good evening. this is al jazeera america. planning attacks years before last week's shooting in california, what the f.b.i. is revealing about the san bernardino couple who massacred 14 people. rallying for change, the police tactics that have demonstrators calling for chicago's mayor to resign. responding to his critics, donald trump justifies his comments about banning muslims from entering the u.s. and the threat he is making to the

republican party. tonight the f.b.i. says the california husband and wife killers were on a path to murder even before they met. early speculation was that tashfeen malik could have influenced her husband, but the investigation is pointing to signs that their radicalization was before they were on line. it was a relationship forged in blood shed >> san bernardino involved two killers who were radicalized for a long time before their attack. >> reporter: f.b.i. head says syed farook and tashfeen malik began talking about carrying out terror attacks before they even met in person. >> they were radicalized before they started courting or dating each other on line and as early

as the end of 2013 they were talking to each other about jihad and martyrdom before they became engaged and married and lived together in the united states. >> reporter: the director said the couple's radicalization began before the emergence of i.s.i.l. syed farook left california for a transcribe to saudi arabia in july 2014 where the two met face-to-face for the first time. they got engaged and travelled together to the u.s. and were married in august 2014. he says he can't say if the relationship was arranged by a group as part of a plot to carry out attacks in the u.s., but it would be it would be a game changer >> it would be a very important thing to know >> reporter: tashfeen malik had professed of eallegiance to i.s.i.l. on facebook. there has been no direct link to

the couple and i.s.i.l. or any other terror group >> we're trying to find out whether there was anyone else involved. >> reporter: that includes syed farook family by marriage and his neighbour. they had planned on carrying out an attack in the u.s. as far back as 2012. it is not clear why the two never went forward with the plot. a convert who checked himself into a mental facility after the shootings hasn't been charged with a crime and is not a suspect in last week's terror attack, but investigators have conducted extensive interviews with him and are trying to determine whether he sold or gave the couple two of the weapons used in the san bernardino shooting. there are reports authorities may bring gun charges against markes and that syed farook may have asked him to buy the assault rifles used in the shootings so that his name wouldn't be connected to the weapons law makers on capitol hill

also grilled the director of the f.b.i. and the defense secretary about the u.s. strategy in the fight against i.s.i.l. senator's wanted to know more about the threat to u.s. and how the obama administration plans to beat the group. >> reporter: at the judiciary committee f.b.i. director says he singled out i.s.i.l. as the biggest terror threat currently facing the unites stated. >> their ability to get resources, people and plan and plot increases the risk of their ability to mount a sophisticated attack against the homeland. >> reporter: over at the armed services committee, senators wanted to know if i.s.i.l. is the big threat why isn't there a bigger effort to wipe it out. >> we want to know how it's going to be successful, that is not clear how you're going to do it >> reporter: ash carter, nor joint chiefs couldive a time

line when i.s.i.l. might be taken out of its stronghold. >> they do not have tackal freedom of movement. >> >> reporter: the f.b.i. says there's no indication that i.s.i.l. organised the attack. only that it inspired it. again, senators were frustrated that defense secretary carter stuck to the old strategy of searching for elusive indigenous fighters while pleading with countries in the regions to send special forces. >> i too wish that particularly the sunni arab nations of the gulf would do more and going way back-- >> they're willing to do so, but there's a commitment >> i've had lengthy conversationss. >> reporter: the latest retired caimaner to weigh in for a small number of u.s. combat troops to lead an international force is former army chief general ray

ordeno. >> what a better time to build a coalition with allies and our partners in the middle affiliate to put a force in, in the long-term with some u.s. troops. >> reporter: armed services committee chairman said he is right. >> if we went in with a large arab, force, the turks and egyptians and go in there and take those people out, there's 20 to 30,000 of them. they are not giants. >> reporter: secretary carter did say the u.s. would be willing to sends in an attack helicopter to retake romadi. the no fly zone is still a no go >> we have recommended it because of the political situation on the grounds and the potential for miscalculation and loss of life. >> it is one of the more embarrassing services that i have heard, that we are worried about syria's and russia's

reaction to saving the lives of thousands and thousands of syrians who are being barrel bombed and massacred. a remarkable performance presidential candidate donald trump is responding to critics of his plan to bob muslims from entering the u.s. appearing today, he said he would not rule out a third party run if the republican party is not what he called fair to him. trump says his controversial proposal is not religious discrimination. he says it's about national security. >> we need safety. we want to make america great again, but we need safety in our country. so this is nothing-- >> reporter: wouldn't it violate the constitution. >> these are people that aren't in the country. the people that are in the country, they're in the country. we're not talking about them. these are people outside of the country so we're not talking about the constitution. this is about safety

boxing legend is moham med ai says: the alleged gunmen accused of attacking a colorado planned parenthood court says he is a warrior for stop killing babies. the 57-year-old was saying protect the babies. three people were killed, another nine wounded in last

month's attack. he could face the death penalty or life in prison. an emotional speech by chicago's mayor did not keep protesters off the street today. they held a march to protest the death of a police shooting of a black teenager. they thought the mayor's vow of police reform was too little and too late. >> reporter: after a couple of weeks after chaos at chicago city hall, the mayor apologised but his critics don't buy it. while protesters are on the streets again in down town chicago, the mayor was explaining what he did wrong. >> i should have given voice to the public's growing suspicions, distrust and anger. >> reporter: me said should have done more to change policies that tie his hands on

how he is allowed to respond to police shootings. specifically, that people videos can't be released while an investigation is ongoing. >> i own it. i take responsibility for what happened because it happened on my watch. >> reporter: earlier in a rare address to the chicago city council, he gave a slow angry burn of a speech saying the city's residents deserve questions and action. at times everyone in the room could hear the protests happening right outside the council chambers, but he was tough on the police department too, promising to end a code of silence amongst officers. >> police are not protecting the city of chicago. they see something and say nothing. >> reporter: he got emotional when talking about policing in black neighborhoods, how those

residents aren't getting the respect from police that they deserve. >> that has to change in this city. that has to come to an end, an end now. no citizen is a second class citizen in the city of chicago. >> reporter: still, protesters were not compriseed. -- impressed. >> he had a great speech lined up. i don't believe a word that he said. >> this was happening years and years ago. you can't say you've got to get the apple off the tree. the barrel. >> reporter: this controversy blew up two years ago with the release of a video showing a police officer shooting young mcdonald dead. it took a year for the release of the tape. the accounts of the shooting by the police seem to contradict what was on the video. with the release of more police

videos looming, there is a lot more to come ahead. >> reporter: they are working with the police department on how to deal with offenders out on the field. a task force has been figured out to understand why there are so many police officers are not facing criticism. the department of justice investigation has been welcomed into the overall policies and practices of the police department the first of six officers on trial in the death of freddie grey took the stand in his own defense in baltimore today. he never thought grey was injured because he was alert. the 26-year-old said he did not call a medic because grey was unable to give him a reason for a medical emergency. a forensic pathology also

testified that his spine was broken are which meant he couldn't speak or move. a new education plan coming up. says

the white house tonight says president obama will sign a sweeping over haul of the no child left behind law. the change is called the every squint succeeds act will restore control over school's performance. it is an undoing of what the former george w bush's measures. >> the as are 25, n nos 12. >> reporter: democrats joined hands with republicans to make this happen. >> this is the biggest rewrite of our education laws in 25 years.

>> reporter: championed by george w bush no child left behind was a high-water mark in education. >> it is a legislation to ensure every child gets a good education. >> reporter: from the start the law was a magnet for complaints from both teachers and parents and a symbol of federal over reach into policies many believe are set by the state. >> we have an opportunity today to reverse the trends over the last several years to the national school board. we have an opportunity to make clear for the future the path of higher standards and accountability will be through states, communities and classrooms and not through washington dc >> reporter: it keeps grades and once in high school. the states now get more say in evaluating schools and teachers. other measures, not just test scores, could be considered,

such as graduation rates and school conditions. >> to over emphasising testing and how they are sometimes redundant or unnecessary. >> reporter: states not the government will come up with their own plan for unperforming schools. there will be more money for states sending children to school. it is all welcome news for teachers groups who say the fight against over testing now moves to the states. >> i am worried that there will be some states who think that testing sanction was a good thing to do. that would be dead wrong for kids. we need to stop that. we need to start focusing on how we get to the unique needs of children. >> reporter: 13 years after no child left behind was passed, now a greater role for the states in schools we're joined from washington by marie kousler for the nation

education association. you were behind some of the lobbying efforts for this new law. no child left behind wasn't even controversial when it was originally passed. president bush and ted kennedy were big proponents and thought it was a great achievement. how did it go so wrong?

classroom. one size fits all did not work going through some of the headlines here, one will be less testing, but there are still annual tests between the 3 and 8 grade and once in high school. that doesn't sound like a big change >> there certainly is no change in the annual assessments called for. with some minor flexiblity in high school testing, but what we really see is they have lessened the high stake decisions made on those tests. the federal government only required those 17 tests. what we really saw were states and local districts piled on a pretest to the pretest and to the pretest. what we were really left with were students taking so many preps tests that they were ready on that one day to take that single test by which all things were judged. that is now changed. we now live in the world of

multiple measures where student outcomes matter, but so do though programs and service supports that students get to ensure that they will get a great education the decisions made based on those tests now go over to the states. they now control it, they can now develop their own methods for judging school quality, but with huge dispartys in the state system, will this under performing schools lead to more unperforming?

table at the state and local level to help speak up for their students along with parents and communities to make sure that we are holding everyone accountable to be doing exactly what congress did today, which was put aside partisan differences and putting children first and what's best for them there is a greater risk of corruption feared, but one final question, this does mean the death of common core. >> what it does mean is it is clear in this bill that there is absolutely no ability of the federal government to require, coerce, incentivise adoption. it doesn't necessarily kill the common core as much as to make it clear that the federal government cannot force any state to adopt common core standards. that is back to a state and local decision it will take a lot of power away from the department of

education, so that will be an interesting thing to look at. it's a pleasure to have you with us. >> thank you so much for having me. i appreciate the opportunity the second time in three years the supreme court is debating a case that challenges a race-based admissions policy at the university of texas. justice anthony kennedy said he will send the case back to an appeals court for the third time because it ignored a supreme court ruling he wrote two years ago. it will be decided by only eight justices. one justice reaccused herself when she was u.s. solicitor general. salt lake city, is the seat of the which will get a first openly gay mayor. that's coming up next.

changess that are bringing child mortality rates in the u.s. lower than they have ever been. tasmania tasmania

new government statistics show infant mortality is on the decline nationwide. a report shows that since 2005

it dropped from 13% in 2013 and another two to three% last year. they don't know the reason for the decrease, but it could be a stop amongst doctors of inducing health. salt lake city's first openly gay mayor hasn't been sworn in yet, but she is already making her presence felt. she is taking on the mormon church over the ban on same sex families and is calling on top city officials to step down. >> reporter: if there is any indication that the city is a liberal bastion, it's this lady. >> you've got to get inside >> reporter: she goes into a council meeting already spending long hours at city hall. >> we're talking about the

transition fund. >> reporter: when that is complete in the beginning of january, she will become the first openly gay mayor in salt lake's history >> it is a dream come true tore me. i put this out there 10 years ago and said this is something i really want to make sure i do. >> reporter: her political path did not come easy. she first won a seat in the state legislature in 1988, already out as a lesbian. >> there were elected officials who i served with who wouldn't look me in my eye or shake my hand. it was really a different time. a lot of people were still in the closet. we in a lot of work to do >> reporter: today salt lake city's gay community is exercising its political muscle >> january 5 is my first day in office. >> reporter: if you can win as an openly gay man or an openly lesbian single mother in salt lake city utah you can do it

anywhere. >> reporter: he and his husband were one of the three countries who sued to overturn the same sex marriage ban. >> if you can focus on issues that focus on people, the bread and butter issue, you can overcome any sort of obstacles when it comes to your position. >> reporter: weeks after winning the election, she told all appointed staff to hand in their resignations. critics have called the move shocking. we caught up with the former mayor on his transit to russia >> it's no way to begin as a mayor when you really depends on these people-- depend on these people in the departments and even in your office for your success. >> reporter: the new mayor takes office as the mormon seems to be backing away from the gate

community. they recently said they will ban same sex couples and their children from taking part in their services. >> i want to establish a relationship with them that they haven't had. >> reporter: pleas come talk to me. i want to have a chance to visit with you. >> reporter: she is not mormon, but she is a single mum raising her adopted 6-year-old son. >> into the picture. >> reporter: she says her boy and his education remain her highest priority. she will be sworn in on january 4 finally tonight we're getting a new look at saturn's largest moon. n.a.s.a. released these pictures. they were taken by a space craft in november. they showed the moon surface

instead of its hayesy atmosphere-- hazy atmosphere. i'm antonio mora. ray suarez is up next with inside story. >> roughly the same number of people die every year in the united states in incidents involving automobiles and guns. yet the two, widely owned and widely used and loved objects live in very different legal universes. there's no right to drive enshrouded in the bill of rights, but it's more complicated for that. while billions of dollars are spent researching and regulating automobiles, federal research for guns is blocked