NPR NEWS 2008-02-10

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

Four states are holding presidential nominating contests today. Nebraska, Kansas, and Washington State are holding caucuses 2, and as NPR's Greg Allen reports Louisiana is holding its presidential primary.

Louisiana has rarely had a presidential primary as meaningful as this one, especially on the Democratic side. The 56 delegates at stake today would be very helpful to New York Senator Hillary Clinton or Illinois Senator Barack Obama who are locked in a tight battle for their party's nomination 3. On the Republican side although Arizona Senator John McCain has a commanding lead, Mike Huckabee, former governor of the neighboring state of Arkansas is expected to do well here. One question mark is voter turnout. Coming just days after Mardi Gras. The primary has attracted little interest. State officials say low numbers of early voters and requests for absentee ballots 4 suggest turn-out would be lower than some other early primary states. In recent days Barack Obama was the only candidate to campaign here. But Hillary Clinton did send a top surrogate, former president Bill Clinton. Polls close at 9 p.m. Central Time. Greg Allen NPR News, New Orleans.

Democrats 5 will caucus 1 in Maine tomorrow. And both parties will hold primaries Tuesday in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.

Five American soldiers were killed in roadside bombings in Iraq yesterday. The U.S. military says four died while on patrol northwest of Baghdad, another soldier was killed in an explosion near Tikrit in northern Iraq, three others were wounded in that attack.

Space shuttle Atlantis is to dock at the International Space Station today. NASA engineers are going over images of the heat tiles and shields in the shuttle. Because three pieces of debris 6 fell from the external fuel tank during Thursday's lift-off. The scans making firm of damage was done. Pat Duggins of member station WMFE reports

The astronauts will perceive with docking with the International Space Station while NASA examines the heat tile scans. If any suspected damage is found the crew may be asked to do what's called the focused inspection 7. For now the mission will continue as planned. Any serious tile damage would threaten the crew at the end of flight during the fiery 8 reentry into the atmosphere. So there is time to respond. If Atlantis is found to be fatally damaged, there's a plan for the astronauts to evacuate 9 into the Space Station and wait for a rescue shuttle. NASA doesn't expect to see anything that could endanger the crew. The pieces of debris that fell during launch came off late during the trip to Orbit. NASA thinks the atmosphere was too thin at that point to propel the trunks against the shuttle with any force. For NPR News, I'm Pat Duggins in Orlando.

Finance leaders of the seven richest countries in the world met in Tokyo today to discuss the financial turmoil 10 set off by the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the U.S. Later they released a statement that they are committed to enhancing economic growth. They agree to coordinate 11 their efforts to stabilize 12 financial markets around the world. But they put off until April agreeing on the specifics of a plan.

This is NPR News from Washington.

The Food and Drug Administration is advising doctors and patients to use Botox to be alert to possible problems. NPR's Joanne Silberner has more.

The tox in Botox refers to a toxin 13, a poison. It blocks nerves at tensive muscles and is used to treat everything from wrinkles to eyelid 14 ticks, to the severe spasms 15 of cerebral 16 palsy. But the FDA has received reports of people having problems after being treated with Botox or a similar product Myobloc, troubled breathing or swallowing, or having too big eyelids 17. The most serious problems have been in children with cerebral palsy, some died. The agency is not advising against the use of the products. It isn't, instead, recommending the doctors be especially careful about dosage and that they want patients to get medical attention if they have problems after Botox administration. The agency is considering whether any regular treat actions are needed. Joanne Silberner NPR News, Washington.

A memorial service was held today for actor Heath Ledger 18 in his hometown of Perth Australia. He died last month in his New York apartment at the age of 28. Officials say he died from an accidental overdose of prescription 19 drugs.

After first saying no the State Department has granted a work visa to British Pop star Amy Winehouse. But the reversal came too late for her to attend the Grammy Awards tomorrow night. The visa reportedly had been denied initially 20 because of drug use. Although she won't be at the Los Angeles ceremony in person, Winehouse is scheduled to perform live via satellite from her studio in London. She is expected to sing her hit 'rehab' about her reluctance 21 to sick treatment.

I'm Nora Raum. NPR News in Washington.