San Bernardino Massacre: Was It Terror?
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Was it terrorism?
That’s the main question being asked today after a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. The answer remains frustratingly elusive. Police say an American of middle eastern descent named Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife or fiancée Tashfeen Malik carried out the shootings and then died in a dramatic shootout with police a few miles from the scene of the massacre that left 14 dead, and 17 injured. 10 of the 17 injuries are said to be critical.
Farook apparently traveled to Saudi Arabia this year, and returned with Malik who co-workers say he married. They have a newborn baby that was left with Farook’s family. The family say they have no idea of motive, and co-workers say Farook was quiet and religious, but showed no glaring signs of mental illness.
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The shooting happened at a social services center where a holiday banquet was underway. Farook worked there, and killed some of his coworkers.
It was the deadliest mass shooting since the Sandy Hook attack in Newtown Connecticut three years ago that left 26 children and adults dead.
In other news,
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Five 10- and 11-year-olds were reportedly planning an attack on a high school in Clifton, New Jersey. All five have been arrested. Laura Ingle reporting.
There is a Republican Jewish Coalition Presidential Forum where all the GOP candidates are speaking. Before or during our hours it’s Cruz, Graham, Rubio, Pataki, Kasich, Trump and Carson.
Hillary Clinton has a small business event in Nashua, New Hampshire and a Women’s Economic Opportunity Summit in Manchester, NH at 1:15.
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The UK parliament approved air strikes and Britain immediately bombed oil fields held by ISIS in Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says ISIS can be defeated in months if a ceasefire is reached between Syria’s government and moderate rebels. He admits air power alone isn’t enough to stop the Islamic State. Kerry is in Belgrade.
Final Senate approval of a bill to dismantle Obamacare and halt money for Planned Parenthood could come as soon as today. President Obama threatening a veto.
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We’re also awaiting final action on a massive transportation spending bill that would fund improvements for highways, bridges and other infrastructure for five years.
The Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa has found Olympian “blade runner” Oscar Pistorius convicted of murder for the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. That overturns a lower court’s ruling He could get up to 15 years in prison.