In light of the recent terror attacks in France, we get an update the status of counter-terrorism efforts in the U.S. Plus, the highs and lows of Sunday's Golden Globes, and a filmmakers examines what lead him to pull a bank heist at the age of 16.
What kind of danger does Al Qaeda pose at this point?
Last week's attacks in France have raised serious questions about the reach of Islamist militant groups into Western countries.
Much of the recent attention in the U.S. has focused on the group known as the Islamic State, after it took over territory in Iraq and Syria last year and beheaded several American hostages.
But experts say Al Qaeda, and its offshoots in countries like Yemen, still pose major risks, too.
For more on this, we're joined by Andy Liepman, senior policy analyst with the RAND Corporation. He retired in 2012 as the Principal Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and worked, also, with the CIA.
Could an attack like the one on Charlie Hebdo happen in the US?
What are the chances that a homegrown terrorist could pull off an attack similar to the one on French magazine Charlie Hebdo, but on our shores?
Incidents like the bombing last year at the Boston marathon demonstrate that we're still vulnerable in many ways.
But there are unique reasons why relatively few terror attacks in Ameirca have been carried out by Muslim-Americans.
"Homegrown terrorists among Islamists have been pretty rare here," says Christine Fair, assistant professor in the Peace and Security Studies program at Georgetown University. "People tend to focus on the Islamists, but in our history we have the Unabomber, we have environmental terrorists, we have animal rights terrorists, we have Christian terrorists who have shot [abortion] doctors."
Fair also says Muslims in France are disenfranchised a way that could push them to drastic actions -- their patriotism is often questioned, many are not upwardly mobile and they are stigmatized because they arrived as laborers.
"In contrast, most of the Muslim communities that came to this country," she says, "they came here as skilled employees -- doctors, engineers, lawyers."
Fair also says French-Muslims are antagonized in ways that would be unimaginable in the US.
The cartoons by Charlie Hebdo, for example, didn't just criticize Islam but went in a direction that satire publications like The Onion wouldn't dare.
"I'm an atheist, and even I found those cartoons to be deeply offensive. They struck me as bigoted, they struck me as racist," says Fair.
"We do value free speech," she adds, "But there's a lot of problems in the ways Muslims are treated in France. Many of the things that the French state would be unimaginable here."
The Cheat Sheet - US policies following Paris attack and the 2016 presidential race
How the the terrorist attack in Paris might affect domestic policy, why cyber attacks might take a back set because of it and what familiar names are stepping into the ring for the 2016 Presidential race.
These are all stories we're featuring in a new segment designed to give you a peek into the upcoming news of the week.
We talk to Slate reporter Jamelle Bouie and Emily Schultheis, a political writer for National Journal.
Some Haitians still homeless 5 years after massive earthquake
Five years ago on Monday, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving more than 1 million homeless.
Now as foreign aid dwindles, Haiti is still struggling to find suitable homes for many of the survivors.
Jacqueline Charles is the Caribbean Correspondent for the Miami Herald and is in Haiti.
She says that the number of Haitians living in tent housing has been reduced from 1.5 million to around 85,000, but that the situation for many is far from improved. The economy continues to struggle and there is a lack of jobs. Plus, some of the new housing that has been built is very small - the size of most garages - and far from services.
Would a new NFL stadium in St. Louis derail LA's hopes for a team?
Football fans in Los Angeles have long known heartbreak. First the Rams moved 50 miles south to Anaheim. Then, in 1994, they left for St. Louis. That same year the Raiders moved back to Oakland.
Since then, the city has been without an NFL team.
There's been several efforts to try and draw a team back to Los Angeles and last week there was a glimmer of hope with the announcement that a new stadium was being built in Inglewood, backed by Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
Kroenke owns some of the land being developed for a big entertainment complex there so the buzz began anew that he might just bring the team back.
But St. Louis is not giving up without a fight and recently revealed plans to build a new riverfront complex of its own.
Those plans have sparked excitement, as well as some criticism, said David Hunn, reporter with the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Impact of valley fever testing in California's inmates
Valley fever, a potentially lethal illness, has proved to be a big problem at correctional facilities in Central California.
The state is spending more than $5 million to test inmates for valley fever, which begins Monday. For more on these plans, we're joined by Don Thompson, who has written about this topic for the Associated Press.
Read the full story: California spends $5 million to screen inmates for valley fever
Winter tops fall for promising TV show premieres
Back in the day, fall used to be the big season for new television. But recently the start of the year has also become fertile ground for show premieres, and 2015 is certainly no exception.
TV networks are promoting their new programs heavily this week here in Southern California at the Television Critics Association press tour, also known as the TCAs.
Brian Lowry, TV critic and columnist for Variety, joins Take Two to talk about some of his top picks for the most promising new shows this year, some of which have already premiered. In no particular order:
Battle Creek (CBS)
Galavant (ABC)
Hindsight (VH1)
TV Shows - Full Episode Video - Reality TV Shows
Man Seeking Woman (FXX)
Evolution of a Criminal; from armed robber to a second chance
Darius Clark Monroe was a honors student from a good home, living a carefree life in Houston, Texas.
So how did he go from this ... to robbing a bank at gunpoint at the age of 16?
This story of good kid gone wrong is explored in a new documentary called "Evolution of a Criminal"
Darius Clark Monroe is the director and main focus of the film which airs on PBS' Independent Lens on January 12.
He spoke with Take Two's A Martinez about his journey.
Biologists study Bowhead whale genes for clues to longevity
The secret to a long life has been sought for generations. Now, a study out of the University of Liverpool could be one step closer to unlocking that answer -- with help from Bowhead whales.
The Bowhead whale is the longest-living mammal known to science. Biologist Dr. Pedro Magalhaes from the University of Liverpool has more on what the results of a study on the whale's genes are uncovering.
The animated film 'Song of the Sea' retells the Selkie legend in water color
When it comes to animated films, the United States tends to be a bit of a powerhouse, with big players like Disney and Dreamworks. But every now and then a gem of a movie comes to us from a faraway land.
Song of the Sea is just such a film.
It's an Irish picture about a little boy named Ben and his sister Saorsie, and it features a heavy dose of mythology.
Saoirse and Ben discover that Saoirse, who does not speak, is the last of the Selkies, women in Celtic legends who transform from seals into people. And as the last of these mystical creatures, she has a mission: to find her voice and free the fairy creatures who are trapped in the modern world.
Watch the trailer:
Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells) directed the film and talks about his approach to animation in a conversation with Take Two's Alex Cohen.