The United States hosts finance ministers from APEC nations in San Francisco. The bloc is made up of the United States, China, Taiwan, Japan and others. Every nation is looking forward for the high stakes Xi Jinping-Joe Biden meet.

Xi-Biden meet amid friction over spy balloon, Taiwan and tech war | World News | WION

A Czech news crew was robbed at gunpoint in San Francisco. While officials are rushing to clean up the city ahead of the Xi-Biden meet at the APEC summit, what will they do about San Francisco's gun and drug problem?

Gravitas: Xi's visit prompts a clean-up in San Francisco, what about its drug & gun problem?

<p>A team of foreign journalists was robbed at gunpoint while working in San Francisco, dealing a huge blow to the city’s efforts to revamp its reputation ahead of a major summit of Asia-Pacific nations in the US.</p>

<p>Czech TV journalist Bohumil Vostal was capturing San Francisco’s iconic City Lights bookstore when he and his team were robbed by three armed, masked assailants.</p>

<p>“They were heading at my cameraman, aiming a gun at his stomach, and one at my head,” Vostal said in an interview Monday.</p>

<p>The robbers fled in the dark, taking away their equipment worth $18,000 and recorded content from the last day.</p>

<h2><strong>Efforts to improve reputation go down the drain</strong></h2>

<p>San Francisco, home to the tech mecca Silicon Valley, has of late attracted negative news coverage due to its unruly shoplifters, drug markets and increasing crime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But now the city has gathered international spotlight due to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, an event drawing some of the world’s most powerful leaders to downtown and Nob Hill. This includes a planned, much-anticipated summit of US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US Defence Secretary LLoyd Austin arrives in Seoul</strong></p>

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<p>In the days leading to the summit, officials here made efforts to clean up the streets and crack down on crime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, the robbery incident is sure to shift the spotlight to the widespread crime menace in the California city.</p>

<p>“I’m one of those many people who used to read Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ and I was so much looking forward to visit your city,” Vostal said, recalling how magical the day of filming had been.</p>

<h2><strong>Police action</strong></h2>

<p>Although police arrived within minutes after they dialled 911, the officials had little to offer except sympathy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The response they got from locals, however, was overwhelming.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“All the people of San Francisco are almost blaming themselves, like they are so sorry for something they didn’t do,” Vostal said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-will-push-china-to-resume-military-ties-with-us-official-says-658011"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Biden will push China to resume military ties with US at summit with Xi, official says</strong></a></p>

<p>Police said they were investigating the case and offering support to the Czech journalists.</p>

<p>A spokesperson from Mayor London Breed’s office said she will help replace the equipment of the journalists. Her spokesperson, Jeff Cretan, said that law enforcement is aggressively cracking down on robberies and other crimes.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A team of foreign journalists was robbed at gunpoint while working in San Francisco, dealing a huge blow to the city’s efforts to revamp its reputation ahead of a major summit of Asia-Pacific nations in the US.

A team of foreign journalists was robbed at gunpoint while working in San Francisco, dealing a huge blow to the city’s efforts to revamp its reputation ahead of a major summit of Asia-Pacific nations in the US. Czech TV journalist Bohumil Vostal was capturing San Francisco’s iconic City Lights bookstore when he and his team were robbed by three armed, masked assailants. “They were heading at my cameraman, aiming a gun at his stomach, and one at my head,” Vostal said in an interview Monday. The robbers fled in the dark, taking away their equipment worth $18,000 and recorded content from the last day. Efforts to improve reputation go down the drain San Francisco, home to the tech mecca Silicon Valley, has of late attracted negative news coverage due to its unruly shoplifters, drug markets and increasing crime. But now the city has gathered international spotlight due to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, an event drawing some of the world’s most powerful leaders to downtown and Nob Hill. This includes a planned, much-anticipated summit of US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Watch: US Defence Secretary LLoyd Austin arrives in Seoul × In the days leading to the summit, officials here made efforts to clean up the streets and crack down on crime. Now, the robbery incident is sure to shift the spotlight to the widespread crime menace in the California city. “I’m one of those many people who used to read Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ and I was so much looking forward to visit your city,” Vostal said, recalling how magical the day of filming had been. Police action Although police arrived within minutes after they dialled 911, the officials had little to offer except sympathy. The response they got from locals, however, was overwhelming. “All the people of San Francisco are almost blaming themselves, like they are so sorry for something they didn’t do,” Vostal said. Also read: Biden will push China to resume military ties with US at summit with Xi, official says Police said they were investigating the case and offering support to the Czech journalists. A spokesperson from Mayor London Breed’s office said she will help replace the equipment of the journalists. Her spokesperson, Jeff Cretan, said that law enforcement is aggressively cracking down on robberies and other crimes. (With inputs from agencies)

US: Foreign journalists who went to cover Asia-Pacific summit robbed at gunpoint

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, or APEC, descends upon San Francisco for its 30th summit. This year, it's all about the powerplay between the world's top economic giants, the United States and China.

APEC Summit 2023: US & China's high-stakes showdown

<p>San Francisco police on Thursday released the first official details of the incident wherein a man crashed into the Chinese consulate on October 9. They said that the man had a crossbow and arrows and swung a knife at officers before being shot dead by a police sergeant.</p>

<p>The police, as per a CBS News report, also showed body camera footage from the responding officers.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What did the body cam footage show?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking at a virtual town hall on Thursday, San Francisco Police Acting Commander Mark Im said that the man — identified as 31-year-old Zhanyuan Yang — had a crossbow and arrows in his car.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Body cam footage showed Yang covering his face with his left arm after getting pepper sprayed by a security guard.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-crashes-into-chinese-consulate-in-san-francisco-shot-dead-by-police-644822">Man crashes into Chinese consulate in San Francisco, shot dead by police</a></strong></p>

<p>He had a knife in his right hand, which he used to make "multiple, rapid, downward swinging motions"&nbsp;at responding officer San Francisco Sergeant Troy Carrasco, who was the first to arrive on the scene, and a consulate security guard.</p>

<p>Footage shows Carrasco touching Yang's back and asking the security guard, "Does he have a gun?"</p>

<p>The man then turns towards the officer and the guard and starts swinging the knife. Following this, Carrasco opens fire and shortly after, he can be heard shouting: "You should have told me he had a knife!"</p>

<h2><strong>Why didn't the police de-escalate the situation?</strong></h2>

<p>Responding to a question about the police's apparent lack of attempts to de-escalate the situation, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he was not going to make any judgements nor guess what the officer was thinking.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-army-accuses-travis-king-of-desertion-solicitation-of-child-pornography-among-other-charges-649025">US Army accuses Travis King of desertion, solicitation of child pornography, among other charges</a></strong></p>

<p>However, he said that officers are trained to first stop a threat when confronted with an active threat.</p>

<p>"If we believe that we have an active attacker event, we will do everything possible to stop that threat immediately so we don't have a loss of life," said Scott.</p>

<p>Yang was taken to the hospital, where he died.</p>

<p>Police investigators are still looking into the motive behind this attack. Briefing the press, Scott said: "Why he showed up there, what he was doing, that's still under investigation and there's nothing that we have at this point that I can release."</p>

<p>In a statement released after the car crash, San Francisco's Chinese diplomatic post called the incident "a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene".</p>

<p>It said that an "unidentified person drove violently into the document hall of the consulate, posing a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene, and causing serious damage to the facilities and property of the consulate."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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San Francisco police on Thursday released the first official details of the incident wherein a man crashed into the Chinese consulate on October 9. They said that the man had a crossbow and arrows and swung a knife at officers before being shot dead by a police sergeant.

San Francisco police on Thursday released the first official details of the incident wherein a man crashed into the Chinese consulate on October 9. They said that the man had a crossbow and arrows and swung a knife at officers before being shot dead by a police sergeant. The police, as per a CBS News report, also showed body camera footage from the responding officers. What did the body cam footage show? Speaking at a virtual town hall on Thursday, San Francisco Police Acting Commander Mark Im said that the man — identified as 31-year-old Zhanyuan Yang — had a crossbow and arrows in his car. Body cam footage showed Yang covering his face with his left arm after getting pepper sprayed by a security guard. Also read | Man crashes into Chinese consulate in San Francisco, shot dead by police He had a knife in his right hand, which he used to make "multiple, rapid, downward swinging motions" at responding officer San Francisco Sergeant Troy Carrasco, who was the first to arrive on the scene, and a consulate security guard. Footage shows Carrasco touching Yang's back and asking the security guard, "Does he have a gun?" The man then turns towards the officer and the guard and starts swinging the knife. Following this, Carrasco opens fire and shortly after, he can be heard shouting: "You should have told me he had a knife!" Why didn't the police de-escalate the situation? Responding to a question about the police's apparent lack of attempts to de-escalate the situation, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he was not going to make any judgements nor guess what the officer was thinking. Also read | US Army accuses Travis King of desertion, solicitation of child pornography, among other charges However, he said that officers are trained to first stop a threat when confronted with an active threat. "If we believe that we have an active attacker event, we will do everything possible to stop that threat immediately so we don't have a loss of life," said Scott. Yang was taken to the hospital, where he died. Police investigators are still looking into the motive behind this attack. Briefing the press, Scott said: "Why he showed up there, what he was doing, that's still under investigation and there's nothing that we have at this point that I can release." In a statement released after the car crash, San Francisco's Chinese diplomatic post called the incident "a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene". It said that an "unidentified person drove violently into the document hall of the consulate, posing a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene, and causing serious damage to the facilities and property of the consulate." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Man who crashed into Chinese consulate had crossbow, arrows and swung knife at officers: San Francisco police

<p>Police in San Francisco, United States, shot dead a man who had slammed his car into the local Chinese consulate.</p>

<p>The man, as per reports, had ploughed his car into the consulate, driving his car into the lobby of the building's visa office on Monday.</p>

<h2><strong>Why did he crash into the consulate?</strong></h2>

<p>As per the police, details of the incident remain sketchy. The identity of the motorist and his motive behind crashing into the consular office remain unknown.</p>

<p>"I don't know how many people were inside the visa office at the time of the collision," said San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Kathryn Winters during a news briefing hours after the incident.</p>

<p>There are no reports of anyone else getting injured in the crash.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trudeau-provokes-india-again-mentions-importance-of-upholding-law-during-talks-with-jordan-king-644787">Trudeau provokes India again, mentions 'importance of upholding law' during talks with Jordan King</a></strong></p>

<p>Winters told the press that upon arrival of the police at the scene, "they found the vehicle had come to rest inside the lobby of the Chinese Consulate."</p>

<p>The officers entered the premises and "made contact with the suspect, and an officer-involved shooting occurred."</p>

<p>"The suspect was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is an open and active investigation," said the spokesperson.</p>

<p>Winters also disclosed that the police were coordinating with investigators from the US State Department.</p>

<p>"There's very little information that we can give at this time."</p>

<h2><strong>A serious threat to staff</strong></h2>

<p>In a statement, San Francisco's Chinese diplomatic post called it "a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene".</p>

<p>It said that an "unidentified person drove violently into the document hall of the consulate, posing a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene, and causing serious damage to the facilities and property of the consulate."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dozens-killed-in-deadly-myanmar-military-strike-on-refugee-camp-644718">Myanmar: Dozens including children killed in deadly military strike on refugee camp</a></strong></p>

<p>Strongly condemning the incident, the consulate said it "reserves the right to pursue responsibility for the incident."</p>

<p>On its WeChat account, the consulate said it would temporarily close its consular certificate hall from October 10 and said that it would inform the public when services resume.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Police in San Francisco, United States, shot dead a man who had slammed his car into the local Chinese consulate. The man, as per reports, had ploughed his car into the consulate, driving his car into the lobby of the building's visa office on Monday.

Police in San Francisco, United States, shot dead a man who had slammed his car into the local Chinese consulate. The man, as per reports, had ploughed his car into the consulate, driving his car into the lobby of the building's visa office on Monday. Why did he crash into the consulate? As per the police, details of the incident remain sketchy. The identity of the motorist and his motive behind crashing into the consular office remain unknown. "I don't know how many people were inside the visa office at the time of the collision," said San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Kathryn Winters during a news briefing hours after the incident. There are no reports of anyone else getting injured in the crash. Also read | Trudeau provokes India again, mentions 'importance of upholding law' during talks with Jordan King Winters told the press that upon arrival of the police at the scene, "they found the vehicle had come to rest inside the lobby of the Chinese Consulate." The officers entered the premises and "made contact with the suspect, and an officer-involved shooting occurred." "The suspect was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is an open and active investigation," said the spokesperson. Winters also disclosed that the police were coordinating with investigators from the US State Department. "There's very little information that we can give at this time." A serious threat to staff In a statement, San Francisco's Chinese diplomatic post called it "a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene". It said that an "unidentified person drove violently into the document hall of the consulate, posing a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene, and causing serious damage to the facilities and property of the consulate." Also read | Myanmar: Dozens including children killed in deadly military strike on refugee camp Strongly condemning the incident, the consulate said it "reserves the right to pursue responsibility for the incident." On its WeChat account, the consulate said it would temporarily close its consular certificate hall from October 10 and said that it would inform the public when services resume. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Man crashes into Chinese consulate in San Francisco, shot dead by police

<p>A woman in San Francisco sustained multiple injuries after a car struck her and trapped her under a self-driving&nbsp;vehicle.</p>

<p>The incident occurred on October 2, around 9:30 pm, local time. Authorities are searching for the driver responsible for the initial collision.</p>

<p>The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, was taken to the hospital and is currently recovering from her multiple traumatic injuries, ABC News reported.</p>

<h2><strong>Cruise robotaxi in spotlight</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The self-driving car involved in the incident is a Cruise robotaxi. It's important to note that the car was unoccupied at the time of the accident. Cruise said that it is cooperating with the police investigation. The company also released a statement regarding the incident.</p>

<p>According to the San Francisco Fire Department, the woman was pinned beneath the autonomous vehicle.</p>

<p>"We believe that another vehicle that was not an autonomous vehicle may have been initially involved in the collision, but the vehicle or driver were not present at the scene during our investigation," the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch: How safe are Tesla's self-driving cars? | Tech It Out</strong></p>

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<p>Cruise mentioned that a human-driven vehicle struck the pedestrian, launching her in front of the AV.</p>

<p>The AV then braked to minimise the impact. The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene, according to the initial reports.</p>

<p>This incident is significant for Cruise, especially as the company is in the process of increasing its autonomous vehicles on California's roads.</p>

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<p>"Our heartfelt concern and focus is the wellbeing of the person who was injured and we are actively working with police to help identify the responsible driver," Cruise said.</p>
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<p>Earlier in August, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Cruise's request to expand its autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. However, this is the second recent incident involving a Cruise robotaxi, with another of the company's cars colliding with a San Francisco fire truck on August 15.</p>

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A woman in San Francisco sustained multiple injuries after a car struck her and trapped her under a self-driving vehicle. The incident occurred on October 2, around 9:30 pm, local time.

A woman in San Francisco sustained multiple injuries after a car struck her and trapped her under a self-driving vehicle. The incident occurred on October 2, around 9:30 pm, local time. Authorities are searching for the driver responsible for the initial collision. The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, was taken to the hospital and is currently recovering from her multiple traumatic injuries, ABC News reported. Cruise robotaxi in spotlight The self-driving car involved in the incident is a Cruise robotaxi. It's important to note that the car was unoccupied at the time of the accident. Cruise said that it is cooperating with the police investigation. The company also released a statement regarding the incident. According to the San Francisco Fire Department, the woman was pinned beneath the autonomous vehicle. "We believe that another vehicle that was not an autonomous vehicle may have been initially involved in the collision, but the vehicle or driver were not present at the scene during our investigation," the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. Also watch: How safe are Tesla's self-driving cars? | Tech It Out × Cruise mentioned that a human-driven vehicle struck the pedestrian, launching her in front of the AV. The AV then braked to minimise the impact. The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene, according to the initial reports. This incident is significant for Cruise, especially as the company is in the process of increasing its autonomous vehicles on California's roads. "Our heartfelt concern and focus is the wellbeing of the person who was injured and we are actively working with police to help identify the responsible driver," Cruise said. Earlier in August, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Cruise's request to expand its autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. However, this is the second recent incident involving a Cruise robotaxi, with another of the company's cars colliding with a San Francisco fire truck on August 15. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

San Francisco: Human-driven car hits woman pedestrian, pins her under self-driven taxi

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<p>San Francisco has become one of the first cities in the United States to have a commercial driverless network operating at all times. On Thursday, a California commission voted to allow Google-owned Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise to employ self-driving vehicles in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The contentious vote, which went on for seven hours, pulled around 200 public comments. The two self-driving car manufacturing companies were already running a small fleet of vehicles during the off-peak hours in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the vote, the co-CEO of Waymo, Tekedra Mawakana, said, "We can't wait for more San Franciscans to experience the mobility, safety, sustainability and accessibility benefits of full autonomy for themselves, all at the touch of a button."</p>

<p>The vice president of global government affairs at Cruise said, "24/7 driverless ride-hail service across San Francisco is a historic industry milestone." She added, "It allows the company to be competitive against an inaccessible transportation status quo."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russias-first-probe-to-the-moon-launched-in-almost-50-years-624395" target="_blank">Russia's first probe to the Moon launched in almost 50 years</a></p>

<p>The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) had earlier postponed the highly-awaited vote twice, initially scheduled for June 29, after San Francisco officials raised objections about driverless vehicles. The San Francisco fire department chief said the cars were "not ready for prime time."</p>

<p>While some disability advocates have supported the vote, others have come out against the resolution. Many organisations, including the Blinded Veterans Association, the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California and the Curry Senior Center, wrote an open letter to the CPUC backing the expansion of the services.</p>

<p>Several people representing the blind community said autonomous vehicles would help them travel as they cannot refuse passengers or deny ferrying a service dog. However, some people argue that self-driving cars are not accessible as they do not pick up or drop passengers at the curb, making it difficult for blind passengers or people with other disabilities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>CPUC Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma endorsed for a later vote until the Waymo and Cruise gave further details related to the problems raised by San Francisco officials about the vehicles' history. She also requested more data on the number of cars the two companies plan to release if the resolutions were approved.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both companies have tested their vehicles in San Francisco and released a small fleet of self-driving cars in 2020. Earlier, they operated from 10 AM to 6 PM at a maximum speed of 30 mph. However, self-driving cars will now function at all hours in India at 60 mph.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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San Francisco has become one of the first cities in the United States to have a commercial driverless network operating at all times. On Thursday, a California commission voted to allow Google-owned Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise to employ self-driving vehicles in the city.

San Francisco has become one of the first cities in the United States to have a commercial driverless network operating at all times. On Thursday, a California commission voted to allow Google-owned Waymo and General Motors-owned Cruise to employ self-driving vehicles in the city. The contentious vote, which went on for seven hours, pulled around 200 public comments. The two self-driving car manufacturing companies were already running a small fleet of vehicles during the off-peak hours in the city. After the vote, the co-CEO of Waymo, Tekedra Mawakana, said, "We can't wait for more San Franciscans to experience the mobility, safety, sustainability and accessibility benefits of full autonomy for themselves, all at the touch of a button." The vice president of global government affairs at Cruise said, "24/7 driverless ride-hail service across San Francisco is a historic industry milestone." She added, "It allows the company to be competitive against an inaccessible transportation status quo." ALSO READ | Russia's first probe to the Moon launched in almost 50 years The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) had earlier postponed the highly-awaited vote twice, initially scheduled for June 29, after San Francisco officials raised objections about driverless vehicles. The San Francisco fire department chief said the cars were "not ready for prime time." While some disability advocates have supported the vote, others have come out against the resolution. Many organisations, including the Blinded Veterans Association, the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California and the Curry Senior Center, wrote an open letter to the CPUC backing the expansion of the services. Several people representing the blind community said autonomous vehicles would help them travel as they cannot refuse passengers or deny ferrying a service dog. However, some people argue that self-driving cars are not accessible as they do not pick up or drop passengers at the curb, making it difficult for blind passengers or people with other disabilities. CPUC Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma endorsed for a later vote until the Waymo and Cruise gave further details related to the problems raised by San Francisco officials about the vehicles' history. She also requested more data on the number of cars the two companies plan to release if the resolutions were approved. Both companies have tested their vehicles in San Francisco and released a small fleet of self-driving cars in 2020. Earlier, they operated from 10 AM to 6 PM at a maximum speed of 30 mph. However, self-driving cars will now function at all hours in India at 60 mph. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

San Francisco to have self-driving cars; California commission allows two companies to operate commercially

<p>The giant and illuminating ‘X’ sign atop the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter was dismantled on Monday (July 31) morning, just days after it was installed, following complaints about its safety and lack of permit.</p>

<p>Over the weekend, the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection received 24 complaints about the sign including "concerns about its structural safety and illumination”.</p>

<p>"I thought it was lightning, and I was very confused. I went to my window, I looked around, I didn't see anything. I thought it was maybe a police siren," resident Patricia Wallinga, who lives across the street, told CBS News.</p>

<p>After the rebranding announcement on July 23, the ‘X’ logo was hurriedly erected atop the building and was partly supported by sandbags.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just over 48 hrs after a large "X" sign with pulsating bright lights was installed on the roof of the former <a href="https://twitter.com/twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@twitter</a> hq, workers dismantled and took down the sign on Monday morning. The sign was being investigated by SF officials due to lack of permits and neighbor complaints. <a href="https://t.co/llV7RUEKwN">pic.twitter.com/llV7RUEKwN</a></p>
— Justin Sullivan (@sullyfoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/sullyfoto/status/1686106924784418816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Last week, the San Francisco police stopped workers from removing Twitter’s bird and vertical logo from the side of the building, saying they had not taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.</p>

<p>On Friday, Elon Musk's company installed a giant X&nbsp;on top of the building, which according to nearby residents beamed white light into their apartments.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Imagine no more. This is my life now. <a href="https://t.co/k5QfAm8yuG">https://t.co/k5QfAm8yuG</a> <a href="https://t.co/e7ECCM2NUD">pic.twitter.com/e7ECCM2NUD</a></p>
— Christopher J. Beale (@realchrisjbeale) <a href="https://twitter.com/realchrisjbeale/status/1685353135236403200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Later, the city opened a complaint and launched a probe on the day the sign went up after it deemed X “unsafe” because it was built without a safety permit.</p>

<p>“Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure consistency with the historic nature of the building and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign," a spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection&nbsp;told The Associated Press.</p>

<p>Department of Building Inspection spokesperson Patrick Hannan said that a city inspector tried to get to the building's roof when the complaints started pouring in but he was denied access twice.</p>

<p>In an interview with The Verge, Hannan said that no permit is needed to take down the logo but, "due to safety concerns, the permit can be secured after the structure is taken down."</p>

<p>He said that the building’s owner would be fined for “building permits for the installation and removal of the structure” and to cover the department’s inspection and investigation costs.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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The giant and illuminating ‘X’ sign atop the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter was dismantled on Monday (July 31) morning, just days after it was installed, following complaints about its safety and lack of permit.

The giant and illuminating ‘X’ sign atop the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter was dismantled on Monday (July 31) morning, just days after it was installed, following complaints about its safety and lack of permit. Over the weekend, the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection received 24 complaints about the sign including "concerns about its structural safety and illumination”. "I thought it was lightning, and I was very confused. I went to my window, I looked around, I didn't see anything. I thought it was maybe a police siren," resident Patricia Wallinga, who lives across the street, told CBS News. After the rebranding announcement on July 23, the ‘X’ logo was hurriedly erected atop the building and was partly supported by sandbags. Just over 48 hrs after a large "X" sign with pulsating bright lights was installed on the roof of the former @twitter hq, workers dismantled and took down the sign on Monday morning. The sign was being investigated by SF officials due to lack of permits and neighbor complaints. pic.twitter.com/llV7RUEKwN — Justin Sullivan (@sullyfoto) July 31, 2023 × Last week, the San Francisco police stopped workers from removing Twitter’s bird and vertical logo from the side of the building, saying they had not taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell. On Friday, Elon Musk's company installed a giant X on top of the building, which according to nearby residents beamed white light into their apartments. Imagine no more. This is my life now. https://t.co/k5QfAm8yuG pic.twitter.com/e7ECCM2NUD — Christopher J. Beale (@realchrisjbeale) July 29, 2023 × Later, the city opened a complaint and launched a probe on the day the sign went up after it deemed X “unsafe” because it was built without a safety permit. “Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure consistency with the historic nature of the building and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign," a spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection told The Associated Press. Department of Building Inspection spokesperson Patrick Hannan said that a city inspector tried to get to the building's roof when the complaints started pouring in but he was denied access twice. In an interview with The Verge, Hannan said that no permit is needed to take down the logo but, "due to safety concerns, the permit can be secured after the structure is taken down." He said that the building’s owner would be fined for “building permits for the installation and removal of the structure” and to cover the department’s inspection and investigation costs. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Watch: Giant, illuminating ‘X’ sign taken down from Elon Musk firm's headquarters after massive uproar

<p>Billionaire Elon Musk faced an interruption in&nbsp;his drive to rebrand the microblogging platform Twitter to X when police arrived at the spot and halted the work.</p>

<p>As a part of the rebranding of the social media firm, on Monday, the iconic vertical Twitter lettering was removed from the company’s San Francisco headquarters when the local police department paused them from continuing the “unauthorised work,” as per The San Francisco Standard reports.</p>

<p>Only the letters “er” were left on one side of the sign with the bird logo at the time when the work was stopped.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police officers on the scene said that the Twitter officials had a work order to pull the down the sign at the Market Street headquarters but the firm did not inform the security officials and the owner of the building.</p>

<p>“Police on the scene said someone with Twitter had a work order to take the sign down but didn’t communicate it with security and the property owner of the building,” the Standard added.</p>

<p>Amid the confusion the police were called, however, the officials later through their inquiry determined that no crime had been committed and that the incident was not a police matter.</p>

<p>"Officers assigned to Tenderloin Station responded to the area of 10th and Market streets regarding a report of a possible unpermitted street closure," The San Francisco Standard quoted a police spokesperson as saying in an email.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Through their investigation, officers were able to determine that no crime was committed and this incident was not a police matter."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/musks-decision-to-rebrand-twitter-as-x-could-have-legal-complications-heres-how-619227">Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X could have legal complications. Here's how</a></p>

<h2><strong>Elon Musk opens up on rebranding</strong></h2>

<p>On Monday, Elon Musk while elucidating on his decision to rebrand Twitter as 'X' said that it was not 'simply' a renaming process.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a post on X, Musk said acquiring Twitter was to ensure freedom of speech as well as "act as an accelerant for X - the everything app."</p>

<p>"This is not simply a company renaming itself, but doing the same thing," Musk wrote, adding that Twitter had served its purpose and that it had evolved past its name.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140 character messages going back and forth – like birds tweeting – but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video," wrote Musk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also hinted at the big changes that were coming, including the transformation of the platform into a financial app.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world. The Twitter name does not make sense in that context, so we must bid adieu to the bird," Musk emphasised.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Billionaire Elon Musk faced an interruption in his drive to rebrand the microblogging platform Twitter to X when police arrived at the spot and halted the work. As a part of the rebranding of the social media firm, on Monday, the iconic vertical Twitter lettering was removed from the company’s San Francisco headquarters when the local police department paused them from continuing the “unauthorised work,” as per The San Francisco Standard reports.

Billionaire Elon Musk faced an interruption in his drive to rebrand the microblogging platform Twitter to X when police arrived at the spot and halted the work. As a part of the rebranding of the social media firm, on Monday, the iconic vertical Twitter lettering was removed from the company’s San Francisco headquarters when the local police department paused them from continuing the “unauthorised work,” as per The San Francisco Standard reports. Only the letters “er” were left on one side of the sign with the bird logo at the time when the work was stopped. The police officers on the scene said that the Twitter officials had a work order to pull the down the sign at the Market Street headquarters but the firm did not inform the security officials and the owner of the building. “Police on the scene said someone with Twitter had a work order to take the sign down but didn’t communicate it with security and the property owner of the building,” the Standard added. Amid the confusion the police were called, however, the officials later through their inquiry determined that no crime had been committed and that the incident was not a police matter. "Officers assigned to Tenderloin Station responded to the area of 10th and Market streets regarding a report of a possible unpermitted street closure," The San Francisco Standard quoted a police spokesperson as saying in an email. "Through their investigation, officers were able to determine that no crime was committed and this incident was not a police matter." Also read: Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X could have legal complications. Here's how Elon Musk opens up on rebranding On Monday, Elon Musk while elucidating on his decision to rebrand Twitter as 'X' said that it was not 'simply' a renaming process. In a post on X, Musk said acquiring Twitter was to ensure freedom of speech as well as "act as an accelerant for X - the everything app." "This is not simply a company renaming itself, but doing the same thing," Musk wrote, adding that Twitter had served its purpose and that it had evolved past its name. "The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140 character messages going back and forth – like birds tweeting – but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video," wrote Musk. He also hinted at the big changes that were coming, including the transformation of the platform into a financial app. "In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world. The Twitter name does not make sense in that context, so we must bid adieu to the bird," Musk emphasised. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Police halt Twitter's rebranding drive halfway at company's San Francisco headquarters

<p>Dozens of Indian-Americans took to the streets in San Francisco, where they held a peace rally in front of the Indian Consulate to express support for India after the diplomatic facility was set on fire by Khalistan supporters.</p>

<p>As per PTI reports, a video showing the act of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was shared by Khalistan supporters on Twitter on July 2. This was the second such act of violence within months.</p>

<p>Indian-Americans from in and around San Francisco came out in solidarity with India as they held a rally in front of the&nbsp;Indian Consulate in San Francisco against the attack.</p>

<p>The demonstrators called it an act of terrorism further demanding authorities to take strict action against the ones responsible for the arson.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">VIDEO | Indian Americans hold peace rally in support of India after Khalistan supporters' attempted arson at San Francisco consulate.<br />
<br />
(Source: Third Party)<a href="https://t.co/zP5Q7UB3Y6">https://t.co/zP5Q7UB3Y6</a> <a href="https://t.co/yffieSUvcR">pic.twitter.com/yffieSUvcR</a></p>
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1680134888014462983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu visited the Consulate in San Francisco on Thursday and met Indian diplomats and officials at the mission.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-student-beaten-up-with-iron-rods-by-khalistan-supporters-in-sydney-report-615642">Indian student beaten up with iron rods by Khalistan supporters in Sydney: Report&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>India has asked its partner countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States not to give space to "extremist Khalistani ideology" as it is "not good" for bilateral relations.</p>

<h2><strong>Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistani extremists</strong></h2>

<p>The Indian consulate in San Francisco was again attacked by Khalistani extremists on July 2. In the second attack within five months, the extremists briefly set the consulate on fire, before it was promptly suppressed by the San Francisco Fire Department.</p>

<p>The incident drew condemnation from the US State Department.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, condemned the attack and tweeted that attacking a diplomatic facility in the US was a criminal offence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence,” he wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p>Earlier, on March 19, in a similar attack, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.</p>

<p>This resulted in severe criticism from both the Indian government and the Indian-American community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, breached the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were removed by two consulate personnel soon.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Dozens of Indian-Americans took to the streets in San Francisco, where they held a peace rally in front of the Indian Consulate to express support for India after the diplomatic facility was set on fire by Khalistan supporters.

Dozens of Indian-Americans took to the streets in San Francisco, where they held a peace rally in front of the Indian Consulate to express support for India after the diplomatic facility was set on fire by Khalistan supporters. As per PTI reports, a video showing the act of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was shared by Khalistan supporters on Twitter on July 2. This was the second such act of violence within months. Indian-Americans from in and around San Francisco came out in solidarity with India as they held a rally in front of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco against the attack. The demonstrators called it an act of terrorism further demanding authorities to take strict action against the ones responsible for the arson. VIDEO | Indian Americans hold peace rally in support of India after Khalistan supporters' attempted arson at San Francisco consulate. (Source: Third Party)https://t.co/zP5Q7UB3Y6 pic.twitter.com/yffieSUvcR — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2023 × India's Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu visited the Consulate in San Francisco on Thursday and met Indian diplomats and officials at the mission. Also read: Indian student beaten up with iron rods by Khalistan supporters in Sydney: Report India has asked its partner countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States not to give space to "extremist Khalistani ideology" as it is "not good" for bilateral relations. Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistani extremists The Indian consulate in San Francisco was again attacked by Khalistani extremists on July 2. In the second attack within five months, the extremists briefly set the consulate on fire, before it was promptly suppressed by the San Francisco Fire Department. The incident drew condemnation from the US State Department. Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, condemned the attack and tweeted that attacking a diplomatic facility in the US was a criminal offence. “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence,” he wrote on Twitter. Earlier, on March 19, in a similar attack, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. This resulted in severe criticism from both the Indian government and the Indian-American community. The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, breached the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were removed by two consulate personnel soon. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indian-Americans hold peace rally in solidarity with India at San Francisco consulate after Khalistani attack

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<p>San Francisco has become a business hub for drug dealers from Honduras. The reason is the American city's sanctuary laws for illegal immigration. According to an investigative report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday (July 10), Honduran drug dealers say that San Francisco's accommodative approach to illegal immigration makes&nbsp;it appealing to sell drugs there.</p>

<p>Citing multiple drug dealers and court records, the report said that the majority of Honduran drug dealers in San Francisco are from the Siria Valley with many coming from the same families or having grown up together in the same small villages.</p>

<p>A dealer from the Siria Valley told the San Francisco Chronicle that he would watch as others returned to Honduras after selling drugs in the Bay Area. The dealer, who first arrived in San Francisco in 2004, said "They (the dealers) were popular because of the cars and money. So everybody wanted the same."</p>

<h2><strong>The money, the struggle to make a living</strong></h2>

<p>Some current and former drug dealers told the publication that they struggled to make a living. However, other dealers who have had successful business models, said they can make as much as $350,000 a year selling drugs or even more if they help run a local operation. And at least some of this money is sent to the valley's villages, fuelling a real estate boom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Eighty-eight-year-old Ofelia Raudales Varela, a resident of the Siria Valley, said that while many of the migrants from the villages send remittances from legal construction work in San Francisco and Atlanta, they were not the ones building the mansions.</p>

<p>“There’s no other option for them to make a house in that way if it wasn’t for selling drugs in the United States,” Varela added.</p>

<h2><strong>The Mexico connection</strong></h2>

<p>While the migrants from Honduras are street dealers in San Francisco, the drugs they sell are Mexico- produced and controlled by the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. The report said these drugs include fentanyl&nbsp;which has wreaked havoc not just in San Francisco but the entire US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report said that the cartels make fentanyl from chemicals purchased from China, transport it to stash houses in Oakland, and distribute it to Honduran dealers, some of whom ride BART into San Francisco, alongside commuters from Oakland to Civic Center Station, to sell it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One Honduran migrant, who had been arrested multiple times, told the publication he understood the pain that drugs have caused San Francisco. A week back, his brother fatally overdosed in the American city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The migrant, who is currently in a local jail, said, "I watch the news and I read the newspaper and everything, and I realize that it really is something very difficult. I went through it." The migrant said those selling drugs are merely pawns, adding, "We are, so to speak … some nobodies."</p>

<h2><strong>The problems in the crackdown</strong></h2>

<p>San Francisco, like many other American cities, shifted years ago to treating drug use more like a disease than a crime. Citing studies, the report said that the heavy policing approach of the War on Drugs era failed to slow dealers or decrease the demand for drugs while overcrowding prisons and disproportionately punishing people of colour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On June 16, former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would add San Francisco to Operation Overdrive- a federal drug enforcement programme targeting cartels in communities that have the highest levels of drug-related violence and overdoses. And in the later days of the month, the San Francisco sheriff deployed an emergency team of 130 deputies in the Tenderloin,&nbsp;an open-air drug market for years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, research showed that low-level dealers are quickly replaced when policing escalates, and there is little effect on drug markets where strong demand still exists.</p>

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San Francisco has become a business hub for drug dealers from Honduras. The reason is the American city's sanctuary laws for illegal immigration. According to an investigative report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday (July 10), Honduran drug dealers say that San Francisco's accommodative approach to illegal immigration makes it appealing to sell drugs there.

San Francisco has become a business hub for drug dealers from Honduras. The reason is the American city's sanctuary laws for illegal immigration. According to an investigative report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday (July 10), Honduran drug dealers say that San Francisco's accommodative approach to illegal immigration makes it appealing to sell drugs there. Citing multiple drug dealers and court records, the report said that the majority of Honduran drug dealers in San Francisco are from the Siria Valley with many coming from the same families or having grown up together in the same small villages. A dealer from the Siria Valley told the San Francisco Chronicle that he would watch as others returned to Honduras after selling drugs in the Bay Area. The dealer, who first arrived in San Francisco in 2004, said "They (the dealers) were popular because of the cars and money. So everybody wanted the same." The money, the struggle to make a living Some current and former drug dealers told the publication that they struggled to make a living. However, other dealers who have had successful business models, said they can make as much as $350,000 a year selling drugs or even more if they help run a local operation. And at least some of this money is sent to the valley's villages, fuelling a real estate boom. Eighty-eight-year-old Ofelia Raudales Varela, a resident of the Siria Valley, said that while many of the migrants from the villages send remittances from legal construction work in San Francisco and Atlanta, they were not the ones building the mansions. “There’s no other option for them to make a house in that way if it wasn’t for selling drugs in the United States,” Varela added. The Mexico connection While the migrants from Honduras are street dealers in San Francisco, the drugs they sell are Mexico- produced and controlled by the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. The report said these drugs include fentanyl which has wreaked havoc not just in San Francisco but the entire US. The report said that the cartels make fentanyl from chemicals purchased from China, transport it to stash houses in Oakland, and distribute it to Honduran dealers, some of whom ride BART into San Francisco, alongside commuters from Oakland to Civic Center Station, to sell it. One Honduran migrant, who had been arrested multiple times, told the publication he understood the pain that drugs have caused San Francisco. A week back, his brother fatally overdosed in the American city. The migrant, who is currently in a local jail, said, "I watch the news and I read the newspaper and everything, and I realize that it really is something very difficult. I went through it." The migrant said those selling drugs are merely pawns, adding, "We are, so to speak … some nobodies." The problems in the crackdown San Francisco, like many other American cities, shifted years ago to treating drug use more like a disease than a crime. Citing studies, the report said that the heavy policing approach of the War on Drugs era failed to slow dealers or decrease the demand for drugs while overcrowding prisons and disproportionately punishing people of colour. On June 16, former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would add San Francisco to Operation Overdrive- a federal drug enforcement programme targeting cartels in communities that have the highest levels of drug-related violence and overdoses. And in the later days of the month, the San Francisco sheriff deployed an emergency team of 130 deputies in the Tenderloin, an open-air drug market for years. However, research showed that low-level dealers are quickly replaced when policing escalates, and there is little effect on drug markets where strong demand still exists. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

San Francisco is a business hub for Honduran drug dealers, report says

<p>Safe Street Rebel, an organisation batting for pedestrian safety and reducing the number of cars on roads, has employed a novel method to lodge its protest against driverless cars. In the US city of San Francisco, the members of the group are placing traffic cones on the hoods of driverless vehicles which bring them to a halt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A video of the protest with step-by-step instructions on how to disable autonomous vehicles (AV) is going viral on social media platforms. According to the group, the cone protest is a way to build 'cone-sensus'&nbsp;against driverless cars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It’s a great time.&nbsp;We’re not damaging anyone’s property, it’s very fixable, but it is a funny and effective tactic that has really resonated," one of the protesters was quoted as saying by <em>The Guardian</em>.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Why the protests?</strong></h2>

<p>One of the organisers who wished to remain anonymous said&nbsp;driverless cars pose many risks to safety and the environment but are being sold as a strong alternative to vehicles driven by people.&nbsp;Their emergence also has had a negative effect on the public transport system, the group argues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“They still require wide roads, tire wear they have cameras everywhere. It’s not just about ‘are they safer than a human driver?’ We want healthy cities that don’t require these high tech surveillance pods moving around."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A group of San Franciscans realized that they can disable Waymo and Cruise robotaxis by placing a traffic cone on the vehicle's hood.<br />
<br />
They're now encouraging others to do it: "Hell no, we do not consent to this." <a href="https://t.co/ZrYhy4OATy">pic.twitter.com/ZrYhy4OATy</a></p>
— David Zipper (@DavidZipper) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidZipper/status/1676968755522588682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>With Silicon Valley a few miles away, San Francisco has emerged as the top urban location for AV testing and deployment. However, it has enraged a significant proportion of the public. The driverless cars on several occasions have been accused of holding up traffic, stopping in the middle of the road and even hitting a few pedestrians and animals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ai-based-tech-start-up-develops-indias-first-autonomous-car-zpod-600898"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;AI-based tech start-up develops India's first autonomous car 'zPod'</strong></a></p>

<h2>Netizens divided</h2>

<p>Netizens were divided after watching the video of the stunt. Some said they were happy that action was being taken while others said it was stupidity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We here hate the driverless cars, so this is very nice. A cone in time saves nine," said one netizen, while another added, "And they say the soul of SF is dead. lol look a this! It’s harmless but makes it’s point. What a brilliant way to protest the proliferation of yet another major street hazard deployed without much consideration for the community."</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: The good, bad and ugly of AI</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" data-gtm-yt-inspected-6="true" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-good-bad-and-ugly-of-ai-599842/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Meanwhile, those against the protest said, "It's interesting to see something so similar to classic anti-vax sentiment, but coded differently—blanket scepticism about a useful technology that directly addresses a major cause of unnecessary deaths."</p>

<p>"Wait, they’re complaining about AVs blocking traffic and their solution is to put cones which cause AVs to… stop and block traffic? Make it make sense. Also, if you see a cone on a poor Cruise bb, take it off. Help get traffic flowing again," added another.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Companies such as&nbsp;Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors and&nbsp;Waymo, a Google spinoff among others will be attending a vote by the&nbsp;California public utilities commission on 13 July. If voted in favour, it will allow the car companies to&nbsp;charge people for rides as&nbsp;part of the state’s driverless autonomous vehicles programme.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Safe Street Rebel, an organisation batting for pedestrian safety and reducing the number of cars on roads, has employed a novel method to lodge its protest against driverless cars.

Safe Street Rebel, an organisation batting for pedestrian safety and reducing the number of cars on roads, has employed a novel method to lodge its protest against driverless cars. In the US city of San Francisco, the members of the group are placing traffic cones on the hoods of driverless vehicles which bring them to a halt. A video of the protest with step-by-step instructions on how to disable autonomous vehicles (AV) is going viral on social media platforms. According to the group, the cone protest is a way to build 'cone-sensus' against driverless cars. “It’s a great time. We’re not damaging anyone’s property, it’s very fixable, but it is a funny and effective tactic that has really resonated," one of the protesters was quoted as saying by The Guardian. Why the protests? One of the organisers who wished to remain anonymous said driverless cars pose many risks to safety and the environment but are being sold as a strong alternative to vehicles driven by people. Their emergence also has had a negative effect on the public transport system, the group argues. “They still require wide roads, tire wear they have cameras everywhere. It’s not just about ‘are they safer than a human driver?’ We want healthy cities that don’t require these high tech surveillance pods moving around." A group of San Franciscans realized that they can disable Waymo and Cruise robotaxis by placing a traffic cone on the vehicle's hood. They're now encouraging others to do it: "Hell no, we do not consent to this." pic.twitter.com/ZrYhy4OATy — David Zipper (@DavidZipper) July 6, 2023 × With Silicon Valley a few miles away, San Francisco has emerged as the top urban location for AV testing and deployment. However, it has enraged a significant proportion of the public. The driverless cars on several occasions have been accused of holding up traffic, stopping in the middle of the road and even hitting a few pedestrians and animals. Also read | AI-based tech start-up develops India's first autonomous car 'zPod' Netizens divided Netizens were divided after watching the video of the stunt. Some said they were happy that action was being taken while others said it was stupidity. "We here hate the driverless cars, so this is very nice. A cone in time saves nine," said one netizen, while another added, "And they say the soul of SF is dead. lol look a this! It’s harmless but makes it’s point. What a brilliant way to protest the proliferation of yet another major street hazard deployed without much consideration for the community." WATCH | Gravitas: The good, bad and ugly of AI Meanwhile, those against the protest said, "It's interesting to see something so similar to classic anti-vax sentiment, but coded differently—blanket scepticism about a useful technology that directly addresses a major cause of unnecessary deaths." "Wait, they’re complaining about AVs blocking traffic and their solution is to put cones which cause AVs to… stop and block traffic? Make it make sense. Also, if you see a cone on a poor Cruise bb, take it off. Help get traffic flowing again," added another. Companies such as Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors and Waymo, a Google spinoff among others will be attending a vote by the California public utilities commission on 13 July. If voted in favour, it will allow the car companies to charge people for rides as part of the state’s driverless autonomous vehicles programme. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LUVE HERE:

WATCH | Protesters in US are disabling self-driving cars by placing cones. Know why

Vandalisation of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco by pro-Khalistani groups these include Congressmen and representatives like Shri Thanedar and Brian Fitzpatrick. The most common in all these tweets are 'condemned' and 'unacceptable'.

India in talks with US, UK & Canada over attacks on missions, seeks help to tackle Khalistani terror

Rare corpse flower blooms in San Francisco

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<p>US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said Washington was doing 'everything' to ensure the safety of Indians after Khalistani extremists attacked the consulate office in San Francisco over the weekend.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As a diplomat myself, we take any breaches seriously. People cannot be attacked or see acts of arson at places where they work. The US will do everything to protect them and their families with the help of law enforcement agencies. We will have this investigated," said Garcetti, who is currently in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I called the police chief when the attack in San Francisco took place and asked him to take immediate action. We will not leave any stone unturned to avoid future instances of violence," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to media reports, the Indian consulate was attacked on Sunday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am local time. Although the damage was limited, and no Indian personnel was injured, the incident drew widespread criticism.&nbsp;Many questioned the Biden administration for not securing an important foreign government office building.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-indian-consulate-in-san-francisco-set-on-fire-by-khalistani-extremists-611609"><strong>VIDEO: Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistani extremists</strong></a></p>

<p>The incident occurred just months after a similar attack on the consulate in March, which resulted in angry reactions from both the Indian government and the diaspora population.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, managed to breach the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were promptly removed by consulate personnel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-committee-suggests-inclusion-of-india-into-a-5-member-grouping-597513"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US committee suggests inclusion of India into a 5-member grouping</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Democracies are difficult: Garcetti&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>During the media interaction, Garcetti also touched upon former president Barack Obama's comments that 'India could fall apart for failing to protect the minorities'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Democracies are difficult. It is not just about establishing democracy, it is also about maintaining democracy. We are here to engage with the nation, empower women and stand for LGBTQ rights," said Garcetti.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/eric-garcetti-says-india-and-us-have-future-of-boundless-opportunities-609843" target="_blank"><strong>Also read | Eric Garcetti says India and US have future of boundless opportunities</strong></a></p>

<p>Notably, during PM Modi's state visit to the US, Obama did an interview with CNN wherein he said New Delhi risks "pulling apart" if the Muslim minority is not respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, that there is a strong possibility at some point that India starts pulling apart," Obama said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We've seen what happens when you start getting those kinds of large internal conflicts. So that would be contrary to the interests not just of Muslim India but also of Hindu India," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said Washington was doing 'everything' to ensure the safety of Indians after Khalistani extremists attacked the consulate office in San Francisco over the weekend.

US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said Washington was doing 'everything' to ensure the safety of Indians after Khalistani extremists attacked the consulate office in San Francisco over the weekend. "As a diplomat myself, we take any breaches seriously. People cannot be attacked or see acts of arson at places where they work. The US will do everything to protect them and their families with the help of law enforcement agencies. We will have this investigated," said Garcetti, who is currently in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. "I called the police chief when the attack in San Francisco took place and asked him to take immediate action. We will not leave any stone unturned to avoid future instances of violence," he added. According to media reports, the Indian consulate was attacked on Sunday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am local time. Although the damage was limited, and no Indian personnel was injured, the incident drew widespread criticism. Many questioned the Biden administration for not securing an important foreign government office building. VIDEO: Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistani extremists The incident occurred just months after a similar attack on the consulate in March, which resulted in angry reactions from both the Indian government and the diaspora population. The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, managed to breach the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were promptly removed by consulate personnel. WATCH | US committee suggests inclusion of India into a 5-member grouping × Democracies are difficult: Garcetti During the media interaction, Garcetti also touched upon former president Barack Obama's comments that 'India could fall apart for failing to protect the minorities'. "Democracies are difficult. It is not just about establishing democracy, it is also about maintaining democracy. We are here to engage with the nation, empower women and stand for LGBTQ rights," said Garcetti. Also read | Eric Garcetti says India and US have future of boundless opportunities Notably, during PM Modi's state visit to the US, Obama did an interview with CNN wherein he said New Delhi risks "pulling apart" if the Muslim minority is not respected. "If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, that there is a strong possibility at some point that India starts pulling apart," Obama said. "We've seen what happens when you start getting those kinds of large internal conflicts. So that would be contrary to the interests not just of Muslim India but also of Hindu India," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US doing 'everything' for safety of Indians after consulate attacks, says ambassador Garcetti

There was an attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Video of the attack was shared on Twitter by pro-Khalistani groups. How did the extremists manage to attack a diplomatic property on American soil? Was there a security lapse? Or are countries generally soft on Khalistanis?

Gravitas: Attack on Indian Consulate in San Francisco: Why are countries soft on Khalistanis?

Khalistan supporters set the Indian embassy in san francisco on fire, US Condemns the attack. This, however, is not the first time that the Khalistanis have attacked the Indian consulate in San Francisco.

Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistan supporters

<p>The Indian consulate in San Francisco was again attacked by Khalistani extremists on Sunday. In the second attack within five months, the extremists briefly set the consulate on fire, before it was promptly suppressed by the San Francisco Fire Department.</p>

<p>The incident has drawn condemnation from the US State Department. Some videos of the incident have been circulating on social media, although WION couldn’t verify the authenticity of the videos.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ARSON ATTEMPT AT SF INDIAN CONSULATE: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DiyaTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DiyaTV</a> has verified with <a href="https://twitter.com/CGISFO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CGISFO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nagentv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NagenTV</a> that a fire was set early Sunday morning between 1:30-2:30 am in the San Francisco Indian Consulate. The fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Department, damage was limited and no… <a href="https://t.co/bHXNPmqSVm">pic.twitter.com/bHXNPmqSVm</a></p>
— Diya TV - 24/7 * Free * Local (@DiyaTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiyaTV/status/1675969723593523200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>As reported by Diya TV, the consulate was attacked on Sunday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am local time. The damage was limited, and no Indian personnel was injured. ANI news agency reported that the Indian side has already informed local, state and federal authorities about the attack.</p>

<h2><strong>Why was Indian consulate attacked now?</strong></h2>

<p>Sikh extremists in US and Canada blame India for the death of designated terrorist and Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who died last month in Canada’s Vancouver. The 45-year-old Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief was reportedly killed in inter-gang warfare. According to Hindustan Times, Nijjar had close links with the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which is led by a US-based designated terrorist.</p>

<p>Following the incident, a poster was released by Sikh extremists targeting Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Dr TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco.</p>

<h2><strong>US condemns the attack</strong></h2>

<p>Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, condemned the attack and tweeted Tuesday that attacking a diplomatic facility in the US was a criminal offense.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offense,” he wrote on Twitter.</p>

<h2><strong>Second attack within five months</strong></h2>

<p>This incident occurred just months after a similar attack on the consulate in March, which resulted in severe criticism from both the Indian government and the Indian-American community.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;UK report on pro-Khalistani extremists, warns against 'aggressive' extremists</strong></p>

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<p>The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, managed to breach the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were promptly removed by consulate personnel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-foreign-minister-jaishankar-flags-khalistani-extremism-to-canada-uk-before-propaganda-rally-611444"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;India's foreign minister Jaishankar flags Khalistani extremism to Canada, UK before propaganda rally</strong></a></p>

<p>Interestingly, this assault on the Indian consulate coincided with another incident in London, where pro-Khalistani supporters forcefully took down the Indian national flag that was hoisted at the Indian High Commission.</p>

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The Indian consulate in San Francisco was again attacked by Khalistani extremists on Sunday. In the second attack within five months, the extremists briefly set the consulate on fire, before it was promptly suppressed by the San Francisco Fire Department.

The Indian consulate in San Francisco was again attacked by Khalistani extremists on Sunday. In the second attack within five months, the extremists briefly set the consulate on fire, before it was promptly suppressed by the San Francisco Fire Department. The incident has drawn condemnation from the US State Department. Some videos of the incident have been circulating on social media, although WION couldn’t verify the authenticity of the videos. ARSON ATTEMPT AT SF INDIAN CONSULATE: #DiyaTV has verified with @CGISFO @NagenTV that a fire was set early Sunday morning between 1:30-2:30 am in the San Francisco Indian Consulate. The fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Department, damage was limited and no… pic.twitter.com/bHXNPmqSVm — Diya TV - 24/7 * Free * Local (@DiyaTV) July 3, 2023 × As reported by Diya TV, the consulate was attacked on Sunday between 1:30 am to 2:30 am local time. The damage was limited, and no Indian personnel was injured. ANI news agency reported that the Indian side has already informed local, state and federal authorities about the attack. Why was Indian consulate attacked now? Sikh extremists in US and Canada blame India for the death of designated terrorist and Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who died last month in Canada’s Vancouver. The 45-year-old Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief was reportedly killed in inter-gang warfare. According to Hindustan Times, Nijjar had close links with the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which is led by a US-based designated terrorist. Following the incident, a poster was released by Sikh extremists targeting Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Dr TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco. US condemns the attack Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, condemned the attack and tweeted Tuesday that attacking a diplomatic facility in the US was a criminal offense. “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offense,” he wrote on Twitter. Second attack within five months This incident occurred just months after a similar attack on the consulate in March, which resulted in severe criticism from both the Indian government and the Indian-American community. Watch: UK report on pro-Khalistani extremists, warns against 'aggressive' extremists × The protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, managed to breach the makeshift security barriers set up by the local police and proceeded to place two Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. The flags were promptly removed by consulate personnel. Also read: India's foreign minister Jaishankar flags Khalistani extremism to Canada, UK before propaganda rally Interestingly, this assault on the Indian consulate coincided with another incident in London, where pro-Khalistani supporters forcefully took down the Indian national flag that was hoisted at the Indian High Commission. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

VIDEO: Indian consulate in San Francisco set on fire by Khalistani extremists

Best cities in the United States to celebrate Fourth of July

<p data-analytics-observe="on" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_C2E613C1-B6DB-FDAF-E037-A418194E606C@published">At least nine people were shot in San Francisco's Mission District neighbourhood, in an attack designated as a&nbsp;"targeted and isolated incident"&nbsp; by the local police.</p>

<p data-analytics-observe="on" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_6B78903F-F1A7-F2DC-A620-A419F9009F91@published">The shooting took place while "some sort of block party" was taking place in the area, according to San Francisco Police Department Officer Eve Laokwansathitaya.</p>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_F96E84F8-749E-6D0B-7E9F-A3D43B6ADB06@published">"When officers arrived on scene they located multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds," police said in a statement. "Officers summoned medics to the scene to treat and transport the victims to local area hospitals."</p>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_139CDA1B-4F86-A171-B799-A3D43B6C1FB0@published">No arrests were immediately reported by authorities.</p>

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At least nine people were shot in San Francisco's Mission District neighbourhood, in an attack designated as a "targeted and isolated incident" by the local police.

At least nine people were shot in San Francisco's Mission District neighbourhood, in an attack designated as a "targeted and isolated incident" by the local police. The shooting took place while "some sort of block party" was taking place in the area, according to San Francisco Police Department Officer Eve Laokwansathitaya. "When officers arrived on scene they located multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds," police said in a statement. "Officers summoned medics to the scene to treat and transport the victims to local area hospitals." No arrests were immediately reported by authorities. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

San Francisco: Nine people shot at in yet another 'targeted' shooting incident

<p>Air India’s replacement flight has taken off from Russia’s Magadan for San Francisco, carrying all crew members and passengers after being stranded in the Russian town for hours. On Wednesday, an Air India Delhi-San Francisco flight was forced to divert and land in Magadan due to a ‘technical issue’ with one of its engines.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The flight AI 173 has to land in the remote Russian town and a replacement flight took off from Mumbai, carrying food and other essentials in the early morning on Thursday. It reached Magadan airport at 6:30 (local time).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-how-air-indias-diverted-flight-to-russia-landed-amid-airspace-row-between-moscow-the-west-601835">Explained | How Air India’s diverted flight to Russia landed amid airspace row between Moscow, the West</a></p>

<p>In the latest tweet by Tata Group-owned Air India, the replacement flight would arrive in San Francisco at 12:15 am (local time) on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">UPDATE: AIR INDIA FLIGHT AI173D TAKES OFF FOR SAN FRANCISCO FROM MAGADAN<br />
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Flight AI173D from Magadan, Russia (GDX) is now airborne for San Francisco (SFO), carrying all passengers and crew. The flight departed GDX at 1027 Hours on 08 June 2023 (local time) and is expected to…</p>
— Air India (@airindia) <a href="https://twitter.com/airindia/status/1666592171636723712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed safely on Wednesday in Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the replacement flight, the private carrier also mobilised additional on-ground support at San Francisco airport to carry out the clearance formalities for all passengers upon arrival.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The team in San Francisco is prepared to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including limited medical care, ground transportation, and onward connections in applicable cases.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Passengers moved to makeshift accommodation</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Air India released a media statement on Wednesday, in which they confirmed that “all passengers were eventually moved to makeshift accommodation, after making sincere attempts to accommodate passengers in hotels locally with the help of local government authorities.”</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/man-presumed-dead-after-odisha-triple-train-tragedy-saved-by-a-whisker-602004">Man presumed dead after Odisha triple-train tragedy saved by a whisker</a></p>

<p>“As we do not have any Air India staff based in the remote town of Magadan, all ground support being provided to the passengers is the best possible in this unusual circumstance though our round-the-clock liaison with the Consulate General of India in Vladivostok, Ministry of External Affairs (Government of India), local ground handlers, and the Russian authorities.”</p>

<h2><strong>US citizens on stranded Air India plane</strong></h2>

<p>In Washington, the US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said that fewer than 50 American citizens were in the plane and the department was not aware of any of them reaching out to the US Embassy in Russia or other diplomatic posts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was a flight bound for the US so it is, of course, likely there are American citizens... We are continuing to monitor the situation," he said.</p>

<h2><strong>What did the Indian government say?</strong></h2>

<p>Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is tracking the situation very closely, the ministry said this morning, noting that it is in constant touch with the airline. The ministry also said it had been told by AI some passengers had been housed in a school building near the airport.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, photos and videos that surfaced on Twitter tell a different story. Some passengers shared pictures in which they can be seen sleeping on mattresses on the floor of what appear to be homes or dormitories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-biparjoy-update-cyclone-to-intensify-further-in-next-48-hours-heavy-rain-alert-in-many-states-602009">Cyclone 'Biparjoy' update: Cyclone to intensify further in next 48 hours, heavy rain alert in many states</a></p>

<p>Another tweet was of a 45-second video shared by another passenger showing people gathered in a small school-like building with benches and tables set aside to make room for mattresses spread on the floor.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yesterday, <a href="https://twitter.com/airindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AirIndia</a> flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w/ over 220, mostly elderly, passengers.<br />
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Sat in plane for 6 hrs &amp; after 18 hrs now, no word from Air India, <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a>.<br />
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Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger : <a href="https://t.co/n6qymnvXrc">pic.twitter.com/n6qymnvXrc</a></p>
— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) <a href="https://twitter.com/shukla_tarun/status/1666303378249629697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Yesterday, Air India flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w(ith) over 220, mostly elderly, passengers. Sat in the plane for 6 hours and, after 18 hours now, no word from Air India. Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger…" the tweet at 10 am Wednesday said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Air India’s replacement flight has taken off from Russia’s Magadan for San Francisco, carrying all crew members and passengers after being stranded in the Russian town for hours.

Air India’s replacement flight has taken off from Russia’s Magadan for San Francisco, carrying all crew members and passengers after being stranded in the Russian town for hours. On Wednesday, an Air India Delhi-San Francisco flight was forced to divert and land in Magadan due to a ‘technical issue’ with one of its engines. The flight AI 173 has to land in the remote Russian town and a replacement flight took off from Mumbai, carrying food and other essentials in the early morning on Thursday. It reached Magadan airport at 6:30 (local time). Also Read | Explained | How Air India’s diverted flight to Russia landed amid airspace row between Moscow, the West In the latest tweet by Tata Group-owned Air India, the replacement flight would arrive in San Francisco at 12:15 am (local time) on Thursday. UPDATE: AIR INDIA FLIGHT AI173D TAKES OFF FOR SAN FRANCISCO FROM MAGADAN Flight AI173D from Magadan, Russia (GDX) is now airborne for San Francisco (SFO), carrying all passengers and crew. The flight departed GDX at 1027 Hours on 08 June 2023 (local time) and is expected to… — Air India (@airindia) June 7, 2023 × The Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed safely on Wednesday in Russia. Apart from the replacement flight, the private carrier also mobilised additional on-ground support at San Francisco airport to carry out the clearance formalities for all passengers upon arrival. The team in San Francisco is prepared to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including limited medical care, ground transportation, and onward connections in applicable cases. Passengers moved to makeshift accommodation Air India released a media statement on Wednesday, in which they confirmed that “all passengers were eventually moved to makeshift accommodation, after making sincere attempts to accommodate passengers in hotels locally with the help of local government authorities.” Also Read | Man presumed dead after Odisha triple-train tragedy saved by a whisker “As we do not have any Air India staff based in the remote town of Magadan, all ground support being provided to the passengers is the best possible in this unusual circumstance though our round-the-clock liaison with the Consulate General of India in Vladivostok, Ministry of External Affairs (Government of India), local ground handlers, and the Russian authorities.” US citizens on stranded Air India plane In Washington, the US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said that fewer than 50 American citizens were in the plane and the department was not aware of any of them reaching out to the US Embassy in Russia or other diplomatic posts. "It was a flight bound for the US so it is, of course, likely there are American citizens... We are continuing to monitor the situation," he said. What did the Indian government say? Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is tracking the situation very closely, the ministry said this morning, noting that it is in constant touch with the airline. The ministry also said it had been told by AI some passengers had been housed in a school building near the airport. Meanwhile, photos and videos that surfaced on Twitter tell a different story. Some passengers shared pictures in which they can be seen sleeping on mattresses on the floor of what appear to be homes or dormitories. Also Read | Cyclone 'Biparjoy' update: Cyclone to intensify further in next 48 hours, heavy rain alert in many states Another tweet was of a 45-second video shared by another passenger showing people gathered in a small school-like building with benches and tables set aside to make room for mattresses spread on the floor. Yesterday, @AirIndia flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w/ over 220, mostly elderly, passengers. Sat in plane for 6 hrs & after 18 hrs now, no word from Air India, @MEAIndia. Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger : pic.twitter.com/n6qymnvXrc — Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) June 7, 2023 × "Yesterday, Air India flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w(ith) over 220, mostly elderly, passengers. Sat in the plane for 6 hours and, after 18 hours now, no word from Air India. Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger…" the tweet at 10 am Wednesday said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Air India passengers stranded in Russia fly off to San Francisco, share ordeal | Updates

<p>A United States-bound Air India flight which took off from the Indian capital city, Delhi was diverted to Russia, on Tuesday (June 6) after it developed a “technical issue” in one of the engines, a spokesperson from the airline. The Air India flight AI173 was reported to have safely landed in the Russian town of Magadan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident also comes a day&nbsp;United Airlines CEO had raised concerns about flights using Russian airspace with American citizens on board, a decision which was defended by the Air India chief.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Air India about the incident</strong></h2>

<p>The flight in question which took off from Delhi and was headed to San Francisco was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew. “The passengers are being provided support on the ground and will be provided an alternate option to reach their destination at the earliest,” said Air India, in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It added, “The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks on the ground. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers.” Hours after the diversion, Air India confirmed that it would send an alternative aircraft from Magadan to San Francisco for passengers who are currently accommodated in local hotels in the Russian town.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Washington reacts</strong></h2>

<p>The United States on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring the situation. "We are aware of a US-bound flight that had to make an emergency landing in Russia and are continuing to monitor that situation closely. I'm not able to confirm how many US citizens were aboard the flight at this time," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference.</p>

<p>"It was a flight that was bound for the United States. So, it is, of course, likely that there are American citizens on board. There's public reporting from Air India that they are sending – what my understanding is – a replacement aircraft to the destination to have the passengers carry on for their route, but I would defer to the air carrier to speak to anything further on this," Patel said in response to a question.</p>

<h2><strong>Russian aviation authority deals with passengers</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Russia had earlier said that it was ready to give permission to the Indian airline to land an additional reserve aircraft if needed in the country’s Far East, said Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia. It also reported 220 passengers and 16 crew on board while Air India has said there were 216 passengers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rosaviatsia also said that they are checking on the aircraft's technical condition. “At present, the question of passengers' stay and accommodation is being resolved by border, customs and regional authorities,” said Rosaviatsia, as quoted by Reuters.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, an employee at the airport’s flight dispatch service in Magadan told Reuters that all passengers had been taken to hotels by buses. The anonymous source also told the news agency that the aircraft was “closed off and put under guard” as it waits for Air India specialists “to land on the reserve plane tomorrow”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “It’s unclear (what happened), something is wrong with the engine, something is leaking out, they’ll look into it tomorrow,” as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Arguments about using the Russian airspace</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, the incident also comes a day after Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, raised concerns about planes flying through Russian airspace with American citizens onboard.</p>

<p>“What’s going to happen if an airline lands in Russia with some prominent US citizens on board? That is a potential crisis in the making,” said Kirby, adding that this issue should be solved “before the crisis happens.”</p>

<p>However, on the same day, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson defended the airline’s use of Russian airspace. “Air India, we operate according to the ambit of what is provided to us by the nation of India and not all nations agree,” said Wilson, adding that the airline industry plays a critical role in connecting economies, people and cultures.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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A United States-bound Air India flight which took off from the Indian capital city, Delhi was diverted to Russia, on Tuesday (June 6) after it developed a “technical issue” in one of the engines, a spokesperson from the airline.

A United States-bound Air India flight which took off from the Indian capital city, Delhi was diverted to Russia, on Tuesday (June 6) after it developed a “technical issue” in one of the engines, a spokesperson from the airline. The Air India flight AI173 was reported to have safely landed in the Russian town of Magadan. The incident also comes a day United Airlines CEO had raised concerns about flights using Russian airspace with American citizens on board, a decision which was defended by the Air India chief. Air India about the incident The flight in question which took off from Delhi and was headed to San Francisco was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew. “The passengers are being provided support on the ground and will be provided an alternate option to reach their destination at the earliest,” said Air India, in a statement. It added, “The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks on the ground. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers.” Hours after the diversion, Air India confirmed that it would send an alternative aircraft from Magadan to San Francisco for passengers who are currently accommodated in local hotels in the Russian town. Washington reacts The United States on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring the situation. "We are aware of a US-bound flight that had to make an emergency landing in Russia and are continuing to monitor that situation closely. I'm not able to confirm how many US citizens were aboard the flight at this time," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference. "It was a flight that was bound for the United States. So, it is, of course, likely that there are American citizens on board. There's public reporting from Air India that they are sending – what my understanding is – a replacement aircraft to the destination to have the passengers carry on for their route, but I would defer to the air carrier to speak to anything further on this," Patel said in response to a question. Russian aviation authority deals with passengers Russia had earlier said that it was ready to give permission to the Indian airline to land an additional reserve aircraft if needed in the country’s Far East, said Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia. It also reported 220 passengers and 16 crew on board while Air India has said there were 216 passengers. Rosaviatsia also said that they are checking on the aircraft's technical condition. “At present, the question of passengers' stay and accommodation is being resolved by border, customs and regional authorities,” said Rosaviatsia, as quoted by Reuters. Meanwhile, an employee at the airport’s flight dispatch service in Magadan told Reuters that all passengers had been taken to hotels by buses. The anonymous source also told the news agency that the aircraft was “closed off and put under guard” as it waits for Air India specialists “to land on the reserve plane tomorrow”. He added, “It’s unclear (what happened), something is wrong with the engine, something is leaking out, they’ll look into it tomorrow,” as quoted by Reuters. Arguments about using the Russian airspace Notably, the incident also comes a day after Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, raised concerns about planes flying through Russian airspace with American citizens onboard. “What’s going to happen if an airline lands in Russia with some prominent US citizens on board? That is a potential crisis in the making,” said Kirby, adding that this issue should be solved “before the crisis happens.” However, on the same day, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson defended the airline’s use of Russian airspace. “Air India, we operate according to the ambit of what is provided to us by the nation of India and not all nations agree,” said Wilson, adding that the airline industry plays a critical role in connecting economies, people and cultures. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Delhi-San Francisco Air India flight diverted to Russia after 'technical issue', US says closley monitoring

<p>San Francisco and Walgreens reached a $230 million settlement for the company's involvement in the city's unusual opioid&nbsp;challenge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The payment is the largest ever given to local&nbsp;&nbsp;government despite years of ongoing, nationwide opioid-related litigation, According to San Francisco's city attorney.</p>

<p>The settlement comes nine months after a federal judge determined that the company's errors had a "substantial" part in a crisis that has had "catastrophic" impacts on the city, overburdening hospitals and destroying neighbourhoods. Walgreens was also chastised by US District Judge Charles Breyer for its "15-year failure" to adequately scrutinise opioid prescriptions and warn potential misuse of the potentially extremely addictive drugs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Breyer ruled that Walgreens had a profit-driven "fill, fill, fill" culture in administering strong opioids such as fentanyl, oxycontin, and oxycodone in his judgement on August 10, 2022, as reported by the Guardian.</p>

<p>“This decision gives voice to the thousands of lives lost to the opioid epidemic,” David Chiu, San Francisco’s city attorney, said&nbsp;in a statement,&nbsp;as reported by the Guardian.</p>

<p>“This crisis did not come out of nowhere. It was created by the opioid industry, and local jurisdictions like San Francisco have had to shoulder the burden for far too long,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/montana-becomes-first-us-state-to-ban-tiktok-free-speech-supporters-call-move-unconstitutional-593492"><strong>&nbsp;</strong>Montana becomes first US state to ban TikTok, free speech supporters call move 'unconstitutional'</a></p>

<p>The deal reached by Walgreens bypasses a trial to assess damages. Walgreens said in a statement that while it "disputes liability" and does not concede guilt, resolving would allow it to focus on patients, customers, and communities.</p>

<p>“Our thoughts are with those impacted by this tragic crisis,” it added.</p>

<p>After many drugmakers and distributors agreed settlements totaling more than $120 million, the Deerfield, Illinois-based corporation was the lone remaining defendant in San Francisco's civil complaint.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Concerns on US banking sector eases as banking stocks recover strongly | World DNA</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Breyer discovered that Walgreens' San Francisco pharmacies received more than 1.2 million opioid prescriptions with "red flags" from 2006 to 2020, but only did due diligence on fewer than 5 per cent&nbsp;of them before delivering them.</p>

<h2><strong>All-time high deaths&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The rise in deaths began in December, and by January, the city had recorded 82 deaths, bringing the city's overdose fatalities to an all-time high. This uptick occurred shortly after the city dismantled a crucial outreach centre where individuals were taking narcotics under medical supervision and intensified enforcement in San Francisco's long-under-resourced Tenderloin neighbourhood.</p>

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San Francisco and Walgreens reached a $230 million settlement for the company's involvement in the city's unusual opioid challenge. The payment is the largest ever given to local government despite years of ongoing, nationwide opioid-related litigation, According to San Francisco's city attorney.

San Francisco and Walgreens reached a $230 million settlement for the company's involvement in the city's unusual opioid challenge. The payment is the largest ever given to local government despite years of ongoing, nationwide opioid-related litigation, According to San Francisco's city attorney. The settlement comes nine months after a federal judge determined that the company's errors had a "substantial" part in a crisis that has had "catastrophic" impacts on the city, overburdening hospitals and destroying neighbourhoods. Walgreens was also chastised by US District Judge Charles Breyer for its "15-year failure" to adequately scrutinise opioid prescriptions and warn potential misuse of the potentially extremely addictive drugs. Breyer ruled that Walgreens had a profit-driven "fill, fill, fill" culture in administering strong opioids such as fentanyl, oxycontin, and oxycodone in his judgement on August 10, 2022, as reported by the Guardian. “This decision gives voice to the thousands of lives lost to the opioid epidemic,” David Chiu, San Francisco’s city attorney, said in a statement, as reported by the Guardian. “This crisis did not come out of nowhere. It was created by the opioid industry, and local jurisdictions like San Francisco have had to shoulder the burden for far too long,” he added. ALSO READ | Montana becomes first US state to ban TikTok, free speech supporters call move 'unconstitutional' The deal reached by Walgreens bypasses a trial to assess damages. Walgreens said in a statement that while it "disputes liability" and does not concede guilt, resolving would allow it to focus on patients, customers, and communities. “Our thoughts are with those impacted by this tragic crisis,” it added. After many drugmakers and distributors agreed settlements totaling more than $120 million, the Deerfield, Illinois-based corporation was the lone remaining defendant in San Francisco's civil complaint. ALSO WATCH | Concerns on US banking sector eases as banking stocks recover strongly | World DNA Breyer discovered that Walgreens' San Francisco pharmacies received more than 1.2 million opioid prescriptions with "red flags" from 2006 to 2020, but only did due diligence on fewer than 5 per cent of them before delivering them. All-time high deaths The rise in deaths began in December, and by January, the city had recorded 82 deaths, bringing the city's overdose fatalities to an all-time high. This uptick occurred shortly after the city dismantled a crucial outreach centre where individuals were taking narcotics under medical supervision and intensified enforcement in San Francisco's long-under-resourced Tenderloin neighbourhood. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Walgreens to pay $230mn as settlement to San Francisco over opioids crisis

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidrKYww6Jo3glt" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Theranos founder&nbsp;<strong>Elizabeth Holmes</strong>&nbsp;has been ordered to begin serving her prison sentence while she appeals against her conviction on charges of defrauding investors. A court in San Francisco ruled that Holmes must jointly pay $452 million in restitution to the victims of her crimes. Holmes, who gained fame by claiming that Theranos' blood-testing machines could run a variety of diagnostic tests with just a few drops of blood, was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison.</p>

<h2><strong>Holmes will pay $452 million in restitution</strong></h2>

<p>Holmes had requested the ninth US circuit court of appeals to pause her sentence, but her bail application was denied. The judge will set a new date for Holmes, 39, to report to prison. In a separate ruling, Judge Edward Davila held Holmes jointly liable for the restitution payments and ordered her to pay the $452 million along with her former partner and top Theranos executive, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding investors</strong></p>

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<p>Balwani, 57, began serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence in April after being convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges. Holmes and Balwani were involved in a scheme to deceive investors and raise nearly $1 billion for Theranos. Their technology was exposed as flawed after investigations and regulatory reviews, resulting in significant financial losses for investors.</p>

<h2><strong>Holmes directed to pay $125 mn to Rupert Murdoch</strong></h2>

<p>Judge Davila determined that Holmes and Balwani should pay the largest sum, $125 million, to media mogul Rupert Murdoch, one of the investors who suffered losses.</p>

<p>The restitution also includes payments of $40 million to Walgreens, a former investor, and $14.5 million to Safeway, a former business partner of Theranos.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/jailed-fate-awaits-elizabeth-holmes-after-latest-court-ruling-581614">Also Read |&nbsp;Jail sentence awaits Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes after latest court ruling</a></strong></p>

<p>Prosecutors had sought a restitution penalty in the range of $800 million, but Holmes and Balwani's lawyers argued for lower amounts, claiming financial difficulties. Both defendants have claimed they are nearly broke after incurring significant legal expenses.</p>

<p>Holmes's lawyers have been challenging her conviction, alleging mistakes and misconduct during the trial. They have also argued for her to remain out of prison during the appeal, but their request has been rejected by the court.</p>

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Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been ordered to begin serving her prison sentence while she appeals against her conviction on charges of defrauding investors.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been ordered to begin serving her prison sentence while she appeals against her conviction on charges of defrauding investors. A court in San Francisco ruled that Holmes must jointly pay $452 million in restitution to the victims of her crimes. Holmes, who gained fame by claiming that Theranos' blood-testing machines could run a variety of diagnostic tests with just a few drops of blood, was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. Holmes will pay $452 million in restitution Holmes had requested the ninth US circuit court of appeals to pause her sentence, but her bail application was denied. The judge will set a new date for Holmes, 39, to report to prison. In a separate ruling, Judge Edward Davila held Holmes jointly liable for the restitution payments and ordered her to pay the $452 million along with her former partner and top Theranos executive, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani. Watch: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding investors × Balwani, 57, began serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence in April after being convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges. Holmes and Balwani were involved in a scheme to deceive investors and raise nearly $1 billion for Theranos. Their technology was exposed as flawed after investigations and regulatory reviews, resulting in significant financial losses for investors. Holmes directed to pay $125 mn to Rupert Murdoch Judge Davila determined that Holmes and Balwani should pay the largest sum, $125 million, to media mogul Rupert Murdoch, one of the investors who suffered losses. The restitution also includes payments of $40 million to Walgreens, a former investor, and $14.5 million to Safeway, a former business partner of Theranos. Also Read | Jail sentence awaits Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes after latest court ruling Prosecutors had sought a restitution penalty in the range of $800 million, but Holmes and Balwani's lawyers argued for lower amounts, claiming financial difficulties. Both defendants have claimed they are nearly broke after incurring significant legal expenses. Holmes's lawyers have been challenging her conviction, alleging mistakes and misconduct during the trial. They have also argued for her to remain out of prison during the appeal, but their request has been rejected by the court. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Court orders Elizabeth Holmes to start serving prison sentence after rejecting her bail plea

<p>A report by the British daily newspaper, The Guardian, on Friday (April 28) found that drug-related deaths surged by 41 per cent in the United States’ city of San Francisco, California in the first quarter of this year. This rise also amounts to one person dying of an accidental overdose every 10 hours, the report noted. This comes as the US is dealing with a fentanyl crisis with many deaths reported due to this particular drug overdose.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the last three months, the city witnessed the death of a total of 200 people, as opposed to 142 in the same months a year ago, said the report citing data from the city’s medical examiner.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The spike in deaths was noted in the month of December, last year and continued till January with 82 people losing their lives, the city’s overdose fatalities were at an all-time high. Furthermore, fentanyl was detected in most of the deaths, reported The Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-fentanyl-seized-in-2022-enough-to-kill-every-american-says-us-federal-drug-agency-545087">Explained: Fentanyl seized in 2022 enough to kill every American, says US federal drug agency</a></strong></p>

<p>According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is also highly possible to get addicted to fentanyl.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Among those most affected were people living on the streets as the number of those unhoused dying of overdoses between January and March doubled when compared to a year prior, said the United Kingdom-based media outlet. Additionally, it was also found that a third of the total number of victims of overdose were Black, who only make up five per cent of the city’s population.</p>

<p><strong>The city’s response</strong></p>

<p>The spike in deaths was noted right after the city’s government had shut down a key outreach centre where the unhoused would take drugs under supervision and instead increased policing in San Francisco’s drug-plagued Tenderloin district.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Tenderloin Center would provide daytime shelter for the unhoused, along with housing referrals, food, addiction treatment and health services, reported The Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fentanyl-50x-more-potent-than-heroin-as-an-analgesic-us-india-working-to-fix-the-problem-580104">Fentanyl, 50x more potent than heroin as an analgesic | 'U.S. &amp; India working to fix the problem'</a></strong></p>

<p>Additionally, the centre had also reversed 330 opiate overdoses in the 11 months using Narcan, which is a life-saving medication used to treat an opioid overdose, said the media report citing city’s data.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The centre which served more than 400 people daily was shut down by San Francisco Mayor, London Breed who said she had been disappointed by the low number of visitors at the centre who ultimately accepted help to get off of drugs. She also sought millions to increase police overtime with a priority on arresting drug dealers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>How is that going?</strong></p>

<p>This move is said to have backfired on the government as it has since led to the isolation of drug users where they are more at risk of overdose deaths, said Gary McCoy of HealthRIGHT 360, a nonprofit which ran the drug overdose prevention portion of the Tenderloin Center.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fentanyl-blend-with-xylazine-the-vet-medicine-causes-havoc-in-us-hot-drug-zones-551423">Fentanyl blend with xylazine, the vet medicine, causes havoc in US hot drug zones</a></strong></p>

<p>“When people don’t have a safe place to go, when they’re using in doorways and public places and they’re afraid of getting caught and put in jail, they tend to rush and use more substance,” said McCoy. He added, “And when they rush, there’s a higher risk of overdose.”<br />
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A report by the British daily newspaper, The Guardian, on Friday (April 28) found that drug-related deaths surged by 41 per cent in the United States’ city of San Francisco, California in the first quarter of this year.

A report by the British daily newspaper, The Guardian, on Friday (April 28) found that drug-related deaths surged by 41 per cent in the United States’ city of San Francisco, California in the first quarter of this year. This rise also amounts to one person dying of an accidental overdose every 10 hours, the report noted. This comes as the US is dealing with a fentanyl crisis with many deaths reported due to this particular drug overdose. In the last three months, the city witnessed the death of a total of 200 people, as opposed to 142 in the same months a year ago, said the report citing data from the city’s medical examiner. The spike in deaths was noted in the month of December, last year and continued till January with 82 people losing their lives, the city’s overdose fatalities were at an all-time high. Furthermore, fentanyl was detected in most of the deaths, reported The Guardian. ALSO READ | Explained: Fentanyl seized in 2022 enough to kill every American, says US federal drug agency According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is also highly possible to get addicted to fentanyl. Among those most affected were people living on the streets as the number of those unhoused dying of overdoses between January and March doubled when compared to a year prior, said the United Kingdom-based media outlet. Additionally, it was also found that a third of the total number of victims of overdose were Black, who only make up five per cent of the city’s population. The city’s response The spike in deaths was noted right after the city’s government had shut down a key outreach centre where the unhoused would take drugs under supervision and instead increased policing in San Francisco’s drug-plagued Tenderloin district. The Tenderloin Center would provide daytime shelter for the unhoused, along with housing referrals, food, addiction treatment and health services, reported The Guardian. ALSO WATCH | Fentanyl, 50x more potent than heroin as an analgesic | 'U.S. & India working to fix the problem' Additionally, the centre had also reversed 330 opiate overdoses in the 11 months using Narcan, which is a life-saving medication used to treat an opioid overdose, said the media report citing city’s data. The centre which served more than 400 people daily was shut down by San Francisco Mayor, London Breed who said she had been disappointed by the low number of visitors at the centre who ultimately accepted help to get off of drugs. She also sought millions to increase police overtime with a priority on arresting drug dealers. How is that going? This move is said to have backfired on the government as it has since led to the isolation of drug users where they are more at risk of overdose deaths, said Gary McCoy of HealthRIGHT 360, a nonprofit which ran the drug overdose prevention portion of the Tenderloin Center. ALSO READ | Fentanyl blend with xylazine, the vet medicine, causes havoc in US hot drug zones “When people don’t have a safe place to go, when they’re using in doorways and public places and they’re afraid of getting caught and put in jail, they tend to rush and use more substance,” said McCoy. He added, “And when they rush, there’s a higher risk of overdose.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Every 10 hours, one person died due to drug-related overdose, in San Francisco this year: Report

<p>Shares of Airbnb dropped as much as 6 per cent on Thursday following the release of a report by The Bear Cave, which probed about unpleasant experiences that customers had during stays booked through the platform.</p>

<p>The report highlighted numerous horror incidents, including surprise cleaning requirements, last-minute cancellations, and guests finding hidden cameras in their rooms.</p>

<p>Airbnb has not been able to come clear on the matter. This news pulled the company's shares down by 5 per cent.</p>

<p>However, Airbnb's revenue in 2022 was up 40 per cent from a year earlier, making it the company's most profitable year on record.</p>

<p>In addition, the San-Francisco-based firm reported a 16 per cent increase in active listings in Q4 2022 over the same period in 2021.</p>

<p>Nights and experiences booked also rose 20 per cent year-over-year but missed analysts' estimates.</p>

<p>Despite concerns about a slowing economy, travel companies said earlier this year that they had not yet seen a decrease in demand.</p>

<p>However, last month, a fire broke out in a building in Montreal used by long-term residents and short-term guests who booked lodgings through Airbnb.</p>

<p>City officials said the units in the residential building were supposed to be rented for other purposes.</p>

<p>The Bear Cave report also noted that some of the company's top professional hosts have cut out Airbnb and built their own booking platforms, offering cheaper deals.</p>

<p>According to the report, this increase in professionally managed properties will directly compete against Airbnb and may further threaten its revenues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, some analysts remain optimistic about Airbnb's prospects.</p>

<p>"Airbnb sits in a much more favourable supply market and looks much more like Amazon: everything on Amazon is pretty much purchasable another way, but that does not make it a less valuable platform," said Bernstein analyst Richard Clarke in a note.</p>

<p>Airbnb laid off some recruiting staff in March to protect margins, and with the latest report causing a stir, the company may have to invest more in ensuring customers have positive experiences on its platform.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Shares of Airbnb dropped as much as 6 per cent on Thursday following the release of a report by The Bear Cave, which probed about unpleasant experiences that customers had during stays booked through the platform.

Shares of Airbnb dropped as much as 6 per cent on Thursday following the release of a report by The Bear Cave, which probed about unpleasant experiences that customers had during stays booked through the platform. The report highlighted numerous horror incidents, including surprise cleaning requirements, last-minute cancellations, and guests finding hidden cameras in their rooms. Airbnb has not been able to come clear on the matter. This news pulled the company's shares down by 5 per cent. However, Airbnb's revenue in 2022 was up 40 per cent from a year earlier, making it the company's most profitable year on record. In addition, the San-Francisco-based firm reported a 16 per cent increase in active listings in Q4 2022 over the same period in 2021. Nights and experiences booked also rose 20 per cent year-over-year but missed analysts' estimates. Despite concerns about a slowing economy, travel companies said earlier this year that they had not yet seen a decrease in demand. However, last month, a fire broke out in a building in Montreal used by long-term residents and short-term guests who booked lodgings through Airbnb. City officials said the units in the residential building were supposed to be rented for other purposes. The Bear Cave report also noted that some of the company's top professional hosts have cut out Airbnb and built their own booking platforms, offering cheaper deals. According to the report, this increase in professionally managed properties will directly compete against Airbnb and may further threaten its revenues. However, some analysts remain optimistic about Airbnb's prospects. "Airbnb sits in a much more favourable supply market and looks much more like Amazon: everything on Amazon is pretty much purchasable another way, but that does not make it a less valuable platform," said Bernstein analyst Richard Clarke in a note. Airbnb laid off some recruiting staff in March to protect margins, and with the latest report causing a stir, the company may have to invest more in ensuring customers have positive experiences on its platform. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Airbnb shares fall after probe into unpleasant customer experiences

<p>The US city of San Franciso is planning to give out $5 million in reparations to each qualifying Black resident as compensation for the cruel legacy of slavery and racism. A city-appointed reparations committee made the recommendation earlier this week, while also asking for the elimination of personal debt, tax burdens and promising annual incomes of at least $97,000 for 250 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voiced their support upon hearing the recommendations. Reports state that the board has begun seriously considering the proposal, despite the opponents suggesting the price tag is too high to pay.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"When you consider all of the ways in which the systems and practices have been managed to exclude and steal, if you will, the opportunities for financial mobility - families are hurting and have been for decades, if not longer," Eric McDonnell, the reparations committee chairman, told the San Francisco Chronicle.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-edition-black-lives-matter-movement-a-wion-ground-report-414762"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas US Edition: Black Lives Matter Movement: A WION Ground Report</strong></a></p>

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<p>When quizzed about how the committee arrived at the reparation sum,&nbsp;McDonnell said 'there wasn't a math formula'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"There wasn't a math formula. It was a journey for the committee towards what could represent a significant enough investment in families to put them on this path to economic well-being, growth and vitality that chattel slavery and all the policies that flowed from it destroyed."</p>

<p>The draft proposal was first presented in December last year and since then, more than 100 suggestions have been added to it. The final report by the panel&nbsp;is expected to be released in June.</p>

<p>The reparations debate has been raging for a long time in the US. The Black Lives Matter movement acted as a catalyst, with many demanding that Blacks receive their due. Last year, Boston City Council took a leaf out of San Franciso's book and appointed a reparations task force.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/denver-police-officers-who-wrongfully-detained-black-girls-not-to-be-charged-355807"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Denver: Police officers who wrongfully detained Black girls not to be charged</strong></a></p>

<p>Though the idea appears great on paper, experts say the committee has not been able to determine who will qualify for receiving the reparations.</p>

<p>The current qualifying criteria is rather vague as it states that a person will have to be at least 18 years old and must have identified as Black or African American for at least a decade in the public documents. It adds that the person should have lived in the city during a certain time and should be descending from someone “incarcerated for the failed War on Drugs".&nbsp;</p>

<p>An estimated 50,000 Black people live in the city and granting reparations to even a&nbsp;tiny faction may put a heavy toll on the exchequer, the opponents argue. The city is already facing a deficit of more than $728 million, according to reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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The US city of San Franciso is planning to give out $5 million in reparations to each qualifying Black resident as compensation for the cruel legacy of slavery and racism.

The US city of San Franciso is planning to give out $5 million in reparations to each qualifying Black resident as compensation for the cruel legacy of slavery and racism. A city-appointed reparations committee made the recommendation earlier this week, while also asking for the elimination of personal debt, tax burdens and promising annual incomes of at least $97,000 for 250 years. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voiced their support upon hearing the recommendations. Reports state that the board has begun seriously considering the proposal, despite the opponents suggesting the price tag is too high to pay. "When you consider all of the ways in which the systems and practices have been managed to exclude and steal, if you will, the opportunities for financial mobility - families are hurting and have been for decades, if not longer," Eric McDonnell, the reparations committee chairman, told the San Francisco Chronicle. WATCH | Gravitas US Edition: Black Lives Matter Movement: A WION Ground Report × When quizzed about how the committee arrived at the reparation sum, McDonnell said 'there wasn't a math formula'. "There wasn't a math formula. It was a journey for the committee towards what could represent a significant enough investment in families to put them on this path to economic well-being, growth and vitality that chattel slavery and all the policies that flowed from it destroyed." The draft proposal was first presented in December last year and since then, more than 100 suggestions have been added to it. The final report by the panel is expected to be released in June. The reparations debate has been raging for a long time in the US. The Black Lives Matter movement acted as a catalyst, with many demanding that Blacks receive their due. Last year, Boston City Council took a leaf out of San Franciso's book and appointed a reparations task force. ALSO READ | Denver: Police officers who wrongfully detained Black girls not to be charged Though the idea appears great on paper, experts say the committee has not been able to determine who will qualify for receiving the reparations. The current qualifying criteria is rather vague as it states that a person will have to be at least 18 years old and must have identified as Black or African American for at least a decade in the public documents. It adds that the person should have lived in the city during a certain time and should be descending from someone “incarcerated for the failed War on Drugs". An estimated 50,000 Black people live in the city and granting reparations to even a tiny faction may put a heavy toll on the exchequer, the opponents argue. The city is already facing a deficit of more than $728 million, according to reports. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

San Francisco proposes giving $5mn in reparations to Black residents for racism, slavery

<p>Twitter owner Elon Musk has come under fire as his social media giant has been sued once again for not clearing rent dues for one of its headquarters buildings in San Francisco, California. Earlier, landlord Columbia REIT 650 California LLC sued the microblogging site while claiming Twitter defaulted rent.</p>

<p>Now, in the latest lawsuit, another landlord, SRI Nine Market Square LLC, alleged that Twitter failed to make payments of about $3.4 million in rent for the month of December in addition to a similar payment for January. Along with the rent payments, the landlord is not also seeking other damages.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-sara-al-sayed-saudi-arabias-new-deputy-foreign-minister-for-public-diplomacy-555365">Who is Sara Al Sayed, Saudi Arabia's new deputy foreign minister for public diplomacy?</a></p>

<p>The complaint was filed Friday in San Francisco Superior Court wherein the landlord said it drew on Twitter’s letter of credit to try to make up for the missed payments however there is still an outstanding due left to be paid for a whopping sum of $3.4 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Columbia REIT 650 California LLC, is also seeking damages which include the back rent, in addition to attorney fees and other costs. In 2017, Twitter agreed to a seven-year lease for the facilities. In the first full year, the monthly rent was $107,526.50 (£89,646) and steadily grew to $128,397 (£107,045) in the seventh year.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-confronts-china-with-evidence-of-state-owned-companies-aiding-russia-in-ukraine-war-555363">US confronts China with evidence of state-owned companies aiding Russia in Ukraine war</a></p>

<p>On 16 December, the landlord at 650 California Street, which is not Twitter's primary office in San Francisco, sent the social media firm notice that it would be in default if it did not make payment within five days. The complaint claims that five days passed without payment.</p>

<p>Earlier in October 2022, Musk paid $44 billion (£37 billion) for Twitter, and the firm is also responsible for paying the buyout's interest obligations of around $1 billion a year. Musk's Tesla shares, which have lost more than half of their value since he acquired Twitter, are responsible for the majority of his fortune.</p>

<p>Since April, when he began accumulating shares of Twitter, he has sold approximately $23 billion (£19 billion) of the electric car company's stock to pay for the acquisition. According to Forbes, he has even lost his title as the richest person in the world. Twitter did not comment on the controversial rent dues for its San Francisco buildings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-defends-planned-military-drills-with-russia-and-china-555357">South Africa defends planned military drills with Russia and China</a></p>

<p>Musk's Twitter is also auctioning off upscale office furniture, kitchenware, and other artefacts in addition to not paying rent and terminating employees. According to estimates, around three-quarters of Twitter's workforce quit, were fired, or were laid off.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Twitter owner Elon Musk has come under fire as his social media giant has been sued once again for not clearing rent dues for one of its headquarters buildings in San Francisco, California.

Twitter owner Elon Musk has come under fire as his social media giant has been sued once again for not clearing rent dues for one of its headquarters buildings in San Francisco, California. Earlier, landlord Columbia REIT 650 California LLC sued the microblogging site while claiming Twitter defaulted rent. Now, in the latest lawsuit, another landlord, SRI Nine Market Square LLC, alleged that Twitter failed to make payments of about $3.4 million in rent for the month of December in addition to a similar payment for January. Along with the rent payments, the landlord is not also seeking other damages. Also Read | Who is Sara Al Sayed, Saudi Arabia's new deputy foreign minister for public diplomacy? The complaint was filed Friday in San Francisco Superior Court wherein the landlord said it drew on Twitter’s letter of credit to try to make up for the missed payments however there is still an outstanding due left to be paid for a whopping sum of $3.4 million. Columbia REIT 650 California LLC, is also seeking damages which include the back rent, in addition to attorney fees and other costs. In 2017, Twitter agreed to a seven-year lease for the facilities. In the first full year, the monthly rent was $107,526.50 (£89,646) and steadily grew to $128,397 (£107,045) in the seventh year. Also Read | US confronts China with evidence of state-owned companies aiding Russia in Ukraine war On 16 December, the landlord at 650 California Street, which is not Twitter's primary office in San Francisco, sent the social media firm notice that it would be in default if it did not make payment within five days. The complaint claims that five days passed without payment. Earlier in October 2022, Musk paid $44 billion (£37 billion) for Twitter, and the firm is also responsible for paying the buyout's interest obligations of around $1 billion a year. Musk's Tesla shares, which have lost more than half of their value since he acquired Twitter, are responsible for the majority of his fortune. Since April, when he began accumulating shares of Twitter, he has sold approximately $23 billion (£19 billion) of the electric car company's stock to pay for the acquisition. According to Forbes, he has even lost his title as the richest person in the world. Twitter did not comment on the controversial rent dues for its San Francisco buildings. Watch | South Africa defends planned military drills with Russia and China Musk's Twitter is also auctioning off upscale office furniture, kitchenware, and other artefacts in addition to not paying rent and terminating employees. According to estimates, around three-quarters of Twitter's workforce quit, were fired, or were laid off. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Another landlord sues Twitter for unpaid rent for San Francisco buildings

<p>This time it concerns the Twitter offices on the 30th floor in downtown San Francisco. This building's landlord claims in a lawsuit filed last week that Twitter owes $136,260 (£113,601) in overdue rent. On 16 December, the landlord at 650 California Street, which is not Twitter's primary office in San Francisco, sent the social media firm notice that it would be in default if it did not make payment within five days. The complaint claims that five days passed without payment.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/norway-announces-it-will-once-again-back-globally-significant-fund-to-save-amazon-forest-549242">Norway announces it will once again back 'globally significant' fund to save Amazon forest</a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Seeking damages&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The landlord, Columbia REIT 650 California LLC, is also seeking damages which include the back rent, in addition to attorney fees and other costs. In 2017, Twitter agreed to a seven-year lease for the facilities. In the first full year, the monthly rent was $107,526.50 (£89,646) and steadily grew to $128,397 (£107,045) in the seventh year.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/transgender-person-executed-in-us-first-such-case-in-the-country-549237">Transgender person executed in US, first such case in the country</a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>No response from Twitter&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Guardian said that a request for comment from the microblogging site Twitter has gone unanswered. There is no longer a media relations division within the company, the media portal added. Twitter has apparently also fallen behind on rent at the company's headquarters, which is situated at 1355 Market Street, another San Francisco address, according to the New York Times.</p>

<p>Musk's Twitter is also auctioning off upscale office furniture, kitchenware, and other artefacts in addition to not paying rent and terminating employees. According to estimates, around three-quarters of Twitter's workforce quit, were fired, or were laid off.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israels-ally-us-criticises-minister-ben-gvirs-move-to-visit-al-aqsa-mosque-english-news-wion-549232">Israel's ally US criticises minister Ben-Gvir's move to visit Al-Aqsa mosque | English News | WION</a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>In October 2022, Musk paid $44 billion (£37 billion) for Twitter, and the firm will be responsible for paying the deal's&nbsp;interest obligations of around $1 billion a&nbsp;year. Musk's Tesla shares, which have lost more than half of their value since he acquired Twitter, are responsible for the majority of his fortune.&nbsp;Since April, when he began accumulating shares of Twitter, he has sold approximately $23 billion (£19 billion) of the electric car company's stock to pay for the acquisition. According to Forbes, he has even lost his title as the richest person in the world.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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This time it concerns the Twitter offices on the 30th floor in downtown San Francisco. This building's landlord claims in a lawsuit filed last week that Twitter owes $136,260 (£113,601) in overdue rent.

This time it concerns the Twitter offices on the 30th floor in downtown San Francisco. This building's landlord claims in a lawsuit filed last week that Twitter owes $136,260 (£113,601) in overdue rent. On 16 December, the landlord at 650 California Street, which is not Twitter's primary office in San Francisco, sent the social media firm notice that it would be in default if it did not make payment within five days. The complaint claims that five days passed without payment. ALSO READ | Norway announces it will once again back 'globally significant' fund to save Amazon forest Seeking damages The landlord, Columbia REIT 650 California LLC, is also seeking damages which include the back rent, in addition to attorney fees and other costs. In 2017, Twitter agreed to a seven-year lease for the facilities. In the first full year, the monthly rent was $107,526.50 (£89,646) and steadily grew to $128,397 (£107,045) in the seventh year. ALSO READ | Transgender person executed in US, first such case in the country No response from Twitter Guardian said that a request for comment from the microblogging site Twitter has gone unanswered. There is no longer a media relations division within the company, the media portal added. Twitter has apparently also fallen behind on rent at the company's headquarters, which is situated at 1355 Market Street, another San Francisco address, according to the New York Times. Musk's Twitter is also auctioning off upscale office furniture, kitchenware, and other artefacts in addition to not paying rent and terminating employees. According to estimates, around three-quarters of Twitter's workforce quit, were fired, or were laid off. WATCH | Israel's ally US criticises minister Ben-Gvir's move to visit Al-Aqsa mosque | English News | WION In October 2022, Musk paid $44 billion (£37 billion) for Twitter, and the firm will be responsible for paying the deal's interest obligations of around $1 billion a year. Musk's Tesla shares, which have lost more than half of their value since he acquired Twitter, are responsible for the majority of his fortune. Since April, when he began accumulating shares of Twitter, he has sold approximately $23 billion (£19 billion) of the electric car company's stock to pay for the acquisition. According to Forbes, he has even lost his title as the richest person in the world. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Twitter sued for $136,260 in unpaid rent for its San Francisco offices

<p>Traffic chaos and the closure of highways followed after heavy rain and snowfall in most of California state on Saturday (December 31) as people ushered in 2023 with an "atmospheric river storm".&nbsp;</p>

<p>News agency Reuters reported that an eyewitness shared a video, which showed vehicles partially submerged after heavy flooding in San Francisco on Saturday (December 31).&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the report, authorities issued a flood warning, which was in place in nearby Alameda County until 3:30am (11:30GMT) on Sunday (January 1).&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by the news agency The Associated Press, almost two feet (0.6 meters) of snow could accumulate into early Sunday in the high Sierra Nevada.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The weather conditions posed challenges for citizens as the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a warning about hazardous driving conditions. They also shared photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Due to flooding, a section of US 101, which is one of the state's main traffic arteries, remained closed south of San Francisco, said the California Highway Patrol. Videos on Twitter showed mud-coloured water streaming along San Francisco streets.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Flash flooding continues in central/southern Sacramento County.<br />
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Numerous roads are underwater in, around &amp; downstream of Wilton along the Cosumnes River, including CA-99 between Elk Grove &amp; Galt.<br />
<br />
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADWAYS - TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/p7ksZ1PZ1T">pic.twitter.com/p7ksZ1PZ1T</a></p>
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1609600748429672448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rain and wind is finally tapering off across the Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto region early this morning. However, area creeks and streams are still above flood stage, but are cresting or beginning to recede. Flood dangers are hard to see at night! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/q8dno3gOlF">pic.twitter.com/q8dno3gOlF</a></p>
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1609486022412496897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's the observed 24 hour precipitation ending at midnight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAwx</a> <a href="https://t.co/PVdny3SVIK">pic.twitter.com/PVdny3SVIK</a></p>
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1609462321881182208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Potent atmospheric river aiming a firehose of extreme precipitation at California.<br />
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Epic satellite imagery. <a href="https://t.co/ckHYPtZ8D1">pic.twitter.com/ckHYPtZ8D1</a></p>
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/US_Stormwatch/status/1609266303696801793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>California faced a prolonged period of drought and the rain was welcomed as the state had its driest three years ever. But heavy rain and snowfall caused troubles for the residents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The National Weather Service said in Reno, Nevada, that a winter storm warning was in effect into Sunday for the upper elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Lake Tahoe.&nbsp;</p>


Traffic chaos and the closure of highways followed after heavy rain and snowfall in most of California state on Saturday (December 31) as people ushered in 2023 with an "atmospheric river storm".

Traffic chaos and the closure of highways followed after heavy rain and snowfall in most of California state on Saturday (December 31) as people ushered in 2023 with an "atmospheric river storm". News agency Reuters reported that an eyewitness shared a video, which showed vehicles partially submerged after heavy flooding in San Francisco on Saturday (December 31). As per the report, authorities issued a flood warning, which was in place in nearby Alameda County until 3:30am (11:30GMT) on Sunday (January 1). As reported by the news agency The Associated Press, almost two feet (0.6 meters) of snow could accumulate into early Sunday in the high Sierra Nevada. The weather conditions posed challenges for citizens as the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a warning about hazardous driving conditions. They also shared photos on Twitter showing traffic on snow-covered mountain passes. Due to flooding, a section of US 101, which is one of the state's main traffic arteries, remained closed south of San Francisco, said the California Highway Patrol. Videos on Twitter showed mud-coloured water streaming along San Francisco streets. Flash flooding continues in central/southern Sacramento County. Numerous roads are underwater in, around & downstream of Wilton along the Cosumnes River, including CA-99 between Elk Grove & Galt. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADWAYS - TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN!#CAwx pic.twitter.com/p7ksZ1PZ1T — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) January 1, 2023 × Rain and wind is finally tapering off across the Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto region early this morning. However, area creeks and streams are still above flood stage, but are cresting or beginning to recede. Flood dangers are hard to see at night! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/q8dno3gOlF — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) January 1, 2023 × Here's the observed 24 hour precipitation ending at midnight. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/PVdny3SVIK — NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) January 1, 2023 × Potent atmospheric river aiming a firehose of extreme precipitation at California. Epic satellite imagery. pic.twitter.com/ckHYPtZ8D1 — Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) December 31, 2022 × California faced a prolonged period of drought and the rain was welcomed as the state had its driest three years ever. But heavy rain and snowfall caused troubles for the residents. The National Weather Service said in Reno, Nevada, that a winter storm warning was in effect into Sunday for the upper elevations of the Sierra from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Lake Tahoe.

United States: Heavy rains cause flooding in San Francisco, traffic issues

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