Federal Drawdown of Election Support ‘Destroyed’ Ongoing Relationships, Experts Say
Federal efforts under President Trump to scale back the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have stripped election‑security staff, halted disinformation teams and eliminated the agency’s election program in the FY 2027 budget proposal. State officials in Michigan and Georgia testified that the drawdown destroyed long‑standing relationships, leaving local jurisdictions without on‑site assessments or reliable federal contacts. A Justice Department demand for Michigan ballots and an FBI raid on a Fulton County elections office have heightened concerns about chain‑of‑custody and voter‑privacy. Cyber Command officials remain unsure whether the Election Security Group, the joint task force that counters foreign meddling, has been reconstituted.
Exclusive: OpenAI, Anthropic Meet with House Homeland Security Behind Closed Doors on Cyber Threats
OpenAI and Anthropic briefed the House Homeland Security Committee staff in classified sessions about their new cyber‑capable AI models—OpenAI’s tiered‑release GPT‑5.4‑Cyber and Anthropic’s Mythos Preview, which remains unreleased due to exploit risks. Both firms are granting federal agencies direct access...
Spy Agency Officials Say Job Loss Anxiety, Moving Fast ‘Safely’ Among Top Challenges in AI Workforce Overhaul
The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) is launching a three‑to‑five‑year AI transformation, aiming to embed agentic AI into secure decision‑making while preserving core intelligence methods. Agency leaders stress moving fast enough to stay ahead of adversaries such as Russia and...
Pentagon AI Chief Confirms DOD's Expanded Use of Google, Says Reliance on One Model 'Never a Good Thing'
The Pentagon’s chief digital and AI officer, Cameron Stanley, confirmed that the Department of Defense is expanding its use of Google’s Gemini model for classified projects, following the recent removal of Anthropic from DOD contracts. The move reflects a broader...
South Africa Used AI to Write Its AI Policy. The Citations Were Fake.
South Africa’s Communications Minister Solly Malatsi withdrew the draft national AI policy after News24 uncovered six fabricated academic citations among its 67 references. The policy, approved by Cabinet in March and released for public comment in April, proposed a multi‑regulator...
Shift to SSI Could Preserve Security of India’s Digital Ecosystem at Scale
The Data Security Council of India and the Digi Yatra Foundation released a joint paper urging a shift to self‑sovereign identity (SSI) for India’s digital ecosystem. It argues that centralized identity systems like Aadhaar are straining under scale, privacy expectations,...
Google Signed the Pentagon’s Classified AI Deal and Walked Away From Its Drone Swarm Contest on the Same Day.
Google confirmed a classified contract that gives the Pentagon API access to its Gemini AI models for any lawful government purpose, despite a petition signed by more than 580 employees urging the company to refuse. The agreement includes advisory guardrails...
NOAA Relies on Cloud Computing to Evolve Hurricane Predictions
NOAA’s Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) has moved to cloud infrastructure, leveraging Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure to run multiple predictive models concurrently. The shift enables the Climate Prediction Center to process more data faster, improving forecast accuracy...
Federal CIO Cautious on Anthropic’s Mythos Despite Planned Rollout
Federal CIO Greg Barbaccia said the government will proceed with a measured rollout of Anthropic’s Mythos AI model, noting its promise for bolstering cyber defenses while emphasizing lingering uncertainties about real‑world performance. He has only seen lab‑based evaluations and no...
Elsight’s Halo, Its BLOS (Beyond Line-of-Sight) Connectivity Platform, Is Now Certified on the U.S. DCMA Blue UAS List, Enabling Faster...
Elsight's Halo beyond‑line‑of‑sight (BLOS) connectivity platform has been certified on the U.S. Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Blue UAS List, confirming it meets the department’s rigorous supply‑chain and cybersecurity standards. The certification lets U.S. military units procure Halo directly through...
Police Are Using AI Camera Networks to Stalk Women
Police departments nationwide are exploiting automated license‑plate readers (ALPRs) to stalk romantic partners and strangers, with at least 14 documented cases since 2024. The surge follows Flock Safety’s rapid expansion to over 6,000 U.S. cities and 76,000 readers, despite the...
Preparing for Major Events: NUSTL Field Guidance for C-UAS Planning
The Department of Homeland Security’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) released new field guidance to help agencies place counter‑unmanned aircraft systems (C‑UAS) sensors for upcoming large‑scale events such as the FIFA World Cup and America250. The guidance was field‑tested...
Schools Have Another Year to Make Websites Accessible. Why That Matters
The U.S. Department of Justice has pushed back the deadline for school districts to meet new web‑accessibility regulations until 2028, extending the original 2027 target for smaller agencies. The rule, issued under Title II of the ADA, mandates compliance with WCAG 2.0...
US Bill Would Require Warrants for Digital Surveillance, Biometric Searches
The House introduced the Surveillance Accountability Act (H.R. 8470), a bipartisan bill that would require a warrant for virtually all government searches of digital and biometric data, including facial recognition, license‑plate readers, cloud storage, and data‑broker records. The legislation amends...
Drone Pilot Makes US Rescind No-Fly Zones Around Unmarked, Moving ICE Vehicles
After a series of protests in Minneapolis, the FAA issued a sweeping temporary flight restriction in January 2026 that barred drones from flying within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet vertically of any moving Department of Homeland Security vehicle, even if unmarked....
Massachusetts Police Share Fingerprint Data with ICE Despite Limits, Report Says
A Citizens for Juvenile Justice report reveals Massachusetts police, sheriffs, and courts continue to transmit fingerprint data and other records to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, despite the 2017 Lunn v. Commonwealth decision limiting civil detainer arrests. The 49‑page study, based...
Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins University Launch Mayors AI Forum at CityLab
Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins University announced the Mayors AI Forum at the Bloomberg CityLab 2026 summit in Madrid. The initiative gathers forward‑thinking mayors from cities such as Bogotá, Boston, London, and Tokyo to demonstrate responsible AI deployment in public...
Army Sets Industry Day for High-Performance Computing Recompete
The Army Corps of Engineers announced an industry day on June 24‑25 to launch the High Performance Modernization Computing Program‑Unrestricted III (HITS‑UIII), the next iteration of its high‑performance computing support contract. BAE Systems, the incumbent from the HITS‑UII award, has already had...
New Bill Would Autofill Tax Forms
Rep. Bill Foster (D‑Illinois) introduced the “Autofill Act,” a bill that would let taxpayers download tax forms already filled with data the IRS receives from employers, the Social Security Administration and financial institutions. The pre‑populated forms would be available both...
Capito Bill Tightens FCC Vetting of Broadband Providers
Congress approved the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025, directing the FCC to vet broadband providers before awarding high‑cost universal service funds. The FCC must issue a rulemaking within 180 days requiring applicants to demonstrate technical, financial and operational capability...
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass To Speed Up Permits After Meeting With Trump
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order to overhaul the city’s building‑permit process, a move prompted by a recent meeting with President Donald Trump who criticized LA’s slow post‑wildfire rebuilding. The order introduces artificial‑intelligence review, expands pre‑approved housing...
Drones Join Police Helicopters in Los Angeles’ Skies
The Los Angeles Police Department deployed drones more than 3,500 times in 2024, with half arriving before officers and helping cancel unnecessary units. A $1.2 million donation will fund an expansion from nine to 24 drones, adding launch pads across five...
Google Signs Deal to Allow AI in Classified Military Work
Google has signed a contract with the U.S. Defense Department permitting its artificial‑intelligence systems to be used on classified military projects. The agreement was finalized at 4 p.m. on Monday, despite vocal opposition from Google researchers who objected to weaponizing the...
FDA Debuts Plan to Collect Real-Time Clinical Trial Data
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a pilot program that will collect clinical‑trial data in real time, allowing scientific reviewers to see information as it is generated. The initiative, launched on Tuesday, includes participation from major drugmakers AstraZeneca and...
Geoforce Lands Railcar Telematics Contract From U.S. Army
Geoforce, through its AssetLink Global subsidiary, secured a multi‑year U.S. Army Transportation Command contract to provide railcar in‑transit visibility. The agreement, which began deployment in December 2025, equips Department of War‑owned railcars with advanced sensors for load, impact, temperature, and...
Google Expands Pentagon’s Access to Its AI After Anthropic’s Refusal
Google has signed a deal giving the U.S. Department of Defense access to its generative AI for classified networks, permitting all lawful uses. The agreement follows Anthropic’s refusal to provide unrestricted AI, which led the Pentagon to label Anthropic a...
State Broadband Merger Limps Into a Second Decade
The state‑owned Broadband Infraco (BBI) and signal distributor Sentech have seen their merger pushed to the 2028/29 financial year, marking the third major timeline shift since approval in 2017. BBI has posted consecutive losses since 2019, been declared technically insolvent,...
DMDC Improves Access for Millions Via Okta Identity Management
The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) has replaced its two‑decade‑old DS Logon system with Okta’s cloud‑based Identity‑as‑a‑Service platform, branded MyAuth. The migration covers roughly 60 million active‑duty personnel, civilians, contractors, veterans and dependents, delivering faster, mobile‑friendly login and biometric options. Help‑desk contacts...
Cyber Command, NSA Chief Warns Foreign Adversaries Likely to Target Midterms
U.S. Cyber Command head Gen. Joshua Rudd told the Senate that foreign adversaries are likely to attempt interference in the 2024 midterm elections. He noted uncertainty about whether the Election Security Group, the joint task force used since 2018, has...
The US Department of Education Just Finalized Its AI in Education Priority. Here’s What It Means.
On April 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education issued its final supplemental priority titled “Advancing Artificial Intelligence in Education,” establishing a policy framework that will steer discretionary grant dollars toward AI‑related initiatives in K‑12 and higher education. The priority,...
Chattanooga’s ‘Tech Guy’ Mayor Reflects on Embrace of AI, Quantum
Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly says the city is leveraging its municipal fiber network, AI, and a new quantum computing center to modernize government operations. AI tools have lifted employee productivity by 65% and slashed internal communications time by 75%, while...
Tighter Policies Lead to Fewer Facial Recognition Searches for Detroit Police
Detroit police dramatically reduced facial‑recognition usage, conducting only nine searches in 2025—a 91% drop from 2023. The decline follows a 2024 settlement that imposed stricter policies limiting the technology to violent crimes and prohibiting its use as the sole basis...
Italy Pushes Citizens to Adopt CIE as SPID Digital ID Is Phased Out
Italy is urging citizens to activate the electronic ID card (CIE) as the government prepares to retire the existing SPID system. SPID, used by nearly 40 million Italians, will be phased out over the next two to three years, making CIE...
US FMCSA Tightens ID Checks for Driver Database, Taps Idemia
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced stricter identity‑verification requirements for users of its Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a database that flags commercial drivers barred for substance‑related offenses. The new rules target medical review officers, substance‑abuse professionals, third‑party administrators...
Ann Arbor Utility Deploying Solar + Storage Systems on Local Homes
Ann Arbor’s city‑owned Sustainable Energy Utility is piloting a residential solar‑plus‑storage program, the first of its kind for a U.S. municipality. The initiative will install rooftop solar and FranklinWH battery systems in about 150 homes in the Bryant neighborhood, where...
Shifting Gears at the eMarketplace: More Options for Better Choices
The Philippine Procurement Service recently held alignment meetings with electric‑vehicle makers BYD, Kia, MG, Nissan and Foton, integrating EV, hybrid and plug‑in models into the government eMarketplace. The platform now lets agencies compare and order these greener vehicles, cutting procurement...
Pennsylvania Has Spent $1.4 Million Updating Its Voter Registration System — but Won’t Provide Progress Reports
Pennsylvania has spent roughly $1.4 million on the first phase of a $10.6 million upgrade to its two‑decade‑old Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) system, contracted to Louisiana‑based Civix. The state aims to have the modernized platform ready for the 2027 elections,...
ETCOG Awards Civic Marketplace to Expand Cooperative Purchasing for Rural Communities, Schools, and Local Districts
The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) has selected Civic Marketplace as the technology platform for its cooperative purchasing arm, COGWORKS. The partnership brings AI‑driven procurement tools to rural communities, school districts and local governments across East Texas and beyond,...
Google and the Pentagon Sign Classified Deal to Give the Department of Defense Unfettered Access to Its AI Models
Google has entered a classified agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense that grants the Pentagon unrestricted API access to the company’s commercial AI models for any lawful government purpose. The contract, whose full terms remain secret, stipulates that the...
Lawmaker Calls on FAA To Permanently Ground MD-11
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat from Kentucky, has asked the FAA to issue an emergency airworthiness directive that would permanently ground all remaining McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft. The request follows the fatal UPS Flight 2976 crash on Nov. 4, 2025, in Louisville,...
Iowa FD's Whole Blood Pilot Program Proves Worth with Stabbing Victim
The Des Moines Fire Department launched a pilot that equips ambulances with whole‑blood units and transfusion kits, allowing paramedics to start life‑saving transfusions before hospital arrival. In February, a paramedic used the system on a stabbing victim, delivering blood on...
China Watchdog Warns ByteDance on AI Tags
China’s Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has formally warned ByteDance for failing to label AI‑generated content on its Jianying and Maoxiang video editors and the Jimeng AI website. The regulator said the platforms breached national cybersecurity rules that mandate conspicuous...
Vanta Receives FedRAMP 20x Moderate Authorization
Vanta announced that its Government Cloud has received FedRAMP 20x Moderate authorization, making it one of the first cloud service providers to complete Phase Two of the pilot program. The 20x initiative leverages automation, machine‑readable validation and continuous control monitoring...
Former Vodacom Exec Says People’s Faces Must Be Linked to SIM Cards in South Africa
Former Vodacom chief risk officer Johan van Graan proposes linking facial biometrics to SIM card registration in South Africa to curb SIM‑swap fraud. He argues the current Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (RICA) lacks verification mechanisms, especially for the...
From Smart Cities to Intelligent Cities: Why the Next Urban Leap Requires More than Technology
The article argues that the era of "smart cities" has stalled because data remains fragmented and reactive. It proposes a shift to "intelligent cities" where AI, IoT and mission‑critical communications form a unified operational fabric that can interpret context and...
US Government Has "Misspent" $3 Trillion. Auditors Want a Dedicated Unit to Tackle the Problem
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates the U.S. government has misspent nearly $3 trillion since 2003, with improper payments hitting $185.8 billion in fiscal year 2025 – a $24 billion rise from the prior year. Overpayments, which represent 82% of the misspending, are...
Singapore and Latvia Punch Above Their Weight in NATO Cyber Battle
NATO’s annual Locked Shields cyber‑defense exercise this year centered on protecting national IT and OT infrastructure. Singapore, a non‑NATO member, again topped the competition, marking its second straight victory. The contest routinely invites external partners, allowing smaller nations like Singapore...
Nokia, Blaize, and Datacomm Diangraha Unite to Deliver Hybrid AI Inference Across Indonesia and Southeast Asia
Blaize, Nokia and Indonesia’s PT Datacomm Diangraha announced a three‑way strategic partnership to deliver hybrid AI inference infrastructure across Indonesia and the broader APAC region. The collaboration combines Nokia’s networking and telco‑grade GPU capabilities with Blaize’s programmable, energy‑efficient edge AI compute, and...
Boldyn Bigs up Its Role in UK's Troubled ESN Rollout
Boldyn, formerly BAI Communications, is confirming that its 4G neutral‑host network across the London Underground will also serve the UK Emergency Services Network (ESN). The rollout, covering 137 Tube, DLR and Overground stations, is slated for completion by the end...
AI Job Losses in Ireland Likely to Hit Women and ‘Younger Workers’ Hardest, Says Report
Ireland’s cabinet approved a National Economic Social Council report outlining a coordinated response to the rapid rollout of artificial intelligence. The report warns that 63% of Irish jobs are in highly AI‑exposed occupations, with women and younger workers at greatest...