Latest news with #Axios
Axios
7 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
Higher gas tax takes effect July 1 in Washington state
Washington state's gas tax will rise by 6 cents per gallon on Tuesday, after state lawmakers voted to approve the increase earlier this year. Why it matters: Because wholesale fuel prices are falling, Washingtonians may not wake up to a 6-cent spike at the pump, but they may "notice a little bit of an increase," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told Axios. By the numbers: The hike on July 1 will raise Washington's gas tax from 49.4 cents per gallon to 55.4 cents per gallon. The increase, along with changes to diesel taxes, will generate about $1.4 billion in new revenue for state highway projects over the next six years. It's part of a larger $3.2 billion transportation tax package lawmakers approved in April. The big picture: Washingtonians already pay more for gas than people in most other states. While AAA pegged the nationwide average price per gallon at $3.21 as of Friday, a gallon in Washington averaged about $4.45. What they're saying: The higher tax is part of a bipartisan deal "to invest in critical infrastructure that all Washingtonians count on — roads, bridges and ferries," state Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, told Axios. Yes, but: The money isn't bankrolling a bunch of new projects, state Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma), chair of the House Transportation Committee, told Axios. Instead, it's helping shore up funding for megaprojects the state has already approved, several of which have recently come in over budget by hundreds of millions of dollars. "We're getting killed by inflation," Fey said Friday. The fine print: Washington lawmakers also voted to make the state's gas tax increase by 2% automatically each year starting next July, a step they haven't taken before. Between the lines: De Haan said several other states have adopted similar automatic gas tax increases, typically indexed to inflation.
Middle East Eye
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Senior Israeli official to visit White House on Monday
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will be at the White House on Monday for discussions on Iran and Gaza, Axios has reported. He will also lay the groundwork for another visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington later this summer, according to Axios.
Axios
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
TikTok helps Seattle pets find homes
Seattle Humane is going all in on over-the-top TikToks — and it's working. Why it matters: The Bellevue-based shelter says silly, sentimental clips are pulling in new audiences and helping pets find forever homes faster. What they're saying: We've seen firsthand how shelters like Seattle Humane are using TikTok to tell stories, reach new audiences, and find homes for pets, Ara Yoo, global head of social impact at TikTok, tells Axios. "It's incredibly moving to witness the real-world impact." By the numbers: TikTok shared data with Axios showing just how far these videos are reaching: Rylee the dog: more than 3.7 million views Edward the biscuit-making cat: 1.5 million views Korsa the mastiff: 1.1 million views Behind the scenes: Since joining TikTok in 2021, Seattle Humane has gone viral several times by leaning into emotion, humor and storytelling, says Brandon Macz, the shelter's social media director. "We had to get a little goofy and unhinged," Macz tells Axios. "It's not always easy for nonprofits to do well online." Case in point: One of the shelter's most-viewed videos featured a senior Chihuahua mix who arrived at the shelter after eight years in the same home. The team showcased the pet's fear and vulnerability, pairing it with emotional music, per Macz. "People really felt for that dog," Macz says. "We got national press, and a couple days later they were adopted."
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Israeli official to arrive on Monday for White House talks, Axios reports
June 27 (Reuters) - Israeli official Ron Dermer will arrive Monday for talks at the White House on Iran and Gaza, Axios reported on Friday. Dermer, Israel's strategic affairs minister, will also discuss the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington later this summer, it said.
Axios
12 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
Prolific cybercriminal group now targeting aviation, transportation companies
The notorious Scattered Spider hacking gang is now actively targeting the aviation and transportation sectors, cybersecurity firms warned on Friday. Why it matters: The group of mostly Western, English-speaking hackers has been on a months-long spree that's prompted operational disruptions at grocery suppliers, major retail storefronts and insurance companies in the U.S. and U.K. Driving the news: Hawaiian Airlines said Thursday it's addressing a "cybersecurity incident" that affected some of its IT systems. Canadian airline WestJet faced a similar incident last week that caused outages for some of its systems and mobile app. A source familiar with the incidents told Axios that Scattered Spider was likely behind the WestJet incident. Josh Yeats, a WestJet spokesperson, told Axios that the company has made "significant progress" to resolve the incident, but did not answer questions about Scattered Spider's possible involvement. What they're saying: Charles Carmakal, the chief technology officer at Google's Mandiant Consulting, said in an emailed statement that the company is "aware of multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector which resemble the operations of UNC3944 or Scattered Spider." "We are still working on attribution and analysis, but given the habit of this actor to focus on a single sector we suggest that the industry take steps immediately to harden systems," Carmakal said. Palo Alto Networks also said they saw evidence of these hackers targeting the aviation sector. "Organizations should be on high alert for sophisticated and targeted social engineering attacks and suspicious MFA reset requests," Sam Rubin, senior vice president of consulting and threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, said on LinkedIn.
