wealth. pg 16a
NATIONAL
Judge criticizes domestic spying
A federal judge who used to authorize wiretaps in terrorist and espionage cases has criticized President Bush's decision to order warrantless surveillance after the Sept. 11 attacks. pg 3a
Group urges review of celibacy
Voice of the Faithful, the lay group formed in response to the sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church, is calling for the Vatican to review the requirement that priests be celibate, saying the policy may have played a role in the scandal. pg 3a
MARYLAND
Racing declines, despite slots
Maryland racing officials insist they need slots at the state's tracks to revitalize their industry. But the experience of Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania shows that slots have done nothing to attract more people to horse racing. pg 1a
KIPP school students excel
KIPP Ujima Village Academy, a small Baltimore charter school, has turned low-performing students into some of the city's highest scorers on reading and math tests, according to a new study. pg 1b
BUSINESS
PSC considers rate reforms
In an attempt to bring down electricity prices, the state Public Service Commission is studying reforms that some argue will make it tougher for competing energy suppliers to steal customers from Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and other utilities. pg 1c
New incentives for TB drugs
Tuberculosis has been flying under the American radar for decades now, as it has lost its status as a top killer in the U.S. and a particular problem in Baltimore. But when an infected Atlanta man launched a public health panic last month, it raised the deadly disease's profile anew. pg 1c
SPORTS
Va. Tech student wins in U.K.
Drew Weaver became the first American to win the British Amateur golf tournament since 1979, dedicating his victory to the victims of Virginia Tech's campus massacre in April. pg 4d