WORLD

Uneasy triumph for Musharraf

Lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed a new five-year presidential term for Gen. Pervez Musharraf yesterday, according to unofficial results, but the legitimacy of the vote has yet to be decided by the Supreme Court. pg 19a

Shiite rivals forge a truce

Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his chief rival, Abdelaziz Hakim, reached a truce yesterday to end bloodshed between their loyalists that has killed scores of Iraqis. pg 20a

NATIONAL

Audits find insurance violations

Tens of thousands of Medicare recipients have been victims of deceptive sales tactics and had claims improperly denied by private insurers that run the system's huge new drug benefit program, a review of federal audits has found. pg 3a

Challenges for D.C.'s police chief

In a profession in which female officers' uniforms 35 years ago included skirts and purses, Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier is still a rarity. Fewer than 10 women have led a police department in a major U.S. city. pg 11a

MARYLAND

O'Malley faces political test

Last week, Gov. Martin O'Malley heard the first rumblings of discontent - from Republicans and Democrats - over his proposal for solving the state's $1.7 billion budget crisis and his call for a November special legislative session to consider his plan. pg 1b

Review called for tax-sale fees

A Circuit Court judge has called a hearing to examine whether homeowners are being charged excessive legal fees and expenses in tax-sale foreclosure cases in Baltimore, where an estimated 3,500 such cases are pending. pg 1b

BUSINESS

A call for tax disclosure

Comptroller Peter Franchot's charge that more than half of Maryland's biggest for-profit companies paid no state corporate income tax in 2005 was robustly denied by the Chamber of Commerce. Fortunately, writes Jan Hancock, corporate Maryland can end the debate by disclosing what was paid. pg 1c

SPORTS

UM holds on, beats Ga. Tech

After nearly blowing an 18-point lead, Maryland's football team holds on to defeat visiting Georgia Tech, 28-26, behind Lance Ball's three touchdown runs. pg 1d

REAL ESTATE

Fixer-upper with water views

For a weekend retreat, Dave McNally took on a 110-year-old working lighthouse built to mark the shoals off Smith Point in the Chesapeake Bay. "I like unique properties," he says. pg 1l