Latest news with #identifiable
Indian Express
02-08-2025
- Indian Express
Dharmasthala ‘secret burials': trail of PAN, ATM cards found at site leads SIT to man who died at home near Bengaluru
The trail of an ATM card and a PAN card found at one of the 13 sites indicated by a former sanitation worker as spots where dead bodies were allegedly buried in secret in Karnataka's Dharmasthala has led a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to a family in Nelamangala near Bengaluru. The SIT probe has revealed that the ATM card belonged to a woman identified as Sidalakshamma, who lives near Dabaspet in rural Bengaluru's Nelamangala, while the PAN card belonged to her son Suresh, who succumbed to alcoholism in March and was buried in Nelamangala. The probe revealed that Suresh lost the cards during a visit to Dharmasthala, and they were probably washed up on the shore of the Netravati River, sources said. Sidalakshamma has stated that her son was frequently thrown out of the house over his drinking habit. 'He was sick with jaundice for around three years and did not go anywhere. We kept him out of the house, saying that he must earn his living. We had gone to Dharmasthala five years ago as a family. He was using my ATM card then and he told me that the PAN and ATM cards were lost,' Sidalakshamma told local media on Friday. 'When I learned that he had lost the ATM card, I got it blocked,' she said, adding, 'He died in my house and was buried in my father's property.' The SIT found the cards while digging at the first of 13 sites indicated by the former sanitation worker. 'We have taken note of sources confirming the recovery of a torn red blouse, a PAN card, and an ATM card at a depth of approximately 2.5 feet at Site No.1 yesterday,' N Manjunath, the former sanitation worker's lawyer, had said in a statement three days ago. 'The recovery of identifiable items like a PAN card and an ATM card provides an avenue for further enquiry, and we trust the SIT will pursue these vital leads with the utmost urgency,' the advocate said. The search for dead bodies at the sites indicated by the whistleblower saw breakthroughs on Thursday and Friday when skeletal remains were found during the exhumation process carried out by the SIT. No remains were detected at five sites, while some remains were found at the sixth location on Thursday. The former sanitation worker has alleged that he was forced to bury bodies and threatened against approaching the police. According to sources, bone fragments were found at the spot, apart from pieces of cloth. The exhumation was carried out along the banks of River Netravati, close to the temple town of Dharmasthala. The remains were sealed and sent for further forensic analysis. SIT officials have been carrying out exhumations at various locations identified by the complainant since Tuesday. The whistleblower filed a complaint at the Dharmasthala police station last month, following which a First Information Report (FIR) was registered on July 4.
Axios
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
State, local officials seek to ban ICE agents' masks
A growing number of Democratic-leaning states and cities are weighing proposals to ban federal immigration agents from wearing masks and require them to display IDs when making arrests. Why it matters: Images of masked, armed agents in plain clothes grabbing people off the streets and rushing them into unmarked vehicles have alarmed many Americans — and put pressure on lawmakers to respond. The big picture: The proposals could set up another constitutional showdown between states and the federal government over immigration enforcement and civil liberties, as the Trump administration pushes mass deportations. Just as conservative-leaning states enacted their own tougher immigration measures during the Biden administration, blue-leaning states and cities now want guardrails in place to check some of the Trump administration's tactics. Zoom in: Democrat-led state legislatures in California, New York and Massachusetts are discussing or have introduced bills that would ban federal agents from wearing masks in most operations. Meanwhile, local leaders in Chicago, Albuquerque and several towns in Southern California are considering proposals to ban masks and require federal agents to wear IDs. Supporters argue that such rules would hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to the same standards followed by local law enforcement officers, who are required to wear badge numbers with their names. Those restrictions for state and local law enforcement are in place partly to avoid impersonators from staging fake traffic stops and arrests. Another reason some communities want federal agents to be easily identifiable: Raids by ICE agents in plain clothes sometimes have led nearby residents to believe that people were being kidnapped. The other side: Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, says any state and local restrictions on ICE agents would "demonize" the agents. McLaughlin claims there was an 830% increase in assaults on ICE officials from Jan. 21 to July 14 compared with the same period in 2024 — a stat that immigrant rights advocates have disputed. "States can't regulate what federal law enforcement wears," U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted on X. What they're saying: "They're grabbing people off of our streets and disappearing people, and it is terrifying," California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said at a press conference last week announcing the state's proposal to make ICE agents more identifiable. The push for new rules for ICE agents reflects "a dialog right from certain folks who are expecting us to do our job, which is to protect them," Mario Trujillo, a City Council member in Downey, Calif., told Axios. The California proposal would require local, state and federal officers in California to reveal their identities — via name tags, badge numbers, or other visible markers — and prohibit face coverings. The intrigue: The idea has become a campaign issue in the Albuquerque mayor's race, with incumbent Democratic Mayor Tim Keller facing a challenge from fellow Democrat Alex Uballez, a former U.S. attorney. Albuquerque should "require federal agents to visually identify themselves as federal law enforcement" and "ban the use of masks in immigration enforcement operations occurring within city limits," Uballez wrote in a plan. Keller hasn't said whether he supports the idea, but is urging residents to call Albuquerque police if they want to verify whether an ICE raid is occurring in the city. Zoom out: While states wrestle with passing their own restrictions on ICE agents, Democrats in Congress are pushing a long-shot effort to require the agents to wear badges and ban them from wearing masks. Between the lines: In Latino communities, there are rising concerns about ICE impersonators assaulting women, Elida Caballero Cabrera, a lawyer with the Washington, D.C.-based Women's Equality Center, told Axios.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Marsha Blackburn introduces bill making it illegal to 'dox' federal law enforcement
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has introduced legislation making it illegal to 'dox' federal law enforcement officials — a direct response to a spreadsheet published by Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office detailing city departments' recent communications with federal immigration agents. Blackburn announced that she'd filed the 'Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act' on June 4, explicitly naming O'Connell as the impetus. O'Connell, a few weeks earlier, had amended an existing executive order requiring city departments to report communications regarding federal immigration enforcement on a tighter timeline as part of a broader response to a weeklong U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Nashville. Even in its original version, the executive order included a provision that those communications be posted online for transparency. When O'Connell's office posted that list most recently in late May, the spreadsheet originally included the names of some officials who called. Those names have since been removed from the version of the spreadsheet posted online. 'My 'Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act' would make this illegal and hold blue city mayors accountable for obstructing enforcement of our immigration laws by putting law enforcement officers in harm's way,' Blackburn said in a news release announcing the bill. Per the release, Blackburn's legislation would make it illegal to 'publish the name of a federal law enforcement officer with the intent to obstruct a criminal investigation or immigration operation.' An individual found guilty of doing so would face a fine and imprisonment of five years. Typically, "doxxing" refers to the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the internet, like their home addresses, private contact information and names of family members. As for the public availability of law enforcement officers' names, they are not typically considered private information. O'Connell's response to the ICE operation sparked outcry from Blackburn even before she filed the bill. She decried O'Connell for 'doxxing' federal law enforcement agents on social media May 28. Days later, she called for U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate O'Connell's purported 'obstruction' of immigration enforcement operations in Nashville. O'Connell's already under investigation by a pair of congressional committees, prompted by a call from U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles that Blackburn also supported. Republican Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton called for O'Connell to rescind his executive order and "return to normal communications with state and federal authorities" in a statement posted to his social media accounts on June 5. "This order has jeopardized the safety of federal and state agents to the extent that individuals are harassing and interfering in the lawful duty of these agents," Sexton's statement read. He did not provide examples of interference. "While Metro has refused to assist federal agents with ICE, they decided to escalate it by forcing all employees to act as big brother." O'Connell, for his part, has called on federal officials to release the names and charges of the nearly 200 undocumented immigrants detained in Nashville as part of the May ICE operation. To date, only a few of those individuals have been identified, and an ICE spokesperson has previously said about half of the group arrested had prior criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@ Get Davidson County news delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sen. Blackburn introduces bill criminalizing 'doxxing' law enforcement
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Badge Inc Wins 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Awards for Privacy Enhancing Technology
SAN FRANCISCO, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Badge Inc, the market leader in privacy-enhancing identity solutions has been named a winner of the prestigious 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Awards for the second year in a row by the Business Intelligence Group. Badge was also recognized in the category of Privacy Enhancing Technology for its groundbreaking approach to eliminating sensitive biometric data and personally identifiable information from authentication workflows such as account recovery. This news comes on the heels of Badge's winning five prestigious Global InfoSec Awards at the RSA Conference in April this year, including sole category winner for Privacy Enhancing Technology and Phishing Resistant MFA. The Fortress Cybersecurity Awards program honors the industry's leading companies and professionals who are going beyond compliance to build and maintain secure systems and processes. Fortress recognized Badge as a company that can "stay one step ahead" and demonstrates excellence in a rapidly evolving landscape of threats. Winners are competitively selected based on innovation, measurable impact, and commitment to security best practices. "Badge Inc is redefining cybersecurity with its privacy-first approach. It's a paradigm shift: By eliminating stored identity credentials, they are tackling one of the biggest vulnerabilities in digital security today. Their innovative solutions are setting a new standard for authentication and data protection, and we are proud to recognize their leadership in this space." - Russ Fordyce, CEO & Founder, Business Intelligence Group This latest recognition follows Badge Inc's remarkable success over the last year, including being recognized as one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of the Year and launching a partnership program with several industry top players. The consecutive recognition underscores Badge's leadership in cybersecurity and privacy innovation. Independent industry analyst, Jack Poller, has called Badge a "game changer" and recognized that "Badge isn't an incremental upgrade — it's a paradigm shift." "It is an honor to be recognized by the Business Intelligence Group with a Fortress Award for the second year in a row. This accolade reaffirms our belief that digital identity is a right, not a commodity. At Badge, eliminating stored identity credentials forges an unparalleled synergy between privacy and security, fundamentally redefining digital trust." - Dr. Tina Srivastava, Cofounder Badge Inc By eliminating stored identity credentials from authentication processes—one of the leading causes of data breaches—Badge is setting a new standard for security and trust. As the Privacy Company, Badge continues to reshape authentication and data protection, reinforcing its commitment to a more secure digital future. To learn more about the Fortress Cybersecurity Awards, visit: About BadgeBadge enables privacy-preserving authentication to every application, on any device, without storing user secrets or PII. Badge's patented technology allows users to derive private keys on the fly using their biometrics and factors of choice without the need for hardware tokens or secrets. Badge was founded by field-tested cryptography PhDs from MIT and is venture-backed by tier 1 investors. Customers and partners include top Fortune companies across healthcare, banking, retail, and services. Learn more at About Business Intelligence Group Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives with real-world experience. The organization's proprietary scoring system measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards companies whose achievements are significant and measurable. Media ContactKyle KilcoyneBadge Incmedia@ Eliana StarbirdChief Nominations OfficerBusiness Intelligence Group+1 909-529-2737contact@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Badge Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The UK is going bust: Starmer and Farage have now guaranteed it
Will nothing save Britain from this collective madness? No data set, however grim, ever seems to shake politicians from their high-tax high-spend complacency. No public-sector performance indicator ever guides them to the rightful conclusion that the state is spending far too much on things we don't need whilst chronically under-investing in those we do. The country is going bust. Our national debt has soared past £2.7 trillion – over 97 per cent of GDP. Servicing the debt is costing £100 billion every year. Our 2025 growth forecast is a paltry 1.4 per cent. We waste precious taxpayer cash on subsidising the arts, renationalising the railways and paying people who could work not to. All the while our prisons descend into squalor, our borders are inadequately policed, our streets increasingly unsafe. Like the gambler hunched over a roulette table, eyes bloodshot and murmuring 'next time I'll win it all back', successive governments have stubbornly refused to exit the casino and sober up. At least in the past there was some political pressure to rebalance or retrench. What's alarming now is that no party seems to be grounded in fiscal reality. Over the course of just three days, Calamity Keir U-turned on the universal Winter Fuel Allowance (WFA) and two-child benefit cap – a policy he previously supported with such fervour that he suspended seven MPs who rebelled against it – and unveiled £7 billion inflation-busting pay rises for public sector workers. This week, Nigel Farage will reportedly attempt to outflank Labour on welfare. And the Tories are chalking up Starmer's decision to partially reinstate the WFA as a win for their party, reminding us that the Conservatives 'never touched the winter fuel payment' during their 14-year stint in government. It's not just our elected representatives, mind you. Surveys have repeatedly shown Brits would prefer fiscal headroom was diverted towards public services than tax cuts, ignoring the 'Rahn Curve', which shows greater government largesse financed by taxes leads to weaker growth. It's the identifiable victim problem writ large: help groups we believe to be 'in need', often inflating our own sense of virtue, whilst giving no consideration to the wider economic picture nor who's footing the bill. And once you start looking for examples of this mindset, they're everywhere. A sermon at my local church on Sunday featured Matthew 19:24: 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God', and a lecture on how Jeff Bezos chooses to spend his money. Amusingly, when the think tank Tax Policy Associates recently polled voters on the amount of additional tax they would personally be willing to hand the Exchequer, a third said less than £10 a year. The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money. In the end, the taxman comes for us all. The problem for Starmer is that his credibility is shot. Fears Labour's spending plans could dwarf even their historic tax increases triggered bond market turmoil in January. Now, the Government has handed the WFA back to many people who don't need it and given lots of money to people with large families with no conditions (such as: 'get a job'). In one swoop Labour have more or less raised expenditure by the amount they're going to save by cutting Personal Independence Payments (if they hold their nerve). It hardly signals a willingness to balance the books. Instead, both Labour and Reform seem to believe they can fudge the numbers – the 'iron chancellor' with pretend wriggle room from growth forecasts, or by ditching, as rumoured, the fiscal rules, which have thus far acted as a welcome chokehold on Labour's worst spending instincts. And Farage with 'policies' likely to smash into pieces if they ever get into power. We should take migrants out of hotels. We should stop steaming towards net zero at breakneck speed. But why do Reform believe they will succeed where the Tories repeatedly failed? It never ceases to amaze me that the people who gloated most loudly over the decline and fall of Liz Truss are the very same who pretend there's a magic money tree that can be shaken to meet their many spending demands. Don't reform the increasingly bloated, ineffectual state, they wail; just impose a wealth tax. Even though these have been reversed almost everywhere they have been tried because the cost of administration exceeds the revenues raised. Don't shrink the public sector, they say; just bring capital gains in line with income tax, even though it will disincentivise investment, damage our international competitiveness and create a lock-in effect. To her credit, Kemi Badenoch has refused to make facile promises and is encouraging her party to work hard at some proper, measured proposals on cutting the state's commitments. Her great tragedy is that she inherited a parliamentary Conservative Party in a lamentable condition, packed with 'wets', and which is growing mutinous. On Friday I appeared on a panel with a pleasant, accomplished, well-meaning Tory MP. But he was completely unwilling to robustly challenge the pro-NHS, pro-welfare status quo. Labour are as bad at maths as they are politics. Their approval rating is on the floor. There has never been a better time to strike, but will anyone land the blow? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
