WA Commerce Webinar: Cool Classrooms on a Budget: How Federal Energy Tax Credits Can Help
Washington’s Commerce Department will host a May 11 webinar on using federal energy tax credits to fund ground‑source heat pump HVAC upgrades in schools. Seattle Public Schools and contractor McKinstry will share implementation insights. The state’s Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance Program (CETCAP) offers uncapped, non‑competitive funding through 2034 that can cover up to 50% of installation costs. Attendees will learn about operational, maintenance and resilience benefits of this modern, low‑carbon solution.
Opinion: Drones Are Making Colorado Springs, Colo., Safer
Colorado Springs reported a 28% drop in homicides and a 42% plunge in auto theft between 2024 and 2025, outpacing the state average by eight points. Police attribute the gains to a focused anti‑theft unit, tougher state penalties, and advanced...
Palantir Employees Are Starting to Wonder if They're the Bad Guys
Palantir’s software is now a core component of the Trump administration’s immigration‑enforcement operations, prompting a wave of employee unease. After the killing of nurse Alex Pretti, staff flooded internal Slack channels demanding clarity on the company’s ICE contract and audit‑log controls....
VA Seeks Industry Ideas for Contact Center Tech Upgrade
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs issued a request for information seeking industry proposals to overhaul its contact‑center technology. The agency currently runs NICE CXOne, Medalia and ServiceNow, but wants to embed conversational AI, multilingual bots, intent‑based routing and predictive analytics....
Netherlands Launches ICAO-Compliant Vertical ID Card From IN Groupe
The Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) has rolled out a new vertically oriented Type W identity card for asylum seekers, built by IN Groupe’s ID&D unit. The ICAO‑compliant card features a larger laser‑engraved portrait, Lasink Helios DOVID security element, a...
SA Public Sector Urged to Build Trust in AI
South Africa's public sector must build trust in AI through stronger governance, clearer accountability, and focused skills development, as adoption remains limited. At the ITWeb AI Summit 2026, panelists discussed the newly released AI Policy Framework, which calls for transparency,...
Signicat Unveils eID and Wallet Hub to Bridge National eIDs and EU Digital Identity Wallets
Signicat has launched an eID and Wallet Hub that lets businesses access the EU Digital Identity Wallet and more than 35 national eIDs through a single API. The hub offers hybrid sourcing, pulling identity data either directly from a citizen’s...
Kuwait Makes My Identity Mobile App Mandatory for Online Remittance Authentication
Kuwait’s Central Bank has ordered every licensed exchange company to verify customers through the government‑run My Identity mobile app before processing any online international money transfer. The directive requires real‑time identity checks via the app for each transaction and documentation...
Surfing on the Tube
Transport for London awarded neutral‑host Boldyn Networks a 20‑year, $1.35 bn contract to roll out 5G across the London Underground. The project installs fiber, leaky‑feeder cables and base‑station hotels, allowing EE, O2 and Vodafone to share a single DAS infrastructure. To...
The Countdown to Digitisation Is on… the Public Sector Needs to Be Ready
Ireland’s public sector is racing toward the Connecting Government 2030 goal that 90% of core services be delivered digitally by the end of the decade. The strategy highlights the need to replace legacy systems, unify fragmented platforms, and address resource...
DeSantis Pressures House to Pass AI Bill of Rights, References FSU Shooting
Governor Ron DeSantis is pressuring the Florida House to pass the state’s AI Bill of Rights during a special legislative session, citing the recent Florida State University shooting allegedly facilitated by ChatGPT. The Senate already approved the sweeping bill, which...
GSA Announces Latest Cohort of Presidential Innovation Fellows
The General Services Administration announced the 2026 cohort of Presidential Innovation Fellows, selecting 17 top technologists from leading U.S. firms. The fellows will spend a year embedded in ten federal agencies, including CMS, CISA, DOE, State, VA, and the Coast...
South Africa Planning Big Overhaul of Public Sector IT
South Africa’s Department of Communications & Digital Technologies has formalised a three‑year plan to overhaul the State IT Agency (Sita), with quarterly milestones beginning in 2026 and a draft business model due by March 2027. The overhaul follows an auditor‑general...
DefComm Unveils ‘Fail-Safe’ Secure Comms Tech; Enters Pilot Phase with Nigerian Military
DefComm, a defence‑tech startup, has begun pilot testing its proprietary Secure Communication Device with Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence. The pilot follows earlier deployments on Xshield‑DICON tactical vehicles and showcases fail‑safe retrieval and hardened encryption for network‑centric warfare. The initiative aligns...
Navigating Federal Cloud Adoption
Federal health leaders are accelerating hybrid cloud adoption to boost scalability, security, and mission delivery. Former HHS CISO La Monte Yarborough and CMS infrastructure director Wade Zarriello highlighted how cloud strategies have evolved and outlined the next steps for agencies....
Sri Lanka Launching Digital ID Sandbox, Experience Center
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Digital Economy is rolling out a SL‑UDI digital ID sandbox and an experience center at the ICTA in Colombo, allowing public and private developers to integrate with the federated authentication layer before the system goes live....
Sean Duffy Wants $10 Billion For AI Air Traffic Control Software
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asked Congress for an additional $10 billion to modernize U.S. air‑traffic‑control infrastructure, with a focus on AI‑driven scheduling software. The request trims his earlier $19 billion ask but builds on the $12.5 billion already allocated under the Trump administration....
College Students Using Deepfakes to Harass Could Be Investigated, Punished Under Proposed Law
Louisiana Senate Bill 347, championed by Sen. Regina Barrow, expands the state’s power‑based violence definition to include deepfakes, allowing colleges to investigate and punish students and employees who create AI‑generated sexual content. The measure cleared the Senate Education Committee unanimously...
US Admiral Who Blasted Crypto Is Now Running a Bitcoin Node for America’s Security
Admiral Samuel Paparo, once a vocal critic of cryptocurrency, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the U.S. Indo‑Pacific Command now operates a Bitcoin node, treating the blockchain’s cryptography as a tool for network security and power projection. The comment...
Intimate Talks: Brussels Ponders the Naked Body in AI Bill
The EU is fine‑tuning its AI Act to ban AI‑driven nudification, after Elon Musk’s Grok tool generated millions of non‑consensual sexual images. A draft list defines intimate parts such as genitals, anus, buttocks and female nipples, while the inclusion of...
Improving Connecticut’s Public Health Through Cross-Sector Data-Sharing
Connecticut’s Prevention Data Portal, launched in 2018 by the State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup, aggregates local, state, and federal health data to support substance‑use prevention and broader public‑health initiatives. The portal’s success stems from an executive order mandating open data, strategic...
India Needs Digital Identity for Every Device and Stronger AI-Led Cyber Defence to Curb Threats: Experts
At the Cyber Security India Expo, experts urged India to assign a digital identity to every networked device and to bolster AI-driven cyber defenses. Lt General Madhavan Unnikrishnan Nair argued that device identities are crucial for accountability and protection of...
Keeping GPS Free From Interference: An Interview with Lisa Dyer
Lisa Dyer, executive director of the GPS Innovation Alliance, warned that GPS—critical to billions of users and essential for transportation, finance, and defense—is increasingly vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. With 32 medium‑Earth‑orbit satellites transmitting low‑power signals, both foreign actors and...
Police Body Looks for £15m Partner to Support Forces’ Plans to Test and Deploy AI Tools
The Home Office and police procurement body BlueLight Commercial have issued a market‑engagement notice for a £15 million (≈$19 million) two‑year contract to act as lead delivery partner for Police.AI, a new national unit that will accelerate AI adoption across England and...
Davidhorn To Unveil Next-Generation Interview Experience
At the Police Interview Summit 2026, Davidhorn unveiled a prototype of its next‑generation interview experience, dubbed Capture 2.0, aimed at streamlining the entire investigative workflow from evidence capture to court‑ready output. The suite adds live translation in up to 50 languages, integrated...
China and Chile Set up a Fully Digital Phytosanitary Certification System for Exports
Starting April 20, 2026 Chile began using a fully electronic phytosanitary certification system for all agricultural and forestry exports to China, marking the first time the Asian giant has adopted a completely digital inspection process with a trade partner. The platform was...
From Gas Lamps to LEDs: The 100-Year War on Headlight Glare
The article chronicles a century‑long fight against headlight glare, beginning with 1912 gas‑lamp cars that produced only 21 candlepower—about 13 times dimmer than today’s LED units. Repeated parliamentary complaints spurred a wave of anti‑dazzle inventions in the 1930s, culminating in...
Türkiye Passes Sweeping Digital Law Restricting Social Media Access for Under 15s
Turkey’s Grand National Assembly approved a sweeping digital regulation that bans social‑media access for children under 15 and imposes mandatory age‑rating systems and parental controls. Platforms with more than 100,000 daily Turkish users must appoint local representatives, and non‑compliant firms...
Rapporteur’s Report About the EU Business Wallet
The European Parliament’s ITRE committee, led by rapporteur Eero Heinäluoma, released a draft report outlining the legal framework for an EU Business Wallet. The regulation will enable trusted digital interactions—identification, e‑signatures, authentication, and data exchange—between companies, public administrations, and other...
Why Cities Are Entering a New Phase of Innovation Maturity
City leaders gathered in Dublin to acknowledge that urban innovation is moving beyond isolated pilots toward a mature, impact‑driven approach. The discussion highlighted three pillars—foundational data and governance layers, the shift from testing to scaling, and a culture that empowers...
Saudi Arabian Government Entities Surpass 76% Emerging Tech Adoption
Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority reported that government entities lifted their Emerging Technologies Adoption Readiness score to 76.04%, up from 74.69% in 2025. The fourth‑edition index surveyed 54 agencies, a jump from 40 the prior year, reflecting deeper engagement in...
Home Office Signs £90m Duo of Deals for QA and Testing
The UK Home Office announced two three‑year contracts with LA International to provide quality assurance and testing services for its digital programmes. The larger contract, valued at about £50 million (≈ $64 million), will support the Public Safety Group’s law‑enforcement and crime‑policy initiatives....
MoD ‘Has Long Recognised Risks’ of Fitness Apps and Will Issue Guidance Where Necessary
An investigation by the i Paper found that 519 UK military personnel inadvertently disclosed their whereabouts by posting Strava workout data, some of which mapped routes around sensitive bases. The revelations prompted a parliamentary question about the Ministry of Defence’s...
AirData Automates Logs for BRINC Emergency Response Drones
AirData announced an integration that automatically captures flight data from BRINC’s Lemur 2 and Responder emergency drones, eliminating manual log uploads for public‑safety pilots. The platform, which has already processed more than 60 million flights, now creates mission records directly from BRINC...
NHTSA Unveils Sweeping Traffic Safety Initiative for the US
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration unveiled the Pathways to Safer Streets (P2SS) plan, targeting impairment, speeding, distraction and seat‑belt non‑use—the four leading causes of traffic deaths. The initiative restores law‑enforcement grants, expands data‑driven enforcement, and introduces new technology...
New Irish Rail IT System Is ‘a Slowly Developing Shambles’, Says Dáil Committee Chairman
Ireland’s Dáil Public Accounts Committee warned that Indra Group’s €200 million‑plus (≈$215 million) next‑generation contactless ticketing programme is at risk after the contractor’s train traffic‑management system ran into severe delays and cost overruns. Over €31 million (≈$33 million) has already been spent on the...
NCSC Backs Passkeys, Hailing a New Era of Sign-In
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has officially endorsed passkeys as the primary login method for consumers, moving away from passwords except where passkeys are unavailable. The endorsement follows a year of collaboration with the FIDO Alliance and successful...
UNIFE Supports the Rollout of ERTMS Through the Adoption of Measures
UNIFE’s Director General Enno Wiebe urged EU rail stakeholders to adopt concrete measures that simplify authorisation, harmonise technical requirements and accelerate the phase‑out of legacy systems, aiming to unblock the rollout of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). The call...
How the Government Is Ramping up Mass Surveillance with AI-Driven Tech
The U.S. government is dramatically expanding its mass‑surveillance capabilities by purchasing vast troves of consumer data from commercial brokers and forging direct partnerships with private‑tech firms. Advanced AI algorithms now sift through data from smartphones, connected cars, and retail cameras...
Turkish Parliament Passes Bill to Restrict Social Media Access for Under-15s
Turkey’s parliament approved a bill that forces social‑media platforms to block users under 15, install age‑verification systems and provide parental‑control tools. The legislation, prompted by a recent school shooting, requires rapid removal of harmful content and imposes penalties such as...
San Francisco Helps Home Child Care Centers Wean Off Gas
San Francisco’s Environment Department has launched a $300,000 pilot to replace gas water heaters with electric heat‑pump units at up to 30 home‑based child‑care centers in low‑income neighborhoods. The program, funded by a Clean California Quick Start Grant and administered...
Nigerian Banks Gain Access to Telecom Data to Stop Fraud
On April 20, 2026, Nigeria’s Central Bank and the Nigerian Communications Commission signed an agreement to share telecom data via the Telecom Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS). The platform gives banks and fintechs real‑time visibility into SIM‑history, allowing them to...
EU Rolls Out NCAF 2.0 Framework to Boost National Cybersecurity Readiness
ENISA has released NCAF 2.0, an updated National Capabilities Assessment Framework that enables EU Member States to evaluate and improve the maturity of their national cybersecurity strategies. The new version introduces refined maturity level definitions, expanded assessment questions, and alignment...
New Digital Service for Planning Appeals Goes Live
The Planning Inspectorate has launched the new “Appeal a planning decision” digital service, fully replacing its legacy Appeals Casework Portal. The cloud‑based platform now handles most planning and enforcement appeals, aligning with the latest government digital and data standards. Existing...
MoJ Extends Relationship with Scrumconnect
The UK Ministry of Justice has awarded data consultancy Scrumconnect a £38 million (≈ $48 million) contract to modernise the Common Platform, the case‑management system used by magistrates’ and Crown Courts. Scrumconnect will deliver managed digital services, including design, development, testing and automation,...
Cambridge, Leeds and Plymouth Uses of Proptech Shortlisted
Three UK local authorities have been shortlisted for the Planning Awards after piloting AI‑driven proptech solutions funded by the government’s Digital Planning programme. Leeds’ Xylo Core saved planners an average of one day per week, while Greater Cambridge’s PlanAI reduced...
India's Digital Currency Push Targets Its Leaky Welfare System
India’s Reserve Bank is piloting the e‑rupee, a central bank digital currency, to streamline its $80 billion welfare system. The program, run with the World Bank and state partners, targets sectors like farm subsidies and food rationing, with an estimated 10 million...
GDPR Works, but only Where Someone Enforces It
A cross‑country measurement study of 525 popular websites shows that GDPR‑style opt‑in rules dramatically lower web tracking, but only where regulators actively enforce them. Users in Germany and Spain experienced roughly 50% fewer tracker connections than visitors from non‑EU regions,...
Odisha to Set up 14 New Automated Vehicle Testing Stations to Boost Road Safety
The Odisha government announced plans to establish 14 new automated vehicle testing stations (ATS), effectively doubling the state’s existing network of seven facilities. These stations will use advanced machinery to assess fitness across two‑wheelers, three‑wheelers, and light to heavy commercial...
Microsoft Invests $25B in AI to Embed Trust and Inclusivity Into the Australian Psyche
Microsoft announced a $25 billion, three‑year investment to expand AI infrastructure, cloud capacity and cybersecurity in Australia, emphasizing trust and inclusive growth. The plan includes adding 29 Azure data‑centre sites, extending the Cyber‑Shield program, and delivering AI skills to 3 million Australians...