Morning Wrap

Nuclear North Korea: North Korea has stopped disabling its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in protest of the United States and the fact that the country has not been removed from the list of nations that sponsor terrorism, The Washington Post reports. North Korea says it will consider rebuilding the facility if it continues to remain on the list.

Right of Way: The Bush administration proposed yesterday a reduction in the amount of areas in the Atlantic Ocean set aside to protect endangered whales, The Washington Post reports. The move indicates that the administration is willing to yield to cargo companies' concerns about new speed limits for ships in the protected zones.

What's In A Name? Jeffrey Steiner has left Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner for DLA Piper, marking the third name partner to leave the firm in recent months. Seven corporate and finance partners joined Steiner in leaving the firm, The National Law Journal reports via Law.com. On Sept. 9, the firm will officially shorten its name to Thelen.

Clearing the Smoke: California's top law official stepped into the fray over medical marijuana in the state yesterday, offering new guidelines designed to reduce the tension between state and federal authorities. The Los Angeles Times reports that California Attorney General Jerry Brown issued an 11-page directive to help legitimate patients avoid arrest while aiding police in hunting down illegal cultivators and criminal middlemen.