Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

We're one step away from a 2011 federal budget. All that's needed now is President Obama's signature. The Senate passed the compromise deal this evening in an 81-19 vote hours after the House approved the measure, even with opposition from 59 Republicans and 108 Democrats.

What got lawmakers upset is a new analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office suggesting that the deal stuck last week to keep the government running would save about $352 million, a lot less than the $38.5 billion touted by negotiators on both sides of the aisle.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), one of the architects of the deal, is defending the cuts.

"Certainly it (the CBO report) has caused some confusion, but let's understand we're cutting $38.5 billion of money that has already been authorized and appropriated and anybody who doesn't believe this money wouldn't be spent if we didn't act is kidding themselves, because this is real money and these are real cuts," Boehner told reporters.

We'll check into the reports of fuzzy math and let you be the judge. We're Keeping them Honest.

Also tonight, should Goldman Sachs, the largest investment bank on Wall Street, face criminal prosecution for the financial crisis?

That will be up to the U.S. Justice Department and SEC after a Senate panel released a scathing 639-page report following a two-year bipartisan investigation on the crisis.

What is known for sure is the economic meltdown cost millions of Americans their jobs and homes and wiped out billions of dollars in other investments. Americans on Main Street know all too well the damage done. Yet no one on Wall Street has ever faced criminal prosecution. Is that about to change?

Last summer, you may recall, Goldman paid a $550 million fine to the SEC to settle civil fraud charges. Again that was civil charges – not criminal. Still, the penalty was the highest ever against a Wall Street firm.

A lot of people are wondering if Goldman may now face criminal charges.

In the Senate report, Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) claim Goldman Sachs misled clients and Congress about the firm's bets on securities tied to the housing market. The report suggests Goldman was peddling securities to clients based on shaky mortgages. Mortgages they knew were shaky and that traders at the firm were simultaneously betting against.

Goldman has issued this statement:

"While we disagree with many of the conclusions of the report, we take seriously the issues explored by the Subcommittee. We recently issued the results of a comprehensive examination of our business standards and practices and committed to making significant changes that will strengthen relationships with clients, improve transparency and disclosure and enhance standards for the review, approval and suitability of complex instruments."

Other financial institutions were mentioned in the report, including the now-defunct Washington Mutual Bank.

We'll have more with Matt Taibbi, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, who has written extensively on the financial crisis and CNN's Eliot Spitzer, who prosecuted Wall Street tycoons when he was New York's Attorney General from 1999-2006.

We'll also have new developments on Libya. President Obama, along with French president Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron have released an op-ed that will be published in three newspapers tomorrow calling for the removal of Moammar Gadhafi.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/africa/04/13/libya.war/t1larg.libya.summit.gi.jpg caption="Delegates from Arab and African nations, as well as NATO, met at a summit in Qatar on Wednesday." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight we're Keeping Them Honest, with questions about the mission in Libya.

Last month President Obama said the United States "has done what we said we would do" when handing over the mission to NATO.

But is NATO doing enough?

Gadhafi forces continue to pound cities and opposition forces are calling for more help.

"We're not seeing really a great effort to protect civilians since NATO took over the operation," said Mahmoud Shammam, a spokesman for the opposition.

Shammam spoke at a summit in Qatar today where delegates from Arab and African Nations and NATO discussed the fight for Libya.

We'll dig deeper with CNN's Ben Wedeman in Benghazi, retired Army General Mark Kimmitt and Jill Dougherty at the U.S. State Department.

We also have the Raw Politics of President Obama's big speech today outlining a plan to fix the deficit by $4 trillion over 12 years.

"It's about the kind of future we want," Pres. Obama told the crowd at George Washington University.

Republicans are blasting the White House proposal.

"I'm very disappointed in the president," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said this afternoon.

"The president's policies are committing us and our children to a diminished future," he added.

Former White House Chief of Staff for President G.W. Bush will join us, along with Democratic Strategist Paul Begala.

And we'll have more on the effort to help Japan's dogs. A lot of you are wondering what's being done to help those survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. We've shown you video of the four-legged survivors left stranded in the radiation zone. Now see what's being done to make sure they aren't left to die.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/12/t1larg.bachmann12.jpg]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight we're Keeping Them Honest on a message from Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who may run for president in 2012.

Yesterday in Iowa, Bachmann called Planned Parenthood the "LensCrafter of big abortion" in a speech before more than 100 social conservatives. She said the organization should lose its nonprofit status. You may recall last week during the budget battle, Republican lawmakers wanted to abolish federal funding for Planned Parenthood. That didn't happen.

Bachmann claimed that "LensCrafter" information came from the director of Planned Parenthood in Illinois.

But she twisted his words. We'll show you what he really said.

You'll also see it's not the first time she's attacked Planned Parenthood and she's not alone.

Planned Parenthood released this statement:

"The continued misleading attacks on Planned Parenthood expose a cynical and coldhearted willingness to further a divisive political agenda even if it will deny women access to lifesaving cancer screenings and birth control."

We'll also have an update on the budget compromise on Capitol Hill to keep the government running through the fiscal year, which ends September 30.

There are several riders, including one that would remove wolves from the Endangered Species List out West. We'll talk about the budget negotiations with Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

Also tonight, we'll have an update on that dog we showed you last night that was chained up and starving near Japan's crippled nuclear power plant.

We've received a lot of e-mails and tweets asking for more information. CNN’s Kyung Lah joins us live from Japan.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/11/monthlater.jpg caption="Hundreds of photos sit in baskets by the side of the road in the destroyed Japanese town of Minamisanriku." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

A magnitude-6.4 quake has hit Japan, following a 6.6-magnitude quake hours ago that knocked out power to the three damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Power has been restored, but a fire was detected in the last hour at a battery storage building near reactor number four. We're told the fire was put out and no radiation was emitted.

There's also word today, on the one-month anniversary of the devastating 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami, that Japan's government is evacuating more towns around the crippled plant. Officials said residents could face high doses of radiation for several months. The government could also raise the nuclear threat level to 7, the highest, from 5. Chernobyl was a level 7 accident.

We'll talk with CNN's Kyung Lah in Tokyo and former senior nuclear plant operator Michael Friedlander.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, House lawmakers are holding a rare late-night session to finalize the budget deal to keep the federal government running. We're waiting for details on the compromise reached Friday. We'll give you the information when it's released.

Details are sketchy, but we know this deal to fund the government through September 30 will include $38.5 billion in cuts.

As that work goes on, there's another fiscal feud in the works over whether to raise the nation's roughly $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. We could surpass the cap within the next five weeks, but the Federal Reserve could take steps and push it to July. A failure to raise the debt would lead to a default on Treasury debt. A default could put the economy in a tailspin with rising interest rates and damage to the dollar and U.S. bonds.

Since March 1962, the debt ceiling has been raised 74 times, according to the Congressional Research Service. Ten of those times have occurred since 2001.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said today that Republicans will make a mistake if they play "chicken" with the debt ceiling vote.

Carney also said failing to raise the ceiling would be "Armageddon-like in terms of the economy."

Keeping them Honest, President Obama had a much different take on the debt ceiling when he was a U.S. Senator.

We'll let you decide: Should the debt ceiling be raised or not? Share your thoughts below.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/04/07/1larg.govt.shutdown.protests.t1larg.jpg caption="Protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday urging government spending cuts." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Another emergency budget meeting is underway tonight at the White House between President Obama, House Speaker John Boenher and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. If a deal isn't reached by midnight Friday there will be a partial government shutdown.

Many federal workers, and even U.S. troops, would stop getting paid. But get this: the members of Congress who got us into this mess would still get their paychecks.

In an op-ed in today's New York Times, Nicolas Kristof shares a Twitter message written by humorist Andy Borowitz that puts the pay outrage in perspective.

"That's like eliminating the fire department & sending checks to the arsonists," Borowitz wrote.

Do you agree? Share your thoughts below.

We'll have the Raw Politics tonight on AC360°. CNN's Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash will have the latest developments from Capitol Hill. We'll also talk with CNN's Dan Lothian at the White House and CNN Senior Political Analyst and former presidential adviser David Gergen.

Another scare in Japan today, when a major 7.1 aftershock hit close to the same area as the March 11 magnitude 9.0 quake, triggering a tsunami warning. Fortunately, no tsunami hit. But there are reports of some injuries.

In eastern Libya, four opposition fighters were killed today in NATO airstrikes. That's according to an opposition general who called the deaths an "unfortunate setback." The general said the NATO aircraft fired on his forces between Ajdabiya and al-Brega.

Hours after the strikes, opposition fighters fled Ajdabiya, along with hundreds of civilians as pro-Gadhafi forces gained ground.

We'll talk about today's developments with CNN's Ben Wedeman in eastern Libya. CIA officer Robert Baer and Professor Fouad Ajami at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies will also share their thoughts on the stalemate.

And, we’ll have Nic Robertson’s exclusive interview with Eman al-Obeidy at Gadhafi’s compound. In a face-to-face interview, she shares what she said she faced at the hands of Gadhafi’s forces. You’ll hear her accusations of rape and her message to the world.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/africa/04/06/libya.weldon.bio/story.curt.weldon.ushor.jpg caption="Former U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon is in Libya leading what he calls 'a small private delegation' with a cease-fire plan for Gadhafi." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is calling on President Obama to end the NATO bombing of his country.

Gadhafi's push came in a rambling, three-page letter. But there is no offer from him to stop his offensive or negotiate, a senior Obama administration official said.

"We have been hurt more morally that physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you. Despite all this you will always remain our son," Gadhafi wrote, according to the official.

"As you know too well democracy and building of civil society cannot be achieved by means of missiles and aircraft, or by backing armed member of [Al Qaeda] in Benghazi," the letter claims.

Meanwhile, former Pennsylvania congressman Curt Weldon is in Libya to meet with Gadhafi and try to persuade him to step down.

Weldon last traveled to Libya in 2004 as part of a bipartisan Congressional delegation to show support for Gadhafi's decision to stop his country's nuclear weapons program.

Weldon provides details on his new mission in Libya in today's New York Times.

"I've met him (Gadhafi) enough times to know that it will be very hard to simply bomb him into submission," writes Weldon.

We'll have the latest on Weldon's efforts tonight on AC360°.

We'll also have an update on Eman al-Obeidy, the woman accusing pro-Gadhafi troops of raping her.

Back here at home, there's a showdown over the federal budget. If an agreement isn't reached by midnight Friday the federal government will shutdown for the first time in more than 15 years.

President Obama invited House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to the White House tonight to try to work out a deal. We’ll let you know how that meeting went.

Chances are it will be tense. There’s been a war of words in Washington over the budget battle.

"Our President is not leading. He didn't lead on last year's budget, and he is clearly not leading on this year's budget," Boehner told reporters this afternoon.

"We've agreed to a compromise, but somehow we don't have a deal, because some folks are trying to inject politics in what should be a simple debate about how to pay our bills," Pres. Obama said in a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania.

Caught in the middle are millions of Americans.

If there's a shutdown, tax refunds would not go out, national parks would close and U.S. troops won't get paid.

We'll cover the Raw Politics with CNN Senior Political Analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen, as well as Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN.

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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight, only on 360°, we have the emotional telephone call between Eman al-Obeidy and her mom. Al-Obeidy is the woman who has made headlines around the world after she snuck into a Tripoli hotel and told journalists she had been raped by pro-Gadhafi forces.

Since she told her story at the hotel the regime has tried and failed to get her to recant it. She says she’s been imprisoned and threatened. They've even tried to bribe her family. Al-Obeidy has never changed her story; even when an anchor on state-run television called her a prostitute.

Now there's word the regime is targeting her online. The New York Times reports supporters of Gadhafi are circulating what they claim is a pornographic video of her. We'll tell you what the video really shows.

Just today al-Obeidy was threatened yet again. She'll tell you what happened in court. You'll also hear from her mom.

"Think with your sister to find a solution and bring you back (to Tobruk) before they kill you," al-Obeidy's mom told her on the phone.

In Japan, there's growing outrage over the response to the country's nuclear crisis.

Tokyo Electric, which operates the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant, has announced plans to give residents of one community near the facility an initial payment of 20 million yen - about $12 each - as "payment for their troubles."

As you can imagine, that's not enough to many people.

There's also news that fish have been detected with radiation and that about 3 million gallons of water poured into the Pacific had radiation levels millions of times above the regulatory limit.

We'll get the latest developments from CNN's Kyung Lah in Tokyo and former senior nuclear power plant operator Michael Friedlander.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/africa/04/04/libya.rape.case/t1larg.eman.jpg caption="Eman al-Obeidy rushed into a hotel in Tripoli, Libya, on March 26 and told journalists she had been raped by Gadhafi loyalists." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

The Libyan woman who said she was raped by pro-Gadafi forces is talking to AC360°. Tonight you'll hear from Eman al-Obeidy, a remarkably brave woman.

The world got to know al-Obeidy on March 26 when she burst into a Tripoli hotel full of foreign journalists and told them she was gang raped and tormented by Gadhafi forces. Her emotional story led to a tense showdown. The journalists tried to get her story, while hotel workers revealed they were government agents and verbally assaulted her and other government officials eventually dragged her away.

Tonight she shares what she's faced these past 10 days. It's a frightening story and one we feel must be told.

She has a message for the United States and the rest of the world about her country.

"We are a peaceful people. And we are not members of al Qaeda. We are simple people and moderate Muslims," al-Obeidy told Anderson by telephone.

"We are not asking for anything, but our freedom and our dignity," she added.

The Libyan government has twiced claimed al-Obeidy was released to her family. Twice the family said they were lying. We're Keeping Them Honest.

We're also following developments on the battle for control of Libya. The envoy sent by Gadhafi to Britain is peddling the idea that one of the embattled leader's sons could become his successor, a source close to the talks tells CNN.

Under the proposal, Saif al-Islam, 38, would take control of Libya, the source said.

We'll talk it over with CNN's Nic Robertson in Tripoli.

We'll also update you on Japan's nuclear crisis. Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are dumping about 11,500 tons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean in an effort to stop a leak.

A Japanese government official called the move "unavoidable."

11,500 tons is about 3 million gallons of water.

We'll get details on this effort from Michael Friedlander, a former senior nuclear power plant operator.

We also have an update on that dog that was found alive on Friday in rubble floating at sea for three weeks.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET.

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/01/japan.nuclear.reactors/t1larg.evac.gi.afp.jpg caption="A group evacuated from Fukushima at a makeshift shelter in the city of Yokote, Akita prefectur ." width=300 height=169]

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tens of thousands of people evacuated from a 12-mile area around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant may not be allowed home for months.

"The evacuation period is going to be longer than we wanted it to be," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said about the 78,000 people who lived closest to the plant.

Meanwhile, a second test shows no radioactive contamination of beef in Japan. Health officials announced Friday that earlier testing showing some contamination was wrong.

High radiation levels at the plant are still causing concern. Workers can't find the source.

Crews have sprayed more than 500 gallons of synthetic resin, a substance used to contain radioactive particles.

There’s also word that the world's largest cement pumps will be shipped to Japan aboard transport planes.

The giant trucks with powerful pumps and flexible arms can be used to fire cement to seal the site.

In 1986, the same equipment was used entomb Chernobyl's melted core reactor.

Tom Foreman will use our data wall to show you how the specialized trucks could be used in Japan.

We'll also talk with our reporters in Libya where opposition leaders revealed their conditions for a cease-fire.

Among their key demands: regime change in Libya, and the removal of snipers.

But the Libyan government isn't backing down.

"They are asking us to withdraw from our own cities, and open our cities to people who are holding up arms, who are tribal, violent, no unified leadership," Libyan government spokesman Musa Ibrahim said.

"If this is not mad, then I don't know what it is," he added.

We also have amazing video of a dog rescued from the roof of a house afloat in the sea in Japan three weeks after the quake and tsunami hit.

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET.