Digital connectivity is a priority for building operators as organizations seek more capable infrastructure to power AI systems and occupants seek reliability and speed from networks, according to a survey of over 6,000 wireless professionals by Cisco. The trend is leading to the deployment of new Wi-Fi and distributed antenna systems, Cisco says. Wi-Fi is seen as a strategic growth engine for many organizations, the company says. Three-quarters of professionals surveyed said they’re seeing operational gains, employee productivity improvements or enhanced customer experience, and about two-thirds said they’re seeing positive revenue impacts from wireless investments. “The business case for Wi-Fi investment is now undeniable,” Cisco says. The company notes that as AI applications become more important, Wi-Fi delivers a “multiplier effect” with strategic wireless investments providing a number of benefits across organizations. About 80% of organizations increased wireless investment over the past five years, while 82% expect wireless budgets to continue rising. But to capture the opportunities of wireless, organizations need to reconsider whether their infrastructure can support their business needs, Cisco says in its 2026 State of Wireless report. Digital connectivity is also now a value driver, with U.S. buildings certified by WiredScore achieving average rental premiums of $6.50 per square foot and vacancy rates around 3.8%, according to the global certification organization’s 2026 Global Cities Resilience Index. While organizations achieve compounding returns on wireless investments across the enterprise, the opportunity comes with mounting complexity, heightened security threats and talent shortages, Cisco says. AI-generated attacks, often from IoT devices, have become the leading driver of wireless security threats, the survey found. About a third of organizations say they’ve experienced financial losses from wireless security incidents attributable to compromised IoT or operational technology devices. That represents “a substantial threat to Wi-Fi as the most common connectivity technology for IoT,” the
Apr 28, 2026 · via facilitiesdive.com
Dive Brief: - A new tool from e-Stewards and Bloom ESG aims to measure and track critical materials diverted from disposal. It’s an effort to help electronics recyclers, IT asset disposition companies and their corporate customers boost domestic supply chains and meet sustainability goals. - e-Stewards, a certification body for electronics recyclers and refurbishers, partnered last year with sustainability consultant Bloom ESG to build an environmental benefits calculator for electronics recyclers. The calculator originally helped measure avoided carbon emissions and other sustainability metrics, and a new expansion now also measures how recyclers and companies divert critical materials from disposal through recycling or refurbishment. - The “critical metals conserved” metric aims to help users better quantify specific recycled or reused materials such as copper, steel, aluminum, gold, silver and palladium. The tool will expand to track lithium, cobalt and other rare earth elements in coming months. Dive Insight: In the United States, efforts to boost U.S. domestic supply chains for critical minerals used in electronics, batteries and magnets has become a key economic and manufacturing priority. That’s partly because countries like China corner the market on certain minerals used to manufacture those items. In the last few months, that conversation has accelerated due to geopolitical factors such as tariffs and the war in Iran, which has strained supply chains for many industries. That has spurred calls for more investments in the electronics recycling industry, especially as organizations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimate there’s $67 billion in value locked inside “hibernating devices” such as forgotten laptops or old phones tossed into junk drawers around the world. Accurately measuring and accounting for these critical materials diverted from electronics is an important part of the equation, said Sebastian Foot, Bloom ESG’s co-founder. That’s because companies can’t know how much of the material
Apr 28, 2026 · via wastedive.com
Dive Brief: - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing a new tax on second homes in New York City owned by non-residents and worth $5 million or more. - The levy would impact an estimated 13,000 properties, Gothamist reported. It is expected to generate $500 million annually for the city, Hochul said in a press release. - Following Hochul’s announcement, New York State Sen. Patricia Fahy proposed implementing a version of the tax statewide. Dive Insight: The U.S. continues to face a dearth of affordable housing options, and several states are exploring surcharges on high-end second properties, also known as a pied-à-terre tax. Montana this year imposed a flat 1.9% tax on second homes, short-term rentals and vacant residential lots, a levy lawmakers expect will help lower taxes on year-round primary resident housing and year-round renters. Rhode Island on July 1 will implement a tax on properties valued at more than $1 million that are not primary residences for the owners. Upstate New York is seeing a “rapid increase” in such properties, which are often vacant and can drive up housing costs for full-time residents, Fahy said. “That imbalance is increasingly felt in smaller communities, where even modest shifts in housing supply and municipal budgets can have outsized consequences,” Fahy said in a news release.
Apr 28, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
The Environmental Protection Agency launched a new water reuse action plan April 16 that reframes water recycling as critical infrastructure for water-intensive industries like semiconductor manufacturing and data centers. The plan emphasizes local leadership and collaboration, but fragmented regulations, tight capital budgets and public skepticism could slow the implementation of reuse projects, a water infrastructure expert says. Aimed at normalizing and accelerating water reuse, WRAP 2.0 recognizes that “states and local leaders understand their water resources and needs best,” the EPA said in a press release, but it promotes “collaborative partnerships to advance reuse.” “WRAP 2.0 is bringing together a unique group of public and private leaders from American industry, technology companies, the energy sector, the water sector, and government,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer said in a statement. This is a key shift, said Josh Mahan, senior director of government and industry relations at water technology provider Xylem, in an email to Smart Cities Dive. WRAP 2.0 recognizes “that water reuse is not just a municipal issue, with industrial users playing a critical role as early adopters of advanced reuse and partners in meeting shared water quality and resilience objectives,” he said. According to Ana Schwab, a partner and director of government affairs at law firm Best Best & Krieger, “collaboration will be paramount to the success of the growth and evolving use of water reuse.” In an email, she said that “the implementation of water reuse is most successful when all parties are involved — federal, state, local communities, and stakeholders — each bringing a different level of expertise and experience to the development and implementation.” But Street Lee, president and CEO of civil engineering firm McKim & Creed, who has nearly 40 years of experience in water and wastewater infrastructure, said encouraging government agencies and
Apr 28, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
Too Hot To Handle: Indian Cities In A Giant Air Fryer Sudhir Mishra & Saumya Verma 28 April 2026 7:08 PM IST Some of the most formative memories of my senior and co-author, Sudhir Mishra's childhood has nothing to do with a classroom. Growing up in Bihar in the 1970s and 80s, his school did not always have enough walls or ceilings to contain a class, so teachers would hold lessons under the wide canopy of peepal and banyan trees. Even at the peak of a Bihar summer, sitting cross-legged beneath those trees, it was bearable. The trees breathed. They exhaled cool, moist air. They were, in every meaningful sense, infrastructure. I, Saumya Verma, grew up in Noida. The Noida of my childhood was sparse: wide roads, open land, dust and possibility in equal measure. It was not beautiful, but it breathed. Today, that same Noida is a concrete grid. On a May afternoon, stepping outside feels less like walking into summer and more like opening an oven door. We did not lose our climate to bad luck. We surrendered it to bad policy. There is an old Glucon-D advertisement that has stayed with many of us: a cartoon sun bending down over a child, inserting a straw into the top of the child's head and gleefully sucking out their energy. It was meant to sell an electrolyte drink. It was also, as it turns out, a documentary. That advertisement is no longer a metaphor, it is a medical reality playing out across India's cities every summer, except the child in question is not a cartoon, the sun has no straw, and there is no Glucon-D large enough to fix what we have built. The Numbers That Should Shame a Nation India is on fire, not metaphorically, but literally, measurably,
Apr 28, 2026 · via livelaw.in
QUANTICO, VA, April 28, 2026 — Unveiled at Modern Day Marine 2026, Teledyne FLIR Defense announced the expansion of its Third-Party Payload Integration Program with the certification of Emesent’s Hovermap LiDAR Payload. The agreement will deliver Emesent’s GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities across Teledyne FLIR’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS), ground robots, and radiation detection platforms. The Emesent–Teledyne FLIR combination addresses a GPS-denial gap in air and ground domains where unmanned systems can lose GPS connectivity in common operating areas, such as tunnels, urban structures, and CBRN-contaminated spaces. Using LiDAR-based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), Emesent’s Hovermap payload generates accurate 3D maps without GPS or external infrastructure. On Teledyne FLIR’s SkyRanger® R70 and R80D SkyRaider® UAS platforms, Hovermap enables mapping even in GPS-denied environments. Mounted on the company’s SUGV™ 325 ground robot, Hovermap provides users with persistent 3D awareness of complex enclosed environments streamed in real-time. And integrated with Teledyne FLIR’s MUVE™ R430 radiation detection payload on the SUGV, Hovermap allows operators to see not just where a robot has been, but where radiation levels are elevated, giving CBRN teams an immediate, geo-referenced picture of the threat environment. “Knowing the shape of a space is powerful. Knowing where the radiation is within that space, in real time, without putting a person in harm’s way, is an operational game-changer,” said Stefan Hrabar, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Emesent. “Our partnership with Teledyne FLIR Defense brings together GPS-denied mapping and radiation detection in a way that directly addresses what CBRN operators need in the field.” “Teledyne FLIR builds platforms trusted for the most demanding CBRN missions in the world,” said Tung Ng, vice president of Unmanned Systems North America for Teledyne FLIR Defense. “Working with Emesent, we’ll be able to give operators a fused, spatial picture of the threat environment they simply haven’t had
Apr 28, 2026 · via geoweeknews.com
Fresh Funds Houston-based, NASA-founded cleantech startup closes $12M seed round Houston-based Helix Earth Technologies has closed a $12 million Seed 2 funding round to scale manufacturing of its energy-efficient commercial HVAC add-on technology. Veriten, a Houston-based energy investment firm, led the round. Rua Ventures, Carnrite Ventures, Skywriter LLC and Textbook Ventures also participated. Helix Earth—which was founded based on NASA technology, spun out of Rice University and has been incubated at Greentown Labs—is developing high-efficiency retrofit dehumidification systems that aim to reduce the energy consumption of commercial HVAC units. The company reports that its technology can lead to "healthier indoor air, lower energy bills, reduced building maintenance, and more comfortable spaces for building owners and occupants." "Building owners are dealing with rising energy costs, uncontrolled humidity, and aging infrastructure with no viable, cost-effective path forward. We are in the field today solving these problems for commercial customers, and this capital puts us on an aggressive path to scale,” Rawand Rasheed, Helix Earth co-founder and CEO, said in a news release. “The strength of this round reinforces our team's conviction that we can transform innovation-starved sectors with transformational solutions that deliver order-of-magnitude improvements to owners and operators, for both their bottom line and the environment,” Rasheed added. Maynard Holt, Veriten’s founder and CEO, said that the investment firm is tripling its investment in Helix Earth. "The team has built breakthrough technology with real applicability across multiple industries,” Holt said in the release. “Their first product will have an immediate and measurable impact on our energy system, and they are already pursuing adjacent innovations to help heavy industries operate more efficiently and with less waste. This is a well-rounded team with a proven track record of strong execution and disciplined capital management.” Helix Earth also closed a $5.6 million seed funding round
Apr 28, 2026 · via houston.innovationmap.com
Hackers broke into the computer networks of major critical infrastructure equipment vendor Itron, the company said in a statement late Friday. Itron, which makes devices that analyze energy and water use, “took action to remediate and remove the unauthorized activity” after discovering the intrusion on April 13, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company said it “has not observed any subsequent unauthorized activity within its corporate systems” and added that it didn’t detect any unauthorized access to customer data. Liberty Lake, Wash.-based Itron’s smart-meter devices are ubiquitous in the electric, gas and water sectors, and it has partnered with local governments on smart-cities projects in which its products control other energy infrastructure. It claims to have contracts with more than 7,700 utility providers in 100 countries. It is also working with Cisco to provide better internet connectivity to smart devices. The company declined to comment on how it learned of the attack and which of its systems were compromised. In its SEC filing, Itron said that the cyberattack did not disrupt its operations and that it expects its insurance policy to cover “a significant portion of its direct costs incurred relating to the incident.” Itron “does not currently believe the incident has had or is reasonably likely to have a material impact on the company,” the filing said.
Apr 28, 2026 · via utilitydive.com
ZAWYA: Presight showcases Astana Smart City to President of Kazakhstan Abu Dhabi, UAE: Presight, a global leader in applied AI for intelligent systems, on Friday welcomed His Excellency Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to the Alem.ai Artificial Intelligence Center, for an official presentation of the Astana Smart City platform. Developed in partnership with the Astana city administration, the AI platform powered by advanced algorithms integrates data from transport, infrastructure, and public safety systems into a unified operational environment. This enables city authorities to monitor activity in real-time, respond more rapidly to incidents, and coordinate services more effectively, improving overall service delivery. Additionally, as part of the official tour and presentation, Presight showcased its Command and Control Center, and presented to the President the first sovereign data center built to meet the city’s intelligence systems requirements. Deputy Prime minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev, underscored the national significance of the initiative and its role in building sovereign AI capabilities: “Astana Smart City is a foundational step toward building an AI-driven government. By integrating city systems into a unified digital environment, we are creating the conditions for data-driven decision-making, more proactive public services, and a new model of governance powered by artificial intelligence.” Zhenis Kassymbek, Mayor of Astana, highlighted the scale and practical impact of the project: “This is not just about digitalization - we are building a unified urban management system where all services operate in coordination. This will significantly improve efficiency, safety and quality of life in the city.” Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, said: “We are honoured to welcome His Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the Alem.ai Artificial Intelligence Center. Kazakhstan has taken a clear and deliberate approach to building long-term national capability in AI. What we are seeing in Astana
Apr 28, 2026 · via tradingview.com
Dive Brief: - Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced a bill this month to prohibit lawsuits against fossil fuel-based energy producers because of their greenhouse gas emissions and preempt any states’ attempts to regulate such emissions. - Bills similar to the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act that would protect energy producers from lawsuits over their emissions’ role in climate change have passed in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah, and one has been introduced in Louisiana. - If enacted, the bill would halt at least 20 lawsuits states and municipal governments have filed to hold oil and gas companies responsible for contributing to climate change. It would also void climate “Superfund” laws, like those New York and Vermont have passed, that require companies that have contributed to greenhouse gas buildup to help pay for infrastructure investments to adapt to climate change. Dive Insight: Cities, counties and states across the country have brought lawsuits against a handful of energy-producing companies based on nuisance and other consumer-protection and deceptive practices laws, Annie Donaldson Talley, a partner at law firm Luther Strange and Associates, said during a recent Federalist Society webinar. “The main thrust of all of them is that the fossil fuel-based energy companies have caused global warming that harms communities and have sold lots and lots of oil and fossil fuels over the years,” she said. The suits have been filed almost exclusively in state courts, and some have been dismissed, Jonathan Adler, a professor at the William & Mary Law School, said during the webinar. A case brought against Chevron by the City and County of Honolulu and the Honolulu Water Supply Board is currently in the Hawaii Court of Appeals. In February, the U.S. Supreme Court granted Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil’s petition seeking review of a Colorado Supreme Court
Apr 28, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (Bases Conversion and Development Authority) has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT Esyasoft Technologies Asia to explore advanced energy solutions aimed at supporting the development of smart and sustainable communities.
The agreement covers the potential deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and other technologies designed to improve grid stability, enhance energy security, optimize power use, and support renewable energy integration.
The MoU was signed by BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang and Esyasoft CEO for Southeast Asia Madhusdan Sreedharan.
The partnership is expected to support the development of New Clark City and other BCDA estates as future-ready smart and investment hubs.
BCDA said the initiative aligns with the national government’s push for clean energy transition, noting the goal of increasing the country’s renewable energy share to more than 50 percent by 2030 under the agenda of Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
Officials described the collaboration as a step toward building a more secure, resilient, and sustainable energy future for the Philippines.
Apr 28, 2026 · via thevoicenewsweekly.com
BLOGS | RUSOKE | CITIES The net zero concept can be described as a target of completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity through reducing
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Apr 28, 2026 · via newvision.co.ug
The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) will honor Prof. Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes at their annual awards gala in NYC at the Plaza Hotel NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), a leading global professional organization known for its prestigious annual awards gala and exclusive vetting process, recently selected Prof. Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes as Top Influential Global Thought Leader of the Year 2026-Deep Tech Diplomacy for her outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. Inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself; only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations, and contributions to their communities. All honorees are invited to attend the IAOTP annual award gala at the end of this year for a night to honor their achievements. www.iaotp.com/award-gala With more than two decades of experience across academia, diplomacy, deep technology, and global policy Dr. Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes has firmly established herself as a leading expert in responsible deep tech innovation, digital strategy, and global governance. A dynamic and visionary leader, she currently serves as a Deep Tech and Diplomacy Ambassador for the Diplomatic World Institute and as a World Peace Ambassador to UNPAF, where she advances sustainable, quantum-resilient, regenerative, and ethically resilient technology ecosystems aligned with the values and objectives of the United Nations, G20, G7, World Economic Forum, European Union, and UNESCO. Current and previous roles include Deep Tech and Diplomacy Ambassador, World Peace Ambassador to UNPAF, Vice Rector at the WBAF Business School, university faculty member, executive advisor to boards and C-suites, and senior leader across academia, business, government, and the nonprofit sector. Through these positions, Prof.
Apr 27, 2026 · via blufftontoday.com
Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives are trying to restore clean tax credits for wind, solar and other clean energy technologies that were curtailed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The American Energy Dominance Act, introduced Thursday, would remove the accelerated deadlines that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act placed on the renewable energy 45Y production tax credit and 48E investment tax credit, and make similar changes to other impacted credits, like the 45V clean hydrogen production credit. The bill was introduced by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. A release from Fitzpatrick’s office said the legislation was “developed in direct partnership with the North America’s Building Trades Unions.” “Under current law, key incentives such as 179D and 45L are scheduled to expire on June 30, 2026,” said the release. The legislation would “fully restore” the 179D, or Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction credit, without a scheduled expiration. “For capital-intensive sectors, a shortened policy horizon does more than disrupt planning — it raises the risk that critical projects are delayed, scaled back, or never built at all,” the release said. “When that happens, it is American workers, American employers, and American families who pay the price through slower growth, tighter energy supply, and continued cost pressure.” E2 estimated that $34.8 billion in clean energy investments were canceled in 2025, outnumbering new investments three to one. In a Friday release, E2 executive director Bob Keefe called the legislation a “modest – but smart – step back in the right direction.” Capstone analyst Andrew Lascaleia said in a Saturday research note that the firm does “not expect [Fitzpatrick’s] bill that would reverse many of the changes made to energy tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to
Apr 27, 2026 · via utilitydive.com
Dive Brief: - The U.S. Department of Transportation opened a $1.1 billion funding round Friday to improve safety at railroad grade crossings. - Funding under the Crossing Safety Program comes from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to address over 2,000 collisions and nearly 300 fatalities yearly since 2021. - Eligible projects include installing or improving signs, signals or protective devices; relocating tracks; and creating road separation by adding tunnels, bridges or embankments. Dive Insight: Although railroad crossing accidents declined 81% from 1972 to 2025, according to rail-safety education nonprofit Operation Lifesaver, Federal Railroad Administration data show roughly 2,000 accidents each year since 2009. A 2025 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that accidents have increasingly involved pedestrians. Of the 287 deaths last year, 108 involved pedestrians. “Protecting Americans from railroad crossing collisions is a top priority,” FRA Administrator David Fink said in a statement. “From installing automated equipment to eliminating unsafe crossings, we are committed to delivering a safer railroad system for Americans.” States, counties, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, port authorities, federally recognized Indian Tribes and any combination of these entities are eligible to apply. The FRA will cover up to 80% of a project's costs. Of the total available funds in this round, 3% is set aside for project planning and 20% is dedicated to projects in rural areas or on tribal lands. The FRA said in the Notice of Funding Opportunity that it is interested in projects that reduce or eliminate blocked railroad crossings. In recent years, freight trains have concentrated along fewer, more efficient rail corridors while populations have increased along rail lines, according to the Association of American Railroads. The Nofo provides additional details. Applications are due by June 8, 2026.
Apr 27, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
This story was originally published on WardsAuto. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily WardsAuto newsletter. BEIJING — Smart Automobile Co. is preparing the ground for a potential return to the U.S. market, even as it navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical and regulatory landscape, senior executives revealed this week ahead of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. The comments came at the unveiling of the Smart Concept #2, a compact two-seat design study that previews an upcoming electric-powered successor to the Fortwo and marks a return to Smart’s city car origins. “We’d love to go back. We have quite a bit of history there,” Smart’s Global Central Marketing Officer Kang Yi said at the reveal event, referring to the company’s previous presence in the U.S., which began in 2008 and ended in 2019. However, Kang acknowledged that current trade tensions remain a major barrier. “It’s complex. At the moment, the geopolitical situation prevents us,” he said, pointing to high tariffs and broader uncertainty in U.S.-China relations. “We’re not closing the door. We hope that when President Trump visits China in May the relationship can somehow be normalized.” The Smart brand has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Founded by Daimler-Benz and Swiss watch maker SMH as the Micro Compact Car AG in 1994, the vehicle brand is now operated by Smart Automobile Co., a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz AG and Geely Automobile Group Co. Once synonymous with compact urban transport, the joint venture has broadened the Smart brand’s lineup with a series of larger, more mainstream models. Current models include the #1 and #3 compact crossovers, larger #5 SUV and the newly unveiled #6 sedan, a spread that gives the company a far broader customer reach than at any point since the launch of its debut
Apr 27, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
BEIJING — Smart Automobile Co. is preparing the ground for a potential return to the U.S. market, even as it navigates an increasingly complex geopolitical and regulatory landscape, senior executives revealed this week ahead of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. The comments came at the unveiling of the Smart Concept #2, a compact two-seat design study that previews an upcoming electric-powered successor to the Fortwo and marks a return to Smart’s city car origins. “We’d love to go back. We have quite a bit of history there,” Smart’s Global Central Marketing Officer Kang Yi said at the reveal event, referring to the company’s previous presence in the U.S., which began in 2008 and ended in 2019. However, Kang acknowledged that current trade tensions remain a major barrier. “It’s complex. At the moment, the geopolitical situation prevents us,” he said, pointing to high tariffs and broader uncertainty in U.S.-China relations. “We’re not closing the door. We hope that when President Trump visits China in May the relationship can somehow be normalized.” The Smart brand has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Founded by Daimler-Benz and Swiss watch maker SMH as the Micro Compact Car AG in 1994, the vehicle brand is now operated by Smart Automobile Co., a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz AG and Geely Automobile Group Co. Once synonymous with compact urban transport, the joint venture has broadened the Smart brand’s lineup with a series of larger, more mainstream models. Current models include the #1 and #3 compact crossovers, larger #5 SUV and the newly unveiled #6 sedan, a spread that gives the company a far broader customer reach than at any point since the launch of its debut model in 1997, the Smart City Coupe. All four Smart models are based on the Geely Group’s Sustainable Experience Architecture
Apr 27, 2026 · via wardsauto.com
SARAJEVO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A two-day international conference on sustainable cultural tourism, heritage, and the role of artificial intelligence opened in Mostar city, south of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), on Monday, bringing together experts and institutional representatives from across Europe and beyond. The conference gathers UNESCO Creative Cities and World Heritage Cities from Southeast Europe, including Albania, BiH, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Türkiye, as well as other European counterparts such as Italy and Britain, according to a press release of the official Federal News Agency (FENA). Titled "UNESCO Creative and World Heritage Cities: Towards Integrated Strategies for Sustainable Cultural Tourism Management," the event is jointly organized by UNESCO and local authorities of BiH, within the framework of the EU-funded Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs) project, the report said. Participants will explore how creativity and heritage can be jointly leveraged to promote inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development, integrating cultural value into urban strategies while addressing tourism pressure, climate change and governance challenges. The event also highlights the concept of "Smart UNESCO Cities," focusing on innovative governance, digital tools and sustainable urban practices. Head of the UNESCO Office in BiH, Sinisa Sesum, said at the opening ceremony that the conference provides a platform to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among cities facing similar challenges, stressing the need to exchange best practices and keep citizens at the center of development. He noted that tourism in Mostar is experiencing rapid growth, emphasizing the importance of avoiding overcrowding and protecting the outstanding universal value of heritage sites, while pointing to insufficient legal frameworks as a key challenge. Minister of Environment and Tourism of the Federation of BiH, Nasiha Pozder, said excessive tourism growth poses challenges for cities and highlighted the conference as an opportunity to enhance cooperation.
Apr 27, 2026 · via english.news.cn
Hackers broke into the computer networks of major critical infrastructure equipment vendor Itron, the company said in a statement late Friday. Itron, which makes devices that analyze energy and water use, “took action to remediate and remove the unauthorized activity” after discovering the intrusion on April 13, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company said it “has not observed any subsequent unauthorized activity within its corporate systems” and added that it didn’t detect any unauthorized access to customer data. Liberty Lake, Wash.-based Itron’s smart-meter devices are ubiquitous in the electric, gas and water sectors, and it has partnered with local governments on smart-cities projects in which its products control other energy infrastructure. It claims to have contracts with more than 7,700 utility providers in 100 countries. It is also working with Cisco to provide better internet connectivity to smart devices. The company declined to comment on how it learned of the attack and which of its systems were compromised. In its SEC filing, Itron said that the cyberattack did not disrupt its operations and that it expects its insurance policy to cover “a significant portion of its direct costs incurred relating to the incident.” Itron “does not currently believe the incident has had or is reasonably likely to have a material impact on the company,” the filing said.
Apr 27, 2026 · via cybersecuritydive.com
Artificial Intelligence is increasingly intersecting with connected systems, reshaping how data is processed and acted upon across industries. In this context, AIoT — the convergence of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things — is emerging as a critical architectural paradigm for turning raw device data into operational intelligence. Rather than simply connecting devices and collecting telemetry, AIoT focuses on embedding intelligence across the data lifecycle, from edge devices to cloud platforms. For IoT decision-makers and engineers, understanding how AIoT works is becoming essential to design scalable, efficient, and autonomous systems. Key Takeaways - AIoT combines IoT connectivity with AI-driven analytics to enable real-time, autonomous decision-making. - Edge computing plays a central role in reducing latency and optimizing bandwidth usage in AIoT architectures. - AIoT is widely deployed across industrial, logistics, energy, and smart city environments. - Data quality, interoperability, and scalability remain key challenges in AIoT implementations. - The ecosystem spans hardware, connectivity, platforms, and AI frameworks, requiring cross-domain expertise. What is AIoT? AIoT refers to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies with Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructures to enable intelligent data processing, automated decision-making, and adaptive system behavior. It transforms IoT systems from passive data collection networks into active, context-aware systems capable of optimizing operations in real time. Within the broader IoT ecosystem, AIoT acts as a layer of intelligence that extracts value from the vast volumes of data generated by connected devices. While traditional IoT architectures focus on connectivity and data aggregation, AIoT introduces machine learning models, inference engines, and predictive analytics to interpret this data and trigger actions. This shift is particularly relevant in environments where latency, scalability, and operational efficiency are critical. By distributing intelligence across edge and cloud layers, AIoT enables faster decision cycles and reduces reliance on centralized processing. How AIoT works
Apr 27, 2026 · via iotbusinessnews.com