Category: CTF

Posted on

Raw sewage still pouring into Welly waters raises questions, and anger

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Breaker Bay local with a long history of fighting for clean water in Wellington explains why the sewage dump is so catastrophic, for health, history, and the environment.

Ray Ahipene-Mercer with his jar of 24-year-old water from Moa Point sewage treatment plant. Sharon Brettkelly

Ray Ahipene-Mercer keeps a jar of 24-year-old water in his refrigerator, labelled ‘Moa Point Final Effluent’.

“It looks like a glass of water, hasn’t got a single bug in it, no discolouration, nothing,” he says.

It is a memento of the new sewage plant which he battled over for years as the co-leader of the Wellington Clean Water Campaign.

But nearly 30 years after that successful campaign to stop the dumping of raw sewage in the sea, it is happening again.

Since last Wednesday, more than 600 million litres of untreated sewage have poured into the water off the south coast after a catastrophic failure of Moa Point, the city’s main treatment plant.

On a sparkling summer day Ahipene-Mercer looks out from his Breaker Bay home just around the corner from the plant and the bays are empty.

“I’m looking at the water about 50 metres away, it’s beautiful and yet underneath it there is this darkness. There is not a person walking the dog, having a walk, swimming, surfing, nothing,” he tells The Detail.

The former city councillor is angry, not just about the health risks to humans, but the damage to the environment and risks to the kororā, and to historic Māori sites.

“Toilet water is now brushing up against historic sites at Tarakina Bay. One of the reasons this campaign in the 80s was so successful, we married Māori concerns and Pākehā concerns together and that’s why we won that campaign,” Ahipene-Mercer says.

“I’m very angry, because of all this work we did. It’s not in vain however because Wellingtonians have responded magnificently.”

After a catastrophic failure last Wednesday at Moa Point, Wellington’s main treatment plant, more than 600 million litres of untreated sewage has poured into the water off the south coast. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The plant failed early last Wednesday morning during a bout of heavy rain. With the threat of more bad weather this weekend, there are fears the situation could get worse.

‘It’s going to get smellier’

The Post journalist Tom Hunt has been writing about Wellington’s wastewater woes for years and is experiencing first-hand the effects of days of raw sewage flowing into the sea.

“It gets worse the longer it’s there and it’s apparently going to get smellier as well,” he tells The Detail.

“I live not far from the tip and it was a still night last night and I could pick up a faint smell,” he says. “They’ve got these tanker trucks that Wellington’s quite familiar with because in covid time there was another pipe failure and they’d take the wastewater to the tip and they were called ‘turd taxis’. They’re just back and forth ferrying all the stuff out of the olympic-sized swimming pool room and just clearing that out and taking it to the tip.”

Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty broke the news last Wednesday that a room in the plant was three metres deep in sewage, blowing the electrics and badly damaging or destroying equipment.

In the immediate aftermath raw sewage was flowing through a short outfall to five metres off the coast but it is now going through a longer 1.8 kilometre pipe.

“But it is still untreated sewage … and for the foreseeable future we will have effectively raw sewage being pumped off the south coast very near a marine sanctuary not far from a nesting area,” Hunt says.

It could be months before the sea on the south coast is safe for walking, swimming and collecting kaimoana.

It brings back memories for Hunt, who grew up around the south coast of the polluted waters in the 1980s.

“That was a different time when the south coast was not a desirable place to be.”

He says now they’re “back in that for a mystery reason, we still don’t know what caused it.”

Hunt explains the numerous reports of warnings and abatement notices issued to the operator, French-owned Veolia which is paid roughly $17 million a year by Wellington Water to run the plant.

He says it is too soon to say who is at fault and a full inquiry will impel people to give evidence.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/raw-sewage-still-pouring-into-welly-waters-raises-questions-and-anger/

Posted on

Government tweaks law so contractors can’t challenge employment status retrospectively

Source: Radio New Zealand

Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The government is tweaking its legislation removing the right for contractors to challenge their employment status to make clear that it will not be applied retrospectively.

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill was being considered at Committee Stage on Wednesday night, where members could raise issues about various parts of the proposed legislation.

Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden said it was a “minor technical amendment” to make “absolutely clear” the law was not retrospective and “doesn’t override any court decisions”.

It came just a few months after the Supreme Court threw out Uber’s appeal against treating drivers as employees in November 2025.

But van Velden said the change had nothing to do with the Supreme Court decisions.

She said her officials had made a “minor oversight” over the transitional arrangements between the current law and the new law, and wanted “to make it very clear what the law will be going forward”.

The change would ultimately make a distinction as to which law – the old and the new – would apply when, allowing for split decisions in future cases.

The Minister said if someone took up a claim in the future to be considered an employee in previous work, she did not want a situation where they “may be found an employee under the old law into the future”.

“So we’re saying yes, they would be found an employee under the old law up until the point where the new law applies, where they would be a contractor,” based on whether they met the proposed gateway test.

They would not suddenly become a contractor after the law passed, she said, “that is not actually clear until someone has actually had that challenge through a court based system”.

Any decisions made about employment status before the new law starts would not be affected by the new transitional rules, and any cases filed before the new law starts would use the existing test to consider whether someone was an employee or a contractor.

For cases that were filed after the new law came into force, the existing test would be applied to the time before the law was pased, and the new gateway test could be used for the time after the law was passed.

This could result in a split decision, where a worker may be found an employee before the law changed, and a “specified contractor” after the law changed.

Labour opposed the proposed amendment because it locked in people who were potentially employees to a contractor status based on an arbitrary date, the party said.

Labour MP Camilla Belich spoke during Committee Stage and called for a significant debate on the amendment, given it had not been through select committee.

Labour MP Camilla Belich. ©VNP / Phil Smith

She said the last-minute amendment “further erodes worker’s rights by locking out potential claims by employees, who will be barred from taking claims against their employer once this Bill takes effect”.

“This effectively prevents contractors from fighting to be formally recognised as an employee after the Act has passed. This is hugely unfair to the many workers who may have a legitimate claim and silences their voices.”

The Greens believed the government continued taking sides with massive corporations like Uber, despite the amendment, which the party did not support.

“Uber drivers across the country should be able to benefit from the struggles of the drivers who won in court, and this amendment as we understand it will only extend the fruits of this victory to a small group of people,” said Green MP Ricardo Menendez March.

The upcoming law change came hot on the heels of the Supreme Court throwing out Uber’s appeal against treating drivers as employees.

It followed a case by four Uber drivers who took the ride-sharing company to the Employment Court in 2022 over their employment status.

They argued that drivers should be considered employees rather than contractors and be entitled to benefits such as leave entitlements, holiday pay and a minimum wage.

The Employment Court ruled in favour of the drivers, which Uber appealed unsuccessfully at the Court of Appeal in 2024.

Uber then appealed that decision at the Supreme Court, where five justices unanimously voted in November 2025 to throw out the appeal yet again.

Deputy secretary for Workers First Union, who represented the drivers, Anita Rosentreter, called the legislation the “Uber law” and the “Uber amendment” and the more the Minister denied that, the more clear it became the whole Bill was about “protecting the right of foreign companies to exploit New Zealand workers and deny them the rights the Supreme Court confirmed they’re entitled”.

She said the amendment confirmed that Uber drivers and other gig workers who filed with the Courts could still access wage arrears and backpay from the time they were misclassifed as contractors prior to the potential law change but that it locked them out of future employment rights if the Bill passed.

“This whole Bill is an unprecedented attack on workers’ rights and should not pass in any form.

“It’s an international anomaly, an embarrassment for New Zealand, and it must be reversed by the next government.”

ACT campaigned on amending the Employment Relations Act, so those who signed up to be independent contractors could not then challenge that status in court.

The coalition agreement between National and ACT stated they would, “maintain the status quo that contractors who have explicitly signed up for a contracting arrangement can’t challenge their employment status in the Employment Court”.

Van Velden has said she was creating certainty for businesses and workers with the law change.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/government-tweaks-law-so-contractors-cant-challenge-employment-status-retrospectively/

Posted on

Super Rugby Pacific preview: The Crusaders

Source: Radio New Zealand

Super Rugby Pacific is back after a real return to form last year, with the competition kicking off in Dunedin on 13 February. As usual, each team has gone through an eventful off season, so today we’re checking in on the defending champion Crusaders.

Read: Highlanders preview

Read: Moana Pasifika preview

Read: Blues preview

Read: Hurricanes preview

Read: Chiefs preview

Overview

Rob Penney with the Super Rugby trophy. John Davidson / www.photosport.nz

What a return to form last year, but was anyone really that surprised? After a horror 2024 that saw them miss the playoffs and coach Rob Penney narrowly avoid getting sacked, they came firing back to beat the Chiefs in the final. It wasn’t without hiccups, including a big loss at home to Moana Pasifika, but it didn’t matter in the end as we were once again treated to the sight of a jubilant Crusaders side lifting yet another trophy.

The Good

One NZ Stadium under construction. © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz

Not only do they go in as champs, but there’s also a new stadium to look forward to as well. The Crusaders will effectively double the amount of home support they get from Anzac weekend onwards, meanwhile Penney comes back as NZ Rugby coach of the year and with a pretty settled squad.

The Bad

Scott Barrett of the Crusaders. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Not much to nitpick over really, other than Scott Barrett sitting the season out due to a contract-mandated rest sabbatical. Even then, that will likely end up being a positive, the last Crusaders player to do that was Codie Taylor and he came back in career-best form.

Big boots to fill

Noah Hotham of the Crusaders kicks during the Super Rugby Pacific Final. John Davidson / www.photosport.nz

Noah Hotham had an injury-ravaged 2025, so will be keen to try and maintain his starting position over Kyle Preston. Both men are gunning for All Black spots later in the year, with Hotham having a big opportunity in Super Rugby Pacific to showcase his running game early, then switch to a defensive kicking strategy when the Crusaders inevitably make the playoffs.

What makes Crusaders fans different

Crusaders fans. © Photosport Ltd 2024 www.photosport.nz

They’re the only ones in the comp to have a new home ground, for a start. The opening of One NZ Stadium will make a massive difference to not only the fanbase, but entire city of Christchurch, putting the Crusaders on an even higher pedestal than they already occupy in local eyes. And boy, won’t they let us know about it if it ever gets brought up in conversation.

Big games

The biggest one will be on 24 February, when the Crusaders meet the Waratahs for the grand opening of their new home. After that, it’s a pretty tough run into the playoffs, with two games against the Hurricanes, as well as one each against the Blues and Chiefs.

Crusaders 2026 squad

Props: Finlay Brewis, Fletcher Newell, George Bower, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Seb Calder, Tamaiti Williams

Hookers: Codie Taylor, George Bell, Manumaua Letiu

Locks: Antonio Shalfoon, Jamie Hannah, Liam Jack, Scott Barrett, Tahlor Cahill

Loose forwards: Dominic Gardiner, Christian Lio-Willie, Corey Kellow, Cullen Grace, Ethan Blackadder, Xavier Saifoloi

Halfbacks: Kyle Preston, Louie Chapman, Noah Hotham

First fives: James White, Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara

Midfield: Aki Tuivailala, Braydon Ennor, Dallas McLeod, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Toby Bell

Outside backs: Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicoll, Macca Springer, Maloni Kunawave, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/super-rugby-pacific-preview-the-crusaders/

Posted on

Is owning a small business really worth it?

Source: Radio New Zealand

A new survey has found half of small business owners have thought about throwing in the towel. Supplied

There is a certain sort of freedom which comes with being your own boss.

But a lack of work-life balance alongside carrying the finances can get heavy quickly – especially when times are tough.

In new research released by Xero, small business owners confessed that sometimes it did get a bit much, with close to half of survey respondents admitting they had thought about throwing in the towel.

It seemed 2025 had been an uphill battle, with three quarters of the business owners surveyed saying this financial year had been more stressful than previous years, blaming rising costs and unpredictable demand.

“Running a small business is hard work and business owners often have to make significant sacrifices – missing a child’s swimming sports or working all hours and not getting enough sleep,” said Bridget Snelling, Xero New Zealand country manager.

“This is what we call an emotional tax – the hidden personal costs small business owners have to pay every year,” said Snelling.

The difficulties of being in business come to a head at the end of the financial year, with almost half of small business owners saying it was the most stressful time of year.

Chasing paperwork and worrying about making mistakes were listed as concerns, while a surprise tax bill (or refund, but more often it was a bill) had at some point kept 54 percent of business owners up at night.

“We know the end of the financial year can sometimes sneak up on business owners who are so invested in the day-to-day doing of the work,” said Snelling.

And they may not be sleeping either. The survey found that stress costed business owners five hours of productive work every week, which worked out to 30 working days lost per year.

Despite the challenges of small business ownership, only 10 percent sought advice from an accountant or advisor when they were stressed.

“Stress isn’t just a feeling – it slows decision‑making, reduces creativity, and leads to avoidable mistakes,” said Snelling.

“It impacts the skills owners rely on to succeed.

“With the right tools and support, business owners can reclaim time, reduce their emotional tax, and feel more confident heading into EOFY.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/is-owning-a-small-business-really-worth-it/

Posted on

How many children have to die for safety regulations for corded window blinds, mother asks

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tilly Cambie is remembered as a typically adventurous three-year-old who loved climbing and adored her big sister Lainey. Supplied

The mother of a child who died after becoming caught in a window blind cord is asking how many other children have to die before mandatory safety regulations are introduced.

Courtney Cambie said her youngest daughter Tilly was a joy to be around.

“Tilly was your typical three-year-old, adventurous, loved climbing and adored her big sister Lainey. They were best friends. She loved dressing up and putting on different necklaces and bracelets and bangles, and was a very, sparkly, shiny little girl, and very happy.”

It was her then five-year-old sister Lainey who discovered Tilly hanging in the cords in the family’s lounge in Hāwera on 1 January 2023.

Tilly’s father Ryan Cambie began CPR and ambulance officers were able to revive her before she was taken to Waikato Hospital by helicopter, but her condition deteriorated and given her poor prognosis, she was taken off life support and died later that day surrounded by family.

Courtney Cambie said window cords should be designed to break under pressure and come with safety clips – which keep the cords under tension on the window frame.

Tilly – who had a history of playing with the cords – had left Lainey and her father watching a movie in the master bedroom when the accident occurred.

Cambie still wrestled with guilt over the tragedy.

“We were only supplied a YouTube clip to install ours. We were in that situation. If I could go back in time I would’ve done the lounge at the same time as I did her bedroom and it’s just one of those things where I have instant mother guilt that it didn’t happen.”

The couple installed clips for the cords in the bedroom on their own account – they did not come with the blinds – but had yet to do the lounge.

Cambie said the loss of Tilly was too raw for the couple to submit to a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment consultation document on “options to address safety risks of corded window coverings” which closed 31 March 2023.

The consultation followed the death of six New Zealand children due to cords on blinds since 2009.

The government of those times’ preferred option was to introduce mandatory standards.

Cambie said reading Coroner Bruce Hesketh’s report into Tilly’s death – which was released on Thursday – had been tough.

“To read that the coroner feels exactly the same towards the fact that this is something (regulation) that’s been in play in other countries for years and years and we’ve just not adopted it because we haven’t got the number, the cases.

“I agree completely with the coroner that Tilly is that case and it was something that should’ve been changed a long time ago.

“It’s sad that it probably won’t be until it’s someone in their family that is impacted by this that they understand the impact of it and I just feel if they don’t how many more children are they willing to sacrifice if they don’t make that change.”

Hesketh found Tilly’s death had been a tragic accident.

She suffered a non-survivable hypoxic brain injury due to accidental neck compression.

In his findings, Hesketh lent heavily on the previous recommendations of Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale and Coroner Heather McKenzie, who had investigated similar deaths.

In 2021, Borrowdale reported on the death of a 19-month-old child from accidental asphyxiation from a roman blind cord.

She noted that New Zealand differed from comparable major jurisdictions in having no product regulation designed to ensure the safe supply and use of corded blinds.

Although efforts to educate consumers about safety were laudable “the incidence of window cord fatalities in this country, and the availability of preventative devices, to my mind readily make the case for mandatory regulation to address the risks”, Borrowdale said.

Hesketh made no new recommendations, but noted the MBIE consulted on the safety risks of corded window coverings in 2023, but little change had been forthcoming.

“Sadly New Zealand still lacks mandatory regulations for corded window coverings, despite the number of deaths increasing. MBIE continues to consider the introduction of standards to prevent child strangulation deaths from the options above and I would encourage MBIE to make progress sooner rather than later.”

There have been two further deaths since the consultation period in ended in March 2023, one of which was Tilly.

MBIE general manager commerce, consumer and business policy Andrew Hume acknowledged the tragic death of Tilly.

“My deepest sympathies are with the family and friends.”

Hume confirmed MBIE had consulted on options to address safety risks of corded window coverings in 2023.

“Our role is to provide advice and options for product safety regulation to the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister. At this stage, the government is not considering introducing regulations for corded window coverings.”

Hume said non-regulatory options to improve safety, such as public information and education campaigns, played an important role in increasing awareness for parents and caregivers and that since Coroner Borrowdale’s report in 2021, MBIE had taken a number of steps to address safety issues with corded window coverings.

“In light of this tragic event, MBIE strongly encourages anyone with corded window blinds to inspect them, review the material on our website and take action where necessary to minimise the risk of corded blinds becoming a danger in the home.”

Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Scott Simpson also offered his thoughts and sympathies to Tilly’s family.

“I will consider the Coroner’s report, however I am not currently looking to introduce regulations.”

Simpson said education campaigns played an important role in increasing awareness about the risks associated with corded blinds and MBIE runs had developed information for businesses to make corded blinds safer.

That was of little comfort to Cambie who wanted New Zealand to adopt similar standards to Australia.

“Option 4a was to adopt exactly as Australia has and make sure the cords break free under pressure. So, the cords we had were metal chains, they should only supply plastic ones that break and that all suppliers must supply the clips.

Education could only go so far, she said.

“As a parent you can’t watch your child every minute of the day, they like to play and how do you explain to a three year old the hazards – in their entirety – of corded blinds.”

Consumer NZ head of research and advocacy Gemma Rasmussen supported the call for regulation.

“If you look at other jurisdictions like Australia, the UK and Canada, they all have standards in place for corded window coverings. This seems like a really straightforward thing to do, particularly when you’re considering what the ramifications are when things go wrong.

“We’re talking about babies, toddlers and children dying. You know, we have a number of product safety standards that are set by regulation under the Fair Trading Act and these standards are created to reduce the chance of accidents.”

Rasmussen said it was relatively straightforward to introduce a new standard compared to legislation.

“We see this as a disappointing example of the minister not prioritising product safety and it’s an example of where we’re really behind the eight ball when you compare ourselves to other jurisdictions.

Rasmussen said Consumer NZ would like to see a product safety standard created so that when blinds with cords were installed, it would be mandatory that there would be a fastening over them so that chains or cords wouldn’t be able to come loose and pose a safety risk.

She said education programmes alone were not enough.

“Often when parents are setting up blinds and other things in their homes, they’re tired, there’s a number of different things they need to do and we can’t be assuming that they’re going to go to a website to be reading safety guidelines.”

MBIE initiatives on corded window blinds safety include:

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/how-many-children-have-to-die-for-safety-regulations-for-corded-window-blinds-mother-asks/

Posted on

NZ looks to be on firmer footing in 2026, Westpac economist says

Source: Radio New Zealand

The economic outlook is looking increasingly positive with rising confidence, solid exports and low short-term interest rates. RNZ

The economic outlook is looking increasingly positive with rising confidence, solid exports and low short-term interest rates positioning 2026 for growth, according to Westpac’s first quarter economic overview.

“After a rocky few years, the New Zealand economy looks to be on much firmer footing in 2026,” Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said.

Westpac estimated annual economic growth lifted to 1.8 percent in the year ended 2025, with annual growth accelerating to 3.3 percent in 2026 and 2.7 percent in 2027.

Eckhold said the unemployment rate was expected to fall below 5 percent in the second half of 2026 and decline further over 2027, from 5.4 percent in the year just ended.

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold. Supplied / LinkedIn

“Average borrowing costs are expected to decline further in 2026 as more borrowers roll off earlier fixed terms onto lower mortgage rates. That will help support demand across the domestic economy.”

He said inflation, which had surprised to the upside in late 2025 at 3.1 percent was projected to moderate over 2026, though price pressures remained broad-based, and core inflation was expected to linger above the midpoint of the Reserve Bank (RBNZ)’s target of 2 percent through the rest of the year.

However, he said the RBNZ was likely keep the OCR (official cash rate) at current levels until the end of the year.

“The RBNZ will take most of 2026 to gain confidence that the economic recovery is sustained and durable,” Eckhold said.

“But from then they will move quickly to restore neutral interest rate settings and then move interest rates to slightly restrictive levels in 2028.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/nz-looks-to-be-on-firmer-footing-in-2026-westpac-economist-says/

Posted on

Air NZ strike a ‘last resort’ as cabin crew struggle to pay rent, union says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Air New Zealand cabin crews will strike on Thursday and Friday. RNZ/ Mark Papalii

Air New Zealand says staff are working “around the clock” to minimise disruption as cabin crews go on strike Thursday and Friday.

Flight attendants working on board the airline’s wide-body long range aircraft will stop work over stalled talks on pay and conditions.

Air New Zealand said 46 flights had been cancelled ahead of the strikes.

Chief customer and digital officer, Jeremy O’Brien, said teams were working to rebook and support the nearly 9500 customers affected.

“We have done everything possible to minimise the impact, and our teams have been working around the clock to reaccommodate customers whose flights are affected.

“We are very sorry for the disruption to some customers’ travel plans. Customers have been contacted directly with rebooking options and may also choose a refund or to hold the value of their ticket as credit for travel at a later date,” O’Brien said.

The airline said it had adjusted some flight times and used alternative aircraft to protect the majority of its Tasman and Pacific services from cancellations.

Striking a last resort

E tū union’s national secretary, Rachel Mackintosh, said the strike action was “a last resort” for members frustrated by the failure to reach an agreement after nearly 10 months of negotiations.

E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh. RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell

“The crew are – from a passenger point of view – the people who make Air New Zealand such a great airline, who keep people safe, manage crisis and are first responders. Pretty much every member of the travelling public will have seen flight crew manage difficult situations, calm people down who are anxious travellers, manage conflicts, keep every body healthy and safe.

“That’s really important work and the crew are so professional that they make it look easy but it’s actually complex and responsible work,” Mackintosh said.

She said while cabin crews received additional allowances for long hours and time away from home, the low base salary for flight attendants meant many faced problems paying rent or getting loans.

“The base pay [for flight attendants] is very low. Currently less than $60,000 a year. That is the only guaranteed income that people have and not all crew get much more than that because the extra allowances really depend on where you go and what roster you get.

“That pay level has an effect on people’s lives including that they can’t get bank loans or mortgages because that’s their only guaranteed income,” Mackintosh said.

Mackintosh said expensive additions to the airline’s assets such as a new hanger, purchasing aircraft and redesigning new uniforms flew in the face of the efforts of the people working aboard the airline’s flights who, like many others, were struggling to deal with the high cost of living back home.

Air New Zealand said it had offered to increase base salaries by a range of 4.14 percent to 6.41 percent and more pay talks were scheduled for later this month.

The airline has been approached for comment in response to E tū’s statements.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/12/air-nz-strike-a-last-resort-as-cabin-crew-struggle-to-pay-rent-union-says/

Posted on

Brazilian Rare Earths Achieves Very High 97% Rare Earth Recovery at 150°C

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

SYDNEY, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brazilian Rare Earths Limited (ASX: BRE / OTCQX: BRELY) (‘BRE’) is pleased to report the results of a metallurgical optimisation program conducted at CDTN, a Brazilian federal research institute with specialist capabilities in metallurgical process development.

The program independently validated low-temperature sulfuric acid curing at 150°C using standard equipment. Importantly, a 15 kg blended composite scale-up test replicated the very high extractions achieved at laboratory-scale, providing increased confidence in scalability.

Key Highlights

  • Very High Extraction Rates: 97% for Total Rare Earth Oxides, 97% for Neodymium + Praseodymium, 83% for Dysprosium, 87% for Terbium and 97% for Uranium
  • Low-Temperature Flowsheet: Peak extraction achieved at 150°C using a low-temperature, acid-cure process – removing the need for high temperature (>250°C) rotary kilns
  • Low-Cost Processing: The low-temperature acid-cure process delivers high recoveries at materially lower energy intensity – supports potential for lower opex and capex flowsheet using conventional paddle mixers
  • Exceptional End-to-End System Yields: When combined with recently announced ore sorting recovery of +95%, estimated total ‘mineral-to-product’ recovery of ~91% TREO and ~89% for Uranium
  • Further Optimisation Upsides: Opportunities to shorten wash durations, optimise process acids and intensity, while maintaining or improving high extraction performance
Table 1: Blended composite extraction results (15 kg) & end-to-end system yields
Oxide Head Grade
(ppm)		   Extraction
(%)		   End-to-End Yield
(%)		   Recovered
Grade (ppm)		  
TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxides) 196,083   97   91   179,279  
NdPr (Neodymium + Praseodymium) 31,050   97   92   28,543  
Tb (Terbium) 246   87   82   203  
Dy (Dysprosium) 1,383   83   78   1,081  
Y (Yttrium) 6,361   84   79   5,019  
U (Uranium) 2,627   97   89   2,347  
Note: End-to-end yield is calculated as the product of extraction rates achieved in the 15 kg blended composite metallurgical test, an ore-sorting recovery of 95%, and recoveries from additional downstream metallurgical steps previously evaluated by ANSTO to produce a Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate. Recovered grade is calculated as the product of head grade and end-to-end yield.  


BRE Managing Director and CEO, Bernardo da Veiga, commented:

“Our metallurgy program validated a low-temperature, acid-cure process which delivers industry-leading recoveries for both rare earth and uranium products.

Importantly, the results support the potential for leading total system yields – from mineral to product – a key driver for efficiency and cost performance. When combined with Monte Alto’s ore sorting yield of +95%, the total system product recovery is 92% for NdPr, up to 82% for the heavy rare earths DyTb and Y, and 89% for uranium.

These results are key to unlocking value from the high-grade mineralisation across our Rocha da Rocha province. This acid-cure process eliminates the need for energy-intensive thermal cracking and supports the engineering simplicity required for scalable deployment at our centralised Camaçari rare earth processing hub.

We are now focused on applying this proven flowsheet to our broader resource base that will allow us to integrate multiple high-grade feedstocks into a flexible ‘hub-and-spoke’ production platform.”

A link to the full release can be found here.

Contacts

Bernardo Da Veiga, Managing Director and CEO

investors@brazilianrareearths.com
www.brazilianrareearths.com

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://feedcreatorngin2.fifthestate.nz/2026/02/12/brazilian-rare-earths-achieves-very-high-97-rare-earth-recovery-at-150c/

Posted on

NZ-AU: Brazilian Rare Earths Achieves Very High 97% Rare Earth Recovery at 150°C

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

SYDNEY, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brazilian Rare Earths Limited (ASX: BRE / OTCQX: BRELY) (‘BRE’) is pleased to report the results of a metallurgical optimisation program conducted at CDTN, a Brazilian federal research institute with specialist capabilities in metallurgical process development.

The program independently validated low-temperature sulfuric acid curing at 150°C using standard equipment. Importantly, a 15 kg blended composite scale-up test replicated the very high extractions achieved at laboratory-scale, providing increased confidence in scalability.

Key Highlights

  • Very High Extraction Rates: 97% for Total Rare Earth Oxides, 97% for Neodymium + Praseodymium, 83% for Dysprosium, 87% for Terbium and 97% for Uranium
  • Low-Temperature Flowsheet: Peak extraction achieved at 150°C using a low-temperature, acid-cure process – removing the need for high temperature (>250°C) rotary kilns
  • Low-Cost Processing: The low-temperature acid-cure process delivers high recoveries at materially lower energy intensity – supports potential for lower opex and capex flowsheet using conventional paddle mixers
  • Exceptional End-to-End System Yields: When combined with recently announced ore sorting recovery of +95%, estimated total ‘mineral-to-product’ recovery of ~91% TREO and ~89% for Uranium
  • Further Optimisation Upsides: Opportunities to shorten wash durations, optimise process acids and intensity, while maintaining or improving high extraction performance
Table 1: Blended composite extraction results (15 kg) & end-to-end system yields
Oxide Head Grade
(ppm)		   Extraction
(%)		   End-to-End Yield
(%)		   Recovered
Grade (ppm)		  
TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxides) 196,083   97   91   179,279  
NdPr (Neodymium + Praseodymium) 31,050   97   92   28,543  
Tb (Terbium) 246   87   82   203  
Dy (Dysprosium) 1,383   83   78   1,081  
Y (Yttrium) 6,361   84   79   5,019  
U (Uranium) 2,627   97   89   2,347  
Note: End-to-end yield is calculated as the product of extraction rates achieved in the 15 kg blended composite metallurgical test, an ore-sorting recovery of 95%, and recoveries from additional downstream metallurgical steps previously evaluated by ANSTO to produce a Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate. Recovered grade is calculated as the product of head grade and end-to-end yield.  


BRE Managing Director and CEO, Bernardo da Veiga, commented:

“Our metallurgy program validated a low-temperature, acid-cure process which delivers industry-leading recoveries for both rare earth and uranium products.

Importantly, the results support the potential for leading total system yields – from mineral to product – a key driver for efficiency and cost performance. When combined with Monte Alto’s ore sorting yield of +95%, the total system product recovery is 92% for NdPr, up to 82% for the heavy rare earths DyTb and Y, and 89% for uranium.

These results are key to unlocking value from the high-grade mineralisation across our Rocha da Rocha province. This acid-cure process eliminates the need for energy-intensive thermal cracking and supports the engineering simplicity required for scalable deployment at our centralised Camaçari rare earth processing hub.

We are now focused on applying this proven flowsheet to our broader resource base that will allow us to integrate multiple high-grade feedstocks into a flexible ‘hub-and-spoke’ production platform.”

A link to the full release can be found here.

Contacts

Bernardo Da Veiga, Managing Director and CEO

investors@brazilianrareearths.com
www.brazilianrareearths.com

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/12/nz-au-brazilian-rare-earths-achieves-very-high-97-rare-earth-recovery-at-150c/

Posted on

Innovation Beverage Group Provides Update on Merger with BlockFuel Energy and Production Restart to Advance Dual Revenue Model Spanning Energy and Digital Asset Mining

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

SYDNEY, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovation Beverage Group Ltd (“IBG” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: IBG), an innovative developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a growing beverage portfolio of 60 formulations across 13 alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands, today provided an update regarding its proposed merger with BlockFuel Energy Inc., a Texas corporation (“BFE”), including operational, financial, and strategic milestones that position the combined transaction parties as a capital-efficient energy producer with a differentiated digital infrastructure growth strategy.

The companies remain on track to complete the merger in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions. Integration planning continues, with a clear focus on building a vertically integrated platform that monetizes hydrocarbons through both conventional sales channels and potential digital energy applications.

Ten wells are currently back in production, with an additional seven wells expected to be returned to production by month-end, materially increasing active production and available gas volumes across the portfolio.

BFE expects to complete its first oil and gas sales in February 2026, with initial revenues anticipated before the end of the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. These initial oil and gas revenues are expected to provide near-term cash-flow visibility following completion of the merger.

Digital Energy and Mining Strategy

In parallel with production restarts, planning is advancing for the potential deployment of digital mining infrastructure powered directly by natural gas produced onsite. Initial planning takes into consideration modular, wellhead-adjacent generation and mining deployments, allowing capacity to scale in-line with gas availability and capital deployment.

Based on preliminary engineering and comparable field deployments, BFE management believes onsite gas-to-power costs may be meaningfully below grid-based power pricing, while avoiding transportation, processing, and third-party power costs. Even modest allocations of produced gas to digital infrastructure may support incremental margins per unit of gas, while preserving flexibility to sell gas into traditional markets.

Daniel Lanskey, Chief Executive Officer of BlockFuel Energy, commented, “We view Bitcoin mining not as speculation, but as energy infrastructure. At its core, our strategy is about converting underutilized natural gas at the site into productive, revenue-generating capacity. By collocating modular power and mining directly at the wellhead, we believe the combined company can deploy capital efficiently, operate at a low effective energy cost, and scale output in-line with production. This approach has the potential to improve overall project economics while giving shareholders disciplined exposure to digital asset upside.”

The integrated energy-and-mining model is expected to enhance resilience across commodity cycles and provide a flexible demand sink for gas, while creating incremental cash flow per well without compromising conventional production strategy.

Portfolio Expansion and Scale

Further strengthening the asset base, BFE has executed a Letter of Intent with a previous vendor to acquire additional nearby producing oil fields, adding approximately 4,000 contiguous acres to its portfolio. The proposed acquisition is expected to both expand scale and improve operating efficiencies, increasing gas volumes available for both traditional sales and digital energy initiatives.

Management of the companies believe these milestones demonstrate disciplined execution across production, capital formation, and infrastructure planning, while reinforcing the strategic rationale for the IBG-BFE merger.

Upon completion, the combined group is expected to emerge as a small-cap, integrated energy company with near-term production, diversified revenue streams, and a scalable gas-to-digital infrastructure platform positioned to deliver long-term shareholder value.

Further updates will be provided as the merger, financing, production restart, digital mining deployment, and acquisition initiatives continue to progress toward completion.

About Innovation Beverage Group Ltd

Innovation Beverage Group is a developer, manufacturer, marketer, exporter, and retailer of a growing beverage portfolio of 60 formulations across 13 alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands for which it owns exclusive manufacturing rights. Focused on premium and super premium brands and market categories where it can disrupt age old brands, IBG’s brands include Australian Bitters, BITTERTALES, Drummerboy Spirits, Twisted Shaker, and more. IBG’s most successful brand to date is Australian Bitters, which is a well-established and favored bitters brand in Australia. Established in 2018, IBG’s headquarters, manufacturing and flavor innovation center are located in Sydney, Australia with a U.S. sales office located in California. For more information visit: https://www.innovationbev.com/.

About BlockFuel Energy

BlockFuel Energy is involved in the acquisition, exploration and development of proven oil fields onshore in North America. By turning natural gas at the source, including stranded and flared gas, into a potent resource for the digital era, BlockFuel Energy intends to redefine the energy industry. BlockFuel Energy combines state-of-the-art power generation with oil and gas exploration to power bitcoin mining operations and high-performance data centers. Our vertically integrated concept allows us to use co-location and modular power generation techniques to optimize efficiency and investment returns. Our cutting-edge solutions for energy optimization and extraction will enable us to transform underdeveloped resources into high-margin, scalable, and sustainable revenue streams. For more information visit: https://blockfuelenergy.com/.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed merger between IBG and BlockFuel Energy, anticipated operational milestones, expected production levels, anticipated oil and gas sales, planned financing activities, potential deployment of digital infrastructure, expected economic benefits of such activities, and the proposed acquisition of additional oil field assets.

Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “projects,” “intends,” “believes,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” or similar expressions. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, among others, the ability of the parties to execute definitive transaction documents, satisfy closing conditions, obtain regulatory and stockholder approvals, commodity price volatility, operational risks, financing risks, regulatory developments relating to digital assets, and other risks described in IBG’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Neither IBG nor BFE undertakes any obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

Contact:

Innovation Beverage Group Limited
Sahil Beri
CEO
sahil@innovationbev.com
www.innovationbev.com

BlockFuel Energy Inc.
Daniel Lanskey
President and CEO
dan.lanskey@blockfuelenergy.com
www.blockfuelenergy.com

Investor Relations:
KCSA Strategic Communications
Phil Carlson, Managing Director
BlockFuel@KCSA.com

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://feedcreatorngin2.fifthestate.nz/2026/02/12/innovation-beverage-group-provides-update-on-merger-with-blockfuel-energy-and-production-restart-to-advance-dual-revenue-model-spanning-energy-and-digital-asset-mining/

Posted on

NZ-AU: Innovation Beverage Group Provides Update on Merger with BlockFuel Energy and Production Restart to Advance Dual Revenue Model Spanning Energy and Digital Asset Mining

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

SYDNEY, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovation Beverage Group Ltd (“IBG” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: IBG), an innovative developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a growing beverage portfolio of 60 formulations across 13 alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands, today provided an update regarding its proposed merger with BlockFuel Energy Inc., a Texas corporation (“BFE”), including operational, financial, and strategic milestones that position the combined transaction parties as a capital-efficient energy producer with a differentiated digital infrastructure growth strategy.

The companies remain on track to complete the merger in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary approvals and closing conditions. Integration planning continues, with a clear focus on building a vertically integrated platform that monetizes hydrocarbons through both conventional sales channels and potential digital energy applications.

Ten wells are currently back in production, with an additional seven wells expected to be returned to production by month-end, materially increasing active production and available gas volumes across the portfolio.

BFE expects to complete its first oil and gas sales in February 2026, with initial revenues anticipated before the end of the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. These initial oil and gas revenues are expected to provide near-term cash-flow visibility following completion of the merger.

Digital Energy and Mining Strategy

In parallel with production restarts, planning is advancing for the potential deployment of digital mining infrastructure powered directly by natural gas produced onsite. Initial planning takes into consideration modular, wellhead-adjacent generation and mining deployments, allowing capacity to scale in-line with gas availability and capital deployment.

Based on preliminary engineering and comparable field deployments, BFE management believes onsite gas-to-power costs may be meaningfully below grid-based power pricing, while avoiding transportation, processing, and third-party power costs. Even modest allocations of produced gas to digital infrastructure may support incremental margins per unit of gas, while preserving flexibility to sell gas into traditional markets.

Daniel Lanskey, Chief Executive Officer of BlockFuel Energy, commented, “We view Bitcoin mining not as speculation, but as energy infrastructure. At its core, our strategy is about converting underutilized natural gas at the site into productive, revenue-generating capacity. By collocating modular power and mining directly at the wellhead, we believe the combined company can deploy capital efficiently, operate at a low effective energy cost, and scale output in-line with production. This approach has the potential to improve overall project economics while giving shareholders disciplined exposure to digital asset upside.”

The integrated energy-and-mining model is expected to enhance resilience across commodity cycles and provide a flexible demand sink for gas, while creating incremental cash flow per well without compromising conventional production strategy.

Portfolio Expansion and Scale

Further strengthening the asset base, BFE has executed a Letter of Intent with a previous vendor to acquire additional nearby producing oil fields, adding approximately 4,000 contiguous acres to its portfolio. The proposed acquisition is expected to both expand scale and improve operating efficiencies, increasing gas volumes available for both traditional sales and digital energy initiatives.

Management of the companies believe these milestones demonstrate disciplined execution across production, capital formation, and infrastructure planning, while reinforcing the strategic rationale for the IBG-BFE merger.

Upon completion, the combined group is expected to emerge as a small-cap, integrated energy company with near-term production, diversified revenue streams, and a scalable gas-to-digital infrastructure platform positioned to deliver long-term shareholder value.

Further updates will be provided as the merger, financing, production restart, digital mining deployment, and acquisition initiatives continue to progress toward completion.

About Innovation Beverage Group Ltd

Innovation Beverage Group is a developer, manufacturer, marketer, exporter, and retailer of a growing beverage portfolio of 60 formulations across 13 alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands for which it owns exclusive manufacturing rights. Focused on premium and super premium brands and market categories where it can disrupt age old brands, IBG’s brands include Australian Bitters, BITTERTALES, Drummerboy Spirits, Twisted Shaker, and more. IBG’s most successful brand to date is Australian Bitters, which is a well-established and favored bitters brand in Australia. Established in 2018, IBG’s headquarters, manufacturing and flavor innovation center are located in Sydney, Australia with a U.S. sales office located in California. For more information visit: https://www.innovationbev.com/.

About BlockFuel Energy

BlockFuel Energy is involved in the acquisition, exploration and development of proven oil fields onshore in North America. By turning natural gas at the source, including stranded and flared gas, into a potent resource for the digital era, BlockFuel Energy intends to redefine the energy industry. BlockFuel Energy combines state-of-the-art power generation with oil and gas exploration to power bitcoin mining operations and high-performance data centers. Our vertically integrated concept allows us to use co-location and modular power generation techniques to optimize efficiency and investment returns. Our cutting-edge solutions for energy optimization and extraction will enable us to transform underdeveloped resources into high-margin, scalable, and sustainable revenue streams. For more information visit: https://blockfuelenergy.com/.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed merger between IBG and BlockFuel Energy, anticipated operational milestones, expected production levels, anticipated oil and gas sales, planned financing activities, potential deployment of digital infrastructure, expected economic benefits of such activities, and the proposed acquisition of additional oil field assets.

Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “projects,” “intends,” “believes,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” or similar expressions. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, among others, the ability of the parties to execute definitive transaction documents, satisfy closing conditions, obtain regulatory and stockholder approvals, commodity price volatility, operational risks, financing risks, regulatory developments relating to digital assets, and other risks described in IBG’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Neither IBG nor BFE undertakes any obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

Contact:

Innovation Beverage Group Limited
Sahil Beri
CEO
sahil@innovationbev.com
www.innovationbev.com

BlockFuel Energy Inc.
Daniel Lanskey
President and CEO
dan.lanskey@blockfuelenergy.com
www.blockfuelenergy.com

Investor Relations:
KCSA Strategic Communications
Phil Carlson, Managing Director
BlockFuel@KCSA.com

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/12/nz-au-innovation-beverage-group-provides-update-on-merger-with-blockfuel-energy-and-production-restart-to-advance-dual-revenue-model-spanning-energy-and-digital-asset-mining/

Posted on

Ready-mixed concrete: December 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/12/ready-mixed-concrete-december-2025-quarter-stats-nz-information-release/

Posted on

FEV Analysis: TCO Cut by Up to 33 Percent Through Range Extender Trucks

Source: Media Outreach

AACHEN, GERMANY – Newsaktuell – 11 February 2026 – FEV has published new analysis results on the economic efficiency of electrified commercial vehicles as part of an internal research program. The evaluation of extensive techno-economic data shows: depending on the driving cycle, through trucks with range extender architecture (REEV/Hybrid BEV) the total cost of ownership (TCO) can be reduced by up to 33 percent compared to conventional diesel trucks – while also significantly reducing CO₂emissions. Even in the most unfavorable long-haul scenario, the TCO declined by approximately 14 percent.

Depending on the driving cycle through range extender trucks TCO can be reduced by up to 33 percent. Source: FEV

Calculations are based on realistic European usage profiles with overnight charging at industrial electricity prices of around 19 cents per kilowatt hour. In regions with lower electricity costs, the advantage is correspondingly higher.

Cost-effectiveness without megawatt charging infrastructure

A key lever of the REEV architecture is the reduced battery size compared to purely battery-electric long-haul trucks. While typical BEV trucks require battery capacities of around 560 kWh, a REEV truck can manage with around 280 kWh. Even with slower AC charging at 22 kW, around 240 kWh can be recharged overnight – enough to power the vehicle almost entirely electrically for the next day. Thus, a megawatt charging infrastructure is not necessary for economical operation.

Significant TCO advantage in the cost-critical commercial vehicle market

The economic advantage of the range extender architecture results from several factors. The smaller battery of a REEV truck reduces vehicle costs and weight while increasing payload. Also, the high proportion of electric driving enables low energy costs, especially when charging at depots at night at industrial electricity prices.

Due to their low dependence on public high-performance charging infrastructure, REEV trucks can be seamlessly integrated into existing depot structures.

Hashtag: #FEV

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/12/fev-analysis-tco-cut-by-up-to-33-percent-through-range-extender-trucks/

Posted on

HGC Announces Appointment of Cliff Tam as Chief Commercial Officer of International Business

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – HGC Global Communications(“HGC” or “the Group”) a fully-fledged network operator with extensive global coverage and ICT solution provider, has appointed Cliff Tam as Chief Commercial Officer – International Business, effective immediately. This strategic appointment reinforces HGC’s commitment to accelerating the growth of its international business (“IB”), deepening global network solutions, and advancing the Group’s position as a trusted enabler of international connectivity and digital infrastructure worldwide.

Cliff Tam is appointed as Chief Commercial Officer – International business of HGC

In his new role, Cliff will spearhead the Group’s international commercial strategy, leading the IB organisation to sharpen its global focus, deepen niche market penetration. He will champion the shared network philosophy in Southeast Asia (“SEA”) region to drive next-generation ready digital infrastructure development and capture new opportunities arising from AI adoption and global digital transformation. Leveraging HGC’s regional network cluster, Cliff will support companies in achieving seamless cross-border integration from Hong Kong as a key telecommunications hub across Chinese Mainland, and other international markets. Meanwhile, Ravindran Mahalingam, Senior Vice President – International Business & Digital Infrastructure, will support Cliff in identifying in-country projects across SEA and driving scalable and sustainable businesses for the Group.

With over 30 years of industry experience, Cliff brings a strategic global perspective that align with evolving needs of today’s interconnected digital economy and rapidly changing global environment. He has been repeatedly recognised by Capacity Power 100 as one of the most influential leaders in the telecommunications industry, underscoring his impact on shaping international carrier and digital ecosystem trends.

Andrew Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of HGC, said “Cliff’s appointment marks a significant step forward in HGC’s global development. As we establish a next-generation regional telecommunications network, encompassing international connectivity, local networks, and strategic network hubs, also incorporating AI development to future-proof our infrastructure. By leveraging HGC’s global network cluster, we will strengthen an interconnected telecom ecosystem that further reinforce Hong Kong’s status as one of the leading international telecommunications hub and support the continued evolution of the global digital economy.”

Cliff Tam, Chief Commercial Officer – International Business of HGC, said, “I am honoured to assume this role and remain focused on driving long‑term value for HGC’s international business. By deepening collaboration with our regional and global partners, we will advance the shared network philosophy to support companies respond to fast changing market dynamics driven by AI and emerging technologies. With HGC’s extensive international connectivity and embracement to AI adoption, we will empower OTTs, hyerscalers and enterprises to expand across borders, evolve in global markets, and accelerate their digital transformation. I look forward to leading our team in shaping new possibilities and strengthening HGC’s position as a trusted international partner in the rapidly evolving global digital landscape.”

Hashtag: #HGC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/hgc-announces-appointment-of-cliff-tam-as-chief-commercial-officer-of-international-business/

Posted on

The Inaugural “AI in Education Forum Series & Showcase” Successfully Held

Source: Media Outreach

Accelerating AI Integration into Educational Settings to Enhance Learning and Teaching Effectiveness

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – In alignment with the national “15th Five-Year Plan” recommendations to fully implement the “AI+” initiative, empowering high-quality development of education through comprehensive digitalisation, and in response to the Education Bureau’s “AI for Empowering Learning and Teaching Funding Programme”, the Education Bureau, HKPC Academy of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and Hong Kong Education City (EdCity) jointly organised the inaugural “AI in Education Forum Series & Showcase” on 5 to 6 February 2026. This education showcase was one of the key themes under the “AI with HKPC” Smart Solutions Showcase Series organized by HKPC. The three-day event attracted over 5,000 representatives from the Government, industry, academia, and research. Among them, nearly 3,000 attendees participated in education-themed events, including principals and teachers from more than 250 primary and secondary schools, coming together to explore innovative applications of AI in education. The series of events was a resounding success.

The opening ceremony took place on the afternoon of 5 February and was officiated by Dr SZE Chun Fai, Jeff, JP, Under Secretary for Education, Dr Lawrence CHEUNG Chi-chong, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC; and Mr Armstrong LEE Hon Cheung, Chairman of EdCity, who delivered welcoming speech. The exhibition was rich in content, featuring over 60 booths showcasing a wide range of EdTech Solutions. It also included more than 20 seminars, workshops and demonstration lessons, where experts and industry leaders analysed education trends and teaching strategies. On-site services encompassed EdTech pitching sessions and one-on-one consultations, with professionals from HKPC Academy assisting schools according to their school-based development needs in selecting the most suitable e-learning and AI education solutions, while addressing challenges encountered in implementing digital education.

Dr Lawrence CHEUNG Chi-chong, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC, said: “HKPC fully supports the HKSAR Government in promoting digital education and helping schools seize the opportunities of the AI era. To align with the Education Bureau’s latest ‘AI for Empowering Learning and Teaching Funding Programme’ and support teachers’ professional training, HKPC Academy has established the EdTech Hub to drive the development of digital education. The Hub provides schools with AI tools and student training. We will continue to support the education sector in advancing the application of technology in teaching and learning, injecting more innovative elements into Hong Kong education and strengthening the innovation and technology talent hub.”

Principal Panel: AI Teaching Practices and Strategies

In response to the HKSAR Government’s policy direction to promote digital education, the event is committed to advancing the application of AI in schools and enhancing teaching and learning experiences. The Principal Panel invited multiple highly experienced principals to share the challenges, opportunities, and practical experiences encountered in applying AI to support teaching. In the sharing session titled “Achieve More with Less: AI Integration Strategies for Hong Kong Schools”, six principals with extensive experience in AI education detailed how to effectively leverage AI technologies to optimise teaching processes, enhance learning efficiency, and deliver genuine effectiveness-enhancing opportunities for schools.

Showcasing Innovative EdTech Achievements

The exhibition highlighted 22 projects supported under the Quality Education Fund (QEF) e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme (eLAFP), 9 of which have been successfully launched. Developed by universities, school sponsoring bodies and EdTech organisations, these projects leverage advanced technologies including AI, big data, virtual reality and augmented reality to support students across different subjects and grades, driving innovation in teaching models.

Among the featured projects is the “Metaverse English Learning World” developed by the Chinese Young Men’s Christian Association of Hong Kong (YMCA). Designed for upper primary to junior secondary students, it enables learners to interact with AI chatbots via the English speaking and listening platform “My AI Buddy” in an immersive virtual environment, enabling students to enhance their oral proficiency in a natural and engaging way. Another project is the “Lambda Math” Secondary Mathematics Learning Platform, developed by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. It delivers personalised content-based on individual student progress and includes an extensive library of over 4,500 questions, 250 interactive programs and 430 instructional videos. This assists teachers in optimising instruction through data analysis and achieves deeper learning outcomes for students.

Dr CHAN Kai Leung, Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong remarked, “We are grateful to the HKPC Academy for organising this exhibition, which provided us with the opportunity to engage with numerous principals and mathematics teachers and gain deeper insights into the actual needs of schools. Following the event, inquiries, trial applications and subscription numbers for the ‘Lambda Math’ Secondary Mathematics Learning Platform increased significantly.”

Another representative from a QEF eLAFP-supported project, Mr WONG Wai-kit, the Officer-in-charge (Education) of Yan Chai Hospital stated, “As one of the projects supported by QEF eLAFP, the ‘LATTE’ platform integrates English reading paper analysis with AI and big data technology to provide diverse reading materials. It effectively caters to different learning needs and helps teachers conduct assessment and follow-up using AI. We are pleased that the platform has received positive feedback from many principals and teachers. We thank the organisers for their support and for working together to advance smart teaching.”

Accelerating AI Integration into Teaching

The event also introduced the “AI for Empowering Learning and Teaching Funding Programme” launched earlier by the Education Bureau. HKPC Academy explained the programme on-site and assisted schools in planning the use of funding to integrate AI into daily teaching, thereby enhancing the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of learning and teaching. In addition, HKPC Academy has specially designed a series of AI education-focused training courses for local primary and secondary schools as well as special educational needs (SEN) schools. The courses cover AI literacy development, language learning enhancement, handwritten mathematics assessment, no-code game creation, and professional SEN teaching support. These initiatives help schools effectively plan and implement AI integration, promoting the development of inclusive education.

Hashtag: #HKPC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/the-inaugural-ai-in-education-forum-series-showcase-successfully-held/

Posted on

Second AD-Linkage x Alibaba AI Bootcamp Concludes Successfully; AD-Linkage Becomes First Institution to Offer CEF-Subsidized Hybrid Learning Programs

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – AD-Linkage, in collaboration with Alibaba AITIC, has successfully concluded its second AI-themed bootcamp at Alibaba’s headquarters in Shenzhen. Held over two consecutive days from February 7 to 8, 2026, the program attracted 20 participants from various industries in Hong Kong, focusing on “AI-Driven Automated Marketing and AI Agent Implementation” and enabling attendees to experience the real-world application potential of AI agents in business scenarios.

The bootcamp was closely aligned with the latest developments in AI, centering on how AI Agents and AI RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) can be applied to content marketing and workflow automation. The curriculum unpacked the three-layer architecture of “Tools – Intelligence – Automation,” helping learners understand the practical path from using a single AI tool to building enterprise-level intelligent automation systems.

In the hands-on sessions, participants used Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) marketing as the core scenario. They practiced leveraging Kimi and DeepSeek for viral topic discovery and trend analysis, designed structured prompts to generate on-brand copy and short video scripts, and completed visual assets with tools such as Jimeng AI and Canva. Over the two-day program, participants also learned how to use N8N to build automated Xiaohongshu workflows, including scheduling the scraping of trending content, storing data in Lark Base, triggering AI for secondary content creation and sensitive word detection, and using browser automation tools for multi-account scheduled posting—ultimately constructing a fully operational system for “Content Factory + Scheduling + Data Feedback.”

Driving a New Mode of Flexible Learning: Pioneering CEF-Subsidized Hybrid Courses

AD-Linkage also announced that it has become the first training institution in Hong Kong to offer courses that are both accredited by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) and subsidized by the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) under a hybrid learning model. The programs are designed in a hybrid format, with part of the classes delivered via live online teaching and the remainder conducted through in-person classroom sessions. Learners attend at scheduled times either through an online classroom or by joining on-site, combining interactive online learning with face-to-face instruction to provide more flexible study options for working professionals.

Through structured live online sessions combined with in-person workshops, learners are guided by instructors to master theoretical frameworks and then participate in case discussions and practical exercises in the classroom, turning what they have learned into actionable solutions for real work scenarios. As these programs are listed as CEF-recognized courses, eligible learners can apply for government subsidies to lower their financial barrier to further study and continuously enhance their AI and digital transformation skills. Education providers interested in adopting a hybrid online–offline teaching model are welcome to contact AD-Linkage’s curriculum design consultancy team and visit: https://bit.ly/3ZxJNq3 for more information.

Management on Future Vision and AI Training Strategy

“By launching HKCAAVQ-accredited and CEF-subsidized hybrid learning programs, we aim to respond to the time and cost constraints faced by working professionals in Hong Kong, enabling more practitioners to master core AI and digital transformation capabilities in a more flexible way,” said Horace, Founder and Course Director of AD-Linkage. “At the same time, we hope to set a practical example for combining online and offline hybrid teaching in Hong Kong, and to help drive the wider adoption of such models across the local education and training sector.”

He added, “The AITIC bootcamp held at Alibaba’s Shenzhen headquarters focused on turning technologies such as AI Agents, AI RAG and automated workflows into practical skills that can be immediately applied to real business scenarios. Participants were not just learning theory; they were building fully functional automated marketing systems with their own hands, truly converting AI into a productivity tool for their organizations.”

About AD-Linkage and Upcoming Programs

AD-Linkage is a professional training institution dedicated to serving working professionals and corporate clients in Hong Kong. Its programs cover practical areas including digital marketing, AI applications and new media marketing. With a core philosophy of “practice-oriented and industry-aligned,” AD-Linkage designs courses that combine online theoretical learning with offline case studies and hands-on workshops via a hybrid teaching model, accommodating the busy schedules of working adults while ensuring that learning outcomes can be directly applied at work.

AD-Linkage is also actively expanding local and international partnerships, including collaborating with organizations such as Alibaba AITIC to host AI-themed bootcamps and corporate exchange activities. The institution continues to introduce the latest AI technologies and commercial application cases into Hong Kong, helping more professionals and SMEs seize opportunities in digitalization and intelligent transformation.

The next program co-organized by AD-Linkage and Alibaba AITIC will focus on “Building AI Assistants,” guiding learners from the application level to the stage of creating their own AI assistants. Participants will learn how to design, deploy and optimize AI assistants tailored to their specific business scenarios. For enquiries and registration, please visit: https://cef.ad-linkage.com/

Hashtag: #AD-Linkage

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/second-ad-linkage-x-alibaba-ai-bootcamp-concludes-successfully-ad-linkage-becomes-first-institution-to-offer-cef-subsidized-hybrid-learning-programs/

Posted on

APAS Made Debut at Industry Flagship Event Asia Photonics Expo 2026 in Singapore Showcases Automotive Photonics Innovations

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – Centre of Advanced Power and Autonomous Systems (APAS), under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), made its first-ever appearance at the Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026)—Asia’s leading platform for photonics technology innovation—held in Singapore from 4 to 6 February. During the exhibition, APAS showcased its advanced automotive photonics R&D achievements to photonics experts and enterprises in the field from across Asia and around the world. Featured innovations included an Automotive-grade MEMS Drive OIS Actuator and an Augmented Reality Head-up Display for Commercial Vehicles.

Meanwhile, APAS organised the “Go Global to Southeast Asia: Singapore Photonics and Emerging Industries Delegation“, leading representatives from Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises to participate in APE 2026 as well as a series of site visits and exchange activities. This initiative aimed to present Hong Kong’s comprehensive R&D and industrial strengths in photonics and emerging sectors to the international community. It also sought to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in understanding market dynamics and technological trends in Singapore’s photonics and emerging industries, facilitate cross-regional business networking, and support enterprises in expanding into Southeast Asian and global markets.

Mr Yonghai DU, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC and General Manager of APAS, said, “The ’15th Five-Year Plan’ Recommendations emphasise fostering emerging industries and accelerating the development of industrial clusters in strategic emerging fields such as new energy and new materials. Over the years, HKPC has been committed to helping enterprises turn R&D outcomes into competitive market application solutions. APAS focuses on R&D in various technological fields, including green transportation, smart mobility, intelligent systems and emerging applications. By collaborating with industry, academia and research institutions, APAS transforms R&D outcomes into commercially viable products and solutions, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the fields of new energy vehicles and intelligent driving”.

“Photonics plays an irreplaceable role in data acquisition, transmission and processing, and is therefore critical to the field of intelligent driving. This is APAS’s first participation in the APE, together with the organisation of a delegation to Southeast Asia, aims to lay a more solid foundation for the long-term development of automotive photonics technologies, while supporting businesses in expanding into photonics and emerging industries markets in Southeast Asia”.

First Debut in APE 2026 to Deepen International Photonics Industry Connections
Photonics technologies are widely applied across various sectors, including communications, information technology, healthcare, industrial manufacturing and energy. Held in Singapore, APE 2026 is one of the most influential events in the photonics industry in Asia. It brought together research institutions, technology companies and industry leaders from around the world to showcase cutting-edge technologies and innovative application scenarios across the entire photonics value chain. As a leading R&D institution in new energy and intelligent driving, APAS made its debut at APE 2026, leveraging its R&D strengths to contribute to technological collaboration and application innovation within the photonics industry. It not only helps Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises build bridges to the global photonics industry and expand market opportunities, but also supports Hong Kong’s active integration into the international photonics ecosystem, further promoting cross-regional technology exchange and industrial collaboration.

As a member of the HKSAR Government’s “Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global”, HKPC also shared its comprehensive “GoGlobal” services with exhibition participants during the event. These services include smart manufacturing, technology research and assessment, international standards and testing, professional services, training and study missions, as well as funding schemes—highlighting Hong Kong’s unique advantages in supporting enterprises’ global expansion. Ms Teresa POON, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, visited the APAS booth to learn about the latest automotive photonics technologies and R&D achievements in Hong Kong, and to exchange views on the city’s strengths in the photonics industry.

In addition, Dr Rick MO, Head of Business Development and Commercialisation and Head of Emerging Applications of APAS, was invited to deliver a keynote speech on the impact of 2D material semiconductor innovations on the future development of smart mobility and high-end manufacturing. The APAS team has been deeply involved in the field of third-generation semiconductors for many years. Its development of silicon carbide-based systems and controllers have significantly improved the energy efficiency and driving range of new energy vehicles. Looking ahead, the team will explore the replacement of traditional chip electronic signals with optical signals, further advancing the application and development of related technologies.

Advancing Automotive Photonics R&D to Support Smart Mobility and Smart City Development
During APE 2026, APAS set up a dedicated exhibition zone to showcase its latest automotive photonics solutions in support of smart mobility and smart city development. The exhibits included:

  • Automotive-grade MEMS Drive OIS Actuator: The technology is designed to stabilise imager sensor shifts in Full HD dash cameras. It effectively reduces image shake caused by road vibrations or cornering, significantly enhancing image stability and clarity. When combined with object detection and recognition capabilities, the dash camera prototype can continuously deliver clear images and reliable driving records, even in busy urban areas, on winding roads or in tunnels, and in adverse weather conditions. This helps to improve overall road safety.
  • Augmented Reality Head-up Display for Commercial Vehicles: By combining virtual images with the real-world view, key driving information such as navigation routes, vehicle speed and safety alerts, is projected directly onto the windshield. This allows drivers to access critical information without having to divert their gaze, thereby enhancing driving focus and safety. The solution can also be optimised for the practical operating scenarios of commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks.

Promoting International R&D Exchange and Exploring Southeast Asian Market Opportunities
In addition to participating in APE 2026, the “Go Global to Southeast Asia: Singapore Photonics and Emerging Industries Delegation” arranged visits for enterprise representatives to several world-class universities and research institutions in Singapore, including Nanyang Technological University, the National University of Singapore, Singapore University of Technology and Design, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. These visits provided in-depth insights into the latest R&D and technology commercialisation cases in areas such as quantum photonics, smart sensing, semiconductors and emerging applications, enabling participants to better grasp market trends and collaboration opportunities in photonics and emerging industries.

Through this series of visits and exchanges, HKPC and APAS played a bridging role in showcasing Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities and industrial strengths in photonics and smart mobility to the global community, supporting SMEs in capturing opportunities in the Southeast Asian market, and promoting the long-term development of the photonics and smart mobility industries.

Hashtag: #HKPC #APAS

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/apas-made-debut-at-industry-flagship-event-asia-photonics-expo-2026-in-singapore-showcases-automotive-photonics-innovations/

Posted on

Dead possum found in Roxburgh reservoir triggers boil water notice for area

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A dead possum in the Roxburgh reservoir has triggered a boil water notice for the area.

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) said the possum was found during an unrelated inspection on Wednesday, and it’s not known how long it’s been in the water.

It has since issued a boil water notice for Roxburgh and the Lake Roxburgh Village, which would remain in place until the network had been flushed.

CODC said three times a week sampling hadn’t indicated degraded water quality, and a full investigation was underway to find out how the possum got inside the reservoir.

It said the reservoir which would remain isolated until it had been fully disinfected and any possum entry points addressed.

CODC’s Julie Muir said the notice could be lifted as early as Thursday.

Two water tankers would be available at Roxburgh School and Lake Roxburgh Village Hall on Wednesday evening.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/dead-possum-found-in-roxburgh-reservoir-triggers-boil-water-notice-for-area/

Posted on

medisana Strengthens Home Healthcare Access in Malaysia and Brunei Through Strategic Partnership with DKSH

Source: Media Outreach

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – medisana, a trusted global brand in home health and wellness solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with DKSH Business Unit Healthcare to expand distribution and commercial execution for its medical device portfolio across Malaysia and Brunei. This collaboration marks a significant step in medisana’s commitment to making reliable home healthcare monitoring solutions more accessible to individuals, families, and communities across the region.

Under this partnership, DKSH will support medisana with comprehensive market expansion services, encompassing sales, merchandising, distribution, and logistics across all retail and institutional pharmacy channels. With DKSH’s extensive pharmacy network and deep healthcare expertise, the collaboration will accelerate medisana’s growth in key medical device categories, including blood pressure monitors, thermometers, inhalers, TENS machines, pulse oximeters, blood glucose meters, and blood glucose strips.

Michael Gao Feng, Managing Director at medisana, stated:
“Our mission has always been to empower people to better manage their health at home. Partnering with DKSH enables us to strengthen our presence in Malaysia and Brunei while ensuring that our trusted home healthcare solutions are accessible through more pharmacy touchpoints. DKSH’s strong distribution capabilities and understanding of the healthcare landscape make them an ideal partner for our continued expansion in Asia.”

Sandeep Tewari, Vice President, Healthcare and Head, Country Leadership, Malaysia at DKSH, added:
“We are proud to welcome medisana to DKSH’s healthcare portfolio. By combining medisana’s trusted medical device solutions with DKSH’s extensive commercial reach and execution excellence, we aim to expand access to high-quality home healthcare monitoring devices and drive sustainable growth across Malaysia and Brunei, ultimately enriching people’s lives by providing healthcare for all.”

The partnership underscores medisana’s continued commitment to innovation, accessibility, and improving quality of life through user‑friendly healthcare technologies. As demand for home health monitoring continues to rise, medisana will leverage this collaboration to deepen its footprint across Southeast Asia and provide greater support to healthcare professionals and consumers alike.

http://medisana.asia/my-en
https://www.facebook.com/medisana.my
https://www.instagram.com/medisana.my

Hashtag: #medisana #healthwellness

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/medisana-strengthens-home-healthcare-access-in-malaysia-and-brunei-through-strategic-partnership-with-dksh/

Posted on

Child hospitalised after being hit by bus while riding a bike in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A child is in hospital after being hit by a bus while bike riding in Auckland.

Emergency services were called to the crash on Te Atatu Road around 6.30pm on Wednesday.

Police said officers responded to reports of a vehicle versus a cyclist on Te Atatu Peninsula, while Hato Hone St John dispatched one ambulance and a critical care unit.

A spokesperson for St John said one patient with moderate injuries was taken to hospital.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/11/child-hospitalised-after-being-hit-by-bus-while-riding-a-bike-in-auckland/