President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing White House construction and modernisation projects costing at least $927 million, with much of the expenditure expected to be financed with public money transferred through federal accounts. The planned spending represents a substantial expansion of work across the presidential complex, encompassing the East Wing redevelopment, security infrastructure, a visitor screening centre, improvements around Lafayette Square and a new helipad. More than […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Space42 and Leonardo DRS have agreed to combine secure satellite communications with advanced military mission systems, opening a new avenue for sovereign defence capabilities and resilient command networks across the UAE. The memorandum of understanding creates a framework for integrating Leonardo DRS’s command, control and intelligence technologies with Space42’s satellite infrastructure and AI-enabled communications. The companies plan to explore jointly designed capabilities supporting […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – Allianz Insurance Singapore Pte. Ltd. (“Allianz”) has renamed its personal cyber insurance product from Allianz Cyber360 Protect to Allianz Scam Protect, ensuring the product’s name immediately communicates what it does: protect Singaporeans financially when they fall victim to scams.
Earlier this year, Singaporean drivers crossing into Malaysia began receiving SMSes that appeared to come from a government transport agency, claiming they had outstanding road charges to settle. Those who clicked the link and entered their payment details had their banking credentials stolen — at least 10 victims lost a combined S$24,000. Around the same time, a separate wave of phishing messages impersonating a well-known delivery service tricked victims into making payments for fake parcel notifications, resulting in another S$22,000 in losses.
These are the kinds of everyday scams — a convincing text message, a familiar brand name, a moment of inattention — that Allianz Scam Protect is designed to cover. In the first three months of 2026 alone, more than 7,800 scam cases were reported in Singapore with losses exceeding S$144.4 million. Singapore has now lost more than S$4 billion to scams since 2019.
The name change reflects how Singaporeans actually talk about these incidents. When someone loses money after clicking a phishing link in an SMS, they don’t think of it as a “cyber incident” — they call it what it is: a scam. By renaming the product, Allianz ensures that every Singaporean searching for protection against scams can find it immediately. The coverage hasn’t changed — but the name now speaks the same language as the people it protects.
Allianz Scam Protect covers financial losses from phishing, smishing, stolen payment credentials, and unauthorised transactions (up to S$25,000 for Gold; up to S$60,000 for Platinum), as well as online shopping disputes involving undelivered, damaged, or incorrect items. Existing policyholders will see the updated name at their next renewal — no action is required.
Allianz Scam Protect is available from S$8.91 per month at www.allianz.sg and through Allianz’s network of authorised distribution partners. For enquiries, customers may contact the Allianz Customer Service Team at +65 6222 1919 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, excluding public holidays).
Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the Allianz Scam Protect policy. Please refer to the Policy Wording for full details. This policy is protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Allianz Insurance Singapore Pte. Ltd.
At Allianz Insurance Singapore, we aim to secure the future and create a positive impact on society and the environment by leveraging our expertise in risk management. As we work toward strengthening our position as one of Singapore’s leading risk solutions providers, we deliver innovative and customer‑focused protection solutions for individuals, SMEs, and mid‑corporate clients – spanning Motor, Home Content, Travel, Personal Accident, Cancer, Hospital Income, and a comprehensive suite of commercial insurance offerings.
By K Raveendran Another session of Parliament has closed with an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. Repeated adjournments, slogan-shouting, demonstrations inside and outside the chambers and legislation moving through amid uproar have again raised the question of whether Parliament is performing the function for which representative democracy created it. The problem is no longer simply […]
Google has opened Google Earth’s flight simulator to users worldwide through the web, bringing a feature that spent almost two decades largely confined to its desktop application directly into the browser. The experimental tool allows people to fly across Google Earth’s satellite imagery and three-dimensional terrain without installing separate software. The simulator is available from the Tools menu after users launch the web version of Google Earth […]
Nintendo will begin officially selling the Nintendo Switch 2 and original Switch in Indonesia in December, giving the Japanese games company its first direct hardware presence in Southeast Asia’s largest economy while leaving a significant gap in its digital offering.
The December 2026 launch was announced by Nintendo executive officer Juro Takeuchi at a business conference in Jakarta. Distribution will be handled by PT Nusantara Interactive Niaga, part of the Salim Group, with Nintendo’s Singapore operation involved in the market rollout. Prices and a precise sales date have yet to be disclosed.
Nintendo’s move formalises a market that has for years relied heavily on imported consoles and third-party retailers. Switch systems and games have long been available in Indonesia through unofficial distribution channels, but an authorised presence should improve access to locally supported products, warranties and retail partnerships.
The expansion arrives more than a year after Nintendo launched the Switch 2 in its major markets. The successor to the original Switch has become a substantial part of the company’s hardware business, with cumulative shipments reaching 23.68 million units by the end of June. Nintendo shipped another 3.82 million Switch 2 consoles during the April-June quarter, while lifetime shipments of the original Switch exceeded 156 million units.
Indonesia offers Nintendo considerable scale. Estimates of the country’s gaming population vary considerably depending on methodology, platform and definition of an active player. Government-linked figures have previously placed the number above 174 million, while officials this year have cited more than 200 million active gamers. The market is valued at roughly $2 billion annually, although mobile gaming accounts for a large proportion of participation.
That mobile-heavy profile makes Nintendo’s challenge different from simply putting consoles into more shops. Smartphone games have built enormous audiences through free-to-play models, localised payment systems and low barriers to entry. Nintendo must persuade consumers to spend substantially more on dedicated hardware and premium software, while competing for attention with mobile titles, personal computers and rival console ecosystems.
One potential obstacle is the absence of a dedicated Indonesian Nintendo eShop when the hardware goes on sale. Buyers seeking digital games will not initially receive a local storefront alongside the official console launch. Players have commonly used Nintendo Accounts registered in supported territories to gain access to digital purchases, but that workaround is less convenient than a domestic store with local pricing and payment options. Nintendo has not given a timetable for introducing an Indonesian eShop.
The omission is commercially significant because digital distribution has become central to Nintendo’s software business. Digital sales reached 132.7 billion yen in the quarter ended June, up 90% from a year earlier, and represented 61.5% of dedicated video-game platform software revenue. That category includes downloadable packaged titles, download-only software, add-on content and Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo nevertheless has an advantage in Indonesia through established brand recognition. Franchises including Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing have maintained large followings even without a formal local hardware operation. Official distribution could also make it easier for major retailers to carry consoles, accessories and physical games with more predictable supplies and after-sales arrangements.
The timing gives Nintendo a new market as Switch 2 enters its second full year. The company is supporting the platform with a widening catalogue of first-party and third-party games while maintaining compatibility with much of the original Switch software library. Nintendo has said regular software releases are important to expanding the installed base, particularly as consumers decide whether to move from the original system.
Indonesia could also provide a test for Nintendo’s broader Southeast Asian strategy. The company already operates official services in markets including Singapore and Malaysia, but the region remains fragmented by differences in income, digital payments, retail infrastructure and consumer preferences. Indonesia’s size makes it attractive, while its dependence on mobile gaming and sensitivity to hardware pricing create a more demanding commercial environment.
Snowflake and Anthropic are expanding the use of AI agents across corporate workflows as businesses shift from experimental generative AI projects towards systems capable of analysing governed data and carrying out multi-step tasks inside production environments. The collaboration is increasingly centred on Snowflake Cortex Agents, which combine Anthropic’s Claude models with Snowflake’s enterprise data, governance and security infrastructure. The approach allows organisations to build agents that retrieve […]
Businesses across the UAE that use music commercially will face a new licensing regime from December 2026, bringing restaurants, hotels, shopping centres, gyms, airlines and broadcasters within a standardised system for paying music copyright and related-rights fees. The Collective Management in Music Guide establishes a framework for licensing the public and commercial use of protected music. It will apply to restaurants, cafés, hotels, floating hotels, shopping malls, […]
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – SOKOYO, a top manufacturer of solar street lights, has installed 252 sets of lighting units in QatarEnergy‘s solar power project in Ras Laffan and Masaieed in Qatar.
SOKOYO’s installed in a municipal lighting project in an Asian country.
Installation of SOKOYO‘s split solar street lights for the project being built by Samsung C&T Corp. was completed in July. The arrangement of solar panels was customized at the customer’s request for ease of maintenance.
“SOKOYO provided us with a specially customized solution for our power station,” said Ms. Kathy, senior procurement manager for Samsung. “The entire solar street lighting system consistently met our expectations for brightness, battery life and overall reliability.”
SOKOYO, founded in 2008, has manufactured more than 1 million lighting units installed in a wide range of settings across SoutheastAsia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
The company manufactures its own LED modules, solar panels, batteries, light housings and light poles. They have third-party certification for European Union and other safety and reliability standards, which qualifies them for export to global markets.
SOKOYO is regularly appointed to bodies that establish national and industry standards.
SOKOYO‘s product line includes all-in-one solar street lights, all-in-two solar street lights and split-type solar street lights. They can be controlled remotely with IoT technology to improve safety and efficiency. Using solar power makes them immune to disruptions in supplies of oil and gas.
As the industry evolves to focus on “system-level R&D,” SOKOYO is reducing customer costs by enhancing reliability and resistance to heat and cold. To improve efficiency, it is developing smart lighting and IoT applications. It is promoting modular production, intelligent manufacturing and standardized process management.
The research team has seven engineers, some with more than two decades of industry experience. They develop technology for a wide range of environments and customer needs.
SOKOYO has experience in markets including Thailand, thePhilippines, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. It has developed technology to cope with heat, humidity, sandstorms and low light during extended rains, a challenge in central Africa and other areas.
In Uganda, SOKOYO supplied 1,000 light sets to help improve safety on a busy expressway between the capital, Kampala, and the eastern industrial center of Jinja. They provide the first nighttime lighting on a 22-kilometer section of road crowded with trucks, buses and motorcycles.
In Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, SOKOYO lights use LED modules developed to cope with heat, sun and sand.
The company supplied more than 2,000 light units to Saudi Arabia‘s planned high-tech city of NEOM as part of the Saudi 2030 Vision plan.
An aerial view of SOKOYO’s industrial manufacturing park, supporting global B2B projects.
Customers can use SOKOYO‘s test facilities to try out different light configurations. Lights can be tested on roads of up to four lanes in an1,100-square-meter darkroom. Designers and urban planners can ensure light is distributed effectively, eliminating dark areas on the road and improving safety.
Batteries are tested to confirm they resist crushing, heat and cold, vibration, overcharging or being dropped. LED modules are drenched in salt spray for up to 72 hours to make sure they resist corrosion.
SOKOYO has been chosen for bodies that formulated eight national and industry standards including the “General Technical Specification for Solar Photovoltaic Lighting Devices” in 2025 with definitions and standards for split-type and integrated solar devices.
SOKOYO products have third-party certification that they meet standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and other bodies.Its batteries meet the requirements of the CB scheme under the IEC, recognized in more than 50 countries. Tests confirm they withstand overcharging, high temperature, vibration, impact and short circuit.
The company‘s solar panels received IEC certification that they meet standards for electric shock protection, temperature changes, damp, heat, humidity, hail impact and other factors.
SOKOYO participates in efforts to improve the industry‘s reputation by promoting “zero false labeling” and reliable products that refuse to cut corners.
SOKOYO pays attention to the environment. Its products are designed to minimize light pollution and limit disruption for wildlife, stargazers and the public.
Hashtag: #SOKOYO
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has filed a civil lawsuit against North Korea and the Lazarus Group over the $1.5 billion cyberattack that emptied one of its wallets in February 2025, escalating its effort to recover assets from the largest cryptocurrency theft on record. The exchange has also secured a preliminary injunction from the US District Court for the District of Columbia that freezes identified digital assets linked […]
Rackspace Technology posted modest second-quarter revenue growth as stronger private cloud sales offset weakness in its larger public cloud business, while higher costs and investment in artificial intelligence pushed the company deeper into the red. The San Antonio-based cloud and technology services group generated revenue of $670.1 million for the three months ended June 30, up 0.6% from $666.3 million a year earlier. Private Cloud revenue climbed […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained as faltering diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran deepen uncertainty over one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Only eight vessels were tracked transiting the strait on Tuesday, compared with a 10-day average of about 12. Seven entered through Iranian waters and only one, a coal carrier, exited. The figures followed […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Moody’s Ratings has placed Binghatti Holding Ltd’s Ba3 rating on review for downgrade, signalling rising concern over the Dubai developer’s liquidity and its ability to generate sufficient cash as major debt obligations approach. The action covers Binghatti’s Ba3 corporate family rating and Ba3-PD probability of default rating. The company previously carried a stable outlook. The review reflects a sharp deterioration in unrestricted liquidity […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai US President Donald Trump has confirmed that security officials secretly moved him off Air Force One in Turkey last month after receiving information about a possible Iranian threat, defending an extraordinary operation that concealed his whereabouts while another presidential aircraft continued towards Britain. Trump said he followed instructions from the US Secret Service and military during the July 8 operation after attending a […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A woman was handed over to police after allegedly throwing a slipper and stones at a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune’s Sasane Nagar area, triggering anger among residents and a wider debate over the response to the incident. CCTV footage from the site in Hadapsar showed the woman approaching the statue and throwing objects towards it. The statue was enclosed within […]
Suspected China-linked hackers used autonomous artificial intelligence agents to compromise Taiwan government systems, marking a significant escalation in the use of AI for cyber espionage and exposing how software agents can now execute complex attacks with limited human direction. The campaign unfolded over four days at the beginning of July and targeted 21 government systems. The attackers deployed as many as eight AI agents simultaneously to map […]
HandyGames has rebranded its publishing business as THQ Nordic Mobile, sharpening its focus on adapting premium PC and console games for smartphones and tablets while keeping its long-established development operation under the HandyGames Studios name. The change, effective from August 2026, brings the German publisher more visibly under the THQ Nordic brand eight years after the companies joined forces. THQ Nordic Mobile will operate as a dedicated […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – Artificial intelligence is driving one of the largest infrastructure investment cycles in decades, but the rapid global build-out of data centers is also creating a new era of construction, operational, climate and insurance risks, according to the latest Allianz Commercial The data center construction boom: risks and claims trends report. Annual investment in data centers is projected to double from around US$500bn in 2024 to more than US$1trn as early as 2027. The investment opportunity extends far beyond server halls to electricity generation, grid infrastructure, cooling, networking, and semiconductors. According to Allianz Research, the US and China are expected to account for around 62% of new global capacity additions through 2030, but the next wave of investment is becoming increasingly global. In Europe, Germany, the UK and Ireland remain major markets, but faster expansion is expected in Spain, Finland and Denmark, where power availability and permitting conditions can be more favorable. Across Asia Pacific, excluding China, installed capacity is projected to increase from around 9GW today to more than 28GW by 2030, with Malaysia expected to grow more than tenfold.
“AI is turning the latest generation of data centers from a specialist real estate asset into mission-critical infrastructure,” says Thomas Lillelund, CEO of Allianz Commercial. “The scale of investment is extraordinary and, as these centers evolve beyond traditional data storage to high-performance compute demands, success will increasingly depend on resilience: access to power, reliable supply chains, robust construction controls, as well as climate-aware site selection and insurance programs that reflect the true accumulation risk. Indeed, comprehensive insurance cover has become a prerequisite for financing many large-scale AI infrastructure projects.”
Resilience must be central to data center operations The sector’s biggest constraints are increasingly physical rather than financial. Competitive advantage is increasingly determined by access to electricity, grid connections, permitting, specialized equipment and skilled labor. In the US alone, the construction industry faces a shortage of around 439,000 skilled workers, while an estimated 349,000 additional workers may be needed in 2026. Climate resilience is increasingly a strategic consideration rather than an operational afterthought. Around 79% of global data center capacity is already located in areas exposed to heightened natural catastrophe risk, while 54% is exposed to chronic heat and drought stress. Some of the fastest-growing AI infrastructure markets are also among the most climate-exposed, including Northern Virginia, US, Johor in Malaysia, and Marseille, France. Acute flood, wildfire and wind exposure is highest in the Americas, affecting 86% of capacity, while chronic heat and drought stress is greatest in Asia Pacific, where 89% of capacity is exposed.
Global data center insurance market will more than double by 2030 Insurance is evolving alongside the sector. As data centers assume a more critical role in infrastructure, comprehensive insurance cover has become a prerequisite for financing many large-scale AI infrastructure projects. Construction costs for a single AI campus can exceed US$20bn, with insured values rising substantially once high-performance computing equipment is installed. The global data center insurance market is projected to grow from around US$11bn today to more than US$24bn by 2030, reflecting rapid capacity expansion, rising insured values and increasing operational complexity. Demand is expected to extend beyond traditional property cover towards integrated solutions spanning construction, engineering, property, business interruption, cyber and liability, while also creating new opportunities in areas such as energy resilience, operational continuity, and technology risk.
Risk and claims trends: fire drives severity; water damage frequency Allianz Commercial analysis of insurance industry data center-related claims shows that fire is the leading driver of loss severity, accounting for well over 50% of around €700mn (US$800mn) worth of losses. Natural catastrophe activity ranks second, followed by willful acts, which include crime and cyber incidents, followed by power failure. Water damage is the most frequent cause of data center claims, followed by willful acts, fire, and equipment breakdown. Business interruption is the primary driver of claims severity by line of insurance, highlighting the significant financial impact of operational downtime.
The data center risk profile is changing as facilities become larger, more complex, and more increasingly interdependent. Hyperscale and colocation of campuses can bring together multiple tenants, construction works, servers, supporting utilities and on-site infrastructure in one physical or operational space. A single event can therefore trigger claims across property, construction, business interruption, liability, cyber, and financial lines. Real-life claims case studies show that in hyperscale facilities, damage to external cooling systems, hot works-related fire damage, and a delay in start-up caused by power disturbances have each resulted in losses in the US$50mn to US$100mn range.
“For insurers, the key question is not only the value of the building, but the concentration of value and dependency inside and around it. Power, cooling, batteries, fiber routes, testing and commissioning, and business continuity planning are all part of the same risk picture. Effective risk mitigation must begin early and continue throughout the data center lifecycle. Resilience must be designed in from the earliest planning stage,” explains Christian Kolbe, Global Head of Construction Claims at Allianz Commercial.
Clarity between policies essential to avoid ambiguity Data center projects encompass different project phases with several stakeholders and interests involved, which can create complications. During the construction phase, stakeholders include the owner, developer, contractor, and subcontractors, whereas in the operational phase, the stakeholders include the owner-operator, and potentially multiple tenants or end users. For example, different policies could respond to a hot works-related fire resulting in damage to a data center nearing completion, and this would impact different stakeholders.
“Clarity is critical with an insurance claim,” says Charlotte Field, Regional Head of Short-tail Claims, Asia, at Allianz Commercial. “Clearly documented handovers are essential between your construction all-risk policy and operational policy. There must be no ambiguity about practical completion, in order to avoid disputes over which policy responds to a particular event and the extent of cover.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Allianz Commercial
Allianz Commercial is the center of expertise and global line of Allianz Group for insuring mid-sized businesses, large enterprises and specialist risks. Among our customers are the world’s largest consumer brands, financial institutions and industry players, the global aviation and shipping industry as well as family-owned and medium enterprises which are the backbone of the economy. We also cover unique risks such as offshore wind parks, infrastructure projects or film productions. Powered by the employees, financial strength, and network of the world’s #1 insurance brand, we work together to help our customers prepare for what’s ahead: They trust us in providing a wide range of traditional and alternative risk transfer solutions, outstanding risk consulting and Multinational services as well as seamless claims handling. Allianz Commercial brings together the large corporate insurance business of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) and the commercial insurance business of national Allianz Property & Casualty entities serving mid-sized companies. We are present in over 200 countries and territories either through our own teams or the Allianz Group network and partners. In 2025, the integrated business of Allianz Commercial generated around €17.3 billion in gross premium globally. https://commercial.allianz.com/
US Senator Bernie Sanders has urged OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta to pause the development of advanced artificial intelligence, arguing that emerging evidence of autonomous behaviour and powerful biological capabilities shows existing safety protections may no longer be sufficient. The Vermont senator addressed his demand to OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei and Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. Sanders said the companies should honour […]
Washington’s accelerating adoption of autonomous artificial intelligence is colliding with warnings from cybersecurity specialists that AI agents could inadvertently breach government systems, after a model evaluation led to an intrusion into Hugging Face’s production infrastructure. The General Services Administration has expanded federal access to agentic AI through its OneGov programme, including an agreement with CORAS. ai that gives agencies access to GARY, an AI orchestration platform designed […]
Nvidia is joining forces with six of the world’s biggest investment groups to mobilise more than $500 billion for artificial intelligence infrastructure, creating financing platforms designed to expand access to the computing capacity underpinning the global AI boom. The chipmaker has signed memorandums of understanding with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR. The firms plan to establish independent platforms that will provide dedicated pools of […]
South Korea has approved the removal of the 1 million won threshold from its cryptocurrency Travel Rule, requiring regulated virtual asset businesses to exchange sender and recipient information for transfers of every size as Seoul tightens safeguards against money laundering. The Cabinet approved amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information on Tuesday, August 11. The expanded Travel Rule […]
Mark Zuckerberg has laid out his most expansive case yet for putting powerful artificial intelligence into the hands of billions of people, arguing that widely available “personal superintelligence” can improve education, work, healthcare and creativity while preventing control of advanced AI from becoming concentrated among governments and a handful of companies. The Meta chief executive’s essay, titled “The Future is for Everyone”, runs to more than 6,400 […]
Valve has warned Steam hardware customers across Europe that their personal and order information was likely stolen during a cyberattack on CEVA Logistics, the company responsible for distributing its physical products in the region. The attack gave intruders access to CEVA systems between July 29 and August 1, 2026. Valve learned on August 7 that information belonging to its customers was among the data potentially compromised. The […]
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