"A man and woman dressed in tactical gear and carrying assault-style weapons shot and killed 14 people and injured 17 at a holiday party at a social services center on Wednesday before being fatally shot by police hours later while on the run." This was the deadliest shooting since Sandy Hook -- and there have been more mass shootings in 2015 than days. Here's everything we know about the attackers, identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, who were reportedly married. The couple had left their six-month-old daughter at her grandmother's on the morning of the attack. [Matt Ferner, Andy Campbell and Sebastian Murdock, HuffPost]
Eyewitnesses and survivors told of hiding under desks and sheltering in place until being rescued by the authorities. Here's a full timeline of the shooting and resulting manhunt. [Willa Frej, Matt Ferner and Sebastian Murdock, HuffPost]
"A man masquerading as a member of Congress walked into a secure backstage area without being properly screened and spoke with President Obama at an awards dinner last fall. Five days later, a woman walked backstage unchecked at a gala dinner where Obama was a featured guest. Months after that, two people strolled unnoticed past a Secret Service checkpoint into the first layer of the White House grounds." [WaPo]
South Africa's top appeals court overturned the manslaughter charge for the Paralympian's murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and convicted him of murder. [Reuters]
Mustafa al-Aziz al-Shamiri, a low-level fighter, was mistaken for a key figure in al Qaeda. [Dominique Mosbergen, HuffPost]
"Swiss authorities began a new series of pre-dawn arrests Thursday in the broad investigation, led by United States officials, into corruption in international soccer. More than a dozen people were expected to be charged, law enforcement officials said, nearly doubling the size of an already huge case that has upended FIFA, soccer’s multibillion-dollar governing body." [NYT]
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WHAT’S BREWING
Two words: Steph Curry. [AP]
Try to stay away from the pigs in a blanket (we know it's hard). [HuffPost]
Let's all be honest -- we want a dog for Christmas. [HuffPost]
How much would you pay to extend your life? [BBC]
The actress announced the adoption of her three-year-old daughter, Laila. [HuffPost]
WHAT'S WORKING
"Tuesday marked the fourth annual charity event, which gives holiday revelers the chance to give back after feasting on Thanksgiving and nabbing up deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday … Donors gave $39.6 million in online donations on Tuesday alone, up 52 percent from last year, Blackbaud, the technology provider that processes the majority of online donations on Giving Tuesday, told The Huffington Post." [HuffPost]
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ON THE BLOG
"You can avoid most of these seats most of the time just by learning which ones to avoid when making your seat selection. Here are the seats you should work hard to avoid every time you travel." [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ Inside the elite military unit President Obama believes is key to taking out the so-called Islamic State.
~ The UK bombed Syria hours after Parliament voted to target the Islamic State.
~ We finally have a "Batman v Superman" trailer that explains why Wonder Woman will be in this installment.
~ Iggy Azalea is over the Internet haters.
~ Selma Blair as Kris Jenner could not be more on point in the trailer for "American Crime Story."
~ Winning in college football translates to some pretty hefty coaching bonuses.
~ What to serve at your holiday party for the non-drinkers among your friend set.
~ Vanity Fair wants to help you figure out what to get all your billionaire friends.
~ Of course Taylor Swift took her 1989 crew on vacation.
~ People are not really happy that Kim Kardashian photoshopped her nude photos.
~ In the pursuit of intellectual advancement -- here are the top 10 Instagrams of 2015.
~ And we finally have DJ Earworm's mashup of 2015.
Send tips/quips/quotes/stories/photos/events/scoops to Lauren Weber at lauren.weber@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter @LaurenWeberHP. And like what you're reading? Sign up here to get The Morning Email delivered to you.