New Report on Teacher Reading Preparation

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump has canceled planned strikes in Iran, claiming once again that a peace deal is near. The latest pronouncement comes hours after he threatened to take the key Iranian energy hub Carg Island . It still isn't clear how the war will end, as NPR's Mara Lyson explains. He's in a box of his own making. He wants the war to end. It is hurting him and his party politically, but the only way out is to do things he promised not to do and attack President Obama for doing, like providing funds to Iran. And for their part, the Iranians also are looking for a face saving off ramp, something they can get in return for opening the Strait of Hormuz, so neither side can figure out the solut ion to this a face saving plan for the U. S. and Iran. Meanwhile, we get this Trump dance, threats one day and backing off the next day. NPR's Mara Lyson reporting Supreme Court has rejected Alabama's request to execute a man with nitrogen gas. The justices refused to lift an injunction blocking the state from carrying out the nation's ninth execution by that method. A lower court found the method to be unconstitutional , Alabama had planned to put forty nine year old Jeffrey Lee to death. He was convicted of killing two people while robbing a pawn shop in nineteen ninety eight. President Trump is opening the waters of protected areas in the Pacific Ocean to commercial fishing. The move is opposed by native Hawaiian cultural groups as MPR's Lauren Summer reports. The largest protected area in the country is in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Papajana Moku a National Marine Sanctuary is home to pristine coral re efs and habitat for rare species. Trump has signed a proclamation to open most of its waters to commercial fishing , along with two other Pacific marine monuments. The move is supported by the tuna fishing industry, which says it's facing tough international competition. Conservation groups say rolling back protections puts a unique ecosystem at risk. The area is also considered sacred by Native Hawaiian cultural groups who fought for decades for it to receive protections . Lauren Summer, NPR News. A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging New Mexico's universal childcare program from member station KUNM in Albuquerque, Meghan Camerock has more. The program made New Mexico the first state to cover childcare costs for most families. Democratic Governor Michelle Luhan Grisham, who is term limited out after this year, launched the program last year before the legislature actually approved funding in February. Republican Duke Rodriguez sued the state while running for governor, although he recently lost the primary election. He told New Mexico PBS, this policy has to be done lawfully. Which means we have to have public input, which means we have to have feasibility studies, which means we have to know how much it costs. The ruling means parents who are working in school or qualify for an exemption will continue to receive free child care assistance. For NPRs, I'm Meghan Camerick in Albuquerque. U. S. stocks rallied to their best day in two months today and oil prices fell after President Trump called off his threat to bomb Iran. This is NPR . A man who assassinated the top Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. Vance Belter is also charged in the non fatal shootings of a Democratic State Senator and his wife. He came to their house 's disguised as a police officer and driving a fake police vehicle. As the U. S. works to improve student reading, a new report suggests many aspiring teachers are not being adequately prepared to teach students how to read , and PR's Kayden Mills reports. The report from the National Council on Teacher Quality looks at more than seven hundred elementary teacher prep programs across the U. S. and finds only about half prepared educators to teach according to the science of reading, and very few programs adequately equip teachers to teach reading to English language learners, who make up a growing share of students. Federal testing shows a majority of students struggle to read at grade level. Lacking most in teacher prep programs is instruction on how to teach students to distinguish different sounds and recognize what letters they go with, according to the report. The report also notes programs may be hiding from accountability by not participating in the review. Most programs that opted out had previously received failing scores. Kate Mills NPR News Hour future of doctor Who is uncertain after the BBC cancelled a planned Christmas special. The broadcaster says it aims to invest in the show's long term future and is seeking new production partners. doctor Who first aired in nineteen sixty three , it's entertained generations of fans with more than a dozen actors playing in the lead role.