Earth in the balance

November 25, 2016 - Daily News Briefing

The president-elect's shift on climate change might be as much about practical politics as about saving the planet.

Subscribe Now to read this post!

To read this post and thousands more articles, subscribe today!

Who is Nikki Haley, Trump's pick for ambassador to the UN?

The South Carolina governor, a GOP establishment favorite who opposed Trump's rhetoric on immigration, has little foreign affairs experience.

Chattanooga crash: Should school buses have seat belts?

For many places, the cost of outfitting school buses with seat belts is prohibitively expensive. But some advocates say that no cost is too high to save a child's life.

Federal judge blocks Obama rule extending overtime

A federal court in Texas on Tuesday prevented a rule from going into effect that would have made an estimated 4.2 million more workers eligible for overtime pay, starting Dec. 1, 2016.

Were native Americans raising turkeys long before the first Thanksgiving?

Archaeologists have unearthed evidence that turkeys were domesticated centuries before the pilgrims arrived in the Americas.

Iran to US: honor nuclear deal, or else

Momentum is building in Washington and among Iranian hard-liners to oppose the deal and renew sanctions against Iran.

Baton Rouge agrees to pay Black Lives Matter protesters $100,000

Four agencies, including local and state police, agreed to pay up to $25,000 apiece for a total of about $100,000 to settle a federal class action lawsuit filed by activists arrested while protesting the death of Alton Sterling.

Is the fashion world becoming more political?

From designers saying they will or will not be willing to dress Melania Trump, to boycotts of Ivanka Trump's products, to an ideological embrace or rejection of New Balance sneakers, the worlds of politics and fashion seem more and more often to be on a collision course.

Colombian president reaches revised peace accord with FARC rebels

After voters rejected a previous peace deal last month, the Colombian president will sign a revised accord Thursday with leaders of the leftist rebel group, sending the measure to Congress for final approval.

Solo climber sets new record conquering Yosemite's El Capitan

Adam Ondra scaled the Dawn Wall of the famed El Capitan in California's Yosemite National Park in eight days.

Does the coconut crab have the most powerful claws?

You might not want to get caught in the claws of the hermit crab's big, scary cousin: the coconut crab.

Can your dog remember what you did?

Do your beloved pooches even remember that you went for a long walk together, played and had a good time today? They might actually, according to new research.

Thanksgiving generosity: College team flies player home to Venezeula

As a Thanksgiving gift, Ronny Orta was given a plane ticket to Venezuela by teammates. Across the US, examples of generosity are evident.

In memoriam: Willie Rogers, oldest of history-making Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots in the US military, served in all-black units at a time of racial segregation in the military. Many faced discrimination at home upon their return.

Is there an easy way to help koalas?

Researchers say that adopting daylight savings time could be a simple method to offer significant protection to Australia's dwindling koala population.

Dodo skeleton auctioned off for $430,000. Why does the bird fascinate?

A British auction house sold a composite dodo skeleton to a private collector for £346,300 (about $430,000) on Tuesday.

Lufthansa pilot strike grounds nearly 900 flights

A pay dispute has left some 215,000 passengers affected, after pilots for Germany's largest airline launched a two-day strike.