Baltimore Utility Sidelines Underground Transmission Line Project
Baltimore Gas & Electric has temporarily paused its underground transmission line project in downtown Baltimore after cost estimates ballooned from $109 million to over $400 million, with some analysts projecting total expenses above $500 million. The initiative, intended to link an expanded substation to the Port Covington redevelopment, faces mounting community and political opposition. BGE cited the pause as a chance to deepen engagement with residents and adjust plans to the evolving Baltimore Peninsula project. The delay also highlights regulatory exemptions that shield underground lines from state utility review.
New Bill Would Push Agencies Toward Shared Services for Federal Lending Programs
The bipartisan Federal Loan Systems Modernization Act directs the General Services Administration to create a unified, commercially‑based loan processing platform called Lending.gov. The legislation aims to consolidate more than 175 federal loan programs onto a single technology backbone, eliminating duplicated...
Phoenix Taps Adobe DX To Unify Websites, Streamline Services
Phoenix consolidated 44 department websites into a single phoenix.gov portal using Adobe Experience Manager, completing a four‑year transformation that shifted the site to a resident‑first model. The new platform lets roughly 60 departments manage content directly, cutting page‑update times from...
Iran’s Authorities Using NtechLab’s Live Facial Recognition to Crush Dissent
Iranian authorities have integrated Russia’s NtechLab FindFace facial‑recognition system into a live surveillance network, accessed through local partners Rasad, Kama and BPO. The technology is deployed in Tehran’s university entrances, Mashhad’s subway, and other public venues to identify and detain...
These 2 Recent Cases Confirm DOJ Is Escalating Cyber Enforcement
At the close of 2025 the Department of Justice announced two high‑profile cyber enforcement actions that spotlighted deficient cybersecurity practices among DoD contractors. The first settlement involved Swiss Automation’s breach of the DFARS 7012 clause, which mandates NIST 800‑171 compliance. The second...
Idemia Public Security, Proof Partner on Single Portable Digital Credential
Idemia Public Security and Proof have announced a strategic partnership to launch a verifiable digital credential (VDC) that merges biometric verification with PKI‑based digital signatures. The solution delivers a single, portable credential that is user‑controlled, privacy‑preserving, and revocable, leveraging selective...
HID Debuts Cloud‑based Visitor Verification System for Healthcare
HID Global unveiled a cloud‑based visitor verification platform at HIMSS 2026, designed for hospitals to authenticate and track visitors in real time. The solution integrates directly with major electronic health record systems such as Epic and Oracle Health, enabling photo capture,...
First Age Verification Prompt Hits Social Media Users
One for the “but age verification means *everyone* has to show their gov ID or hand over biometric data” brigade. For the first time ever, I just got an age challenge on a social media platform: https://t.co/IidAL3Czai
Section 117 Is Not a Disclosure Problem
The Department of Education launched a public Section 117 transparency dashboard in February 2026, publishing over $60 billion in cumulative foreign‑funding disclosures from U.S. universities. By making gift and contract data searchable, flagging country‑of‑concern entities, and allowing direct institutional comparisons, the...
How Vulnerable Are Computers to an 80-Year-Old Spy Technique? Congress Wants Answers
Senators Ron Wyden and Rep. Shontel Brown have asked the GAO to study how vulnerable modern computers are to TEMPERST‑style side‑channel attacks, which capture data from electromagnetic, acoustic or vibrational emissions. The request follows a new Congressional Research Service report...
Liberia Govt Agencies Agree on Framework for Refugee Biometric ID
Liberia’s Refugee Repatriation & Resettlement Commission, National Identification Registry and Immigration Services have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a biometric identification framework for refugees, beginning with Ivorian nationals. The agreement operationalises President Joseph Boakai’s Executive Orders 144 and...
Uniform Consent Language Needed for Scalable Health Data Interoperability
When every state regulates consent differently, scale breaks. Mariann Yeager shares why model language and technical standards are critical for nationwide interoperability. 👇 https://t.co/Aa3zjJYTw4 @sequoiaproject #patientadvocates #HITSM https://t.co/I3cN0lmdLk
Iranian Drone Strikes at Amazon Sites Raise Alarms over Protecting Data Centers
Iranian drones struck Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE and Bahrain, marking the first known kinetic attack on a U.S. hyperscaler’s infrastructure. The incidents disrupted regional services and highlighted data centers as emerging military targets amid rising AI‑driven strategic...
Modernizing Federal Risk Management
Federal agencies are overhauling risk management as artificial intelligence moves from pilot projects to core missions. The AI Risk Management Framework has been refreshed, and NIST introduced the ARIA 0.1 framework to quantify real‑world AI behavior. Simultaneously, quantum‑computing challenges and tight...
Rural Texas Utility Plans $29.4M Transmission Upgrade to Support New Groundwater Supply
The Bistone Municipal Water Supply District in Limestone County, Texas, is launching a $45 million capital program that includes a $29.4 million water transmission and storage upgrade. New York‑based engineering firm STV was selected to design the replacement of 7.2 miles of 60‑year‑old pipeline...
What Builders Need to Know About E-Verify in 2026
Builders face a new compliance landscape as E-Verify becomes a prerequisite for most federal construction contracts in 2026. While the system can streamline hiring by confirming employee eligibility, it also exposes firms to government scrutiny of their workforce data. Errors...
AI-Powered Search Is Fueling a Wave of Epstein Files Transparency Projects
The DOJ’s Epstein Files release, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, provides millions of pages, images, and videos but suffers from rudimentary search functionality. Volunteer engineers and newsrooms have deployed AI‑driven tools—such as Jmail’s Gmail‑style inbox and Google Pinpoint...
CMS Launches Effort to Unify Medicare Claims Processing Systems
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened a competitive window for an eight‑year contract to deliver a unified, commercial‑off‑the‑shelf software platform called ClaimsCore. The system must consolidate four legacy claim‑processing applications, support over 2 million active users and...
Stranger Things Meets Cybersecurity: Lessons From the Hive Mind
The commentary likens modern cyber threats to the "hive mind" of Stranger Things, highlighting how botnets and APTs such as Salt Typhoon exploit default IoT credentials to create sprawling, often unseen attack surfaces. It stresses that telemetry—network traffic, logs, and user‑behavior data—combined...
Michigan House Committee Hears Proposal to Restrict State Drone Purchases
Michigan’s House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reviewed a bipartisan package of five bills (HB 5328‑5332) aimed at tightening drone regulations for state agencies. The core provisions ban the use of state funds to purchase or operate drones manufactured by companies...
Sprawling FBI, European Operation Takes Down Leakbase Cybercriminal Forum
The FBI, together with European law‑enforcement partners, dismantled Leakbase, a subscription‑based cybercrime forum that sold stolen credentials and exploit tools. The coordinated “Operation Leak” involved 100 actions against 45 targets across more than a dozen nations, resulting in 13 arrests,...
QuSecure Selected for Small Business Innovation Research Tactical Funding Increase Contract Award
QuSecure, Inc. has been awarded a $3.9 million SBIR Tactical Funding Increase contract by AFWERX to develop quantum‑resilient encryption for U.S. Air Force missions. The award supports the maturation of its QuProtect R3 platform, targeting Impact Level 6 authorization and deployment in classified...
Bergen County, New Jersey Quickly Expanding Municipal Fiber Footprint
Bergen County, New Jersey is rapidly expanding its municipal fiber Institutional Network (I‑Net), with recent launches in Little Ferry, Hillsdale and Lodi. The wholesale‑only network supplies fiber to municipalities, schools and libraries, allowing participating towns to cut broadband expenses by as...
Labor Advocates Try to Put the Brakes on Unregulated, Self-Driving Waymo Cars
Minnesota labor advocates are urging state lawmakers to halt the deployment of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles until clear safety and regulatory frameworks are established. Waymo currently operates driver‑assisted cars in Minneapolis to map streets, while the state lacks specific autonomous‑vehicle legislation....
Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act Gets Penultimate House Nod
The Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act (HB 7719) cleared its second reading in the House, mandating every barangay to maintain a voluntary, free registry of local skilled workers. Championed by Rep. Jolo Revilla, the bill seeks to make community‑level labor...
Sorting Methods for Online Deliberation: Towards a Principled Approach
The paper by Nicolien Janssens and Frederik van de Putte examines how online deliberation platforms should order citizen proposals. It introduces a conceptual framework that classifies sorting methods by purpose and the variables they consider. The authors critique the prevalent...
Cleveland Hospital Partners with OneDose for EMS-Specific Medication Safety
OneDose has launched eMACC, an electronic Medication Administration Cross‑Check app tailored for EMS clinicians, in partnership with University Hospitals’ EMS Institute. The tool digitizes cross‑checks, pushes protocol updates instantly, and aims to cut medication errors by more than 40 %. Early...
ASTP/ONC to Prioritize Interoperability in 2026
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) announced that interoperability will be its top priority in 2026, with a series of final rules aimed at strengthening health information exchange. Dr. Thomas Keane, HHS’s assistant secretary for technology policy, detailed the...
Artificial Intelligence and Government
The newly released book *Artificial Intelligence and Government* surveys how AI is reshaping public institutions worldwide, from climate resilience and urban planning to justice and service delivery. It details adoption strategies, readiness frameworks, and real‑world case studies that show governments...
CMS Advances Zero Trust, AI Security in IT Modernization Push
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accelerating its IT modernization by consolidating platforms, expanding shared services, and adopting a zero‑trust cybersecurity framework. Under Director Wade Zarriello, the agency has already exceeded its FY 2025 savings target, cutting $750 million in...
Telespazio Deploys LEO-Based Mobile Satcom for Brazil’s Presidential Security Office
Telespazio Brasil, a Leonardo‑Thales joint venture, has rolled out VELOCE, a low‑Earth‑orbit mobile satellite communications system for Brazil’s Institutional Security Office. The solution offers high‑speed, low‑latency voice and data links across the entire country, including the remote Amazon region where...
Samsara Uses AI to Help City Fleets Clear Snow After Storms
Syracuse, the nation’s snowiest city, has cut snow‑removal complaint calls by 30% after deploying Samsara’s AI‑enhanced GPS and dash‑cam system. The platform provides real‑time vehicle locations and video, feeding a public map that refreshes every five minutes and helps dispatch...
Defra Nears Exit of Legacy Datacentres but Retains Capgemini for £40m Digital ‘Capability as a Service’ Deal
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is close to completing a multi‑million‑pound programme to shut down its legacy datacentres, moving services to cloud platforms such as AWS. While a £9 million, 19‑month contract with Capgemini finalises the remaining...
NHS Tops Public Trust Rankings for AI Use
New Appian research shows the NHS is the most trusted UK public‑sector organization for responsible AI use. Sixty‑three percent of citizens trust the NHS with AI, outpacing banks (55%), retailers (60%) and technology firms (54%). Despite this confidence, only 6%...
Pentagon Vendor Cutoff Exposes the AI Dependency Map Most Enterprises Never Built
The Pentagon’s six‑month ban on Anthropic’s Claude has exposed a blind spot in enterprise AI risk management: most firms cannot map the full chain of AI model dependencies. A Panorays survey shows only 15% of CISOs have complete visibility, while...
From Data Ambition to Public Value
Governments have moved past debating data use and now face the challenge of governing data responsibly in an AI‑driven era. The article argues that traditional, technocratic data strategies fall short because they prioritize compliance over legitimacy, privacy, and public trust....
New Figures Reveal 7 Million Started a New Job in 2025
HM Revenue and Customs reported that more than 7 million people began new employment in 2025, a rise of 300,000 over the prior year. The data coincides with National Careers Week, during which HMRC is urging job‑seekers to download its mobile...
$825K Grant Helps Bring Ill. Fire Training Tower Closer to Construction
Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments secured an $825,000 federal grant, thanks to Rep. Eric Sorensen, to fund a shared regional fire training tower. The facility, slated for Rock Falls’ industrial park, will provide daily realistic training, reducing travel and...
An AI Avatar Is Running to Represent Indigenous Voters in Colombia
An AI avatar named Gaitana is being used to represent two Indigenous candidates in Colombia’s March 8 parliamentary election. Built on the DeepSeek large‑language model and secured with blockchain smart contracts, the platform aims to gather community consensus for legislative decisions....
As Market Pivots Toward Identity Resilience, iProov Surpasses 1M Daily Transactions
iProov, the leading science‑based biometric verification provider, announced it processed over one million daily transactions in 2025, marking a milestone in high‑assurance identity checks. The surge coincides with a Gartner‑reported 62% of organizations suffering deep‑fake attacks, prompting a market shift...
DSIT to Create ‘Action Plan’ to Boost Procurement Spend with UK SMEs
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will soon publish an action plan that sets a stretching target for procurement spending with UK‑based small and medium‑size enterprises (SMEs). Minister Baroness Liz Lloyd announced the strategy in response to a...
Digital ID Minister Replaced with Former Musician and Comms Advisor James Frith
James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North and former musician, has been appointed as the new minister overseeing the UK government's digital identity programme, replacing Josh Simons who resigned after an ethics probe. Simons' departure came amid concerns that his...
Intertraffic 2026: Navtech Enables Safer, Smarter Managed Lanes
Navtech showcased its ClearWay radar‑based Automatic Incident Detection (AID) system at Intertraffic 2026, highlighting its role in making dynamic hard‑shoulder lanes safer and more efficient. The solution continuously scans the entire carriageway, detecting stopped vehicles, debris, pedestrians and wrong‑way traffic...
Open-Source AI Hardware Could Weaken Big Tech’s Grip on AI
Current AI, a $400 million public‑interest partnership, unveiled an open‑source handheld AI device at the India AI Impact Summit. The offline prototype, built with India’s Bhashini translation project, can see, speak, and answer questions in Hindi and English, even identifying candy...
Unlocking the Power of Public Sector Data by Overcoming Common Strategy Pitfalls
Public sector organisations view data as a strategic asset, yet many treat data strategy as a one‑off document that quickly becomes obsolete. The article outlines common pitfalls—treating strategy as paperwork, ignoring people and culture, lacking clear purpose, and failing to...
Calls for Global Digital Estate Standard as Posthumous Deepfake Fraud Risk Grows
The OpenID Foundation released a report urging the creation of a global digital‑estate framework to protect deceased users’ online accounts. It warns that the absence of consistent standards leaves devices, social media, email and cryptocurrency vulnerable to fraud, especially as...
Metro – Live Facial Recognition Use Not Ruled Out in Oxford Street’s Pedestrianisation Plans
London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street, aiming to create a world‑leading urban space. While the pedestrianisation scheme is promoted as a safety boost, the mayor has not ruled out deploying live facial‑recognition cameras in the area....
SRT Signs $261M Deal for Maritime Surveillance System
UK‑based SRT Marine Systems has signed a $261 million contract with a sovereign government to deliver a national Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) system. The solution will fuse coastal sensors, vessel‑tracking, radar and satellite feeds into a single operational picture for security,...
MARS Coalition Advocates for Data-Driven Road Safety in the US
The Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety (MARS) Coalition is urging Congress to modernise federal road safety programs by adopting AI, telematics and predictive analytics. These technologies allow agencies to spot crash risks before they materialise, moving from reactive to preventive...
Outsourcing Crime Control: How EU Anti-Money Laundering Rules Threaten Financial Privacy
The European Union’s revised anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and counter‑terrorist financing framework transfers crime‑detection duties from public authorities to private banks and other obliged entities. By mandating extensive collection of personal and transactional data, the rules compel institutions to flag customers as...