From NPR news in Washington, I'm Jack Speer.Hitting the Reset button on federal education policy, president Obama has sighed the Every Student Succeeds Act. It noted how rare it is to have both democrats and republicans in congress on the same side. A Christmas miracle, a bipartisan bill-signing right here, so.. NPR's KT says the new law replaces the 2002 No Child Left Behind measure, puts the decision-making power in the hands of states while still requiring public school students to take federal math and reading assessment exams. Before the signing, president Obama said NCOB's goals including high standards, accountability and closing the achievement gap were the right ones but in practice he said the law fell short. It often forced schools and school districts into cookie-cutter reforms that didn't always produce the kinds of results that we wanted to see. Obama and lawmakers hoped this rewrite which gives states more say and how they judge and fix their struggling schools will make produce these results. KT, NPR news Washington.

Senate penal is taking an exception to GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump's plan to bar all Muslims from entering the US. Senate judiciary committee by a 16-4 vote endorsing a non-binding resolution. It says taking such actions based on individual's religion would be unAmerican. The non-binding amendment was put forth by Vermont democraticPatrick Leahy. Among the four republicans who opposed the resolution, Taxes senator Ted Cruz who was also a presidential contender. Cruz voted by proxy. A new report  released today by republicans on the house-armed services committee is accusing the Obama administration of breaking the law last year when it freed  army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity. As NPR's DW reports the accusation centers on how five Taliban captives were swapped for Bergdahl. The 98-page Patriotic report says the Obama administration broke a staturial law when it freed five Taliban captives from Guantanamo in exchange for sergeant Bergdahl without heaving first notified congress 30 days in advance. The report also contends that prisoner swap was designed to raid Guantanamo of some its most dangerous and problematic detainees. Democrats on the penal dismissed the report calling it awfully unbalanced and in expression of shrill demagoguery. Its release comes just as the popular podcast serial begin its news series on Bergdahl . He was been in  a court-martial on charges of desertion.DW, NPR news, Washington.

Police officials now say an armed man who drove to the center of the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro today is in custody. Spokesman for the Jonesboro Police department confirmed that negotiator and an tactical team were at the scene. No reports of any shots fired or injuries, the school has been locked down for much of the day though. Stocks after three straight losing sessions closed higher today. The Dow up 82 points to 17574. The NASDAQ rose 22 points. You're listening to NPR.

According to the US officials, airstrikes over the past week in the Iraqi city of Ramadi have killed up 350 fighters with the IS. The group also known as ISIS took over the city about 7 months ago. US military spokesman Col. Steve telling reporters datas by the airstrikes, groups still hold much central part of the city though Iraqi government forces have been making progress. Separately, US defense secretary Ash Cater admitted the progress of retaking the city has been slow but he said there was no doubt R will be retaken. The Vatican has released a document that Catholics must not attempt to covert Jews. NPR's SP reports the document comes on the 50th anniversary of statement from the second Vatican council that revolutionized catholic-jewish relations after 2000 years of tension. The new document states that due to the jewish roots of christianity catholic dialogue with Judaism  can not in any way be compared with dialogue with other world religions. It says Jesus can only be understood in the Jewish context of his time. The condiment was drafted by the Vatican Commission for religious relations with Jews. The commission was created following the release half a century ago of the ground-breaking document called Nostra Aetate in our times. That document repudiated the idea of collective jewish guilt for Jesus's death. The new document says that from a detached coexistence, catholics and Jews have arrived at a deep friendship and it says catholics must refrain from active attempts to convert Jews. SJ, NPR news in Rome. Crude oil futures prices move lower today. The price of oil down 40 cents a barrel to end the session at 3676 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Speer. NPR news in Washington.From NPR news in Washington, I'm Jack Speer.Hitting the Reset button on federal education policy, president Obama has sighed the Every Student Succeeds Act. It noted how rare it is to have both democrats and republicans in congress on the same side. A Christmas miracle, a bipartisan bill-signing right here, so.. NPR's KT says the new law replaces the 2002 No Child Left Behind measure, puts the decision-making power in the hands of states while still requiring public school students to take federal math and reading assessment exams. Before the signing, president Obama said NCOB's goals including high standards, accountability and closing the achievement gap were the right ones but in practice he said the law fell short. It often forced schools and school districts into cookie-cutter reforms that didn't always produce the kinds of results that we wanted to see. Obama and lawmakers hoped this rewrite which gives states more say and how they judge and fix their struggling schools will make produce these results. KT, NPR news Washington.

Senate penal is taking an exception to GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump's plan to bar all Muslims from entering the US. Senate judiciary committee by a 16-4 vote endorsing a non-binding resolution. It says taking such actions based on individual's religion would be unAmerican. The non-binding amendment was put forth by Vermont democraticPatrick Leahy. Among the four republicans who opposed the resolution, Taxes senator Ted Cruz who was also a presidential contender. Cruz voted by proxy. A new report  released today by republicans on the house-armed services committee is accusing the Obama administration of breaking the law last year when it freed  army sergeant Bowe Bergdahl from Taliban captivity. As NPR's DW reports the accusation centers on how five Taliban captives were swapped for Bergdahl. The 98-page Patriotic report says the Obama administration broke a staturial law when it freed five Taliban captives from Guantanamo in exchange for sergeant Bergdahl without heaving first notified congress 30 days in advance. The report also contends that prisoner swap was designed to raid Guantanamo of some its most dangerous and problematic detainees. Democrats on the penal dismissed the report calling it awfully unbalanced and in expression of shrill demagoguery. Its release comes just as the popular podcast serial begin its news series on Bergdahl . He was been in  a court-martial on charges of desertion.DW, NPR news, Washington.

Police officials now say an armed man who drove to the center of the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro today is in custody. Spokesman for the Jonesboro Police department confirmed that negotiator and an tactical team were at the scene. No reports of any shots fired or injuries, the school has been locked down for much of the day though. Stocks after three straight losing sessions closed higher today. The Dow up 82 points to 17574. The NASDAQ rose 22 points. You're listening to NPR.

According to the US officials, airstrikes over the past week in the Iraqi city of Ramadi have killed up 350 fighters with the IS. The group also known as ISIS took over the city about 7 months ago. US military spokesman Col. Steve telling reporters datas by the airstrikes, groups still hold much central part of the city though Iraqi government forces have been making progress. Separately, US defense secretary Ash Cater admitted the progress of retaking the city has been slow but he said there was no doubt R will be retaken. The Vatican has released a document that Catholics must not attempt to covert Jews. NPR's SP reports the document comes on the 50th anniversary of statement from the second Vatican council that revolutionized catholic-jewish relations after 2000 years of tension. The new document states that due to the jewish roots of christianity catholic dialogue with Judaism  can not in any way be compared with dialogue with other world religions. It says Jesus can only be understood in the Jewish context of his time. The condiment was drafted by the Vatican Commission for religious relations with Jews. The commission was created following the release half a century ago of the ground-breaking document called Nostra Aetate in our times. That document repudiated the idea of collective jewish guilt for Jesus's death. The new document says that from a detached coexistence, catholics and Jews have arrived at a deep friendship and it says catholics must refrain from active attempts to convert Jews. SJ, NPR news in Rome. Crude oil futures prices move lower today. The price of oil down 40 cents a barrel to end the session at 3676 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Speer. NPR news in Washington.