The Bank of Korea is reportedly planning to launch the second phase of its wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot, Project Hangang, as early as September. This phase will expand participation to nine banks, introduce new payment features, and test government subsidy disbursements using tokenized bank deposits.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri addressed concerns about ethanol-blended fuel, calling them a "misinterpretation" and stating that automobile manufacturers report no issues with E20 petrol. Meanwhile, minister Nitin Gadkari promoted hydrogen-powered mobility, highlighting his personal use of hydrogen vehicles and upcoming hydrogen trucks and buses.
Hong Kong's development chief Bernadette Linn welcomed diverse bids for the Northern Metropolis pilot project, noting the government's aim to pair property developers with industry operators. Two bids were received for the Hung Shui Kiu project, with Henderson Land bidding alone and Sino Land partnering with five other firms, including e-commerce giant JD.com.
The Metropolitan Police received a 12-month extension for its Palantir pilot project, allowing continued use of the AI system to identify officer misconduct. This follows Mayor Sadiq Khan's recent block of a £50m deal due to procurement breaches, with the Met now launching a new process to appoint a long-term supplier.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok visited Namhae County to review the rural basic income pilot project, noting its positive impact on the local economy and population inflow. He emphasized its potential to revitalize rural areas and curb Seoul's overheating.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announces a 'smart border' pilot project to prevent demographic change through cross-border infiltration, integrating technology, local administration, and security forces across India's frontiers.
Bolzano has launched a pilot project at the Oltrisarco cemetery to control the tiger mosquito population using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). The initiative involves releasing 30,000 sterile male mosquitoes, which will mate with wild females, preventing the hatching of eggs. The project aims for up to a 70% reduction in mosquito populations.
China's National Energy Administration encourages domestic enterprises to integrate AI into the energy sector through state-backed pilot projects, listing 51 application scenarios across 8 core sectors.
Dekiln, a Manchester-based startup, partners with Johnson Tiles to pilot a sustainable, energy-efficient ceramic-like tile production method using waste materials, aiming to revitalize the UK's struggling ceramics industry.
Russia is rolling out pilot energy storage units with a total capacity of 600 MW to enhance the reliability of renewable energy supplies. Projects are planned for the south and east of the country, with some systems potentially launching by July 1.
A pilot project at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital offering earlier specialist care after miscarriage could prevent around 10,000 miscarriages a year if rolled out across the NHS. Currently, women in England must experience three miscarriages to qualify for specialist NHS help, which experts describe as an unacceptable anomaly. The study of 406 women found that one in five had treatable health issues affecting pregnancy outcomes.
