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California Governor Signs Order Banning Sales Of New Gasoline Cars By 2035

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by npr.org -- California will phase out the sale of all gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035 in a bid to lead the U.S. in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging the state's drivers to switch to electric cars. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday that amounts to the most aggressive clean-car policy in the United States. Although it bans the sale of new gas cars and trucks after the 15-year deadline, it will still allow such vehicles to be owned and sold on the used-car market. "This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change," the governor said in a statement. "Our cars shouldn't make wildfires worse — and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn't melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines."

Newsom, a Democrat, also threw his support behind a ban on petroleum fracking but called on the California Legislature to make that change. With extreme wildfires still burning in the state, Newsom says fighting climate change is an emergency. However, the state's efforts have run afoul of the Trump administration, which has sought to revoke California's authority to mandate zero-emission vehicles – a challenge that has landed in court. Gov. Brown's Biggest Climate Foe Isn't Trump. It's Car-Loving Californians In January 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed an executive order setting ambitious targets of 200 hydrogen fueling stations and 250,000 electric vehicle chargers to support 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on California roads by 2025. The number of zero-emission electric vehicles being sold in the state has been on the upswing in recent years, although they accounted for fewer than 8% of all new cars sold in California last year.

France backs idea by Lebanese politician to end cabinet logjam

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BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) - France backed on Wednesday a proposal by a former Lebanese prime minister that could help break a deadlock blocking formation of Lebanon’s new cabinet amid the Middle East nation’s worst crisis since its 1975-90 civil war. Paris has been pressing politicians for the quick formation of a government that will draw up reforms to tackle corruption and help attract international aid to fix an economy drowning in debt and struggling after a massive explosion at Beirut port. Lebanese Deputy Parliament Speaker Elie Ferzli said he now saw “promising possibilities” for an end to the cabinet logjam. The process of forming a cabinet hit the buffers this month after Lebanon’s two main Shi’ite Muslim parties insisted they pick some cabinet posts, including the finance minister, which has been held by a Shi’ite for years.

Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib, a Sunni Muslim under Lebanon’s sectarian system of power-sharing, had sought to shake up ministerial positions with a new cabinet of specialists. Former prime minister Saad al-Hariri, a leading Sunni politician, offered a way out by proposing on Tuesday that an “independent” Shi’ite candidate be named as finance minister. “This declaration represents an opening and all parties should understand its importance so that a government of mission can now be established,” the French Foreign Ministry said.

His Beatitude Cardinal Bechara Rai likens fading Christian presence in Middle East to a sinking ship

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By Doreen Abi Raad • Catholic News Service BEIRUT (CNS) — Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai warned that the Christian presence in the Middle East is shrinking and church leaders “are called to face the winds that blow in our homelands.” The assessment by the patriarch of Maronite Catholics during a meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches executive committee Sept. 18 underscored the dire reality facing Christians in the tumultuous region. “The ship threatened by strong winds and waves” that is sinking symbolizes “the witnessing church in the sea of our Middle Eastern countries troubled by the winds of conflicts and wars, political, economic, financial and livelihood crises, and the corona epidemic,” Cardinal Rai said. The cardinal also explained at the meeting he hosted at Bkerke, the Maronite patriarchate north of Beirut, that the threat “reached its climax” in Lebanon with the catastrophic double explosion in the port of Beirut Aug. 4. The disaster left nearly 200 people dead, injured another 6,000, and displaced more than 300,000 people.

He stressed that the MECC is called in such turbulent time to work with churches and their leaders, institutions and the faithful “to face the waves and winds that ravage their homelands … with stances of faith and hope.” “We ask you, Lord, through the intercession of our Mother Virgin Mary, the star of the sea in the storm, to lead our homelands, our churches and our people to the port of safety,” Cardinal Rai pleaded. The MECC in its final statement reiterated its appeal for an end to “the destructive wars and conflicts in the Middle East, to protect human dignity, and build peace on the basis of justice and rights.” Meeting participants expressed their “deep solidarity” with the Lebanese in the “catastrophic tragedy” they are suffering from the Beirut explosions. They called for continued “ecumenical ecclesiastical efforts with all local, regional and international partners to lift the material and psychological repercussions of this tragedy.” They also expressed their solidarity with all those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, especially people who have lost loved ones, offered appreciation to medical and humanitarian aid teams, and assured their continued prayers for an end to the pandemic.

Explosion at Hezbollah-Linked Site in Lebanese Village

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Southern Lebanon is a political stronghold of Hezbollah. [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]

by Al Jazeera -- The Lebanese army said the blast occurred in a building in the southern village of Ein Qana, about 50km (30 miles) south of the capital Beirut, on Tuesday and that it was investigating. Hezbollah members imposed a security cordon around the blast area, barring journalists from reaching it. Hezbollah’s media office told Al Jazeera the explosion was caused by a “technical error” at their arms depot. “This explosion was at a house that stored weapons – result of technical error. No one was killed or injured. The building belonged to a Hezbollah affiliated de-mining association,” said Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut. Footage broadcast by the local Al Jadeed station showed damage to buildings and debris scattered across a large area.

The shaky footage also showed what appeared to be a minibus on fire. Other footage showed a wrecked SUV parked outside a damaged house. The explosion comes seven weeks after the powerful explosion at Beirut port, caused by the detonation of nearly 3,000 tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate. The explosion killed nearly 200 people, injured 6,500 and damaged tens of thousands of buildings in the capital, Beirut. It is still not clear what caused the initial fire that ignited the chemicals, and so far no one has been held accountable.

Lebanon ‘going to hell’ if if fails to form government, says president

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by arabnews.com -- NAJIA HOUSSARI -- BEIRUT: Lebanon is “going to hell” if it fails to form a government, the president warned on Monday. A huge explosion on Aug. 4 at the Port of Beirut led to the resignation of Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his administration. Mustapha Adib, the country’s 48-year old ambassador to Germany, was named as his replacement and tasked with assembling a new government. However his mission has stalled, not least because of a dispute over who will lead the Ministry of Finance. Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement want Shiite ministers in the cabinet, including the finance minister. The Free Patriotic Movement has objected to their demand and proposed naming ministers from small sects to assume key portfolios.

Lebanon “is going to hell if the situation remains as it is,” President Michel Aoun said. “Neither bullying one another will benefit, nor channeling foreign powers will help. Only understanding each other based on the constitution and balance will take us to stability and recovery. The rigidity of positions will not lead us to any result except for more aggravation, while what Lebanon needs most in light of all its successive crises is some resolution and solidarity so that it can rise and confront its problems.” An initiative from France stipulates that the government comprise specialists who are separate from the parties in power, that portfolios should be rotated, that the government be small, its work team homogeneous and that it carry out a specific reform mission. This mission, based on its implementation, would lead to crucial international aid that would bail Lebanon out of its economic and financial misery. President Emmanuel Macron gave parties a deadline to form a government. It was missed, however, and has been extended until Tuesday. Aoun proposed cancelling the sectarian distribution of key ministries, not allocating them to specific sects but making them available to all sects, and making the ability to accomplish and not sectarian affiliation as the criterion for choosing ministers.

In Lebanon, women drive the fight for change

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by Deutsche Welle -- egyptindependent -- While traffic seethed elsewhere in the city, crowds of angry people moved through central Beirut in protest at a government blamed for the devastating August 4 blast. By the following weekend, security forces submerged the city center in tear gas. At Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, people fled from violent clashes with police and retreated amid the turmoil. Cries of “We are oppressed in our own country,” came from the crowd. Their voices were female. Everybody in Lebanon knows the slogan refers to foreign influence and a corrupt, typically male, ruling class. But for women it takes on an added layer of meaning.

‘The revolution was, and is, female’ Lebanon was already suffering from an array of distress: an economic crisis, long-standing protests against corruption and a sectarian system of patronage — then came the devastating explosion at Beirut’s port last month. The high number of women involved in the struggle against those challenges is striking. The women among the protest movement show particular courage and strength and are often at the forefront of demonstrations. Almost half of the protesters at Martyrs’ Square following the blast were female. Driving the uprising forward, many of the younger ones arrived in tight jeans and short tops. “The revolution was, and is, female,” said 60-year-old Laila Zahed, grinning. She has been to almost every demonstration since protests began on October 17 last year. On several occasions women stood between soldiers ready to fire and angry demonstrators, so that violence would not break out, she said.

Egypt Foreign Minister, UN representative discuss updates on Lebanon crisis

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(MENAFN - Daily News Egypt) Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry has met with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, to discuss the latest updates on the situation in Lebanon. The meeting, which was held during Kubis' visit to Cairo on Sunday and which saw the UN representative brief Shoukry on the latest updates in Lebanon, also reviewed the means of supporting the Lebanese people through the country's current crisis. A statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez noted that Shoukry stressed Egypt's steadfast position in supporting Lebanon's security and stability. Shoukry also highlighted the importance of continued support for Lebanon as it overcomes its current crisis. The minister expressed confidence in the Lebanese people's ability to overcome the challenges posed by the Beirut port explosion that occurred in early August. Shoukry visited Lebanon last month, following the explosion, to take part in discussions with Lebanese officials on supporting the country through the fallout of the explosion.