Latest news with #LEAs
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Spike in cyber frauds: Chandigarh police, stakeholders get into huddle
Chandigarh: The Chandigarh police convened a meeting with the RBI , department of telecommunications, telecom service providers, and banks to address the rising threat of financial cyber frauds, at the police headquarters, Sector-9, on Wednesday. The meeting aimed to enhance cooperation between law enforcement agencies (LEAs), financial institutions, and telecom service providers (TSPs) to form a united front against complex and evolving cybercrime threats. During the meeting, investigating officers (IOs) and cyber operators were also present, sharing critical on-ground experiences and investigation challenges. Several key issues were discussed during the meeting, including the rise of AI-enabled scams, phishing attacks, mule account operations, and social engineering-based frauds. Participants highlighted operational challenges such as delays in data sharing, lack of support during weekends, and gaps in KYC compliance. Constructive suggestions were made to overcome these challenges through improved coordination and standardised protocols. TSPs were specifically requested to ensure timely sharing of subscriber information, call detail records, live location data, IP logs, and immediate SIM deactivation upon receipt of fraud complaints. They were also urged to maintain the 24x7 availability of their nodal officers to provide prompt support to law enforcement. Banks were advised to take swift action to freeze suspicious accounts, promptly share transaction histories and account details, and strictly adhere to KYC norms to prevent system misuse by cybercriminals. The nodal officers of both TSPs and banks were commended for their consistent cooperation, timely responses, and professionalism in aiding ongoing investigations. It was resolved that such coordination meetings would be organised quarterly to ensure continuous dialogue and proactive response to emerging threats. Participants also emphasised the importance of public awareness. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious mobile numbers through the Chakshu portal and verify bank account details before making large financial transactions. All stakeholders reiterated their commitment to strictly comply with directions issued by the Department of Telecommunications. The meeting concluded with a collective resolution to strengthen inter-agency coordination, enhance real-time data sharing, and safeguard citizens from the growing menace of financial cyber frauds in the region. Key stakeholders participated in the session, including Gagandeep Kaur, AGM, RBI; Chetan Sharma from the department of telecommunications (DoT/LSA); representatives of leading public and private sector banks; and major telecom service providers. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
‘Natural population' falls in 15 areas, from Belmullet to Dún Laoghaire
There was a fivefold increase in the number of local electoral areas (LEAs) across Ireland in which more deaths than births were recorded in 2022, new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show. The majority of the 15 areas in question are rural towns in the west and south of the country, although the list also includes parts of Dublin typically seen to be more affluent than average, such as Rathfarnham-Templeogue and Dún Laoghaire in south Dublin. The figures are contained in a new release from the CSO. The data covers the country's 166 LEAs and shows the largest natural population decline, a measure that excludes inward or outward migration, occurred in Belmullet, Co Mayo with a rate of -2.9. READ MORE The figure is calculated by combining an area's death rate per thousand of population with its birth rate. In Belmullet's case, the -2.9 figure was calculated from of a birth rate of 8.6 and a death rate of 11.5. Other towns with a notably high natural decrease rate were Glenties, Co Donegal (-2.3) and Kenmare, Co Kerry (-1.2). In these areas, an ageing population means death rates are consistently higher than birth rates with Belmullet and Glenties experiencing a decrease for two consecutive years, the CSO records show. The other local areas that experienced a natural decrease in population were Swinford, Co Mayo; Kilrush, Co Clare; Ballinamore, Co Leitrim; Rosslare, Co Wexford; Tralee, Co Kerry; Boyle, Co Roscommon; Ballymote-Tobercurry, Co Sligo; Artane-Whitehall, Dublin; Bantry-West, Co Cork; and Castleisland, Co Kerry. The highest rates of natural increase in population were all in Dublin: Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart and Ongar, both in the Fingal constituency of Dublin, and both with a rate of 9.7, as well as Tallaght South, South Dublin where the rate was 9.6. Nationwide, the CSO statistics show the rate of natural increase of population in 2022 stood at 3.5, with 54,483 births recorded and 35,804 deaths in total. The CSO noted this rate 'varied significantly across LEAs', but that particularly high numbers of births and deaths were seen in urban areas in north Dublin. The CSO data also showed the national birth rate stood at 10.2, with Tallaght South boasting the highest birth rate in the country at 13.7 live births per 1,000 people. Enniscorthy, Co Wexford and Ongar, Fingal in Dublin were the other LEAs with the highest birth rates, at 13.3 and 13.2 respectively. Seán O'Connor, a statistician with the CSO, said the newly released data 'includes population statistics that are entirely based on administrative records, and as this release uses experimental methodology, [the] estimates are not official population statistics and are not comparable with Census of Population data'. The census conducted in 2022 showed the population of the Republic of Ireland was 5,149,000, a 31 per cent increase from 2002. In May the CSO released findings on the number of births and deaths recorded in Ireland during 2024 which showed the national fertility rate to be 1.5, a decrease of 0.4 from 2014. 'A value of 2.1 is generally considered to be the level at which the population would replace itself in the long run, ignoring migration,' the CSO said. The CSO findings also showed that the rates of deaths related to tumours and cancers were highest in Tralee, Co Kerry, Swinford, Co Mayo and Roscrea-Templemore, Co Tipperary. Deaths caused by respiratory diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis were most common in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, Ballinasloe, Co Galway and Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Ireland's changing population: The areas with the highest birth and death rates
The Central Statistics Office has published the latest birth and death rates in each of the Republic's local electoral areas (LEAs), providing a snapshot of how a region's population is evolving. The agency's new report focuses on births and deaths in 2022 and does not take account of inward or outward migration. It found there were 54,483 births in the State that year, with the highest number in Dublin's north inner city LEA at 701. Advertisement The Republic's overall birth rate in 2022 stood at 10.2 births per 1,000 of population. Tallaght South, Co Dublin (13.7), Enniscorthy, Co Wexford (13.3), and Ongar, Co Dublin (13.2) were the LEAs with the highest birth rates. Glenties, Co Donegal (7.4), Killiney-Shankill in Dublin (7.6), and Galway City Central (7.6) recorded the lowest birth rates. While the crude death rate nationally was 6.7 deaths per 1,000 of population, Belmullet in Co Mayo (11.5), Enniscorthy, Co Wexford (11.1), and Swinford, Co Mayo (10.7) were the LEAs with the highest rate. In contrast, urban LEAs such as Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart (2.8), Lucan (3.0), Swords (3.4) and Maynooth (3.4) recorded some of the lowest crude death rates. Advertisement Looking at births and deaths together allows the calculation of the natural increase, which is the number of births minus the number of deaths. The State's national rate of increase per 1,000 of population stood at 3.5 in 2022. LEAs in Dublin such as Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart (9.7), Ongar (9.7) and Tallaght South (9.6) were regions with some of the highest rates of natural increase. In LEAs such as Ennistimon, Co Clare (0.2), and Lismore, Co Waterford (0.0), the rate of natural increase was close to neutral. Fifteen LEAs recorded a negative natural increase rate in 2022, indicating more deaths than births occurred in the LEA, including Belmullet, Co Mayo (-2.9), Glenties, Co Donegal (-2.3) and Kenmare, Co Kerry (-1.2). Advertisement The report found that the national fertility rate stood at 42.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-49 in 2022. Ireland Simon Harris says better planning needed for popul... Read More The fertility rate is defined as the number of births by women aged 15-49, relative to the population of women aged 15-49. This differs from the birth rate, which looks at the entire population in an area, while the fertility rate only focuses on women. Enniscorthy, Co Wexford (57.0), Newcastle West, Co Limerick (53.5), Loughrea, Co Galway, Tramore-Waterford City West and Moate, Co Westmeath (all 52.9) were the LEAs with the highest general fertility rate in 2022. Urban LEAs such as Galway City Central (27.8), Dublin's South-East Inner City (29.7) and North Inner City, (31.6) had the lowest general fertility rate per 1,000 women. The report is part of the CSO's frontier series of publications, which use statistics and methods that are more experimental and under development. The population used to calculate rates and present average age at LEA level for 2022 was taken from the Irish Population Estimates from Administrative Data Sources (IPEADS).
Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
PhonePe's Guardrails: Future of Payment Security
The world of digital payments is changing rapidly, and with consumers expecting more reliable and seamless transactions, the payments ecosystem has become more complex. As these innovations are embraced, users' expectations for safe and secure experiences continue to grow. The future of digital payments, therefore, depends on trust, privacy, and security. Faster payments come with challenges, making certain types of fraud easier to execute. For instance, scammers have started using IVR (Interactive Voice Response) calls to impersonate trusted institutions like banks and telecom providers. These fake calls trick people into believing the requests are legitimate, asking them to verify or authenticate private information, which can lead to fraudulent transactions. Another growing concern is the misuse of generative AI, which has introduced sophisticated scams like phishing and deepfakes. Fraudsters use these tools to convincingly pose as family members, claiming they are in trouble and/or in urgent need of money. These scams prey on emotions, making it harder for people to detect the deception. Generative AI is also being exploited to bypass digital KYC (Know Your Customer) processes, allowing bad actors to impersonate legitimate users. As these threats evolve, PhonePe has adopted stronger security protocols and continuous user education. By combining advanced technology with awareness initiatives, PhonePe is creating a safer digital ecosystem and helping users navigate this ever-changing landscape with confidence. PhonePe is consistently implementing cutting-edge technologies and fostering strong partnerships to ensure a safe and seamless experience for its users, while proactively addressing the evolving challenges in the payments ecosystem. Collaborations and partnerships To strengthen the fight against fraud, the payments giant has been actively collaborating with key stakeholders across industries and regulatory bodies: Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs): PhonePe works closely with both central and state-level LEAs to share real-time data, conduct fraud investigations, and provide training on emerging fraud technologies. Together, they establish protocols to address fraudulent activities effectively and enhance overall awareness. Alliance of Reporting Entities in India for Anti Money Laundering/Combatting Financial Terrorism (ARIFAC): As a key contributor to this anti-money laundering forum, PhonePe has co-hosted training sessions, including engagements for the South Chapter, to share expertise and strengthen the industry's defenses. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and banking partners: PhonePe has streamlined channels like web portals and emails to enable banks to resolve disputes in real time. Regular interactions with banks helps the company identify fraud tactics and improve redressal strategies. Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): PhonePe actively participates in initiatives with DoT and TRAI to identify and act against bad actors, such as those using churned or deactivated phone numbers for fraud. Industry seminars and conferences: PhonePe's Trust and Safety team frequently shares best practices at public forums, contributing to the broader industry efforts to improve safety standards. Innovation in technology To stay ahead of evolving threats, PhonePe continuously innovates and deploys advanced technologies that ensure user safety. Profile-based authentication: PhonePe's risk management system combines real-time aggregation and personalized models, developed by its data science team. This enables the company to tailor user experiences while enhancing fraud detection across PhonePe's products. These models leverage cutting-edge technologies, such as HBase, to process large-scale data and enable quick decision-making. Futureproofing against emerging risks: PhonePe's scalable platforms are designed to manage growing transaction volumes and detect new-age fraud, such as doctored photos, deepfake audio, location spoofing, and screen sharing. By blending partnerships with technological innovation, PhonePe is setting new benchmarks for trust and safety in the digital payments ecosystem. Its priority remains protecting users and ensuring a secure, seamless payments experience. Upcoming features in PhonePe's Trust & Safety ecosystem PhonePe continues to roll out cutting-edge features aimed at strengthening fraud prevention and risk management. Anomaly detection models for early warning: These unsupervised machine learning models automatically flag unusual patterns across platforms, acting as an early warning system. The internal platform allows rapid development, testing, and deployment of fraud detection algorithms, keeping PhonePe ahead of threat actors. 360-degree risk profiling: From Day 0, PhonePe builds a comprehensive risk profile for every customer, merchant, bank account, and device. This is achieved by combining internal data with relevant external insights. Machine learning models then provide instant, accurate risk scoring across a vast ecosystem that includes 60+ crore customers, 4+ crore merchants, and over 33 crore daily transactions*. Importantly, this is done with user privacy as a top priority. Case management system for real-time response: PhonePe's enhanced system supports: A consolidated view of risk data for real-time investigations Structured, time-bound resolution workflows Integration of AML, chargeback, and support operations into streamlined modules Generative AI tools to accelerate incident analysis Graph-based cluster detection: As fraud evolves from individual acts to coordinated clusters, PhonePe has implemented graph-based detection to identify anomalous group activities and enable real-time threat mitigation. These tools enable PhonePe's risk operations teams to address issues methodically, improving outcomes for users and merchants. Security remains core to the company's mission, and its aim is to continue securing India's digital payments ecosystem with 'Made in India' innovations that deter fraud, protect users, and preserve privacy.
Express Tribune
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Army will crushall threats: COAS
Listen to article Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has said that the Pakistan Army remains fully alert and prepared to respond decisively to any threat and reiterates that peace in Balochistan is non-negotiable and that the future of Pakistan is directly linked to a stable and prosperous Balochistan. While interacting with tribal elders during a Grand Jirga at the Zehri Auditorium in Quetta, the chief of the army staff lauded the bravery and resilience of security forces and the law-enforcement personnel operating in Balochistan, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Munir jointly addressed the Jirga, which was organised to interact with the tribal leadership and discuss the evolving security situation in Balochistan, with particular focus on the ongoing proxy war fuelled by India. "This Indian sponsored proxy war is no longer hidden, it is an open malicious act of terrorism waged on our people, our progress, and our peace. We have concrete proof of India's hand behind terrorist networks operating in Balochistan," Field Marshal Munir said. "These nefarious attempts of the enemy will fail. The Pakistan Army, with the unwavering support of the nation and the brave Baloch people, will confront and crush every enemy, foreign or domestic, that dares to challenge our sovereignty." On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted that Indian-sponsored proxies operating in Balochistan had intensified their efforts to undermine peace, destabilise the province, and disrupt development initiatives led by the government and the armed forces. He said that terrorist groups like the Fitna al-Hindustan sought support of the locals which must be denied to them. He stressed the need for engaging at the grassroots level and ensuring that terrorists found no social space. Praising the leadership and constructive role of the elders, Shehbaz reiterated that denying social space to terrorists was crucial for the success of counter-terrorism efforts and for the long-term peace and stability. He vowed that the enemies of peace would find no space to operate within Pakistan. "Our message to them is clear: the government, armed forces, the LEAs and the administrative apparatus," with the complete support of the people, would take the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion and defeat terrorism in a decisive manner. Highlighting a series of monumental developmental packages for prosperity in Balochistan, the prime minister emphasised the need to ensure that people at the grassroots level benefited from the government's initiatives. He praised the people of Balochistan for their historic role in safeguarding the national unity and urged them to remain vigilant against foreign-backed subversion and sabotage orchestrated and sponsored by India. Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir lauded the bravery and resilience of security forces and the LEAs operating in Balochistan. Shehbaz assured the families of Shuhada of full cooperation and support, and vowed that terrorists, their abettors, and facilitators would not be spared. The Jirga concluded with a unanimous pledge from tribal elders to stand shoulder to shoulder with the government of Pakistan and the armed forces, reaffirming their commitment to the security, stability, and development of Balochistan, the statement said. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz visited the Command and Staff College in Quetta and addressed Students and Faculty of the college. His address reflected the government's commitment to strengthening Pakistan's defence institutions amid the evolving regional and internal security dynamics. Shehbaz underscored the importance of professional excellence, operational readiness, and strategic foresight in the face of emerging and hybrid threats, especially in sensitive regions like Balochistan, where Indian sponsored proxies target "our people and aim to disrupt our progress and prosperity".
