cnn news on 01.09

And thanks for staying with us. Here I'm Rechard Lui at the CNN center in Atlanta with your news update this hour.

A massive plan to security Baghdad said to be at the center of President Bush's new Iraq strategy. CNN has learned under this plan the capital and its neighbourhoods will be cordoned off and more US Iraqi troops will be moved in. President is expected to tell us more during the speech which is expected to happen on Wednsday at 9:00pm Eastern.

Scientists may have alternatives to a controversial embryonic stem cells. Researchers at Wake Forest and Harvard say they found stem cells in amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women. They say they've extracted them without harming the mother or the fetus. And the cells hold the same possibilities as the embryonic stem cells.

Colorado's latest snow storm is hurting rescurers' efforts to save thousands of cows stranded in the snow. Helicopters are dropping bales of hay to feed hungry cattle and an agricultural official says that about thirty five hundred cattle may have died in the state so far. He adds there that surviving cattle face the threat of lung infections from stress and dehydration.

Home Security at the port of Mami reporting all secure today. The cargo area was shut and three men were detained yesterday. The driver raised suspicions at a security gate. He did not have the right ID and he indicated he was alone and there were really three men in the truck in total. The two iraqis and a Lebanese national are in local police custody.

Today is the fifth anniversay of the "No Child Left Behind" act. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings commemorated the anniversary with the speech to education leaders this morning. The law aims to ensure that all children can do reading and math skills at grade level by 2014.

And while the college football season is ending, the NFL postseason is still going. We are down to the final 18, in the case you've been counting. It is the Eagles and the Saints on saturday night. The Bears and Seahawks will be swore to square off there on Sunday afternoon. Ah, the coaches, they will be in the place they used to call home Baltimore on Saturday afternoon. And the Patriots meet the Chargers in Santiago on Sunday. Some good matches up there.

And that's the news this hour. Remember whether you are on line or watching TV, we're your source CNN for up-to-minute headlines anytime day and night. Have a great one!