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Thousands of Iraqis attend funeral services for more than 900 people who died Wednesday in a panicked crush on a Baghdad bridge. The rumor of a suicide bomber sparked a mad rush during a Shiite religious festival. Amid the funerals there are calls for an investigation into the cause and accusations of a fumbled response to the disaster.

A joint study by inspectors general for the Pentagon and State Department says Iraq's police service needs to do a better job of recruiting. The 96-page report released Monday said poor vetting procedures have admitted recruits with criminal backgrounds and even insurgents planning terrorist attacks.

Soda companies today announced they will restrict the sales of their drinks in schools. Under new voluntary guidelines, the beverage industry will remove all carbonated soft drinks from elementary schools and remove all sugared drinks from middle schools during school hours. The new restrictions will apply to new contracts only and will take several years to take effect nationwide.

Polls close in Iraq after millions of people cast their ballots in a vote on whether to approve their new constitution. For the most part, the day was quiet, with only scattered reports of minor attacks. Results on the referendum won't be released until Monday.

Host Steve Inskeep talks with Majora Carter, one of the newly announced recipients of this year's MacArthur Fellowships. Carter founded a community organization that researches and develops sustainable projects for South Bronx.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon remains in the intensive care unit of a Jerusalem hospital after seven hours of surgery to stop bleeding in his brain. The 77-year-old Sharon suffered a massive stroke late Wednesday.

The Iraqi parliament backs a last-minute deal meant to reassure Sunni Arabs and gain their support for the draft constitution ahead of Saturday's nationwide vote on the document. Kurd, Shiite and Sunni leaders hailed the news as evidence that different groups can work together in Iraq.

Victims who testified during the landmark Paris attacks trial — which wrapped up at the end of June — say the case holds lessons for the United States.

New Orleans singer and accordionist Amede Ardoin made some of the earliest zydeco recordings. Those rare 78 RPM discs have been collected and remastered on a new compilation.

A China Eastern Airlines plane with 132 passengers and crew aboard crashed on Monday west of Hong Kong. Authorities don't yet know why the Boeing 737 went down.