• Consumer prices drop record 1 percent in October (AP)
<p>AP - Consumer prices plunged by the largest amount in the past 61 years in October as gasoline pump prices dropped by a record amount.



• Reid seeks to lower expectations for auto bailout (AP)

AP - The top Senate Democrat sought Wednesday to lower expectations for legislation this week to help endangered domestic carmakers, saying it would be the Bush administration's job to save the industry if Congress doesn't.



• Insurers make pitch for health coverage mandate (AP)
AP - The health insurance industry said Wednesday it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage.
• Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama with racial epithet (AP)

AP - Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader used a racial epithet to insult Barack Obama in a message posted Wednesday, describing the president-elect in demeaning terms that imply he does the bidding of whites.



• Democrats: Clinton to help Hillary get State job (AP)

AP - Former President Bill Clinton has offered several concessions to help Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, his wife, become secretary of state, people familiar with President-elect Barack Obama's transition vetting process said Wednesday.



• Source: Holder informally offered, accepts AG job (AP)

AP - A source close to the process of selecting Barack Obama's attorney general says the president-elect has "informally" offered the post to Washington lawyer Eric Holder, who has accepted.



• Indian navy sinks suspected pirate 'mother ship' (AP)

AP - An Indian naval vessel sank a suspected pirate "mother ship" in the Gulf of Aden and chased two attack boats into the night, officials said Wednesday, as separate bands of brigands seized Thai and Iranian ships in the lawless seas.



• Alaska Sen. Stevens' defeat marks end of an era (AP)

AP - Sen. Ted Stevens' election defeat marks the end of an era in which he held a commanding place in Alaska politics while wielding power on some of the most influential committees in Congress.



• Suri Cruise tops Forbes.com list of 'Hollywood's Hottest Tots' (AP)

</a>AP - Suri Cruise is the most popular kid on the playground. The 2-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes tops Forbes.com's second annual list of "Hollywood's 10 Hottest Tots."



• Red Sox trade Crisp to Royals for reliever (AP)
AP - Outfielder Coco Crisp was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday for reliever Ramon Ramirez.
• October consumer prices and home starts plummet (Reuters)

Reuters - Consumer prices dropped at the fastest rate on record in October and new home construction was at a record low, according to government reports on Wednesday that underlined how rapidly the economy was weakening.



• Bill Clinton offers steps to help wife get State job (Reuters)
<p>Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has offered to allow ethics reviews of future business and charitable activities should his wife be picked by President-elect Barack Obama as secretary of state, Democrats familiar with the issue said on Wednesday.



• Qaeda scorns Obama, urges attacks on United States (Reuters)

Reuters - Al Qaeda's second-in-command urged Muslims to keep up attacks on the "criminal" United States and criticized U.S. president-elect Barack Obama for promising to back Israel.



• Auto execs set for more grilling on aid plan (Reuters)
<p>Reuters - Auto executives headed to Capitol Hill for a second day to argue their case for a $25 billion aid package in the face of mounting political opposition to another huge government bailout.



• Syria site hit by Israel resembled atom plant: IAEA (Reuters)
Reuters - A Syrian complex bombed by Israel bore features resembling those of an undeclared nuclear reactor and Syria must cooperate more with U.N. inspectors, a watchdog report said on Wednesday.