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Death Toll Rising in India in Coordinated Attacks — NEW DELHI — Coordinated terror attacks struck the heart of Mumbai, India's commercial capital, Wednesday evening, targeting at least two five-star hotels, the city's largest commuter train station, a historic movie theater and a hospital.
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Terror attacks in Mumbai; 80 dead, over 900 injured — 27 Nov 2008, 0224 hrs IST, TIMES NEWS NETWORK & AGENCIES — Text: — Mumbai: In one of the most violent terror attacks on Indian soil, Mumbai came under an unprecedented night attack as terrorists used heavy machine guns …
Discussion:
Counterterrorism Blog, Confederate Yankee, PoliGazette, Weekly Standard, Gates of Vienna and Newshoggers.com


Hostages Held At Mumbai Hotels — Terrorists have conducted at least seven coordinated attacks in Mumbai's tourist areas, killing scores and taking ‘many hostages’. — Gunmen have targeted luxury hotels, a popular tourist attraction and a crowded train station in at least seven attacks across India's financial capital.

Intelligence chiefs were expecting Al-Qaeda spectacular — Western intelligence services have been expecting an al-Qaeda spectacular terrorist attack in this crucial period between the end of President George Bush's administration and the succession of Barack Obama.

Massive terror plot in Mumbai; 80 dead, 250+ injured; Update: 900 injured; Update: “Chatter” points to Al Qaeda? Update: 10 separate attacks — Awful, and doubly worrisome in light of the FBI alert issued this morning for the NYC subway system. According to CNN, they hit the airport …

Is Pakistani Intelligence Involved in the Terrorist Attacks in India?

Indian Mujahideen Takes Credit for Mumbai Attacks
Discussion:
The Politico

Foreigners targeted in co-ordinated Bombay attacks
Discussion:
MSNBC, The Long War Journal, Associated Press, Weekly Standard, Atlas Shrugs, Blogs of War and Reason


Franken Loses Crucial Ruling in Minnesota Recount — (CNN) — Minnesota's Canvassing Board voted unanimously to reject Franken's request to include thousands of absentee ballots that are not included in the recount in the Minnesota senate race between the Democratic challenger and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman.
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Faced With Setback, Franken Camp Vows To Fight On
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Minnesota Democrats Exposed

Sources: Al Qaeda Targets Amtrak N'east Corridor — Heightened Security Presence In Place At Penn Station; Attack Could Cripple Transit Between Boston, Washington — Cops, Feds Armed With M16s On Patrol For Forseeable Future — CBS News Interactive: America On Guard
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Exclusive: NY Rail Plot Details Based on ‘Reliable’ FBI Source — New Information in Last 48 Hours Led to Public Warning — Uniformed police officers have flooded New York City's Penn Station, home to the Long Island Rail Road, following a warning from the FBI of a “plausible but unsubstantiated” …


Lieberman Contributed to GOP Senate, House Candidates — Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-Conn.) support of John McCain's presidential campaign was well known. His contribution to Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) was not. (By Melina Mara — The Washington Post Photo) — By Paul Kane


The Irrelevant House Republicans — Elizabeth Drew has an interesting piece on “The Truth About the Election” but I wanted to comment on this one point: … The thing of it is that it doesn't really matter what Eric Cantor thinks. The House Republicans are, in effect, irrelevant.

A NEW DAY FOR TURKEY. — Like Matt, I have strong sectarian feelings against turkey. But unlike him, I'm a political realist, I believe in mitigation, not abolition. So as long as turkey is going to sit like a colossus atop the Thanksgiving meal, we may as well figure out a way to reduce its suck factor.
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Truth to Power: Turkey Sucks
Discussion:
Emptywheel


Terrorists: Yes, Our Official Website Is Hosted in the U.S., so What? — Our friends at the NEFA foundation have released a translation of a communique from the “Shebaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia” condemning al Jazeera for passing along false information that they condemned piracy off the coast of Somalia.

OBAMA: CHANGE COMES FROM ME — From NBC's Athena Jones — CHICAGO — In response to criticism that he is departing from his promise to bring change to Washington because several members of his economic team were Beltway insiders, Barack Obama said today that his team would combine experience …

Voters Fail the Test — WASHINGTON — So much for the wisdom of The People. — A new report from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) on the nation's civic literacy finds that most Americans are too ignorant to vote. — Out of 2,500 American quiz-takers, including college students …

LET SANTA LIGHT THE MENORAH — WHITE HOUSE IN HANUKKAH TREE GAFFE — Merry Hanukkah from the White House! — The president and the first lady invited leaders of America's Jewish community for a Hanukkah reception at the White House next month - but raised more than a few eyebrows …

Obama's Speechwriter Moves to the White House — CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama's wordsmith is moving to the West Wing. — In his latest round of White House staff announcements, Mr. Obama said Wednesday that he was naming Jon Favreau as his director of speechwriting.
Discussion:
TIME.com


Career Opportunities, The Ones That Never Knock — The other day I wondered what the reported ascendence of Jim Steinberg to deputy secretary of state meant for Richard Holbrooke's job prospects. Reading about the latest maneuvering in Iraq on the status of forces agreement …

Bad to the End — You know, president Bush had absolutely nothing to lose in the lame duck session. Not a thing. His reputation is already tarnished beyond repair. His legacy — economic disaster, thousands of lives lost to questionable ends, torture, domestic surveillance …