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Hope you're having a great day. I am Nicole Lapin at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

One of the most notorious figures from the Bosnian War had his day in court today. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is now standing¹ accused of genocide and crimes against humanity. He waived² his right to a plea and will return to court on August 29th. Among other things, Karadzic is accused of masterminding the Srebrenica Massacre³ and the siege on Sarajevo.

Alaskan Senator Ted⁴ Stevens meanwhile is going before a federal judge today to answer questions that he lied about a quarter of a million dollars worth of gifts and home remodeling services he apparently⁵ received. He was expected to plead not guilty.

Well, the energy and the economy issues are driving the presidential campaigns today. Senator John McCain is holding a town hall meeting in Racine, Wisconsin this afternoon. And then he's heading over to Milwaukee. In Cedar⁶ Rapids, Iowa, Senator and presidential hopeful Barack Obama also speaking at a town hall-style meeting where he is also focusing on the economy and the effects of the summer's record flooding.

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents are being allowed to go inside their homes again right outside Yosemite National Park as firefighters are trying their best to maintain this blaze. Evacuation orders remain in effect for some 100 homes closest to the fires. At least 21 homes have been reduced to ashes. In all more than 2000 wildfires have broken out around California this year alone.

The FDA now warning: do not eat raw serrano peppers from Mexico. It says irrigation water and serrano peppers at a Mexican farm have now been linked to a recent salmonella outbreak which has already sickened more than 1, 200 people since April. The government in Mexico has now rejected the findings though, saying that they are simply too premature⁷. Well, at first, tomatoes were blamed for causing the spread of the bacteria. The FDA still hasn't ruled out though the possibility that tomatoes were contaminated as well.

And those are the headlines at this hour. For more on those stories and other news of the day, CNN is always your source online, on TV or on your cellphone. Take care.