Latest news with #NDLS
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
José Alvarado Suspension Leaves Phillies With Massive Hole in Already Suspect Bullpen
There have been few bright spots in the Phillies bullpen this season. José Alvarado was one of them. Not only did he have a 2.70 ERA and seven saves - both the best among Philly relievers - but he was also a local favorite, with moments that included meeting a young fan who mimicked his pitching motion and a special Mother's Day message on his cap. Advertisement Which makes his sudden PED suspension all the more hurtful. While the Phillies could still make a run to the Postseason without Alvarado available for the next 80 games, the real challenge will be in October. As part of his suspension, José is ineligible for any playoff games, when he would have been needed the most. José Alvarado during Game Four of the 2023 NDLS against the Atlanta Braves. He had a 1.13 ERA throughout that Streicher-Imagn Images During his career, Alvarado has been a lockdown arm in the playoffs. There have been a few blemishes, such as Game Six of the 2022 World Series and his sole appearance in the NLDS last year, but overall, he was very dependable over the past three runs. The Phils were already in need of some bullpen help, but now that issue has grown to alarming levels. Aside from Alvarado, their only lockdown arm has been Matt Strahm. Orion Kerkering has been good aside from two rough appearances, and Jordan Romano has returned to form this month, but either would be an enormous risk to lean on. The same can be said for any of the Phillies pitching prospects currently at Triple-A. Advertisement Even worse, Dylan Cease, who was supposed to be the top reliever on the trade market this summer, could be staying put as the St. Louis Cardinals make their own case for the playoffs. That leaves Kyle Finnegan, currently with the division rival Washington Nationals, as the most likely trade candidate - one who will attract a lot of leverage. Related: Phillies' Bryce Harper Reacts to Joining Prestigious Group of MLB Players
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Op Sindoor: Special train from Jammu arrives in Delhi with students, tourists, army families
Hundreds of stranded tourists and families from Jammu and Kashmir arrived at New Delhi Railway Station late Friday night on a special train arranged for civilians who were escaping the missile strikes and drone attacks by Pakistan amid the ensuing border conflict. Students, tourists and families rushed to Delhi as Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced four special trains from Jammu on Friday. The Jammu Tavi Special reached Delhi's NDLS around 11.55 pm. Arya (no last name), a 21-year-old student from Central University of Jammu, said her parents have been calling her for the last two days. 'We were all in college and had not received any instructions on what to do. But what happened on Friday shook us. There were sirens, complete blackout, drones and missiles in the air and hardly any network. We thought we were all going to die. We decided to leave and when we found the special train, we immediately booked our seats. Our exams have been suspended, but we just escaped in the morning. It was difficult to get a bus to the railway station. The train was delayed. Even in the morning, it was scary. We heard several missiles were there. We had just locked ourselves in our dorm earlier and didn't step out. None of us even dared to look at the window.' Arya said she will now plan her journey to her hometown in Kerala with 40 other students from the state who were studying at Central University of Jammu. Afsana Sheikh (20), a botany student, and her friend Akshay Kumar (20) said the situation is getting worse. 'We have been receiving calls from civilians and our friends. Nobody is stepping out because of the serial attacks. We are just scared. The drones were seen close to a hospital near our campus. The train was supposed to leave at 10.45 am but left at 1 pm. For those 2 hours, I was sweating due to fear. I was just praying to get out and hoping that the train doesn't get cancelled. It was difficult to leave our college. We could see missile-like objects in the sky. All flights were cancelled. We couldn't leave immediately,' they said. Several tourists in Udhampur and neighbouring cities also rushed to catch the train and leave as they had been stranded for days. Mouly (27) and her friend had reached Katra and later travelled to Udhampur last week. 'We thought everything would get over in a day or two. And decided to stay. It was the worst decision we made. All I could see was firing from the hotel window. I don't know what it was. It felt like bombs were being dropped. My parents told me to come home but the airport had shut down. I had lost hope as only a few regular trains were available. Thankfully, I found the special train in time. I couldn't get a cab, taxi or anything. We had to take our bags, cover our heads and walk on the streets. We managed to reach the railway station. I just want to go home and hug my mother,' she said. The special train was also booked by army families who were made to leave Army Cantonment because of the attacks. Neetu Yadav held her 7-year-old daughter and cried as her brother received her at NDLS. Her husband is posted as a naik in Indian Army. 'I didn't want to leave but the situation at Army Cantt was getting worse. Pakistan was continuously attacking the Cantt area. Nobody was safe. We were told to leave. I felt so helpless leaving my husband. But I'm proud of him. None of us suffered any harm because he's fighting at the the border I know God will protect him. I was scared because there were no lights, weak internet and drone attacks. My mother and in-laws were calling us after they saw the news on TV. We are now going to Farrukhabad,' she said. Urmila Devi (40), whose husband is posted as a havildar in the Indian Army, said, 'We couldn't sleep because of the sirens and missiles. After the attack, there was this complete silence in the air and then again, we would hear sirens and firing. Civilians are suffering because of Pakistan. They are targetting residential colonies. I hope the war gets over soon. I have so many friends who are stranded and can't leave. Not everyone has a bunker and can get killed.'
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Irish Times
Motorists shell out €4m to replace driving licences in last six years
Drivers in the State spent up to €4 million to replace their driving licences in the last six years after their documents were lost or stolen. The National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) received nearly 114,000 applications for replacement licences between 2019 and 2024 after drivers reported them lost or stolen. Figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) show 5,505 driving licences were reported lost or stolen in the State last year, down from 15,389 in 2023 and 25,895 in 2022. Over the six years from 2019-2024, those aged 17-20 misplaced 30,747 licences, more than a quarter of the total of 113,956. READ MORE A replacement licence can be requested online or in person at an NDLS centre with a stamped Garda declaration form, proof of address and PPS number, ID, a medical report if there has been a change in your details and a fee of €35. Separately, figures compiled by An Garda Síochána show there were just 120 licences 'recovered' by the force last year, with another 1,655 recorded as found. Earlier this year, on social media, gardaí highlighted a case where an American visitor's licence was handed into Killarney Garda station and returned to her after she had lost it on a night out. It was sent to her with a letter encouraging her 'not to drink so much Guinness' on her next visit. Beyond the hassle of securing a new licence, cybersecurity expert Brian Honan said criminals can use the information on the licences as pieces of a 'jigsaw' in identity theft, and 'also to target you for online scams more effectively'. Mr Honan, chairman of Cyber Ireland's advisory board, said: 'If you think about it, when you ring your bank, what questions do they ask you to prove who you are? It's your address, your place of birth, your date of birth which is on your driving licence. You can use that information to try to reset somebody's password or hijack their email accounts and from there you can hijack their complete online identity. 'The more data [criminals] have about an individual, the more money they can sell it for. The last time I looked, I think the prices range for people's identity from $3 per person up to $15 per person, depending on how detailed the information might be.' An RSA spokesman said reporting requirements for lost/stolen licences had not changed over the period and they believed the drop in the numbers may be partly explained by paper licences being replaced by cards, which may not be lost as easily. Following a pilot scheme in 2024, digital driving licences are to be rolled out later this year as part of a 'digital wallet' that people can keep on their smartphone. It will be launched in tandem with a 'life events portal', which is a one-stop shop for engaging with public services for events such as births, deaths, marriages and divorces. Mr Honan said that while digital licences would bring a lot of convenience, it would need to be a 'robust scheme' as the change would create new risks. 'The physical card has a limited use case, if it's in my possession I can't do x, y, z. A digital licence would bring different threats,' he said. 'For example, if I install malicious software on your phone through a scam email or whatever, could I steal a copy of your driver's licence? You still have it on your phone, you're not aware it's gone as it's not a physical thing any more, but I now have a copy of your licence. And now I can imitate you and try to get car insurance out in your name or rent a car or use it as ID to prove who you are when you're applying for bank loans etc.' In Northern Ireland (where two-part licences are still used), 21,755 were reported lost or stolen in the nine months to September last year, while in Britain more than one million were misplaced.
Sunday World
24-04-2025
- Sunday World
Scammer selling fake driving licenses nabbed by gardai who answer online ad
'Even those back at the station that weren't up to speed on our sting knew them to be fake' A scammer who had been selling fake Irish driving licences online was caught out after unwittingly engaging gardai through WhatsApp. Gardai in Kilkenny posted the exchange on their Facebook page that reveals how the scam artist offered them a fake driving licence that they promised would pass Garda scrutiny. However, after viewing the dodgy licence offered by the scammer, gardai assured those tempted to take up the offer that they were 'not worth the plastic it's printed on'. Part of the exchange captured by gardai Officers revealed how they had been 'having a look around at our posts and comments online' when they 'came across a chap that was offering fake driving licences that he reckoned would pass Garda scrutiny, and for just the small fee of €680. 'So we decided to check it out for ourselves.' They then engaged with the seller who offered them a licence even though the unknown messenger claimed to be a 'disqualified driver'. Throughout the exchange the person said they worked with the NDLS while the gardai led the fraudster along, asking them how long it would take to deliver the licence, how they could pay them and what details needed to be sent, as well as pretending to be a disqualified driver. The seller assured the messenger that the licence would pass any Garda check, before asking for a selfie, date of birth, their name and telling them Revolut or PayPal would be required for payment. After being requested to show a sample of one of the fake licences, the scammer provided photos to which the gardai replied: 'Actually look very good'. The cocky scammer then states: 'I know you will recommend to your friends after this work.' When he doesn't hear back, the scammer asks: 'Are you still there?' to which gardai reply: 'That's my work ID' alongside a photo of a Garda badge. 'All messages saved'. Following up on the exchange gardai added that 'for what it's worth, the sample licences he sent us didn't pass our scrutiny. 'Even those back at the station that weren't up to speed on our sting knew them to be fake.' Gardai also warned that 'if you did take the chance and present us with one of these at a checkpoint or on the roadside - it wouldn't just be the alleged road traffic offences that we would be pursuing but fraud offences too.'
Agriland
23-04-2025
- Agriland
Gardaí warn of driving licence fraudster selling €680 counterfeits
An Garda Síochána in Kilkenny has warned of a fraudulent scheme selling counterfeit driving licences for €680 a piece. According to a spokesperson for the Kilkenny branch, suspicions were raised when one of the operating officers stumbled upon a man online who claimed to manufacture and distribute fake driving licences that would allegedly 'pass garda scrutiny' for a service fee of €680. The garda officer in question concealed his identity to press the man about his wares, before publishing the transcript of the conversation online via An Garda Síochána Kilkenny's official Facebook page to warn the public of the fraud. According to the published conversation, the frauster purported to work for the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS), alleging that the fake licence could be verified on the NDLS website as a result. The individual behind the fraud told the undercover garda that the licence would be ready within '3 working days' and that payment would be accepted via online banking services, Revolut and/or PayPal. The investigating officer asked to see samples of the individual's 'previous work' before committing to the transaction, and was subsequently sent photos of fake Irish driver licences the fraudster claimed to have produced. The fraudster expressed confidence that the undercover garda would recommend the service to friends. The snippet of the conversation culminated in the garda revealing his real identity to the criminal by sending him a photo of his garda badge. The garda spokesperson then went on to discredit the alleged veracity of the fake sample licences, warning that if someone was found in possession of a fake driving licence, both road traffic and fraud offences would be solicited. The garda spokesperson explained: 'For what it's worth, the sample licences he sent us didn't pass our scrutiny. Even those back at the station that weren't up to speed on our sting knew them to be fake. 'If you did take the chance and present us with one of these at a checkpoint or on the roadside – it wouldn't just be the alleged road traffic offences that we would be pursuing but fraud offences too.' Speaking about the fraud, local Fianna Fáil county councillor, Michael McCarthy said: 'At present, there are so many different scams out there, it's hard to keep up with each one but I would be inclined to take advice of the gardaí at all times. 'I am very grateful to the gardaí for being so proactive in keeping the public aware of such scams and fraudulent activity, when and as often as they do occur.'
