The Baltimore Sun


Bush to warn Pakistan

President Bush will warn Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf that Congress could cut aid to his country unless his forces become more aggressive in hunting down operatives with al-Qaida. pg 3A

Zell proposes Tribune buyout

Chicago real estate magnate Sam Zell is proposing to participate in a buyout of Tribune Co. in a deal structured around an employee stock ownership plan. pg 3a


Council split on smoking ban

Heading into its most controversial vote in years, the Baltimore City Council is almost evenly divided over a proposed smoking ban for bars - casting uncertainty over a body where outcomes are typically predictable - but last-minute support for the plan appears to be growing. pg 1a

Effort targets steroid risks

Local hospitals, school officials, and politicians will launch a public awareness campaign today aimed at preventing teenagers from taking dangerous steroids and hormonal supplements to improve their athletic performance and appearance. pg 1b


Terps top No. 5 UNC, 89-87

The Maryland men's basketball team rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half to beat No. 5 North Carolina, 89-87, and extend its winning streak to five games. pg 1c


Iran remains unapologetic

As six leading world powers prepared for a crucial meeting today to respond to Iran's nuclear-enrichment activities, the Iranian president remained undeterred and unapologetic yesterday, saying the nuclear program had no reverse gear. pg 6a

Iraq attack kills at least 40

A suicide bomber pushed past guards at a crowded college campus yesterday and set off a thunderous blast that killed at least 40 Iraqis, most of them female students who were waiting to enter classrooms for midterm exams. pg 6a

Israelis seal off Nablus

Israeli soldiers sealed off the West Bank city of Nablus yesterday, placed its densely populated center under curfew and conducted house-to-house searches for Palestinian militants in the largest military operation in the West Bank in months. pg6a


Mercantle sale expected

Shareholders of Mercantile Bankshares Corp. are expected tomorrow to vote overwhelmingly in favor of selling the bank to Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group, all but erasing another blue-chip nameplate from Baltimore's skyline and introducing a new player to an already competitive local banking market. pg 1a


An Irish 'Sopranos?'

The setting is New York and the family is Irish, but NBC's new drama, The Black Donnellys, has much in common with The Sopranos. pg 1d

The best of the worst

Basic Instinct 2, with Sharon Stone reprising the role that made her famous, was the big winner ... er, loser, at the 27th annual Razzie Awards. The ceremony, traditionally held on the day before the Oscars, highlights the worst of Hollywood each year. pg 6d
