This Morning from CBS News, Nov. 20, 2015
Hotel siege
Gunmen are still believed to be holding dozens of hostages after storming a popular Radisson hotel in the Malian capital of Bamako. An official says at least three people have been killed. Islamic extremists seized control of northern Mali after a 2012 coup, but French troops pushed them out. But the threat lingered, and now appears to be spreading south.
Paris probe
Security camera video has emerged of suspected Paris attacks planner Abdelhamid Abaaoud in a Paris subway station just after the attacks last Friday, leading to suspicions he may have taken part in the carnage he's believed to have set in motion. One of his conspirators remains on the run, but officials say a deadly raid this week left more people dead than first thought.
Back in the fight
Some American Iraq war veterans can't bear to see the country they fought to secure lost to the forces of ISIS. Incredibly, some are returning to Iraq as volunteer soldiers and taking to the front lines alongside Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and two of them have told CBS News why they did it.
Visa waivers
Much of the political fallout after the Paris attacks has focused on the Syrian refugee program, but there are other programs Congress is also reevaluating. High on that list for renewed scrutiny is the visa waiver program that allows Western Europeans to travel freely to the United States.
Gun loophole
Thousands on the government's terrorist watch list, which includes the "no-fly list," bought firearms in the U.S. in the last decade. All of the sales were legal. Bills to close a loophole that let the purchases take place have been introduced for eight years in a row, but they've all failed. Now there's hope among people trying to change the rules that the time is ripe.
Good for the brain
Speaking more than one language has a number of practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world, and now science shows it may also be good for your health. A new study shows bilingual patients who suffer a stroke appear to have extra brain protection that makes them more likely to retain cognitive function.
Bought the shop
Count Carol Suchman as someone who understands the gift of giving. Determined to bring some joy to homeless children in New York City, she bought out the entire inventory of a struggling local toy store to ensure the kids got presents this year. She tells CBS News about the move, which surprised even herself.
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