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Hello, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta. It is Wednesday, December 3rd. Here's a look at some of the stories happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The United Auto¹ Workers official says the union has agreed to restart contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers. The union will also take steps to eliminate the jobs bank in which laid-off workers are paid most of their salaries. The actions will help automakers to strengthen their argument for 34 billion dollars in bailout funds. Congress has demanded the Big Three demonstrate an ability to be more competitive before doling² out any cash. Reducing labor³ costs, that's a key component⁴ of that effort.

Democrat⁵ hopes of a Senate super majority are dashed today.  Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia defeated Democrat Jim Martin in a Senator run-off on Tuesday. That means Democrats⁶ won't have enough seats to block filibusters⁷. Chambliss received about 57 percent of the vote.

Democratic challenger Al Franken has gained a little bit of ground in the Minnesota U.S. Senate race recount. Election officials in St. Paul area discovered 171 ballots⁸, no one accounted before. Most were cast for Franken. Incumbent⁹ Republican Norm Coleman still holds a narrow lead as the recount drags on. The final results will be certified¹⁰ before the middle of the month.

President-elect Barack Obama has nominated Bill Richardson to become his next secretary of commerce. Richardson served as U.N. ambassador and later as energy secretary under President Bill Clinton. He endorsed¹¹ Obama after ending his own bid for the presidential nomination¹². Richardson was widely viewed as a potential secretary of state before that post was offered to Hillary Clinton.

O.J. Simpson and his co-defendant are seeking minimum prison sentences for their roles in the gunpoint robbery and kidnapping of two sports memorabilia dealers¹³. Defense¹⁴ lawyers for the former football great and Clarence C.J Stewart filed their brief yesterday. They are asking a judge for a minimum six-year prison term when she sentences the two men on Friday. State authorities are recommending 18-year prison sentences for both of them.

And those are the headlines making news this hour. Do stay with CNN, CNN.com for more on these stories or other news of the day.

Good morning from the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'm Reggie Aqui. Thanks for checking in. Here's what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The U. S economy officially now in a recession, and stock markets worldwide are suffering the consequences. Asian exchanges fell for a second day. The Nikkei in Tokyo closed down more than 6 percent. Markets in Europe also down sharply. The U. S market tumbled almost 8 percent yesterday. New fallout from the biggest bank failure in U. S history, JP Morgan Chase says it is cutting close to 10, 000 jobs at Washington Mutual¹⁵. That's about a fifth of its workforce¹⁶. Chase took over WaMu in September after it collapsed¹⁷ in the mortgage crisis.

 Also today is the deadline for Detroit's Big Three automakers. They have to submit a plan in hopes of getting 25 billion dollars in bailout money. The carmakers are expected to present very detailed¹⁹ reports as to how they will restructure their businesses to become more competitive. And though the executives will not be arriving in Washington on private jets this time, they are arranging alternative transportation.

Indian security officials are confirming to CNN they were warned by the U. S in fact about the possibility of a terror attack in Mumbai, not once, but twice. A U. S counterterrorism official told CNN the Indian government had detailed intelligence about a potential maritime²⁰ assault at least a month before last week's massacre²¹. Indian officials are under fire for the security lapse¹⁸ that allowed a terror siege to occur.

Today here in Georgia, voters go to the polls in a U. S Senator run-off. We are talking about challenger Jim Martin, who is trying to unseat incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss on the right.  Now, if Martin wins, the Democrats would be one seat away from a filibuster-proof majority. One other race is still undecided, that's in Minnesota. A recount is underway there in the race between Republican Senator Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

And that's what's happening right now. Please stick with us here at CNN. COM 24/7 as we bring you the news from around the world. Of course we are gonna  have your updates right here throughout the day.