The Obama administration says it already has that shows Bashar al-Assad’s forces used chemical weapons last week near Damascus as the US weights how to respond. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon cut short a trip to Europe to hear from his inspection team. His spokesman, xx, says the investigators will leave Damascus Saturday.

They’ll immediately try to get the material that they have gathered. They have gathered quite extensive amount of material in recent days to go to laboratory testing. And that will occur at several different sites in Europe.

The team’s mandate is only to determine whether chemical weapons were used. But xx says their findings could suggest who was behind the attack. Michele Kelemen, NPR news, Washington.

Concerned about the possibility of another war, Congressional Democratic and Republican leaders are asking President Obama to explain his rational for consider a military strike. They are expected to be briefed by administration officials in the coming hours. Republican House Speaker John Boehner, who communicated with the President earlier the day, has asked what the intended affect of the strikes were.

The National Football League and thousands of former players have attended a settlement over concussion related brain injuries of the retired athletes accused the league of trying to conceal. NPR’s Tom Goldman reports the deal, which still requires final approval for the judge, amounts to at least 765 million dollars.

One of the lead attorneys xx said, and I am quoting, this is an extraordinary agreement that would provide immediate care and support to retired players and their families. This agreement will get help quickly to the men who suffer neural ? injuries. It would do so faster and in a far less cost both financially and emotionally than could have ever been accomplished by continuing to ?.

NPR’s Tom Goldman. Vice President Biden says the administration is taking new steps aimed at reducing gun violence. NPR’s Craig Windham reports by announce of two executive actions of the swearing in ceremony for the new director of the bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms.

Biden says the first action would put a halt to private entities being allowed to re-import into this country military weapons that were sold or given by the US to allies overseas.

We are ending the practice of allowing countries to send back to the United States its military weapons to private entities.

Biden says some of those weapons could end up on the streets. The administration is also proposing a federal rule        to stop people who were ? background check for being able to register restricted weapons in the name of a cooperation or trust. The National Rifle Association says neither action would keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Craig Windham, NPR news, Washington.

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Many schools in xx ?? districts in the ? mid west are closed today as late summer heat wave continues to broil unair-conditioned classrooms. NPR’s David Schaper reports the high heat and humanity is expected to continue through the late weekend.

After students and teachers sweltered through three miserable days of temperatures in the midnights, the xx school districts finally gave in and called off classes for Thursday and Friday in 27 schools their building lack of air conditioning. Students, parents and teachers are complaining the ? and sweaty conditions make the school work extremely difficult. Additional schools in Minnesota, Iowa, the ?, and a handful of other states are also cancelling class or dismissing students early because of the heat. Many mid western farmers where the high temperature and a lack of rain is addressing crops at critical times in the growing season. Forecasters say the intense heat wave may not break until Sunday or Monday. David Schaper, NPR news.

The wildfire in and around Yosemite National Park covers more than 300 square miles is about 30% contained thanks to cooler weather earlier in the day. The spokesman for the response team says firefighters xx ? contain lines will hold. The operation at Yosemite involves nearly 5,000 firefighters.

A British helicopter safety group has reportedly ended its suspension of north sea flights that was imposed after four oil contractors were killed in a crash last week. The helicopter safety stirring group said its decision was based on confidence expressed by European aviation authorities.

A last check on Wall Street, Dow was up 16 at 14, 841. This is NPR news.