Here's a roundup of news trending across the nation and world today.
What to know now:
1. Another attack planned: CNN is reporting that Federal investigators believe Syed Farook may have planned an attack prior to the attack in San Bernardino last week. According to the story, two U.S. officials say Farook and another unidentified person may have been planning an attack in 2012, but for some reason were scared off. The target, however, was not revealed.
2. Trump up in polls: Despite a backlash over comments that Muslims should be banned from entering the United States, Donald Trump sits atop a poll of likely voters in the New Hampshire primary. If the primary was held today, Trump beats his closest Republican rival, Marco Rubio, by a 2-to-1 margin.
3. Affirmative action case: The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider a challenge to the use of racial preferences when a person is applying for admission to college. The lawsuit filed against the University of Texas-Austin was first heard by the high court in 2013. The court sent the case back to a lower court which upheld the schools racial preference policy. Now the case is back before the high court, and justices will hear arguments Wednesday.
4. Missing Afghans: Two Afghan nationals being trained at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia have been reported missing from the facility. According to reports, the pair did not return Monday to "their regular maintenance training" with the 81st Fighter Squadron at the base near Valdosta, some 200 miles south of Atlanta. The pair are not considered a threat, the release said.
5. West Point on alert: According to the school's superintendent, The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has tightened security in light of a possible threat. The academy's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen wrote in a statement posted to the USMA's Facebook page, "I am charged with the responsibility to protect this community and provide a safe and secure installation. Part of that responsibility is to act upon intelligence or law enforcement information in a way that best serves this community." Details of a specific threat were not released.
And one more
Who was the top newsmaker/world shaper this year? On Wednesday, Time magazine announces it choice for the 2015 Person of the Year. Among those being considered are Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner), Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi (the head of ISIS), Vladimir Putin (the head of Russia) and Donald Trump (well, you know). (Update 7:42 a.m.: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named TIME's Person of the Year.)
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