President Obama authorized the raid once the government had what it thought was sufficient intelligence about where the hostages were being held. US Special Forces were dropped by aircraft inside Syria, but despite a firefight with militants, Foley and the other captives were not located. This week militants released a video tape showing Foley's *brazenly execution in retaliation for US airstrikes in Iraq. *Head defiant President Obama said the US will be vigilant and relentless and bringing the killers to justice.

We keep in our prayers those other Americans who are separated from their families, and we will do everything that we can to protect our people, and the timeless values that we stand for.

US war planes continue to strike targets inside Iraq. Scott Horsley, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

Attorney General Eric Holder says he has assigned the federal government's most experienced agents and prosecutors to look into that fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

We have brought up a substantial number of people here, a number of agents, who have done in the canvassing that they did over the past weekend. They continue to follow leads so that we can do a thorough and a fair job, making a determination about what happened on August the 9th.

A local grand jury convene today to start looking at evidence. Holder says that, as a black man, he understands why many African Americans mistrust police. Holder says the eyes of the nation and world are watching Ferguson.

 

 

17 billion dollars, that's a record what Bank of America reportedly is said to pay to settle federal and state charges over its role in the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. Officials familiar with the deal gave details to the Associated Press. The settlement is expected to be announced tomorrow at the earliest.

 

 

The consumer financial protection bureau is accusing an auto-finance company of falsely reporting consumer credit information. NPR's NPR's Yuki Nigochi reports that Houston-based First Investors is being fined 2.5 million dollars.

Three years ago, First Investors discovered its computer system was reporting false information to the credit reporting agencies. But, according to the financial protection bureau, it did nothing to stop it. Richard Cordary, the Bureau's Director says that may have affected tens of thousands of customers.

An error could have made a big difference from whether someone receives a loan, qualifies for low interests rate, and even gets offered a job.

In a statement, First Investors did not admit any wrongdoing. It said the problem affected less than 12% of its accounts. Yuki Nigochi, NPR news, Washington.

 

 

This is NPR news.

 

 

Macy's is paying 650,000 dollars to settle allegations of racial profiling at its flagship store on 34th street in Manhattan. The retailers agreed to adopt new policies, train employees better and investigate customer complaints. Last year, there were several complaints from minority customers, claiming they had been detained by Macy's stores despite not having stolen or attempted to steal any merchandise. 

 

 

Those seeking to marry their same-sex partner in Virginia will have to wait. The Supreme Court has blocked the state from going forward, staying an appeal's court ruling that it struck down a state ban. The Justices are expected to take up at least one gay marriage case in the next term, which begins in October.

 

 

More high school students than ever are now taking the ACT college admissions exam. But as NPR's Claudio Sanchez reports, students' performance remain flat.

Just under two million students, 1.84, took the ACT this past school year. The average score was 21 on a 36-points scale. Barely a tenth of a point above last year's average. The biggest story though seems to be that more and more high school students are taking the 38-dollar exam, which tests kids in English, math, reading and science. One reason for the insurgent test-takers is that more states are picking up the cost. Although this may be a reason for the stagnant scores. Average scores drop when more students are tested. The ACT has aggressively marketed its test by pushing the notion that it encourages more kids to consider college. The ACT is now the most widely used college entrance exam, followed closely by its competitor, the SAT. Claudio Sanchez, NPR news.