A wounded man is carried from the attacked rail station.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

It’s now just after 7am in Mumbai, India. It’s the start of a new day. A choatic day.  India’s largest city is in crisis mode after a series of terrorist attacks.

At least 10 sites were targeted,  includng two luxury hotels, a cafe, a hospital for women and children, a movie theatre and train station.

At least 87 people have been killed and another 185 others are wounded.

There are also believed to be hostages in the two hotels.  A witness told local television that he was in the one of the hotels around 10 p.m. local time  when gunmen entered the lobby and began rounding up guests, asking for anyone with a U.S. or British passport and taking hostage about 15 of them.

Let me put this terror rampage in perspective. A U.S. businessman in India who witnessed an explosion at the airport had an interesting way to put today’s attacks in context for American viewers because Mumbai is like the New York of India.

“Today’s attacks are like terrorists took over the Waldorf and the Ritz and then went on a shooting spree in Times Square,” he said.

So, who’s responsible for the bloodshed?  What was the motive?  And, should Americans be alert overseas and here at home?

We’ll have the latest on this developing story tonight on AC360°.
Hope you can join us.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to stay on, according to sources.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Another day and another name is being added to “Team Obama”. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to stay on the job at the Pentagon in the new administration, according to sources close to the transition.

President-elect Obama will be inheriting two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s why sources have said he’s interested in keeping Gates as Defense Secretary.

Do you agree with Obama’s decision?

Tonight we’re also tracking the latest cash infusion to fix the U.S. economy. Did you see the latest plan? We’re talking about an extra $800 billion to help with the credit crunch. The goal: jumpstart lending by banks to consumers and small businesses.

Yes, the $800 billion is on top of the $700 billion bailout package for banks and Wall Street firms passed by Congress last month.

Is this a sign the original bailout plan is not working?

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says no.

“I wish, and I know everybody wishes, that one piece of legislation, and then magically the credit markets would unfreeze,” he said. “That’s not the type of situation we’re dealing with.”

Where is this new cash infusion coming from? CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent Ali Velshi will explain the new plan tonight on AC360°.

Plus, did a woman push a teenager to suicide in a MySpace Hoax? Jury deliberations have begun in the federal trial in California.

Lori Drew, 49, is accused of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization. Investigators say she created a phony profile of a boy on the MySpace web site to harass 13-year-old Megan Meier.

Investigators say Meier wrote, “You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over” after getting messages from “Josh Evans”.

Meier later hung herself in her home.

We’ll have all these stories and more tonight on AC360°.
See you then.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Ouch! It’s been another rough day on Wall Street. The Dow plunged 445 points to close near the 7,550 mark. The S&P fell 54 points and the Nasdaq composite lost 70 points.

Let me put this way: It’s as if we wiped away the past 11 years.

Here are some other numbers to consider:
- The markets lost $700 billion today.
- Over the past two-days the paper loss is approximately $1.3 trillion.
- About $2.8 trillion has been lost this month, so far.
- For 2008, there’s been approximately $8.8 trillion in losses.

How low will the markets go? Tonight we’ll talk it over with CNN’s chief business correspondent Ali Velshi.

The lingering questions over the fate of the U.S. auto industry are dragging stocks down. The Senate has canceled a vote on a proposed $25 billion bailout package for GM, Ford and Chrysler.

Today lawmakers said the auto industry has until December 2 to show how the money would be used to boost their profits.

“If we don’t get this done and they do go under, I believe that we’re going to have a deep recession and quite frankly, from what I can pick up, we may just go over the cliff,” said Sen. George Voinovich, D-Ohio.

Do you agree?

It’s your money, your future. We’ll have the latest developments tonight on AC360° at 10pm ET.

Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli, left, and Ford CEO Alan Mulally testify on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Should the U.S. auto industry get a $25 billion lifeline?

Well, it doesn’t look like it will happen this week.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said there won’t be a test vote on the proposed bailout tomorrow. But he says there could be a compromise in the works.

The announcement comes after executives from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were grilled on Capitol Hill for the second day in a row.

Some lawmakers took issue with the travel arrangements by the “Big 3″ leaders.

“There is a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand saying that they’re going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses,” said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-New York.

“It’s almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo. It kind of makes you a little bit suspicious,” he added.

We’ll have more on the stalled bailout tonight on AC360°.

The lingering questions about the U.S. auto industry pushed the Dow to its lowest level in 5 years. The blue chips lost more than 400 points and closed below the 8,000 mark. We’ll dig deeper on the market meltdown.

Plus, a controversial story out of Nebraska. The state’s safe-haven law lets parents drop off their kids at the hospital if they no longer want to care for them. We’re talking about kids up to the age of 17. So far, dozens of children have been dumped at hospitals across the state.

Do you think the law should be changed?

All that and more tonight starting at 10pm ET.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

President-elect Barack Obama is making history again.

Two Democratic sources tell CNN that Eric Holder is Obama’s choice for attorney general. If confirmed, Holder would be the first African-American to hold the post.

Holder, 57, who is still being vetted, has indicated he will accept the job if it is offered, the sources said.

Holder is a partner at the D.C. law firm of Covington & Burling.

He co-chaired Obama’s vice presidential selection process with Caroline Kennedy.

Back in the 1990’s, he was Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno in the Clinton administration.
That’s why some say he could face a grilling by the U.S. Senate during the confirmation process due to his ties to the Elian Gonzalez case and the controversial pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.

What do you think of Obama’s choice?

We’ll cover the raw politics tonight on AC360°

Plus, the $25 billion question. Will the big three automakers get a federal bailout?
The executives of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were all on Capitol Hill pleading their case.

And, some lawmakers fired back.

“Their board rooms and executive suites in my view have been famously devoid of vision,” said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut.

 ”The Big Three turned a blind eye to opportunities. They have promoted and often driven the demand of inefficient, gas guzzling vehicles, and dismissed the threat of global warming,” he added.

So, what if there is no bailout for the auto industry?  GM says one out of 10 jobs in the U.S. relies on the U.S. automakers.

Is that true?  We’re keeping them honest.

Join us for all that and more tonight at 10pm ET.

Bill Clinton's extensive global ties could cause conflict if Hillary Clinton is appointed as secretary of state.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Could former president Bill Clinton’s global connections cause a conflict of interest for his wife Hillary if she becomes Secretary of State?

Some political analysts say yes.

“I think that he knows a lot of world leaders, and he has informal conversations with those leaders, and those will be conversations that the (Obama) administration will not be able to track nor can they control,” said Jeanne Cummings of The Politico.

There’s also the money trail.

Mr. Clinton’s foundation raised $81 million in contributions last year alone, some from foreign interests. The foundation does a lot to battle AIDS, malaria and climate change.

The former president says he’s been on the lookout for any potential conflict between a donor’s intentions and Hillary’s job as a U.S. Senator.

“If there is even any kind of question we try to do exhaustive vetting. I can recall some money we haven’t taken, and also some we did, but only after more than a year of efforts to make sure that everything was O.K. there,” Mr. Clinton told Philanthropy.com.

Of course, the Clinton connections could also be a big bonus for Obama.

What do you think? Could the Clintons help or hurt the Obama administration?

Also tonight, we’ll have the latest on the wildfires burning in Southern California. About 1,000 homes have been destroyed along with 41,000 acres. Thousands of people have had to flee.

All that and more tonight on AC360°.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has been mentioned as a candidate for Obama's secretary of state, sources say.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight we’ve learned from democratic sources that President-elect Barack Obama has asked Sen. Hillary Clinton if she’s interested in the post of Secretary of State.

Although, Clinton is saying much on the matter.

“I’m very happy there is so much press attention and interest in transit, especially guesses about my own,” Clinton said to laughs at New York State Mass Transit Fall Convention in Albany, New York today.

“But in the off chance that you’re not here for this important issue and are here for some other reason, let me just say that I’m not going to speculate or address anything about the president-elect’s incoming administration. And I’m going to respect his process, and any inquiries should be directed to his Transition team,” she added.

Now let’s add this name to the mix: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

A senior Democratic source tells CNN he also has met with Obama about the possibility of becoming Secretary of State.

Both Richardson and Clinton were in the battle for the Democratic nomination, along with Obama.
Who do you think is the better pick?

Also tonight, bailout nation. Now some of America’s biggest cities are asking for cash assistance from Uncle Sam. Will they get help?

Plus, a brush fire is raging in the hills near Santa Barbara, California. Up to 150 homes have been destroyed and one death may be linked to the flames. We’ll have the latest tonight on AC360°

Sources: Hillary Clinton mentioned as possible Secretary of State candidate.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Will Hillary Clinton be joining team Obama? Tonight, two sources tell CNN that Clinton’s name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Secretary of State.

Do you think it would be a good move?

We’ll have all the developments tonight on AC360°.

And, a manic day on Wall Street. At one point the Dow sank below the 8,000 mark, but rebounded to finish the day up more than 500 points.

What’s going on? It’s your money, your future. CNN’s Ali Velshi will explain the wild ride.

We’re also naming another culprit of the collapse. This time we’re focusing on the failing U.S. auto industry.  See who’s being added to our most wanted list.

Also tonight, a KKK ritual turns deadly. A woman is shot to death in Louisiana at a klan initiation. We’ll have the latest on the investigation.

All that and more starting at 11pm ET.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has granted numerous interviews in the week after the election.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Gov. Sarah Palin didn’t talk much to the media on the campaign trail. But, she chatting it up now.

Today, McCain’s former vice presidential candidate sat down with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Larry King. And, she’s been all over the TV in recent days.

She told Wolf Blitzer she’d help President-elect Obama if he asked.

“It would be my honor to assist and support our new president and the new administration,” Palin said.

But she says she’s still concerned about Obama’s ties to former Weather Underground member Williams Ayers, who is now a college professor in Chicago.

“If anybody still wants to talk about it, I will. Because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up, to destroy our Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,” she said.

“That’s an association that still bothers me, and I think it’s fair to still talk about it,” she continued. “However, the campaign is over. That chapter is closed. Now is the time to move on and make sure all of us are doing all that we can to progress this nation.”

Do you agree with Gov. Palin?

Also tonight, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s new strategy or flip-flop (if you prefer) to revive the U.S. economy. Paulson announced today that the government is no longer planning to buy troubled mortgage assets, which were part of the original $700 billion bailout plan. The new strategy: support financial institution that provide credit cards and auto loans.

“I will never apologize for changing an approach or strategy when the facts change,” Paulson said.

There’s no new approach on Wall Street.

For the third day in a row the Dow took a beating. Blue chips fell 411 points today, and more than 600 points since Monday. Today alone the market lost about $600 billion. Ouch!

The lingering question: Should the government bailout the so-called “Big Three” automakers, General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler?

Join us tonight at 10pm ET for these stories and more.

President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama meet in the Oval Office on Monday.

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight, we’ve learned new details on President-elect Barack Obama’s meeting with President Bush in the Oval Office.

Sources on the Obama transition team say Mr. Obama urged Pres. Bush to take action to help the U.S. auto industry.

Here’s a big reason why: 1,900 hourly workers are getting laid off at GM. That’s on top of the 3,600 last week. And, shares of GM have fallen to their lowest level since World War Two.

America’s so-called “big three” automakers (GM, Ford & Chrysler) are hurting badly. But should the U.S. government bail them out? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

A source tells CNN that Obama also talked with Pres. Bush about the need for a second stimulus package and an aid package for homeowners facing possible foreclosure.

And on this Veterans Day we’re looking at Obama’s battle plans for Iraq and Afghanistan. No new president has ever had to face so much on the job. CNN’s National Security Analyst Peter Bergen has written a letter to Obama on how to rescue the war in Afghanistan. CLICK HERE TO READ BERGEN’S LETTER

Also tonight, President Bush talks with CNN’s Heidi Collins. Hear what he says he regrets about his presidency and what he plans to do after he leaves the White House.

All that and more on AC360° at 10pm ET.