New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday proposed linking India’s UPI with the payment systems of the BIMSTEC member nations in an initiative to strengthen trade, industry and tourism in the regional grouping.  Addressing the sixth summit of the 7-nation group, the Prime Minister also proposed to set up a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and explore promoting trade in local currencies within the region. Prime Minister Modi offered his condolences for the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake on March 28 in Myanmar and Thailand and proposed establishing a BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management in India to collaborate on disaster preparedness, relief, and rehabilitation. The BIMSTEC Summit adopted the Bangkok Vision 2030 to realise the shared commitment to prosperity, security, and inclusivity in the Bay of Bengal region. PM Modi stressed the need to continuously expand the scope and capabilities of the BIMSTEC grouping, welcoming the institutionalisation of the Home Ministers Mechanism and offered to host the first meeting in India. “This forum can play a vital role in the fight against cybercrime, cybersecurity threats, terrorism, as well as drug and human trafficking. In this regard, I propose to host its first meeting this year in India,” he said. “BIMSTEC serves as a bridge connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is emerging as an effective platform to open new avenues of regional connectivity, cooperation, and prosperity,” the Prime Minister said. The BIMSTEC Summit, hosted by Thailand, is being attended by leaders from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. PM Modi said he was happy to share India’s experience in setting up digital public infrastructure (DPI) with BIMSTEC countries and suggested conducting a pilot study to understand the specific needs of member nations in this regard. Noting that trade and business connectivity were also crucial for progress, the Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and to organise a BIMSTEC Business Summit every year. “I also suggest conducting a feasibility study on promoting trade in local currencies within the BIMSTEC region,” he said. The Prime Minister also said that a free, open, secure, and safe Indian Ocean is our shared priority. “The Maritime Transport Agreement signed today will strengthen cooperation in merchant shipping and cargo transport and accelerate trade,” he pointed out. PM Modi came out in favour of establishing a Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre in India. “This Centre will focus on capacity building, research, innovation, and coordination in maritime policies. It will also promote cooperation in maritime security,” he said.

New Delhi: Users across India are facing issues with UPI transactions, with many reporting failed payments on popular platforms like Google Pay, Paytm, and SBI. Outage reports have spiked throughout the day, especially in the afternoon and evening, causing disruptions in fund transfers and payments. According to Downdetector, users are struggling with app functionality, making digital transactions difficult. Downdetector shows a spike in outage reports throughout the day, with 276 complaints recorded by 7:15 PM. More than half of the users reported issues with fund transfers, while over 30 per cent faced payment failures. The outage was at its worst in the late afternoon and evening, affecting fund transfers, payments, and app usage. NPCI, along with the affected banks and payment apps, has yet to issue an official statement on the issue.  

New Delhi: In a significant move to help passengers recover lost or stolen mobile phones, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has successfully onboarded with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal of the Department of Telecommunication.  CEIR portal is DoT’s crucial digital tool to recover mobile phones by blocking the IMEI number, tracking and managing of lost or stolen devices. This initiative follows the success of a pilot program in the Northeast Frontier Railway. The all-India roll out of this program across Indian Railways on Thursday would benefit millions of Railway Passengers. In the inauguration launch and training programme for CEIR portal, RPF Director General Manoj Yadava said: “The collaboration of RPF with the Department of Telecommunication for operating CEIR portal marks a significant milestone in railway security. By harnessing digital technology, we aim to provide passengers with a transparent and effective mechanism to recover their lost or missing mobile phones. This initiative strengthens law enforcement capabilities and fosters greater trust among railway commuters. We remain committed to safeguarding passenger property and ensuring a secure travel experience across the railway network.” By leveraging the CEIR portal, the RPF will now be able to render lost/missing mobile phones unusable by blocking their IMEI numbers, thereby deterring illegal possession and resale of these devices. This initiative will also facilitate the swift recovery of lost phones through advanced tracking capabilities, Yadava added. RPF has been at the forefront of efforts to recover passenger property which is lost or missing in trains as well as station premises. The RPF’s Operation Amanat was launched to help in returning the valuables to their rightful owners and has yielded impressive results. The RPF has been successful in recovering misplaced or left behind items worth Rs 84.03 crore between January 2024 and February 2025 returning them to more than 1.15 lakh grateful passengers. The incorporation of CEIR into railway security operations is expected to further bolster the efforts of RFP to restore misplaced or left behind mobile phones to their rightful owners. The integration of RPF with CEIR ensures a streamlined process for passengers reporting lost or stolen phones, according to an official statement. Passengers can report lost or stolen mobile phones through the Rail Madad platform, either online or by dialling 139. If they choose not to file an FIR, they will be guided to register their complaint on the CEIR portal. Zonal Cyber Cells of RPF will then register the complaint on the CEIR portal, entering the required details and blocking the device. Once the lost phone is detected with a new SIM card, the user of the device will be advised to return it to the nearest RPF post. The rightful owner must then present supporting documents to reclaim the device In case of non-compliance, an FIR can be lodged, and the matter escalated to the District Police. Upon recovery, the complainant can request to unblock the phone via the CEIR portal, with assistance from RPF if needed. In May 2024, RPF began a pilot project in Northeast Frontier Railway to actively utilise the CEIR portal and to study its utility for RPF. This experiment resulted in successful recovery of numerous lost mobile phones and apprehension of individuals involved in mobile theft. With this initiative being expanded all across the country, RPF is confident that it would be able to provide faster and more efficient recovery solutions for railway passengers.

New Delhi: As part of its ongoing efforts to combat spam calls and cyber fraud, DoT has disconnected approximately 1.75 lakh Direct Inward Dialing (DID)/landline telephone numbers that were found to be involved in unauthorized promotional activities and illegal activities, said a Ministry of Communications release.   Recently it has been observed that large number of spam calls are being originated from telecom identifiers like numbers starting from 0731, 079,080 etc by misusing PRIs, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, SIP and IPLC. Citizens, under the Jan Bhagidari , have been reporting such instances of Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) / spam / fraud call  on  Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi. DoT analyses this crowd sourced data to act against such telecom resources. Identified cases are forwarded to the DoT’s field offices Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) for detailed investigation. In instances where violations are confirmed, telecom services are suspended for those engaging in unauthorized promotional activities. Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have been advised to take immediate necessary steps to ensure the scruples  compliance of  Unified License conditions relating to the curbing the misuse of PRIs including SIP trunks, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, IPLC  etc. , and to regularly check for their bonafide use . Call to Action for Enterprises/Bulk customers: The DoT calls on Enterprises/Bulk customers/ Consumers to ensure their telecom services are used in compliance with established regulations, avoiding any misuse for unsolicited commercial communication. Violations could result in severe penalties, including disconnection of services. Additionally, the DoT encourages citizens to continue reporting spam calls through the Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi(www.sancharsaathi.gov.in), fostering a collaborative effort to make telecom services more secure and user-friendly. The Department remains dedicated to strict monitoring and prompt action against UCC violators to protect consumer interests. Citizens can use Sanchar Sathi App to report misuse of telecom resources in cybercrime and cyber frauds, Ministry of Communications said. 

Motorola Edge 60 Fusion India Launch: Motorola has launched the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion in India. The new smartphone offers several artificial related (AI)-based features, including Circle to Search and AI Magic. The company claims that the phone run on Android 15 and offers three years of OS updates and four years of security updates. The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion comes in 8GB RAM + 256GB and 12GBRAM + 256GB storage model. The Edge 60 Fusion offers IP68 and IP69 protection, MIL-810H certification. Moreover, the handset is being protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i at the front and offered in blue, pink, and purple colour options. Motorola Edge 60 Fusion Price In India And Sale Date The GB RAM + 256GB version is priced at Rs 22,999, whereas the 12GBRAM + 256GB variant costs Rs 24,999 in the country. The phone will go on sale from April 9. The mid-segment buyers can purchase the handset via Flipkart, Motorola and leading retail stores including Reliance Digital.  The #MotorolaEdge60Fusion takes your experience to the next level! With a 1.5K All-Curved Display, stunning visuals meet unmatched color accuracy via the Sony LYTIA 700C Camera. Get yours on Flipkart, https://t.co/azcEfy1Wlo & leading retail stores!#EdgeOutTheOrdinary #motorola pic.twitter.com/cyfWz7vclf — Motorola India (@motorolaindia) March 29, 2025 Motorola Edge 60 Fusion: Introductory Offers   Customers can get a Rs 2,000 bank discount on Axis and IDFC Bank credit cards. Adding further, a Rs 2,000 exchange bonus is available on trade-in deals. To make the offer more lucrative, there is no-cost EMI options offered for up to six months.  Motorola Edge 60 Fusion Specifications:  It features a 6.7-inch 1.5K pOLED HDR10+ quad-curved display with 4,500 nits peak brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. The handset is powered by the 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7400 processor, paired with up to 12GB RAM, virtual RAM up to 24GB, and up to 256GB internal storage. The device houses a 5,500mAh battery with 68W fast charging support. On the photography front, it includes a 50MP  main camera with OIS, a 13MP ultrawide sensor, and a 32MP selfie camera. 

WhatsApp Banned Accounts In India: WhatsApp has announced that it had banned over 9.7 million accounts in India in February 2025 on Tuesday, with 1.4 million of those accounts being proactively banned before any user reports were made. In its monthly safety report, the Meta-owned app also shared tips for using the platform responsibly. These tips included respecting boundaries, avoiding spam with bulk or auto messages, and using broadcast lists carefully.   “According to the report for the month of February 2025, WhatsApp banned over 9.7 million accounts in India for violating its Terms of Service. More than 1.4 million of these accounts were proactively banned prior to any user reports,” WhatsApp said. A WhatsApp spokesperson further said the platform has consistently invested in Artificial Intelligence and other technology, data scientists and experts, and processes, to keep users safe on the platform. “In accordance with the IT Rules 2021, our latest published report outlines user complaints received, actions taken, and WhatsApp’s proactive approach to preventing abuse, including accounts that were proactively banned, before any reports from users,” the spokesperson added. To recall, WhatsApp has banned almost 10 million accounts in India during January 2025 as part of its ongoing efforts to combat spam, scams, and other forms of misuse on the platform. (With PTI Inputs)

Apple iOS 18.4 Update In India: Apple has introduced the iOS 18.4 update for iPhone models in India. The new update comes with a support for new Apple Intelligence features for users such as Priority notifications.  Notably, the Apple Intelligence features will only be available to all iPhone 16 models which includes the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the Apple Intelligence was already available to users in the US, UK, Europe, and Canada.   The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple has also expanded Apple Intelligence to more regions with support for additional languages including localised English (India). The new update also adds support for ten new system languages including Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.   iOS 18.4 Update For iPhone: Availability  iPhone users in India can now access AI features without switching their device language, making the experience more seamless and convenient. The company has also integrated ChatGPT into Siri and Writing Tools. Users can enable ChatGPT access for certain requests, such as generating content or analysing images.  Apple Intelligence Features- What’s New  Phone users can finally gain access to a suite of AI-enhanced tools designed to improve productivity and personalisation. Apple’s Intelligence features bring a smarter and more intuitive experience across devices. Genmoji lets users create personalized emojis, while Image Playground and Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool enhance creativity.  Writing Tools refine text effortlessly, and Clean Up in Photos ensures clutter-free images. Users can also Create a Memory movie and leverage Natural Language Search to find photos quickly. Notification Summaries and Reduce Interruptions Focus help manage distractions, while Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing ensures only important alerts come through. Email and messaging become more efficient with Priority Messages in Mail, Smart Reply, and Summaries, making communication seamless and productive.  How To Enable Apple Intelligence?  Step 1: Unlock your iPhone and go to Settings.  Step 2: Tap General > Software Update to see if iOS 18.4 is available.  Step 3: Select Download and Install, then follow the on-screen instructions.  Step 4: Once installed, restart your iPhone and explore the new AI features. 

Ever since ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style AI image generator was launched by OpenAI last week, it has taken social media by storm. From politicians and celebrities to everyday users, everyone seems to be sharing their artificial intelligence-generated portraits in the signature style of Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki. The latest version lets people turn their own photos — or even viral internet memes — into amazing Ghibli-style artwork. Although not everyone is on board with this viral trend. Digital privacy activists and professionals are sounding the alarm on social media platforms, claiming OpenAI might be using this trend as a way to gather thousands of personal images for AI training. While many users are having fun with the feature, critics warn that they could unknowingly be handing over fresh facial data to OpenAI, raising serious privacy concerns. Explaining the process of how AI models generate images, self proclaimed AI Engineer Thakur Harsh Singh wrote, “Upload your pics, but keep personal ones safe! It’s safe to use popular AI tools like GPT, Google, and Grok for your Ghibli image—assuming their claims are true. The only thing is, just be cautious with lesser-known AI image generators (especially from unknown sources/Chinese ), as you never know how they handle your data. This video is meant to raise awareness so that you avoid sharing personal data with AI models in the future. Right now, we don’t have a model that can create an exact replica of your image, but soon we might. So, you DON’T NEED TO WORRY much about it. As per the speed at which AI is evolving. It’s important to be cautious and think twice before uploading personal photos to any random AI tools. Secondly, You don’t need thousands of images to train an AI model to generate custom images anymore! With recent advancements like DreamBooth Stable Diffusion , etc you can fine-tune AI models using just 10-12 images. These techniques allow AI to learn and recreate personalized images with minimal data. Be aware of how AI is evolving.” Watch the video here: Not just Harsh, many activists have urged that OpenAI’s data collection strategy is more than just an AI copyright issue. According to them, it allows the company to acquire voluntarily submitted images, bypassing legal restrictions that apply to web-scraped data. Under GDPR regulations, OpenAI must justify scraping images from the internet under the legal basis of “legitimate interest,” which means they must implement additional safeguards to protect user privacy and ensure compliance. This includes demonstrating that data collection is necessary, does not override individuals’ rights, and follows strict transparency and accountability measures. In a lengthy X post, Luiza Jarovsky, co-founder of the AI, Tech & Privacy Academy, said when people voluntarily upload these images, they give their consent to OpenAI to process them (Article 6.1.a of the GDPR). This is a different legal ground that gives more freedom to OpenAI, and the legitimate interest balancing test no longer applies. “Moreover, OpenAI’s privacy policy explicitly states that the company collects personal data input by users to train its AI models when users haven’t opted out,” she wrote. Most people haven’t realized that the Ghibli Effect is not only an AI copyright controversy but also OpenAI’s PR trick to get access to thousands of new personal images; here’s how: To get their own Ghibli (or Sesame Street) version, thousands of people are now voluntarily… pic.twitter.com/zBktscNOSh — Luiza Jarovsky (@LuizaJarovsky) March 29, 2025 Himachal Cyber Warriors, which claimed to be a team of cyber security experts, wrote: “Think before you #Ghibli. That cute Ghibli-style selfie? It might cost more than you think. Your photo could be misused or manipulated. AI may train on it without your consent. Data brokers might sell it for targeted ads. Stay cyber smart. Your privacy matters.” Think before you #Ghibli That cute “Ghibli-style” selfie? It might cost more than you think. Your photo could be misused or manipulated. AI may train on it without your consent. Data brokers might sell it for targeted ads. Stay cyber smart. Your privacy matters.… pic.twitter.com/aEjT3sHtTN — Himachal Cyber Warriors (@hpcyberwarriors) March 29, 2025 How to Secure your Biometric Information Be cautious before hopping on the next AI image trend, consider the risks. Check how to guard your privacy: ► Think twice before posting personal photos for AI-created images. ► Don’t post high-resolution pics on social media—they can be scraped for AI training. ► Instead of facial recognition, use PINs or passwords to unlock devices. ► Restrict camera access by checking which apps have access to it.     (This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)

iOS 19 Update: The Cupertino-based tech giant is working on a health-focused features to its Health app as per media reports. The much anticipated feature includes an AI-powered health coach along with a heart rate monitoring, SpO2 stats, and ECG to a hearing-aid feature. Moreover, the new feature could have health metrics in the iPhone’s Health app.    Notably, this new feature will likely be deeply integrated into iOS 19. Apple’s latest initiative, codenamed “Project Mulberry,” aims to enhance user well-being through personalized recommendations, and AI-driven medical guidance. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed these details in his Power On newsletter. As part of this effort, the company is reportedly developing an AI-powered virtual doctor that can provide insights and advice based on user data.  Cannot wait to see the iOS 19 version of one of Apple’s best videos ever pic.twitter.com/g1Pq5qjuqV — Dylan (@DylanMcD8) March 23, 2025 The Apple Health app, a long-standing part of the ecosystem, already gathers data from the Apple Watch, iPhone, and third-party health trackers to help users monitor fitness, sleep, and other health metrics. Adding further, Apple plans to introduce video explainers featuring real doctors on topics like nutrition, mental health, sleep hygiene, and physical therapy.  To ensure accuracy, the tech giant has reportedly recruited a team of physicians to help train the AI model. The company is also bringing in external medical professionals, including experts in sleep science, nutrition, physical therapy, cardiology, and mental health, to contribute educational content. To support this, the company is setting up a dedicated facility near Oakland, California, where physicians will record these health-related videos.  Furthermore,  the Apple Health app is expected to get a major revamp. According to Bloomberg, one of the most anticipated features is food tracking. Currently, Apple doesn’t have a built-in system for tracking calories and food intake, but this is expected to be a key addition in the upcoming overhaul.  

ChatGPT Down: OpenAI’s ChatGPT is facing a global outage, affecting users attempting to create Studio Ghibli-styled animated avatars and causing widespread errors across its app and API services. Meanwhile, the OpenAI has acknowledged the issue, stating, “We’re currently experiencing issues,” and confirmed that it is actively working on a resolution. The company, backed by Microsoft, is addressing the disruption to restore normal functionality.   According to DownDetector, a platform that tracks online service outages, hundreds of users reported issues with OpenAI’s services, with most complaints focused on ChatGPT. Whether it’s Instagram or X (formerly Twitter), feeds are flooded with stunning Studio Ghibli-style portraits. In just 48 hours, people have turned everything—from classic Bollywood scenes to viral memes—into Japanese anime-inspired art. The outage also prompted a response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In a post on X, Altman asked users to “chill” on generating these images, citing the strain on the company’s resources: “can yall please chill on generating images this is insane our team needs sleep”.  can yall please chill on generating images this is insane our team needs sleep — Sam Altman (@sama) March 30, 2025 This viral trend took off after OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o introduced a new feature that allows users to not only create images but also transform their own pictures into anime-style masterpieces. However, this feature is only available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, and Select subscribers. Free users can generate up to three animated images. However, since OpenAI restricts ChatGPT’s image generation for both free and paid users, the expected output is a short video, better suited for a GIF format.  How To Create Unlimited Ghibli-Style Images For Free Using ChatGPT  Step 1: Open the OpenAI ChatGPT website or app.  Step 2: Upload your preferred image or generate a new one by providing context to ChatGPT. Step 3: Ask ChatGPT to ‘Ghiblify’ the image or transform it into a Studio Ghibli-style theme.  Step 4: Wait a few seconds to get the desired Ghibli-styled image.