CNN 2009-03-20（在线收听）

Good morning, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, I’m Reggie Aqui. Thanks for checking in. Here is what’s happening NOW IN THE NWES.

From outrage to plans for punishment, lawmakers are now trying to fix the AIG bailout fallout. AIG CEO Edward Liddy says he’s asked those who received $100,000 or more in bonuses to return at least half of it, but he says he will not release the names of those executives for their own safety.

New jobless claims numbers are out just this morning. And the Labor Department reports new jobless claims actually fell last week to 646,000, but it is definitely no time to celebrate. Continuing claims hit another record high, with about 5.5 million people are now drawing unemployment benefits for more than one week.

It was six years ago this week that President Bush announced the invasion of Iraq. It was in the early hours of March 20th, 2003 when coalition forces launched air strikes against key targets of Saddam Hussein’s regime, not long after that, ground forces moved into Iraq from Kuwait. Last month, President Obama released a timeline for the drawdown of the US military presence in Iraq.

And an audio recording purported to be from the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been now posted online. On that recording, the voice on the tape calls for Somalia’s new president to be overthrown. The voice also talks about America’s so-called confrontation with Islam across the Middle East, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Back to home now, a federal appeals court will hear arguments later today to decide whether Bernard Madoff should be, should remain in prison before his sentencing in June. He faces up to 150 years behind bars for his role in a multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Meanwhile, Madoff’s accountant was released from custody Wednesday after turning himself in on fraud charges in connection to the Madoff case.

And that’s what’s happening in the news right now. Please stick with us here at CNN and CNN.com/live as we bring you the news updates throughout the day.