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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 […]

Cognition AI has opened preliminary discussions with investors over a fresh capital raise that could value the fast-growing artificial intelligence coding company at at least $40 billion, marking another sharp escalation in investor expectations for autonomous software development tools. The talks remain at an early stage and the size, valuation and investor line-up could change before any transaction is completed. A $40 billion valuation would nevertheless represent […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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Greenlogue/AP A consortium led by EDF power solutions has reached financial close on Oman’s 120-megawatt Jaalan Bani Bu Ali Wind Independent Power Project, clearing a key hurdle for construction and commercial operation targeted for the third quarter of 2027. EDF power solutions is developing the project with Al Khadra Partners, part of the Hind Bahwan Group, and OQ Alternative Energy. The partners secured financing after signing a […]

Suisun City in Northern California has declared a state of emergency after malicious software compromised municipal computer systems, disrupting 911 routing, police and fire dispatch and several government services. Emergency calls continued to be answered after dispatch operations were shifted to Solano County. The cyberattack struck at about 5.45 am on Friday, August 7, forcing officials to shut down the city’s entire information technology network. The shutdown […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi found themselves at the same high-profile social gathering in New Delhi on Monday evening, even as their political confrontation over student protests continued to dominate Parliament. The two leaders attended the wedding reception of Revati Sule, daughter of NCP MP Supriya Sule and granddaughter of Sharad Pawar. The reception was held at Pawar’s […]

OnePlus has opened closed beta testing of ColorOS 17 for the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 15R in India, putting its planned transition away from OxygenOS into the hands of users for the first time.

The programme represents an important stage in OnePlus’s software overhaul after the company confirmed that eligible devices would move from OxygenOS to OPPO’s ColorOS platform. The change is intended to consolidate software development, shorten update cycles and make greater use of shared engineering and research resources across the brands.

Testing for the OnePlus 15 and 15R is initially restricted to about 300 participants. Applicants are required to complete a 15-question assessment, with three attempts allowed and the highest score used when their application is evaluated. Participants may also be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and provide account information before gaining access to the firmware.

The beta programme follows OnePlus’s decision to retire OxygenOS as its principal software identity in favour of ColorOS. OnePlus had already brought the underlying technologies of OxygenOS and ColorOS increasingly close together, but the latest strategy removes the remaining distinction at the operating-system branding level.

OnePlus has said the transition will not alter its commitment to providing a fast and intuitive user experience. Eligible existing devices are expected to receive an option to migrate to ColorOS after the stable version is released, while support, warranty coverage and scheduled software updates will continue under the company’s existing commitments.

The OnePlus 15 and 15R are therefore serving as early test devices for the company’s next software generation. The 15R currently ships with OxygenOS 16, underlining the significance of testing ColorOS on hardware originally marketed around OnePlus’s own operating-system brand.

ColorOS 17 is based on Android 17 and is expected to emphasise performance, efficiency and system stability. Its development also comes as OPPO expands the use of shared software infrastructure across affiliated smartphone brands, reducing duplicated engineering work while seeking more consistent updates.

The shift carries implications beyond cosmetic interface changes. Enterprise technology teams managing Android devices may need to review device-management policies, application compatibility, security settings and deployment procedures as OnePlus phones move onto a differently branded software environment.

For businesses operating fleets of OnePlus devices, the practical impact will depend on whether management APIs, security controls, certificate handling and application behaviour remain consistent during the migration. Android Enterprise functions are largely governed by the underlying Android platform, but manufacturers can alter system applications, permission interfaces, battery controls and other components that affect corporate deployments.

OnePlus has framed the consolidation as a way to improve software reliability and accelerate delivery rather than fundamentally change how customers use its devices. Its expanded collaboration with OPPO also extends to after-sales support, giving OnePlus customers access to more than 600 service centres across India.

OxygenOS developed a loyal following partly because of its restrained interface and emphasis on speed. Although later versions increasingly shared their technical foundation with ColorOS, OnePlus retained several visual differences, including interface elements and distinctive design touches. ColorOS 17 will test how much of that OnePlus-specific character survives under the unified platform.

Early indications suggest users will not necessarily be locked permanently into the new environment. OnePlus has indicated that customers installing the stable ColorOS 17 release on supported devices will have the ability to return to OxygenOS 16, providing a degree of flexibility during the transition.

The closed beta is also being conducted alongside testing for other devices using the broader OPPO software ecosystem, including the OPPO Find X9 Pro, Reno 15 Pro and Realme GT 8 Pro. That simultaneous testing illustrates the increasingly central role of a common software platform across the group’s smartphone portfolio.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran has appointed veteran Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of its Supreme National Security Council, reshaping the country’s security leadership while negotiations with Oman over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz approach a decisive stage. Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, another former Revolutionary Guards commander who had held the powerful post since March. Zolghadr has been moved to a political advisory […]

Yemen’s Houthi movement said it attacked Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery with a drone on Sunday, escalating a confrontation that has again placed the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and Red Sea shipping routes under pressure. Saudi authorities confirmed that a fire broke out at the Aramco facility in Jazan, in the kingdom’s southwest, and said emergency teams extinguished it. No injuries were reported. Saudi officials did not immediately confirm […]

Google has opened its latest artificial intelligence weather technology to researchers worldwide after tests showed its cyclone forecasting system could deliver more than a day of additional warning on storm tracks, strength and damaging winds. The company has released the code and model weights for WeatherNext 2 alongside WeatherNext Cyclones, allowing meteorological agencies, scientists and developers to adapt the technology for research, operational forecasting and specialised regional […]

Dubai-listed Emaar Properties posted a 9 per cent increase in second-quarter net profit attributable to shareholders, reaching AED 3.67 billion, as property demand and recurring income businesses helped the developer withstand geopolitical disruption across the region. The April-June performance extends a strong start to 2026 for one of Dubai’s largest listed property groups, although the quarter unfolded against a substantially more difficult backdrop. Conflict in the region […]

President Donald Trump has ordered a new layer of trade protection for the US solar supply chain, imposing tariffs and minimum import prices designed to favour domestic manufacturing while raising the prospect of higher costs for developers and households adopting solar power. The measures place a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon and products derived from it, alongside minimum prices covering key stages of crystalline-silicon solar manufacturing. The […]

A charity games bundle organised by Necrosoft Games is approaching its $200,000 fundraising goal, offering financial assistance to developers and other industry workers struggling after widespread job losses across the video game sector. The Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle, sold through itch. io for a minimum contribution of $10, has gathered momentum since launching at the end of July. The collection brings together more than 100 games […]

AMD has agreed to acquire Toronto-based chip startup Taalas, adding technology that embeds artificial intelligence models directly into silicon as the semiconductor group intensifies its push into the fast-growing AI inference market. The deal, announced on August 6, will bring Taalas’s specialised inference technology and engineering team into AMD’s Artificial Intelligence Group. Financial terms were not disclosed. Completion remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. […]

Wintermute has secured US broker-dealer registration, opening the door for the digital-asset market maker to trade equities and equity options and take a bigger role in exchange-traded products as the boundaries between crypto and conventional securities markets narrow. The expansion is being carried out through Wintermute USA LLC, its New York-based affiliate, which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the […]

Sandisk and Western Digital shares have slumped despite stronger-than-expected quarterly results, showing that investors are demanding ever more from companies whose valuations have soared on the artificial intelligence boom. The sell-off has also revived speculation that some speculative capital could be shifting towards cryptocurrency, although evidence of a sustained rotation into bitcoin remains limited. Sandisk fell more than 13% during Thursday trading, while Western Digital dropped about […]

A tentative deal between Iran and Oman on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is being treated in some quarters as the moment the year’s biggest energy risk finally eases. I believe that investors would be wise to treat it with considerably more caution than that. The scale of what is at stake in this waterway is hard to overstate. In a normal year, roughly 20 million […]

By Dr. Gyan Pathak When the textile landscape of the country and the world is changing fast, it would not be enough for India to only celebrate National Handloom Day every year on August 7. The country will have to do much more than celebrating the day by releasing commemorative document and press releases giving […]

The article Celebrating National Handloom Day On August 7 Sans Proper Action appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Aave founder Stani Kulechov has opposed a proposed change to Ethereum’s monetary policy, warning that cutting validator rewards as staking expands could weaken decentralised finance, deter investors and undermine ether’s appeal as a productive asset. The disputed plan, initially circulated as EIP-8361 and subsequently renumbered EIP-8363, would introduce a “tapered issuance burn”. It would destroy an increasing share of the newly issued ether allocated to validators as […]

A volunteer security group has flagged 85 potentially critical vulnerabilities across hundreds of Bitcoin-related software projects, exposing the scale of weaknesses that artificial intelligence can identify faster than developers can verify or repair them. The Bitcoin Red Team recorded 4,962 security findings after running advanced AI models against 390 open-source repositories during an intensive audit spanning about 27.5 hours on August 4 and 5. The findings included […]

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