Note to Readers

The New York Times published an editor's note in yesterday's editions, as well as an online critique, detailing problems with reporting standards in several articles the newspaper published between October 2001 and June 2003, dealing with the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The Sun published four of the articles -- on Nov. 8, 2001, Sept. 8, 2002, April 23, 2003, and May 21, 2003 -- that we received through the New York Times News Service.

The Times noted various flaws, including a failure to independently verify one article, to follow up on the veracity of a source in another, and in a third to be more cautious with its conclusions.

The Times editor's note and a more detailed description of the articles is available at the Times Web site, www.nytimes.com. A news article on the Times critique appears on Page 1C of today's Sun.