Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 01/06/10
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/02/liveblogfinal.copy.jpg]
Tonight on 360°, the federal indictment against the suspected Christmas bomber. Plus, TSA troubles.
We're keeping them honest. Are they up for the job of keeping you safe in flight? And, a high seas battle between anti-whaling activists and a whaling ship.
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
Documents: Airline bomb suspect's federal indictment
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/CRIME/01/06/detroit.bomb/story.abdulmutallab.jpg.jpg caption="Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab faces "the most serious charges available," a U.S. attorney says." width=300 height=169]
Editor's Note: The suspect in the failed Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner faces a six-count federal indictment issued Wednesday, including an attempt to murder the other 289 people aboard.
United States District Court
Eastern District of Michigan
Southern Division
The seven-page indictment charges Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab with the following:
Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction; attempted murder within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; willful attempt to destroy and wreck an aircraft within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; willfully placing a destructive device in, upon and in proximity to an aircraft within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; and two counts of possession of a firearm/destructive in furtherance of a crime of violence.
FAQs on airport security – and what it means for you
Program Note: Tune in tonight for Randi Kaye's report on the feasibility of implementing new security measures across all airports. AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/TRAVEL/12/30/federal.air.marshals/story.airport.gi.jpg width=300 height=169]
AC360°
The suspect in the failed Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner faces a six-count federal indictment issued Wednesday, including an attempt to murder the other 289 people aboard.
Since the failed bombing attempt, we've been taking a close look at airport security measures and what is being done to prevent attacks. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has heightened its security measures. Take a look at these questions and answers about the intensified screening.
Q: What additional security measures is TSA taking domestically?
A: TSA has a layered approach to security that allows us to surge resources as needed on a daily basis. We have the ability to quickly implement additional screening measures including explosive detection canine teams, law enforcement officers, gate screening, behavior detection and other measures both seen and unseen. Passengers should not expect to see the same thing at every airport.
Q: What additional security measures are being taken for international flights to U.S. destinations?
A: On January 3, 2010, the Transportation Security Administration issued a new security directive to all U.S. and international air carriers with inbound flights to the U.S. effective January 4, 2010. The new directive includes long-term, sustainable security measures developed in consultation with law enforcement officials and our domestic and international partners.
TSA is mandating that every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world traveling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening. TSA directed the increase use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for majority passengers on U.S. bound international flights.
Beat 360° 1/6/10
Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:
Pandas, which will be sent to Shanghai, enjoy themselves at Bifengxia Giant Panda Base on January 4, 2010 in Yaan, Sichuan Province of China. (Getty Images)
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
Beat 360° Winners:
Staff:
Jay Kernis
"These charming Chinese pandas have the resources to really enjoy themselves. They own 56 US banks and eighteen square blocks of Manhattan."
Viewer:
Bob Staake
"Are you sure there's good money in pole dancing? "
_________________________________________________________________________________ 
Sources: Obama, Dems to sidestep GOP on health care
Dana Bash and Deirdre Walsh
CNN Capitol Hill Team
President Obama gave his blessing Tuesday for congressional Democratic leaders to bypass formal House and Senate talks to meld their health care bills, according to two congressional Democratic leadership sources.
The two sources told CNN that Obama and Democratic congressional leaders will instead hold informal negotiations to sidestep possible Republican delays of the process, likely shutting out Republicans from talks on the final health care bill.
Avoiding a formal conference has long been expected, and is not uncommon, but one of the Democratic leadership sources said the president used Tuesday evening's White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders to formally clear the idea.
To hold a formal conference, conferees - members of the House and Senate - must be appointed by both bodies with resolutions passed by the Senate and the House.
Test the new CNN Challenge
CNN
Are you a news expert? Do you like trivia? Check out the new CNN Challenge and put your knowledge to the test!
Ahmadinejad’s boring resume
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits the construction site of a tunnel on the road between Tehran and Chalus, northwest of Tehran, on June 29, 2009.
Michael Schulder
CNN Senior Executive Producer
I learned something new today about Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s resume. I now know which line item most intrigues me.
1998: Co-Founder, Iranian Tunneling Association
I did not know Mahmoud Ahmadinejad helped found the Iranian Tunneling Association.
I did not know Iran had a Tunneling Association.
I did not know the Iranian Tunneling Association holds an annual conference that attracts some of the world’s leading tunnel engineers and engineering professors.
I did not know any of this until I read The New York Times story about Iran’s increasing use of deep tunnels to hide its nuclear program.
Map of Yemen
AC360°
Yemen's foreign minister says his government has not sufficiently focused on al Qaeda because it has turned its attention to insurgencies rocking the northern and southern regions there.
Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an interview Wednesday that "our fault was that we spared al Qaeda" because of other conflicts - fighting Houthi rebels in the north and secessionists in the south.
Al Qaeda's fresh recruits
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/06/art.terrorist.group.alshabaab0.jpg caption="A photograph of Al-Shabaab circulating online."]
Octavia Nasr | BIO
AC360° Contributor
CNN Senior Editor, Mideast Affairs
They call themselves Al-Shabaab which means 'the Youth' in Arabic.
On several occasions, they pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and his terror network al Qaeda. They use the internet to propagate al Qaeda's ideology.
In July 2009, an Al-Shabaab propaganda video featured a man speaking English with a clearly identifiable U.S. accent.
He was introduced as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki (the American) claiming that he left the U.S. for Somalia to pursue al Qaeda’s brand of Jihad.
In the video, a bearded al-Amriki says with a smile, "The only reason we’re staying here, away from our families, away from the cities, away from, you know, ice, candy bars, all these other things, is because we’re waiting to meet with the enemy.”
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/06/art.terrorist.group.alshabaab.jpg]
Financial Dispatch: New year… same old issues
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/LIVING/11/04/job.search.tips.cb/story.jpg width=300 height=169]
Andrew Torgan
CNN Financial News Producer
The jobs picture is at least a little brighter today as two reports say the pace of job losses eased in December.
Payroll-processor ADP said private-sector employers cut 84,000 jobs last month, the fewest since March 2008. It was the ninth straight month that job losses narrowed from the previous month.
In a separate report, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said that 45,094 job cuts were announced in December, 10% less than November's 50,349 cuts. It was the lowest total since December 2007, when 44,416 cuts were announced.
All this comes ahead of Friday’s official employment report for December from the Labor Dept. Estimates there are all over the map, and experts are forecasting everything from a loss of 25,000 jobs, to our first job gains since December of 2007.
From job losses to billion-dollar government bailouts…
GMAC, the troubled finance company that just last week received its third government bailout, said Tuesday it expects to post a record fourth-quarter loss of $5 billion.
On Twitter
