China Coal Mine Explosion Death Toll Revised to 82 in Shanxi 
Chicago U.S. Attorney Drops Charges Against Broadview Protest Defendants 
DHS Threatens to Halt International Airport Processing in Sanctuary Cities 
NIH Infectious Disease Leadership Shake-Up Raises Concerns Amid Ebola, Hantavirus Outbreaks 
Mexico-EU Free Trade Deal Signals Strategic Shift Away From U.S. Dependence 
Xi Jinping Orders Full Rescue After Shanxi Coal Mine Gas Explosion Kills Eight 
House Republicans Delay Vote on Iran War Powers Resolution Amid Growing Congressional Debate 
U.S. Military Drill Over Caracas Raises Tensions in Venezuela 
World Bank Emergency Funding Demand Surges as 27 Countries Seek Crisis Support Amid Iran Conflict 
US Approves $108 Million Hawk Missile System Support Package for Ukraine 
First Trump, now Putin – all roads lead to Xi Jinping 
Marco Rubio Visits India to Rebuild U.S.-India Ties Amid Trade and Geopolitical Tensions 
U.S. Sanctions Tanzanian Police Official Over Human Rights Violations 
Greenland Protesters Rally Against Expanded U.S. Consulate Amid Trump Arctic Ambitions 
Iran Pushes Nationalist Propaganda as Economic Crisis and War Deepen 
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Could Reopen Strait of Hormuz as Nuclear Talks Advance 
Iran-U.S. Talks Continue as Strait of Hormuz and Uranium Dispute Stall Peace Efforts 
Among the campaign promises and goals that US President Joe Biden has made in his ascent to the presidency was to focus on clean energy and electric vehicles. In another environmental move, the White House announced that Biden is expected to set the goal of having half of US cars sold by 2030 to be zero-emission vehicles.
The White House announced the plans for Biden to set the target of half of all US cars that would be sold by 2030 to become zero-emission vehicles. Biden will be signing an executive order to address the target, and this would include types of electric vehicles. The order will be signed Thursday in another move to address and combat the climate change crisis as well as attempt to outcompete China in the field.
“The President will sign an Executive Order that sets an ambitious new target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles, including battery-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles,” the White House said in a statement.
Three of the country’s major vehicle manufacturers Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, all expressed their aspiration to achieve the goal of having 40 to 50 percent of their electric vehicle sales be zero-emission by 2030. Other car manufacturers such as Volvo, BMW, Volkswagen, and Honda also praised the initiative. The United Auto Workers Union, one of the largest unions in the country, also expressed support for the goal.
“The members of the UAW, current and future, are ready to build these electric cars and trucks and the batteries that go in them,” said UAW President Ray Curry in a statement released through the White House. “Our members are America’s secret weapon in winning this global race.”
While most of the major car manufacturers are expected to be present at the event, there was one manufacturer that was evidently absent. The UAW, along with Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors, are expected to be with Biden on Thursday except for Tesla, the manufacturer known for its electric vehicles. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was pressed on why Tesla was not invited to the clean car event at the White House.
Buttigieg simply replied, “I’m not sure.” Buttigieg then steered away from Tesla and said that the administration is looking forward to making sure Americans drive electric vehicles in the future.
