Japan's parliament has cleared the way for the country to play a larger military role. This is by a polls that show most Japanese people oppose any departure from the country's past fixed constitution's limitations on the military following the WWII. From Tokyo, JM says the Upper House has cleared two controversial security bills. “The new laws will allow collective defense, meaning Japan's forces can assist allies abroad even when home soil isn't directly threatened. They've set off one of Japan's most heated debates in recent decades with actual physical scuffles both inside and outside the parliament. Still how the nation's forces will actually be used after the new laws are enacted remains unclear.” NPR's JM reporting.

The Environmental Protection Agency accuses Volkswagen of having been snicky in its bid to boost performance in certain VW and Audi diesel cars by installing software that could circumvent anti-pollution rules. Michigan Radio's TS reports this revelation is likely to cost the automaker dearly. The EPA has issues a notice of violation affecting 482,000 diesel passenger cars in modern years 2009 to 2015. SG is with the EPA's office of enforcement an compliance assurance. Put it simply, these cars contain software that turns off emission controls when driving normally and turns them on when a car is undergoing an emission test.  The notice alleges the software will enable the cars to admit levels of nitrogen oxide up to 40 times the allowable standard. The violation could potentially end up costingVolkswagen several billion dollars and fines. NPR news, I'm TS.

The GOP-led houses has approved two abortion related bills. One blocks federal funding for Planned Parenthood for one year. The other imposes criminal penalties on doctors who don't try to save infants born alive during abortions. NPR's ST says these bills are being used as a sounding board since they are not likely to pass in the senate. These votes were intended to get conservative Republicans a chance to express their anger about the videos accusing Planned Parenthood of selling aborted fetal  issues. But for many people in that *, they say that these measures will not become law. They're symbolic. So they're still interested in using the government's funding bill as leverage to defund PlannedParenthood. NPR's ST. You're listening to NPR news.

Florida A&M University has reached a million dollar settlement with the family of drum major Robert Champion who died after being hazed by fellow band members. * FL, the core question has more. Settlement calls for Champion's parents to drop their negligence lawsuit against the Tallahassee University. In return, the family receives 1.1 million dollars and a formal apology from Florida A&M officials who have also agreed to name the marching band'd new anti-hazing programs after Champion. The 26-year-old drum major died in Nov , 2011 after the band's performance at a annual high state's football game in Orlando. Fellow members pummeled him with fists and mallets aboard a parked bus in a hazing ritual known as Crossing Bus C. In all, 13 people were charged in Champion's death. NQ, NPR news.

Pope Francis is following thorough on a promise to offer refuge to Syrians escaping civil war in their homeland. The Vatican says it's providing sanctuary to a family of four belonging to the Malkai Greek Catholic Church. They've been there for nearly two weeks. Francis called on Catholic parishes, convents and monasteries to do same with other families as tens of thousands of refugees continue to flow toward Western Europe to escape poverty and conflict in their homeland.

Stocks are closing down sharply as investors considered the impact of the Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged for at least another month. At last, * Dow was 290 points at 16385. This is NPR news.