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Showing 9 of 123 news items in Connectivity & Digitization

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 30, 2026

Jeju Becomes Test Bed for Autonomous Delivery Network

Photo courtesy of Korea Aerospace Administration via KoreaBizWire.com Excerpt from koreabizwire.com South Korea has begun testing a next-generation delivery system in which drones and ground robots work in tandem to transport goods directly to customers’ doors, the government said Friday. The pilot, led by the Korea AeroSpace Administration in collaboration with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, aims to build a fully automated logistics chain capable of handling payloads of up to 40 kilograms. Under the system, drones depart from a logistics hub carrying cargo, fly autonomously to a destination area and land near the delivery point. A ground robot then completes the “last mile,” transporting the package directly to the customer’s doorstep.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 15, 2026

Okinawa salt manufacturer shifts production method in decarbonization drive

Excerpt from japantimes.co.jp Surrounded by sea, Okinawa Prefecture has long treasured salt, which is indispensable to people’s daily lives. But the salt industry is facing a major challenge — to change how it produces salt and delivers it to end users, a process that emits a massive amount of carbon dioxide. The production of salt — called maasu in the Okinawan dialect — involves generating high-temperature, high-pressure steam and boiling seawater or concentrated brine in a flat pan until crystals form. In Japan, coal-fired boilers are commonly used in this process. “People even say salt equals coal — it uses an enormous amount of fossil fuel,” says Genei Matayoshi, CEO of Aoiumi, the operator of salt manufacturer Shima-maasu Honpo in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. The salt industry’s total CO2 emissions in Japan in fiscal 2024, which ended in March 2025, are estimated at about 631,000 tons. While this represents a reduction of nearly 138,000 tons from the base year of fiscal 2013, achieving the government’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 remains distant.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 15, 2026

The Gran Canaria train project receives its Environmental Impact Statement and moves towards implementation

Excerpt from maspalomas24h.uk The Gran Canaria Island Council has obtained the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the train project, which allows it to move forward with the administrative procedures for the execution of the railway infrastructure between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Maspalomas. The President of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, stated that “the development of guided transport is key to moving towards a more sustainable mobility model on the island” and highlighted that during the current term, “the technical projects have been completed and progress has been made on the necessary agreements with the State.” In this regard, he added that “work is also underway on actions related to the future airport station” and pointed out that the approval of the General State Budget will be crucial for securing the project's funding.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 8, 2026

Beneath Indonesia’s big EV dreams loom local costs

Excerpt and Photo Credit from eco-business.com In July 2024, then president Joko Widodo said Indonesia must “become a global player in the EV supply chain”. He was speaking at the inauguration of a Hyundai EV and battery factory in Karawang, West Java, where government officials declared the country’s commitment to strengthening its EV production “ecosystem”. Indonesia, with its large supplies of several metals used in EVs – such as nickel, copper and bauxite – has taken several steps towards doing so. But in the background of these ambitions lie concerns about the nickel industry’s impacts on local communities. Experts say that without major changes to the law, local people will continue to suffer from impacts already documented in existing projects.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 1, 2026

UK’s First Electric Flight Demonstrations Begin in Scotland

Excerpt from futuretransport-news.com Loganair and BETA Technologies have commenced the UK’s first real-world electric flight demonstrations, flying the ALIA CTOL on Royal Mail routes across Scotland. The programme aims to assess how electric aircraft could operate on essential Royal Mail flights to remote communities. The first demonstration took place on 20 March on the Glasgow to Dundee route. Further flights are scheduled to connect Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Orkney. Letters and parcels were carried to replicate the daily operations that ensure delivery to the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The ALIA CTOL is an all-electric aircraft designed for regional cargo and passenger flights. It can operate from existing runways, with a recharge time of 20–40 minutes using BETA’s fast-charging system. The aircraft has a maximum range of 336 nautical miles and a payload capacity of up to 560 kg, matching the requirements of Loganair’s regional network.

Connectivity & DigitizationFebruary 11, 2026

The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ approach: How the small but mighty island innovates at scale

Excerpt from weforum.org When people think of Bermuda, they think of turquoise waters, pink sands and, yes, the mystique of the Bermuda Triangle. Today, the Bermuda Triangle is no longer a phenomenon where ships and planes disappear, but instead it is a "Bermuda Triangle of Innovation", a model for balancing risk assessment and agile innovation rooted in the collaboration between government, regulator and industry. Before entering politics a decade ago, I built my career within industry. As a technology entrepreneur I managed information systems, modernized digital infrastructure and saw first-hand how emerging technologies reshape markets. Those years instilled in me a conviction for action, evidence and iteration. They also taught me something even more important: progress through innovation happens when there is trust, accountability and dialogue that keeps people at the center of every outcome.

Connectivity & DigitizationFebruary 4, 2026

Innovation Born of Necessity: How Islands Like Tuvalu Are Shaping the Future of Digital Nationhood

Excerpt from multipolitan.com When Tuvalu announced it would become the world’s first digital nation in the face of rising sea levels, many viewed it as a symbolic act of cultural preservation. But this bold move signalled something deeper: a reimagining of what statehood, sovereignty, and continuity can look like in the digital age. For Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where the climate crisis is not a future threat but a daily reality, innovation has become a strategy for survival. We sat down with James Ellsmoor, Founder and CEO of Island Innovation, to discuss how islands are redefining sovereignty, governance, and resilience through digital transformation. From Tuvalu’s leap on digital migration to the broader lessons of community-driven innovation, James shares why islands - often seen as vulnerable - may, in fact, hold the blueprint for the future of the state.

Connectivity & DigitizationFebruary 4, 2026

'.ai' websites are booming - and making millions for this tiny Caribbean nation

Excerpt from techradar.com Photo credit: Happy Stock Photo / Shutterstock via TechRadar.com More than a million '.ai' domains have now been registered as of early January 2026, largely driven by the ChatGPT-induced global AI boom, and it's proving to be quite the money maker for Anguilla, a new report has found. Research from Sherwood found the small British Overseas Territory has control over the '.ai' domain as its country code, which it has now turned into a major revenue stream worth an estimated $70 million per year, or the equivalent of around 20-22% of the government's total revenue. Compared with 2023, the number of '.ai' domain registrations has near tripled from 354,000, with revenue more than doubling from an estimated $32 million.

Connectivity & DigitizationNovember 16, 2025

Island Innovation: How Sanjay Maniku Is Reinventing Paradise

Excerpt from forbes.com In 1972 Sanjay Maniku's uncle allowed 15 Italian backpackers to stay on his coconut plantation. This experiment birthed the entire Maldivian tourism industry, now the country's economic lifeline. Today, as managing partner of Pulse Hotels & Resorts, the 45-year-old oversees properties ranging from The Nautilus, an ultra-luxury 26- residence private island resort, to Kandima Maldives, a 270-villa resort engineered for modern families. But his most bold project might be helping rewrite Maldivian law itself, making paradise accessible to non-billionaires for the first time.