Obama vetoes bill to repeal care lawWASHINGTON — Protecting his signature domestic achievement, President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed Republican-inspired legislation to repeal his health care law, saying to do so “would reverse the significant progress we have made in improving health care in America.”Republican lawmakers have pushed many repeal measures since 2010, when Obama signed the health care program into law. This bill was the first one to make it through Congress and reach his desk.Republicans have argued that the law is costly and doesn’t work.In his veto message to Congress, Obama disagreed. Obama said the Affordable Care Act includes fairer rules and stronger consumer protections “that have made health care coverage more affordable, more attainable and more patient-centered. And it is working.”

Old license still gets you on flightNEW YORK — Fliers who don’t have the latest driver’s licenses will have a two-year reprieve before their IDs are rejected at airport security checkpoints.Many travelers had been worried that the Transportation Security Administration would penalize them because of a federal law requiring newer, more-stringent IDs at the start of this year.But late Friday afternoon, the Department of Homeland Security said passengers could continue using their current IDs until Jan. 22, 2018. Some would have until Oct. 1, 2020.After those dates, passengers without the proper driver’s licenses would have to use other federally-approved forms of ID such as a passport.

Toys R Us reports strong holiday salesNEW YORK — Toys R Us reported stronger holiday sales despite intense competition from online retailers such as Amazon.com.The company said Friday that sales at stores open at least a year rose 2 percent from Nov. 2 to Jan. 2, compared with last year’s holiday season. From Nov. 29 and Jan. 2, sales at stores open at least a year rose 3.7 percent.Industry analysts pay close attention to these comparable-store sales figures because they exclude the volatility of newly opened or closed stores, providing a better picture of a retailer’s health.

Coal production at 30-year lowWASHINGTON — U.S. coal production has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 30 years as cheaper sources of power and stricter environmental regulations reduce demand, according to preliminary government figures.A report released Friday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates 900 million short tons of coal were produced last year, a drop from about 1 billion short tons in 2014. That’s the lowest volume since 1986.The slump has led to bankruptcies and layoffs at mining companies, but the effects have rippled outward, stressing state budgets and forcing layoffs in other sector such as railroads, which are transporting less coal.