The 10 Most Important Things In The World Right Now

REUTERS/Ahmad MasoodRussian President Vladimir Putin

Good morning! Here's what you need to know for Thursday. 

1. A second day of mourning is being held for the victims of the Taliban attack on a Peshawar school.

2. Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual end-of-the-year conference at 9 a.m. GMT (4 a.m. ET). 

3. The Russian ruble continues to slide, moving around 3% weaker against the dollar early Thursday. 

4. Sony Pictures has cancelled the Dec. 25 release of "The Interview" after threats by hackers who attacked the studio over the movie. 

5. Meanwhile, US investigators are ready to blame North Korea for the Sony attack. 

6. The US will restore full relations with Cuba after more than 50 years of hostility.

7. An 82-year-old survivor of the Sydney cafe siege has recounted how he escaped to "The Sydney Morning Herald." 

8. Sierra Leone has begun house-to-house searchers in the capital of Freetown to find hidden cases of Ebola. 

9. A new report says Britain's Royal Mail was underpriced by £180 million. 

10. Barclays' chief executive Antony Jenkins has said universal banking is "dead."

And finally ...

The biggest IKEA store in the world just opened in South Korea.