Latest news with #Axios
Axios
an hour ago
- Business
- Axios
California rolls back environmental law to expedite housing
California is rolling back environmental regulations for some construction projects after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law this week ending strict review for many new developments. Why it matters: The move could cut down planning and zoning timelines in cities that desperately need more housing. Catch up quick: An extension of a national policy, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) allows individuals and groups to file lawsuits to challenge projects, which can delay building by years and rack up litigation costs. It was enacted in 1970 to prevent environmental damage and requires developers to mitigate potential impacts through a public review process. Attempts to reform it have escalated over the last decade amid California's housing shortage. Driving the news: The new law exempts urban "infill" housing projects, which are built in and around existing development, from CEQA if they are less than 20 acres and located outside hazardous zones. Certain infrastructure projects, such as water system improvements, day care centers and advanced manufacturing facilities will also be excluded from CEQA. What they're saying: These exemptions are "almost certainly the most significant rollback of CEQA for housing since it passed" and "will unambiguously reduce the time frame" for development, Ben Metcalf, managing director of UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation, told Axios. Under CEQA, projects usually must undergo review by city staff and a public body like a planning commission. The threat of litigation gives some groups, such as unions, leverage to negotiate project labor agreements, Metcalf said. Market-rate housing projects "will get in the ground faster as a result of this change," he added. The other side: Opponents say the rollback axes essential protections for wildlife, biodiversity and California's most vulnerable communities. It forces "blind exemptions for massive industrial projects" and could enable projects handling "highly explosive and hazardous materials" without scrutiny, a coalition of over 100 organizations wrote in a letter to Newsom last week. Between the lines: The legislation states that a "special statute is necessary" for San Francisco due to its "unique construction of housing projects."
Qatar Tribune
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Hamas says studying new Gaza ceasefire proposals
Agencies Gaza The Palestinian group Hamas says it is studying new proposals for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, but insisted it is seeking an agreement that would bring an end to Israel's war. Hamas said in a statement on Wednesday that it had received proposals from the mediators and is holding talks with them to 'bridge gaps' to return to the negotiating table and try to reach a ceasefire agreement. The group said it was aiming for an agreement that would end the Gaza war and ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. The announcement comes a day after United States President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. Trump has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire and an agreement for the group to release the Israeli captives held in Gaza. Trump said the 60-day period would be used to work towards ending the war – something Israel says it will not accept until Hamas is defeated. Trump is due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week. But Hamas's announcement, which emphasised its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialise into an actual pause in fighting. Israeli officials have warned that the country's military will escalate its operations in Gaza if ceasefire negotiations do not advance soon, according to the US-based Axios news outlet. 'We'll do to Gaza City and the central camps what we did to Rafah. Everything will turn to dust,' the outlet quoted a senior Israeli official as saying. 'It's not our preferred option, but if there's no movement towards a hostage deal, we won't have any other choice.' Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said any opportunity to free captives held in Gaza should not be missed, adding that there is a lot of support, both in the cabinet and within the public at large, for the US-backed proposal. The proposal, though, has not been publicly backed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said Palestinians mistrust Trump and have been disappointed several times by mooted ceasefires that have failed to materialise. 'There are headlines that are talking about a potential agreement and an end to the genocide, but what we're seeing on the ground, the reality tells a different story. An average of 100 to 120 Palestinians are killed every single day,' he said. In Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least 78 people on Wednesday, according to Palestinian health authorities. Hospital officials said four children and seven women were among the dead.
Axios
4 hours ago
- Business
- Axios
GOP revolt delays House vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill"
What should have been a five-minute procedural vote on President Trump's " big, beautiful bill" has stretched for more than 90 minutes with no clear end in sight due to firm opposition from some corners of the GOP. Why it matters: House Republican leaders are working furiously to pass the sweeping reconciliation bill before their stated July 4 deadline — but persistent delays threaten to put that goal out of reach. A group of GOP deficit hawks have been meeting off the House floor since returning from their meeting at the White House. State of play: An hour into the vote, Republicans were told to head back to their offices and sit tight while more meetings occur, per a source familiar with the matter. Lawmakers in both parties were told they will have at least an hour before they are needed back on the floor, aides and members told Axios.
Axios
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Anti-Trump protests planned for Fourth of July in Salt Lake City
Anti- Trump organizers are hosting "Free America" rallies on Independence Day in the latest round of mass protests in Salt Lake City and across the country. The big picture: This renewed batch of protests against the administration comes amid growing discontent with Trump's policies. "Your freedom. Your people. Your rebellion," the Women's March website said. Details: Locally, the demonstration is scheduled for 10am July 4 at the Utah Capitol. The other side: "President Trump won nearly 80 million votes and received a historic mandate to Make America Great Again, and he's delivering in a big way," White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement to Axios. State of play: The Women's March encouraged protesters to plan rallies, marches, banner drops, street parades, art builds, BBQs, dance protests and block parties.
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Fatal Tesla Cybertruck crash triggers lawsuit
The family of a Texas man who died last year in a burning Tesla Cybertruck after a crash is suing the automaker, alleging that safety issues contributed to the fatality. The wrongful death suit appears to be the first against Tesla involving a Cybertruck, Axios reports. Filed June 13 in Harris County, which contains most of Houston, the lawsuit alleges that Michael Sheehan was driving his Cybertruck near Beach City, about 30 miles east of Houston, when his vehicle left the roadway and flipped into a ditch in August 2024. But the lawsuit claims Sheehan was killed not by the crash, but because of being unable to escape a subsequent battery fire. The lawsuit alleges that the design of the Cybertruck's battery pack and the energy-absorbing features that should minimize crash damage contributed to the severity of the damage, that Sheehan was unable to open the doors from the inside once power was lost, and that external door handles didn't work properly. Attorneys also allege that "alternate interior door handles are unreasonably difficult to locate in an emergency." A nearby bar in Mont Belvieu, Texas, that Sheehan's family alleges over-served the driver prior to the crash, has also been named in the lawsuit. The family is seeking more than $1 million in damages. Tesla had not publicly commented on the allegations at the time of publication, nor had courts set a trial date. Months after Sheehan's death, three California teens died when they crashed a Cybertruck and it caught fire. The family of one victim is suing the driver, and the owner of the truck, but not Tesla, Axios notes. There have been no shortage of problems with the Cybertruck. It was the subject of eight recalls in 2024, addressing issues ranging from exterior trim pieces that could fall off while driving, to faulty inverters that could cause a loss of power, to unintended acceleration due to trapped pedals. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also conducting two investigations into Tesla's driver-assist tech that cover the Cybertruck, along with other Tesla models. Demand for the electric truck has slowed significantly, leading to a backlog of inventory. But this lawsuit will prove whether the Cybertruck's flaws are as dangerous for drivers as they are for Tesla's bottom line. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
