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November 19, 2009
Evening Buzz: Mammogram Guidelines – Take Two?
Posted: 07:38 PM ET
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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Get ready for the possibility of more confusion over mammograms.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting the federally-funded task force that loosened breast-cancer screening guidelines is clarifying its position.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta will join us live with the details.

Plus, could the accused Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Hasan have been stopped. Tonight, we'll introduce you to a woman who says she contributed to a report that could have alerted military officials. We're Keeping them Honest.

And, don't miss our special investigation: Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes. Three Army sergeants have been convicted of killing four Iraqi detainees. Tonight you'll hear from the soldier who turned them in. Is he a snitch or a hero? We'll let you decide.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 18, 2009
Evening Buzz: Senate Dems Unveil Health Care Bill
Posted: 06:59 PM ET
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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled a new health care reform bill that would extend coverage to 30 million Americans who are currently uninsured and would cost $849 billion over the next decade.

The price tag comes from a cost analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates the proposal will also cut the federal deficit by $127 billion over the next 10 years and at least $600 billion in the following decade.

"We all acknowledge that this legislation is a tremendous step forward. Why? Because it saves lives, saves money and protects Medicare, it makes Medicare stronger," Reid said this evening on Capitol Hill.

Reid must now work to get 60 votes in the Senate to avoid a GOP filibuster and start debate on the bill.

That means if all 40 Republicans stay unified in opposition to the measure, the Reid must get support from all 58 Senate Democrats, as well as independents Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

It's expected to be a heated debate.

"Higher premiums, tax increases and Medicare cuts to pay for more government. The American people know that is not reform," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Reid's bill includes a government-run insurance plan, or public option. Though, states can opt out if they want.

We'll have a breakdown of what's in the proposal tonight on 360°.

And, don't miss part two of Abbie Boudreau's special report "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes." Tonight we have the starling confession of Sgt. Michael Leahy, one of three U.S. Army sergeants who killed four Iraqi detainees at a Baghdad canal in 2007. His confession is part of 23 and a half hours of Army interrogation videotapes obtained exclusively by CNN.

We'll also have live coverage of Pres. Obama's press conference in South Korea. It's the last part of his 11-day tour of Asia.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10pm E.T. See you then

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November 17, 2009
Evening Buzz: Mammogram Confusion
Posted: 06:56 PM ET
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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new mammography recommendations have raised controversy.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new mammography recommendations have raised controversy.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

There's confusion and outrage over the new recommendations from a government task force regarding mammograms.

The United States Preventive Service Task Force announced Monday that most women don't need mammograms in their 40s and instead should wait until they are 50 to get one every two years. They also suggest that self-breast exams do no good and women should not be taught how to do them.

This is a major reversal and it's being challenged by the American Cancer Society and others.

"We're going to encourage women to continue to have mammography every year and we hope they will continue to have it into their 70s," said Dr. Peter Pressman, a surgeon and co-author of "Breast Cancer: The Complete Guide", who works with the American Cancer Society.

What do you think of the controversy? Share your thoughts below.

Tonight on 360°, we'll talk with a member of the government task force and ask her why they came up with the new recommendation.

We are also following new developments in the Fort Hood massacre investigation. According to media reports, just two days before the shooting spree suspected gunman Major Nidal Hasan went to a firing range and fired 200 rounds of ammo at ten targets. There are also reports that Hasan made repeated requests to have soldiers he counseled investigated for war crimes charges.

And tonight we begin our four-part series "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes." This AC360 investigation reveals what happened after three decorated army sergeants executed four Iraqi detainees at a Baghdad canal. The three sergeants were convicted of premeditated murder. CNN obtained 23 and half hours of army interrogation videotapes that detail the crime, including tapes cnn requested but the army would not release.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10pm E.T. See you then!

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November 16, 2009
Evening Buzz: Pension Outrage, Tracking Your Tax Dollars
Posted: 06:26 PM ET
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William Jefferson, shown with his wife, Andrea, represented the New Orleans area in Congress for 18 years.
William Jefferson, shown with his wife, Andrea, represented the New Orleans area in Congress for 18 years.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Convicted former Congressman William Jefferson, a New Orleans Democrat, is facing 13 years in prison for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. But what is more outrageous to some people is the fact that Jefferson will still get his congressional pension paid with your tax dollars.

What do you think about that? Sound off below.

The pension goes to Jefferson, even though Congress passed a law two years ago that was supposed to prohibit congressional convicts from cashing in. That's because his crimes were committed before the law was passed in 2007.

Jefferson isn't the only former lawmaker turned convict who gets to keep his pension. See who else is getting rich in prison tonight on 360°.

Plus, Sarah Palin's interview with Oprah Winfrey aired today. They covered politics, Levi Johnston and more. We've got the raw politics.

And, the American Cancer Society is speaking out against the new advice from a government panel that recommends women shouldn't get mammograms until the age of 50, instead of 40. We'll dig deeper on the controversy. And, Dr. Sanjay Gupta will answer your questions. Text them to AC360 or 22360. Standard message rates apply.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 13, 2009
Evening Buzz: 9/11 Terror Trial Decision
Posted: 07:28 PM ET
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Khalid Sheikh Mohammed reportedly confessed to being the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks after being waterboarded.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed reportedly confessed to being the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks after being waterboarded.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Khalid Sheikh Mohmmed and four other Gitmo detainees with suspected ties to the 9/11 attacks are coming to New York. The five men will stand trial in a civilian court, just blocks from where the World Trade Center stood.

The decision was announced today by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who said he expects the government to seek the death penalty in the case.

"After eight years of delay, those allegedly responsible for the attacks of Sept. the 11th will finally face justice," Holder said.

Some family members of 9/11 victims welcomed the decision, others disagreed.

"I'm very, very disappointed in the government," Anne Ielpi told CNN, whose son, Jonathan, a firefighter, was killed in the WTC's south tower. "It definitely should have been finished in Cuba," she added in reference to her support of a military trial, instead of a civilian ruling.

Dozens of family members of 9/11 victims have also signed a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Pres. Obama and Secretary of State Robert Gates opposing the civilian trial.

"It is incomprehensible to us that members of the United States Congress would propose that the same men who today refer to the murder of our loved ones as a 'blessed day' and who targeted the United States Capitol for the same kind of destruction that was wrought in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, should be the beneficiaries of a social compact of which they are not a part, do not recognize, and which they seek to destroy: the United States Constitution," the letter said.

But Valerie Lucznikowska, whose nephew died in the attacks, approves of the decision to put the men on trial in a New York federal courthouse.

"Here we can see what's going on. Everyone in the world can see what's going on," she said.

John Leinung, whose stepson, Paul Battaglia, worked in the WTC north tower, also agrees with the decision.

"I think our traditional court system is very capable of convicting guilty people," he told CNN.

Attorney General Holder was asked today how would assure family members of those killed in the attacks that the men would not be freed on a technicality.

"I am a prosecutor myself. I've looked at the evidence. I've considered the problems that these cases present. And I am quite confident that we're going to be successful in the prosecution efforts," he said.

Do you agree with Holder's decision? Share your thoughts below.

Join us for this story and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 12, 2009
Evening Buzz: Hasan Warning Signs Missed?
Posted: 06:37 PM ET
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Maj. Nidal Hasan, 39, an Army psychiatrist and the sole suspect, was wounded in the November 5 shooting.
Maj. Nidal Hasan, 39, an Army psychiatrist and the sole suspect, was wounded in the November 5 shooting.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight on 360°, We’re digging deeper into the Fort Hood massacre. Suspected gunman Major Nadil Hasan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder.  Were the warning signs missed?

Over the last two years Maj. Hasan's superiors were reportedly worried he might be psychotic. Why didn't they take action? Instead he was recently promoted to the rank of Major. Some who knew him say political correctness played a role. Brian Todd reports on the new developments.

Also tonight, a priest's secret revealed. For years he's kept hidden the truth he fathered a son. The child's mother says church officials agreed to pay child support if she kept quiet. But when he got sick, she claims they largely abandoned them.

And, we have a special treat for you tonight. Oscar the Grouch of 'Sesame Street' fame will stop by to take part in tonight's shot.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10pm E.T. See you then!

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November 11, 2009
Evening Buzz: Suspected Fake Marine Busted
Posted: 06:05 PM ET
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Steven Burton will make his initial court appearance in federal court at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
Steven Burton will make his initial court appearance in federal court at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

On this Veterans Day, and every day, we honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. military. What we don't celebrate are military impostors. These fake heroes who say they’ve been to war, but who have never seen a single day of combat.

Tonight on 360°, Randi Kaye has the story of one man accused of stolen valor. The FBI says 39-year-old Steven Burton is a fraud, not a Marine.

According to investigators, Burton is actually a California bank employee who masqueraded as a war veteran, even wearing several medals – bogus medals. Though, not just any medals but some the highest military honors – a Purple Heart, given to those wounded or killed in action and the Navy Cross, the highest medal the U.S. Navy can award.

Tonight Randi will tell you who turned Burton into the FBI. It's a remarkable story.

We're also tracking breaking developments on the war in Afghanistan. A former top general is warning the Pres. Obama to think twice about sending more troops into the war zone. The commander-in-chief met with his security team again today to talk over options in Afghanistan. We'll have the latest.

Do you think the U.S. should send more troops to Afghanistan? Sound off below.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 10, 2009
Evening Buzz: Fort Hood Suspect: Terrorist or 'Lone Wolf'?
Posted: 06:45 PM ET
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A memorial to the victims was erected at the apartment complex where suspect Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan lived.
A memorial to the victims was erected at the apartment complex where suspect Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan lived.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Investigators in the Fort Hood shooting spree are looking at the possibility that the alleged gunman, Maj. Nidal Hasan, was a lone wolf with no terror connections.

Tonight on 360°, Drew Griffin will look at that angle of the story.

Terrorism experts have told Drew that if Hasan was a jihadist following orders to kill U.S. troops he would never have been seen at a convenience store near Fort Hood many mornings in traditional Muslim clothing or praying at a local mosque day after day.

Federal sources familiar with the investigation have told Drew that had Maj. Hasan been a classic terrorist, like the 9/11 hijackers or the London subway bombers, he would have hidden his religion and blended in – guidance that's part of the al Qaeda terrorist handbook.

Do you think Hasan is a terrorist? Share your thoughts below.

Pres. Obama traveled to Fort Hood today for a memorial service for the victims of Thursday's  attack.

"It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy.  But this much we do know – no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice – in this world, and the next," Pres. Obama said.

Also on our radar is the scheduled execution at 9 p.m. ET of D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad. This afternoon, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine denied a last-minute clemency request for Muhammad. The attorney for the convicted killer has said his client will die with dignity and with no regrets.

Muhammad and his teenage accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were convicted of the October 2002 killing spree that left 10 people dead and terrorized residents of the nation's capital and surrounding suburbs.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve will join Anderson tonight to talk about her one hour face-to-face meeting with Muhammad in January 2004 after he was convicted of the killings. We'll also look back on the 3-week shooting spree and hear from survivors and first responders.

Tonight we also have incredible video from Boston where a drunk woman survived falling into the path of a subway train.  The train driver is being hailed a "hero." On 360°, she recalls the terrifying moments she was able to stop the train, within inches of the drunk woman.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 9, 2009
Evening Buzz: Fort Hood Suspect – Terror Ties?
Posted: 06:13 PM ET
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Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspect in last week's Fort Hood mass shooting.
Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspect in last week's Fort Hood mass shooting.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

We have new developments in the Fort Hood massacre. Tonight on 360° you'll get new insight on the alleged gunman, Maj.  Nidal Hasan.

We've learned Hasan may have first heard radical anti-American views at a Washington suburban mosque.

It's the same mosque where a former imam, Anwar al-Awlaki, was the subject of several federal investigations going back to the late 1990s, but he was never charged.

al-Awlaki was also mentioned in the 9/11 Commission Report for having close ties to two of the 9/11 hijackers. The report shows it's unclear if al-Awlaki knew the two were terrorists.

al-Awlaki now lives in Yemen, where he's praising the Fort Hood attacks on his web site. He writes of Hasan:

"He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an Army that is fighting against his own people."

Today the current imam at the mosque talked with CNN and denied any possible connections between al-Awlaki, the 9/11 hijackers and Maj. Nidal Hasan. The current imam is also shocked about the Fort Hood shootings.

"I couldn't believe he (Nidal Hasan) could have done this," Sheikh Shaker Elsayed of Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center said.

We're also tracking developments in the investigation in Texas. We've learned that's where authorities are trying to track down the six people Nidal Hasan had dinner with the night before the shootings.

Tonight we also take you back to the terror that gripped the Washington area in October 2002. You'll hear new interviews with the first responders in the DC-area sniper case. The convicted mastermind of the attacks, John Allen Muhammed, is scheduled to die by lethal injection tomorrow night in Virginia. Today the Supreme Court refused to block the execution. A little more than seven years ago, Muhammed and his teenage accomplice, John Lee Malvo, murdered ten random people and left millions living in fear that they would also be targeted.

And don't miss part two of Anderson's interview with Oprah Winfrey. Plus, we're taking your questions on health care reform. Text them to AC360 or 22360.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!

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November 6, 2009
Evening Buzz: Search for Answers at Fort Hood
Posted: 06:52 PM ET
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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

We're learning new, exclusive details on the massacre at Fort Hood.

Tonight, you'll hear from Sgt. Mark Todd, an Army civilian police officer who along with his partner, Sgt. Kimberly Munley, shot the alleged gunman – Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

Maj. Hasan, an Army medic survived his gunshot wounds. But 12 of his alleged victims died.

Sgt. Todd will tell you what happened at Fort Hood's Soldier Readiness Center yesterday when Maj. Hasan allegedly opened fire.

We also heard today from neighbors of Maj. Hasan, who said he cleanned out his apartment the morning of the shootings.  Several neighbors said he gave them copies of the Quran.

The neighbors thought Maj. Hasan was moving out because the Army was shipping him overseas for war duty.

We also talked with a former classmate of Maj. Hasan's at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He said they took an environmental health class together. The former classmate said Hasan wrote about his opposition to the war on terror, while other students in class focused on such topics as mold in homes and dry cleaning.

We're keeping them honest. Tonight, we'll look at how Hasan's alleged hate for the war on terror may have gone unnoticed by some Army officials. After all, according to reports, Hasan was promoted to the rank of Major in May. Though, investigators said Hasan received a poor performance review at Walter Reed Medical Center and was transferred to Fort Hood.

Join us for this story and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET.

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