
-
Chinese tourists pine for Taiwan's return as Beijing jets surround island
-
Singapore detains teenage boy allegedly planning to kill Muslims
-
What is the 'Qatargate' scandal roiling Israel?
-
AI coming for anime but Ghibli's Miyazaki irreplaceable, son says
-
Swedish insurer drops $160 mn Tesla stake over labour rights
-
Hunger returns to Gaza as Israeli blockade forces bakeries shut
-
Rubio heads to Europe as transatlantic tensions soar
-
Like 'living in hell': Quake-hit Mandalay monastery clears away rubble
-
'Give me a break': Trump tariffs threaten Japan auto sector
-
US approves $5.58 bn fighter jet sale to Philippines
-
Tsunoda embracing pressure of Red Bull debut at home Japanese GP
-
'Outstanding' Hay shines as New Zealand seal Pakistan ODI series
-
El Salvador's Bukele flaunts 'iron fist' alliance with Trump
-
Stock markets mixed as uncertainty rules ahead of Trump tariffs
-
China probes for key target weak spots with 'paralysing' Taiwan drills
-
'Top Gun' and Batman star Val Kilmer dies aged 65: New York Times
-
US lawmakers seek to rename street for Hong Kong's jailed Jimmy Lai
-
Greece to spend big on 'historic' military shake up
-
Trump faces first electoral setback after Wisconsin Supreme Court vote
-
Hay shines as New Zealand beat Pakistan for ODI series win
-
Israel says expands Gaza offensive to seize 'large areas'
-
Curry drops 52 as Warriors win, Jokic bags career-high 61 in Denver loss
-
South Korea mobilising 'all resources' for violence-free Yoon verdict
-
Myanmar quake victim rescued after 5 days as aid calls grow
-
Real Madrid coach Ancelotti tax fraud trial set to begin
-
Warner showcases 'Superman' reboot, new DiCaprio film
-
'Incredible' Curry scores 52 as Warriors down Grizzlies, Bucks edge Suns
-
Asian markets edge up but uncertainty rules ahead of Trump tariffs
-
Nintendo's megahit Switch console: what to know
-
Nintendo to unveil upgrade to best-selling Switch console
-
China practises hitting key ports, energy sites in Taiwan drills
-
Oil, sand and speed: Saudi gearheads take on towering dunes
-
All eyes on Tsunoda at Japan GP after ruthless Red Bull move
-
'Image whisperers' bring vision to the blind at Red Cross museum
-
Hay shines as New Zealand make 292-8 in Pakistan ODI
-
Other governments 'weaponising' Trump language to attack NGOs: rights groups
-
UK imposes online entry permit on European visitors
-
How a Brazilian chief is staving off Amazon destruction
-
Meme politics: White House embraces aggressive alt-right online culture
-
China launches military drills in Taiwan Strait
-
US senator smashes record with 25-hour anti-Trump speech
-
Brazil binman finds newborn baby on garbage route
-
US senator smashes record with marathon anti-Trump speech
-
Trump advisor Waltz faces new pressure over Gmail usage
-
Niger junta frees ministers of overthrown government
-
Trump set to unleash 'Liberation Day' tariffs
-
Boeing chief to acknowledge 'serious missteps' at US Senate hearing
-
Real Madrid hold Real Sociedad in eight-goal thriller to reach Copa del Rey final
-
Nuno salutes 'special' Elanga after stunning strike fires Forest
-
PSG survive scare against Dunkerque to reach French Cup final

With Grand Canyon visit, Biden champions the environment
Joe Biden will draw on an awe-inspiring backdrop Tuesday to present himself as an environmental champion: At the Grand Canyon, the US president will formally unveil a nearby protected area designed to curb uranium mining.
Biden, who is kicking off a three-day tour of the American southwest, is due to sign the birth certificate for a new national monument -- a term which designates that an area's natural wealth, historical significance and economic interest have earned it special protection status.
The land, in Arizona, has long been cherished by local Native American tribes, who hold it in high spiritual significance and have sought curbs on mining activity around the sweeping, spectacular river valley for decades.
The monument will be known as Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni -- Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon. The name is derived from phrases in the languages of the Havasupai Indians and the Hopi, which translate to "where Indigenous peoples roam" and "our ancestral footprints."
It will conserve nearly one million acres (about 405,000 hectares) made up of three distinct areas surrounding the Grand Canyon, an immense gorge up to 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) deep carved by the Colorado River into endless strata of colorful rock. The Grand Canyon, a world famous tourist attraction, was formalized as a national park in 1919.
- 'Climate resilience' -
According to the White House, the area's protected status will now prohibit new uranium mining projects on the site, without affecting existing mining rights.
Biden is due to announce the monument's designation and discuss his conservation agenda in a speech at the Grand Canyon at 11:00 am (1700 GMT) before the Democrat enjoys his own moment of contemplation at the rim of an iconic landscape of the American West.
The White House on Tuesday also announced a $44 million accompanying investment to "strengthen climate resilience" across the country's national parks system -- coming as southwestern states, Arizona in particular, bake under a brutal, record-setting heat wave and drought crisis.
The trip, also seen as a campaign swing for the 80-year-old leader who is running for reelection, marks the anniversary of the signing last August 16 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a mammoth package of climate investments and other programs that has become the centerpiece of his first term in office.
- Polls -
Biden regularly describes climate change as an "existential threat," and criticizes his Republican opponents for failure to act on the issue.
The IRA funnels some $370 billion into subsidies for America's energy transition, including tax breaks for US-made electric vehicles and batteries -- domestic incentives that have irked US trading partners.
Since the climate law was signed, some $75 billion in new manufacturing investments have been announced, according to policy analyst Jack Conness of think tank Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology.
Biden will be emphasizing new factories and his "Bidenomics" economic agenda on Wednesday when he visits New Mexico, followed by a Thursday trip to Utah, where he will highlight programs that help military veterans.
It remains unclear whether the investment gains are translating into clear optimism on the ground, with a Gallup poll in June finding that 66 percent of Americans say the economy is getting worse.
And more than half of Americans -- 57 percent -- disapprove of Biden's handling of climate change, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll conducted last month. The survey also found that few adults said they knew a good amount or great deal about the IRA.
"Polls don't tell the whole story," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. "The hope is that we'll get our message out."
Aside from touting his environmental initiatives, Biden's Grand Canyon expedition comes with electoral incentives.
He narrowly won Arizona in 2020, and it is among the handful of states expected to be decisive in determining next year's presidential election.
B.Finley--AMWN