The Storage “Tax” On Petabyte Surveillance Systems
European infrastructure operators are confronting a "storage tax" as cloud fees surge alongside petabyte‑scale 8K video streams and AI‑driven analytics. Disk Archive Corporation’s ALTO on‑premise archive promises cold‑storage cost levels with sub‑minute access, sidestepping volatile egress charges. Deep native integration with Milestone XProtect’s archiving tier automates migration from live SSD buffers to high‑density SATA arrays. The solution also meets GDPR, EU AI Act and data‑sovereignty mandates while cutting power use through spin‑down technology.
Scaleway Selected by the European Commission to Deliver a Sovereign Public Cloud & AI Platform to EU Institutions
Scaleway has been chosen as one of four providers for the European Commission’s Cloud III Dynamic Purchasing System, a €180 million (≈ $196 million) procurement that will supply sovereign cloud and AI services to EU institutions for up to six years. The selection follows...
Vietnam: Transerco Deploys 120 Electric Buses in Hanoi
Hanoi Transport Corporation (Transerco) deployed 120 electric buses across seven routes in April, expanding its low‑floor fleet. The buses, identified as VinFast’s EB 8 and Green Bus 8, are 8‑metre models with a 290‑km range per charge. Priced at roughly $146,000 each,...
EU Commission Calls for Consultation on the Business Wallet
The European Commission has opened a call for independent experts to join a new Technical Work Sub‑Group tasked with shaping the European Business Wallet (EBW). The group will define the wallet’s technical architecture, ensuring it is secure, interoperable and scalable...
Senate Bill Would Give Critical Infrastructure Sites Counter-UAS Authority
Senator Tom Cotton introduced the Critical Infrastructure Airspace Defense Act to grant private owners of high‑risk facilities authority to detect, track and neutralize unauthorized drones. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act, requiring DHS‑run training and certification and real‑time FAA...
DWP Retains ID-Verification Supplier as One Login Onboarding Continues
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has signed a one‑year, £508,000 (about $650,000) contract with TransUnion to validate pension‑payment bank accounts while its One Login identity platform is still being onboarded. One Login, a £350 million (≈$448 million) cross‑government sign‑in system,...
Urban Autonomy in America: What’s Real & What’s Next (Curbivore 2026)
The Curbivore 2026 panel, hosted by Forbes senior editor Alan Oensman, examined the current state and future hurdles of autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment in the U.S., covering robotaxis, delivery bots, and data infrastructure. Participants included Aaron from Korean robot‑delivery startup...
The Push for Permitting Reform
Congress is reviewing H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025, which would overhaul permitting for wireless and wired infrastructure. The bill imposes a 60‑to‑150‑day "shot clock" for state and local authorities to approve or deny permits, automatically granting...
AI-Enhanced Deliberative Democracy and the Future of the Collective Will
Manon Revel and Théophile Pénigaud examine AI‑enhanced deliberative democracy, outlining computational frameworks that aim to aggregate collective preferences more accurately than traditional opinion polls. They argue that preferences are shaped by context, making AI a potential discovery tool for uncovering...
Finally, Access: How Article 40 DSA Changes Platform Research in Practice
The EU’s Digital Services Act now grants independent researchers a legal right to access data from Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Search Engines serving at least 45 million EU users. Article 40 creates two routes: public‑data access beyond voluntary tools (40‑12)...
Signals From the Frontier of Digital Statecraft: Rethinking Governance in the Age of AI
Last week Cambridge’s Jesus College hosted the inaugural Digital Statecraft Fellows, bringing together policymakers, technologists, scholars, and practitioners to confront the question of governing in the age of AI. The convening, anchored by the Digital Statecraft Manifesto, moved beyond digitising...
US: $1.1 Billion to Be Invested Into Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a $1.1 billion investment to upgrade safety at railroad crossings nationwide. The funding, administered through the FRA’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, will support overpasses, underpasses, advanced signaling, track relocations, and public education initiatives....
EirGrid Announces Procurement Package for Irish Offshore Wind
EirGrid announced a procurement package valued at over €100 million (approximately $110 million) for the Powering Up Offshore – South Coast Tonn Nua Substation project. The package includes design, fabrication, installation and commissioning of offshore substations and related high‑voltage equipment. It is...
ICON Launches ICON Prime Defense Unit to Scale 3D Printed Construction for Military and Space Infrastructure
ICON has created a new defense‑focused unit, ICON Prime, to commercialize its large‑scale 3D‑printing construction systems for U.S. military and NASA space projects. Former CIA officer and Congressman Will Hurd was named president, tasked with expanding government partnerships. The unit already...
Supreme Court Weighs Fourth Amendment Limits on Geofence Warrants in $195,000 Bank Heist Case
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on the legality of geofence warrants—court orders that compel tech firms like Google to reveal location data of anyone within a virtual perimeter. The case stems from a Midlothian, Va., bank robbery that netted...
Indian Banks Boost Digital Defence as AI‑driven Cyber Threat Looms
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Indian government is working with banks and cyber agencies after Anthropic’s Claude Mythos AI model was flagged as a major cyber risk. The warning has spurred major Indian banks to upgrade digital‑defence systems, signaling...
The Legal Tech Giants Powering ICE, Part 1 — How Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis Helped Support America’s Immigration Surveillance Machine
Thomson Reuters and LexisNexis, the two dominant legal‑research platforms, have entered multi‑year contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to supply immigration case data and real‑time detainee records. The agreements, valued in the millions, enable ICE to automate risk‑scoring...
Ghana Unveils $32 Billion AI Strategy to Drive Growth and Inclusion by 2035
Ghana's Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations released an 84‑page National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025‑2035, targeting a 500 bn cedi ($32 bn) boost to GDP by 2035. The plan hinges on a $300 m AI fund, curriculum reform and sector‑wide adoption, positioning...
Corporate Giants Eye $50 B Rural Health Fund as Medicaid Cuts Loom
The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is drawing interest from large health‑tech coalitions eager to secure future payments. Small providers fear the influx of corporate money will dilute funds meant to offset...
ITS ISTANBUL: Turkey’s Deputy Minister Showcases 5G ITS Corridor
Turkey’s deputy transport minister Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan highlighted the nation’s 5G‑enabled intelligent transportation initiatives at the 17th ITS European Congress in Istanbul. He showcased a 40‑km corridor linking Hasdal junction to Istanbul Airport—the first deployment of 5G roadside units...
Oman TRA Plans 69 Field Visits to Check Telecoms Quality
Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) unveiled its 2026 field‑survey plan, scheduling 69 on‑site visits to assess telecom service quality nationwide. The inspections will span multiple governorates and focus on high‑traffic locations such as town centres, major roads, malls and event...
Watch Out UK Taxpayers: 28,000 HMRC Staffers Just Got an AI Copilot
HM Revenue & Customs has equipped 28,000 staff with Microsoft Copilot licences after a Whitehall trial showed an average daily time saving of 26 minutes per user. The rollout follows a 2025 pilot across 20,000 civil servants where over 70%...
Supreme Court Reviews Police Use of Cell Location Data to Find Criminals
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case on Monday challenging the use of geofence warrants, which allow police to collect location data from all cellphones near a crime scene. The case stems from a 2019 robbery of Call Federal...
Powering Up! How a Shared Foundation Model Is Improving Electrical Grid Management
Keen AI’s FoSMo is a shared computer‑vision foundation model funded by Ofgem to automate condition assessments across the UK electricity grid. By processing over a billion images, the model identifies defects on pylons and other assets, replacing manual video reviews...
Istanbul’s Integrated Mobility System Takes Centre Stage as ITS European Congress Opens
Istanbul hosts the ITS European Congress, showcasing its integrated urban mobility system as a live model for scaling beyond pilot projects. The city’s unique position across two continents forces a seamless multimodal network, with 45% of motorised trips using public...
TRAI Seeks Stakeholder Views on Public Wi-Fi Proliferation
India's telecom regulator TRAI has released a consultation paper seeking stakeholder feedback on expanding public Wi‑Fi. The paper follows the PM‑WANI scheme, which has installed 410,000 hotspots as of April 2026, with telecom operators contributing 55,483 hotspots and RailTel covering over...
As Aerospace Companies Pursue AI, FAA Lags
The Federal Aviation Administration’s aging processes and staffing cuts are slowing aircraft certification as aerospace firms race to embed artificial intelligence in design and development. Boeing, Airbus, GE and emerging eVTOL players rely on AI to accelerate product cycles, yet...
The International PLUS-Forum Digital Uzbekistan Will Be Held in Tashkent for the Sixth Time
The International PLUS‑Forum Digital Uzbekistan is set to convene in Tashkent for its sixth edition, gathering policymakers, fintech innovators, and e‑commerce leaders from across Central Asia and Europe. The forum will spotlight Uzbekistan’s digital‑economy roadmap, including recent regulatory reforms, blockchain...
‘Once Only’ Won’t Work Until We Fix the First Mile
The UK’s ‘Once Only’ agenda promises citizens won’t have to submit the same information repeatedly, but the effort stalls at the data‑entry stage. Most public agencies still capture information as scanned PDFs, which are image files lacking structure. Without accurate,...
Geovation Launches Its 22nd Accelerator Programme
Geovation, the innovation arm of Ordnance Survey, has opened its 22nd Accelerator Programme, the latest cohort of eight early‑stage startups selected from hundreds of applicants. The programme runs two tracks—Location Intelligence with OS and PropTech with HM Land Registry—supporting solutions...
Planning Data Powers Lead to Standardisation
The UK government has introduced new regulations requiring English local planning authorities to publish key plan‑making data—such as timetables and housing targets—in a standardized digital format. This marks the first use of planning data powers under the Levelling Up and...
KPMG Shares Insights on Digital Euro Functioning as Legal Tender Across Eurozone Under EU Rules
KPMG reports the European Central Bank is accelerating the rollout of a digital euro that will be legal tender across the eurozone under forthcoming EU rules. The CBDC is positioned as a risk‑free, fully backed public‑money alternative to private stablecoins,...
Fire Trucks Turn Into Mobile Drone Command Centers
China is turning fire trucks into drone launch systems. And that is a much bigger shift than it sounds. What interests me here is not just the hardware. It is the new logic of emergency response. Instead of relying only on ladders and human...
Digital Identity Should Be Treated as Data Verification
Check out my latest article: Rethinking Digital Identity as Data Verification (synopsis) https://t.co/jgdbLTPIsh via @LinkedIn
Europe Craves Its Own Superhacking AI
Europe’s cybersecurity chiefs warn that Anthropic’s new Mythos AI, capable of uncovering thousands of high‑severity vulnerabilities, could become a weapon in the hands of adversaries. The model’s limited U.S. rollout has sparked fears of a cyber‑arms race and highlighted Europe’s...
UK Spends £550 on Digital ID, Silences Press
UK govt shells out £550 for Digital ID panel, bans press https://t.co/jMMSDnEqaN "You don't need to know anything about this topic to take part" should be the UK Government's motto. https://t.co/oq6P4ZG2pA
FuelEU Maritime Calculation Error Exposes Operators to Millions in Unintended Penalties
A flaw in EMSA's Thetis compliance system miscalculated ice‑class voyages under the EU FuelEU Maritime rule, causing compliant operators to receive incorrect emission balances. The error persisted past the March 31 2026 verification deadline, locking many pools with inflated compliance figures. EMSA...
US Government Ramps up Mass Surveillance with Help of AI Tech, Data Brokers, Your Apps and Devices
The U.S. government is dramatically expanding its mass‑surveillance capabilities by pairing $165 billion in annual DHS funding with AI‑driven analytics and private‑sector contracts. Agencies such as ICE have secured roughly $86 billion, while the FBI openly purchases bulk location data from commercial...
UNICEF and Gombe State Deploy Nigeria Learning Passport to Reach 1,000 Teachers and 20 Schools
UNICEF and the Gombe State government launched the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) in Gombe, providing 100 tablets, training 30 technical staff and pledging to train up to 1,000 teachers in 20 schools. The offline‑first platform, now active in 24 states,...
U.S. Air Force AI Flight Test Assistant Slashes Planning Time to Minutes
The U.S. Air Force has fielded an AI Flight Test Assistant (AFTA) that generates draft test plans, hazard assessments and technical reports in minutes instead of days. The tool, deployed at the Air Force Test Center, promises to accelerate the...
Bank Robber Challenges Conviction Based on His Cellphone's Location Data
A federal appeals court is reviewing a 2019 Richmond bank robbery conviction that hinged on a geofence warrant, which harvested cellphone location data from users near the crime scene. The warrant helped police pinpoint suspect Okello Chatrie, leading to a...
Home Office Acknowledges ‘Risk’ Posed by Remote English-Language Tests
The UK Home Office plans to shift its visa English‑language assessment to a fully remote format by late 2027, launching a procurement worth up to £816 million (about $1.03 billion). Ministers warned that AI tools, wearable devices and other technologies pose significant...
MoD Working up Enhanced ‘Commercial Leakage’ Analytics Capability, Perm Sec Says
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is rolling out an enhanced "commercial leakage" analytics capability built on Oracle Fusion Cloud and AI‑driven cloud analytics to spot fraud and errors in its massive invoicing process. Over the past three years the...
U.S. Air Force Issues AI‑Centric Data Strategy, Calls for Immediate Overhaul
On April 17, 2026, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink signed two new strategy documents that embed artificial intelligence at the heart of Air Force operations. The papers expose a broken data architecture, mandate a data‑mesh approach, and create...
California Advances Bills to Force Insurers to Explain Non‑Renewals and Tighten Enforcement
Sen. Ben Allen’s SB 1301 and SB 1209 cleared a Senate committee, mandating insurers to disclose reasons for non‑renewals and imposing deadlines with fines for non‑compliance. The measures target California’s high non‑renewal rate and a 230% rise in FAIR Plan...
White House Calls for Boosted Grid Infrastructure Production
Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as Amended, on Grid Infrastructure, Equipment, and Supply Chain Capacity – The White House https://t.co/I8umyQLgYR
Singapore: AI, Digital Innovation Reshape Student-Centred Education
Singapore's Ministry of Education unveiled the EdTech Masterplan 2030, a long‑term strategy to embed AI and digital tools in classrooms. The plan adopts a pedagogy‑first, student‑centred approach, emphasizing personalised learning, digital literacy and cyber‑wellness. It calls for upskilling teachers, building...
Vietnam: UAV Technology to Power Smart Aerial Economy
Vietnam has unveiled a national UAV strategy to build a low‑altitude economy below 1,000 metres, positioning Hanoi as a testbed for smart governance, regulatory sandboxes, and eVTOL trials. The roadmap focuses on four pillars: transport, dual‑use civilian‑defence applications, domestic design...
Malaysia: Predictive AI to Transform Disaster Response, Public Safety
Malaysia’s government is deploying predictive artificial intelligence to overhaul disaster response and public safety. The National Disaster Management Agency will use real‑time monsoon and rainfall analytics to shift from reactive to proactive operations, targeting a 30‑40% cut in emergency response...
UK Government Move to Delay Social Media Ban Faces Pushback in Lords
The UK government has tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would postpone new social‑media restrictions for children by up to three years. The move provoked fierce opposition in the House of Lords, where peers are...