kuala lumpur airport has ordered whoever abandoned three 747s to remove them within two weeks. or they will sell them. aljazeera.com for the headlines. aljazeera.com. ♪ today i'm proud to sign a law that is going to make sure that every student is prepared to succeed in the 21st century. education overhaul, president obama signs off on a new plan to replace the controversial no child left behind. new cell phone evidence, did the couple in the san bernardino massacre plan to target a high school. civil unrest in chicago. calls for the mayor to step down grow louder. and racism in the supreme

court? a controversial comment about college students from one of the justices. ♪ this is al jazeera america live from new york city. i'm del walters. president obama just moments ago signing into law a new education bill. these are those images coming live from washington, d.c. in that new law is supposed to give every student access -- it's called the every student success act. the bipartisan law replacing no child left behind. congress for years struggling to rewrite their legislation. critics arguing the old gave washington too much power. that new law giving states a larger role in overseeing education policy. >> for years i have called on congress to come together and get a bipartisan effort to fix

no child left behind. it took a lot of time. it required a lot of work, but thanks to the tireless efforts of many of the people on this stage and some people who are in attendance here today, we finally reached that deal. >> let's go live to lisa stark in washington. what is different about this new law. >> the president called it a christmas miracle, because it is a very bipartisan bill. it really creates a whole sell difference in how education is run in this country. as you said, the federal government has really put its thumb on the scale, had really taken over education in many ways, and some say it relied too much on testing. it was a one size fits all approach. so here is what is new. it's now going to be up to the states themselves to determine how to improve underperforming schools, not up to the federal government. grants are going to be made to schools, so they can put more

low and moderate-income children in preschool, and those common core standards set by the federal government, well, they are out. now not all testing is gone, though, del. the schools will still have to test their students in third through eighth grade in reading and math, and test at least once in high school, but the heavy reliance on that testing is gone. and thing was used to term are teachers succeeding? are schools succeeding? that will no longer be the only measure. >> this has always been about good intentions on the part of washington they concerned now without that government involvement from washington, that the quality is going to slip? >> reporter: there is concern about that. as you say this was a law -- the old law now no longer exists was done with good intentions. the question now is will some

states now do well and some states fall back. but the head of one of the teacher's union insisted this is a very good change. >> i am worried that there will be some states who think the testing sanction was a good thing to do, and that would be dead wrong for kids. we need to stop that, and start focusing on how do we get to the unique needs of children. and the president of another teacher's union, said this is an end to our national nightmare. of course it will take some time, del, to see if this new succeeds or a problematic as well. >> now that common core is gone, is there a certain that the standards are going to vary from digit to digit. >> reporter: absolutely. it did set some guidelines on reading and math, and now it really will be up to the states. they can stick to common core if they want, or set their own

standards, so we will be watching -- everyone will be watching to see if some states slide back and others continue to maintain very high academic standards. >> thank you very much. funerals will be held today for one of the victims of the san bernardino massacre. there is also new information about the couple that carried out those killings. investigators think that a local high school might have been their next target. paul beban has more. >> reporter: san bernardino involved two killers who were radicalized for quite a long time before their attack. >> reporter: the fbi director says the couple began talking about carrying out terror attacks months before they ever met in person. >> they were radicalized before they started dating online.

and online, as late -- as early as the end of 2013, they were talking to each other about jihad and martyrdom. >> reporter: the said the couple's radicalization began before the emergence of isil. farook left california for a trip to saudi arabia in july 2014 where the two met face-to-face for the first time. they got engaged and traveled together the u.s. and were married in august 2014. comey says he can't say if the relationship was arranged as part of a plot to carry out attacks in the u.s. >> it would be a very, very important thing to know. >> reporter: last week it emerged that malik pledged allegiance to isil just before the shootings.

but so far they have found no direct link between the couple and isil or any other terror group. >> we're working hard to see if everybody else was involved. >> reporter: that includes farook relative by marriage and former neighborhood. they reportedly planned on carrying out an attack in the u.s. as far back as 2012. it's not clear why the two never went forward with the plot. marquez checked himself into a mental facility after the shootings, hasn't been charged with any crime and is not a suspect in last week's attack. but they have conducted extensive interviews with marquez, and are trying to determine if he sold or gave weapons to the couple. there are reports that authorities may bring gun charges against marquez, and that farook may have asked him to buy the weapons.

in the wake of the california shootings, northeastern university announcing it plans to arm its officers with semiautomatic weapons. they are now adopting a formal policy in response to recent events. those weapons will be in their cars. boston university says they are concerned. a minnesota man is in police custody for alleged ties to isil. he was arrested wednesday in minneapolis. he has been charged with conspiring to provide materials and support to the group. he is one of ten somali americans that prosecutors say planned to go to syria. chicago police will explain how they plan to hire the new police superintendent just one day after the mayor called for far-reaching reforms. demonstrators once again on the streets of chicago, demanding a

die-in over the shooting deaths of two men. they are demanding that the mayor and top prosecutor resign. on wednesday emmanuel taking responsibility and promising change. baltimore's mayor calling for calm as the trial of the first officer charged in the death of freddie gray appears to be wounding down. john henry smith has more. >> reporter: 26 year old william porter was on the stand for four hours. he told jurors he never thought freddie gray was injured, insisting gray seemed alert during the 45-minute ride in a place van on april 12th. he ride ended with gray suffering a spine injury that would prove fatal. prosecutors pressed him on what he did that day. porter said he felt he and gray had mutual respect and he was

upset over his death. while seat belts on prisoners s is -- policy, the officer testified he never saw one used on the job, and he relayed the request for a doctor to the driver of the van. no medical attention was actually sought until the final stop when porter says he found gray unresponsive. gray's death sparked violent protests in baltimore, and with the defense now presenting its case, the jury could get to weigh in soon. the mayor is urging presents to stay calm once a verdict is eye announced. >> we have to respect their opinion. we don't have to agree with it at all. but this is about respecting the process and respecting our city. the man accused of killing three at that planned parenthood clinic in colorado springs says

he is guilty. appearing in court on wednesday, he interrupted the prosecutor several times, laying out the murder charges against him. >> killed babies, that's what planned parenthood does -- >> you need to protect the constitutionality of this proceeding -- >> protect babies. >> his lawyer saying he now has serious concerns about his client's competence. there is anger this morning over something the supreme court justice said during arguments on wednesday. hearing the case of a white student claiming she was denied entry into the university of texas because of her race. the justice said, quote: an assistant professor said she is not surprised.

>> scalia continues to have abhorrent race politics. he is at the center of an activist court that is deeply committed to dismantling every racial justice program we achieved in the 20th century. so this blatant attack is one more example of the way the court is attempting to take african american citizens back to the mid-20th century. i don't expect that clarence thomas would say anything. he is absolutely a part of this attempt to dismantle affirmative action policy. i think justice marshall is turning over in his grave. and the comments that justice scalia made that insinuate that african american colleges are slower institutions, really suggests that he has no knowledge of history. so these schools have a history of producing more scientists, more phd's, more engineers, more

professors, because historically they have been the institution that african american students could actually attend. >> cooper went on to say the case shouldn't be before the supreme court. she says there were minorities with higher grades than the might be plaintiff. hillary clinton picks up another endorsement today. she won the support of the american federation of government employees. that union has about 700,000 members. the endorsement adds to her labor advantage over bernie sanders. she is winning the enforce of nearly 20 unions. donald trump changing his mind about going to israel at least for now. in a tweet he announced: in britain a petition to ban

trump from coming to the u.k. now has more than 400,000 signatures. in an interview with cnn, trump saying many of his muslim friends agree with him. the first group of syrian refugees arriving in canada. plus -- >> i will just work with them at every turn possible. >> the first openly gay personnel elected mayor in salt lake city prepares to take on the mormon church.

a storm in portland created

mud slides and sinkholes. in texas a federal judge rejecting an attempt by the governor and other republicans who are trying to stop syrian refugees from coming to their states. that clears the way for 21 syrians, many children, to begin their new lives in houston. the lawmakers had tried to block the refugees saying they could be infiltrated by attackers. and some syrian refugees are about to get new homes in canada. the first plane arriving today hah another plane expected op-saturday. robert ray reports. >> reporter: canada is rolling out the welcome mat to syrian refugees, hundreds are landing tonight at 9:15 p.m. the prime minister, newly elected will be there to welcome these folks, a mix of elderly men, women, family, they will be processed through a specific area in the airport that was

created just for syrian refugees. there's even a play area for the kids to keep them busy while the parents are asked questions. they will then be shipped off to a nearby hotel, and then there will be a decision as to whether or not they go to a specific community based on the answers they give security. but yesterday the interior commission talked about the security measures here and what canada is doing. >> if one of the officials doing the interview has any reason to question an individual case, well that case will be put to the side and he or she will go on with other cases. >> reporter: by the end of december they are expecting 10,000 syrian refugees to land between toronto and montreal, and by the end of february, get this, nearly 25,000 syrian refugees expected here. amazing numbers. now if we compare with what is going on in canada and the u.s.,

the numbers are drastically different. about 65% of the public are welcoming these refugees in canada. in the u.s. about 28%. so a big difference in the way these refugees are being received. thousands more to come. that is robert ray for us in toronto, canada. next month jackie becomes the first openly gay mayor of salt lake city. jim hully has more. >> reporter: if there is any indication that salt lake city is a liberal bastian in a conservative state, it's the new mayor. this is it. >> my new digs. >> reporter: very good.

what is on the agenda tonight? >> we're talking about the transition to 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 for me. i put this out there ten years ago. >> 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 that i served with that wouldn't even look me in the eye or shake my hand. it was really a different time. >> reporter: today the gay community is quickly exercising its political muscle. this man won election this fall as a city councilman. >> if you can win as an openl a

openly -- gay man in salt lake city, you can win anywhere. if you can control the narrative around sexual ore renation and focus on issues that matter to people, then i think you can overcome any obstacles. >> reporter: she already has her own political battles brewing. just weeks after winning election, she told all department heads to hand in their resignations. critics have called the move unprecedented. shocking, appalling. we caught up with the former mayor, as he was in transit. >> that's not way to begin one's term as mayor, when you depend on these people at the top of your departments and even in the office, most of them, for your success. >> reporter: this comes as the

mormon church tends to be backing away from its intolerant gay policies. >> there's no question i will work with them at every turn possible, right? on issues, and really establish a relationship with them that they haven't had. please come talk to me. i want to have a chance to visit with you. >> reporter: she herself is not mormon, but she is a single mom raising her adopted six-year-old son. she says archie and his education, remain her greatest priority, even with all of the work ahead. she will be sworn into office on january 4th. jim hooley, al jazeera, salt lake city. the falling cost of crude is actually hurting the state of alaska. the governor is proposing a state income tax now and talking

about reducing the oil dividend checks alaskans get every year. the oil prices are now at seven-year lows, and the governor says the state is just burning through money. when we return, a solar snub. why advocates of clean energy are upset about a new law in california. and the global globe nominees are announced. we'll tell you who made it and who did not.

solar panels have been the rage in california for quite sometime, but new changes mean they won't count towards the state's progress in promoting renewable energy. and that has some home owners they will be left in the dark. jennifer london reports. >> reporter: on a late fall day we met jay marvin campbell on top of his roof, giving his solar panels a good rinse. >> they cover about 60% of our energy use. >> reporter: they live in culver city, california. they decided to go green 15 years ago. >> reporter: the utility, we got something in the bill about you should look into solar panels and how we would be doing a

service, helping the grid, so we said yeah, let's do that. and we did. and it has been good for us. >> reporter: it's also been good for the 400,000 other californians who have also embraced solar. lower utility costs, plus a feeling of pride, helping the state reach its clean-energy goals. a win-win, all the way around. but that was before this happened. >> today with great pleasure and excitement i sign this bill into law. thank you. >> reporter: in october the governor signed an ambitious piece of legislation, it requires the state to generate half of its electricity from renewable forces by 2020, but roof top panels don't count. >> it leaves out other businesses that want to go solar. and right now the utilities in california are really threatened by their customers going solar.

so this is a power play between the utilities and the consumer. >> it's just bad for edison. >> reporter:ing -- on the we'll tell you why the roof top panels are excluded. and you can watch the first full report tonight at 8:00 pm eastern. researchers are revealing the first test tube puppies. they are a mixture of several breeds, and as you can see, they are a frisky bunch. >> we have seven normal, happy, healthy puppies. this one here is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a beagle. whereas this one over here is a beagle, beagle. and they all came from the same litter, but they have different moms and dads. >> if you want one, you better

hurry. all but one female is being adopted. she is being kept to have her own litter. the golden globe nominations are just out. and one film is standing out above the rest. ♪ >> tell me you know what you are doing. >> reporter: carol is a movie about a 1950's housewife who falls in love with a younger woman. revnant was also nominated. many thinking that johnny depp for his role in whitely boleger, but he was not nominated. on the tv side, streaming services dominated. thanks for joining us. i'm del walters in new york. the news continues live from london next.

and check us out 24 hours a day at aljazeera.com. the battle for the iraqi city ramadi intensifies as isil suicide bombers kill more iraqi soldiers, and the u.s. offers to send assistance. ♪ good to have you with us here on al jazeera, i'm david foster. also coming up in the next 30 minutes. [ applause ] the previous president stays away as her successor is sworn in argentina's presiden