US & World News, Tuesday 1/29

US & World Summary: House Expected To Move On Economic Stimulus Today (Washington, DC) -- The House is expected to consider an economic stimulus package today. With growing fears of an economic recession, House Democratic leaders struck a deal last week with the White House on the roughly 150-billion-dollar stimulus plan. The plan includes taxpayer rebates and business tax incentives. After clearing the House, the stimulus package could face some changes in the Senate because some Democrats want the package to include extended unemployment benefits. --- Heavy Turnout Expected In Florida Primary (Miami, FL) -- All eyes are on Florida today for the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries. With polls showing John McCain and Mitt Romney running neck-and-neck, Republican candidates spent yesterday criss-crossing the state looking for last minute votes. On the Democratic side, polls show Hillary Clinton with a sizeable lead over Barack Obama and John Edwards. Election officials expect heavy voter turnout statewide, possibly setting new records. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern time. --- Economy Takes Center Stage In State Of The Union (Washington, DC) -- President Bush talked about the economy during his final State of the Union address last night. Bush called on Congress to quickly approve a roughly 150-billion-dollar economic stimulus package. Stressing that Americans can be confident about economic growth in the long run, Bush said that despite the economic turbulence and uncertainty, the foundations of the U.S. economy remain strong. In the Democratic response, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius 1/81/8sah-BEAL-yuss3/83/8 said the economy is struggling and needs what she called, quote, "urgent and immediate action." --- U.S. Scraps Plan For Anti-Radiation Pills (Washington, DC) -- The Bush Administration is scrapping plans to distribute anti-radiation pills to millions of people who live close to a nuclear power plant. According to "USA Today," the White House is deep-sixing the plan because it says there are more effective ways to protect people in the event of an accident or terrorist attack. The government stockpiles the pills for about four-point-seven-million people who live within ten miles of a plant. The pills give protection against thyroid cancer that can develop after radiation exposure. --- Security Preparations In Place For Super Bowl (Glendale, AZ) -- Security will be especially tight for Sundays Super Bowl in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. Local, state and federal officials plan to be on the ground and in the air watching over the more than 150-thousand visitors expected in the city. A Customs and Border Protection official says his agency will be helping out by screening vehicles coming close to the stadium using trucks equipped with an X-ray imaging system. That technology is used everyday at the U.S.-Mexico border. --- WGA Reaches "Interim Agreement" For Grammy Awards (Los Angeles, CA) -- The Grammys are on after the striking Writers Guild of America cut a deal with the Recording Academy. That deal allows its members to work on the 50th annual Grammy Awards show. With the waiver, musicians can now freely participate in the Grammys while continuing to support the WGA walkout. The 50th annual Grammy Awards will be presented February 10th on CBS in a ceremony from Los Angeles. --- Closing Arguments In Snipes Tax Fraud Trial (Ocala, FL) -- Closing arguments are expected to begin today in the tax fraud trial of actor Wesley Snipes. Yesterday, the defense rested its case without calling a single witness as the trial is expected to wrap up this week in a Florida federal court. Snipes and two co-defendants are charged with submitting false returns in a tax scheme that allegedly netted them millions of dollars. The "Blade" actor is also charged with not filing returns during a five-year period when prosecutors say he earned 38-million-dollars. Snipes could get up to 16 years in prison and have to pay millions of dollars in fines if hes convicted. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-29-08 0743CST