‘Eight Israelis held by terrorists in Mumbai Chabad House’  —  Indian commandos and police were evacuating civilians and cordoning off the area apparently in preparation to storm the Chabad House in Mumbai, India, where a rabbi, his wife and several other Israelis were being held hostage, according to IBN, an Indian news agency.

Mumbai toll climbs as hotel standoffs continue  —  MUMBAI, India (CNN) — Indian police are still battling to release hostages the morning after gunmen carried out brazen attacks across southern Mumbai, killing more than 100 people and taking hostages in multiple locations.

MASSACRE in Mumbai: Amit Varma was there.  I'm glad he's ok.  —  More than 100 people still held hostage.  —  More witnesses reports @ CNN.  —  Map of where the attack took place (Guardian)  —  Big roundup on how the new and the old media were covering, @ The Moderate Voice.  —  Live streaming @ CNN-IBN.

Some Hostages Free After Indian Attacks  —  MUMBAI, India — Indian police commandos rescued some hostages on Thursday as standoffs continued against heavily armed militants who a day earlier had swept into Mumbai, India's commercial capital, in a shocking series of coordinated and bloody attacks.

Iraqi Lawmakers Extend Agreement With U.S. Military for 3 Years  —  The Iraqi Parliament on Thursday approved a security pact that charts the way for the U.S. military to end its presence in Iraq eight years after the invasion by a U.S.-led coalition led to the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Things To Be Thankful For In A Troubled World  —  The war in Iraq is looking more and more like peace.  Afghanistan, while reportedly in flux and seeing more violence, is not the conflagration some reports suggest it is.  There have been 17 American military deaths in Iraq so far this month …