Good morning. Here are some of the stories we’re following today:
1. Waco biker brawl: Cops untangling who fired fatal shots
With nine dead, 18 injured and 170 arrested in Sunday's biker gang shootout, figuring out exactly who fired the fatal shots will require time and forensics, police said Tuesday. Complicating matters is that three or four police officers were believed to have joined the firefight outside a sports bar in Waco, Texas. It may be weeks — or even months — before authorities fully understand what happened, police say. Read more in NEWS.
2. Takata recalls 33.8M faulty air bags in cars
The air bag manufacturer agreed to declare 33.8 million of its inflator mechanisms defective on Tuesday — a move that will lead to the largest-ever U.S. auto recall. The announcement was made Tuesday by federal safety regulators, who reached an agreement with Takata after sparring with the Japanese company for the past year over the size of the recalls and the cause of the problem with millions of air bags. Read more in BUSINESS.
3. Thousands of gallons of oil leak off California coast
An emergency cleanup was underway Tuesday afternoon along the coastline near Santa Barbara after an oil pipeline leaked approximately 21,000 gallons, some of which made it into the ocean. One beach had to be evacuated, and the slick was initially estimated to be about a half-mile long and was spreading. Read more at NBC LOS ANGELES.
4. North Korea missile launch footage was doctored: analysis
Photos showing a missile launched from a submarine were manipulated by North Korean state propagandists, a top U.S. military official said on Tuesday. The reclusive nation is still "many years" from developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and an analysis by German aerospace engineers say the photos of the launch were "strongly modified." Read more in NEWS.
5. Dangerous flooding in store for Texas, Plains
Life-threatening flooding was forecast to hit parts of the Plains and Texas early Wednesday, a day after the area was battered by more than two dozen suspected tornadoes. Half of Oklahoma and parts of Texas and Arkansas were put under flash-flood warnings by the National Weather Service, which predicted rainfall rates of four to six inches per hour. Read more in NEWS.
6. Search zone expands again in MH370 hunt
Investigators hunting for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have widened their ocean floor search to a larger zone and don't know where else to focus if the jet can't be found there, authorities announced Wednesday. The expanded zone covers 46,000 square miles — an area about the size of Pennsylvania — but will be increasingly difficult to cover as the local winter weather sets in. Read more in NEWS.
7. David Letterman says farewell to late night with final show
The "Late Show" veteran's 33-year run comes to an end Wednesday night with the airing of his last episode. This past week, Letterman has had some of his favorite guests on the show to say goodbye, and even NBC "Tonight Show" rival Jimmy Fallon made sure to give Letterman his due. Read more at TODAY.
Nightly Spotlight
Ever wonder just how clever your canine is? Duke University professor and creator of “Dognition” Brian Hare says his doggie IQ test helps owners discover what their pets are really thinking.