SPB News for Thursday.

CA To Investigate Mormon Church's Prop. 8 Contributions

Bailout costs at $8.56 trillion

As credit crisis worsens, bailout called 'largest outlay in American history.'

Execs cashed out as loans went bad

Former mortgage lender execs under investigation into their stock trades

Kabul 'bomb attack' on US embassy A suspected suicide bomber has struck close to the entrance to the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, witnesses and police say. At least one person, reportedly a civilian, was killed, although one police official said more had died. Reports said the bomber detonated explosives about 200m from the heavily guarded entrance to the US compound.

Canada to send attack helicopters to Afghanistan Canada will send eight specially modified CH-146 Griffon helicopters in the new year to southern Afghanistan to protect the CH-47 Chinook transport choppers for the 2,500 troops fighting against Taliban there, Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.

At Least 100 Dead in India Terror Attacks --Attackers used boats to reach the urban peninsula where they hit Coordinated terrorist attacks struck the heart of Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, on Wednesday night, killing dozens in machine-gun and grenade assaults on at least two five-star hotels, the city’s largest train station, a movie theater and a hospital. The Mumbai police said the attacks killed at least 100 people and wounded at least 250, Reuters reported early Thursday. Guests who had escaped the hotels told television stations that the attackers were taking hostages, singling out Americans and Britons.

New York warns of possible al Qaeda attack U.S. authorities have warned of a possible 'al Qaeda' threat to transit systems in and around New York City, a Homeland Security official said on Wednesday. New York police said they were increasing security in response to the warning but said this was "in an abundance of caution." "The New York City Police Department is aware of an unsubstantiated report indicating that al Qaeda terrorists discussed targeting mass transit in New York City and the vicinity," Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne told Reuters.

L.A. tightens security after New York's terrorism alert The report of a threat of terrorist violence against the New York transit system has prompted Los Angeles officials to increase security. Details from City News Service: Local mass transit routes will be under extra security through the holidays, especially after a report of a possible Al Qaeda terrorist threat to New York City’s transit systems, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

'Israel may attack Iran via Turkey' If Israel were to attack Iran's alleged nuclear weapons facilities, its bomber aircraft would most likely fly through Turkish air space, a prominent neo-conservative U.S. columnist has said. "The Israelis would not attack over Iraq. The way to go is through Turkey," Charles Krauthammer, a syndicated columnist who writes for the Washington Post and some other publications, said on the political panel "Inside Washington" on WJLA TV [Sunday] in Washington DC.

Group urges for a better way to kill dogs in Iraq An animal rights group is urging Iraqi authorities to better ways to eliminate stray dogs after 200 of them were killed in Baghdad this week by poisoned meat and rifles. Humane Society International wants to work with Baghdad officials because their methods to curb the stray dog population are "neither humane nor have been found to provide long-term solutions to the overpopulation program," the group said in a letter dated Wednesday.

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.

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.

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.