MIAMI A federal judge has refused to dismiss terrorism charges against suspected al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla over allegations that he was tortured in U.S. military custody.

But U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said that Padilla's torture allegations could become relevant in his trial if prosecutors seek to use evidence gathered from him during his 3 1/2 years in isolation at a Navy brig. The ruling removes one of the biggest remaining obstacles to the start of the trial Monday for Padilla and two co-defendants.

WASHINGTON The United States said Tuesday that a financial deadlock stalling North Korean disarmament efforts has been broken, and hinted that a looming deadline for action could be extended.

With days to go before a weekend deadline for North Korea to shut down its main nuclear facility, the State Department said that a stalemate over the release of $25 million in frozen North Korean bank accounts had been cleared. The department cited comments from authorities in the Chinese territory of Macau, where the money is held by the Banco Delta Asia, which has been blacklisted by Washington for allegedly helping North Korea launder money.

ORLANDO, Fla. A police search of former astronaut Lisa Nowak's car turned up bondage photos on a computer disk, British currency, and pills, according to documents released Tuesday by prosecutors.

Nowak is accused of trying to kidnap a rival for a space shuttle pilot's affections. The documents did not make clear whether Nowak was the woman in the photos or to whom the disks belonged.

JACKSBORO, Tenn. A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty Tuesday in the killing of a high school official and the wounding of two others under a plea deal announced after jury selection had started.

The judge sentenced Kenneth Bartley Jr. to 45 years in prison for the single count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder in the 2005 shootings at Campbell County Comprehensive High School.

NEW YORK The nation's Roman Catholic bishops and religious orders received 714 clergy sex abuse claims in 2006, the second consecutive year that the number of allegations has dropped.

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