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CBS News
21 hours ago
- CBS News
911 call centers in Colorado's high country receive false text alerts from iPhones using satellites
Friday afternoons can get relatively busy in Grand County as the weekend crowds roll in. A message came into the dispatch center last Friday via a relatively new method. A text message conveyed via satellite from an iPhone. Someone was trapped by fire in the area around Meadow Creek Reservoir near Tabernash. In Grand County, which has been hit hard by wildfire at times, an alert like that generates a serious response. "It triggered a pretty healthy response," said Grand County Sheriff Brett Shroetlin. "Sheriff's office, emergency medical services, fire department, search and rescue, along with the Forest Service." On their screens, 911 operators get useful information. The phone number, the GPS coordinates, the approximate range of where that phone is in comparison to that, and even battery strength. Call takers tried to reach back out to the phone. But they received no response. "That causes a lot of commotion, causes a lot of our responders to be pulled from the more populous areas of the county and to the remote areas of the county. But we got to respond. We've got to respond until we know it's otherwise," said Shroetlin. Ultimately, first responders found nothing out of the ordinary in the area where the call came from. No fire. No apparent danger. It was a false alarm. Emergency responders in the High Country have received a half dozen or so similar false alarm text alerts. In Boulder County, emergency responders were recently called to the Kelly Dahl Campground near Nederland for a similar issue. Often, the messages say there's fire. Sometimes a lost person. Had that been the call, Sheriff Shroetlin says he could not so easily have concluded there was no danger. A lost person might mean the initiation of a long search. The phone's owner was unaware. "She was still on the trail system somewhere. We didn't locate her that day, but I was able to finally connect with her on the phone. This happened on Friday, and I talked to her on Monday," said Shroetlin. The woman said she had not purposely sent any emergency message. The sheriff said she told him her hiking companion's phone was acting weird and the battery died prematurely. Then, he related, "She said she tried to take a picture with hers, and then her phone died as well. even though she had significant battery strength." The feature allowing access to satellites to send emergency messages was added to iPhones from model 14 forward using IOS 18 or newer, going online last year. Shroetlin talked with an Apple representative this week, who asked a lot of questions about what the phone's user may have been doing with the phone at the time. A message sent by CBS Colorado to an email address at Apple for comment Wednesday was not returned. Word is now spreading among High Country search and rescue groups and law enforcement about the potential of false messaging. It isn't the first time iPhone emergency notifications have caused difficulties with false alarms. In 2022, cell network-based automatic notifications of crash alerts were being triggered at ski areas in Colorado when skiers went down or made sudden stops. Shroetlin likes the idea of phones connecting to satellites to send emergency messages. "The idea is fantastic up here, where we don't have any good cellular service, especially in the far back country." But right now there's a sense of wariness developing about the messages. "When I pull all these resources up to a remote area of the county that that leaves the other areas a lot of times uncovered or certainly under-covered," he said. "We have that connectivity issue up here already. This just adds complexity to it."
RNZ News
18-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Midday Sports News for 18 July 2025
Midday Sports News for 18 July 2025. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
4 arrested in illegal python trade
Mangaluru: Four persons, including a minor, were arrested by the forest department for attempting to trade an Indian rock python, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, recently. The accused were identified as Vihal H Shetty,18, of Ulipady, Mangaluru; Ibrahim Shakeel Ismail,35, a pet shop owner, hailing from Ullal; Mohammed Mustaf,22, also from Ullal; and a 16-year-old minor boy. Acting on a tip-off, officials from the Mangaluru forest range conducted a raid at Ashwathakatte in Kadri, during which the protected snake was seized. The operation was led by range forest officer Rajesh Baligar, under the guidance of deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Antony Mariyappa and assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Clifford Lobo. DCF Antony Mariyappa said, "Upon receiving credible information, our team conducted a raid by posing as potential buyers. During the operation, it was confirmed that the suspects were involved in the illegal trade of an Indian rock python. All the accused were produced before a magistrate, and a case was registered." Preliminary investigations suggest that the python may have been sourced from Tamil Nadu. "Further tracking is under way and will help provide additional leads," he added. Indian rock pythons are often trafficked for their skin and as exotic pets, making them a target of illegal wildlife trade despite their protected status.
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
26th Kargil Vijay Diwas: Indian Army honours the families of Kargil war heroes in special outreach programme
As part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations, the Indian Army launched a nationwide outreach initiative to honour the valour and sacrifices of the Kargil War heroes and express heartfelt gratitude to their Next of Kin (NoK). This meaningful effort was not only a tribute to the fallen heroes but also a reaffirmation of the Army's enduring bond with their families. Indian Army's outreach programme on 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas Captain Anuj Nayyar's mother Meena Nayyar In the Delhi NCR region, the Indian Army conducted solemn and dignified ceremonies in memory of the Kargil Bravehearts. Designated Army personnel visited the homes of bravehearts, including Major RS Adhikari, Maha Vir Chakra of 18 GRENADIERS at Palam, Captain Anuj Nayyar, Maha Vir Chakra of 17 JAT at Vasudhra Enclave, New Delhi, Major CB Dwivedi, Sena Medal of 315 Field Regiment at Dwarka, Lance Naik Mangat Singh, Mentioned in Despatches of 18 GARHWAL RIFLES at Dwarka, Havildar Tam Bahadur Chhetri, Sena Medal of 1 NAGA at Dwarka, Rifleman Anusuya Prasad, Vir Chakra of 18 GARHWAL RIFLES at Dwarka, Captain Amit Verma of 9 MAHAR at Punjabi Bagh, Captain Kanad Bhattacharya, Sena Medal of 8 SIKH at Noida, UP and Lance Naik Bachan Singh of 2 RAJPUTANA RIFLES at Muzaffarnagar, UP. At each location, the Next of Kin were presented with commemorative mementos and a heartfelt letter of gratitude from the Indian Army. Lance Naik Mangat Singh's family During these emotional visits, Army personnel delivered moving eulogies, recounting the ultimate sacrifice made by these fallen heroes. These moments were filled with deep pride and solemn reflection. The families expressed sincere appreciation for the Army's remembrance and ongoing support, recognizing that such gestures bring strength and assurance that their loved ones' sacrifices will never be forgotten. For many, the ceremonies served as a powerful reminder that the bravery of their family members continues to be honoured by a grateful nation. Havildar Tam Bahadur Chhetri's wife The Indian Army emphasised that these tributes were far more than ceremonial; they were a solemn affirmation that the courage and sacrifice of its fallen heroes will always be remembered. Their families will forever remain an integral part of the Army fraternity. Through this outreach initiative, the Army reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to preserving the legacy of its bravehearts, ensuring their stories continue to inspire generations to come. The Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26.
TimesLIVE
23-06-2025
- TimesLIVE
As gold prices surge, West Africa mine operators launch drones to detect wildcat miners
As the afternoon sun beats down on Gold Fields' sprawling Tarkwa gold mine in southwestern Ghana, three men launch a drone into the clear sky, its cameras scanning the lush 210-square-kilometer tract for intruders. The drone spotted something unusual, and within 20 minutes a 15-person team including armed police arrived on the scene. They discovered abandoned clothing, freshly dug trenches, and rudimentary equipment amid pools of mercury and cyanide-contaminated water. The equipment was left behind by so-called wildcat miners, who operate on the outskirts of many of the continent's official mining ventures - putting at risk their own health, the environment and the official mine operator's profits. The team confiscated seven diesel-powered water pumps and a "chanfan" processing unit used to extract gold from riverbeds. The high-tech cat-and-mouse game is playing out with increasing frequency as record gold prices, now sitting above $3,300 (R59,639,18) per ounce, draw more unofficial activity - intensifying sometimes deadly confrontations between corporate concessions and artisanal miners in West Africa, according to dozens of mining executives and industry experts interviewed by Reuters. "Because of the vegetation cover, if you don't have eyes in the air, you won't know something destructive is happening," explains Edwin Asare, Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine's head of protection services. "It's like you first get eyes in the sky to help you put boots on the ground.' Almost 20 illicit miners have been killed in confrontations at major mining operations across the region since late 2024, including at Newmont and AngloGold Ashanti's sites in Ghana and Guinea and Nordgold's Bissa Mine in Burkina Faso. There have been no reports of official mine staff injured. In some cases, clashes at corporate mines caused production halts of up to a month, prompting companies to press governments for more military protection.
