US & World News, Wednesday 1/30

US & World Summary: Edwards, Giuliani Giving Up Presidential Bids (Undated) Two more candidates are reportedly dropping out of the race for the White House. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards is expected to drop out after the former North Carolina senator came in third with 14-percent in the Florida Democratic primary last night. Edwards is scheduled to appear in New Orleans, Louisiana today to address poverty, which he calls, quote, "the great moral issue of our time." Meanwhile, after a third-place finish in Florida, Rudy Giuliani is giving up his presidential bid. The former New York City Mayor will reportedly withdraw from the race today and back yesterdays winner, Arizona Senator John McCain. --- Florida Reports Record Turnout For Presidential Primary Yesterdays Florida primary was record setting. According to state election officials, three-point-six-million people voted in the presidential race, more than any other presidential primary in Florida history. Exit polling shows a statewide property tax-cut proposal was one of the major reasons for the high turnout, but voters were also drawn in by this years heated presidential race. --- Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Interest Rates Today (Washington, DC) -- The Federal Reserve board is meeting for the second straight day and theyre expected to announce another cut in interest rates. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke announced a three-quarter-point cut one week ago in hopes of easing fears of a recession. The "Washington Post" says the Fed faces a juggling act between a small cut that may disappoint financial markets and hampering the Federal Reserves flexibility to cut rates in the future if todays expected cut is too large. --- San Francisco Zoo Probe "Shelved" Pending Review (San Francisco, CA) -- The police investigation into a deadly Christmas Day tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo is on hold. Thats according to the "San Francisco Chronicle," which says investigators have postponed the case, quote, "pending new witnesses being interviewed and/or new evidence being produced." Investigators havent been able to confirm whether or not the tiger attack victims were taunting the animals before being attacked. --- Group Demands Detroit Mayors Resignation (Detroit, MI) -- Embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick plans to break his week-long silence about a growing text-messaging scandal. It will be the mayors first public appearance since the controversy erupted in the city last week. The mayor and his chief of staff Christine Beatty allegedly sent thousands of messages, some of which indicate the two allegedly had an affair and may have lied under oath during a trial that cost the city nine-million-dollars. A group called the Call Em Out Coalition is demanding that Kilpatrick resign his post. --- Eight Children Home Alone, Mom On 30-Day Africa Trip (Houston, TX) -- A Houston woman who allegedly left eight children home alone while she went on a month-long trip to Africa has been charged with child endangerment. According to the "Houston Chronicle," Shanell Mosley was arrested this week at a Houston airport after authorities discovered her six children and two others fending for themselves in a roach infested home. The woman reportedly went to Africa to marry a man she met over the Internet. Officials say the children, ages one to 16, were left without any food or money and with no supervision. --- Gandolfini Of "Sopranos" Stiffarms Fan In The Face Tony Soprano apparently doesnt like to be bothered at the airport. James Gandolfini, the actor who played the aggressive mafia boss on the hit HBO television series "The Sopranos," showed a little aggression while walking through New Yorks Kennedy airport. In a a video posted on TMZ.com, Gandolfini is seen grabbing an overzealous fan by the collar and pushing him in the face. Outside of the airport in front of more cameras, Gandolfini smoothed things over with the fan and posed for a picture with him. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-30-08 0841CST