Intel Accelerates Fab Expansion with $500 Million CHIPS Act Funding
Intel has revived its dormant Fab 9 and neighboring Fab 11X, injecting $500 million in CHIPS Act funding to accelerate advanced chip‑packaging capacity. The move is aimed at securing high‑margin AI‑related contracts with hyperscalers and positioning the United States as a more resilient semiconductor supplier.
Minneapolis Area Cities Shutting Off License Plate Cameras
Twin Cities police departments have been installing automated license‑plate readers (ALPRs) from Flock Safety, but several municipalities are now pulling back. Brooklyn Park terminated its $24,000 contract and is switching to Axon after privacy and service complaints, while Shorewood shut off...
Missouri AI Regulations Stall as Lawmakers Fear Loss of Rural Broadband Funds
Missouri lawmakers stalled a statewide AI liability bill after concerns it could jeopardize roughly $900 million in remaining federal broadband funds earmarked for rural internet expansion. The legislation would hold individuals or companies liable for AI‑caused harms, prohibit AI legal personhood,...
Maine Is Close to Passing a Moratorium on New Datacenters
Maine’s Senate approved LD 307, imposing a moratorium on new data centers larger than 20 megawatts until November 1, 2027. The bill also creates a Data Center Coordination Council to oversee environmental and electricity impacts. The move follows secretive deals in Lewiston...
Cavnue Wins VDOT Contract for Lane-Level Traffic Data Service on I-95
Cavnue, a Consor Engineers subsidiary, secured a Virginia Department of Transportation contract to deploy its Smart Road Platform along the I‑95 corridor in Richmond. The managed service will deliver lane‑level traffic data, enabling real‑time incident detection and corridor management for...
EdgeRunner Wins U.S. Space Force Contract for AI Agents
EdgeRunner AI has been awarded a firm‑fixed price contract by the U.S. Space Force to deliver domain‑specific artificial‑intelligence agents for Guardians. Over the next six months the startup will deploy its on‑device platform into the Space Force’s IL‑5 classified environment,...
Inside the Army’s FUZE Model for Rapid Tech Deployment
The U.S. Army launched the FUZE innovation engine last fall to accelerate the discovery, development, and fielding of emerging technologies. FUZE consolidates previously fragmented Army innovation efforts and overlays them with a venture‑capital‑style investment model. By making multiple small, calculated...
Los Angeles to Open Subway Extension May 8
Los Angeles Metro will open a 3.92‑mile D‑Line subway extension on May 8, adding three new stations and terminating at La Cienega Boulevard. The agency projects 16,200 weekday boardings for the new segment, which is part of a $3.7 billion plan slated for...
US-Created New Car Assessment Program Takes a Leap Forward in Europe
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s NCAP, launched in 1979, has been eclipsed by Europe’s Euro NCAP, which has driven down fatal crashes on the continent. Euro NCAP’s upcoming 2026 protocol adds driver‑monitoring, robust ADAS testing, cabin‑button focus, and...
Anchorage Digital, Custodies USDM1, On-Chain Sovereign Debt Issued by the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered digital‑asset bank, announced it will custody USDM1, a U.S.‑dollar‑denominated sovereign debt instrument issued on the blockchain by the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The debt is collateralized one‑to‑one with U.S. Treasury securities and is issued...
$51 Million In New EV Charger Funding Available In Michigan
Michigan’s Department of Transportation announced the release of $51 million in discretionary NEVI formula funds to accelerate fast‑charging infrastructure across the state. The money will target gaps on major highways, aiming for a charger roughly every 60 miles and expanding the network...
A Guide to the ADA Title II Accessibility Rule
The DOJ’s ADA Title II rule requires all public‑sector digital content to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 24 2026, with a one‑year extension to April 26 2027 for entities serving under 50,000 residents. The regulation covers websites, mobile apps, online courses, and virtual events, directly...
Reliable Robotics Completes Detect and Avoid Testing for the FAA
Reliable Robotics announced the completion of a Federal Aviation Administration contract to conduct Detect and Avoid (DAA) flight tests using its ACAS X‑based system around Hollister Municipal Airport. The campaign, performed with Virginia Tech and partners Sagetech, Collins and uAvionix, generated...
StatGPT and the Fourth Wave of Open Data
Decades of investment in statistical systems have yielded abundant official data, yet users still struggle to discover, interpret, and apply it. The IMF’s new StatGPT report argues that the core issue is not data availability but (re)usability, highlighting fragmented portals,...
Trump's $73B GovTech Budget Cuts Target NIH, NSF and Security Programs
President Donald Trump unveiled a FY2027 discretionary budget that trims $73 billion from domestic programs, including a $5 billion reduction to the National Institutes of Health and a 55% cut to the National Science Foundation. The plan reshapes federal research, health tech...
ADA Rule Targets Digital Barriers for Blind College Students After WVU Accessibility Lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Justice unveiled a final rule updating the Americans with Disabilities Act’s digital‑accessibility standards, set to become enforceable at the end of April. The rule follows complaints from blind graduate students at West Virginia University who say...
Centre Moves to Tighten IT Rules, Seeks Industry Feedback on Online Content Regulation
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued draft amendments to the 2021 IT Rules, seeking to tighten regulation of online news and current‑affairs content. The proposals introduce clearer definitions, data‑retention mandates, and a shared oversight model with the...
Robotaxi Firms Refuse Senate Request for Remote‑operator Intervention Data
Seven robotaxi firms—Aurora, May Mobility, Motional, Nuro, Tesla, Waymo and Zoox—have refused Sen. Ed Markey’s request for data on remote assistance operator (RAO) interventions. The denial intensifies a Senate‑led probe into safety oversight and data transparency for autonomous‑vehicle platforms.
Welcome to Cryptostan: Kyrgyzstan and the Emerging Crypto Corridor
In October 2025 Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, advised by Binance founder CZ, launched the national stablecoin KGST, recognized a digital som CBDC, and announced a state crypto reserve. Crypto transactions in Kyrgyzstan surged to an estimated $20‑32 billion in 2025, dwarfing...
Colorado's New Speed Cameras Can't Be Outsmarted by Waze
Colorado has activated an automated speed‑camera system on a five‑mile stretch of I‑25 south of Fort Collins, using paired cameras to calculate average speed rather than a single radar snapshot. The program, part of CDOT’s Speed Enforcement initiative, began enforcement on...
Federal Agencies Turn to AI to Transform Contact Centers at Scale
Federal agencies, led by the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Labor, are deploying Salesforce’s Agentforce AI platform to overhaul contact‑center operations. By automating tier‑0 inquiries and providing real‑time assistance, AI is closing call‑handling gaps without adding headcount. Both...
The Trolleybuses Returns to Tallinn
Tallinn’s trolleybus fleet renewal is now underway, with the first of 40 new vehicles completed and ready for testing. The new fleet, comprising 12‑metre and 18‑metre Škoda‑SOR models, will replace the aging 49‑bus fleet delivered between 2002 and 2010. Deliveries...
US Archives Release Nazi Party Records for Public Search
The US National Archives opened up Nazi party member cards and @DIEZEIT made them searchable so German families can examine their heritage. MAGA be aware: Your descendants will ask what you did in fascist America. They will judge you. https://t.co/Vhn8osAgSE
Zoho Books Comes Full Circle with MTD for Income Tax
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is now fully supported in Zoho Books, adding end‑of‑year submissions and a complete tax‑return filing capability. Sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000 (≈ $63,500) in the 2024/25 tax year must use HMRC‑recognised software...
NHS Preps Major Tech Programme to ‘Transform Patient, Public and Staff-Facing Services’
On 1 April, NHS England launched the TPPSFS programme, a £250 million (£320 million) initiative that subsumes the existing Digital Transformation of Screening project and aims to overhaul patient, public and staff‑facing services. The plan outlines eight priority areas, including a full...
TRAI Pulls Up Reliance Jio Over Tariff Practices, Sets April 14 Deadline for Compliance: Reports
India’s telecom regulator TRAI has ordered Reliance Jio to stop certain tariff practices deemed non‑transparent and discriminatory, giving the operator until April 14 to comply. The directives require Jio to publish all special tariff vouchers—Rs 249 (≈$3), Rs 199 (≈$2.4), and Rs 209 (≈$2.5)—across...
FCC Seeks Comment on Communications Marketplace Competition
The Federal Communications Commission has issued a public notice inviting industry stakeholders and the public to comment on its 2026 Communications Marketplace Report, which evaluates competition across fixed broadband, mobile wireless, satellite, and cross‑platform services. The solicitation emphasizes convergence among...
Sri Lanka Bets on Fee-Free QR Payments to Move Past Cash Into the Digital Age
Sri Lanka has launched a National QR Payment Promotion Programme, removing merchant fees on LankaQR transactions up to 5,000 rupees (about $13.5). The fee waiver, announced on April 6, targets small retailers and aims to shift everyday commerce from cash to...
NHS England on Digital-by-Default, EPR Adoption, Optimisation, Improving Workflows
NHS England reports steady progress toward a digital‑by‑default NHS, with most trusts now running electronic patient records (EPRs) and central data repositories. High‑performing trusts are 8% more productive per pound, achieve a 4% shorter length of stay, and meet referral...
Inverter-Based Resource Performance History Leads to Regulatory Change
NERC has introduced three new standards—PRC-028-1, PRC-029-1, and PRC-030-1—to tighten inverter‑based resource (IBR) reliability after the 2022 Odessa event caused a 2,555 MW loss of solar and synchronous generation. PRC-028-1 mandates high‑resolution disturbance monitoring and 90‑day reporting; PRC-029-1 enforces IEEE‑2800 voltage...
Agencies Could Be Required to Move Loan Systems to 1 Platform Under Bipartisan Bill
Bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7789 and S. 3980) would require federal credit agencies to move their loan‑management systems onto a single shared‑services platform, Lending.gov, or justify exemptions. The bill targets a $5 trillion loan portfolio spread across roughly 20 agencies, from student...
DSIT and DESNZ IT Unit Signs £7.5m Laptop Deal
The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) unit, serving the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), has signed a Dell contract worth up to £7.5 million (≈$9.6 million). The initial 12‑month phase,...
MPs Urge Creation of National Body to Combat Disinformation
The UK Foreign Affairs Committee has called on ministers to establish a statutory National Counter Disinformation Centre to counter foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). The report notes that seven government departments – including the FCDO, MoD, Home Office and...
Claudia Sheinbaum’s Blitzkrieg War on Cash
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a nine‑month push to make digital payments mandatory at gas stations and toll booths, aiming to curb the country’s reliance on cash. The plan hinges on the Bank of Mexico’s CoDi platform, which now offers zero‑commission...
Airbility, iBuzz, KILSA Partner to Develop High-Speed Security eVTOLs
South Korean eVTOL developer Airbility has signed an MoU with Thailand’s NT iBuzz, SmartOkO Thailand, and Singapore‑based KILSA Global to develop high‑speed, security‑focused unmanned aircraft. The partnership will combine Airbility’s high‑speed eVTOL platform with iBuzz’s secure communications, SmartOkO’s AI video‑analytics,...
LawNext Podcast: Learned Hand’s Shlomo Klapper on Why Courts Are the Next Frontier for Legal AI
In a LawNext podcast, Shlomo Klapper, founder and CEO of Learned Hand, argues that courts represent the next major frontier for legal AI. Drawing on his experience as a litigator and appellate clerk, Klapper describes a new "reasoning engine" that...
Delta CEO Bastian Calls AI Modernization of Air Traffic Control Aviation’s Biggest Opportunity
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told Fortune that artificial intelligence offers the airline industry its most impactful gain – modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system. He warned that AI could cut travel times and improve reliability more than...
FCC Proposes Extending Ban on Chinese Networking Gear to All Products
The Federal Communications Commission has issued a proposal to expand its existing ban on Chinese networking gear, covering not only new models but also equipment previously authorized. The move targets Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision, Dahua, Hytera and other firms, prompting comments...
Metro Cities Halt Flock Safety License‑Plate Readers Amid Privacy Outcry
Dunwoody, Georgia, and several other U.S. cities have voted to defer renewal or shut down Flock Safety’s automated license‑plate‑reader cameras after residents raised privacy and security concerns. The move puts roughly $860,000 of recent municipal spending under review and signals...
BNY Mellon and Robinhood to Launch Treasury's $1,000 "Trump Accounts" For Children
The U.S. Treasury announced that Bank of New York Mellon will serve as financial agent and Robinhood Markets will build the digital platform for the new "Trump Accounts" program. Each child born between 2025 and 2028 will receive a $1,000...
Romanian Railway Modernisation Contracts Awarded
Romania’s rail infrastructure manager CFR SA awarded the TrackWorks consortium—led by Alstom and Terna—contracts to modernise 83 km of the Craiova‑Drobeta Turnu Severin‑Caransebeș line. The €992 million programme will raise passenger speeds to 160 km/h and freight to 120 km/h while upgrading electrification and signalling...
Dollar Stablecoins versus a Retail Digital Euro? They Are Different – Not Rivals
The U.S. Congress enacted the GENIUS Act, requiring stablecoin issuers to back each token with short‑dated Treasury securities, effectively tying the burgeoning stablecoin market to U.S. sovereign debt. This framework mirrors the EU’s MiCA rules for electronic money tokens, but...
To Lead in Tech, Congress May Need to Lead Less—And Rethink the FCC
Congress is debating a rewrite of the Communications Act, sparking debate over the future role of the Federal Communications Commission. Critics argue the FCC, created for monopoly telephone and broadcast spectrum oversight, is outdated in a fragmented digital economy where...
Listening to Bridges Before They Speak: Inside the World of Structural Health Monitoring
Bridges are dynamic structures whose vibrations reveal early signs of fatigue and damage. Combining Weigh‑In‑Motion (WIM) sensors that record vehicle loads with Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) accelerometers that capture the bridge’s response creates a continuous, data‑driven picture of infrastructure health....
UK Government Launches £50m Safety Tech Scheme
The UK government is committing £50 million (≈ $63 million) to the Safer Streets Challenges, a series of community‑led pilots delivered by UK Research and Innovation. The initiative sits within a broader £500 million (≈ $635 million) Research and Development Missions Accelerator aimed at halving knife...
Orban Saddles Up With Sage For Virtualized EAS Tech Demo
Orban Labs and Sage Alerting Systems demonstrated a virtualized Emergency Alert System (EAS) at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. The demo used a card‑sized industrial PC running next‑generation EAS software, feeding two OPTIMOD 5950 HD transmitters via AES‑67...
Agra Metro Saves ₹5 Million in One Year with Regenerative Braking Technology
Agra Metro has cut its electricity bill by roughly ₹5 million (about $58,000) in the first year after installing Sécheron’s IGBT inverter for regenerative braking, the first such deployment in India. The system captures braking energy and feeds it back to...
Child Safety at Risk as EU CSAM Detection Law Lapses, Reporting Concerns Rise
The EU’s temporary legal framework that allowed online platforms to scan private communications for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) expired on April 3, 2026, creating regulatory uncertainty. Major tech firms—including Google, Meta, Microsoft and Snap—have pledged to continue voluntary detection using hash‑matching...
Dealing with Jamming and Spoofing — the Growing Importance of Civilian GNSS Resilience
Civilian reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) has exploded, making accurate position, navigation and timing (PNT) essential for sectors ranging from aviation to finance. However, GNSS signals are vulnerable to jamming, spoofing, space weather and urban multipath, which can...
Navigating Smart Water Metering: Help Is Here The Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN)
The Smart Water Networks Forum, in partnership with the Water Research Foundation, has released a Smart Metering Playbook that consolidates insights from over 50 utilities across 22 countries. The guide maps the maturity curve from pilot projects to full‑scale Advanced...