Today about him to the Senate Judiciary Committee barred old senators yesterday that special counsel Robert Muller's investigation into Russian election interference is not a witch hunt as President Trump has frequently claimed a terror attack on a luxury hotel in Nairobi Kenya is over Kenya's president who Kenyatta says 14 people were killed including an American and several more were injured over the 2 day attack he says that all the militants were killed but Kenyan officials won't stop there we will seek out every person that was involved in the funding. Planning and execution of this he kept the Somali militant group al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility this is the same group that attacked a shopping mall in Nairobi in 2013 leaving 67 people dead a Pentagon report asserts that China is on the cusp of fielding some of the world's most advanced weapons systems N.P.R.'s Rob Schmitz has this report an unclassified report by the Defense Intelligence Agency says Beijing has made enormous military strides in recent years thanks partly to domestic laws forcing foreign partners to divulge technical secrets in exchange for gaining access to China's market as a result China is now the leading edge of a range of technologies including medium an intermediate range missiles and Hypersonic weapons which can fly many times the speed of sound and dodge missile defense systems speaking to Pentagon reporters a senior defense intelligence official said he was worried China's military is now advanced enough that its generals feel confident they could invade Taiwan Beijing has said it would not hesitate to use force if Taipei formally declares independence or in the case of external intervention including by the u.s. The islands most powerful ally Rob Schmitz n.p.r. News this is n.p.r. . New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has formed an exploratory committee setting up a White House campaign she announced the news Tuesday on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert saying she was going to run Jill Brown has plans to travel to Iowa this week the state that holds the 1st presidential caucuses a legal complaint alleges that the family behind drugmaker Purdue Pharma knew that its opioid painkiller Oxycontin was dangerous the complaint alleges they continue to aggressively promote and sell it for member station w.b. You are in Boston Deborah Becker has more the complaint from Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healy marks the 1st time a state has personally named members of the Sackler family in a lawsuit over the opioid epidemic Healy alleges that although the Sackler is new about the dangers of opioid painkillers the company pushed for more sales lobbied for opioid legislation and financially supported some Massachusetts universities and hospitals so they would promote produce painkillers produced statement claims that Healy is trying to quote They'll if I think a manufacturer rather than doing the hard work of trying to solve a complex public health crisis for n.p.r. News I'm Deborah Becker in Boston protests continue in Zimbabwe over last weekend surprise fuel tax increases now Zimbabwe and police have arrested a prominent pastor and activist Evan Mowery who organized national protests in 2016 against then President Robert Mugabe is accused of organizing new protests this is n.p.r. Support for n.p.r. Comes from n.p.r. Stations other contributors include Progressive Insurance with the name your price tool offering a range of coverage and price options to choose from now that's progressive more at progressive dot com or 1800 progressive and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting . It's 6 minutes past the hour here on Morning Edition on High Plains Public Radio coming up at 20 minutes past the hour is your original news and you know you don't want to miss that so stick around looks like the forecast for the high plains is all over the place today it's going to range from sunny all the way to cloudy with highs anywhere from the lower forty's to the mid sixty's tonight will be somewhere in between clear and mostly cloudy low they'll be in the mid twenty's to the mid thirty's in Northwest Kansas northeast Colorado it'll be mostly cloudy with a high near 45 tonight mostly cloudy then gradually becoming mostly clear low around 26 in north central Kansas patchy freezing fog before noon there's going to be a chance of snow it'll be cloudy with a high near 30 tonight mostly cloudy low around 24 in southeast Colorado partly sunny with a high near 57 tonight partly cloudy low around 23 in southwest Kansas mostly cloudy with a high near 41 tonight mostly cloudy low around 26 in the Oklahoma Panhandle partly sunny with a high near 56 tonight partly cloudy low around 30 and in the Texas panhandle sunny with a high near 60 for the night clear with a low around 36 support for High Plains Public Radio comes from Finney County c.v. Be enhancing the economic benefit and quality of life in southwest Kansas through visitors spending and public relations more at any county c.b. Dot com. This is Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm David Greene in Culver City California and I'm Steve Inskeep in Washington d.c. Here are some of the questions u.s. Senators opposing to William Barr they are questions to the nominee to serve as attorney general overseeing an investigation into Russia's election support for President Trump do you believe Mr Moller would be involved in which China against anybody will you commit to ensuring that special counsel Moeller is not terminated without good cause consistent with department regulation will you commit to make. Public all of the report's conclusions the report even if some of the Avid in supporting those conclusions can't leave made public Those are the questions here are some of the answers from William Barr gray haired bespectacled articulate with the comfort level of someone who has been attorney general before I don't I don't believe Mr Miller would would be involved in a witch hunt spoke less definitely about whether he would let the public know what Mr Moller finds that certainly is my goal and intent. It's hard for me to conceive of a conclusion. That would. You know run afoul of the regs as currently written but that's certainly my intent today witnesses offer their views on William Barr including Jonathan Turley law professor at George Washington University who has represented William Barr he's been a lawyer for the guy who is angling to be the nation's top lawyer surely welcome back the program thanks Steve should William Barbee confirmed absolutely he's really the perfect person at this time to take over the Justice Department this is a department that has taken a lot of hits under the waterline this has been a very difficult 2 years and to bring in someone like Barr will introduce not just a record of integrity but someone who could bring real stability to that department although let's be clear here as Democrats have pointed out wrote Not many months ago an unsolicited memo to multiple people around President Trump including the president's lawyers raising concerns about the Muller investigation making it clear that he is skeptical of some aspects of it well I think he specifically raise concerns about one aspect of the investigation that is how to interpret one of the obstruction provisions and how it might impact the Department of Justice he actually supports the Russian vessel has never criticized it and he also supported the appointment of Muller who he's known for many years so his objection in that memo was to how to interpret what is an ambiguous provision of the absurd obstruction statute as it applies to it to a president and he actually says in that memo that he believes a president can be charged with crimes in office and that includes obstruction but if he's writing a memo on soliciting a volunteer ring for the defense team I don't I don't want to quite put it that way but volunteer him to help the president or if he has been doing that can he be independent Why don't think he actually volunteered to to be Its be on the team for the president he is the president called him in it and a friend of the president asked if he'd be. In joining the team and are actually declined a bar actually has contacted as have former other former Justice officials their colleagues and department things concern them he did there for Senator Menendez is case that is he has no connection to Senator Menendez but he contacted Justice officials that he was concerned about the interpretation used to prosecute Senator Menendez Now this is a Democratic senator from New Jersey who was tried on corruption charges but remains in office at this time does it seem in some way automatic The President Trump would be reaching out for someone his attorney general hoping he would tamp down the investigation this is something that the president explicitly said again and again and again and again and again that he wanted officials in the Justice Department to do well I can't speak to what the president hoped for but I can't speak to what he got as was clear in the testimony from General Barr he has no intention of ending this investigation he says he fully intends to ensure that Miller completes his investigation that he gets the resources he needs and he also said that he wants to make available as to the largest extent possible any report that Miller produces How does William Barr in your experience having dealt with them how does he address the complexities of the law the moral complexities the legal complexities the political complexities of. You know people refer to him as a lawyer as a lawyer and that's true is one of the best lawyers I've ever known he's a tough client to have I remember when I was doing the brief in the litigation during the Clinton period I was representing a number of its former attorneys general but he called me from about 30000 feet from his plane at Bow to in the morning to say that I did a good job but there was a typo in footnote 30 terror. I had I had 20 people read that thing but only bill Barr found a typo and footnote $32.00 Ok so if he's confirmed people at the Justice Department had better have spell check on that oh yeah thing does it feel to. Jonathan Turley that in this time of stress that the system is holding up I think it is and I believe that our Could be the solution that the department is looking for he's respected by everyone he's a lawyer nerd that's reason he wrote that memo you know I know that because I'm a lawyer and I serve with 80 other lawyers I heat and so I think he could be just the right person at the right time he really has a deep affection and connection for the Justice Department and he at this point in his career he would jeopardize either his legacy or that department so I think that you have to give Trump credit that he picks someone that's the right person at the right time Jonathan Turley thanks for your comments really appreciate it thank you he's a criminal defense attorney and law professor. America imprisons more people than any other nation and for those who get released after a long sentence re-entry can be tough especially finding affordable stable housing housing is often one of the biggest barriers to ex inmates finding a decent job and getting their life back on track while one group here in California is trying to change that with a 1st of its kind program you might call it Air b. And b. For the formerly incarcerated Here's N.P.R.'s Eric Westervelt. If I can work I think it's a Friday night Jason Jones is kicking back on a couch in his Oakland apartment with a roommate to make. They're laughing about how to make a recently duped him into what he thought would be a regular gym workout Oh oh she got yo good she tricked me. What made it really jarring this was Jason's 1st full day free after serving 14 years in California prisons. Our dog that's a good one you don't want to be in a prison. Bars the 2nd day out. And I'll look over those. Grandmamma's why. This is not. Laughing about a workout that wasn't it's all normal life with roommates kind of stuff but all this is a new normal for the 35 year old who grew up in and out of foster care and group homes in America today most of those getting out of prison after a long sentence are offered some kind of transitional housing that often involves communal living in cramped quarters with other ex convicts there usually curfews limits on visitors and other prison like rules and restrictions but this pilot program has none of that called the Homecoming Project to make owner boyfriend Joe Klein or sharing their apartment with Jason and his rent is paid for by the nonprofit group impact justice call it the social justice sharing economy Homecoming Project says. You're a person we're going to treat you like a person and we're going to give you the footholds and the scaffolding you need to be able to come back home and to be a full member of society just like anybody else that's Alex Buzinski impact justices president the former Justice Department lawyer looked at the landscape and saw a huge need and nothing innovative out there for former inmate housing group carefully screens both home host and ex inmate to make sure it's a good housing match there's also training and follow up support the experiment launched just a few months ago with 6 former inmates paired with local families around the Bay Area Buzinski says one of the biggest obstacles to expanding finding enough hosts there's fear is apprehension there's a sense of the unknown and so it's hard to tell people this is a great idea and you should go try to bring a stranger getting out of prison into your home not a conversation that most people are used to having but it's a conversation Buzinski thinks America has to have especially now as a bipartisan national movement tries to unwind decades of drug war fueled mass incarceration Jason's path to prison is a familiar one absent parents in and out of trouble with police in and out of foster and group homes starting at age 8 all on a household I've been in. Since there's some kind of abuse either to mislead our belief physically whatever it was and. Drug use in a household like. He joined a gang at age 11 eventually Jason served 14 years in prison for felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon he was 20 Jason learned to code in prison so he had a software job waiting for him when he got out but he didn't have a home so when he faced his release date he worried the Homecoming Project was some kind of adult foster care another dead end but after living with to make own Joe for a few months Jason says it's really the only stable home he's ever known. On its 1st time I feel like I seen a healthy relationship between I been a household has a relationship it's 1st time I. Felt like I'm actually part of a family you know me like Salzburg it is like it is like a lot of things I didn't expect Jason reunited with his son and a daughter but he's still trying to reconnect and get custody of another daughter who's now in foster care it's complicated it's hard but me going Joe with support from impact justice have helped them navigate it all to me Go says she feels like Jason has helped me as much as I've helped him think we just have a really strong friendship you know I don't feel like I'm helping a stranger you know feel like i'm just have a friend with me and I feel kind of weird even say that we are programmed because it doesn't really like it just feels she says like lights Westervelt n.p.r. News. This is n.p.r. News Brian Beyrle here thanks for joining me this morning for Morning Edition on High Plains Public Radio it's 6 19 am central right now and I'll have a weather report for you at about half past the hour right now here's some local news. In regional news Democrat Laura Kelly used her inaugural speech Monday to call for bipartisanship but as Jim McLean of the Kansas news service reports it appears she's already on a collision course with Republican leaders on the thorny issue of taxes Kelly won the governor's race on a promise to fix the damage she says was done to the state by the budget crisis caused by former Republican governor Sam Brownback to tax cuts and she'd like to work with Republicans to get that done let the insults and finger pointing give way to compromise and a handshake but right out of the gate g.o.p. Leaders including House would order these are Dan Hawkins are preparing to test Kelly by calling for the return of millions of dollars collected by the state because of federal tax changes there she doesn't go along with it she can raise taxes Kelly doesn't see it that way she has other priorities for the estimated $90000000.00 include another boost in public school funding to fully comply with a Kansas Supreme Court order for the Kansas new service I'm Jim McLean in Topeka support comes from Amarillo symphony presenting Tchaikovsky piano concert number one Giacomo biros conducting and featuring Orion Weiss on piano January 18th the 19th 7 30 pm at the Globe News Center Emeril o symphony dot org. As a kid I kept a transistor radio on the pillow beside me at night listening to magical voices from far off places like John records bland decker or Larry King that all night magic is still here with b.b.c. Overnight but corm Commonwealth Club and so many others I'm Steve Johnson producer and host of Open Range here on High Plains Public Radio I'm also a member listener and I still keep the radio on and not. Support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from Subaru featuring the all new 3 row ascent with seating for up to 8 and a choice of 2nd row captains chairs love it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru learn more at Subaru dot com. From campaign monitor and e-mail marketing platform used by more than 200000 customers worldwide with email templates to drag and drop e-mail editor and 247 customer service more at campaign Monitor dot com and from Staples with organization solutions for business including calendars file folders and storage bins for getting businesses ready for the New Year Maurits staple stores or Staples dot com staples. This is Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm David Greene and I'm Steve Inskeep women opposed to President Trump in his policies face a challenge 2 years ago they organized one of the largest protest days in American history the 1st women's March came the day after the presidential inauguration Now organizers are struggling to stay unified So the 3rd annual March this Saturday is seen as a test just as the presidential campaign begins N.P.R.'s as the holiday reports in g.b.m. It was a woman who didn't pay attention to politics much sure she voted but that's about it during the 2016 campaign though she started noticing troubling Facebook posts my family were starting to be racist and saying horrible things and I didn't recognize them if you felt like Donald Trump was empowering people to be mean and so when he won she decided she had to do something she became the president of the Washington state chapter of the women's March but at the end of this month that group is dissolving beem says it's because of the national leadership there anti-Semitic I mean they claim they are but they are they're being racist the accusations are a long and complicated story in a nutshell one of the founders of the national March attended an event last year with Louis Farrakhan the leader of the Nation of Islam he's known to spout anti-Semitic slurs but his defenders say he and his group have done a lot of positive things for people of color in poor communities another founder Linda source Toure has been an outspoken critic of the United States' relationship with Israel and being found her opinions troubling to Stuart denies any allegations of anti-Semitism She says the women's movement let alone the Democratic Party has never been a united front I think the women's March is actually reflective of this idea that you can create a big tent but that doesn't mean that the people inside of the tent are always going to agree on everything and in fact they might have very public fights about. The things that they don't agree with stars who are says the idea of creating a multiracial women's movement is new and so the fact that people are trying it even if it is messy is progress she says it's what the Democratic Party needs to focus on in 2020 and any Allison a progressive activist from the Bay Area agrees if you look at women of colors. In this last election women of color and black women in particular delivered for Democrats most Allison and say the party needs to put issues like racial justice and immigration at the center of the debate but let me Erickson has some alternative advice she's with the centrist Democratic think tank 3rd Way I think the biggest lesson is that beating Trump can concentrate the mind a lot of Democratic activists say you keep the big tent united by focusing on a common foe Eriksen says the Democrats inherently have a harder job keeping everyone satisfied because the party is just more ideologically and demographically diverse than the g.o.p. She says the strength of that 1st March back in 2017 was that women were protesting for all kinds of different things under one umbrella I think the women's March was 1 of those things that was kind of like Barack Obama it could mean to you whatever you wanted it to mean that's a lesson Erickson hopes the Democratic Party as it heads into 2020 Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg says all this talk about a schism in the women's March is elitist and kind of irrelevant to most women who are just frustrated by the president I'm not dismissing or diminishing some of those divisions and it may lead to. Some people as a whole other swath of let's engage people who just want to come out and March Cherry Masson is one of those women she leads a local indivisible group in a conservative Detroit suburb we decided that the women's March was larger was bigger than a small group. Of people that were organizing it and so she's still planning to go mass and says the March encouraged people who had never volunteered for an election before to make calls and knock on doors during the midterms it answered that question that people had the morning after the election what can I do oh my gosh we have to do something and I think it sort of gave us that something and she says even in her little group of women there are disagreements but what keeps them together is an urgency to defeat Donald Trump a small college n.p.r. News are you may have seen it by now there is this viral video of a 21 year old u.c.l.a. Gymnast earning a perfect 10 performing. Live it just seems impossible she sticks every landing she dances effortlessly and bounces across the floor her name is Caitlin Ohashi and effortless is really the word she's out there and just looks joyful I mean. Honestly when you see her it's like the happiness that you get when you see a puppy that's Caitlin a high she's Valerie condo's field or coach Valley as she is called as the head coach of the u.c.l.a. Gymnastics team she just exudes goodness and love and joy Caitlin Ahau she has devoted her life to gymnastics before joining u.c.l.a. She was a teenaged Olympic hopeful who seemed destined to earn a spot on Team USA This is unbelievable to watch this. I just tried. I but the elite level came at a price not just the injuries but the body shaming the cutthroat competition that left her questioning her self-worth Caitlin won it out and she introduced herself to coach Val said she was looking for a new start this time at the college level and I remember asking her Caitlin when was the last time and she just loved gymnastics and she had just won the American Cup So she was the greatest genius in the world and she said I lost my love for the sport when I was 11. She was miserable. A different way I realized that I had to earn her trust that I cared about her as a human being. And I I cared about her in spite of her. It shows in that video during her. Smile. Because after 30 years as a coach for you see. That . He. This is n.p.r. News if you're looking for a unique way to support. Thank incident go dating your car or truck motorcycle or boat were able to continue to make a difference in public radio on the high plains because of donors like you. Org today. In the rolling. Of $1.64 of course $42.00. Dollars. $40.00. For him. At 340 for the morning report. The. Public Radio has been serving areas of the high plains for nearly 40 years as a result of contributing members who. Are into the future one pledge joined a mission. Org. Live from n.p.r. News in Washington I'm Dave Mattingly Kenya's president who ruled Kenyatta is vowing to track down those behind the planning and funding of yesterday's deadly attack at an upscale hotel in shopping complex in Nairobi it left 14 people dead including one American militants with the Somali based al Shabaab terrorist group are claiming responsibility the assault began with explosions and gunfire in lasted 20 hours more than $700.00 people were evacuated during the siege it's unclear how many militants were involved Kenyatta says Each was a limb unaided npr's Haider Peralta says the hotel's security is being examined that hotel had 2 checkpoints it had lots of security it had metal detectors 6 years ago militants attacked a shopping center in the same Nairobi neighborhood killing 67 the partial government shutdown is in its 4th week with President Trump and congressional Democrats still far apart on the issue of funding a border wall Here's N.P.R.'s Windsor Johnston Democrats on Tuesday turned down and nother invitation from the White House to continue negotiations and really appear no closer to approving Trump's multibillion dollar demand for a border while the administration is also refusing to back down saying a wall is the only effective way to protect the border this is n.p.r. News from Washington. The i.r.s. Is recalling about $46000.00 furloughed federal workers to deal with tax returns they won't be paid as long as the partial government shutdown continues hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed are working without pay the special counsel investigating Russian election interference says Paul man a Ford breached his plea agreement by lying to prosecutors multiple times and P.R.'s Carrie Johnson reports in new court papers Robert Muller's team says the former Trump campaign chairman has been misleading authorities almost since he reached a plea deal last year Paul man of Fort met with investigators 12 times and testified in front of a grand jury twice prosecutors say a man for lying about his contacts with a business associate the f.b.i. Has linked to Russian intelligence and about his contacts with people in the Trump administration which continued into 2018 after Mina Ford had been charged with crimes man for to set any misstatements were honest mistakes because he's been suffering from depression and get out alternately it's up to Judge Amy Jackson to determine whether man afford voided his plea deal and how severely to punish him Carrie Johnson n.p.r. News Washington striking public school teachers in Los Angeles are being urged to return to the bargaining table has their walkout enters its 3rd day no new talks are scheduled about 159000 students were absent from the classrooms yesterday I'm Dave Mattingly n.p.r. News in Washington would like the forecast for the high plains all over the place today it's going to rain from sunny all the way to cloudy with highs anywhere in the lower 40 to the mid sixty's tonight it'll be somewhere in between clear and mostly cloudy low they'll be in the mid twenty's to the mid thirty's. In northwest Kansas northeast Colorado it'll be mostly cloudy with a high of near $45.00 tonight mostly cloudy then gradually becoming mostly clear low around $26.00 in north central Kansas patchy freezing fog before noon there's going to be a chance of snow it will be cloudy with a high of near 30 tonight mostly cloudy low around 24. In southeast Colorado partly sunny with a high near 57 tonight partly cloudy low around 23 in southwest Kansas mostly cloudy with a high near 41 tonight mostly cloudy low around 26 in the Oklahoma Panhandle partly sunny with a high near 56 tonight partly cloudy low around 30 and in the Texas panhandle sunny with a high near 64 tonight clear with a low around 36 support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from indeed used by over 3000000 businesses for hiring where employers can post jobs and use screener questions to build their shortlist of preferred candidates learn more it indeed dot com slash hire and from Capt Terra for helping people find the right software for their business from Project Management to yoga studio software users can read reviews and compare solutions across hundreds of software categories more at Cap Tara dot com It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm Steve Inskeep in Washington and I'm David Greene in Culver City California Iowa Congressman Steve King is facing more pressure to quit the Republican has been under fire for questioning why terms like white nationalist and white supremacist are offensive in his own state the editorial board of The Des Moines Register it now says King can no longer affectively represent his constituents we have one of King's colleagues with us this morning it's Utah Republican John Curtis welcome to the program Congressman thank you David should Steve King quit his job. Well let me before you can go into that let me just say 1st of all under no circumstances are these comments appropriate nor should they be tolerated and I think that begs the question of what how do we how do we make sure that happens I'm very pleased in the actions of Kevin McCarthy to take away his committee assignments I think that has wide support in the Republican Congress. Very powerful it's very powerful most and I think it shows that Republicans want to police themselves and we ourselves see this behavior is not appropriate but should he leave is just a quit so this is interesting because he was only elected by just several months ago and in my opinion those are the people who need to hold him accountable and that he should be responsive to to to their wishes and I think you mentioned that the paper was calling for the nation and to me. He was elected by those people he represents those people he needs to respond to what they're asking them to do although you said it's important to police yourself as as fellow members of Congress and I mean you have heard you talk colleague Chris toward a fellow Republican senator Mitt Romney from your state both saying he should quit what why are you I mean are you less offended by what King said than they are no no not at all not at all as. If you if you want a straight up and down answer I would ask him to resign what I'm telling you is far more important than what I think is what I always thinks. You're saying you would ask him to resign so you yourself as John Curtis are calling for him to resign but saying that it's it's up to voters to actually make that happen is that fair so David. I see what you're trying to do and I'm in your baiting me and I'm not trying to I'm not trying to dodge you nor does the debate in my opinion it would be great to be appropriate for him to be Zone I don't think it I don't think my opinion matters I think I was opinion matters they're the ones who just so number one he represents Ok obviously let our listeners parse what you're saying but but it I do want to move on to another topic and that is that is the government shutdown many of your fellow Republican House members were invited to the White House yesterday Democrats did not show up at that meeting Have you heard if there was any progress made at all on the shutdown in this conversation with the president I have not heard but I can tell you this what happened there represents why we're in where we are Democrats are unwilling to even talk they're on willing to discuss something they have previously supported. I hear lots of room for movement on the president's side that's what needs to happen on both sides of this shutdown is not good in any way shape or form it's a turtle tool that we use as a government I don't like it a bit what movement are you hearing from the president I mean he's been so firm in saying he wants money for that border wall period I mean what what movement these. Sorts of move but he's he's he's willing to change the type of barrier it is. He's willing to add in things like humanitarian assistance immigration judges. Better facilities at the border has really given the Democrats everything they have asked for they just haven't hardly asked for anything and so my point is they need to step up and ask for something. That moves the pressure to the president but at this point they're not asking for anything Republican Congressman John Curtis from Utah joining us this morning we appreciate your time Congressman thanks you bet. Students in Los Angeles have a new routine when they arrive at schools in the morning they're greeted by their teachers picketing outside. But. They're striking because the teachers union in the district failed to negotiate a new contract so what is happening inside the schools N.P.R.'s Allison networking is in l.a. With the story at this to middle school students are in the classrooms they're grouped by grade in the gym and in the auditorium all I need here now both Charlene Martinez a vice principal is teaching close to 157th graders Ok we're all transitioning to man she passes out a worksheet it's about shapes and spatial awareness my credentials in English but covering the man who are. Very challenging she's eager to have this teacher strike over I mean I'm hardly getting any time to eat breathe go to the bathroom so yeah but it's it's been very easy only about a half of the student body came to school on Tuesday. The principal Joan are Julie leads us down what's usually the 8th grade corridor today classrooms are empty hallways quiet there was no strike or you know what with this whole place for. About $400.00 of the rooms roving dollars. And this is the location that students instruction on the 1st 2 days of the strike about a 3rd of the district students showed up much a problem because funding from the state is linked to attendance with those numbers each day of the strike means an estimated net loss of about $15000000.00 according to district leaders across town at Kingsley elementary about how if the school was absent a lot of parents are holding their kids back that's their way of joining in the strike that's Kenya Tomas she is a teacher's assistant at Kingsley many Ts including Kenya are in schools during the strike she supports the teachers but isn't in their union and she was told. She could lose her job if she didn't come to work in schools this week she says students are doing lots of busy work we have them doing just white sheets and movie that's literally it they watched Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Bosky we didn't really learn my can really ask of ours a 5th grader at all to Loma elementary school we've been checking in with her and her mom Rosa this week she's a boy she was expecting something at school this week she learned about nouns on a school i Pad and watched a bunch of videos including one about oceans she wants to stay home tomorrow Mom has other plans she has to go to school. You don't learn any scene something there's nothing to learn the already knew all about say. Doing is for no reason few kids were in school on Tuesday and when he really came home she was feeling really lonely friends teachers. Kind of sent care really buries her face in her mom's arms I removed. It took a look at. It in its ups and. By the end of our visit Kimberly's decided Ok she'll go to school maybe one day we'll finally tell you everything faction normal with negotiations at an impasse it's unclear when that will be listen Adone n.p.r. News Los Angeles. This is n.p.r. News thanks for joining me for N.P.R.'s Morning Edition right here on member supported High Plains Public Radio the current time is 18 minutes ahead of 7 am central coming up in less than a minute we've got a regional news report for you so stay tuned. I am John Sanders. Whenever. Anything. In the late 18th century and from the time of Beethoven came to be regarded as its highest and most exalted form I'm quoting from the dictionary this is but inviting you to join is the 10th chapter of our series of the symphony with the music of screen. This week but explored music. Weekdays at noon Central and regional news lawmakers in the Texas Senate have proposed a measure that would provide all full time teachers in the Lone Star state with $5000.00 pay raises as the Texas Tribune reports the bill allocates $3700000000.00 to be set aside for Texas public schools however the Senate didn't go as far as the State House of Representatives which this week proposed a budget that included $7000000000.00 for public school funding nearly twice what the Senate proposed the Senate's measure would mandate that schools use the billions in additional funding specifically for teacher pay raises lieutenant governor Dan Patrick in lobbying the bill said we have to lift the boat for all teachers up however a similar but unsuccessful bill of Patrick's 2 years ago was unpopular with teachers that bill like this one raised pay for teachers but allocated no money for the schools themselves I'm Jonathan Baker. Morning I'm Steve Inskeep with congratulations to Arizona which is buying back its own state capitol building during the Great Recession the state sold the capital and other buildings to raise money think of the math the state raised 7 $100000000.00 in the short term then at least the buildings back promising rent payments projected to total far more than a sale price free enterprise a decade later the state is borrowing money to buy the capital back It's Morning Edition support for n.p.r. Comes from this station and from Charles Schwab when it comes to wealth management Schwab believes in asking questions and being engaged so investors can better own their tomorrow learn more at Schwab dot com From visit St Pete Clearwater offering a downtown St Mirren scene to whoi collection Museum of Fine Arts and the James Museum of Western and wildlife art more at visit St Pete Clearwater dot com and from listeners like you who donate to this n.p.r. Station It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News I'm David Greene and I'm Steve Inskeep What is a u.s. Troop withdrawal from Syria mean for neighboring Iraq it is a big question just a few years ago ISIS spread out of its base in Syria to capture much of northern Iraq Iraqis have largely recovered their territory but they do not want ISIS to regroup now the President Trump has ordered u.s. Forces to leave N.P.R.'s Generac joins us from Baghdad Hi there James. How does the Syria withdrawal whenever it's completed affect Iraq. Well you know there's some concern here because even though ISIS was actually driven out of a 3rd of Iraq which is a huge accomplishment conflict at great cost and there still are along the borders so if the u.s. Is pulling out troops from Syria in the incident that the push against ISIS has to come from somewhere and there's a lot of talk here among diplomats among military people that that's going to have to be based at least partly in Iraq where there are u.s. Troops at that base and unbar were present from visited at Christmas and where they're already launching attacks across the border in conjunction with the Syrian government actually how this is a good point Iraq u.s. Troops may be leaving Syria but they're still based in Iraq a few 1000 of them anyway so what Iraq is thinking about the situation and so on the Iraqi side they're kind of scrambling a bit as are a lot of the Iraqi allies so it's been a very busy week here at the presidential palace and the prime minister's office you know Iraq for a long time was kind of isolated from the Sunni Arab world but now there's been a parade of visitors there's been Jordan's King Abdullah 1st time here in 11 years the French foreign minister who said he was surprised at the Polo talk and notably there has been Iran the Iranian foreign minister here because u.s. Secretary of state Pompei Ok and his big preoccupation of course is Iran taining Iran Oh no that's a tough balancing act well now this is interesting our Pompei was very focused on Iran and its as its president Trump of course Iraq is influenced by Iran were Iraqis reassured at all when Secretary of State Pompei all came to say the u.s. Is still with. Richard I'm not quite sure you know they understand the political realities in the us a but it is tough I spoke with the Iraqi president Spence and hear him bastard in the ground fairly this morning and here's what he had to say we have the security and the clear statement by the government that that intelligence security cooperation training with the United States need to continue but at same time that we cannot as a government continually just having this rollercoaster relationship based on this is a nuclear deal with the on it need to be a bit more predictable for us rollercoaster relationship yeah so what he's referring to there is you know there's an ongoing push here among some political party to get rid of the u.s. Troops in Iraq the prime minister yesterday here said there are 6000 of them still here about at the same time reckoning to those troops and it's trying to balance relations with Iran Iran who's its biggest neighbor and a big trading partner so that's the roller coaster reference Oh the roller coaster because the United States is trying to isolate Iran the United States is allied with Iraq Iraq has a relationship with Iran so you go up you go down it's Arquit. You got it Jane thanks for the update thank you that's N.P.R.'s general Baca. It's n.p.r. News the time is 49 minutes past the hour and you're listening to Morning Edition Stay tuned for a pm Marketplace Morning Report coming up in just a couple of minutes right here on h.p.r. . An original new superintendent salaries could be a factor in Kansas of next school funding battle with even B'saabda Kansas News Service report the superintendent of Wichita public schools makes more than $250000.00 a year the district says that's not the highest in the States but it got the attention of Kansas lawmakers Rep John Carmichael a Wichita Democrat says administrators need to justify high paid to preempt conservative arguments arguments that schools have enough money and should move more into the classroom this attitude of entitlement by school superintendents to whatever pay package they can negotiate causes me increasing distress education advocates say administrative spending is just a wedge issue Instead lawmakers should focus on complying with a court mandate to fund schools adequately that could take in additional $100000000.00 a year for the kids new service I'm Stephen saw in Wichita. Doing some seasonal cleaning clear out that old car and free up some space in your garage or yard by donating it to High Plains Public Radio get started today at h.p. P.r. Dot org and support a cause that you care about thank you High Plains Public Radio is a nonprofit member driven and community based station that provides a mix of news music and informational programs unique to the high plains region you can find more at h.p. P.r. Dot org Nice to have your company this morning you're listening to N.P.R.'s Morning Edition on your public radio station High Plains Public Radio the current time is 9 minutes ahead of 7 o'clock Central. Bragg's it is back to square one Marketplace Morning Report is supported by figure providing a streamlined digital platform for home equity loans you can learn how to use the equity in your home for home improvement major purchases or tech consolidation and figure dot com In New York I'm suburban ashore in for David Brancaccio who's on assignment u.k. Prime minister Teresa Mayes plan to manage Britain's exit from the e.u. Was defeated by the largest margin by which any u.k. Prime minister has lost a parliamentary vote ever made facing a no confidence vote today but businesses in the u.k. Have to plan and ultimately they don't know what's next let's check in with my marketplace colleague the B.B.C.'s Anand who's in London. Good morning Sabrina so there's no plan to avoid hard drugs if that's this economically disruptive situation where all these European trade barriers go up against Britain just fast and furious as soon as it separates So there's no plan now and yet the British pound rose because apparently people think that a brag that plan is now more likely Can you explain that for me my goodness I don't think anybody can explain what's going to happen next Sebree I think that's the problem there is a plan that the point is there's no political consensus to follow through with it and today is all about consulting with lawmakers in Britain to figure out what the next step should be they could ask for a delay in Bracks it but that requires legal steps it requires the agreement of all the other even nations. They could have another referendum they could have another election they could try to renegotiate so you know we've got analysts today saying completely opposite things I went to sleep last night hearing that a South Bronx it or a 2nd referendum or more likely this morning one analyst told me no hard brakes it is more likely so I just think there is no clarity on what's going to happen next and I think markets are not reacting simply because. Does we're pretty much in the same place we were a day a week a month ago. What about businesses I mean it's such a huge thing to plan for and yet they can't plan for what can I even do at this point well businesses started planning for this last year the big financial companies that have the money some of them moved parts of their operations to Europe they've announced plans to move a total of something like $800000000000.00 pounds in assets out of Britain because of Bracks it now for them the idea that maybe Bracks it won't happen now or it'll be further delayed is of course going to be very frustrating and disappointing smaller companies and those that have deep links with Europe either because of supply chains or because they export to Europe or they want to stay in Europe for whatever reasons they're going to find the prospect of a hard break that really nerve wracking they have tied up a lot of their capital in trying to stockpile supplies if there is this kind of chaos clogging up of transport at the border if we leave without a plan and there's not much more they can do beyond that they can't plan for anything else because nobody knows what's going to happen next a marketplace colleague the B.B.C.'s enter Anand thanks so much thank you. Let's do the numbers. The Footsie in London is down a half a percent Nasdaq futures are up in the one to 3 tenth's percent range with the Dow future up $79.00 points. $46000.00 i.r.s. Employees will be called back to work to manage tax filing season despite the shutdown the goal is to get people their tax refunds on time but it'll mean that 57 percent of the i.r.s. Workforce will be working without pay they'll likely get back by whenever the government reopens Now you can imagine that most workers would not be a really Ok with this idea that they can be classified as essential workers and forced to work without getting paid on time and indeed there have been a series of lawsuits over it including ones brought by the National Treasury Employees Union and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association Marketplace's Tracey Samuelson is here. He's afraid so catches up on all these lawsuits Yes So yesterday a judge ruled against granting a temporary order that would have compelled the government to pay workers during a shutdown or let them choose whether or not to show up for unpaid work the workers were arguing that the government is unlawfully taking their property their pay that compelling these employees to work without pay and overtime violates labor laws and the constitution but a u.s. District Judge Richard Leon he said he it's it's hard not to empathize with the plaintiffs but what they're asking for would at best create chaos and confusion at worst be catastrophic He said Only Congress can appropriate funding not the judiciary which he said is an independent and co-equal branch of government of government quote Even if we can't keep the lights on now this decision is final or intermediate yet not final this was a hearing about whether or not to grant a temporary order so there is another chance for longer term relief at a hearing at the end of the month January 31st Marketplace's Tracey Samson Thank you thanks very. Marketplace Morning Report is supported by air table of content calendar cattle tracker fabric sourcing system product roadmap post production pipeline all built with their table more information is available at our table their table create your way and they are celebrating 100 years of financial partnerships with individuals businesses communities and institutions more information is available at Barrett 100 dot com Next week the World Economic Forum takes place in Davos Switzerland high profile business leaders politicians academics nonprofit leaders all meet up to talk about the world's most pressing problems ahead of that the forum issued its view of what the biggest global concerns are this is its annual global risks report climate change and cybercrime it says are major threats to the global economy but the most urgent threat this year trade tensions Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer explains the report starts with a grim recap of last year's trade battles between the us and China and says Near I'm in Bear of as chief economist at i.h.s. Markets our expectations about trade turmoil are higher now than they were last a year ago bearish says with both sides digging in nationalist tendencies and the u.s. And China could trigger something far worse like a 25 percent tariff on all Chinese imports Airbus says that would shave a half a percentage point off u.s. Economic growth Lindsay said chief economist at Stiefel fixed income says China and the e.u. Have already taken hits because of trade and the weakness that we're seeing will impart force those respective governments to negotiate with the top of the situation which may be to some incremental progress at best in Washington I'm Nancy Marshall Genzer for Marketplace and in New York I'm suburban ashore with them are. Point 5. 89.3. Morning if anybody has 9 lives in politics it may be to reason May the Prime Minister's Breck's a plan was rejected overwhelmingly she now faces another no confidence vote It's Morning Edition from n.p.r. News. Anybody have any idea what is the future of Britain I'm Steve Inskeep And I'm David Greene a top e.u. Leaders says if British lawmakers can't figure out for exit Why not just stay in the e.u. Is that even possible after all this and the political impasse in this country a partial government shutdown has many federal employees looking for temporary work elsewhere to pay the bills also the Supreme Court refuses to hear a lawsuit filed by veterans who say they were sickened by burning trash It is Wednesday January 16th Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco turns 34 years old today. And the news is now.