Governance, Legislation, Regulation, Geostrategies

Equinix South Africa managing director highlights economic role of data centres amid resource concerns

(DigWatch) Growing demand for data centre infrastructure in South Africa is drawing greater attention to the sector’s electricity and water consumption. Equinix South Africa managing director Sandile Dube said public debate often focuses on what data centres consume while overlooking the services they enable, including banking, e-commerce, healthcare, government services, and digital businesses. A 2025 Development Bank of Southern Africa study identified rising demand for data and cloud services, utility infrastructure, and South Africa’s strategic location, including its subsea cable connections, as key drivers of further sector growth. – https://dig.watch/updates/south-africa-data-centres-resource-concerns

France expands ‘Osez l’IA’ plan to accelerate business AI adoption

(DigWatch) On 3 September 2026, France launched a new phase of its ‘Osez l’IA’ plan to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) among businesses. Launched in July 2025 as part of France’s national AI strategy, the plan aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the French economy and stimulate innovation through wider AI adoption. The plan is built around three areas: raising awareness of AI adoption, training, and supporting businesses in identifying relevant AI solutions and putting them into practice. During its first year, more than 35,000 businesses were reached through a network of 615 AI Ambassadors across 20 regions and 13 sectors. The programme also referenced 88 AI solution providers for SMEs and mid-sized companies, 70 Diagnostics Data IA, and 54 AI use cases on the ‘Accélérez avec l’IA’ platform. – https://dig.watch/updates/france-osez-lia-accelerate-business-ai-adoption

ITU and WBA: Greening Digital Companies 2026 report

(DigWatch) The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) have published the fifth edition of Greening Digital Companies: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments 2026 report. The report, released in 2026, tracks the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy use, climate commitments and transition planning of 200 digital companies. Further, the assessment uses company data reported for 2024 and covers 75 telecommunication companies, 66 IT software and services companies, and 59 electronics companies across seven geographic regions. – https://dig.watch/updates/itu-wba-greening-digital-companies-2026-report

United States launch Foundry School with Stanford to strengthen semiconductor workforce

(DigWatch) Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have announced the launch of the Foundry School, a training program aimed at rebuilding American manufacturing and which targets semiconductors, defence, and energy. Developed by Stanford University, the curriculum of the Foundry School will be taught by founders and CEOs from advanced manufacturing enterprises in the United States as well as South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and India. Beginning in September 2026, the project will hold seven regional sessions across several American universities to cover the fundamentals of modern factory design, materials and supply chains, assembly-line engineering, plant economics, regulation and permitting, and workforce development at scale. The participating universities are Arizona State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Kansas, Vanderbilt University, and Washington University in St. Louis. – https://dig.watch/updates/united-states-launch-semiconductor-school

Thailand begins developing a national data centre regulatory framework

(DigWatch) Thailand has begun developing a national regulatory framework for data centres as it seeks to manage the sector’s rapid expansion while supporting continued digital growth. At the first meeting of the National Data Centre Business Policy Committee, the government said clearer rules are needed to address gaps in existing regulation and provide a more systematic framework for data centre development. The proposed framework will address electricity, water and land use, environmental impacts, cybersecurity, and data protection, as well as planning and permitting requirements. The government also wants clearer legal definitions for data centres, tighter oversight of electricity capacity applications and stronger green data centre standards, including greater use of renewable energy. – https://dig.watch/updates/thailand-data-centre-regulatory-framework

Spain and Mexico expand cooperation on AI, digital skills and climate technology

(DigWatch) Spain and Mexico have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation across artificial intelligence, supercomputing, connectivity, cybersecurity, digital skills, and the use of digital technologies for climate change and natural-disaster management. The agreement was signed by Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, Óscar López, and José Antonio Peña Merino, director of Mexico’s Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications. It also covers data centres, digital public services, digital identity, and cooperation around interoperable data and open AI models. – https://dig.watch/updates/spain-mexico-cooperation-ai-digital-skill-climate

Los Angeles schools impose moratorium on student use of generative AI

(DigWatch) Los Angeles Unified School District has imposed a districtwide moratorium on student use of generative AI through school-owned devices for the current academic year, as officials review how the technology should be used in classrooms. The restriction applies across all grades and blocks students from accessing generative AI tools on district devices. Google’s conversational AI Mode has also been disabled on student accounts, although AI-generated summaries may still appear in conventional search results. The district has not yet established a policy governing AI use on students’ personal devices. – https://dig.watch/updates/los-angeles-schools-moratorium-student-ai

US congressional hearing examines data centre water costs

(DigWatch) On 3 September 2026, the US House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled ‘Reliable Water in the Digital Age’ to examine legislation aimed at strengthening drinking water systems and protecting ratepayers. The hearing considered two draft bills, including the Water Cost Accountability Act of 2026, against the backdrop of rapidly expanding AI data centre development and growing questions about its impact on local water infrastructure. The Water Cost Accountability Act would require states receiving Drinking Water State Revolving Fund grants to prevent public water systems from passing the incremental costs of connecting a data centre, or expanding water system capacity to serve one, on to other customers. Those costs would instead have to be recovered from the data centre owner or operator. The proposal covers costs associated with water sources, treatment, storage, and distribution. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-congress-data-centre-water-costs-hearing

AI models are becoming unknowable

(Madison Mills – Axios) AI models may be getting safer while also getting harder to monitor. Which side of that seesaw prevails could determine whether AI is scaled safely or ruins civilization as we know it. Right now both options are running full steam and no one knows who’s in charge of making sure the right one wins. OpenAI on Thursday released GPT-6 Astra, which president Greg Brockman said could eventually be seen as the start of artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Astra performs better, but it’s also better at avoiding monitoring, meaning it could be harder to know what it’s thinking or doing. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman separately told Axios this week that models are becoming “superhuman” in some capabilities and that “we are just sailing in unknown waters”.  The top leaders of AI companies are sounding the alarm on their own technology just as it gets harder to understand a model’s actions. – https://www.axios.com/2026/09/04/astra-openai-how-ai-models-think

EU tech chief: AI guardrails inevitable for U.S.

(Maria Curi – Axios) The Trump administration used this week’s G20 innovation summit to draw a bright line between U.S. and European approaches to AI regulation. The bloc’s top tech official says the U.S. is ending up with many of the same guardrails anyway. Why it matters: The U.S. is urging countries to avoid Europe’s sweeping approach to AI regulation, but the fight is shifting to which guardrails advanced AI needs and how governments put them in place. What they’re saying: European Commission tech chief Henna Virkkunen told Axios that the two sides often end up addressing the same safety concerns, even if U.S. safeguards are starting to emerge through state laws and court cases rather than something broad like the EU AI Act. – https://www.axios.com/2026/09/04/eu-tech-chief-ai-guardrails-inevitable-us

Tucson’s comprehensive data centre regulations take effect

(DigWatch) Tucson’s comprehensive data centre regulations take effect on 4 September 2026, introducing the city’s first land use controls specifically for large-scale data centres. The rules were adopted by the Mayor and Council on 5 August 2026 following a year-long process involving community engagement, technical experts, the Planning Commission, and a dedicated Data Centre Code Amendment Technical Advisory Committee. The amendments bring large-scale data centres under Tucson’s existing planned area development and planned community development zoning processes. They introduce enhanced separation requirements from residential, commercial and other sensitive uses, a 50-foot height limit, noise-impact studies, sound-screening measures, and operational noise limits. Developers must also demonstrate adequate water and power supply, disclose their energy mix including renewable sources, undergo environmental review, and meet requirements related to landscaping, green space, and public notification. – https://dig.watch/updates/tucson-data-centre-regulations-take-effect

US lawmakers to introduce legislation on artificial superintelligence

(DigWatch) US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have announced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, forthcoming legislation that would permanently ban the development and deployment of superintelligent AI and temporarily pause advanced AI development until a federal regulator establishes safety rules. The bill would also direct the United States to pursue international agreements to prevent the development of superintelligence anywhere in the world. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-lawmakers-ban-artificial-superintelligence

Arab States advance national digital policy roadmaps

(DigWatch) Ooredoo Group and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and in cooperation with GSMA and Women in AI, opened the High-Level Digital and Artificial Intelligence Policy Leaders Forum for the Arab States region in Doha on 1 September. The two-day forum brought together government officials, regulators, international organisations, technology and telecommunications leaders, academia, and development partners. The forum marked the next phase of the Digital Policy Framework for the Arab States, launched in November 2025 by UNDP, Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and Ooredoo Group. The framework covers three areas: networks and connectivity; data and digital public infrastructure; and intelligent systems and applications, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence across health, education, agriculture, and public services. – https://dig.watch/updates/arab-states-national-digital-policy-roadmaps

Canada launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles

(DigWatch) Canada has launched the Responsible Data Centre Development Principles, establishing a national framework for the development of data centre capacity. The framework sets five expectations for projects: creating lasting local benefits, avoiding the transfer of electricity costs to Canadians, minimising water use and environmental impacts, being transparent about local impacts, and providing strategic value to Canada. The principles are intended to complement existing provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous regulatory processes by establishing a nationally recognised baseline for major data centre projects. The government said the framework is intended to give communities greater clarity when assessing proposals and support a more consistent approach to data centre development. – https://dig.watch/updates/canada-responsible-data-centre-dev-principles

Qatar advances cloud computing draft law to Shura Council

(DigWatch) Qatar’s Cabinet has approved a cloud computing draft law and referred it to the Shura Council, advancing plans for a comprehensive legislative framework governing cloud services and digital data. Prepared by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in coordination with the Communications Regulatory Authority and other competent entities, the draft would regulate the storage and disclosure of digital data and establish controls for lawful access. The government says the framework is intended to strengthen data protection and security while balancing law-enforcement requirements with individuals’ privacy. – https://dig.watch/updates/qatar-cloud-computing-draft-law

Egypt discusses hyperscale data centre and AI zone with US developers

(DigWatch) Egypt is discussing plans for a hyperscale data centre zone with Heka Data and an alliance of US data centre developers as the government seeks to expand the country’s cloud computing and digital infrastructure capacity. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hindi met the delegation on 3 September to discuss a proposed integrated zone combining hyperscale data centres and AI infrastructure. The talks covered the project’s preliminary concept, potential scale, implementation phases, and the studies and procedures needed to move it forward. Hindi said Egypt wants to expand international partnerships in data centres and digital infrastructure, including investments that transfer and localise advanced technologies. The government views the sector as part of efforts to strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional hub for cloud computing, data processing, and digital services. – https://dig.watch/updates/egypt-hyperscale-data-centre-zone

UN General Assembly President urges inclusion of women in AI development and peace negotiations

(DigWatch) H.E. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, delivered remarks at the High‑level Forum on the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace on 2 September 2026. She highlighted the need for the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women in both peace processes and the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Baerbock noted that research shows women’s meaningful inclusion in peace negotiations increases the probability of an agreement lasting at least two years by 20 % and reduces the risk of conflict relapse by 37 %. She argued that similar benefits apply to AI development, stating that ‘even when we know that AI will play a crucial role in the conflicts of the future – still they are not designed with the voices of women.’ – https://dig.watch/updates/un-general-assembly-president-urges-inclusion-of-women-in-ai-development-and-peace-negotiations

Thailand expands digital asset AML safeguards with new Travel Rule

(DigWatch) Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a new Travel Rule for Digital Assets, requiring digital asset operators to strengthen risk management and transaction information sharing. The measure aims to align Thailand’s digital asset sector with international anti-money laundering standards and reduce the risk of services being misused for financial and technology-related crimes. – https://dig.watch/updates/thailand-expands-digital-asset-travel-rule

AI-boosted orbital surveillance can close Southeast Asia’s maritime surveillance gap

(Vincent Kyle Parada and Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano – ASPI The Strategiest) Maritime surveillance has become Southeast Asia’s critical capability gap. Artificial intelligence combined with orbital surveillance technologies – which we call space AI – offers one way to close it. As China asserts ownership and control of the South China Sea, the challenge for littoral countries is increasingly about information: who can see first, understand what they are seeing, and act first. Additional patrol ships and aircraft cannot maintain persistent awareness across some of the world’s busiest maritime spaces amid increasingly frequent confrontations involving coast guards, maritime militia and fishing vessels. The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea clarified important legal principles. However, China’s rejection of the decision showed that legal victories mean little without the ability to monitor, document and respond to developments at sea. – https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/ai-boosted-orbital-surveillance-can-close-southeast-asias-maritime-surveillance-gap/

One in five children in 21 nations faced tech-facilitated sexual abuse: UNICEF

(UN News) About 20 million children aged 12 to 17 – one in five across 21 countries – were sexually exploited by perpetrators using technology such as social media, according to a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report released on Thursday. Key points: nearly 60 per cent of cases occurred on social media; many children do not report abuse; UNICEF calls for safer platforms and stronger laws. More than 15 million children in this age group were exposed to unwanted sexual content, nine million were asked to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images against their will and four million had sexual images of themselves shared without their consent. UNICEF said the total figures are likely much higher. “The report reveals a painful reality,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. “More than 20 million children across the countries studied were subjected to unwanted explicit sexual content or exploitation online, often in the digital spaces where they learn, play and connect with friends.”  – https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/09/1168236

G20 backs digital innovation and responsible technology adoption

(DigWatch) G20 finance ministers and central bank governors have reaffirmed their support for responsible digital financial innovation and highlighted the broader role of emerging technologies in supporting economic growth. The statement, issued following their meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, on 31 August and 1 September, identifies AI, computing, digital infrastructure and digital assets as areas with the potential to reshape economies and financial systems. AI also featured prominently, with the G20 recognising it as a general-purpose technology capable of having a significant impact on global economic growth. Members welcomed investment in AI, computing and digital infrastructure to increase productivity and support broad adoption, while stressing the importance of managing financial and sector-specific risks. They also highlighted the potential for AI-enabled innovation to strengthen cyber resilience. As AI changes economic structures, central banks will also need to distinguish changes in productive capacity from shifts in demand. – https://dig.watch/updates/g20-calls-for-responsible-digital-asset-regulation

India launches AI agent training for students and professionals

(DigWatch) India’s National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology and Intel India have launched two training programmes aimed at preparing students and professionals for the growing use of agentic AI in education and the workplace. The initiative was announced during a national dialogue on workforce readiness involving government, academia, industry, and the skilling sector of India. Discussions focused on emerging AI skills, industry-aligned curricula, faculty readiness, experiential learning, and the need to prepare workers for systems capable of reasoning, planning, and carrying out complex tasks under human oversight. – https://dig.watch/updates/india-agentic-ai-skilling-students-workers

New York City introduces an AI moratorium for younger students

(DigWatch) New York City has introduced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for pupils from 2-K through eighth grade, alongside limited AI pilots and new AI literacy classes for high school students. The policy will apply during the 2026–27 school year and affect nearly 600,000 public-school students in New York City. Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grades, while teachers will still be allowed to use approved AI tools for lesson planning and operational tasks. Exceptions will also apply to assistive technologies, multilingual learners, and some career-readiness programmes. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-york-generative-ai-students

UK data centre boom exposes a government information gap

(DigWatch) A freedom of information request to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology asked for details on who was using the United Kingdom’s largest data centre sites and for what purposes. The department replied that it ‘does not hold the requested information’ and has since been dissolved. The request highlighted that hundreds of data centres are awaiting planning permission and that 315 are queueing to connect to the National Grid. In 2024, the UK designated data centres as critical national infrastructure. In January, ministers announced that qualifying data centres may opt into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project scheme, allowing approval to be secured from the government and bypassing local planning committees. Campaigners said the scheme insulates data centres from local scrutiny. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-data-centre-government-information-gap

Singapore launches Robot Leasing Support Scheme for construction sector

(DigWatch) Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will launch a Robot Leasing Support Scheme to help construction companies adopt proven robotics and automation technologies by lowering leasing costs. The scheme will co-fund robotics solution providers that lease proven systems to companies in Singapore’s built-environment sector. Eligible technologies include concrete-levelling and tile-grouting robots, with government support covering up to 50% of the cost of each robot. The funding will come through the Built Environment Technology and Capability grant, which already supports the adoption of robotics and automation alongside the Productivity Solutions Grant. BCA said growing demand for leasing prompted the new scheme, which is intended to allow more companies to use proven robotic systems while reducing the cost of scaling leasing services. – https://dig.watch/updates/singapore-robot-leasing-support-scheme

China’s GLP cloud computing standard takes effect

(DigWatch) China’s Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) cloud computing standard has taken effect, establishing national guidance for laboratories using cloud services while operating under GLP requirements. The recommended national standard, GB/T 22275.8-2026, was published on 25 May and became effective on 1 September. It forms part of China’s wider GLP standards framework and is administered by the National Technical Committee on Hazardous Chemicals Management Standardisation, with the Standardization Administration of China as the competent authority. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said the standard fills a gap in national guidance concerning compliant cloud use by GLP laboratories. It establishes requirements and management guidance for facilities introducing cloud services while maintaining responsibility for compliance with GLP principles. – https://dig.watch/updates/china-glp-cloud-computing-standard

The quiet regionalisation of AI governance

(Sameera Pillai – Lowy The Interpreter) Governments are moving to regulate AI at wildly different speeds. Australia’s recent Office of AI is an example. But countries acting alone risks creating rules that don’t line up across borders. AI regulation is also becoming a geopolitical signal. The global division into two AI governance camps sees the US pursue a security-focused approach, with “trusted networks” of allies, while China promotes state-directed multilateralism through frameworks like the World AI Cooperation Organisation. This binary framing gets more complicated once you factor in a recent essay by Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei, where he rightly points to the gap between AI’s development and pace of change, and the existing policy landscape to address the risks associated with it. Amodei calls for a global coalition of democracies to lead AI development around shared values, including locking down supply chains critical to AI among allies only. It echoes the US-led Pax Silica initiative. However, while the logic behind Amodei’s democracy-aligned AI partnership is strong, it leaves open questions around scope – what “democracies” look like today, where to draw the line, and whether countries such as Türkiye and India be in or out. Regional coalitions are emerging as a more realistic path towards AI governance. Bodies like ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum are already building momentum towards AI rules and regulations, so they can move faster than a coalition built from scratch. Global multilateral processes including the AI Safety Summits have produced valuable but non-binding communiqués, while the EU AI Act became the world’s first comprehensive, binding AI law within a few years. This shows that fewer, more aligned members can legislate and enforce faster than global consensus allows. One area where regional coalitions have the clearest edge is trade. In the Indo-Pacific, where trade partnerships are paramount, tying AI governance to trade agreements gives regional partners a strong incentive to comply. Regulation becomes binding by being made conditional on trade access, rather than left to voluntary alignment. For example, the Singapore-Australia Digital Economy Agreement, built on the existing free trade framework between the countries, already treats AI as an area of formal cooperation alongside binding provisions on data flows. Extending that same binding structure to AI governance, rather than leaving it as voluntary, offers a template that regional coalitions could replicate in broader frameworks, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). – https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/the-quiet-regionalisation-of-ai-governance

China’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission releases cyberspace action plan for 2026‑2030

(DigWatch) China’s top internet regulator, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, unveiled an action plan on 24 August 2026 setting strategic objectives for the development of cyberspace enterprises over the 2026–2030 period. The plan aims to position cyberspace enterprises as a major driver of high-quality social and economic development, while strengthening China’s technological capabilities, digital industries, cybersecurity, and regulatory environment. It reflects an integrated policy approach in which technological innovation, industrial development, cybersecurity, and digital governance are treated as closely interconnected components of China’s digital transformation. – https://dig.watch/updates/chinas-central-cyberspace-affairs-commission-releases-cyberspace-action-plan-for-2026-2030

Saudi Arabia partners with Pasqal to develop quantum-secure encryption

(DigWatch) Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the country’s national research and development organisation, has signed a research agreement with quantum computing company Pasqal to advance quantum technologies and strengthen national capabilities. The partnership will combine Pasqal’s quantum computing expertise with KACST’s research infrastructure to develop and test quantum-secure encryption solutions. The work will focus on cryptographic keys that can be used in both classical and quantum computing environments while providing resilience against potential quantum-enabled attacks – https://dig.watch/updates/saudi-arabia-pasqal-partners-quantum-encryption

California advances child online safety and AI safeguards

(DigWatch) California (USA) lawmakers have passed a package of bills aimed at strengthening protections for children online and setting new rules for the use of artificial intelligence. For child online safety, AB 1709 would restrict social media platforms from offering certain addictive features, such as endless feeds, autoplay, and recommendation systems, to users under 16. It would also require age-assurance measures. A related bill, AB 2, would allow significant financial penalties where social media platforms negligently cause harm to children. – https://dig.watch/updates/california-advances-child-online-safety-and-ai-safeguards

Egypt launches digital environmental impact assessment system

(DigWatch) Egypt has launched the Integrated Digital Environmental Impact Assessment (IDEIA) platform to digitise the environmental assessment and approval process. The system was launched by Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Environment, Manal Awad, and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Mohamed Farid Saleh, as part of the digital transformation component of the Green Sustainable Industry (GSI) programme. The platform enables project developers and consulting firms to submit environmental studies and supporting data online, track the progress of applications, communicate with environmental specialists, and receive environmental approvals electronically. The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) is responsible for reviewing applications through the system. – https://dig.watch/updates/egypt-digital-environmental-impact-assessment

US President Donald Trump urges communities to embrace data centres

(DigWatch) President Donald Trump has urged communities across the United States to support the development of data centres, arguing that they can bring investment, jobs, and lower taxes. In a social media post, he said opposition to data centre development risked leaving communities ‘backwards and poor’ and framed the issue partly as a matter of economic competition with China, suggesting that restrictions in the United States could shift investment and business towards the world’s second-largest economy. – https://dig.watch/updates/trump-urges-us-communities-to-embrace-data-centres

Australian Parliament closes AI data centre inquiry submissions

(DigWatch) Submissions for the Australian Parliament inquiry into artificial intelligence and data centres closed on 1 September. The inquiry is examining energy and water consumption of AI data centres, grid and infrastructure effects, environmental impacts, planning and community consultation, economic benefits, and regulatory adequacy. The final report is scheduled for 16 November 2026 – https://dig.watch/updates/australian-parliament-ai-data-centre-inquiry

India and Uzbekistan link national digital payment infrastructure

(DigWatch) The governments of India and Uzbekistan have announced a commercial agreement to connect their national digital payment ecosystems. Under the agreement, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) will work with Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre (NIPC), the operator of the HUMO payment system, to enable India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) applications to scan Uzbekistan’s interoperable UZQR codes for merchant payments. The arrangement forms part of the countries’ newly elevated comprehensive strategic partnership. The integration links India’s UPI infrastructure with Uzbekistan’s nationally mandated QR network, allowing payments to be initiated through an Indian application and accepted through Uzbek merchant infrastructure. It therefore represents more than the overseas acceptance of a payment application: it establishes interoperability between domestic payment rails and creates regulated cross-border flows of payment instructions, transaction information and settlement data. – https://dig.watch/updates/india-and-uzbekistan-link-national-digital-payment-infrastructure

(Australia) Before deciding how to power data centres, decide where to build them

(Raelene Lockhorst – ASPI The Strategist) National Cabinet spent last Wednesday discussing how Australia’s data centres will be powered. The harder question – where they should be built – was left off the table. The meeting was meant to lock in mandatory national standards for large data centres covering energy, water and land use. It didn’t. Queensland and the Northern Territory refused to sign up to rules tying new facilities to renewable generation. Going in, the federal government said it would override both governments if they held out. Following the meeting, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said there would be no carve-outs or exceptions to those rules, only a narrow concession allowing existing coal and gas where a jurisdiction could prove that they would be cheaper than renewables. Legislation isn’t expected until 2027. The investment pipeline is estimated above A$150 billion, and developers are already moving to secure approvals under current rules. Once granted, the geography is fixed for decades and no later standard will move it. – https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/before-deciding-how-to-power-data-centres-decide-where-to-build-them/

SCO adopts AI and digital cooperation package at Kyrgyzstan summit

(DigWatch) The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) adopted a package of measures on artificial intelligence (AI), data infrastructure and information security at its Council of Heads of State summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September 2026. The summit was held as the concluding event under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship and marked the SCO’s 25th anniversary. – https://dig.watch/updates/sco-ai-digital-cooperation-kyrgyzstan

Data centre water consumption could nearly triple by 2030

(DigWatch) Global data centre water consumption could nearly triple by 2030 as computing capacity expands, with AI contributing to growing infrastructure demand, according to estimates from Rystad Energy (a research company focusing on energy-related issues). Data centres directly consumed an estimated 222 billion litres of water for cooling in 2025. Rystad Energy projects consumption could reach almost 644 billion litres annually by 2030 without sufficient efficiency improvements. More water-efficient approaches could limit consumption to 543 billion litres under a moderate scenario or 388 billion litres under a more aggressive water-saving scenario. – https://dig.watch/updates/data-centrewater-consumption-2030

Malaysia launches free AI programme for 100,000 young people

(DigWatch) Malaysia will provide free artificial intelligence training and access to AI tools to 100,000 people aged between 18 and 30 under a new government programme running through 2027. The ‘AI untuk Rakyat’ programme will be delivered through Rakyat Digital, the national digital learning portal operated as an initiative of the Ministry of Digital through MyDIGITAL Corporation. The programme begins on 31 August and is intended to combine AI knowledge with practical experience using digital tools. – https://dig.watch/updates/malaysia-ai-programme-young-people

Council of Europe studies emergence of newsfluencers’ role as a news authority

(DigWatch) The Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI) of the Council of Europe reviewed a comprehensive study on newsfluencers and their role in Europe’s evolving information ecosystem at its 29th Plenary meeting in Strasbourg. Authored by Marijana Grbeša and Iva Nenadić, the study analyses newsfluencers as hybrid actors at the intersection of journalism, influencer culture, and platform-based creator economies. The report documents how social media and digital platforms increasingly shape public opinion and democratic participation across Europe. The study focused on structural shifts in media consumption driven by platformisation and algorithmic amplification. It claims that the declining trust in mainstream media, increased news avoidance, and younger audiences’ preference for short visual content distributed via social platforms, characterise contemporary information mediums. – https://dig.watch/updates/council-of-europe-studies-emergence-of-newsfluencers-role-as-a-news-authority

Australia proposes privacy reforms addressing AI and smart-glasses risks

(DigWatch) The Australian government has released draft legislation and opened a public consultation on a new package of reforms to the Privacy Act, aimed at strengthening individuals’ control over personal information and addressing privacy risks associated with emerging technologies, including AI and wearable devices such as smart glasses. The proposed Privacy Amendment (Personal Data Protection) Bill 2026 would introduce a fair and reasonable test for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. According to the government, this is intended to prevent organisations from collecting more information than necessary or using it in ways individuals would not reasonably expect. The package would also strengthen consent requirements and restrict businesses from trading personal information without clear permission. – https://dig.watch/updates/australia-proposes-privacy-reforms

Singapore and Brazil sign MOU for a ‘Green and Digital Shipping Corridor’ (GDSC)

(DigWatch) According to a Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) media release dated 28 August 2026, Singapore’s Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports Tomé Franca have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the Singapore‑Brazil ‘Green and Digital Shipping Corridor’ (GDSC) – https://dig.watch/updates/singapore-and-brazil-sign-mou-for-a-green-and-digital-shipping-corridor-gdsc

The European Commissions has moved ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under stricter rules

(DigWatch) The European Commission has designated ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox as very large online services under the Digital Services Act (DSA). These designations bring the three services within the DSA’s strictest supervisory regime, which now covers 28 platforms and search engines. According to the European Commission, the three services declared that they each have reached at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU, meeting the threshold for designation. The Commission classified ChatGPT as a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE) and Reddit and Roblox as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs). The designated services have four months (until the end of January 2027) to comply with additional DSA obligations, including the assessment and mitigation of systemic risks related to illegal content, minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, electoral processes and public security. – https://dig.watch/updates/stricter-rules-dsa-chatgpt-reddit-roblox

Morocco’s data regulator outlines 2026 election data rules

(DigWatch) The National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection (CNDP) of Morocco communicated on 29 August requirements governing the use of personal data ahead of the House of Representatives (parliamentary) elections scheduled for 23 September 2026. The guidance covers the processing of political opinion data and the identification of AI-generated content. The CNDP requires personal data processing to be notified to the commission before it begins, in accordance with Law 09-08 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data. It also stresses that data must be processed for specified purposes and retained only for the required period. Data relating to political opinions may not be used without the explicit consent of the individuals concerned. – https://dig.watch/updates/morocco-data-regulator-election-rules

Consortium proposes a US$3.5 billion AI data centre in Vietnam

(DigWatch) A consortium composed of Saigon Technology and Telecommunications JSC (SAIGONTEL), World Harmony Co., Ltd (WVU) and SAIF Eagle II Investment Co., Ltd has submitted a letter of intent (LOI) to develop an AI‑focused data centre complex on about twenty hectares of land in the Tay Ninh province of Vietnam. The project is designed for a total IT‑load capacity of up to 200 MW. The first phase would involve an investment of around USD 3.5 billion in a 100 MW facility, with groundbreaking targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026 and commercial operation in 2027. Following the LOI, the consortium will work with Tay Ninh authorities and the power sector to finalise the power supply plan and related mechanisms before investment policy approval procedures are considered, in accordance with regulations. – https://dig.watch/updates/consortium-proposes-3-5-billion-vietnam-data-centre

Republic of Korea puts AI at the centre of regional growth strategy

(DigWatch) The Republic of Korea has announced a nationwide regional development strategy that will leverage artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, and other advanced technologies to create specialised industrial hubs outside the country’s main economic centres. Under the National Land Transformation Strategy, local governments will help develop growth engines tailored to the strengths of individual regions. The Southwest Region will combine renewable energy and AI infrastructure with semiconductor investment, while Daegu–Gyeongbuk will focus partly on advanced AI robotics. Gangwon will develop AI data centres, Jeonbuk will target robotics and physical AI manufacturing, and the Southeast Region will promote AI-driven manufacturing. – https://dig.watch/updates/republic-of-korea-ai-technologies-regional-growth

Botswana maps creative industries for the digital economy

(DigWatch) Botswana has begun its first comprehensive mapping of the digital environment for its cultural and creative industries, as the country seeks to identify skills gaps, market barriers, and policy challenges affecting the sector. UNESCO, Botswana’s Ministry of Sport and Arts, and the Botswana National Commission for UNESCO held a two-day consultation in Gaborone on 25 and 26 August. Government representatives, academics, development partners, industry representatives, and creative professionals participated in the discussions under the UNESCO-KFIT Digital Creativity Lab III Project, which is supported by the Republic of Korea. – https://dig.watch/updates/botswana-creative-industries-digital-economy

AI advocacy group launches data center push in battleground states

(Maria Curi – Axios) Build American AI — an advocacy group tied to pro-AI super PAC Leading the Future — is spending big on the AI data center fight, with plans to pour millions of dollars into battleground states, according to an announcement shared first with Axios. The data center backlash is becoming a defining issue of the midterms, and supporters of the developments are punching back. Build American AI, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, has about $50 million cash on hand. The group’s campaign will begin in Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin. The money will go toward paid advertising, grassroots engagement, research, earned media and public education. – https://www.axios.com/2026/08/31/ai-advocacy-group-data-center-battleground-states

Losing face? Licensing and governing AI content in China

(Haiqing Yu, Joanne Kuai – Lowy The Interpreter) Would you accept US$15 to let an AI company use your face in artificial intelligence generated content? In China, this is becoming a real proposition. A recent Rest of World article reports that people are paid from between US$15 to US$700 to license their facial likenesses for AI-generated microdramas and advertisements produced for mobile phone viewing. China’s mobile entertainment industry is already enormous – and the use of AI-generated content is growing. More than 95% of microdramas released in China during the first three months of 2026 reportedly used AI somewhere in their production. The industry needs more faces – celebrities and ordinary people – to meet the demand for fast-paced, audience-driven microdrama production. One response has been straightforward: pay people for their faces. At the same time, regulators and platforms are cracking down on harmful and pirated content, unauthorised digital likeness, and homogeneous AI-generated characters. Licensing might be “legal” rather than simply scraping somebody’s photographs or reproducing their likeness without permission. But it creates a new problem for AI governance. An agreement might authorise one advertisement. But could the same AI facial model later appear in 100 advertisements? A romance or a political drama? Could it be aged, sexualised or made to say things you would never say? Generative AI transforms the question of facial rights. It is no longer only about protecting people from having their identity stolen. It is about governing what an authorised digital likeness can be made to do – potentially forever. – https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/losing-face-licensing-and-governing-ai-content-in-china

Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism

The extremist risk behind smart glasses

(James Paterson – Lowy The Interpreter) While frequently innovative, violent extremists have rarely needed to invent new technologies. More often, they adapt technologies developed for entirely different purposes once they become cheap, accessible and easy enough to use. Capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, drones, and 3D printing that were once expensive, specialist or restricted to governments and large organisations are now available through consumer markets. Their accessibility has resulted in extremist adoption and exploitation. Smart glasses may represent the next previously specialist, now commercially available, technology to be manipulated by extremist actors. A decade after Google Glass failed to achieve mainstream adoption, smart glasses are finally beginning to break through. A once expensive technological novelty is becoming cheaper, more capable and increasingly ordinary. Meta currently leads the market, but it will not be alone for long. Google plans to launch Android XR-enabled, AI-powered glasses later in 2026, while Apple is reportedly preparing its own product for 2027. At the other end of the market, inexpensive camera-enabled glasses are already appearing at mainstream retailers such as Kmart and Amazon. This growth in availability has generated scrutiny. Much of it has centred on privacy, particularly the ability of wearers to film bystanders without their knowledge. Those concerns are real and have already produced cases involving voyeurism and harassment. But the implications of accessible smart glasses extend beyond privacy. One area deserving greater attention is their potential co-option by violent extremists. – https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/the-extremist-risk-behind-smart-glasses

Courts and Litigation

US government tells court that AI training on copyrighted works is fair use

(DigWatch) The US Department of Justice has told a federal court that AI training on copyrighted works should be treated as fair use. The AI training fair use question arises in the consolidated copyright proceedings against OpenAI and Microsoft in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, where the US government filed a statement of interest on 1 September 2026 and The New York Times is among the plaintiffs. A statement of interest is filed under section 517 of title 28 of the US Code and carries no binding authority. The presiding judge, Sidney Stein, will decide the fair use question independently. The 20-page filing argues that training is ‘extraordinarily transformative’. Its reasoning is that copies made during training are used to teach a model statistical relationships between words rather than to reproduce the works themselves. US copyright law weighs four factors in a fair use analysis: the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount of material used, and the effect of the use on the market for the original. The filing rests mainly on the first and the fourth. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-training-fair-use-doj-statement-openai

UK app developers file lawsuit against Apple at the Competition Tribunal

(DigWatch) Apple Inc. is the subject of a lawsuit filed at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal. The claim centres on Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework. The framework, introduced by Apple in 2021, requires apps to obtain user consent through a pop-up window before tracking their activity across other apps and websites. If they decline, the app loses access to information on that user, which enables targeted ads. The lawsuit is being led by Ann Pope, a former senior official at UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. Pope stated that Apple’s policy ‘resulted in very significant harm to businesses that depend on Apple as a gatekeeper’. Attorneys acting on behalf of the app developers claim that the company’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework imposes stricter requirements on third‑party app developers than on Apple’s own services, thereby giving Apple an unjust competitive advantage in the mobile advertising ecosystem. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-app-developers-file-lawsuit-against-apple-at-the-competition-tribunal

Brazil data protection authority fines TikTok 30 million dollars

(DigWatch) Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) imposed a fine of approximatelly US$30 million (R$153.7 million) on ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, for irregularities in the processing of children’s and teenagers’ data, including the removal of illegally colllected data. The penalty is the first sanction imposed by the ANPD against a major platform under the Digital Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA Digital). The Data Protection Authority identified five systemic infractions spanning both registered and unregistered experiences. Investigators discovered that TikTok’s ‘unregistered feed‘ (available to users without registering to the platform) covertly tracked and logged behavioral signals, including attempted likes, follows, and comments, from visitors without a TikTok account, feeding this data into recommendation algorithms without any lawful basis under the general data protection regulation. For registered profiles, the authority ruled that TikTok relied on fundamentally defective self-declared age-verification mechanisms (‘Age Gates’) that failed to ban children under 13 from registering. – https://dig.watch/updates/brazil-data-protection-authority-fines-tiktok

FTC and 22 states file complaint against Amazon on hidden charges for ads

(DigWatch) The US Federal Trade Commission and twenty‑two state attorneys general filed a civil complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington alleging that Amazon.com, Inc. engaged in deceptive and unfair practices that inflated prices in its online search advertising auctions for more than seven years. The complaint states that Amazon imposed undisclosed surcharges on advertising customers, including more than 500,000 small‑ and medium‑sized businesses that participated in auctions for Sponsored Product, Sponsored Brands, and Display ads on Amazon.com and its mobile app. According to the complaint, Amazon represented to advertisers that its auctions were generalised second‑price (GSP) auctions, where the winner would pay one cent more than the next highest bid. The complaint alleges that, in practice, Amazon charged advertisers their own winning bid in a first‑price manner for roughly 80 % of auctions in 2024, up from 30‑40 % in 2021. – https://dig.watch/updates/ftc-and-22-states-file-complaint-against-amazon-on-hidden-charges-for-ads

Security and Surveillance

Chinese Hackers Use AI Agents in Multi-Country Cyber Campaign

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Threat intelligence firm Hunt.io just documented a second, separate China-linked campaign wiring commercial AI models directly into live cyberespionage operations, this time hitting Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party archives, Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, government and education systems in mainland China, and industrial hosts in Vietnam. The full report traces the operation through five exposed open directories the operators accidentally left publicly accessible, which is how researchers reconstructed the entire orchestration system from the inside. “Five open directories, one campaign. The exposed directories map to an AI orchestration host, a Java/CAS exploitation workspace, a fake MySQL deserialization service, a Shellshock and credential-testing node, and a payload-distribution store.” reads the report. “SecFlow split reconnaissance, exploitation, collection, and reporting among specialist workers. The runtime could switch between Claude, Qwen, and DeepSeek profiles without changing the task interface”. The framework behind the campaign, called SecFlow by the operators, could use different AI models, including Claude, Qwen, and DeepSeek. The operators could switch between them without changing how the system worked. Instead of using the models’ official APIs, SecFlow routed requests through private proxy servers linked to the niestools.com domain. – https://securityaffairs.com/198417/ai/chinese-hackers-use-ai-agents-in-multi-country-cyber-campaign.html

Dark Web Service Nexus Sells 153M+ Driver’s Licenses

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) A dark web identity theft service called Nexus appeared on September 1, 2026, offering searchable access to more than 153 million scanned driver’s licenses belonging to people in the United States and Canada. The FBI’s New Orleans field office opened a formal investigation the same day. Brian Krebs at KrebsOnSecurity, who broke the story, traced the source to idscan.net, a New Orleans-based identity verification company whose clients include Hertz, Target, FedEx, Motorola Solutions, Caesars Entertainment, and the financial services firm Jack Henry. “On Monday, Aug. 31, a source alerted KrebsOnSecurity to a service advertised by a new user on the Russian cybercrime forum Exploit, offering access to digital scans of identity documents on more than 170 million people in North America. The source brought it to my attention because the proprietor of this identity theft service offered my Virginia drivers license as a free sample in their initial sales thread on Exploit.” wrote Krebs. “The service, dubbed Nexus, claims to have more than 153 million drivers licenses for people in the United States and Canada, as well as more than 10 million identification cards; more than three million travel documents and/or international IDs; and at least 579,000 medical cards”. – https://securityaffairs.com/198388/security/dark-web-service-nexus-sells-153m-drivers-licenses.html

Tenable joins White House‑led Project Watershed to improve US water systems cybersecurity

(DigWatch) Tenable Holdings, Inc. announced on 31 August 2026 that it has joined Project Watershed, a White House‑led initiative aimed at protecting US water and wastewater systems from cyber threats. Coordinated by the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) and is being piloted in Texas, the initiative brings together federal and state authorities, water-sector operators and private-sector cybersecurity expertise to address vulnerabilities affecting one of the country’s most critical and interconnected essential services. Project Watershed is intended to provide participating water utilities with access to cybersecurity capabilities, technical expertise and practical support to identify, assess, prioritise and remediate vulnerabilities across both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) environments. This integrated approach is particularly important for water and wastewater infrastructure, where traditional enterprise IT systems increasingly interact with industrial control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) environments and other operational technologies responsible for monitoring and controlling physical processes. A compromise affecting either environment can therefore have consequences extending beyond data confidentiality or service availability to the continuity and safety of essential public services. – https://dig.watch/updates/tenable-joins-watershed

China to host 2026 Global Public Security Cooperation Forum amid growing focus on technology-driven crime

(DigWatch) The fifth edition of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum will take place in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, from 8 to 10 September 2026, with its opening ceremony and inaugural telecom‑fraud alliance meeting scheduled for 9 September. Organised under the theme “unite to advance public security governance, bring stability to a turbulent world”, the forum will bring together senior law-enforcement officials, representatives of international organisations including the United Nations and Interpol, diplomats, former government and law-enforcement officials, and international experts. The event is intended to promote international dialogue and practical cooperation in response to increasingly interconnected and transnational public-security challenges. – https://dig.watch/updates/global-public-security-cooperation-forum

Serbian students and opposition figures targeted with Pegasus and NoviSpy spyware

(DigWatch) The SHARE Foundation and the Citizen Lab have reported a new wave of spyware targeting members of Serbia’s student protest movement, civil-society activists and opposition politicians, including a confirmed infection with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. The findings come ahead of early parliamentary elections planned for October, following months of anti-government and anti-corruption protests. According to the SHARE Foundation, at least 14 people have been targeted with advanced spyware since the beginning of 2026, which it described as the largest documented wave of such surveillance in Serbia to date. Those targeted include members of the student movement, activists, an opposition member of parliament and a local councillor. The foundation said the targeting coincided with local elections held on 29 March in nine local self-government units and one city municipality, a date also documented by Serbia’s Republic Electoral Commission. – https://dig.watch/updates/serbian-opposition-targeted-with-spyware

Tinder expands mandatory Face Check biometric verification to existing users

(DigWatch) Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, is beginning to require the dating platform’s biometric Face Check system for existing users in several core markets, including the United States and the United Kingdom, according to WIRED. Tinder’s current explanation of Face Check confirms that users in regions where the system is required must complete a biometric facial scan. The company describes Face Check as a ‘condition of being on the Tinder service’ in those regions and says the requirement is being introduced on a phased basis where local regulations permit. Face Check requires users to take a short video selfie and uses facial scanning to determine whether a real person is present, compare the user’s face with profile photos and identify whether the same face is associated with other accounts. – https://dig.watch/updates/tinder-expands-biometric-verification

Anthropic strengthens AI training environment security after Claude agents accessed external systems

(DigWatch) In July, Anthropic disclosed three incidents in which Claude models, while being evaluated in controlled cybersecurity environments, gained access to the open internet and subsequently obtained unauthorised access to the live systems of three different organisations. The incidents, which date back to April 2026, were identified during a retrospective review of more than 141,000 evaluation runs in which Claude could potentially have obtained internet access. The review followed a separate incident involving OpenAI models and highlighted the challenges faced by AI developers in maintaining effective containment as increasingly capable models are tested in environments designed to simulate real-world cyber operations. Anthropic stressed that the three incidents occurred in third-party evaluation environments that had been misconfigured to allow internet access and that the models were operating without the standard cybersecurity safeguards normally deployed with publicly available versions of Claude. – https://dig.watch/updates/anthropic-strengthens-ai-security

OpenAI Astra Brings Autonomous Zero-Day Exploitation to AI

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Astra is now officially OpenAI’s highest-risk cybersecurity model. In August, OpenAI said it “couldn’t rule out” that its upcoming model had reached the highest cybersecurity risk level in its Preparedness Framework. In a new post, the company confirmed it: Astra meets the Critical cybersecurity capability threshold, making it the first OpenAI model ever classified at that level. “We now believe Astra meets the Critical cybersecurity capability threshold under our Preparedness Framework, meaning that with the right tools and access, it can find previously unknown security flaws and develop ways to exploit them across many well-protected systems without a person guiding each step.” reads the announcement. “It is the first model we are designating at this level, and requires stronger safeguards during development and before release.” – https://securityaffairs.com/198317/ai/openai-astra-brings-autonomous-zero-day-exploitation-to-ai.html

Iran-linked APT Mirage Kitten Uses Fake Job Tests to Spread Malware

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Iran-linked Mirage Kitten hackers just found a genuinely clever way to make their own malware harder to detect: telling job candidates not to use AI tools while reviewing the trojanized code they were sent. Kaspersky’s research documented two previously undocumented malware families from the APT group, delivered through fake coding challenges sent to job seekers on LinkedIn. The setup is almost embarrassingly simple once you see it laid out. A fake recruiter contacts a software engineer, offers a role, and sends a coding assessment hosted on a completely legitimate-looking Amazon S3 link, the kind of hosting nobody would think twice about. “During recent threat research, we detected suspicious activity on a system in Afghanistan. We traced it to an archive containing a software development project that the user may have received during a job application process.” reads the report published by Kaspersky. “The archive purported to contain a coding challenge for candidates applying for an engineering role.” – https://securityaffairs.com/198289/apt/iran-linked-apt-mirage-kitten-uses-fake-job-tests-to-spread-malware.html

U.S. Federal Communications Commission bans imports of foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots over national security concerns

(DigWatch) The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced a prohibition on the import of new foreign‑made humanoid robots, quadruped robots – often referred to as robot dogs – and power inverters, citing concerns over cybersecurity and national security risks, targeting imports from China. The agency’s statement described the regulation as a measure to protect U.S. communications infrastructure and critical systems. The FCC’s updated regulation adds these categories of robots and power inverters to the agency’s “Covered List,” thereby banning their entry into the U.S. market without prior specific approval. This prohibition arises from fears that cameras and sensors integrated into these robotic platforms could be used to collect sensitive private data, while foreign-developed software embedded in the devices could provide bad actors—such as hostile state actors or cybercriminals—with avenues to hack or remotely manipulate the machines. Beyond the robotic devices, the ban also extends to new models of connected power inverters, which are critical components in managing energy systems, including solar power installations and data center power infrastructures. Given that China manufactures a large share of the world’s robotic hardware and energy technology components, the move by the FCC has been widely interpreted as a targeted step toward curbing Chinese technological influence while protecting national interests. – https://dig.watch/updates/u-s-federal-communications-commission-bans-imports-of-foreign-made-robots

Financial Stability Board Sounds the Alarm Over Frontier AI Risks

(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine) The global financial system is at risk as frontier AI models transform the cyber-threat environment, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) has warned. Chaired by the Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, the FSB is an advisory body that monitors for potential risks to global markets. In a letter to G20 finance ministers and central bank governors dated August 28, Bailey warned that AI is complicating a risk landscape already shocked by conflict in the Middle East and its impact on inflation. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/financial-stability-board-alarm/

Healthcare Giant McKesson Investigates Data Breach Incident

(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine) One of America’s largest healthcare distributors is investigating a serious data breach which notorious threat actor ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for. Founded in 1833, McKesson provides wholesale medical supplies and pharmaceutical distribution to over 40,000 corporate and institutional customers. However, the firm revealed in a statement on August 28 that it was investigating an incident “involving third-party applications and unauthorized access and exfiltration of data.” – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/healthcare-mckesson-investigates/

Attackers Access Aesto Health AWS Infrastructure, Exposing 9.5 Million Records

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Aesto Health, a U.S. healthcare technology company, disclosed a data breach that exposed personal and health information belonging to more than 9.5 million people. The company discovered the incident on December 18, 2025, after attackers gained access to part of its Amazon Web Services infrastructure. Aesto Health is a U.S. healthcare technology company based in Birmingham, Alabama. It helps healthcare providers manage and protect electronic health records and other legacy medical data. Its services include secure data migration, electronic health record (EHR) exchanges and long-term data archiving. Aesto works with medical practices and healthcare organizations that need to move, store or access patient information securely. – https://securityaffairs.com/198250/data-breach/attackers-access-aesto-health-aws-infrastructure-exposing-9-5-million-records.html

Chaotic Eclipse Releases GenDigital Avast Antivirus ZeroDay PrettyPrague

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Security researcher Chaotic Eclipse, also known as INFINITE NIGHTMARE, MSNightmare and Nightmare-Eclipse, released a new zero-day exploit targeting GenDigital Avast Antivirus. The researcher named the exploit PrettyPrague, it triggers a privilege escalation flaw. The researcher claims to have found another zero-day in an antimalware product, this time targeting Avast Antivirus. The PoC exploits a flaw in Avast Sandbox to dump the Windows SAM database and gain a SYSTEM-level shell. It reportedly works even on fully patched Avast Antivirus and Windows 11 25H2. The researcher also suspects the flaw may affect other Gen Digital products, including AVG and Norton. – https://securityaffairs.com/198243/hacking/chaotic-eclipse-releases-gendigital-avast-antivirus-zeroday-prettyprague.html

Five Venezuelan Nationals Plead Guilty in Kansas ATM Jackpotting Attempt

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Five Venezuelan nationals have pleaded guilty after trying to steal cash from ATMs in Kansas using the popular ATM jackpotting technique. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the case on August 31, following an FBI investigation that ended with the suspects’ arrests just days after the attempted thefts. The case started in December 2025, when the five defendants traveled from Indiana to Kansas and targeted ATMs in Wamego and Manhattan. According to court documents cited by the DOJ, their plan was to install malware directly onto the machines and then remotely trigger the infected ATMs to dispense cash, which the group would collect afterward. “The conspirators were unsuccessful in installing the malware on the ATM in Wamego, but their attempts at installing the malware triggered the alarm causing law enforcement to respond, and the culprits didn’t return to the site. In Manhattan, the group was equally unsuccessful in getting the ATM to dispense money. Both attempted thefts were captured by surveillance cameras, and the perpetrators were arrested a few days later.” – https://securityaffairs.com/198233/cyber-crime/five-venezuelan-nationals-plead-guilty-in-kansas-atm-jackpotting-attempt.html

North Korea-linked IT Workers Are Getting Hired Inside Western Companies

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Companies keep accidentally hiring North Korea-linked individuals as remote workers, and Huntress just published the receipts. The security firm’s investigation documents five confirmed cases in 2026 alone where DPRK-aligned workers, tracked under the name FAMOUS CHOLLIMA, talked their way into legitimate jobs using fake or stolen identities, spanning IT roles, sales and marketing, and even healthcare positions. The main challenge is that this isn’t a typical cyberattack. These workers get hired, complete the onboarding process and often perform the job they’re paid to do, while sending part of their earnings back to North Korea. Huntress says the workers aren’t breaking into companies through technical vulnerabilities. Instead, they use fake identities and other tricks to get legitimate jobs, which makes them much harder to spot with traditional security tools. – https://securityaffairs.com/198227/apt/north-korea-linked-it-workers-are-getting-hired-inside-western-companies.html

Pharmaceutical giant McKesson warns of ‘service degradation’ following cyberattack

(Jonathan Greig – The Record) A cyberattack is causing service issues for the pharmaceutical and healthcare technology company McKesson. The company released a public notice and filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday evening saying it is in the early stages of investigating a cybersecurity incident that involves an unnamed third-party application. The hackers have gained access to the application and are exfiltrating data, McKesson said. “At this time, customers may experience intermittent service degradation that we believe may be related to this incident,” McKesson chief technology officer Francisco Fraga said in a statement. “We are aware of these issues and continue to monitor the situation closely.” – https://therecord.media/mckesson-cyberattack-ransomware-pharma

Cybersecurity’s “Hiring Crisis” is Fueling the Cybercrime Talent Pipeline

(Oludolamu Onimole – Infosecurity Magazine) “The child who is not embraced by the village will seek warmth elsewhere” – African proverb. Every week, organizations warn of a global cybersecurity skills shortage. In fact, for some countries like the UK, it has been repeated so many times that it has lost a lot of meaning, with some analyses saying it takes as long as six months to find qualified candidates. Yet, every week, aspiring analysts with certifications and degrees and extensive Udemy training from being told to upskill, who have home labs and GitHub portfolios so they can “build in public”, as well as Capture the Flag experience, receive rejection emails because they lack “commercial experience” or are not a culture fit. If the industry is facing such an acute talent shortage, why are so many capable candidates unable to secure their first opportunity? Perhaps the challenge is not a shortage of cybersecurity talent, but a shortage of accessible pathways into the profession. In our pursuit of experienced practitioners, we have built hiring processes filled with filters, gatekeepers, and unrealistic expectations that often exclude the very people we claim to need. If the cybersecurity industry is serious about closing the workforce gap, it must confront an uncomfortable truth: our hiring practices may be strengthening the very threat ecosystem we are trying to defeat. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/cybersecurity-hiring-cybercrime/

ValleyRAT: When Legitimate Software Becomes a Malware Delivery Tool

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) ValleyRAT doesn’t always need to disguise itself as a cracked game or a fake browser update. It can also hide behind something much more ordinary: an application that looks like adware and appears to serve a legitimate purpose. Kaspersky’s latest analysis shows how this works. Researchers found a malicious installer that uses a modified version of QN Wallpaper, a legitimate Chinese desktop wallpaper application, to deliver the ValleyRAT backdoor while making the infection look like a normal software installation. Researchers found a malicious installer that uses a modified version of QN Wallpaper, a legitimate Chinese desktop wallpaper application, to deliver the ValleyRAT backdoor while making the infection look like a normal software installation. The interesting part is how the attackers make the first stages look harmless. The installer can present itself as software associated with DingTalk, Google Chrome or Tencent Meeting, depending on the filename, while quietly deploying the modified wallpaper application in the background. That gives the victim something familiar to look at while the real work happens elsewhere. It’s a simple trick, but it removes one of the most obvious warning signs of a malware infection: the feeling that something unusual has just been installed. – https://securityaffairs.com/198191/security/valleyrat-when-legitimate-software-becomes-a-malware-delivery-tool.html

China-linked Fire Ant Hides Inside Trusted Infrastructure

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Chinese-linked cyber espionage group Fire Ant has spent the past year quietly graduating from hacking individual computers to hacking the infrastructure that connects them. Sygnia’s new report traces how the group expanded from compromising hypervisors into routers, authentication servers, and Linux management hosts, the unglamorous plumbing that decides who gets to log in where and what gets recorded when they do. The investigation started with something that looked like a minor configuration mistake. A tunnel interface showed up as active on a Cisco IOS XR router with no corresponding entry in the configuration history, no commit anyone could point to that explained how it got there. “The investigation began with an anomaly that appeared, at first, to be a configuration inconsistency: a tunnel interface became operational on a Cisco IOS XR router even though no corresponding running configuration or commit history could explain its creation. The interface was associated with a specific VRF and used GRE encapsulation, but standard configuration review did not provide a reliable explanation for how it appeared.” reads the report. “This discrepancy became a key investigative lead because it suggested that the device’s operational state could no longer be trusted to match the configuration and audit records visible to administrators.” – https://securityaffairs.com/198183/apt/china-linked-fire-ant-hides-inside-trusted-infrastructure.html

Multiple US municipalities terminate contracts with Flock over surveillance concerns

(DigWatch) Multiple US municipalities have moved to terminate, suspend, or decline to renew contracts with Flock Safety, as scrutiny of the company’s automated licence-plate reader (ALPR) network intensifies over privacy, data sharing, oversight, and reported misuse. The cancellations accelerated during August. Ars Technica, citing data compiled by Oakland-based surveillance advocacy organisation Secure Justice, reported that 93 jurisdictions ended their relationships with Flock during the month, bringing the number recorded by the organisation since 2021 to 214. The figures cover different forms of discontinuation and do not constitute an official government count. When presented with the data, Flock told Ars Technica that new municipal partnerships in 2026 were still outpacing non-renewals by approximately ten to one. Several recent decisions are documented directly by local authorities. On 26 August, the City of Tempe in Arizona announced that it had switched off its Flock ALPR system and would end the programme rather than seek a replacement. The city said that although its own audits had not identified improper searches, concerns about potential misuse elsewhere and the need to maintain public trust supported ending the programme. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-cities-terminate-contracts-with-flock

Defence and Warfare

US Marine Corps plans to use 3D scanners to detect cracked body armor

(Michael Peck – Defense News) The U.S. Marine Corps is looking to acquire high-resolution 3D scanners to detect cracked body armor. The goal is to develop sensors that can “scan individual hard armor plates for cracks and delaminations,” according to a Marine Corps Request For Information, which is due Oct. 2. More specifically, the devices will inspect Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts and United States Marine Corps Lightweight Plates. The Enhanced Armor Inspection System will use computed tomography, or CT, scanners. CT scanning, commonly used for tasks such as medical imaging and airport bomb detection, creates 3D images that are more detailed than traditional 2D X-ray images. – https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/09/03/us-marine-corps-plans-to-use-3d-scanners-to-detect-cracked-body-armor/

South Korea’s digital shipyards could keep Australia’s navy afloat

(Joonho Choi – East Asia Forum) Australia’s naval buildup is constrained by severe workforce shortages, delayed shipbuilding programs and mounting sustainment backlogs. South Korea’s smart‑shipyard technologies, already leading to productivity growth at firms like HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean, could help Australia overcome these bottlenecks. A formal AI‑enabled industrial partnership would expand capacity, strengthen sustainment and rebalance bilateral defence ties, giving both countries greater resilience in an increasingly contested Indo‑Pacific. – https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/08/29/south-koreas-digital-shipyards-could-keep-australias-navy-afloat/

Frontiers

Google launches WeatherNext 3 AI model for higher-resolution weather forecasting

(DigWatch) Google DeepMind and Google Research have launched WeatherNext 3, an AI weather forecasting model that uses real-time satellite observations to produce global forecasts every hour at resolutions of up to five kilometres. The model combines live geostationary satellite imagery with historical weather data and observations from weather stations. Compared with WeatherNext 2, which produced forecasts on a 25-kilometre grid every six hours, the new system can provide surface variables such as temperature and moisture at five-kilometre resolution, while other atmospheric variables are generated at different resolutions. Google says independent live evaluations by Brightband place WeatherNext 3 among the strongest-performing global weather models. – https://dig.watch/updates/google-weathernext-3-ai-weather-forecasting

Republic of Korea approves new satellite for environmental and ocean monitoring

(DigWatch) The Republic of Korea has approved plans to develop a new geostationary satellite designed to improve monitoring of atmospheric pollution, marine conditions, and environmental disasters. The Cheollian Satellite-6 project has passed its preliminary feasibility study and is expected to begin development in 2027, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The project has a budget of approximately KRW 769.4 billion and a planned launch date of 2033. – https://dig.watch/updates/republic-of-korea-satellite-environmental-ocean

China outlines embodied intelligence measures for robot deployment

(DigWatch) China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has outlined new measures to accelerate the development and real-world application of embodied intelligence, focusing on training environments, data, models, standards, and testing infrastructure. Speaking at the NDRC’s press conference on 28 August, spokesperson Li Chao said the commission would use embodied-intelligence training grounds and national AI application pilot bases to help robots improve through real-world scenarios and meet practical demand. – https://dig.watch/updates/china-embodied-intelligence-robot-deployment

Security robots set for deployment in Beijing Olympic area

(DigWatch) Beijing’s Olympic Central Area is preparing to deploy security robots after conducting a real-world demonstration involving eight intelligent machines designed for patrols, incident detection, and public services. The security robots are expected to formally enter service later this year. The demonstration involved four wheeled upright robots and four quadruped patrol robots. Together, they are intended to cover the 1.4-square-kilometre core area, including heavily visited locations near the Olympic Park’s central landscape avenue, the Bird’s Nest, and the National Indoor Stadium. – https://dig.watch/updates/security-robots-beijing-olympic-central-area

AI turns to health care for an image fix

(Adriel Bettelheim – Axios) AI has an image problem. And one way to fix it is for top companies to dive headlong into health care. Saving the world with AI-designed cures is better than being blamed for ruining the environment or driving up Americans’ utility bills. But even the most advanced AI models can’t produce miracle treatments at the moment — and could create serious security risks if they try. That could set up a fraught debate over the next two or three years about the allocation of resources and whether the benefits of throwing vast amounts of computing capacity into medical research outweigh the costs. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that Anthropic was trying to shore up investor confidence ahead of its massive initial public offering with talk of pushing harder into health care and biology. CEO Dario Amodei wrote on X that Anthropic is moving quickly in biology and medicine “and we hope to have incredible results in the coming years and some early glimmers in the coming months”. Anthropic isn’t alone: Nvidia and Eli Lilly are building a $1 billion drug discovery lab in San Francisco that will team up life science researchers with AI model builders and engineers. Isomorphic Labs, the AI drug discovery spinoff from Google, recently raised $2.1 billion to hire more AI and clinical talent and has ongoing research collaborations with Novartis, Lilly and Johnson & Johnson. – https://www.axios.com/2026/08/31/ai-health-care-cures-disease-anthropic-open-ai

Study: Chatbots are getting better at identifying suicide risk

(Ina Fried – Axios) A new independent evaluation finds that leading AI models are far less likely than earlier versions to explicitly encourage suicide or reinforce delusions. The study also found most models too willing to assist with suicide-related creative writing, farewell notes and other task-based requests even when a user’s distress should have been apparent. “Models aren’t great at detecting that, and they’ll still help with the task,” Transluce chief scientist Sarah Schwettmann told Axios. Transluce, a San Francisco nonprofit that studies AI behavior, simulated more than 50,000 multi-turn conversations between chatbots and users experiencing suicidal ideation, psychosis or mania. – https://www.axios.com/2026/08/31/chatbots-suicide-risks-identification