From Risk to Resilience: Securing Continuity in UK Data Centers
UK data centers, designated as critical national infrastructure, face mounting resilience challenges. Growing cyber threats, unpredictable power supply, and aging cooling systems are compounded by AI-driven high‑density workloads that exceed legacy capacity. Recent incidents—including a four‑day outage at Defra’s data center—highlight the urgency for operators to shift from reactive fixes to proactive, automated resilience strategies. Implementing real‑time monitoring, software‑defined networking, and independent remote access is now seen as essential to maintain continuity.
Cool Cities Lab Heat-Mapping Tool Helps Cities Target Relief Where It’s Needed Most
World Resources Institute’s Cool Cities Lab, an open‑source heat‑mapping platform, launched in March and is now active in more than 20 cities worldwide. The tool provides block‑level data on temperature, humidity and thermal comfort, allowing municipalities to model the cooling...
Asset Reality Tackles the Challenge of Seized Assets
Asset Reality is building a unified software platform to modernize how law‑enforcement agencies manage seized assets. The solution centralizes tracking, documentation, and recovery workflows for both physical items and digital currencies such as crypto. Founder Aidan Larkin, drawing on his...
OpenID Launches Working Group to Ease KYC with mDLs
The OpenID Foundation has launched an eKYC and Identity Assurance Working Group to address KYC gaps exposed by NIST’s draft SP 1800‑42 guidance on mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs). The group will extend the OpenID Identity Assurance Schema and OpenID Connect protocols...
Reforming the Human Services Safety Net: A Conversation with Clarence Carter, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Human Services
In this episode, Michael Keegan talks with Clarence Carter, Tennessee’s Department of Human Services commissioner and author of *Our Net Has Holes in It*, about the systemic flaws in America’s safety‑net and how to redesign it for outcomes rather than...
Sri Lanka Urges Daytime EV Charging to Ease Grid Pressure
Sri Lanka is urging electric‑vehicle owners to shift charging from night to daytime to ease a 300 MW evening load spike. The country’s grid relies heavily on a 900 MW coal plant and about 1,000 MW of diesel capacity at night, while solar...
A Bill Would Explore Making NH a ‘Technology First’ State on Disability. Here’s What that Means.
Lawmakers and disability advocates in New Hampshire are pushing House Bill 1685 to explore a "technology‑first" approach for state‑run disability services. The bill would create a commission of legislators, advocates, people with disabilities and families to study how assistive technologies...
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South Africa's National AI Policy Moves Forward
South Africa’s government has released a draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy for public comment, with feedback due by June 10, 2026. Approved by Cabinet on March 25, 2026, the policy outlines six core pillars ranging from talent development to ethical governance and cultural preservation....
At Splunk GovSummit, IHS Leaders Tie Cybersecurity Directly to Patient Care
At the 2026 Splunk GovSummit, Indian Health Service (IHS) leaders linked cybersecurity directly to patient care, emphasizing that security is a clinical enabler. Serving roughly 2.7 million patients across 37 states, IHS prioritizes resilience and real‑time visibility to keep care uninterrupted,...
Santa Monica Breaks Ground on $56m Zero-Emission Bus and Charging Project
Santa Monica has launched a $56 million zero‑emission bus program, backed by a $53.3 million state grant, to expand its battery‑electric fleet and build overhead gantry chargers. The initiative will support up to 195 electric buses and aims for a fully zero‑emission...
Airports Report Delays and Disruption as Europe’s Entry Exit System Begins Full Operation
The EU’s Entry‑Exit System (EES) entered full operation on 10 April, triggering extensive delays at Schengen airports as every third‑country national must be registered. Peak‑hour border checks stretched to two‑three hours, forcing airlines to cancel or depart with empty cabins. Airport...
Scotland Plans New National Tax Platform
Scotland’s Revenue Scotland announced a plan to procure a new cloud‑based digital platform to replace the Scottish Electronic Tax System (SETS). The platform will support at least five devolved taxes, case management, workflow automation, and analytics for roughly 80 back‑office...
VerXid Deploys Barnksforte Biometrics for Nigeria Airport ID Rollout
Nigeria’s aviation ministry has signed a concession agreement with VerXid to deploy a facial‑biometrics system called VPass across all domestic airports. The technology, supplied by Barnksforte Technologies, meets both National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and ICAO enrollment standards. VPass will...
Veterans Affairs Has Lost Track of Software Licenses Amid $985M Bill
The GAO report reveals the Department of Veterans Affairs struggles to accurately track software licenses within its roughly $985 million annual software budget. The VA has identified its five biggest vendors but cannot determine if it is over‑ or under‑licensed. Preliminary...
EasyJet Passengers Describe EU Border 'Nightmare'
EasyJet passengers at Milan Linate faced two‑to‑three‑hour passport‑control queues after the EU’s new Entry‑Exit System (EES) went live on 10 April, causing more than 100 travelers to miss their Manchester flight. The biometric and facial‑recognition checks triggered vomiting, fainting and chaotic...
Zimbabwe Boosts Cybersecurity as AI-Driven Cyber Fraud Surges
Zimbabwe is ramping up its cybersecurity defenses as AI‑driven fraud spikes, with deepfake voice cloning and automated phishing tools targeting mobile money users and public services. The government reports cyber‑related losses exceeding $30 million a year and a 40% rise in...
FBI Classifies Suspected Chinese Breach of Wiretap Surveillance System as ‘Major Incident’
The FBI announced that a suspected Chinese state‑sponsored intrusion compromised its Digital Collection System Network (DCSNet), the internal platform that manages pen‑register and trap‑and‑trace wiretap data. The breach, achieved through a commercial ISP vendor, was classified as a “major incident”...
Top ICT Tenders: Transversal Computing Contract up for Grabs
The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) has issued a new transversal computing contract that will replace the 2020 RFB 740 tender. The contract covers outright purchase of desktop and mobile PCs, monitors, printers, biometric devices, consumables and related services for South...
OpenText Extends Sovereign Cloud Reach via AWS and S3NS Alliances
OpenText announced separate alliances with Amazon Web Services and French provider S3NS to deliver sovereign cloud services across Europe. The AWS partnership will host OpenText Content Management, Documentum, Core Application Security and Service Management on the AWS European Sovereign Cloud....
New Industry Resource Announced by DSA: Best Practice Guidelines for ID Documents
The Document Security Alliance, together with INTERGRAF and the Secure Identity Alliance, released the Minimum Security Standards for Identity Documents, a best‑practice guide for state issuers. The guidelines address integration of physical security features with embedded digital elements and aim...
Why DHS No Longer Has a Compliance Mindset for Cybersecurity
In this episode of Ask the CIO, former DHS Chief Information Security Officer Hemant Badewin discusses his 15‑year federal career, why he chose to leave at this pivotal moment, and his new role as Executive CISO at Knox Systems. He...
AI Skills Library Turns Playbooks Into Instant Outputs
The UK Government Digital Service manual is probably the best digital playbook ever produced. Comprehensive, well-structured, genuinely useful. It also presumably took hundreds of hours to write and is read by a small fraction of the people it was intended for. That's...
India: AAI Launches New Platform for Infrastructure Monitoring & Airport Profiling
India’s Airports Authority (AAI) unveiled an Integrated Digital Monitoring Platform, combining a BIM‑based Project Monitoring System with an Online Airport Directory Dashboard. The AI‑enhanced platform offers real‑time visibility into infrastructure development, financial progress, and operational performance across Indian airports. Interactive...
Investigation Exposes ‘Chameleon Carrier’ Trucking Schemes Threatening U.S. Road Safety
An eight‑month CBS News investigation uncovered a network of “chameleon carriers” that repeatedly shed identities to dodge safety violations. Analysts estimate 10‑20% of the 700,000 U.S. trucking companies operate under this model, contributing to thousands of infractions and more than...
EU Considers Toughening up on ChatGPT
The European Commission is evaluating whether to classify OpenAI’s ChatGPT as a large online search engine under the Digital Services Act. OpenAI disclosed that ChatGPT had 120.4 million average monthly active users in the EU, surpassing the 45 million threshold that triggers...
Supreme Court Judge Warns AI Must Remain a Support, Not a Substitute, for Judicial Reasoning
Supreme Court Justice Rajesh Bindal told a national conference on judicial process re‑engineering that artificial intelligence must serve only as a supportive instrument and must never override human judicial reasoning. He also warned of data‑confidentiality risks tied to open‑source AI...
Connecticut Bill Would Force Employers to Disclose AI Resume Screening
Connecticut's Senate Bill 00435 would compel all employers to notify job applicants when artificial‑intelligence systems scan their résumés or take part in hiring decisions. The measure, backed by labor unions and employee advocates, aims to curb bias and give workers...
Hochtief JV Secures €220 Million (≈$237 M) Czech Airport Modernization Deal
Hochtief AG’s infrastructure joint venture has been awarded a €220 million (about $237 million) contract to modernize the Cáslav military airport in the Czech Republic. The work, slated from April 2026 through late 2028, includes a full runway rebuild and upgraded lighting, reinforcing the...
GeDIG Legislation and the Sovereignty of the German Digital Health Front Door
Germany’s GeDIG legislation redesigns the electronic patient record (ePA) as a mandatory "digital front door" for all insured citizens, shifting patient routing from private platforms to insurer‑managed apps. The law creates the Digitalagentur Gesundheit, a state‑run agency with sovereign powers...
Frank Bisignano Named IRS Commissioner, Bringing Wall Street Turnaround Expertise
Frank Bisignano has been appointed to head the Internal Revenue Service, leveraging a four‑decade career that includes leadership roles at Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and the First Data‑Fiserv merger. His reputation as a turnaround specialist signals a push for operational efficiency...
This U.S. State Just Banned Public Funding for Port Automation
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5995, permanently prohibiting the use of public funds for fully automated container‑handling equipment at the state’s ports. The ban applies to both port districts and development authorities, including Seattle and Tacoma, which together...
In Its Push to Become Big Tech’s Data Center Hub, India Is Overlooking Local Resistance
India has rolled out a 20‑year tax holiday to lure U.S. cloud giants such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta to build multibillion‑dollar data‑center campuses. The incentive package, including up to $2.4 billion in subsidies for Google’s $15 billion Andhra Pradesh project,...
Three IDV Mistakes Slowing Your eID Readiness
The identity verification (IDV) sector is rapidly moving away from document‑based checks toward government‑issued digital IDs as AI‑driven fraud escalates. Regulators in Europe and beyond are mandating eID adoption, and large enterprise clients—banks, fintechs, and global platforms—are already demanding compliant...
Tech at Centre of SA’s Border Control over Easter
South Africa’s Border Management Authority reported a 24% drop in illegal crossings during the 2026 Easter period, intercepting 4,763 travelers versus 6,253 the previous year. The decline coincided with a 22% rise in arrests of migration facilitators, reaching 138 individuals....
Korean University Students Invited to Build UAM Aircraft and Plan Vertiports of the Future
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority have launched the 2026 National University Student UAM Olympiad, inviting university teams to design urban air‑mobility aircraft and plan vertiport infrastructure. The competition runs from April 10...
ETSI’s Response to the European Commission’s Proposal for the Cybersecurity Act 2
On 15 April 2026 ETSI issued a formal position paper responding to the European Commission’s proposal for the Cybersecurity Act 2. The standards body endorses a risk‑based, tiered certification framework, calls for transparent governance and stakeholder input, and stresses the need...
Cordel Secures District Line LiDAR Deal Amid Rail Digitisation Surge
Macro: urban rail digitisation accelerates; Cordel wins District Line LiDAR+AI rollout after Central Line success; key: TfL adoption and in‑tunnel geo‑location; risk: execution; trading insight: initiate a small long in CRDL on pullbacks. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Accenture and Google Cloud Unveil Brussels Centre to Accelerate Sovereign AI Adoption
Accenture and Google Cloud have launched a Sovereign Centre in Brussels, featuring a dedicated training facility and an air‑gapped environment for secure AI and cloud experimentation. The centre combines Accenture’s industry and AI expertise with Google Distributed Cloud’s air‑gapped technology...
Delhi's EV Mandate Secures Market for Local Manufacturers
This draft introduces a "stick." By mandating that 100% of new two-wheeler registrations must be electric by FY29, the Delhi government is effectively guaranteeing a captive market for players like Ather, Ola, and TVS.
Nordic‑Baltic Nations Deploy Offline Card Payments for Essentials
Nordic/Baltic states are creating system to allow offline card payment purchases for essentials like gas/medicine/food to continue in case of internet/grid outage due to war/cyber/sabotage. Systems supposed to be in place this yr. Announcement last yr: https://t.co/KKJqG76TR9
CEF Funds for the Digitalisation of Rail Capacity in Portugal
Portugal’s rail infrastructure manager Infraestruturas de Portugal has secured €600,000 (≈$654,000) in European Connecting Europe Facility funding to digitise rail capacity management. The initiative will deliver the Infrastructure Register (RINF) and integrate it with a new technical cadastre, targeting full...
Europe Is Dismantling Its Own Rulebook to Compete with America
On 19 November 2025 the European Commission unveiled a Digital Omnibus package that amends the AI Act, GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, Data Act and several cybersecurity rules. The proposal delays high‑risk AI obligations by up to 16 months, adds a GDPR “legitimate‑interest” basis for...
Modern Digital Identity Is Win for Government, People and Banks
South Africa is at a turning point as it moves from paper‑based verification to a reusable digital identity layer. The 2024 South Africa Identity Index shows 44.8% of organisations still depend on in‑person checks, while AI‑driven fraud is flagged by...
MoH Urges Hospitals to Accelerate Electronic Medical Records
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health (MoH) issued Document No.04/CT-BYT on April 7, ordering all hospitals to complete electronic medical record (EMR) implementation by Dec 31, 2026 and to cease paper records by 2027. The directive builds on existing laws and circulars and reflects...
India Unveils New Security Standards for Its Digital Payments System to Drive Global Adoption
India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has rolled out new security norms covering biometric authentication, QR‑code payments, and digital‑currency handling. The guidelines aim to curb fraud, improve interoperability, and build consumer confidence in the country’s fast‑growing fintech ecosystem. BIS consulted...
API Architecture Updated at GDS
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is overhauling the API architecture that powers GOV.UK, moving from a page‑centric Publishing API to a more modular, data‑focused system. The team is evaluating GraphQL as the primary query language to deliver only the content...
Telecoms Consumer Charter — Sky Broadband Change Calls Into Question What Exactly Is the Point?
Sky Broadband has replaced its explicit £3‑per‑month price rise (about $3.80) with a vague "price may change" clause, testing the limits of the government‑backed Telecoms Consumer Charter. The voluntary charter, signed by major operators, promises consumers certainty and bans unexpected...
DVLA Adopts Natural Language Processing for Call Handling
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has replaced its traditional touchtone IVR with a natural‑language voice recognition system powered by Google DialogFlow and Content Guru’s Storm platform. Around 900,000 callers per month now describe their issue in their own...
Your Child’s Screen Time Rules Could Change, Here’s How UK Parents Can Shape New Online Safety Laws
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched a national consultation, "Growing up in the online world," to reshape children’s digital wellbeing laws. Over 45,000 people – including nearly 6,000 young respondents – have already submitted views, with...
UK PM Keir Starmer Declares War on Doomscrolling
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told BBC Radio that endless scrolling on Instagram and TikTok is a public‑health problem and urged platforms to curb addictive mechanisms. He announced a government consultation on banning social‑media accounts for anyone under 16, with a...