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- By Native News Online Staff
Summer is a busy season filled with activity. Whether attending traditional ceremonies, taking part in powwows, or spending time with relatives and friends, our days are full and meaningful.
Here are three stories you may have missed this weekend:
President Trump Meets with Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Marshall Pierite
Late last month, President Donald J. Trump held a historic summit with the Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Marshall Pierite, weeks after the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe announced they would be formally nominating President Trump for the honor of the Nobel Peace Prize.
An article advocating for greater economic cooperation between America’s Indian tribes and the U.S. government by Chairman Pierite reportedly caught the attention of President Trump earlier this year, prompting the summit. During their meeting, President Trump and Chairman Pierite discussed the unique position of Indian sovereignty and authority over tribal lands, and how to capitalize on the opportunity for the mutual benefit of the tribes and the American people.
The U.S. Department of Justice has released updated guidance for individuals intending to apply for compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), a federal program that offers financial support to those affected by radiation exposure related to nuclear weapons development. T
his includes thousands of former Navajo uranium miners, downwinders, and other impacted individuals. The RECA extension was included in the reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July, following strong advocacy from the 25th Navajo Nation Council.
Originally enacted in 1990, RECA was created to compensate people who developed illnesses due to exposure from the U.S. government’s nuclear weapons activities. Many Navajo workers were directly involved in uranium mining and milling that supported this effort. The program had expired in June 2024 but has now been reinstated with important updates.
In a 94-page decision released on Friday, August 15, a federal judge in Arizona rejected the most recent attempt by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, environmental groups, and other plaintiffs to block the federal government from transferring land from the U.S. Forest Service to Resolution Copper.
The land commonly known as Oak Flat is known to the Apache as Chi’chil Bildagoteel—a sacred site to tribal members, known for its ancient oak groves and traditional plants that are vital to Apache religious practices.
Federal District Court Judge Dominic W. Lanza recognized that the planned copper mine would destroy one of the Apache people's most sacred sites, pose serious environmental risks, and consume vast amounts of water amid Arizona’s ongoing historic drought.
However, he concluded that the plaintiffs had not presented a strong enough legal case to warrant halting the project.
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