The Interior Dept said the rule would encourage renewable energy on the nation's vast swaths of public lands while generating millions of dollars in revenue. "We are facilitating responsible renewable energy development in the right places, creating jobs and cutting carbon pollution for the benefit of all Americans," said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. It comes two months before Donald Trump takes office, and a new Republican administration could reconsider the rule or even scrap it.   read more

As election results rolled in, its Facebook contacts grew to 15,000 plus 3,000 emails and endless tweets. "It would frankly be better off if we were our own nation," said group VP Evans, calling Trump's election further evidence that America is a sinking ship. "Our ship can sail on its own." To the north, in Portland, Oregon, two residents filed a separate petition for a 2018 ballot initiative for Oregon to secede.   read more

Sharma's heroes haven't been sports stars or movie stars. They've been the U.S. combat veterans who won World War II. Since childhood, he's been fascinated by the sacrifices men his age made during WWII, risking their lives for freedom, then returning home to raise families and take everyday jobs as they transitioned back to civilian life. He read every book and watched every documentary he could find. But it wasn't until high school that he became committed to meeting them.   read more

The culprit seems to be abnormal calcium deposits that make the normally elastic amniotic sac prone to rupture. Such calcium buildup in the womb is similar to the kind that stiffens older people's arteries or causes kidney stones. Premature birth can cause lifelong health problems, and babies who are very premature can die. Sometimes there's an obvious cause, such as an infection. Yet most of the time, doctors can't explain what triggers preterm birth in an otherwise healthy pregnant woman.   read more

A death row inmate may be alive today because a transgender Virginia student was denied the use of the bathroom of his choice this year. The two seemingly unrelated cases have one thing in common: In each, a Supreme Court justice switched sides to provide a needed fifth vote to preserve the status quo. Justice Breyer broke with liberal colleagues to provide "a courtesy vote" to four conservative justices. Chief Justice Roberts did a similar favor, switching sides to vote in another case.   read more

For years, scientists have noted that, in many fields, the most electrifying work comes earlier in life rather than later. Now, a big-data analysis finds a host of factors that have nothing to do with age or early stardom. It is, they suggest, a combination of personality, persistence and pure luck, as well as intelligence, that leads to high-impact success — at any age. It was entirely because of productivity: scientists were as likely to score a hit at age 50 as at age 25.   read more

La Guardia Airport, famously described by Vice President Joe Biden in 2014 as akin to what one would find “in a Third World country,” ranked as the worst. Right behind it were JFK International and Newark Liberty. La Guardia had the highest rate of flight delays and cancellations, the second-longest drive time to the center of the city and steep parking rates. JFK had the longest drive time and longest security waits. Newark had “lackluster ratings across the board.”   read more

Children’s ability to maintain a healthy weight can slip when they are out of school, much like their reading and math skills. Experts note that in the summer, children do not have a strict, school-defined schedule, so they spend more sedentary time snacking in front of screens. They go to bed later and get less sleep (which can contribute to weight gain). By contrast, school offers a built-in protective structure for weight-and-fitness maintenance.   read more

The next president of the United States will start with a huge following on Twitter but a clean slate of tweets. It's all part of the peaceful transition of power in the social media age. The White House said Monday that Obama's official @POTUS account will be taken over by the next president. Obama is leaving office with far more digital content to archive than any previous president. Thousands of hours of video and millions of photos will have to be transferred.   read more

Obesity specialists said the survey paints an alarming picture, going against evidence about the science behind the disease and shows that outdated notions about obesity persist, to the detriment of those affected. “It’s frustrating to see doctors and the general public stigmatize patients with obesity and blame these patients, ascribing attributes of laziness or lack of willpower,” said Prof. Dr. Donna Ryan. “It’s so revealing of a real lack of education and knowledge.”   read more

Most telling was that 76% of the voters said they watched at least one of the presidential debates when they aired. But a third of those who watched were simultaneously engaged online, whether it was to check what was being said about the debate on Twitter or to see what fact checkers were saying. The takeaway is that candidates will need to increasingly tailor approaches to the internet for what were once staples of television. “Television is not going to cut it alone,” Blizzard said.   read more

ABA lawyers commissioned a report on Trump's litigation history and concluded he is a “libel bully” who had filed many meritless suits attacking his opponents and never won in court. But the bar refused to publish the report, citing “the risk of the ABA being sued by Mr. Trump.” Bodney said “It is more than a little ironic that a publication dedicated to the exploration of First Amendment issues is subjected to censorship when it seeks to publish an article about threats to free speech.”   read more

With the military commissions having trickled at a slow drip for the last 4 1/2 years, prosecutors say the order was an apparent effort to speed up the proceedings. Miller told the court that Gill had been taken into custody, but offered no information about where he was being held. Spath didn't say what will happen if Gill still refuses to testify. The CIA held al-Nashiri at one of its secret overseas prisons. He is among three former CIA captives whom the agency admitted to waterboarding.   read more

The report covers officers who were killed during ambushes, traffic pursuits, tactical situations, domestic disturbance calls and while handling prisoners and individuals with mental illness. More than half were on vehicle patrol when they died. Most who died — 38 — were killed with firearms. More than 50,000 officers were assaulted last year while performing their duties. And 45 law enforcement officers died accidentally in the line of duty, many during automobile and motorcycle accidents.   read more

The nation's high school graduation rate has reached a record 83.2%, continuing a steady increase that shows improvement across all racial and ethnic groups. President Obama welcomed the higher rate as good news, but the gains come against a backdrop of decreasing scores on national math and reading tests. "More African-American and Latino students are graduating than ever before," said Obama. Gains also were seen for disabled students and those from low-income families.   read more

For a Manhattan designer trying to shine pacifist ideals from the window of her historic 17th-story apartment, the court cut the lights Friday, providing no justice, no peace. Vosse's attorney noted that this decision could spell trouble for residents feeling the holiday spirit. "Most New Yorkers would be surprised to learn that displaying an illuminated jack-o'-lantern, menorah or Christmas wreath from their window ... could subject them to significant fines," Oliver said.   read more