The Army Wants to Reinvent How It Feeds Soldiers in the Field
The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command issued a source‑sought notice seeking alternative‑protein technologies to overhaul field rations. It is looking for long‑shelf‑life, lightweight, nutrient‑dense meals produced via fermentation or precision fermentation, explicitly excluding lab‑grown meat and insect protein. The initiative aims to strengthen supply‑chain resilience, enable forward‑deployed biomanufacturing, and improve soldier nutrition while complying with the Berry Amendment’s domestic‑sourcing rules. Concept papers are due this Friday, signaling a rapid procurement timeline.
Modernizing Wastewater Systems: SCADA, Remote Monitoring & Cybersecurity for Resilient Operations
Wastewater utilities are accelerating digital upgrades to replace legacy SCADA, add remote monitoring, and tighten cybersecurity as regulatory pressure and aging assets mount. The industry’s shift toward interoperable, cloud‑ready control platforms promises greater visibility across dispersed lift stations and treatment...
ICE Plans to Deploy 1,570 Additional Iris Scanners Nationwide Under No-Bid Contract
The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to add 1,570 iris‑scanning devices to its nationwide network within 30 days under a no‑bid contract with Massachusetts‑based Bi2 Technologies. The sole‑source award expands a prior $4.6 million, 200‑device...
UK Spent More than $22 Million for Starlink Supplies, Report Shows
The British Ministry of Defence has spent more than $22.6 million on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and terminals over the past four years, funding both Ukrainian resistance and British forces abroad. Over 50,000 terminals have been shipped to Ukraine since the 2022...
FMCSA Registration to Go Dark: How Truckers Can Prep for Motus
The FMCSA will deactivate its current registration portal on May 14, forcing all motor carriers with authority to transition to the new Motus system. Carriers must log in, verify their account, update company details, and designate a primary official for ID...
Federal Agencies Can Maximize OneGov for Enterprise Platform Consolidation
Federal agencies are using the GSA’s OneGov program to obtain bulk‑discounted licenses for major enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow, Salesforce and Microsoft. While the initiative cuts per‑license costs, many agencies continue to pay for overlapping niche and legacy applications, missing...
Public Safety Drones Are Becoming Essential Tools for Emergency Response
Public safety agencies are rapidly adopting drones as mission‑critical tools for law enforcement, fire, and emergency management. Advances such as beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight FAA waivers, autonomous obstacle avoidance, and AI‑powered analytics have expanded capabilities from simple aerial views to real‑time intelligence and...
How VA’s Digital Refresh Is Improving Outreach to Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs has overhauled its digital presence, turning VA.gov into a single, human‑centered “digital front door” that lets veterans transact directly online. A massive outreach campaign, coordinated across the Veterans Experience Office, Public Affairs and the Health...
VPNs on Regulatory Block in EU, UK as Lawmakers Address Age Check Circumvention
Regulators in the EU, UK and Utah are moving to curb VPN use that bypasses biometric age‑verification systems, after a European Parliamentary Research Service report highlighted a sharp rise in such circumvention. The UK is debating a digital‑age threshold for...
More States Look to Preempt Local AI Laws, Report Finds
A coalition of state legislatures is advancing twelve bills in nine states to preempt local governments from regulating artificial intelligence. The proposals fall into three streams: restricting AI from foreign adversaries, limiting municipal AI ordinances, and protecting a so‑called “right...
Minnesota Bans AI Nudification; Trump Vows Federal Challenge
Minnesota became the first state to ban AI nudification tech. This is tech that generates nude images from clothed photos. It bans the companies that make this tech available, as well as access, download and use of these tools. Penalties: up...
Tech Turns Everyday Life Into Automatic Surveillance State
Technological advances have made daily life a semi-compulsory surveillance state. They don't even need to pull you over when you run a red light. There is tech now that just photographs your license plate and mails the ticket.
Thailand Mandates Biometric IDV for All Social Media Advertisers to Curb Scams
Thailand’s government has issued a new regulation mandating biometric identity verification for every social‑media advertiser, including foreign entities, using facial recognition linked to a national ID or a recognized digital ID. The rule also obliges platforms to retain advertiser records...
Remote ID Drone Detection
Virtower has launched a Remote ID Drone Detection system aimed at airport operators and law‑enforcement agencies. The solution leverages FAA‑mandated Remote ID signals to pinpoint unauthorized drones near airfields. It integrates with existing airport surveillance platforms, providing real‑time alerts and...
China Knows that Governing New Tech Can Be Harder than Inventing It
Beijing announced a citywide ban on drone sales, citing security concerns. The restriction has pushed drone training operations, such as the Shenghang centre, to neighboring Hebei province where rules are looser. The move underscores China’s broader challenge of regulating emerging...
NTIA to BEAD Winners: ‘Know Your Rights’
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) warned state broadband offices that any contract changes by ISPs could jeopardize compliance with the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant program. The agency’s memo insists that required language—prohibiting states from...
U.S. Pushes 7 GHz Band to Front of 6G Spectrum Race
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration unveiled Spectrum.gov, a new portal that centralizes federal spectrum policy and marks the 7 GHz band as the leading contender for future 6G networks. The move comes with a December deadline for a final report...
How AI Can Lead to False Arrests and Wrongful Convictions
Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly embedded in U.S. policing, but recent incidents reveal how probabilistic outputs can be mistaken for certainty. In October 2025 a surveillance camera in Baltimore flagged a teenager’s chip bag as a gun, leading to a...
Iran-Linked Media Proposes Data Tax on Hormuz Cables, Threatening $10 Trillion Daily Digital Flow
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps‑linked media outlet announced a plan to levy licensing fees and tolls on submarine fiber‑optic cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal targets more than $10 trillion in daily financial transactions and could force multinational enterprises...
UAE‑US AI Pact Commits $2.4 Trillion, Sets Blueprint for Secure Banking Tech
The United Arab Emirates and the United States announced a $2.4 trillion AI partnership that creates a regulated technology environment for secure AI deployment. The deal includes a $1 trillion investment already made and a $1.4 trillion commitment over the next decade, with...
Drowning In Rules: Navigating America’s AI Regulatory Patchwork
U.S. companies face an increasingly tangled AI regulatory landscape as more than 1,100 state AI bills were introduced in 2025, each with its own definitions and penalties. A federal AI Litigation Task Force is pushing preemption to curb conflicting state...
First 1,563 Premises in Northern Ireland Get Full Fibre From Project Gigabit Contract
Fibrus has secured a UK‑government‑backed Project Gigabit contract to deliver full‑fibre broadband to 9,333 rural and hard‑to‑reach premises in Northern Ireland. The first phase has connected 1,563 homes, allowing residents to upgrade from legacy 5 Mbps lines to speeds of 500 Mbps...
Data Center Dilemma: Who Should Decide Where They Go in North Dakota?
Tech firms are rapidly erecting AI‑focused data centers on North Dakota’s farm land, but the only approvals required are local permits, with no statewide environmental review or dedicated oversight body. Several counties have imposed temporary bans, while the state’s Public...
Air Force Experimenting with Using AI for Promotion Boards
The U.S. Air Force has created an "AI Action Team" that now numbers about 100 members to boost AI literacy and explore practical uses of the technology. One pilot project targets the officer promotion board, where AI will automate data‑gathering...
AI, Human Judgment, and the Future of Child Welfare: A Conversation with Steven Hintze, Arizona Department of Child Safety
In this episode, Michael Keegan talks with Steven Hintze, Chief Data and Product Officer for the Arizona Department of Child Safety, about how AI, data, and product thinking are reshaping child welfare. Hintze explains the agency’s three‑year modernization of its...
The IRS Is Testing AI Tools to Decide Who Gets Audited
The Internal Revenue Service is signing contracts for artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning tools to augment tax enforcement as its audit workforce shrank by nearly a third. A recent GAO report shows the agency has logged 126 AI use cases, with two‑thirds...
Fatbeam Fiber Selected to Deliver Network to Federal Way Schools
Fatbeam Fiber won a competitive E‑Rate bid to build a district‑wide fiber network for Federal Way Public Schools in Washington. The new infrastructure will connect every school and administrative office with high‑capacity, reliable connectivity. The contract highlights Fatbeam’s expanding footprint...
Romania Signs MoU with Mastercard Deploying the EUDI Wallet
Romania’s government signed a memorandum of understanding with Mastercard to deliver a European Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet by December 2026. The partnership builds on an ongoing interoperability testing phase that involved regulators, developers and wallet providers. A pilot led by...
Europe Is Moving to Block Microsoft, Amazon, and Google From Handling Government Health, Financial, and Legal Data
The European Commission is set to unveil the Tech Sovereignty Package, a regulatory framework that would restrict U.S. cloud providers from processing sensitive public‑sector data such as health, finance and judicial records. The draft targets Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and...
What New Guidance Says For Securing Agentic AI Systems
A joint report from CISA, NSA and allied cyber agencies outlines the security challenges of deploying autonomous, or agentic, AI systems. It details privilege, design, behavior and accountability risks that arise when AI agents act without human oversight. The guidance...
Eskom Using Drones to Support 33,369km of Critical Infrastructure
South Africa’s state utility Eskom has begun using drones to inspect its 33,369 km of high‑voltage transmission lines, replacing expensive helicopter surveys. The drone programme, equipped with infrared cameras, enables more frequent inspections and faster fault detection, cutting costs and improving...
KC Water Marks Completion of Blue River Biosolids Facility Transformation
KC Water completed the transformation of the Blue River Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Blue River Biosolids Facility, installing thermal hydrolysis process (THP) technology. The upgrade treats 75 million gallons of wastewater daily, processes 98% of the city’s solids, and produces...
A Curious Footnote Misses the Point on Judicial Use of AI and Judge Rodriguez's AI Scholarship
U.S. Circuit Judge Edith Jones added a footnote to a Fifth Circuit decision on alleged ballot harvesting that implied Judge Rodriguez relied on artificial‑intelligence tools for his legal judgment. The footnote’s source, however, demonstrates that Rodriguez used AI responsibly for...
Clearing the Skies: How China’s Capital Is Paving the Way for a £217bn Low-Altitude Economy
On May 1 2026 Beijing instituted a sweeping drone control regime that bans the sale, shipment, and transport of unmanned aerial vehicles within the municipality. Retailers, including DJI flagship stores, cleared inventories while online platforms such as Taobao and JD.com halted all...
Philippines Digital Services, AI Advance Ease of Doing Business
The Philippines observed its second annual Ease of Doing Business Month, staging service fairs across seven cities to consolidate agency services and enable same‑day processing. The Anti‑Red Tape Authority (ARTA) unveiled new digital tools, including the AI‑powered virtual assistant Tala,...
Utility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Imposes One-Year Moratorium on Supplying New Data Centers
The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) has enacted a one‑year moratorium on providing water and sewage services to any new data‑center projects within its jurisdiction. The pause follows votes by the Ypsilanti City Council and Charter Township Board and will...
Severn Tunnel Upgrade in ‘One of the Toughest Environments on the UK Rail Network’
Network Rail and contractor ARQ will upgrade the Severn Tunnel’s overhead power system to combat its harsh, salty environment. The 7 km tunnel will see 838 bridge arms replaced and 9,000 m of copper contact wire installed, with work running nonstop from...
Essex Council Upgrades Broadband for 9,500 Homes with £8.3m Boost
The Essex County Council, supported by an extra £8.3 million (≈$10.5 million) from the UK government, will upgrade broadband for 9,500 homes and businesses. The funding expands Openreach's Project Gigabit into urban blackspots, complementing earlier rural roll‑outs and moving the nation toward...
DfT Launches Ninth Edition of Its First-of-a-Kind Competition for Railway Innovation
The UK Department for Transport has opened the ninth round of its First‑of‑a‑Kind (FOAK) competition, offering £4.8 million (about $6.1 million) in grant funding for rail‑technology pilots. Since its inception, the programme has invested roughly £62.5 million (≈$79 million) in early‑stage innovations that can...
Dublin Automated Metro Procurement Launched
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has opened the tender for the M500 contract, the core package to design, build, finance, operate and maintain Dublin's 18.8‑km MetroLink automated line. The scope includes trains, GoA4 signalling, stations, depot, park‑and‑ride, control centre and related...
Kansas Veterans Hit by Oracle‑Cerner EHR Rollout, $33 B VA Cost Overruns
Oracle’s management of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ $10 billion electronic health record contract, inherited from its 2022 $28.4 billion acquisition of Cerner, has led to cost estimates exceeding $33 billion and service disruptions for Kansas veterans. The fallout includes more than 500...
Oracle Scraps Natural‑gas Plant for New Mexico AI Data Center, Pivots to Fuel‑cell Power
Oracle announced the cancellation of a planned natural‑gas power plant for its Project Jupiter AI data center in New Mexico after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the state land office denied pipeline permits. The company will instead partner with...
MarsAuto Secures $1.5 M Korean Ministry Support to Expand U.S. Self‑Driving Truck Fleet
MarsAuto announced that Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has approved a 2 billion‑won (≈$1.5 million) R&D grant to accelerate its autonomous truck operations in the United States. The funding backs a two‑year sandbox project and a 3,379‑km pilot route from...
SOCOM Taps SkyFi to Build Tactical EO Imagery Tools
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has selected commercial EO provider SkyFi to build a prototype sovereign intelligence platform that streamlines access to geospatial imagery for troops. The Phase 1 effort includes an Android Tactical Assault Kit plug‑in that lets operators task...
Agentic AI Just Proved It Can Fix Federal Procurement — Now Let’s Scale It
Federal agencies spend billions evaluating vendor proposals, but the process is slow and inconsistent. The ATARC Agentic AI Lab demonstrated a proof‑of‑concept where three autonomous AI agents reviewed an $8.5 million data‑modernization proposal, checking FAR compliance, executive orders, and technical criteria....
Telekom and Rheinmetall Join Forces on Drone Defence Shield for Cities and Infrastructure
Deutsche Telekom and defence contractor Rheinmetall announced a joint venture to build a city‑wide drone‑defence shield for Germany’s critical infrastructure. The system will combine sensor networks, cloud‑based analytics, jamming, interceptor drones and laser technology to detect, disrupt and neutralise unauthorized UAVs....
Top ICT Tenders: Home Affairs Looks to Digital Transformation
The South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued tender DHA04‑2026 to set up an ICT portfolio management office (PMO) that will steer its digital transformation agenda. The PMO will use Microsoft‑based tools to standardise governance, automate workflows and...
UK Government Renews Calls to Sign Cyber Resilience Pledge
The UK government is urging businesses to sign the Cyber Resilience Pledge, a new initiative tied to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that will launch later this year. The pledge requires three actions: making cyber security a board‑level responsibility,...
OpenAI Is Offering Europe Access to Its Cybersecurity AI Model. But Anthropic Is Holding Out
OpenAI announced it will grant the European Union access to its new cybersecurity AI model, GPT‑5.5‑Cyber, through a limited preview for vetted cybersecurity teams, governments and EU bodies. The European Commission welcomed the offer, saying it will enable close monitoring...
Public Sector AI Productivity Claims 'Require More Robust Evidence'
The Ada Lovelace Institute released a briefing warning that UK public‑sector AI productivity claims lack robust evidence. It argues that single‑study estimates are driving billions of pounds in spending, workforce planning, and long‑term technology lock‑ins. The paper highlights methodological flaws, industry...