US & World News, Monday 2/18

US & World Summary --- Millions Of Pounds Of Meat Recalled, No Illness Reported (Washington, DC) -- The Agriculture Department has ordered the largest beef recall in history. The government agency has ordered 143-million pounds of meat taken off the market, and two suspects have been charged with animal cruelty. The USDA also shut down a California meat packing plant where the abuse violations occurred. A USDA spokesman says no documented cases of illness have been reported, but that meat from sick animals can increase the risk of mad cow and E-coli diseases. --- Tornadoes Rip Through The Deep South The cleanup begins today from tornadoes that cut a path of destruction yesterday through parts of the South. The twisters in parts of three states destroyed dozens of homes and left thousands without power. Prattville, Alabama was hit the worst, with 30 homes destroyed and another 170 damaged. Meanwhile, weather forecasters say more severe storms are possible today in the Florida Peninsula and along the North Carolina coast. According to Weather.com, todays storms could bring more damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. --- Clinton, Obama Courting Edwards Endorsement (Milwaukee, WI) -- Barack Obama is reaching out to one former rival. The Illinois Senator and presidential candidate briefly left the campaign trail yesterday to meet privately with John Edwards in hopes of winning his endorsement. With a tight race for the Democratic presidential nomination, both Hillary Clinton and Obama are trying to woo the former North Carolina senator. Obama is riding a wave of eight straight wins heading into tomorrows primaries in Wisconsin and Hawaii. Bad weather yesterday forced both Obama and Clinton to cancel scheduled appearances in Wisconsin. --- Pakistanis Continue Polling In General Election (Rawalpindi) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is calling for reconciliation today as voting continues in a general election that could eventually oust him from office. The election was delayed by the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27th. Over the weekend, nearly 50 people died in a suicide bombing against members of Bhuttos political party. Despite troops and police watching over voting, fears of violence are keeping many Pakistanis away from the polls. Election results are expected to start coming in by late tonight and early tomorrow morning. --- Shuttle Undocks For Return Trip To Florida The Space Shuttle Atlantis is heading home. Atlantis undocked early this morning from the International Space Station and will soon be setting course for the Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle crew left behind a new science lab but is bringing home astronaut Dan Tani who has been living aboard the ISS since October. NASA has activated landing sites in both Florida and California to ensure a Wednesday morning landing for Atlantis. --- Pro Football Player Arrested For DUI In Miami Beach (Miami Beach, FL) -- Another professional athlete is in trouble for allegedly driving under the influence. Miami Beach police say Buffalo Bills wide receiver Roscoe Parrish was pulled over early Saturday morning while driving westbound on a local highway that connects Miami Beach to the mainland. The 25-year-old Parrish was taken to the Miami-Dade County Jail and later released on one-thousand-dollars bond. He could face suspension from the NFL after his arrest. --- McCartney Divorce Proceedings Continue Paul McCartney will be back in divorce court today after a judge extended the case last week. According to the BBC Online, the proceedings were scheduled to wrap up on Friday, but some sticking points remain. One of the issues is the monetary settlement for McCartneys soon-to-be-ex, Heather Mills. She could be awarded as much as 195-million-dollars of the legendary rockers one-point-six-billion-dollar fortune. That could become the largest divorce settlement in British history. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-02-18-08 0741CST