Secretary of state John Kerry says Israel and Jordan have agreed on a series of steps aimed at calming tensions between Palestinians and Israelis. NPR's MK reports the measures focused on a sensitive religious site in Jerusalem. Kerry has been a go-between this week meeting Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian leaders to come up with the way to clear up concerns about the Temple Mount or as it's known to Muslims the Noble Sanctuary. Kerry says Jordan's king Abdullah had an excellent idea, one of the Israelis accepted to have 24-hour video coverage of all the sites to show that there is no change in the status quo. This will provide comprehensive visibility, and transparency and that could really be a game-changer in discouraging anybody from disturbing the sanctity of this holy site. He says he hopes all sides can turn the page and end the violence. MK, NPR news, Amman Jordan.
Tens of thousands of migrants are are trying to travel quickly across the Balkans to reach Northern Europe after several countries said they would close their borders if Germany does. LF is on the border between Slovenia and Austria. Austrian helicopters whirled overhead. Thousands of people wait here in no man's land for buses into Austria. It's a long slog across Slovenia says Syrian H. ····. They do not have water or food. Two days without anything. We don't have the *, nothing, just flow. Tiny Slovenia population just 2 million has received nearly 60000 people in the past week. It's asking for international aid. The prime minister says a border fence is possible. Leaders are convening in an emergence summit in Brussel. From NPR news. I'm LF in Maribor on the Slovenia-Austria border.
From Dallas Fort Worth, south to Brownsville, millions of Texans are under flood warnings and watches after torrential rains. A Union Pacific freight train derailed south of Dallas early this morning swept from the tracks by flood water. Union Pacific's JD says the two people on board, the engineer and conductor fled to safety. Once the train is at a complete stop, they were able evacuate from locomotive and outside of other and swam to some high ground and ·····. The National Weather Service warns remnants from what was hurricane Patricia could trigger even more flooding. Patricia is now a tropical depression. It made landfall in Mexico yesterday and appears to have done less damage than expected.
Police in Virginia say they've arrested two students from planning a shooting rampage at their high school in Fredericksburg. The two are in juvenile detention charged with conspiracy to commit murder. This is NPR.
Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered in the early caucus state of Iowa today to make their case to a critical group of activists. NPR's SK reports from Des Moines. More than 6,000 democrats are meeting for the annual Jefferson Jackson fundraising dinner. Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire as a primary season, the night can be pivotal for presidential hopefuls. These people are the kind of people who you need as a candidate all over Iowa to be successful. So that is why that night is a really electric evening. And it has been a turning point in year's past. Like 2007, when then senator Barack Obama lit up the room with his speech and later one the 2008 caucuses. Tonight, independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders is scheduled to speak first, followed by former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley with former secretary of state Hillary Clinton giving the final speech of the night. SK, NPR news, Des MoinesHouse speaker John Boehner today delivered the Republican media address, his last as speaker. He used it to champion school vouchers. In 2003, a small group of Republicans and Democrats came together to create somethings called the 'DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.'It's the only program America with the federal government allows low-income families to choose the schools that are best for their kids. In one of his final access, speaker Boehner introduced a bill to extend an increased funding for the program. The house passed it on Wednesday. Boehner steps down on Friday. I'm BC, NOR news in Washington.