1. “Obama announces first US Atlantic marine monument”

2. On Thursday President Barack Obama designated an undersea range of canyons and peaks off the US Eastern seaboard as the country's first Atlantic marine national monument. The move will further Obama's conservation efforts in the final months of his presidency, an initiative he views as a major component of his environmental legacy. The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, situated 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, will protect 4,913 square miles of ocean from commercial activity and development. That includes barring undersea drilling and mining, as well as commercial fishing activity. Some fishing groups have protested the national monument, saying the move could harm the region's economy and impede the work of existing fishery management groups. In response to the protests, red crab and lobster fisheries will have seven years before they're required to cease commercial activity within the monument, while other types of commercial fishing enterprises will have 60 days to exit. Recreational fishing will still be permitted within the monument's boundaries.

3. In Other News
Apple fans are finally laying their hands on the brand new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Eager customers joined long lines in cities like Sydney and Hong Kong on Friday as the new models went on sale, more than a week after they were unveiled. Apple is releasing the phones, which are water resistant and feature beefed-up cameras, in more than 25 countries around the world. But people who haven't reserved one in advance won't be able to be too picky about the color. They'll be available at Apple stores, carriers and retail partners. Many locations planned to open their doors an hour early to accommodate the anticipated demand.
The White House is planning to increase the number of refugees accepted into the United States from around the world to at least 110,000 in 2017, a senior administration official told CNN. Secretary of State John Kerry briefed Congress on Tuesday about the administration's decision and has stated over the past year that the United States would seek to welcome 100,000 refugees in and if possible, would accept more. The increase -- from 70,000 during to 85,000 in 2016 to the plan of 110,000 in is more than a 57% increase in refugee arrivals since 2015 and consistent with the administration's belief that all countries should do more to help vulnerable people.