EU Bans Funding for Energy Projects Using Chinese Inverters—Will It Move the Needle on Cybersecurity?
The European Commission has barred EU financing for energy projects that use inverters sourced from "high‑risk" nations, chiefly China, as well as Russia, Iran and North Korea. The prohibition applies to all EU funding instruments, including the European Investment Bank, and extends to projects linked to the European grid in the Balkans and North Africa. EU officials argue the move protects the continent’s cyber‑critical infrastructure, while industry groups point to a robust domestic inverter capacity of over 100 GW with a further 45 GW slated for expansion by 2027. Critics caution that funding cuts alone may not resolve deeper cybersecurity gaps in distributed energy assets.
Malatsi Still Awaiting ICASA Feedback on EEIPs
South Africa’s communications minister Solly Malatsi said the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA) is still reviewing his policy directive that would allow equity‑equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) to satisfy the 30% historically‑disadvantaged ownership rule for telecom licences. The directive, issued in December,...
How Nigerian Firms Can Meet CBN’s AML Deadline
On March 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria updated its Baseline Standards, making automated, real‑time AML/CFT/CPF solutions a legal requirement for all financial institutions. The new framework demands sub‑second transaction screening, near‑real‑time sanctions updates, and AI‑native architectures that can reduce...
ECB Steps up Its Challenge to Visa and Mastercard
The European Central Bank is intensifying its scrutiny of Visa and Mastercard over high interchange fees and limited competition in the euro‑area payments market. By leveraging new supervisory powers, the ECB plans to conduct a formal investigation and may propose...
Operational Delivery Profession Awards Winners Announced
The UK civil service held its Operational Delivery Profession Awards on 21 April, honoring frontline teams across 47 departments with 900 nominations. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Theory Test Team won the Inclusion Award for the Signly tool, which has...
How Big a Threat Are Iranian-Backed Cyberattacks?
Iran‑backed hacking groups have infiltrated programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that run U.S. water, energy and wastewater systems, prompting a CISA advisory on April 7. The article traces a decade of Iranian cyber intrusions, from a 2013 dam hack to the recent...
Flow Labs Launches AI-Powered Signal Retiming Tool Optimus Gen2
Flow Labs unveiled Optimus Gen2, an AI‑driven signal optimisation platform that promises to shrink signal‑retiming projects from months to minutes. Powered by the company’s proprietary Prometheus engine, which leverages transformer‑based AI to model traffic across entire networks, the tool delivers...
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Chair Questions UK’s Tech Sovereignty Approach
House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology committee chair Chi Onwurah opened a debate questioning the UK’s technology sovereignty and the reliance on US‑based cloud providers such as Palantir, AWS and Microsoft. She asked the Department for Science, Innovation and...
EU’s Social Media Age-Gating Still Avoids User Accountability
On April 16 the European Commission unveiled an open‑source age‑verification app designed to help platforms meet Digital Services Act obligations while preserving user privacy. The tool lets users prove their age with official IDs or trusted third‑party sources, then discards...
Transparency Data: Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion: Terms of Reference
The UK government has released the terms of reference for a new Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion, chaired by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and involving nine other departments. The group will develop a coordinated strategy to...
Transparency Data: Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion: Meeting Summaries
The UK Ministerial Group for Digital Inclusion released meeting summaries for its 21 January 2026 session and the 14 May 2025 gathering. The group steers the government’s digital inclusion agenda, aligning ministries on a shared vision, priorities, and delivery methods. By publishing these documents,...
Trump's Missed AI Deadlines
President Trump’s December executive order set March 11 deadlines for three agency actions aimed at curbing state AI regulations. The Federal Trade Commission, the Commerce Department, and the Federal Communications Commission have all missed those deadlines, leaving guidance, evaluations, and...
EC Ups Pressure over Google Gemini AI Features
The European Commission is close to issuing formal requirements under the Digital Markets Act that would force Google to give rival AI assistants equal access to Android features currently reserved for its Gemini service. The draft could compel Google to...
UAE Targets Agentic AI to Power Half of Government Operations
The United Arab Emirates announced a plan to shift half of its government services to agentic artificial intelligence within two years, redefining public‑sector operations from digitisation to autonomous execution. The strategy builds on existing digital identity, smart‑service platforms and sovereign...
DICT Seeks More Funds to Bolster eGovPH
The Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is requesting additional funding to upgrade eGovPH, the government’s mobile services platform, after a multi‑hour outage that spanned two days. The outage was traced to heavy system load from new features...
Meet the Innovator Scaling a Business to Make Roads and Sites Safer
Entrepreneur Dorian Isaacson quit consulting to launch Streetwise Technology, now Rhevia, a radar‑based driver‑alert system for zebra crossings. Within a year the Lodestar beacon was deployed in Southend‑on‑Sea, Coventry and a Nestlé trial site, and the firm secured £600,000 (≈$770,000)...
Norway Follows Australia with Under-16s Social Media Ban Legislation
Norway will table a bill by year‑end that bans anyone under 16 from using social‑media platforms, echoing Australia’s pioneering December restriction. The proposal places the onus on technology firms to verify users’ ages, though it does not name specific apps....
Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB Procures Ambient Scribing and Reporting Tool
Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB has awarded Beam Up Ltd a £87,500 (≈ $112,000) contract for its AI‑powered ambient scribing solution, Magic Notes, running through March 2027. The tool, classified as a Class 1 medical device, provides unlimited user access, real‑time...
State AI Laws – Where Are They Now?
The United States is at a turning point for state‑level AI regulation as dozens of bills face delays, revisions, or potential preemption by federal initiatives. Colorado’s SB 205 is being reshaped to focus on specific automated decision‑making rather than a...
NHS England Publishes £37million and £19million Future Opportunities for Digital Delivery Partners
NHS England has released two pipeline notices for digital delivery partners, allocating roughly £19 million (about $24 million) for a two‑year DevOps services contract starting late September 2026, and an additional £37 million (about $47 million) for a three‑year urgent‑and‑emergency‑care digital programme beginning August...
AI Sandbox for Local Government Launched
The UK Cabinet Office has launched a pilot digital platform called NDX:Try, offering local councils a free, time‑limited sandbox to test AI and other emerging technologies. The service provides a secure non‑production environment with eight pre‑built scenarios—including an AI‑enhanced Drupal...
Digital Collaboration Simplifies Applying for Merchant Navy Medals
A cross‑government team led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has replaced outdated PDF applications with two new online services for Merchant Navy Medals. The digital forms, one for personal applicants and one for representatives, aim to clarify the distinction...
5 Things to Check in Your CRA My Account
The Canada Revenue Agency is accelerating its shift to electronic communication by moving most business correspondence to the My Account portal. The site now highlights uncashed cheques—about C$1.4 bn (≈US$1.0 bn) worth of refunds and benefits—alongside account balances, carryover credits, and a...
Philippines Looks to Follow Australia's Social Media Ban
The Philippine Senate is drafting legislation to ban social‑media access for children 16 and under, echoing Australia’s recent outright ban. Lawmakers cite rising self‑harm incidents, excessive screen time—averaging five to six hours daily—and declining physical play as drivers. The proposal...
Weak Security Means Attackers Could Disable All of a City's Public EV Chargers
Researchers at Black Hat Asia demonstrated that rented IoT infrastructure—such as public EV chargers and shared e‑bikes—often sacrifices security for convenience. Hetian Shi of Tsinghua University uncovered shared authentication keys, exposed debug ports, and backend services that fail to verify users. Using his...
Australian Energy Market Commission Proposes 20-Year Distribution Planning Framework to Ease Solar Curtailment
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) has issued a draft rule introducing a 20‑year distribution network development plan, replacing the current annual report with a five‑year horizon. The proposal adds a new data‑reporting framework focused on low‑voltage visibility to better...
FCC: D2C Is Set for Ubiquitous Connectivity
The FCC announced that direct‑to‑device (D2C) connectivity will be a pillar of U.S. communications leadership. It granted AST SpaceMobile full commercial authorization for a 248‑satellite constellation and supplemental coverage in two frequency bands, while dismissing its request for the Echostar...
Australia’s 1.2 Million Homes Target Has a Delivery Problem. New Zealand Solved It
Australia’s National Housing Accord pledges 1.2 million new homes by 2029, backed by a $10 billion AUD (≈$6.6 bn USD) Housing Australia Future Fund and additional state spending. Yet the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council forecasts delivery of only 938,000 homes, leaving...
Treasury Chief Says Smarter AML Starts With Better Identity
Treasury Assistant Secretary Jonathan Burke told a House subcommittee that the U.S. AML framework must evolve to keep pace with faster, digital payments and sophisticated fraud. He urged a shift from volume‑driven alerts to risk‑based supervision, emphasizing better digital identity...
Vietnam: Legal Reform Driving Borderless Digital Public Services
Vietnam's 16th National Assembly overwhelmingly approved a revised Civil Status Law, enabling borderless, digitally enabled civil registration. The reform shifts from a request‑based to a proactive service model, decentralising authority and linking registration data with health systems. The government also...
NIST Cyber Center to Launch OT ‘Visibility’ Project
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is rolling out a new operational‑technology (OT) visibility project aimed at helping critical‑infrastructure owners inventory and monitor legacy assets. The initiative will demonstrate how to achieve OT asset visibility...
Government Experts Gather for Tech Event
Government Cybersecurity & AI 2026 will convene senior federal, state and local officials in Canberra on April 29‑30. The two‑day event brings together CISOs, CIOs, policy makers and cyber experts to discuss responsible AI adoption and emerging security threats. Presentations,...
‘Beneficiary Pays’ Model Gains Traction With Lawmakers
Lawmakers at Data Center World urged Congress to adopt a “beneficiary pays” model, requiring companies that drive demand for new transmission lines—such as data centers—to foot the bill. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R‑ND) and Rep. Scott Peters (D‑CA) highlighted cost allocation...
Maps, Cameras Help Redlands, Calif., Prep for Wildfires
The Redlands Fire Department is scaling up its wildfire mitigation program for the 2026 season, increasing treated acreage to 80 acres and allocating roughly $1.1 million annually. New measures include surveillance cameras, Esri GIS mapping, and a revived partnership with Cal Fire’s...
Lawmakers in Turkey Pass Teen Social Media Ban
Turkey's parliament approved a bill on April 22 that bars children under 15 from accessing social‑media platforms. The legislation forces platforms to install age‑verification systems, offer parental‑control tools, and respond quickly to harmful content, with penalties for non‑compliance. The measure...
Little Talk of BEAD at Lutnick’s House Hearing
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the House appropriations subcommittee on the FY2027 budget, where the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program received limited discussion. Lutnick indicated that guidance for states on using the program’s non‑deployment funds is...
States Deploy Desktop as a Service To Standardize Endpoints and Boost Security
State IT leaders in Kansas, Indiana and New Mexico are rolling out Desktop as a Service (DaaS) platforms to centralize device provisioning, patching and security across thousands of endpoints. Kansas is deploying Tanium Endpoint Management on Dell hardware, while Indiana...
Tackling Hybrid IT Infrastructure Challenges in the Government Sector
Federal agencies are wrestling with sprawling hybrid IT environments that combine aging on‑premises systems with cloud services. With an annual $130 billion IT spend, budget constraints—highlighted by 28% of leaders—limit security upgrades and modernization. Only 6% of agencies have completed a...
DTA Sounds Alarm on ‘Low‑effort’ AI
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) warned that the rush to adopt low‑effort AI tools could undermine inclusive system design and public‑service outcomes. Deputy CEO Lucy Poole urged civil servants to scrutinise AI solutions rather than rely on quick‑fix bots. She emphasized...
Coast Guard Launches RAS PEO to Unify Uncrewed Systems
The U.S. Coast Guard has created the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office (RAS PEO) to centralize management of unmanned air, surface, underwater and space assets. The new office replaces fragmented, siloed structures with a unified portfolio that mirrors...
Don’t Mention the Government… Microsoft Splashes $25bn on .au .ai
Microsoft announced a $25 billion investment in Australia to build new digital infrastructure, boost national cyber‑defence capabilities, and fund workforce‑skilling programs. The figure, roughly half the projected $50 billion annual cost of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, underscores the scale of the...
Trump Taps Defense Production Act to Address Grid Equipment, Energy Project Bottlenecks
President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate production of critical energy‑infrastructure components, including transformers, substations, pipelines and LNG systems. The White House published the determinations in the Federal Register, authorizing the Department of Energy to apply...
Marine Creates Ride-Hailing App to Combat Impaired Driving Among Service Members
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christian Smellie created GY6Lift, a free ride‑hailing app launched in October 2025 to curb impaired driving among service members and their families. The platform relies on volunteer drivers, currently supporting 56 passengers and 15 drivers...
Nonprofit Launches Forum to Help City Leaders Leverage AI Effectively
The National League of Cities (NLC) has launched an AI and Emerging Technology Forum to help municipal leaders explore and implement artificial intelligence in local government services. The inaugural cohort includes 20 mayors, chief information officers and technology practitioners, with...
San Antonio Military Base Weighs Nuclear Option for Grid Independence
Joint Base San Antonio‑Randolph is slated to host a prototype nuclear microreactor, marking the first commercial atomic power installation in Texas. The Department of the Air Force and the Defense Innovation Unit chose Antares Energy to propose its R1 microreactor...
Search for Clarity on UK Digital ID Leads to Trial Pitch, Consultation Proposals
The UK’s digital identity strategy remains vague, prompting experts to propose a live trial on the Isle of Wight. Authors James Findlay and Jerry Fishenden argue the island’s 140,000 residents and limited entry points make it ideal for a controlled...
Researchers Develop Navigation System for Underground Rescue Teams
A consortium led by TU Graz unveiled NIKE MATE, a navigation system that fuses robot‑collected sensor data with a self‑built ultra‑wideband (UWB) network to map underground rescue sites in real time. The system creates a dynamic map and provides sub‑meter positioning for...
‘Harvest Now, Decrypt Later’ Attacks Push Federal Shift to PQC
Federal agencies are accelerating a shift to post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) after a surge in “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks that could expose today’s encrypted data once quantum computers mature. A June 2025 White House executive order mandates agencies to establish PQC...
Australian Regulators Come Together on Privacy, Online Safety
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate privacy and online‑safety enforcement. The MoU formalises information‑sharing on the Privacy Act, Online Safety Act and emerging AI risks, and designates...
Bank of Thailand: Missing Piece in the Country’s Digital ID Stack Is Data Portability
Thailand’s central bank boasts a robust digital ID system with over 30 million users and a PromptPay payments network that processed a record 96 million transactions in a single day, a ten‑fold rise since 2019. Deputy Governor Daranee Saeju warned that without...