By (Reuters) - Last September, in the arid hills of northern Nevada, a cluster of flowers found nowhere else on earth died mysteriously overnight.Conservationists were quick to suspect ioneer Ltd, an Australian firm that wants to mine the lithium that lies beneath the flowers for use in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.One conservation group alleged in a lawsuit that the flowers, known as Tiehm’s buckwheat, were “dug up and destroyed.” The rare plant posed a problem for ioneer because U.S. officials may soon add it to the Endangered Species List, which could scuttle the mining project.Ioneer...…By (Reuters) - Last September, in the arid hills of northern Nevada, a cluster of flowers found nowhere else on earth died mysteriously overnight.Conservationists were quick to suspect ioneer Ltd, an Australian firm that wants to mine the lithium that lies beneath the flowers for use in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.One conservation group alleged in a lawsuit that the flowers, known as Tiehm’s buckwheat, were “dug up and destroyed.” The rare plant posed a problem for ioneer because U.S. officials may soon add it to the Endangered Species List, which could scuttle the mining project.Ioneer...WW…

By (Reuters) - Members of Arizona’s San Carlos Apache tribe filed a property lien on Thursday in an attempt to regain control over land that the U.S. government is poised to give to Rio Tinto Ltd for the Resolution Copper mine.The latest maneuver by tribal members opposed to the project asks a court to find that the U.S. government has illegally occupied the land for more than 160 years and has no right to give it to anyone.The “United States of America does not own that land,” Apache Stronghold, a non-profit organization comprised of mine opponents, said in a court filing.The mine could...…By (Reuters) - Members of Arizona’s San Carlos Apache tribe filed a property lien on Thursday in an attempt to regain control over land that the U.S. government is poised to give to Rio Tinto Ltd for the Resolution Copper mine.The latest maneuver by tribal members opposed to the project asks a court to find that the U.S. government has illegally occupied the land for more than 160 years and has no right to give it to anyone.The “United States of America does not own that land,” Apache Stronghold, a non-profit organization comprised of mine opponents, said in a court filing.The mine could...WW…

By (Reuters) - Harris County in Texas will close nine of its 10 drive-through voting sites on Election Day to ensure votes are counted, Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said on Twitter on Monday.Hollins said the decision was made because a judge said the tents used for most of the drive-through voting sites would not qualify as “buildings,” which are required for Election Day polling places.“I cannot in good faith encourage voters to cast their votes in tents if that puts their votes at risk,” Hollins said.Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Lincoln Feast.Our Standards:…By (Reuters) - Harris County in Texas will close nine of its 10 drive-through voting sites on Election Day to ensure votes are counted, Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said on Twitter on Monday.Hollins said the decision was made because a judge said the tents used for most of the drive-through voting sites would not qualify as “buildings,” which are required for Election Day polling places.“I cannot in good faith encourage voters to cast their votes in tents if that puts their votes at risk,” Hollins said.Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Lincoln Feast.Our Standards:WW…

By , TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden showcased their contrasting approaches to the resurgent coronavirus pandemic as they rallied supporters on Thursday in the battleground state of Florida with the clock winding down to Election Day.Opinion polls show Biden with a significant edge nationally, but with a tighter lead in the battleground states that play a decisive role in the final result.A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed Trump had essentially moved into a tie with Biden in Florida, with 49% saying they would vote for Biden and...…By , TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden showcased their contrasting approaches to the resurgent coronavirus pandemic as they rallied supporters on Thursday in the battleground state of Florida with the clock winding down to Election Day.Opinion polls show Biden with a significant edge nationally, but with a tighter lead in the battleground states that play a decisive role in the final result.A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed Trump had essentially moved into a tie with Biden in Florida, with 49% saying they would vote for Biden and...WW…

By , , CORTLAND, Ohio/BANGOR, Penn. (Reuters) - Tanya Wojciak, a lifelong Republican and suburban mom from northeast Ohio, is the kind of battleground state voter President Donald Trump can’t afford to lose - but already has.She is angry at Trump’s handling of the novel coronavirus crisis that has killed more than 219,000 Americans, the largest death toll of any country. She lost a friend to COVID-19 in April.Wojciak, 39, said Trump’s spotty use of masks and repeated attempts to downplay the seriousness of the coronavirus - even after being hospitalized for it himself - is “not presidential...…By , , CORTLAND, Ohio/BANGOR, Penn. (Reuters) - Tanya Wojciak, a lifelong Republican and suburban mom from northeast Ohio, is the kind of battleground state voter President Donald Trump can’t afford to lose - but already has.She is angry at Trump’s handling of the novel coronavirus crisis that has killed more than 219,000 Americans, the largest death toll of any country. She lost a friend to COVID-19 in April.Wojciak, 39, said Trump’s spotty use of masks and repeated attempts to downplay the seriousness of the coronavirus - even after being hospitalized for it himself - is “not presidential...WW…

By (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz introduced legislation on Tuesday to help revive the U.S. rare earths industry with tax breaks for mine developers and manufacturers who buy their products, the latest attempt by Washington to break China’s control over the strategic sector.China is the largest global processor of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals used to make electronics and military equipment. The country has threatened to stop exporting the specialized minerals to the United States amid the ongoing trade war, prompting efforts by Washington to help revive its domestic rare earths...…By (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz introduced legislation on Tuesday to help revive the U.S. rare earths industry with tax breaks for mine developers and manufacturers who buy their products, the latest attempt by Washington to break China’s control over the strategic sector.China is the largest global processor of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals used to make electronics and military equipment. The country has threatened to stop exporting the specialized minerals to the United States amid the ongoing trade war, prompting efforts by Washington to help revive its domestic rare earths...WW…

By HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense last month reversed its decision to fund two projects to process rare earth minerals for military weapons, one of which has controversial ties to China, according to a government document seen by Reuters and three sources familiar with the matter.The Pentagon decision is a step backward for President Donald Trump’s plan to redevelop the U.S. rare earths supply chain and reduce reliance on China, the world’s largest producer of the strategic minerals used to build a range of weapons.Reuters reported the same day that a Chinese company’s...…By HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense last month reversed its decision to fund two projects to process rare earth minerals for military weapons, one of which has controversial ties to China, according to a government document seen by Reuters and three sources familiar with the matter.The Pentagon decision is a step backward for President Donald Trump’s plan to redevelop the U.S. rare earths supply chain and reduce reliance on China, the world’s largest producer of the strategic minerals used to build a range of weapons.Reuters reported the same day that a Chinese company’s...WW…