SACRAMENTO — Months after he was convicted of ordering murders throughout the California prison system, an imprisoned leader of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang allegedly attacked two corrections officers who were escorting him back to his cell. Ronald Dean Yandell, 62, allegedly drew a knife on two prison guards as they were escorting him to his cell from a medical appointment at California State Prison, Sacramento on Nov. 22. No staff were injured in the fight, but they did deploy pepper spray on Yandell, causing him to drop the weapon, according to a news release by the state prison system. The incident came two months after a different corrections officer injured Yandell during a transport, allegedly knocking him down and striking him while he was handcuffed. Yandell had filed a lawsuit alleging prison and federal authorities retaliated against him for political advocacy work just days before he was injured. Yandell, a former West Contra Costa resident, has not been charged in connection with the Nov. 22 incident, but it was being treated as a double attempted murder, authorities said. Prison officials say they plan to send the case to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office. Yandell is currently awaiting sentencing in a federal racketeering case, where he was convicted of conspiracies to commit murder, smuggle drugs and other contraband in prison and serving as a leader of the notorious prison gang. Most of the convictions centered on a wiretap of Yandell’s contraband cellphone in the late 2010s, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Tensions have been brewing in the Sacramento prison where Yandell and his co-defendants are housed. One of his co-defendants, Brant Daniel, recently accused prison staff of attempting to set him up to be killed through a planned transfer to a prison in Corcoran. Another of Yandell’s co-defendants, Danny Troxell, traded death threats with him during their trial last March, before both men were convicted. Yandell is also known for political advocacy work, having helped arranged a peace treaty between rival prison gangs and serving as a leader of a prison-wide hunger strike in the early 2010s. The strike helped scale back the rampant use of solitary confinement. He has accused law enforcement of retaliating against him by bringing on the racketeering case, though a federal judge recently denied a motion to throw out the convictions based on those grounds. If Yandell is charged in Sacramento court, it’s unlikely to have much effect on his life trajectory. He is already serving a life sentence for murder and manslaughter convictions in Contra Costa, and faces a life sentence in the federal case. The incident is the third bit of violence being treated as an attempted murder of a prison staffer in California so far this month. All three incidents occurred at different prisons and do not appear to be related.
Instacart’s CEO is focusing on grocery partnerships amid investor skepticism. Fidji Simo discussed these efforts in an interview with Bloomberg’s The Circuit With Emily Chang, set to air Thursday (Nov. 21) evening. Since becoming CEO, the report notes, Simo has made Instacart’s higher-margin enterprise business a higher priority, focusing on things like last-mile delivery, building white-label websites and selling advertising slots on the company app. Instacart has also expanded into brick-and-mortar offerings such as electronic shelf tags and smart shopping carts . Simo thinks that serving as a technology partner for grocers can help the company compete against Walmart and Amazon as those giants invest in digital grocery tech . “The Amazons and Walmarts of the world might get a fair share of people, but if your favorite retailer of choice is a Publix, a Kroger, an Albertsons, we really are the best place for that,” Simo told The Circuit. Inside the company, she added, these efforts have helped her establish credibility, an edge that she didn’t have as a non-founder taking the job of chief executive. As Bloomberg notes, the grocery delivery company is dealing with a loss in value as Americans return to in-store shopping. Instacart’s market value — which peaked at $39 billion before the company’s initial public offering (IPO) — has fallen to just over $10 billion. More than a year after the firm went public, the report said, analysts disagree on their recommendations for Instacart’s stock. Bloomberg says its data shows 16 hold ratings and 14 buys. And last week, the company’s earnings report showed a mixed outlook. While delivery sales had been resilient, the firm also released weaker-than-anticipated guidance for its fourth quarter. Instacart’s stock dropped by a record 11% following these results. PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster spoke earlier this year with Instacart Chief Product Officer Daniel Danker about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to upgrade its digital grocery experience, with a focus on affordability. “It always has to come back to the customer,” Danker told Webster. “It has to solve a problem. We can’t just have technology for the sake of technology .” It’s a strategy built around convenience and personalization, with features such as the “Buy it again” function, which typically contains more than 200 items for the average user. “We want to make it effortless, and it’s beginner AI,” he told Webster, adding that the first step is making food decisions effortless for the shopper. “Intermediate and advanced is going to get really exciting.”
What Are the Advantages of Headset in Life? 12-17-2024 11:12 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: ABNewswire Headset is a professional headset phone [ https://www.inbertec.com/ ] for operators. The design concepts and solutions are developed for the operator's work and physical considerations. They are also called telephone headsets, telephone headsets, call center headsets, and customer service headset phones. Let's take a look at the advantages of telephone headsets in life. When making or receiving a call on a regular telephone landline, the telephone must be removed and the landline switch must be turned on to make a call. After the call, the phone must be restored to its original position, which caused great inconvenience to the operator! They provide hands-free communication, allowing individuals to multitask while on the phone. This is particularly useful in professional settings where individuals may need to take notes or use a computer while on a call. They can improve sound quality and reduce background noise, making it easier to hear and be heard during calls.Allows you to easily implement easy calls in complex environments. The public telephone landline does not have the volume adjustment of the handset. The appearance of the headset perfectly solves the trouble that has plagued telephone personnel for many years. On the one hand, it can free hands and improve work efficiency, and both hands can work when answering the phone. On the other hand, it protects the health of the human body without the need to stick the phone on the neck and shoulders for a long time, and it will not cause physical discomfort due to the phone call.headsets can improve posture and reduce neck and shoulder strain caused by holding a phone to the ear for extended periods. Some headsets [ https://www.inbertec.com/ ] offer additional features such as noise-cancellation and wireless connectivity, further enhancing the user's experience. Inbertec is committed to providing excellent voice solutions and comprehensive after-sales service. Our wide range of headset types cater to professionals in contact centers and offices, focusing on voice recognition and unified communications. If you have any needs, please feel free to contact us. Media Contact Company Name: Xiamen Inbertec Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=what-are-the-advantages-of-headset-in-life ] Country: China Website: https://www.inbertec.com/ This release was published on openPR.ITV drama The Tower, with a cast featuring former EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite, has reportedly been axed after just three series due to declining viewer numbers. The show's writer had already begun creating scripts for the fourth season when the bad news was broken. According to the Sun , a spokesperson for the channel confirmed: “The Tower was much loved by the audience who watched the drama but the viewing figures for the last series did not reach expectations so sadly we won’t be recommissioning.” When the series first began in 2021, it was achieving a respectable 5.5 million viewers on average per episode, but the tides gradually began to turn. When it came to the third series in September 2024, ratings had shrunk to less than half the original number of viewers, at 2.5 million. Meanwhile, a million fans were lost over the course of those four episodes alone, spelling trouble for the show's future. The brutal decision comes after writer Patrick Harbinson, who'd adapted Kate London's Met Police book series into the beloved TV drama, shared his hopes for the show's future. He'd told The Sun’s TV Mag just three months ago: “I’m already writing the first episode of The Tower four just to show to ITV that we’re ready to go, because Kate [London] has already written a brilliant fourth novel, The Misper, on which the new series would be based." He added: "There are more brilliant stories to tell, involving Gemma Whelan’s character DS Sarah Collins and PC Lizzie Adama, played by Tahirah Sharif. “Both those characters still have a long way to go. The world of crime in England is fast changing. Different crimes, different fears, different heroes. I’d love to do more about them.” Meanwhile, Game Of Thrones legend Gemma Whelan had also expressed her enthusiasm about continuing, as she stated that The Tower had "grown so beautifully as a series" and that she'd "definitely like to do more". She said: "I’m trying to send all the thoughts to TV and all the people to tune in, it’s going to be numbers, the numbers." Unfortunately, the fourth series is not to be - and the news is likely to devastate fans. The thrilling crime drama had featured numerous favourites, including Emmett J Scanlan - the Irish actor who played Billy Grade in Peaky Blinders , before going on to become Inspector Kieran Shaw. Jimmy Akingbola also made an appearance as DC Steve Bradshaw, following on from his role as Antoine Malik in Holby City . Tamzin Outhwaite, known for performing in Strictly and EastEnders , also joined in series two as recovering addict Cathy Teel, and viewers were glued to the screens as they watched her daughter become the victim of coercive control. At the time, she told The Daily Mail of rehearsing for the role: "I’ve had a lot of pain and endured a lot of loss, and with the human emotions involved in this drama I felt like my own life was the research."
27 Dec 2024 South Korea impeaches second president in a fortnight Ayshah Tull News Correspondent Politicians in South Korea have voted to impeach the acting President Han Duck-soo – less than a fortnight after ousting the previous leader. The move has deepened the country’s political crisis which was triggered earlier this month, when former president Yoon Suk-Yeol briefly imposed martial law. Share on Facebook Share Share on Twitter Tweet Share on WhatsApp Send Share on WhatsApp Send Share on WhatsApp Email Load more share options
Who Can Recall Parliament?By DAVID A. LIEB Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. Related Articles National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen National Politics | Exhausted by political news? TV ratings and new poll say you’re not alone National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t banned texting while driving , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.
NoneALBANY 93, PUERTO RICO-MAYAGUEZ 50
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TikTok loses bid in appeal court to halt law that could lead to U.S. banOKLAHOMA CITY — Immigration policy could once again be a top issue at the Oklahoma Capitol this upcoming legislative session. As President-elect Donald Trump pledges his own federal crackdown, Oklahoma Republicans have unveiled their own ideas that they believe will position the state to quickly expel undocumented immigrants next year. Critics of the state’s latest anti-immigration efforts, though, said that Oklahoma’s elected officials don’t appear interested in enacting meaningful policy reforms that make communities safer. They only seem interested in passing extreme policies that garner attention from the Republican president-elect. They said the Oklahoma is already embroiled in a federal lawsuit related to its last anti-immigration effort, and that deportation is a responsibility of federal agencies, not states. Earlier this month, Gov. Kevin Stitt unveiled his plan. He said “Operation Guardian” would deport undocumented immigrants from Oklahoma’s correctional facilities. He tapped Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton to consult with law enforcement, the Trump transition team and the Department of Homeland Security to create and present a plan by Jan. 15. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections houses 526 undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma “jails,” which cost Oklahoma taxpayers about $36,000 per day, according to the governor’s office. “As law and order returns to the White House, Oklahoma will lead the charge with a comprehensive plan to deport those who have committed crimes in Oklahoma while in the country illegally,” Stitt said in a statement Nov. 15. The governor’s office and the Department of Public Safety did not respond to a request for comment on how this initiative could interfere with the rights guaranteed to crime victims. State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, said he has submitted language for legislation to create a new charge for undocumented immigrants who commit a crime in the state. This additional charge would carry a sentence of life behind bars or the option of deportation. He said his plan will save taxpayers money because the state is already paying to educate undocumented immigrants and to care for those participating in Oklahoma’s welfare system. Humphrey said his idea was “well received” and that he didn’t get any pushback at the interim study where he first mentioned it in October, although he said the study was not highly attended. Still, he said he expects the support of law enforcement on this bill. He said he is not sure if the bill is still necessary given Stitt’s proposal, but he is going to hold onto it and decide later whether to file it or to find someone else to file it. Humphrey said he’s concerned about Stitt’s “consistency” on immigration policy, referencing an immigration task force created by the governor. He said Stitt had presented “mixed messages.” Stitt created the Oklahoma State Work Permits and Visa Task Force to make recommendations that would “allow immigrants to have the visas, permits and documentation to pursue the American Dream.” The task force’s recommendations included creating an Office of New Oklahomans, issuing qualified migrants “Driving Privilege Cards” and pilot programs to issue more work permits and visas to non-citizens. After the recommendations were released in September, a spokesperson for Stitt said on social media that the governor would not implement the recommendations. Nicole Maldonado, vice president of Oklahoma’s chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, said state officials seem to be focused on passing the “most extreme and crazy” policy ideas instead of “reasonable” solutions to reduce the taxpayer burden. LULAC advocates for the rights of Hispanic Americans. “I think that this is just another tactic for them to be part of the show and not actually to create reasonable solutions to the issue,” she said. “I think that it’s just more to be like, ‘Hey, look at us. We’re trying to do this.’ This is to receive Trump’s attention. But I don’t think that there’s going to be a meaningful solution or policy that is going to come out of this.” Maldonado said Humphrey’s idea seems to do the opposite of what Stitt wants to do by bringing more undocumented immigrants into Oklahoma’s correctional facilities. In 2022, over 89,000 undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma contributed about $227.5 million in state and local taxes, according to a report by a nonprofit, nonpartisan tax policy organization. This amount does not include what undocumented immigrants paid into Social Security and Medicare despite not being able to access these benefits themselves. Cindy Nguyen, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said policies like Humphrey’s create fear in immigrant communities and are not realistic solutions for the state. “(This) will only cause communities to live in constant fear as we saw with a lot of the anti-immigration bills that were introduced last legislative session,” Nguyen said. “We know that many victims of violence are now going to be even more afraid to speak out and report this crime because they are afraid of the consequences of that. And now ... they’re even more afraid to report it, because they see that they might get a life sentence if they’re undocumented.” She said that Oklahoma’s prisons and jails are already overcrowded and this will create even more of a burden on taxpayers. “It is not a great solution to address immigration or address the fear of our undocumented communities in Oklahoma, who are also taxpayers who go to our schools, who are our neighbors, who contribute to making the state even greater and more diverse,” Nguyen said. The last attempt to pass immigration policy by Oklahoma’s GOP is currently in legal limbo. House Bill 4156, signed by Stitt in April, creates a crime called “impermissible occupation” for willfully entering the state without legal authorization to be in the United States. A first offense would be a misdemeanor punishable by one year in county jail, a fine of up to $500 or both. The person would be required to leave the state within 72 hours. A second offense would be a felony with up to two years in prison, a fine of $1,000 or both. Multiple parties, including the ACLU and the federal government, have sued to prevent HB 4156 from taking effect. Implementation was put on hold by a federal judge, pending legal challenges. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has appealed.The National Weather Service canceled its alert after roughly an hour and before the tsunami was expected to arrive. In that hour, some cities and counties ordered evacuations while others relied on social media and text messages to inform people of the warning. Some people headed for higher ground, while others drove to the beach to get a better view. People took to social media to figure out why a warning was issued and then canceled so quickly, and how the NWS determines when to send alerts. Here are answers to more questions. The word for tsunami comes from the Japanese characters for harbor and wave. It's a series of extremely long waves set in motion when energy from an earthquake causes the ocean floor to suddenly rise or fall, according to the National Weather Service . Since 1800, California's shores have been struck by more than 150 tsunamis, most of them minor, according to the California Geological Survey. Phones buzzed Thursday when the National Weather Service issued its warning just minutes after the quake struck west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County. It read in part: “You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now.” The National Weather Service Bay Area posted on the social platform X early Friday that the region doesn't get tsunami alerts often and “there are lot of questions, frustration, and even some anger” about Thursday's event. A warning alert is the most serious of four tsunami alerts, including a watch alert for a possible tsunami and an advisory alert telling people to stay out of the water and away from the shore. The last time California received a warning alert was 2011 when an earthquake in Japan caused about $100 million in damages along the California coast. Basically, a distant, offshore earthquake or other trigger event gives scientists more time to analyze data and confirm that a large tsunami was generated before sounding a warning. But Thursday’s earthquake was local and close to the coast, forcing a hasty high-level alert in order to give people the maximum time to prepare as tsunami waves can travel very fast, up to 500 mph (800 kph) in the deep ocean, the NWS wrote. “By the time we actually observe it, it may be too late, because it's right there in our back doors,” said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with NWS Bay Area, on Friday. Scientists used the time Thursday to monitor buoys and get more information on the earthquake itself, he said. They canceled the alert after seeing little sea-level change and determining the quake was a strike-slip type of temblor that shifts more horizontally and is less prone to cause tsunamis, he said. “These things happen so infrequently for us, I think it just caught a lot of people off-guard,” he said. Authorities in Eureka, the biggest city in Humboldt County, sent texts and went door-to-door to order businesses in high-risk areas to evacuate, said City Manager Miles Slattery. He said only a small portion of the city was at risk, and Thursday's test run showed evacuees need to work on leaving by foot, rather than by car. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the commuter light-rail system known as BART stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland, and the San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated. Responses varied as fire and police in Berkeley evacuated certain areas of the city while in San Francisco, officials sent alerts and messages on social media telling residents to stay away from water, beaches, harbors, marina docks, and piers. “Move at least one block inland,” said the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. Emergency personnel in vehicles with public address systems also went to make sure no one was on beaches and other low-lying areas. But some critics said San Francisco should have sounded its loud emergency sirens, which have been off-line since 2019 for repairs. In San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, officials considered but decided against sounding its tsunami warning sirens after receiving more comprehensive information from the NWS that any tsunami would affect coastlines north of the Golden Gate Bridge, said Michelle Durand, a spokesperson for the county. Fire and police cleared the beaches while emergency personnel gathered to monitor the situation, she said, which “prioritized both public safety and the prevention of unnecessary panic.”
Photo: Neptune Technology Group Osoyoos is about 25 per cent done installing its mandatory water meters as of Tuesday. The South Okanagan municipality is looking to have the water metering system ready by April of next year, which will allow it to charge water usage via one flat rate plus one variable rate based on individual usage. Town staff have said the move, first approved in March 2022, will help with water conservation efforts and opportunities. During a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, staff provided an update about the installation process so far. Of 1,790 needed meters, over 400 residential meters and 25 commercial meters have been installed by Neptune Technology group so far. The $4.7 million project is being funded by grants and capital reserves but no costs will be put onto homeowners. With installation starting in September, staff said residents have been cooperative. However, many people brought up concerns about the mandatory water meters during a public input special open council meeting on Nov. 15 Residents raised concerns about the need for replacing preexisting meters and the cost of doing so. Rod Risling, CAO and acting director of operational services, said that only meters that are 10 years or older are being replaced. “We're looking to see how they're going to work with a new system. So, some of these meters with slight modifications will be able to communicate to the cell towers, and so what we're going to do is actually test those meters to see if they actually work,” he said. A number of residents took to social media about the installations, some unsettled about alleged or feared property damage during installation, insurance, and the expertise of Neptune Terminals — the contractors hired to do the installations — employees. Staff said that such online discussion has been misleading. “Qualifications of installers has been an issue that has been raised. And it's important to note that Neptune has certified water main installers, so they make sure that each of the people that are visiting residents have gone through training that meets their standards,” Risling said. Work on water service with more than a two-inch line is being done by certified plumbers, and workers are covered by WorkSafeBC, he said. However, homeowners should check for ID when workers arrive. Staff also addressed concerns about property and drywall damage. “Some people are thinking that they have to themselves cut holes in their drywall and installation. And no, that's not the case," Risling said. "The installers will take a look at where the pipes are and determine the best approach to install the meter, and at the end, they should leave your residence clean and tidy within the new water meter.” According to a staff report, everything is going to plan. However, "the number of pit meter installations is higher than anticipated which may result in a slightly later completion in the spring." The water systems with outdoor valves require the cost and labour intensive pit meters because of an underground line connection. Whether the meters mean more savings for tax payers has yet to be seen. Staff said that it will be hiring a consultant to assess data. However, staff at the meeting encouraged the public to look into water conservation such as energy efficient dish washers and landscaping. Additionally, council collectively indicated that it was initially leaning towards installing an automated meter reading, but is now leaning towards an advanced metering infrastructure due to real-time data collection capacity. The newer technology is also contributing to some water meters requiring replacement. Rates regarding water meters have not yet been decided. The meters will be guaranteed by Neptune for a year, at which point the town will take over regarding any problems. For more information regarding Osoyoos' water meters click here .
NoneThe son of the Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai said Tuesday that his father’s trial in the Chinese territory was a “sham” but that he was “proud” of how he was handling himself in court. The 76-year-old media tycoon has been testifying for three days in Hong Kong about claims that he colluded with foreign forces, an offence carrying up to life in prison under the sweeping national security law Beijing imposed on the financial hub in mid-2020. The founder of the now-shuttered tabloid Apple Daily is also accused of “conspiracy to publish seditious publications”. His son Sebastien, who has been travelling the world to denounce his father’s arrest since he was detained in 2020, is following in real time the media coverage of his father’s testimony. “The trial is one of the first times in the last four years where I have any indication of how he’s doing,” Sebastien Lai told AFP in an interview in London. “He’s been kept in solitary confinement for the last four years. His health obviously has gotten quite a bit worse but from his statements, his spirit’s still strong and his mind’s still sharp.” On Tuesday, Jimmy Lai told the court he had advocated “peaceful resistance” against China’s erosion of the city’s freedoms and tried to “reduce violence” during huge democracy protests in 2019. “It’s quite heartbreaking seeing my father being dragged to court with all these sham allegations. But I’m also incredibly proud of him”,” Sebastien Lai said. “They’ve been trying to break him for four years but he’s unbroken.” – Hong Kong ‘on trial’ – Sebastien Lai, who has not set foot in Hong Kong for four years because of his fight to defend his father, said he had little hope of seeing him judged impartially. “It’s a complete show trial,” he said, noting that the three judges hearing the case were appointed by the government and there is no jury. United Nations human rights experts have called for the release of Lai, as have major Western governments including Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil this month. “My father at every turn, at every crossroad, chose to do the right thing. And Hong Kong is showing you what the cost is of doing the right thing,” Lai said. Last week, a Hong Kong court sentenced 45 pro-democracy activists to up to 10 years in prison for subversion. Lai says his father’s trial demonstrates “a very clear decision by the government to criminalise everything that my father stands for, which is campaigning for democracy, the free press, free speech, freedom of assembly”. “Symbolically, they’re putting my father on trial, but also these freedoms that made Hong Kong great on trial,” he said. Lai said statements by Starmer and foreign minister David Lammy calling for his father’s release were “incredibly important” but did not go far enough. “The United Kingdom can decide whether they are a place that protects citizens from being arbitrarily detained or not,” he said, adding that the fact his father will turn 77 next month makes his case “very urgent”. “My father could die at any point given his age. It’s not just about freeing him now. It’s about saving his life.” With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.