Latest news with #APRA
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Brown University police should not be exempt from public records law, ACLU lawsuit claims
Related : Advertisement The lawsuit argues that Brown University's Department of Public Safety wields state-authorized police powers and therefore fits within the state Access to Public Records Act's definition of an 'agency.' Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up 'The purpose of this action is simple,' ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorney Fausto Anguilla said in a statement. 'Every city and town police department in Rhode Island must provide arrest reports under APRA. Brown's police should not be an exception.' Anguilla, a former state representative, filed the lawsuit in state Superior Court against Brown University's Department of Public Safety on behalf of two journalists, after the department refused to provide them reports of arrests made by Brown officers. In 2022, Noble Brigham, then a Brown Daily Herald reporter, was investigating the story of a man who had been charged multiple times by Brown's Department of Public Safety with trespassing and breaking and entering on the Brown campus. Advertisement Brigham submitted a public records request for the arrest reports, which was initially ignored by Department of Public Safety. When the department did respond, it was to assert that the Access to Public Records Act didn't apply because Brown is a private university. In 2023, Motif Magazine reporter Michael Bilow was reporting on When Bilow filed an public records request seeking the arrest reports, Brown public safety department ignored the request. Bilow and Brigham filed complaints with Attorney General Peter F. Neronha's office. In January, his office issued an opinion, agreeing with Brown that the university was not subject to the state's Access to Public Records Act. The lawsuit Monday notes that the public records law applies to private agencies that are 'acting on behalf of and/or in place of any public agency,' and the suit claims the Brown Department of Public Safety fits that definition. 'By engaging in one of the most fundamental functions of government — the enforcement of criminal laws and exercising the power to search and seize individuals — (the Brown Department of Public Safety) is acting on behalf of and/or in place of a government agency or public body," the suit states. The lawsuit asks the judge to declare that the Brown Department of Public Safety is a public body within the meaning of Access to Public Records Act, and that it must comply with requests for arrest records and other publicly available law enforcement documents. Advertisement Bilow said, 'Experience has proven that preventing police abuses depends on full transparency under the law, and it is a civic responsibility of news reporting to keep the public aware and informed about what is done in their name.' Brigham said, 'Access to police reports is a basic public right. The public should be able to understand why police have arrested someone, and Brown's stance that its nonprofit status exempts them from the state law every municipal Rhode Island police department follows is troubling.' Brown University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Techday NZ
30-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Strengthening cyber resilience in superannuation
In early April, cybercriminals infiltrated multiple superannuation providers using stolen credentials to drain half a million dollars, while four Australians saw their retirement savings vanish overnight. Investigators are racing to piece together the scale of the breach, emphasizing the growing cybersecurity risks threatening Australia's AU$4.2 trillion retirement savings pool. With 12.6 million superannuation members exposed in recent attacks, the question is no longer if fraudsters will strike, but how the industry can stay ahead in this battle. Even though the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) praised multifactor authentication (MFA) as "one of the most effective controls an organisation can implement" in 2023, the rapid evolution of cybercrime demands more sophisticated defences. Limits of MFA in a changing threat landscape MFA remains one of the critical security measures, requiring users to verify their identity with two or more credentials, which adds an extra layer of friction to deter attacks in the login process. However, cybercriminals are also adapting, using modern tactics such as phishing, social engineering and AI-powered techniques to bypass these defences. Recent superannuation breaches highlight another vulnerability in the digital landscape: inadequate password practices. Many individuals still reuse passwords across platforms, unintentionally simplifying the task for cybercriminals who exploit stolen credentials. Attackers often conduct these crimes unnoticed, causing considerable financial damage before they are detected. Trade-off between cybersecurity and user experience According to the True Cost of Fraud Study by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Australian organisations saw a 66% year-on-year increase in fraud, with every dollar lost costing firms AUD$3.68. This trend highlights the urgency for a more adaptive and layered approach to fraud prevention. At the same time, customers today expect both security and convenience. Applying MFA to every interaction could be a more robust approach but excessive friction can lead to abandonment, indirectly discouraging users from monitoring their accounts due to higher friction, making them less likely to notice when they have become victims of an attack. A more nuanced, risk-based approach that applies the right level of security based on the context and risks of each interaction allows organisations to detect and disrupt complex fraud in real time without adding unnecessary friction. By aligning protection with risk, businesses can strengthen security without compromising customer experiences. A comprehensive defence strategy involves multiple layers, and each layer strengthens defence against fraudsters. This ensures that if one security measure fails, others remain in place to detect and mitigate fraudulent activity. Key measures should include identity verification, device intelligence, behavioural intelligence and real-time risk scoring: Risk assessments analyse contextual risk signals, such as device reputation, IP geolocation, network patterns and login behaviours. This allows institutions to assess the risk level of each interaction. AI models analyse these signals in real time to assign a risk score, deciding whether extra authentication is necessary. AI-powered identity verification ensures that the individual behind the digital interaction is genuine. Comparing identity details with public records and data from multiple providers further validates the authenticity of the identity. Fraud assessments assess risk associated with an individual's identity by analysing a combination of digital, physical and behavioural signals. With holistic behavioural intelligence, such as keystroke dynamics, device interactions and mouse movements, this approach builds a dynamic profile of each user over time, and deviations from this may signal potentially bot or fraudulent activities. Adaptive authentication: Apply stronger verification for high-risk scenarios dynamically, while maintaining a smooth experience for legitimate users. Recent cyberattacks targeting superannuation funds highlight the need for a more robust digital defence strategy. APRA's multi-factor authentication guidelines offer a solid foundation, but static approaches alone are not enough to manage dynamic threats. Industry players must take a unified, layered approach to safeguard Australia's financial system.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana objects to AP's plan to draw Polavaram dead storage water; calls it unauthorised
HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has raised strong objections against the Andhra Pradesh government's reported plans to construct a new Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) drawing water from the dead storage of the Polavaram Irrigation Project. The Telangana government has called on the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to take immediate action as mandated under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA), 2014. On Saturday, Engineer-in-Chief (General) G Anil Kumar wrote a letter — a copy of which was accessed by TNIE — addressed to the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and the GRMB to prevent the proposal from moving forward. This objection comes in the wake of a news report published in a vernacular daily on May 21, which stated that the Andhra Pradesh government plans to lift water from a 35-metre level in the dead storage of the Polavaram reservoir during the current financial year. The report cited G.O. RT No. 134, issued on April 19, 2021, as the basis for the plan.
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Winners Announced At Country Music Honours
23 May 2025 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award winner – Holly Arrowsmith MLT Songwriting Award winner – Nicola Mitchell, Em-Hayley Walker & Byllie-Jean Zeta Tami Neilson recipient of inaugural award Top country music artists from across Aotearoa gathered in Gore this evening for the prestigious Country Music Honours, celebrating finalists and winners with the presentation of the 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award, Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting award and the inaugural Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. The glamorous red-carpet event marked the official opening of the Bayleys Tussock Country Music Festival — a 10-day celebration of all things Tussock Country. The audience was treated to performances by special guest Tami Neilson, alongside finalists Holly Arrowsmith, Mel Parsons, and Nicola Mitchell and more. APRA Best Country Music Song Award winner Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting Award Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa Tami Neilson South Island songwriter Holly Arrowsmith was presented as the winner of the 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award for the title track from the 2024 critically acclaimed album ' Blue Dreams '. Having won first in 2019 with ' Slow Train Creek', and most recently in 2024 with ' Desert Dove', the Aotearoa Music Award finalist & Taite Music Prize nominee, won with the moving song ' Blue Dreams ', that delves into life as a first-time parent, surviving those early days of chronic exhaustion while managing the huge burden of responsibility, bringing life into such a turbulent world. The prestigious Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting Award, which celebrates unreleased original songs from Aotearoa, was awarded to Nicola Mitchell, Byllie-Jean Zeta, and Em-Hayley Walker (Theia, Te Kaahu) for their waiata 'Wā/Time' performed by Nicola Mitchell. All three are wāhine Māori with distinctive musical styles. Their collaboration on 'Wā/Time' reflects a powerful fusion of their unique voices and a shared cultural vision. Lachie Hayes was named runner-up for his heartfelt song 'A Short Time', earning recognition for his songwriting talent in a highly competitive field. In a special addition to this year's awards, audiences witnessed the emotive debut of the Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. The inaugural recipient of this award was the acclaimed Tami Neilson, recognised for her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the country music scene in Aotearoa New Zealand - with particular focus on the opportunities Tami has selflessly created for the emerging artists around her. As Neilson stood on stage to receive the surprise Honour, a video celebrating her career moved many in the theatre to tears — featuring audio tributes from Jesse Mulligan (RNZ), fellow New Zealand country artists, her Canada-based brother Todd Neilson, and Willie Nelson.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Holly Arrowsmith wins Best Country Music Song
music national 41 minutes ago Last night the APRA Country Music Honours were held in Gore, bringing the country's - best country crooners under one roof. The award for the Best-Country-Music-Song was awarded to singer/songwriter Holly Arrowsmith for her song Blue Dreams. The track delves into life as a first-time parent, surviving those early days of chronic exhaustion while managing the burden of responsibility and bringing life into such a turbulent world. Holly speaks to Mihi Forbes.
