Impact Your World: How you can help

Pakistanis carry anti-Taliban banners during a rally against the attack on Malala Yousafzai in Islamabad on October 10. Malala Yousufzai is a 14-year-old Pakistani activist fighting for the right of girls to go to school Yousufzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for blogging against them Nonproft organizations are working in Pakistan to help girls gain access to education Sign the "I Am Malala" petition or submit an iReport to show your support for Yousufzai (CNN) -- "I have rights. I have the right of education," Malala Yousufzai boldly asserted during an interview with CNN last year. Now the 14-year-old girl from Pakistan is slowly recovering after being shot in the head by the Taliban for blogging against them and defending the right of girls to go to school. Her plight has inspired people far beyond her home in the Taliban-heavy Swat Valley. Large crowds are rallying around the world to show support for Yousufzai and her cause. Before the attack, Yousufzai was in the process of starting a charity, the Malala Education Development Organization, to promote female education in northern Pakistan. Other organizations are also working in the region to turn her dream into a reality for all girls in Pakistan. UNICEF condemned the assault, calling Yousufzai a "courageous voice" who speaks for millions of girls "desperate to receive and education." To make a donation to UNICEF's Stand with Malala campaign and support education programs in Pakistan, visit the organization's website. The Citizens Foundation has worked to improve education in Pakistan since 1995 and started 830 schools, according to the organization's website. The group says it encourages girls to enroll in its schools and works to ensure that approximately half of its students are female. Go online to make a donation. Developments in Literacy also operates schools and provides teacher training in Pakistan. The organization says that more than 17,000 students are enrolled in its schools, approximately 68% of them girls, according to its website. To make a donation in honor of Yousufzai, visit the group's website. Be sure to write "Malala" in the notes. "I Am Malala" is an online petition honoring Yousufzai and calling for Pakistan and countries worldwide to ensure all children have access to the education. The initiative was launched by the Office of the U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education. To sign the petition, visit the website. You can also share your story and promote girls' education on CNN iReport. Girls + Education = #BasicMath is spreading the message that educating girls in developing nations can change the world.

Reports: Teen shot in 'prank that went terribly wrong'

By NBC News staff An Alabama teen was shot in the head by a friend when a prank backfired, NBC station WLBT.com reported.  Jesse Rainey, 15, and seven other teenage boys, were spending the weekend without adult supervision at a rural home in Tuscumbia, AL.com reported. Some of the teens decided to play a prank and flipped the electrical breaker to turn out the lights, AL.com reported. Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May told AL.com that Rainey hid in a closet inside the home as part of the prank. When one of his friends opened the closet door, Rainey jumped out to scare him. The rattled boy fired the .38-caliber handgun, shooting Rainey in the head, according to WAAYTV.com. "This was a close group of young men who decided to play a prank," May told AL.com. "Right now, we're looking at this as an accidental shooting." No charges were filed. Rainey, who is a 10th-grade student at Colbert County Heights High School, is in critical condition at Children's Hospital in Birmingham. According to AL.com, investigators said no drugs or alcohol were involved but "several long guns and handguns" were brought to the home. "We've found no indication that this was planned by anyone," May told TimesDaily.com. "We believe this was a prank that went terribly wrong. We continue to pray for Jesse and his family. We hope he is able to return to his family soon." More content from NBCNews.com: Skateboarders, riot cops clash after movie premiere Police: Two held after tot's drive-by shooting Musician in Jerry Lee Lewis' band killed in Memphis shooting Worker cooked to death at Bumble Bee seafood plant Search for UNH student's body temporarily put on hold Lemonade stand vs. cancer: Boy raises $80,000 to aid research Video: Musical prodigy, 7, next Mozart? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Giant eyeball mystery is solved

Mystery eyeball probably cut from a swordfish by an angler, state wildlife agency says A beachcomber made the unusual find last week in Pompano Beach, Florida (CNN) -- It looks like the big blue eyeball found on a Florida beach last week was cut out of a swordfish hauled in by a deep-sea angler, the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Monday. A beachcomber found the softball-sized eyeball on the sand in Pompano Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, speculating that perhaps it came from a squid. But experts who examined the eyeball made their call of swordfish based on the its size (softball), color (blue) and structure (presumably swordfishy), according to a statement from Joan Herrera, curator of collections at the agency's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg. Based on straight cuts on the bone around the eyeball, Herrera said, experts think an angler cut it out of a swordfish and tossed it overboard. The half-ton fish are frequently found in the Florida Straits off South Florida at this time of year, according to the statement. DNA testing is being done to confirm the finding, the agency said.

Skateboarders, riot police clash after movie premiere

View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. By Michelle Valles and Jason Kandel, NBCLosAngeles.com A mob of skateboarders and skate fans who ran amok through Hollywood Saturday night attracted a swift crackdown by riot police. In a video captured by a driver caught in the middle of the mayhem, skaters are seen vandalizing businesses and throwing bottles, as bystanders can be seen running — a melee that more than 100 Los Angeles police officers in riot gear were deployed to quash. The incident began before 9 p.m., when about 1,500 skaters and skate fans showed up to a theater that only holds 600 people to watch a free premiere of the skateboard movie, "Bake and Destroy." More news from NBCLosAngeles.com Those who were turned away reportedly reacted violently, police said. "I just saw everyone in the street going crazy," witness Huckleberry Hamill said. The caretaker of the Vine Theatre that hosted the event refused to talk to an NBC4 reporter. Jay Mok, the owner of Hollywood Tattoo, which is next door to the theater, said he hid inside his shop while vandals etched his car with the letter A for anarchy. Mok said this is not the first time a melee has broken out at the theater. Also on NBCLosAngeles.com: Long Beach Soldier Killed in Afghanistan "It happened a few years back, a few times," Mok said. "They didn't get into a riot, but ... out of control." Police dispersed about 500 skateboarding fans in less than three hours. No injuries were reported.   Los Angeles Police Sgt. Raul Jovel said several people threw rocks and bottles at officers during the clash. At least two cars were also damaged. More content from NBCNews.com: Worker cooked to death at Bumble Bee seafood plant Search for UNH student's body temporarily put on hold Navy cruiser, submarine collide off East Coast; no injuries reported Lemonade stand vs. cancer: Boy raises $80,000 to aid research Video: Musical prodigy, 7, next Mozart? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Gitmo hearings resume for alleged 9/11 plotters

Associated Press Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged Sept. 11 mastermind, is seen shortly after his capture in Pakistan in this photo taken on March 1, 2003. By NBC News staff and wire reports The alleged plotters behind the September 11 terrorist attacks appeared before a U.S. military judge Monday in Guantanamo Bay as part of a week of pretrial hearings. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of five men accused of orchestrating the 2001 terror attacks that killed 2,976 people in the United States, was back in court after several delays. He was to appear with four other confessed al-Qaida co-conspirators, including Mohammed's Pakistani nephew, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali; Mustafa Al Hawsawi, a Saudi; and Walid Bin Attash and Ramzi Binalshibh, two men from Yemen. The men are charged with conspiring with al-Qaida, attacking civilians and civilian targets, murder in violation of the laws of war, destruction of property, hijacking and terrorism. All five could face the death penalty if convicted. The families of people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks were invited to military installations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York City to watch the pretrial hearings on closed-circuit television, NBCNewYork.com reported. Delayed by months of scheduling conflicts, religious observances, a hurricane threat and an Internet outage, Judge Army Colonel James Pohl ruled on Oct. 5 there would be no further postponements to the trial. Monday's pretrial hearings were expected to focus on secrecy issues during the trial. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter Defense attorneys want to abolish a "presumptive classification" process that treats any discussion of what happened to the defendants during their interrogation in CIA prisons before they were transferred to Guantanamo as a top secret. Despite President Obama's vow to shut down Guantanamo Bay, the nation's most expensive prison is undergoing some costly new updates that would allow the facility to remain open for years. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports. Judge Pohl was also expected to hear requests from news organizations on limiting closed courtrooms for secret sessions and be asked to decide whether the U.S. Constitution governs tribunals held at the U.S. base in Cuba. Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com A hearing in July was postponed to allow the defendants to observe the holy month of Ramadan. Hearings in August were delayed when an Internet outage left the lawyers unable to access their electronic legal documents. That hearing was later cancelled altogether as Tropical Storm Isaac approached. The storm caused no damage to the base. A hearing scheduled for late September were also delayed because the work space for the defense lawyers were shut down due to a rat infestation and mold, which lawyers claimed were making them sick, Reuters reported. John Moore / Getty Images President Obama's one-year deadline to close the facility has long passed as shutting it down has proven complicated and controversial. Reuters contributed to this report.  More content from NBCNews.com: Skateboarders, riot cops clash after movie premiere Police: Two held after tot's drive-by shooting Musician in Jerry Lee Lewis' band killed in Memphis shooting Worker cooked to death at Bumble Bee seafood plant Search for UNH student's body temporarily put on hold Lemonade stand vs. cancer: Boy raises $80,000 to aid research Video: Musical prodigy, 7, next Mozart? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Gitmo hearings set to begin for alleged 9/11 plotters

Associated Press Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged Sept. 11 mastermind, is seen shortly after his capture in Pakistan in this photo taken on March 1, 2003. By NBC News staff and wire reports The alleged plotters behind the September 11 terrorist attacks are set to appear before a U.S. military judge Monday in Guantanamo Bay as part of a week of pretrial hearings. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of five men accused of orchestrating the 2001 terror attacks that killed 2,976 people in the U.S., will be back in court after several delays. With him will be four other confessed al-Qaida co-conspirators, including Mohammed's Pakistani nephew, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, Mustafa Al Hawsawi, a Saudi and Walid Bin Attash and Ramzi Binalshibh, two men from Yemen. The men are charged with conspiring with al-Qaida, attacking civilians and civilian targets, murder in violation of the laws of war, destruction of property, hijacking and terrorism. All five could face the death penalty if convicted. The families of people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks have been invited to military installations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York City to watch the pretrial hearings on closed-circuit television, NBCNewYork.com reported. Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter Delayed by months of scheduling conflicts, religious observances, a hurricane threat and an Internet outage, Judge Army Colonel James Pohl ruled on Oct. 5 there would be no further postponements to the trial. Monday's pretrial hearings are expected to focus on secrecy issues during the trial. Defense attorneys want to abolish a "presumptive classification" process that treats any discussion of what happened to the defendants during their interrogation in CIA prisons before they were transferred to Guantanamo as a top secret. Despite President Obama's vow to shut down Guantanamo Bay, the nation's most expensive prison is undergoing some costly new updates that would allow the facility to remain open for years. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports. Judge Pohl will also hear requests from news organizations on limiting closed courtrooms for secret sessions and be asked to decide whether the U.S. Constitution governs tribunals held at the U.S. base in Cuba. Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com A hearing in July was postponed to allow the defendants to observe the holy month of Ramadan. Hearings in August were delayed when an Internet outage left the lawyers unable to access their electronic legal documents. That hearing was later cancelled altogether as Tropical Storm Isaac approached. The storm caused no damage to the base. A hearing scheduled for late September were also delayed because the work space for the defense lawyers were shut down due to a rat infestation and mold, which lawyers claimed were making them sick, Reuters reported. There have been no hearings in the case since 2008 when the five men were arraigned on revised charges, according to Reuters.  John Moore / Getty Images President Obama's one-year deadline to close the facility has long passed as shutting it down has proven complicated and controversial. Reuters contributed to this report.  More content from NBCNews.com: Worker cooked to death at Bumble Bee seafood plant Search for UNH student's body temporarily put on hold Navy cruiser, submarine collide off East Coast; no injuries reported Lemonade stand vs. cancer: Boy raises $80,000 to aid research Video: Musical prodigy, 7, next Mozart? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Cops: Two held over tot's drive-by shooting

By NBCConnecticut.com Two people have been arrested in connection with the drive-by shooting of 16-month-old boy last week, New Haven police said. A stray bullet hit Tramire Miller in the abdomen while he was sitting with family on the front stoop of a home on Kensington St. on October 10.  He was rushed to surgery and has since been released from the hospital. Police said they believe the two suspects are members or associates of the Grape Street Crips based in New Haven and the shooting stemmed from a feud with a rival gang. More news from NBCConnecticut.com Tramire's father, Timothy Miller, said he does not believe his son was targeted, but does not feel safe in his neighborhood. "I think he was just caught in the middle of a cross-fire that anybody could've gotten hit," Timothy Miller said. "I'm not comfortable now, letting him out of my sight. It's serious." Police have also seized two guns that were allegedly fired during the drive-by. New Haven Police said that they expect to make more arrests in connection with this incident. More content from NBCNews.com: Worker cooked to death at Bumble Bee seafood plant Search for UNH student's body temporarily put on hold Navy cruiser, submarine collide off East Coast; no injuries reported Lemonade stand vs. cancer: Boy raises $80,000 to aid research Video: Musical prodigy, 7, next Mozart? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook