NPR 2010-08-24

Federal officials are focusing on manufacturing and processing facilities as they work to get to the bottom of a salmonella outbreak in eggs. The Food and Drug Administration says there haven't been many standards in place for farms like the two in Iowa involved in the recall of a half billion eggs. More than 1,000 cases of salmonella poisoning are linked to those farms. The FDA is telling consumers not to eat eggs that aren't fully 1 cooked.

Vice 2 President Joe Biden says the drawdown of combat troops in Iraq does not mean American engagement in that country is ending. As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, the vice president told a veterans group the US remains 3 committed to helping 4 the Iraqi people.

Speaking to a VFW convention in Indianapolis, Vice President Biden said the Iraqis are ready to take charge of their own country, noting a drop in sectarian violence and the development of an Iraqi security force. Although Iraqi leaders have yet to form a government five months after elections were held, Biden says it's a good thing that leaders are trying to iron out their differences through politics, not war. The vice president spoke 5 as the last US combat troops are leaving Iraq, bringing force levels down from 140,000 troops early last year to just 50,000 by month's end. President Obama plans to mark the milestone 6 with his own speech next week. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

A dramatic and deadly scene in Manila today. Philippine police stormed a bus taken hostage by a former policeman, the scene broadcast by news channels around the globe. Eight people are dead. As Simone Orendain reports from Manila, the hostage taker was fired from his job earlier this year.

Police here SWAT team sharpshooter killed former Senior Inspector 7 Rolando Mendoza on board a tourist bus that he'd hijacked 8 earlier in the morning. More than 20 people including Chinese and Hong Kong nationals were on the bus when Mendoza toting an M16 rifle took control of it at a popular Manila park. By midday, police say nine hostages were released. In the early evening, several reporters at the scene heard shots fired inside the bus. Two Manila hospitals reported six people were dead on arrival. Mendoza's brother told reporters he wanted his job back. Mendoza lost his retirement 9 benefits when he was dismissed on charges of extortion. For NPR News, I'm Simone Orendain in Manila.

Talk of deal making today wasn't enough to counter worries about the economy. Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 39 points to 10,174; for the NASDAQ, it was a loss of 20 points to 2,159; the S&P500 came in four points short at 1,067.

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A US district court has issued a preliminary injunction today, blocking federal funding of human embryonic 10 stem cell research. The court says it involves the destruction of human embryos 11. The ruling favors a suit filed this summer by a researcher who objects to the Obama administration's new guidelines allowing funding of the research.

Tropical storm Danielle is intensifying 12 rapidly in the open Atlantic with winds nearing hurricane strength, but as Phil Latzman from member station WLRN in Miami tells us, forecasters don't think Danielle poses a threat to the US.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say Danielle's winds have increased to 65 mph, and they're expecting the system to strengthen into a hurricane by this evening and a Category 2 storm by later in the week, as it heads generally to the west. The official forecast track though begins to carry Danielle well to the north by midweek, before it threatens any interest in the US or Caribbean, even Bermuda appears out of its current path. Danielle is the Atlantic season's fourth main storm, but as the hurricane season begins its most active stretch, government forecasters say coastal 13 residents should not let their guards down. A busy season is still expected with up to six hurricanes (of) Category 3 strength or above. For NPR News, I'm Phil Latzman in Miami.

The divorce of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren is official. Lawyers for both sides released the statement today, saying the marriage was dissolved in Bay County Circuit Court in Florida. This comes nine months after revelations of Woods had been cheating on his wife. Terms of the divorce were not disclosed except that they will share parenting of their two children.

I'm Renita Jablonski, NPR News from Washington.