Newsom Forces Through Transformative Housing Bills | JQJO

California Governor Gavin Newsom secured passage of significant housing legislation by linking it to the state budget. The bills, AB 130 and SB 131, significantly reform the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), streamlining housing construction by exempting most urban projects. While celebrated by Newsom as transformative, the move drew criticism from labor unions and some lawmakers who felt pressured into approval. The governor's actions, seen as unusually forceful, reflect his push for housing solutions before his term ends.

Federal officials carried out a major voter‑fraud operation in Commerce, California, on Monday morning, arresting more than two dozen people accused of registering to vote as noncitizens. The action is part of the Department of Justice’s statewide "Operation Protect the Vote" initiative, which involves all four U.S. attorney districts in California. The operation follows a recent DOJ warning that processing ballots from suspected noncitizens could expose election officials to criminal investigation. The arrests come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and California over election administration and noncitizen voting allegations ahead of the midterm election.

Independent MP Helen Haines was struck by a car and severely injured outside her office in the regional Victorian town of Wangaratta. Police arrested a 43‑year‑old man at the scene and seized a knife, but have not confirmed that Haines was hit deliberately. The suspect was briefed by federal police, whose counter‑terror squad is assisting state officers, and told the national broadcaster that the incident was not an accident. The attack comes amid growing concerns among Australian politicians about rising threats and violence, with 1,067 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against high‑office holders recorded in the year to June, an increase on last year.

Ugreen’s lineup of travel accessories includes a 20,000 mAh wired power bank, a 10,000 mAh wireless power bank, over‑ear headphones, and AirTag‑like tracker tags, all available on Amazon. The Nexode 20,000 mAh power bank can charge an iPhone 16 Pro 3.7 times, a Galaxy S25 Ultra three times, and heavier devices such as an iPad Pro or MacBook Air more than once. It delivers 100 W through its main USB‑C outlet, enough to bring a phone from 0 % to 50 % in under 30 minutes, and includes a USB‑C cable that supports 100 W fast charging. The unit is priced at $59.99 and holds a 4.4‑star rating from over 5,500 reviews. Ugreen’s range also features noise‑cancelling headphones and location trackers to keep passengers’ devices powered, quiet, and secure during long flights.

Housemarque’s PS5 shooter Saros has launched a Zenith update that introduces a slow‑motion option, a boss‑rush mode, New Game Plus, and new difficulty modifiers. The update allows players to slow the game speed manually or automatically, giving more time to react. New modifiers let players choose easier protection or harder trial challenges. The New Game Plus, called Eclipse Layers, unlocks after completing the game and adds new story visions. Overlord Rush offers a ten‑minute boss gauntlet for quick play.

General Motors announced that its Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands will support Apple Wallet car keys. The rollout began in late September and expanded through October, with all listed models receiving support before year’s end. Vehicles include Cadillac Vistiq, Optiq, Lyriq, Escalade, and ESCALADE IQ/IQL; Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe; and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL. GM said the rollout will continue across additional vehicles over time, notifying customers via the vehicle’s app.

Tyler Shultz, a former Theranos employee, said he was shocked by the portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes in the documentary "You Can See Everything." Shultz, who helped expose the company’s fraud, described Holmes as a "broken woman" onscreen, contrasting her former commanding presence. He also accused Holmes of misleading the film’s director about the company’s blood‑testing device. Holmes, convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors, was living in San Diego in 2023 before beginning an eleven‑year prison sentence. The documentary shows Holmes with her partner and children, highlighting her personal life amid legal consequences.

Dallas‑based Colossal Biosciences reports progress toward resurrecting the extinct dodo, the flightless bird that vanished from Mauritius in the seventeenth century. The company has filled its dodo genome to ninety‑five percent and used its GenoMorph AI platform to pinpoint genetic changes linked to the bird’s distinctive beak and facial structure. Colossal plans to edit these traits into the cells of the Nicobar pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative. No timeline for hatching a dodo has been announced, but the firm remains committed to de‑extinction research.

The Supreme Court announced it will consider striking down a federal ban on distilling spirits at home. The ban, enacted in eighteen sixty-eight, was aimed at curbing tax evasion. Home brewing of wine and beer has long been permitted. The Hobby Distillers Association and others sued after the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau denied licenses. Two circuit courts split on the issue, prompting the Supreme Court to issue a definitive ruling. If the ban is overturned, distillers would still register stills and pay excise tax.

In their Week six loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Philadelphia Eagles played sixty four snaps on offense and seventy nine on defense. Quarterback Tanner McKee completed twenty six of forty five passes for two hundred fifteen yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Running back Dameon Pierce carried twelve times for thirty five yards. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught a contested touchdown pass. Tight end Dallas Goedert had six catches on eight targets for sixty one yards, drawing a pass interference that set up a touchdown. The Eagles lacked a run game, with all three primary running backs on injured reserve.

A 17‑person Purdue University expedition that sailed to the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro in search of Amelia Earhart’s missing aircraft concluded that the object they had initially suspected to be the plane was in fact a clump of washed‑up trees. The team, which spent four days conducting metal‑detecting surveys and other research, reported that the “visual anomaly” was a collection of large trees deposited along the Taraia Peninsula’s sandspit. Purdue said the glint that had attracted attention was caused by a carbonate veneer on the trees, not a metallic surface. The expedition, which was partially sponsored by Purdue, added no new evidence linking the island to Earhart’s disappearance. The search for the 1937‑lost pilot continues, with Nikumaroro remaining a leading candidate for a possible crash‑landing site.