Tommy Robinson Released From Prison, Praises Elon Musk
Robby Soave and Lindsey Granger discuss British Journalist Tommy Robinson being released from the prison.
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Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Labour plots to force households to have two smart meters
Britain's smart meter rollout promised to help households save money – and energy. In reality, the high-tech gadgets have been a disaster, leaving thousands of households with inaccurate energy bills at a huge cost to the taxpayer. And yet, Labour could soon force homeowners to have two smart meters – one for energy and one for water. The move forms part of the Government's proposed 'family bath time tax' which would force owners of larger properties and gardens to pay more for their water bills. However, experts have warned that forcing homes to have a smart meter would overcomplicate bills, undermine customers' privacy and allow cyber attacks to cut off the nation's water supply. Nick Hunn, founder of the wireless technology consulting firm, WiFore, told The Telegraph: 'We were told that the big benefit for smart meters would be lower bills. We can see by number of complaints that this didn't happen. 'We would see the same thing with smart water meters – moving from a system that's quite simple to one that is needlessly complicated and more likely to go wrong.' At the weekend, The Telegraph revealed that ministers will support utilities companies trialling new tariffs that charge the heaviest users of water a higher rate. Introducing 'progressive' water bills would mean rolling out smart water meters nationwide so that customers' consumption can be tracked in real time or at short intervals. Around 60pc of homes in England have a water meter, but the vast majority of those have a conventional meter from which periodic readings are taken. The plan has raised alarm bells among experts, especially as British households continue to pay the price for the botched smart meter rollout for energy bills. The initial target was to have a smart meter installed in every home by 2020. This has now been reduced to 74.5pc by the end of 2025, with the devices currently installed in just 68pc of homes. It is forecast to cost over £13.5bn, but a significant minority of homes are unsuitable for smart meters, which rely on having adequate reception. An estimated 4.3 million smart meters are faulty and unable to send readings back to suppliers remotely, leading to customers being sent sky-high bills that do not reflect their usage. The National Audit Office said in 2023 that 37pc of smart meter customers surveyed by Smart Energy GB, the company tasked with rolling out the devices nationally, reported having issues with their smart meter, including no automatic readings, inaccurate bills and the connected handheld device not showing any information. Smart meters have also found themselves at the centre of a row over privacy. In January, the Government launched a consultation on plans to allow household energy usage to be shared with third parties who could steer them to cheaper deals, as well as lower carbon tariffs from rival suppliers. A spokesman for Open Rights Group, a digital rights campaign group, said a mass smart water meter rollout posed similar risks for consumers, adding: 'Smart water meters could be used to track how many people are in a property, analyse daily routines, and reveal when you cook, shower or water your garden. 'This is a clear example of how everyday infrastructure can quietly become a surveillance tool – without public awareness or consent.' Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow housing secretary, said Labour had been 'caught red-handed' planning a new tax on water usage with the help of 'Big Brother technology'. Concerns have also been raised over consumer protection. Electricity companies are able to switch off your electricity remotely if you have a smart meter, but only under a very narrow set of circumstances and after taking all reasonable steps to manage debt repayment. Any customers deemed vulnerable cannot be disconnected. However, The Telegraph previously revealed how some energy suppliers are forcibly installing prepayment meters remotely by switching customers' smart meters from credit to prepayment mode. Campaigners have said that doing this amounts to disconnecting customers from the grid 'by the back door', as anyone unable to pay on a prepayment meter will lose power. Even if similarly strict regulations are put in place to stop water companies turning off the taps, digitally connecting the water system raises the threat of a widespread cyber attack, Mr Hunn said. He added: 'Electricity companies can disconnect you through a smart meter. If that logic goes into water then you have a situation where the company would be able to turn off your water. 'If someone hacks into that system, they can turn off large chunks of the country's water supply.' The Government and Smart Energy GB were approached for comment. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Body of Hiker Missing Since New Year's Day Found in Mountain Range 5 Months After Search Began: Report
Aziz Ziriat's body was found nearly five months after he and his friend Samuel Harris went missing while hiking in the Dolomites in Italy, according to BBC News The pair, from London, were reported missing in early January after missing a flight home on Jan. 6 from their trip to the mountain range Harris' body was on Jan. 8, however, the search for Ziriat continued all this timeThe body of a British hiker missing in the mountains since Jan. 1 has been recovered after five months of searching. On Saturday, May 31, emergency responders found Aziz Ziriat's body in the Dolomites Mountains in northern Italy, according to BBC News. In doing so, they brought an end to search efforts that started after he and his friend Samuel Harris went missing in early January. The pair, who were last heard from on Jan. 1, were was reported missing after they did not make their Jan. 6 flight home, the outlet reported. Harris' body was recovered on Jan. 8, shortly after search and rescue efforts commenced, according to previous reporting by BBC News. At the time, they also found the cover to Ziriat's phone. However, weather and other conditions made the search challenging. The outlet noted that Ziriat, 36, was found "lying in a rocky crevice" and was only "around 1,300 ft." away from where Harris, 35, was found. In a statement to the outlet, a spokesman for Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue said the rescuers "lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the dog finally signalled the missing man's body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow". A cause of death has not yet been revealed. However, the BBC previously reported that a possible cause was a fall "from above." It is also not clear what happened in the pair's final hours together. They were last confirmed to have visited a mountain hut near Tione Di Trento. Alpine Rescue, Guardia di Finanza Rescue and Italy's Carabinieri (a military organization similar to the police) all assisted in the recovery efforts. Ziriat and Harris were described as "experienced hikers" by a college friend, per BBC News. The former's family issued a statement in January, saying that they were "devastated by the tragic events of the last few days," according to multiple outlets, including Sky News. "Our appreciation for the co-ordinated work and expertise of the Alpine Rescue, emergency services and volunteers in Italy is immeasurable," they said. "The work they have been doing, battling against challenging terrain and weather conditions, and their commitment to finding Aziz has been outstanding." The statement concluded: "We hope, with all our hearts, he will be found and brought home soon." Ziriat's girlfriend Rebecca Dimmock spoke out at the time, saying that it was "not unexpected" that he and Harris would go "off-grid" while hiking. "I think they wanted to have some nights where they were out in nature and in fresh air and sleeping in the wild. They have all the gear and they've done hikes before," she said, according to U.K. newspaperThe Times. She received a text from him on New Year's Day. That same day, the outlet reported that they alerted loved ones that their phones might die. PEOPLE has reached out to Alpine Rescue and Guardia di Finanza Rescue for additional comment. Read the original article on People
Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
U.K. to Strengthen Nuclear Deterrence Under New Defense Strategy
The U.K. will build up to 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines and spend 15 billion pounds ($20.18 billion) on its nuclear-warhead program, as part of a decade-long defense strategy. Shares in British arms makers such as Babcock International BAB 7.69%increase; green up pointing triangle and BAE Systems BA 1.95%increase; green up pointing triangle were lifted by glimpses into the U.K. Strategic Defence Review, due for publication later Monday, which calls for Britain to move to 'warfighting readiness to deter threats and strengthen security' in the Euro Atlantic area.
