Student Survivors Describe Attackers in Classrooms

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School Massacre  They were sitting in classrooms – children enjoying a normal day at school – until militants stormed the building, massacring more than 130 students in Pakistan. The Taliban gunmen entered an auditorium packed with students and detonated a suicide belt. One student described locking classroom doors, “but three attackers shot their way in.” It drew condemnation from the world, including Pakistan’s own young Nobel laureate, Malala Yousufzai.     Learn More

Sony Threat  The Sony Pictures hacking took a potentially dangerous turn today. Hackers want the movie “The Interview” pulled and issued an ominous threat to theaters who might show it. “The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September,” the message said. The Department of Homeland Security has no credible intelligence about a plot, but the movie’s stars have cancelled all media appearances.     Learn More

Sydney’s Heroes  A sea of flowers in downtown Sydney grows every hour near the cafe where the hostage crisis ended with two killed Monday. The victims include a woman who was shielding her pregnant friend from gunfire and the cafe manager who tried to wrestle away the gunman’s weapon. Much of the ordeal was caught by a TV cameraman, who sat near snipers and captured what he described as “genuinely horrible.”     Learn More

In the Running  Jeb Bush announced today he is “pursuing” a run for the presidency in 2016, making him among the first to officially throw his hat in the ring. With early buzz on a slew of early Republican contenders, NBC’s Chuck Todd weighs in on the advantage Bush may now have in gaining support for his race.     Learn More

Ruble in a Freefall  The Russian Ruble has lost 50 percent of its value this year and is in such a freefall, Apple has suspended online sales in the country because it can’t properly value its products. What’s behind the drop? A mix of international politics, sanctions and falling oil and gas prices. While it’s benefiting the American consumer, it’s a different story in Russia.     Learn More

Alzheimer Fight & the Young  What if your behavior in your 30s could ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s? A unique study at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center is looking into that and how healthier brain choices might impact those at high risk. One 32-year-old participant looks healthy, but his blood tests tell a different story.     Learn More

Top Google Searches of 2014  What was everyone googling this year? The top searches of the year are out and they vary wildly by country, with a beloved star topping the American list.     Learn More