Category: housing

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Key players missing for All White World Cup warmup games

Source: Radio New Zealand

Chris Wood of the New Zealand All Whites. © Bildbyrån Photo Agency 2025 © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley has been unable to call on a number of key players for World Cup warmup games at home against Finland and Chile later this month.

Missing through injury are regulars Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Matt Garbett, Nando Pijnaker, Sarpreet Singh, and captain Chris Wood.

However, all are set to return to play ahead of the FIFA World Cup in June and July.

There is a debut call-up for Newcastle Jets’ Lachlan Bayliss.

“These are two really important games for us as we continue building towards the World Cup, so it is great to name our squad to play in front of our home fans for the last time before the tournament,” Bazeley said.

“I want to congratulate Lachlan Bayliss on his debut All Whites call-up. He has been in great form over the last few months with Newcastle Jets, so I’m pleased to bring him in for the first time at senior level.

“We know the deadline for naming our FIFA World Cup squad is getting closer and closer, so we are pleased to be able to give opportunities to a number of players to state their case, especially with a few regulars unavailable for this window.

“Finland and Chile should be great tests for us, and we look forward to taking them on in front of all of our home fans at Eden Park.”

The FIFA Series games at Eden Park also involve Cape Verde.

85th ranked New Zealand play 75th ranked Finland on 27 March and 55th ranked Chile on 30 March.

All Whites squad:

Kosta Barbarouses (70 caps, 9 goals) Western Sydney Wanderers, Australia

Lachlan Bayliss (debut) Newcastle Jets, Australia

Joe Bell (28/1) Viking FK, Norway

Tyler Bindon (20/3) Sheffield United, England (on loan from Nottingham Forest)

Max Crocombe (19/0) Millwall, England

Andre De Jong (11/2) Orlando Pirates, South Africa

Francis De Vries (15/1) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Callan Elliot (7/0) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Eli Just (38/8) Motherwell, Scotland

Callum McCowatt (28/4) Silkeborg IF, Denmark

James McGarry (3/0) Brisbane Roar, Australia

Ben Old (18/1) AS Saint-Étienne, France

Alex Paulsen (5/0) Lechia Gdańsk, Poland (on loan from AFC Bournemouth)

Tim Payne (48/3) Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Jesse Randall (5/1) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Logan Rogerson (16/2) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand

Alex Rufer (22/0) Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Marko Stamenic (33/3) Swansea City, Wales

Finn Surman (13/2) Portland Timbers, USA

Ryan Thomas (23/3) PEC Zwolle, Netherlands

Bill Tuiloma (45/4) Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand

Ben Waine (26/8) Port Vale, England

Michael Woud (6/0) Auckland FC, Aotearoa New Zealand

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/16/key-players-missing-for-all-white-world-cup-warmup-games/

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EIT Tairāwhiti valedictorian inspired by whanau, driven by purpose

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

12 minutes ago

Four years ago, Ami Hokianga set out to complete her Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at EIT Tairāwhiti as a commitment to herself, her tamariki, and her future.

This week, she will fulfil that commitment, graduating with honours and taking the stage as this year’s Valedictorian.

EIT Tairāwhiti valedictorian Ami Hokianga will graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at the War Memorial Theatre in Gisborne on March 20.

She will be among a cohort of students at the graduation ceremony at the War Memorial Theatre in Gisborne on Friday (March 20).

Ami (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) says being named Valedictorian came as a surprise.

“I honestly thought they had confused me with someone else. It didn’t even cross my mind that I would be considered. I was just excited to finally graduate.”

“My interest in social work was shaped by lived and personal experiences navigating the family court and justice systems. It made me want to better understand how systems and policy decisions affect whānau.”

After a number of years working across the legal, health and horticultural sectors, Ami says studying at EIT Tairāwhiti meant she could grow professionally while still staying close to her whānau and serving the region. “It was also about proving to myself that anything is possible.”

“EIT Tairāwhiti gave me the opportunity to connect academic learning with practical experience, building my confidence while keeping me grounded in the realities of the communities and whānau closest to me.”

During her degree, Ami completed two placements: one at Oranga Tamariki and the other at Tairāwhiti Hospital. The latter, she says, highlighted both the complexity of the profession and the importance of strong advocacy.

“Social work is not practised in perfect conditions and in placement, I saw firsthand the strength required to navigate complex systems. When whānau voices were unheard, social workers carried them forward.”

It also reshaped how she understands the profession and the respect it deserves.

“I don’t just see social workers. I see practitioners. It takes four years of commitment, and we graduate as registered professionals. That recognition matters.”

Ami hopes to build on her experience in governance and Māori health, using her social work qualification and frontline insight to contribute to stronger policy, practice, and decision-making that better reflects the realities of whānau and communities across Aotearoa.

She has no hesitation recommending EIT Tairāwhiti to others, saying it offers students the opportunity to pursue tertiary study close to home in a grounded and supportive environment.

“With strong student support, great peers, and flexible degree and qualification pathways, EIT helps students build their futures close to home.”

Ami is grateful for the friendships she formed with fellow social work students in Tairāwhiti, particularly Natalya Williams and Nathanael Elliott, who began the degree with her.

“There were seasons of uncertainty, but through them we became certain of our own capability.”

She also received a study grant from her grandfather’s iwi on her mother’s side, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, affirming that her journey was supported by whakapapa and whānau beyond Tairāwhiti.

At the heart of her journey were her close friends, parents, and tamariki, whose love, support, and unwavering belief carried her to this moment.

“This honour belongs to them as much as it does to me.”

Tairāwhiti Campus Executive Director Tracey Tangihaere says: “Ami was a dedicated student who balanced parental responsibilities, work and academic studies”.

“Ami supported her fellow students along the way with maturity. Ami was selected because she displayed empathy for others and she was a passionate learner. Congratulations to all our graduates.”

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/16/eit-tairawhiti-valedictorian-inspired-by-whanau-driven-by-purpose/

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Liam Lawson ‘didn’t quite expect’ his success at Chinese Grand Prix

Source: Radio New Zealand

Liam Lawson finished seventh place finish in the Grand Prix. MARCEL VAN DORST / AFP

New Zealand driver Liam Lawson admits to being a little surprised with his success at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Lawson had arguably his best weekend in Formula 1, capping off the weekend with a seventh place finish in the Grand Prix. It followed the same result in Saturday’s sprint race.

His haul of eight points has him ninth in the standings after two rounds.

While the hard tyres were the preferred option, Lawson had to start the main race on mediums from 14th on the grid, but soon made inroads in yet another chaotic start which included the late withdrawal of the two McLarens.

Unfortunately he lost places after he was pitted early just before the field was slowed by a safety car.

He then completed the rest of the race on his last set of hard tyres, picking up places as others faulted.

He was able to keep former team-mate Isack Hadjar at bay over the closing laps and moved up to seventh when the other Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was forced to retire his car.

Liam Lawson at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. FLORENT GOODEN / PHOTOSPORT

The results was Lawson’s 11th top-10 finish of his career. His best results was fifth at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“I’m really happy with our result today,” the 24 year old said afterwards.

“To be honest, we didn’t quite expect it, but our pace was strong towards the end. We had a poorly timed Safety Car, and at that moment I thought our race might be over.

“It turned out to be a really enjoyable race and we managed to pull off a few overtakes. Bringing it home in P7 feels great.

“Full credit to the team from a strategy standpoint, we did everything right this weekend and securing two point finishes shows how well the team executed. “

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane was also chuffed with their performance over the weekend.

“To come away with a total of 8 points from a weekend where we clearly weren’t quick enough is an exceptional result for the team. It was a very well executed race.

“We were unlucky with the Safety Car as we pitted Liam the lap before, but he drove a really great race. He was under a lot of pressure at one stage from Hadjar and didn’t put a foot wrong, delivering a solid result.”

Winner Mercedes’ Italian driver Kimi Antonelli celebrates on the podium after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, 2026. HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP

Lawson’s team-mate Arvid Lindbard finished 12th.

Italian Kimi Antonelli scored the first win of his young Formula 1 career, heading championship-leading team-mate George Russell in a Mercedes one-two from pole position.

The 19-year-old Italian driver became the second-youngest race winner in the sport’s history, after Verstappen.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished a distant third, the seven-time world champion’s first podium since he joined Ferrari last year.

The next round is in Japan in a fortnight.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/16/liam-lawson-didnt-quite-expect-his-success-at-chinese-grand-prix/

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Government’s climate change plans go to the High Court

Source: Radio New Zealand

Climate Action and the Environmental Law Initiative are asking the High Court to declare Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ decisions unlawful. RNZ / Mark Papalii

A landmark legal case that argues the government’s plan to tackle climate change is unlawful and risky will go ahead today.

Climate advocates will argue that the government broke the law when it dismantled dozens of climate policies soon after the 2023 election, before it had consulted the public.

They also say the current plan relies too heavily on planting trees to offset greenhouse gas emissions, instead of reducing the amount of emissions the country produces in the first place.

Lawyers for Climate Action and the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) are jointly taking the case against Climate Change Minister Simon Watts.

The organisations are asking the High Court to declare the minister’s decisions unlawful and to throw out the current emissions plan so a new, more ambitious one can be prepared.

An environmental law expert says the case is “hugely significant” and has similarities to challenges in the UK, which resulted in changes to that government’s climate plans.

Under New Zealand’s climate laws, the government must produce five-yearly emissions reductions plans, which set out how the country will meet its domestic climate targets.

At the moment, those targets are to reduce carbon dioxide and other long-lived gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and to reduce methane emissions to 14 to 24 percent below 2017 levels by the same deadline.

The methane target was originally a 24 to 47 percent reduction by 2050, but the government changed this last year in response to lobbying from the agricultural sector, which produces half of New Zealand’s methane emissions.

There are also interim targets for 2030: to halve long-lived gases from their 2005 levels, and a 10 percent reduction of methane emissions from 2017 levels.

Subsidies for electric vehicles, and a fund to help businesses electrify their coal- and gas-fired industrial processes, were among policies that the government chose to scrap in late 2023.

ELI senior legal researcher Eliza Prestidge-Oldfield said climate laws allowed the government to make changes to an emissions reduction plan, but they must consult on any changes that are more than minor or technical.

Instead, the government scrapped large parts of the plan before formally amending it.

“By the time the plan was actually amended, there were over 30 initiatives that were being consulted on where the decisions had already been made,” she said.

“What the government should have done is consulted on any amendments before it locked in those changes.”

‘Phenomenal’ reliance on pine planting

The latest emissions reduction plan, which kicked in at the start of this year, was not really an emissions reduction plan at all, Prestidge-Oldfield said.

“Instead of having arranged policies that might substantively reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, or replace sectors of the economy that currently are reliant on out that equipment with new equipment, they’ve just relied on baseline modeling and trees offsetting carbon emissions.”

The reliance on forestry planting in the plan was “quite phenomenal”.

“The reliance on forestry means that people aren’t going to be doing the other things that they can do, that are technically feasible now and may even have a good payoff, unless they’re cheaper than a forestry credit,” she said.

Relying on mostly pine plantations was “inherently risky”, she said.

“As the climate heats, the risk of them burning down is pretty significant. We’ve already seen issues with extreme weather events, windfall, forestry slash – so these are not a robust solution in and of themselves.”

Lawyers for Climate Action executive director Jessica Palairet said using trees and other types of carbon sequestration was an important part of the climate response, because it would help to remove carbon dioxide already warming the planet.

It could not simply replace reducing emissions at their source, though.

“The government shouldn’t treat reductions and removals as equivalent,” Palairet said.

“They’re different, they needed to be treated differently under the law, and we don’t think the minister even turned his mind to whether this plan of planting our way out of the climate crisis complied with international law.”

The global Paris Agreement did not explicitly state that governments must prioritise reducing emissions over removing them from the atmosphere, Palairet said.

“But there’s numerous parts … that do suggest a preferencing of reductions over forestry removals.”

States were also expected to take a precautionary approach to reducing their emissions, she said.

“So reduce emissions now, rather than keep them at high levels and leave them for future generations to deal with.”

Case is significant – environmental law expert

The hearing in Wellington will add to a growing body of climate law cases being levelled at governments around the world.

An advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice last year found that developed countries like New Zealand were expected to lead the way in making emissions reductions, and that the way was open for countries to sue each other for failing to take action.

Auckland University associate professor Vernon Rive said the latest case was “hugely significant”.

“It concerns some quite fundamental planks of the government’s policy and approach on climate mitigation,” he said.

“It tests whether from a legal perspective the policy reliance on the [emissions trading scheme] – almost to the exclusion of everything else – is a legitimate approach.”

The outcome could set a precedent for how emissions reduction plans were set, especially about the level of certainty the government needed to have that a plan could meet an emissions budget.

“I don’t think anyone expects there to be 100 percent certainty, because this involves modelling and predictions of what will happen in the future,” Rive said, “But there is an expectation of a level of certainty and robustness and credibility.”

That included what wiggle-room there was if some policies did not succeed, or something else unexpected happened.

“The government’s plan – by its own recognition – is cutting it very, very fine,” he said. “There’s a very small buffer for achieving it or not achieving it.”

New Zealand’s system of setting greenhouse gas budgets and emissions reduction plans was similar to Ireland and the UK, where governments had also faced legal challenges.

“[There have been] two significant cases in the UK where environmental interests have successfully challenged the UK government’s emissions reduction plans, or their equivalent,” Rive said.

“The court has said look, there are just too many uncertainties here involved in your plan – you need to go back and do it again, and do it properly this time.”

New Zealand’s legal system was similar to the UK’s, so he expected the courts here to take a similar approach to the law.

“Each of these cases will turn on their own facts … but this is a very credible claim.”

The hearing is expected to last three days, with a reserved decision later this year.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/16/governments-climate-change-plans-go-to-the-high-court/

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The ‘gnarly and unnecessary’ fight reshaping the RSA

Source: Radio New Zealand

At the heart of the dispute is the RSA’s decision to use transitional rules allowing a new constitution to be approved by a simple majority rather than the 75 percent required under existing rules. RNZ / Nathan McKinnon

A civil war has been unfolding inside the RSA, with suspended clubs, unpaid fees, and a High Court fight exposing the deep fractures in one of New Zealand’s most historic organisations.

The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association is built to honour veterans and support their families, but the organisation is instead involved in a bitter internal fight that has spilled from clubrooms into the courthouse.

It comes down to money, power and a new constitution.

“It is the most unnecessary, gnarly fight that you will find in New Zealand at the moment, I believe,” says senior award-winning journalist David Fisher, who has been covering the story for the New Zealand Herald.

“It didn’t need to happen; they have all got better things to do. And those better things that they have to do are minding the welfare of the veterans that they were set up to care for.”

On one side, national body leaders; on the other, a core of five “rebel branches” with the backing of many more – “All up about a third of the 182 clubs.”

At the heart of the dispute is the RSA’s decision to use transitional rules allowing a new constitution to be approved by a simple majority rather than the 75 percent required under existing rules.

“The current state of the RSA probably goes back about three or four years ago, when Martyn Dunne came in as the leader of the organisation,” Fisher tells The Detail.

“And he, along with the team around him, at that time, felt it was really important that the RSA movement as a whole take a more proactive position on its existence and on its future.

“Buck Shelford was also involved in this. They talked about how it needed to be an end to booze barns, and it needed to be an organisation that returned to its core purpose. And that core purpose being veterans’ welfare.

“What that led to was an extraordinary restructuring of how the RSA works. Along the way, a huge number of bruised egos and an extraordinary amount of upset. A great deal of conflict between the different types of RSAs that exist out there … they were so conflicted as to what they were there for.”

You had a national body trying to modernise, he said, and local clubs fiercely protective of their independence.

The fight eventually escalated all the way to the High Court of New Zealand, where the rebel RSA branches challenged the process.

“The courtroom was packed by two groups of people representing the same individuals: the veterans,” Fisher says. “Both of them determined that they were doing the right thing and the best thing for those veterans, but absolutely unable to meet and agree on almost anything.”

Last month, the High Court finally released its ruling, rejecting the legal objection raised by the rebels, instead approving the RSA’s overhaul process, opening the door for the national body to proceed with its “controversial” reform.

The headlines that followed proved an uncomfortable moment for an institution built on unity. But Fisher says, the organisation isn’t alone.

“As tumultuous as the RSA situation is, the entire veterans’ community is a tumultuous, crazy mess. None of them agree with each other; there have to be half a dozen quite separate veterans’ groups across the country that will not share the same breathing space with each other.”

So, what happens now?

“The national office has set its course … they are very clear on where they are headed.

“The rebel alliance is tentatively working itself into a position of setting up a new veterans’ organisation that would incorporate all the old RSAs.”

Fisher says the alliance has also launched an appeal.

For many communities, the RSA is more than just a veterans’ organisation.

It is a social hub, a meeting place, a reminder of the country’s military past and the people who served.

For generations, it has been woven into the fabric of small towns and big cities across the country.

But times have changed.

The veterans of earlier wars are ageing, membership numbers have declined, and some clubs have struggled financially, forcing closures.

“So many clubs have closed over the years, and the rough estimate in value, from those closed clubs, is that they have lost about $100 million,” says Fisher.

“That is money that has just drifted away, wasted away over time as they have tried to prop up bars that are selling cheap Lion Red to people that don’t turn up, trying to maintain clubrooms that are a real point of pride for the dwindling number of RSA members that might be in a community, and they just can’t afford to keep them going.

“Those assets have just wasted away over the years – assets that really were intended to be for veterans’ welfare.”

More recently, some branches have fallen behind on capitation fees, the payments local clubs make to fund national operations and veteran services. Without that money, the organisation says its ability to advocate for and support veterans is weakened.

“That’s a difficult thing because the national office is not cheap to run. You can’t run a machine without putting fuel into the tank.

“[But] some clubs said, why give money to the national office if they can’t look after the money they already have.”

And as the country prepares to mark Anzac Day, the organisation at the heart of that remembrance finds itself fighting another internal conflict: rival poppies.

“If there is an illustration to be brought to light in this, it is the Anzac Day coming up,” says Fisher.

“The national office has ordered their poppies from the British Legion in the UK, which very oddly means that for our April commemoration, we will have a poppy that has two oak leaves and the oak leaves are pointed at 11 o’clock on an analogue clock to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

“That’s a very incongruous thing to have for an April commemoration.

“Meanwhile, in the north, the rebel alliance has got its own poppies, which it’s having manufactured, and do not have oak leaves on them; in fact, the design of them is very New Zealand-centric.

“Now it will be who can get whose poppy on the Governor General, on the Prime Minister, on the leader of the opposition, on the minister of veterans affairs … somewhat awkward for those people too.”

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/16/the-gnarly-and-unnecessary-fight-reshaping-the-rsa/

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2026 Changan Global Testing Season Hits Mexico with Four New Models

Source: Media Outreach

  • Four new Changan models debuted in Mexico: CHANGAN Alsvin PLUS, CS35 MAX, new CS55 PLUS, and CS75 PLUS.
  • With responsive powertrains, intelligent safety and spacious interiors, the four models delivered proven performance and comfort.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 March 2026 – Changan has launched four all-new upgraded models in Mexico—the CHANGAN ALSVIN PLUS sedan and three SUVs: the CS35 MAX, CS55 PLUS, and CS75 PLUS—responding to growing market demand for vehicles that integrate technology and efficiency.

Following the launch, more than 150 dealers, investors, and media had a 287-km test drive across Yucatán Peninsula as part of the 2026 Changan Global Testing Season. The route, from Cancún to Playa del Carmen via Chiquilá and Holbox, spanned highways, coastal roads, and rural paths, where stability, intelligence, safety, and long-distance comfort were proven.

Performance Meets Comfort: New Models for Every Journey

Powered by the BlueCore 3.0 engine and 7-speed DCT, the new CHANGAN CS55 PLUS delivered responsive performance across the route. Its Ark Cage body structure combined with 12 intelligent safety features, including IACC, LCC, FCW, and AEB, and 540° camera assist, provided reassuring protection on the rugged and windy jungle roads and coastal highways.

The ADAS system was also integrated into the CS75 PLUS to reduce driver fatigue, while the 37-inch triple-screen display provided easy access to navigation and entertainment. The ventilated front seats ensured comfort in temperatures exceeding 30°C, and the zero-gravity passenger seat enhanced relaxation with a massage function during extended drives.

All four models feature multi-screen smart cockpits with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, voice control, OTA updates, and remote app control. Spacious interiors and the BlueCore 3.0 powertrain system also extend to the Alsvin PLUS and CS35 MAX, delivering a blend of performance and comfort.

Growth in Action: Changan’s Local Commitment to Mexico

In 2025, Changan achieved over 56% sales growth in Latin America, with Mexico growing 184%. In terms of local operations, a new 8,000+ m² parts warehouse, operational in early 2026, will further enhance service capacity and parts supply. Mexico has become increasingly central to Changan’s global footprint.

This commitment was on full display in Yucatán. The route captured the country’s iconic landscapes while reflecting real-world driving conditions: unpredictable weather and varied terrain. Changan’s expanded portfolio reaffirms its dedication to delivering products that combine global innovation with local needs.

Hashtag: #Changan

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/2026/03/15/2026-changan-global-testing-season-hits-mexico-with-four-new-models/

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AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre Opens at AIA Central

Source: Media Outreach

Elevating the High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High Net-Worth Experience through Orchestrated Wealth and Legacy Advisory

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 March 2026 – AIA Hong Kong announced the opening of the AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre at AIA Central, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of AIA Alta, its exclusive proposition for High‑Net‑Worth (HNW)1 and Ultra‑High‑Net‑Worth (UHNW) customers2. Purpose‑built in Central, the Centre is housed within AIA Central—a landmark commercial building wholly owned by AIA Group—at the heart of the city’s financial district. The Centre is designed to serve customers with increasingly complex, multi‑market wealth, health and legacy planning needs through a highly integrated and personalised advisory experience.

Mr Lee Yuan Siong, AIA Group Chief Executive and President (fourth from left); Mr Jacky Chan, AIA Regional Chief Executive and Group Chief Distribution Officer (fourth from right); Mr Alger Fung, Chief Executive Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (third from left); Ms Alice Liang, Chief Proposition & Healthcare Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (third from right); Ms Amy Chan, Chief Agency Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (second from left); Ms Myra Lee, Chief Financial Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (second from right); Ms Melissa Wong, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer, AIA Hong Kong & Macau (first from left); and Ms Carol Li, Chief Life Officer (first from right), AIA Hong Kong & Macau, celebrated the opening of the AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre.

Alice Liang, Chief Proposition & Healthcare Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, said: “Since 2023, we have continued to strengthen our HNW proposition and see strong growth potential in this segment. In an increasingly dynamic global environment, enduring wealth, health and legacy planning have become more critical than ever.

Ms Alice Liang, Chief Proposition & Healthcare Officer of AIA Hong Kong & Macau, said that AIA Alta is extending its proposition to the UHNW segment, with the opening of the AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre marking a pivotal step in this journey.

We are elevating the HNW experience and expanding into the UHNW market as these customers seek more than insurance—looking for coordinated wealth and legacy advisory from a long-term partner who can guide them through complexity with clarity and confidence. The opening of the AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre is a pivotal step, supported by our HNW Dedicated Team and international partners, to help customers achieve an optimal balance of health and wealth.”

At the Heart of Hong Kong’s Financial District

Formerly known as the AIA Alta Wealth Management Centre in Causeway Bay, the Centre was established as the first# of its kind within Hong Kong’s insurance industry to provide professional wealth management services. Now housed within AIA Central, the AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre& offers unparalleled proximity to the city’s financial ecosystem. This strategic location enables seamless connection with private banks, professional firms and international institutions that play a critical role in multi‑market wealth structuring and legacy planning.

The AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre is designed to serve HNW and UHNW customers with increasingly complex, multi market wealth, health and legacy planning needs through a highly integrated and personalised advisory experience.

A Refined Advisory Experience

The Centre has been purpose‑designed to deliver a more orchestrated and holistic advisory experience. Supported by AIA’s HNW Dedicated Team and a network of international organisations, HNW customers can access advisory services on trust, legacy, tax, legal and family office matters within a single private setting. By bringing these capabilities together across every stage of the wealth and legacy planning journey, the Centre reduces fragmentation and empowers customers to make more confident, informed decisions.

A distinctive feature of the Centre is its bespoke hospitality offering, with dining prepared by AIA’s own corporate dining team. Thoughtfully curated food and beverage selections complement advisory engagements within a calm and private environment. Visitors may also explore the History Wall, which traces AIA Group’s century‑long legacy in Asia and its enduring commitment to customers across generations, while enjoying panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, taking in Hong Kong’s iconic skyline and landmarks such as the Hong Kong Observation Wheel.

Guests can enjoy panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, taking in Hong Kong’s iconic skyline and landmarks.

Purpose‑Led Design

Guided by AIA’s commitment to sustainability, the Centre’s design reflects ESG‑informed principles through material storytelling. Reclaimed elements—from ocean‑recovered fragments to repurposed glass, metal and wood—are thoughtfully re‑crafted to symbolise restoration, renewal and continuity, expressing AIA Alta’s belief that sustainability is a lived philosophy that preserves value, honours origins and supports enduring legacies across generations.

The Centre’s design reflects ESG informed principles through material storytelling.

A Trusted Proposition for HNW Families

The strength of the AIA Alta proposition is underpinned by strong customer recognition. For years, AIA has been recognised as Hong Kong’s most popular insurance brand among HNW individuals%, reflecting sustained trust in its ability to support HNW families. Looking ahead, AIA Alta will continue to support customers through its integrated pillars of Wealth and Health, complemented by meaningful experiences and curated privileges offered through AIA Alta Club—empowering customers to truly live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.

Visitors may also explore the History Wall, which traces AIA Group’s century long legacy in Asia and its enduring commitment to customers across generations.

Remarks:

1 High‑Net‑Worth customer means a customer with investable wealth of US$1 million to US$30 million.

2 Ultra‑High‑Net‑Worth customer means a customer with investable wealth of more than US$30 million.

# As of 1 March 2023, compared with similar services offered by major Hong Kong insurance companies.

& AIA Alta Prestige Wealth Centre is available by invitation only.

% According to YouGov, an international research and data analytics company, Hong Kong BrandIndex 2022-2025, AIA has been the Most Considered Insurance Brand and is Most Likely to Be Purchased among the High-Net-Worth customers in Hong Kong (individuals with total investable assets exceeding US$ 1 million) for four consecutive years (from 2022 to 2025).

Important Information:

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/aia-alta-prestige-wealth-centre-opens-at-aia-central/

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Anger over West Coast hydro scheme’s fast-track approval

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Morgan Gorge could be “de-watered” if a planned hydro electric scheme goes ahead on the Waitaha River. Neil Silverwood

A plan to fast-track a controversial West Coast hydro scheme has been given an initial go-ahead.

The West Coast lines company, Westpower, has applied to fast-track its controversial plans to build a run-of-river hydro scheme on the Waitaha River, and in its draft decision the fast-track expert panel has given it approval.

Westpower Limited wants to build the $100 million Waitaha Hydro Project on conservation land between Hokitika and Franz Josef Glacier.

The plan is to build a weir to divert water through a tunnel to generate 23 megawatts of hydroelectric power, enough to power the equivalent of about 12,000 homes, according to Westpower.

Westpower said that, together with its partner Poutini Ngāi Tahu, it welcomed the panel’s draft decision to approve the project.

It said the project was an important step towards improving resilience of the electricity supply on the West Coast and contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s climate change commitments.

“We are encouraged to see the Waitaha Hydro Project move forward. This is a major step for renewable energy in the region and New Zealand. We are committed to progressing responsibly, in partnership with Poutini Ngāi Tahu and our local communities,” said Westpower chief executive Peter Armstrong.

Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) however said the proposal risked destroying a unique environment. President Megan Dimozantos said it was bad news for recreational users and the conservation estate.

“The Waitaha is one of the country’s last intact wild river valleys. Once a scheme like this is built, there is no going back.”

She said the Waitaha Valley, including the Morgan Gorge, was regarded as one of the finest canyoning destinations in New Zealand.

She said the area was visited by trampers, canyoners, and whitewater paddlers, and sat on public conservation land.

“The Morgan Gorge in particular, which would be de-watered by this scheme, is a very special place. There are hidden hot pools there. It has been described as the Everest of the white-water kayaking world. It is just a beautiful and special place.”

Dimozantos said when the project was declined in 2019 they did not expect to see it come back to life.

The FMC was also unhappy that it and other parties were stopped from making a submission to the fast-track expert panel on the proposal.

“We asked to be able to comment, and we were declined that opportunity. We also tried writing to the fast-track panel, and they subsequently put out a minute clarifying that they would not take any of the information we had given to them into account.”

She said the club was considering its options, including taking legal advice.

The expert panel was now seeking further feedback from specific parties, including the applicant and the local authorities, before it made its final decision.

Westpower was approached for comment.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/anger-over-west-coast-hydro-schemes-fast-track-approval/

Posted on

Live: Fijian Drua v Brumbies – Super Rugby Pacific

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the Super Rugby Pacific action as the Fijian Drua take on the Brumbies at 4R Stadium in Ba.

Kickoff is at 4.35pm.

Team lists

Drua head coach Glen Jackson has named a strong line-up led by captain Frank Lomani, and featuring hometown favourites Joji Nasova and Isoa Tuwai.

Jackson has kept a consistent tight five, retaining the front-row trio of Haereiti Hetet, Zuriel Togiatama and Mesake Doge, and the locking duo of Mesake Vocevoce and Isoa Nasilasila.

Winger Ponipate Loganimaso returns to the team, following his recovery from an injury, but there is no place for former French international Virimi Vakatawa.

Super Rugby Pacific leaders Brumbies are heading to Ba with their first loss behind them, after they were beaten by the Reds at home last weekend.

Fijian heritage player Rob Valetini has been named in the starting line-up for his 100th Super Rugby game for the club.

Fijian Drua: 1. Haereiti Hetet, 2. Zuriel Togiatama, 3. Mesake Doge, 4. Mesake Vocevoce, 5. Isoa Nasilasila, 6. Etonia Waqa, 7. Motikiai Murray, 8. Elia Canakaivata, 9. Frank Lomani (captain), 10. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 11. Ponipate Loganimasi, 12. Isikeli Rabitu, 13. Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 14. Joji Nasova, 15. Iliasia Droasese

Bench: 16. Sairusi Ravudi, 17. Emosi Tuqiri, 18. Peni Ravai, 19. Vilive Miramira, 20. Kitione Salawa, 21. Isoa Tuwai, 22. Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23. Iosefo Namoce

Brumbies: 1. Lington Ieli, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Darcy Breen, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Toby Macpherson, 6. Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7. Luke Reimer, 8. Rob Valetini, 9. Klayton Thorn, 10. Tane Edmed, 11. Kye Oates, 12. David Feliuai, 13. Kadin Pritchard, 14. Corey Toole, 15. Andy Muirhead (captain)

Bench: 16. Liam Bowrn, 17. Blake Schoupp, 18. Tevita Alatini, 19. Lachie Shaw, 20. Rory Scott, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Declan Meredith, 23. Hudson Creighton

Isikeli Rabitu of Fijian Drua during the round two. Darrian Traynor

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/live-fijian-drua-v-brumbies-super-rugby-pacific/

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Greyhound Racing New Zealand calls for clarity ahead of ban

Source: Radio New Zealand

Greyhound Racing New Zealand is disappointed the committee made the recommendation. 123RF

The greyhound racing industry is calling for clarity on its transition plan, as the looming ban on the sector gets closer.

A legislation shutting down the sport by August passed its first reading late last year.

A select committee has released its report and recommends proceeding but suggested allowing TAB to continue taking bets on overseas races after domestic racing ends.

Greyhound Racing New Zealand is disappointed the committee made the recommendation.

Chief executive Edward Rennell said people were still in the dark and there was a lot of work left to be done with over 1000 greyhounds to be rehomed.

“We’re only four and a half months out now and there’s a tremendous lot of work and there’s a lot of uncertainty in terms of how things are going to work from 1 August and further clarity is required for our industry participants.”

“At 31 July we’re projecting there’s still going to be 1600 greyhounds to be rehomed.”

Rennell said the select committee’s outcome was not what they had hoped for.

“We felt the greyhound industry and the people that submitted clearly outlined why we didn’t believe there were grounds for closure and the tremendous progress the industry has made form a welfare perspective.”

“We were hoping after consideration of the submissions that the select committee would have reviewed the decision.”

ACT MPs have voiced strong objections to the ban, saying breeders, owners and venues deserve better treatment.

ACT MP Cameron Luxton had previously said the government should “at the very least” set up a compensation scheme.

“We’ve listened to a community that’s been misunderstood by Wellington. They’re getting a raw deal. Their property rights have been disregarded, and someone needs to stick up for them.”

In a previous statement, Racing Minister Winston Peters had said everybody had had the opportunity to have their say through the select committee process.

“This decision was not taken lightly,” he said.

“However, it was considered that the rates of dogs being seriously injured remained too high and the improvements made were not significant enough.”

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/greyhound-racing-new-zealand-calls-for-clarity-ahead-of-ban/

Posted on

Benefit rules confuse: Employed partner given job search obligations

Source: Radio New Zealand

Unsplash / Anu Priya

A man who was made redundant last year has been left perplexed when his employed partner was told she would need to attend a seminar on gaining employment.

Andy, whom RNZ has agreed not to identify, lost his job last June.

“As I’ve been paying my taxes I thought I would see if I would be eligible for the unemployment benefit, which I wasn’t at that time because my de facto partner of 28 years had full time employment as a chef which she has held for 14 years, fair point so it was left there.”

There are limits on how much a household can earn and still remain eligible for benefits. When someone is on JobSeeker, household income over $160 a week before tax affects eligibility.

But Andy said four months later, her hours had been cut to four days.

“So I wait four weeks, so I can offer four payslips as proof and apply again.”

He said he applied online for his own benefit, and attended an interview.

But then his partner was called in and asked the same questions, despite not seeking a benefit.

“After two hours we’re sent away to await ‘our applications to be processed’ then I get a phone call to confirm that both our applications have been accepted but because my spouse has part-time work, her benefit is classified as her main income – all $51.20 of it – her wage will be classified as her second income and taxed accordingly. She’s employed, she doesn’t want any benefit, it was my application.

“On top of that, because she is now classed as unemployed she also has to attend a seminar about what benefits she’s entitled to claim and advice on gaining employment. But, she’s very happily employed.”

He said it had created a situation where there was an extra benefit application, and she was being forced to take time off work to attend a seminar about getting work.

“We’ve actually cancelled my application because my spouse doesn’t want to be contacted by anyone regarding other employment, who knows how her current employer would react if they thought that she was looking for work. Would they believe us?”

Rena Hona, regional commissioner for the Ministry of Social Development in Northland, acknowledged it was a difficult time for the couple.

“We’re happy to help Andy with his search for employment in any way we can, and we encourage him to remain in contact with us.

“We have a wide range of support available to help people find jobs and employers across the region regularly let us know about new vacancies.”

Hona said Andy’s partner’s 24 hours a week did not meet the minimum standard for full-time employment.

“This means she would need to take reasonable steps to secure employment of at least 30 hours a week if she and Andy applied for Jobseeker Support payments as a couple.”

Hona said Andy’s partner had been told she would not be required to attend a seminar and could have a one-on-one interview instead.

“New Zealand’s social security system is built on the premise that people in a relationship share costs and support each other financially. This is why applying for Jobseeker Support works differently, and the payment rates may differ, if someone is single or in a relationship.

“If someone in a relationship applies for assistance their partner also needs to give us some information. We’re required by legislation to assess both partners’ employment status and their combined household income. We then use this information to determine what they may be eligible for and what their obligations might be. These obligations could include looking for a full-time job and keeping us updated about how that goes.”

When someone was working 30 hours a week, they would not have job search obligations.

“If people need financial assistance because they’re not working full-time, we expect them to take all reasonable steps to confirm suitable full-time employment as soon as possible, so they no longer need financial assistance. This is a longstanding principle which underpins New Zealand social security legislation.”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/benefit-rules-confuse-employed-partner-given-job-search-obligations/

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Country Life: The Shepherdess Muster heads to Southland

Source: Radio New Zealand

Shepherdess founder Kristy McGregor. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

With a seven, five, and one-year-old at home, and another baby on the way, life can be quite chaotic for Shepherdess founder Kristy McGregor. Living rurally on a beef and dairy farm in Horowhenua adds another layer.

It was that and a desire to connect rural women and provide a sense of community that saw her launch the Shepherdess Muster – a rural women’s retreat – first in the remote settlement of Motu in Tai Rāwhiti two years ago and most recently in Tokanui at the bottom of the South Island.

“The Muster is about just taking time for yourself and doing something for yourself,” she told Country Life.

“What you get when you come here is just a chance to have a go, have good food, have food cooked for you. When did you last get a meal made for you?”

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The Tokanui Rugby Club was transformed into a rural women’s retreat for the second Shepherdess Muster, the first in the South Island. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

The weekend included a wide range of workshops centred on everything from women’s health, empowerment, intimacy and relationships, and parenting. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

As McGregor explained, the Muster was a chance for rural women to choose for themselves.

“The Shepherdess Muster is three days of women coming together in a rural or remote spot and a weekend of arts, health and well-being and entrepreneurship, business development. Really just spending time together and connecting and taking a moment for yourself.”

The first event to be held in the South Island, the Muster attracted more than 200 women from around the motu to the Tokanui Rugby Club for a weekend of camping, fun and celebrating International Women’s Day.

While there was a wide range of activities on offer – everything from women’s health check-ups, intimacy workshops, beauty appointments, tattooing, Zumba, yoga and craft sessions – none were compulsory.

Tokanui farmer, mum of 4 and Shepherdess organising committee member Emma-Kate Rabbidge. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Tokanui locals Emma-Kate Rabbidge and Julie Keast were both excited to showcase their slice of paradise after nearly two years of planning as part of the event’s organising committee.

For Keast, who lived a few kilometres away from the rugby club, it was about women coming together for themselves.

“It’s really important that we hold that place for each other, and support each other and have a good time together,” she told Country Life.

Rabbidge, who lived even closer to the grounds with her husband and four children, found it odd camping in a tent down the hill over her own bed.

“But like I’ve said to a few women, you know, as soon as you walk back in the door to your home, you’re the wife and you’re the mum and you’re all the things again.

“This weekend is really about stepping away from that and taking the time out. So, yeah, I’m staying away.”

She hoped that attendees might walk away with a reignited passion for being creative or picking up a new hobby, something they could incorporate into their life back home which could help them build connection and community.

Tokanui local Sheila Smith of the Small Prophet Design Shed. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

The weekend was a great way to showcase local makers and businesses. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Sophie Green and Louise Patterson enjoy checking out the craft stall. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

For “Welsh import” Sheila Smith, who also called Tokanui home and helped start the Small Prophet Design Shed, moving to the remote Catlins was an adjustment at first.

“It was a big move from central London. That was a challenge to adjust to the slower pace – one garage, one school, one shop, and one superb design store, Small Profit Design.”

She and two other women who ran the store travelled all through Wanaka, Queenstown, and Otago doing interiors and art and furniture. She said they were passionate about promoting New Zealand-made goods and doing things themselves.

It allowed her to be more than “a farmer’s wife” and provide an outlet for her creative background. Like many rural women she wore many hats – at the Muster over the weekend Smith could also be found leading the Zumba dance sessions and early morning workouts.

She said despite some of the challenges of moving to the “end of the world”, it was one that had taught her a lot and a “good move”.

She was reminded of this the week before, during a recent burst of aurora – she could see the southern lights from her farm, Aurora Downs.

Dr Helen Paterson with the Women’s Health Bus. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Dancers dress to the theme of sparkles and sequins, enjoying the live band. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Many of the rural women spoken to by Country Life over the weekend spoke of their gratitude to live, and for some, raise their families, in beautiful parts of the country where there was space to play and potter.

But many also spoke of the time pressures and constant juggle which made it challenging to always appreciate this.

Southland sharemilker Allesha Ballard-Conway came to the Muster alone, hopeful she would make new friends and enjoy “some crafts, good food, good vibes” while trying something new.

Nearing the end of the weekend she said she had met women from all types of places doing different things and this would be her biggest takeaway from the experience.

“We literally just sat down and yarned. It was so lovely just to feel connected to women – just being inspired by all the women.”

Southland sharemilker Allesha Ballard-Conway was proud to have set up her campsite all on her own. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Louise Patterson and Sophie Green had an easier time than some setting up their inflatable tent. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

A paddock becomes a campground, with tents, trailers and all sorts of temporary accommodation. Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life

Learn more:

  • Find out more about the Shepherdess Muster, here
  • Find out more about RNZ’s new podcast Far From Town here

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/country-life-the-shepherdess-muster-heads-to-southland/

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Country Life: How line dancing found a home in the city

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dancers Caitlin Martin (left) and Tennille Arthur help the class stay on beat as Nigel Mooney (centre) announces the moves. RNZ/Anisha Satya

Line dancing was once a thumbs-in-belts, fringed boots affair, but it has found a second home in New Zealand’s cities in the last decade.

Linedance Christchurch co-founder Nigel Mooney had taught the style for 35 years after learning when he was a teenager.

Linedance Christchurch instructor Nigel Mooney steps dancers through a new routine. RNZ/Anisha Satya

American pilots would drop in to his parents’ country-styled bar in Christchurch in between their visits to Antarctica.

“Right when line dancing exploded in the US, these guys would be learning it at a bar, mid-week.

“They would fly out to New Zealand, come into [his parents’] bar, teach us.

“We saw it and thought, ‘that looks like a total joke, and would be good to do behind the bar for a laugh’.”

At 14-years-old, Mooney started teaching line dancing. In that first year, his class grew from 12 students to 300.

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The beginner classes today pack more than 100 attendees into the Westburn School hall.

Dancers learned 10 basic routines, getting a walk-through of the moves before the music went on and the party started.

Tennille Arthur’s favourite line dancing song was “Church” by T-Pain.

Dancer Tennille Arthur says line dancing is for all ages. RNZ/Anisha Satya

“It’s not one that we do, because not everyone can keep up.”

She had started dancing on stage to help guide newer dancers through the routines – as practice for running private classes, which were attracting growing interest in Christchurch.

“They want more [dancers] to be able to go to weddings and parties and hen’s dos and things.”

The rise of country and country-pop into mainstream music genres had played a role in the growth of line dancing. So had social media, where algorithms had exposed a wider audience to viral line dance routines.

Pitbull’s hit song “Fireball” slotted perfectly into Linedance Christchurch’s beginner track list, which also boasted Sabrina Carpenter and Elton John.

But most importantly for Mooney, there was an appetite in Christchurch for fun fitness.

“If people are sitting at home on the couch, getting chubby, trying to work out, ‘how do I get fit?’, I’m not going to go to a gym.

“It’s too hard to run round the block, our weather isn’t conducive to evening or morning walks, but line dancing … I can give people an hour of gentle, easy exercise that just sneaks up on you.

“You’re laughing, you’re breaking a sweat, having some fun.”

You can wear whatever footwear you like for line dancing these days – though some stick to the traditional boots. RNZ/Anisha Satya

Learn more:

  • Learn more about Linedance Christchurch here.

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The caretaker: Chris Greenacre on his fourth go-round as Phoenix interim coach

Source: Radio New Zealand

Chris Greenacre during his current Wellington Phoenix head coach duties. AAP Image/Matt Turner / Photosport

Taking over a struggling team mid-season is one of football’s toughest gigs. Chris Greenacre has now done it four times for the Wellington Phoenix.

The club turned to the experienced coach again last month after Giancarlo Italiano’s abrupt departure adding another chapter to his extraordinary coaching journey.

Coaching was always Greenacre’s plan. Along with a handful of Tranmere Rovers team mates in England in the early 2000s he was part of the Professional Football Association’s pilot scheme of putting current players through their coaching badges. By the time he landed in New Zealand as a Phoenix player he had a UEFA B licence but no real outlet to use it.

Little did he know his first real head coaching job would be, what was at the time, New Zealand’s only professional team.

It is a position many coaches struggling in lower leagues could only dream of landing in their lap, but for Greenacre the unconventional rise was not always easy to navigate. He has yo-yoed between head coach and assistant roles, between the A-League team and the Reserves team in New Zealand domestic competitions.

The Englishman went from being a club legend on the field that hung up his boots somewhat prematurely in 2012 to just months later being head coach while Ricki Herbert was on international duty with the All Whites.

“If I’m really honest, I didn’t know anything, and that’s just the nature of the beast,” Greenacre said of the first time, 13 years ago, in a role he now has a level of familiarity with.

“I think in an ideal world, if you can come through the youth team ranks and develop like that, I think it’s really the best way forward.

“But unfortunately, or fortunately, my path was to go straight in at the top, which rarely happens.”

Chris Greenacre during a training session at Newtown Park in 2012. Photosport

However, being in the right place at the right time has been a theme during Greenacre’s 17 years with the Phoenix.

Whether it was scoring a crucial goal from centre-forward in one of his 84 A-League games or a timely transition to coaching.

Herbert had been the one to see Greenacre’s potential on and off the field.

Injured and frustrated with his lot at Tranmere Rovers, Greenacre arrived at the Phoenix in 2009 after a chance conversation with former Socceroo Gareth Edds.

Edds was on the radar of A-League clubs wanting to bring Aussies home and on the other side of the world Rovers players were paying attention to what the league was doing.

Despite not taking the field, due to injury, when Herbert and former Phoenix chief executive Tony Pinata visited England to check out their potential visa player, the bosses liked what they saw from the level that the Rovers were playing at and the wheels were in motion to get Greenacre from League One to the A-League.

Herbert then opened the door for the shift straight from player to assistant coach, a role that Greenacre could not turn down despite feeling like he could have played on.

Chris Greenacre celebrates scoring for the Phoenix in 2010. Dave Lintott/Photosport

“It was a bit of a risk, I think, because I’m a bit of an advocate for players to play as high as you can for as long as you can. I still say that to players now, if you can keep playing, keep playing, it’s the best place to be.

“Then coaching is probably the next best thing.

“I probably didn’t take my own advice, but felt that, hopefully, coaching was where I wanted the next part of my football journey to take me.”

Since then Greenacre has maximised his opportunities working as an assistant with four of the next five Phoenix coaches after Herbert.

Former Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay of Sydney FC greets interim coach Chris Greenacre of the Phoenix during the round 19 A-League Men match between Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC this month. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

He also filled in as an interim coach after Ernie Merrick, Darije Kalezic, Mark Rudan and Ufuk Talay.

He was not an assistant to Italiano – opting instead to go back to the Phoenix academy system for professional and personal reasons.

“It was me recognising that I need more hands-on on the grass, where I’m making the main decisions, and that’s what that allowed me to do over that period of time.

“Also my daughter was about six at the time, during the Covid time, so to not travel to Australia and to spend some time with my wife and daughter was crucial as well.

“On the back of that, I’d completed my pro licence and it was a way of me to be able to put into practice the knowledge and stuff that I needed on my coaching journey at that particular time.”

After two and a bit seasons in charge, Italiano left after a big loss to their northern rivals Auckland FC last month and Greenacre, who is head of the Phoenix academy’s pro development, once again got the call from management to fill the void.

The academy operates separately from the A-League team and Greenacre had no insight into what had gone on this season before his sudden arrival with the top team.

“You never really understand what’s going on internally when you’re on the outside, even though you’re a staff member at the club.

“You don’t know what the relationship is with players and the past coach, you just see a product like you see with the fans on the weekend, so you really have no detail around what’s going on. I think the key to it for me has been trying to get around as many people as I can who were directly involved in it, not involved in it, players, to try and get a real feel as quickly as possible of where you think you might be able to improve it, keep it, steady the ship.”

Taking over with only a small number games left in the season is more about continuance rather the stamping his own style.

“The players are conditioned in a certain way of training, and you may not always see eye-to-eye in that, but you’ve got to also understand that these players are conditioned in this moment, so changing behaviours is really, really difficult instantly, and that obviously takes time, but we don’t have time.”

As a coach, Greenacre wanted to be a balance between man manager and tactician.

“I think the way the game’s evolved, certainly man management’s a really big part of that. Generations have changed, and I think generations look at the world differently.

“I think as a coach, you have to evolve like that. If you remain stuck in, as they say, old-school ways, I think you’re getting left behind. It’s really important that you evolve with the generations that you’re coaching with.”

Nurturing relationships with star players as well as those who did not make it professionally was important to Greenacre in his work with the academy and Reserves team.

“I get really proud of being involved in some of the players that have gone on to do great things and get moves and play overseas.

“I’m as much proud of some of the guys that I’ve played who haven’t made it, who I know I’ve had a really good connection and relationship with, and you still get text messages and calls even now off players that didn’t quite make it, and they appreciate that what we were trying to do in terms of helping them develop as players.”

Being tactically up to speed was also important to the 48-year-old.

“I’m sure in the next few months, years, that my beliefs and how I see the game being played will evolve again.”

Chris Greenacre and Matthew Ridenton during training in 2021. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz

Over time Greenacre had taken the “best attributes” of some coaches he had worked with and integrated them into his own approach to coaching.

“There’s obviously coaches that I haven’t enjoyed playing under, coaches that I’ve worked alongside where I’m kind of not really a fan of what they’re doing, and even if it’s the learning from, I probably wouldn’t do that because look how this has made me feel.

“There’s a lot of people that I’ve been really fortunate enough to and proud to have worked with, whether the relationships have been great or not so much.”

The way Greenacre believed he could finally turn the recurring interim role in a permanent position was by winning. The Phoenix have six games left in the season.

Before the end of the month the club is expected to name their next head coach.

“Results give you the best chance, and instant success, I suppose, probably gives you the best opportunity.”

Being a familiar face around NZCIS where the Phoenix are based could also finally give Greenacre an edge this time.

“I think, having been in an environment for a long time, people get to see actually how you work on a daily basis, and not necessarily when you’re under the spotlight of a first-team coach, so I suppose people get to see your mannerisms and things that you do and things they may like, things they don’t like.”

Greenacre’s reputation and ability to develop sought after talent through the academy to the first team who were then sold on to Europe could be another tick on the appointment check list for a club that valued being a stepping stone in player’s careers.

“Ultimately, the powers that be make the decision, and if it’s yes, it’s great, if it’s not, it’s not, and we kind of move on, and that’s just how professional sport works.

“I do have aspirations to coach at the highest level. If that happens, great. If it doesn’t, it’s a similar role to playing. I didn’t quite make it to the Premier League, but I aspired to be there.

“Am I happy that I made a living out of the game as a player at the level I did? A hundred percent. I’ve been proud to say that I made a living out of the game.”

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/2026/03/14/the-caretaker-chris-greenacre-on-his-fourth-go-round-as-phoenix-interim-coach/

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NZ-AU: Innovative Aluminium And Glass Expands Custom Aluminium Window and Door Installation Services in Sydney

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

Villawood, NSW, March 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Innovative Aluminium And Glass announces the expansion of its custom fabrication and installation services for aluminium windows and doors across the Sydney metropolitan area.

Based in Villawood, the company manufactures and supplies a variety of glass and aluminium solutions for residential and commercial properties. All products are built to meet the technical standards of the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the Australian Glass and Window Association (AGWA), and the Master Builders Association guidelines during on-site installation work to maintain structural integrity and safety. The company’s recent expansion highlights its commitment to helping home and business owners elevate the aesthetics of their spaces with stress-free window and door installations.

“All the products are created as per your needs and we guarantee customer satisfaction each time,” said Joe Ghaddar, owner of Innovative Aluminium And Glass. “This is achieved by following the HIA, AGWA, and Master Builders Association standards.”

From residential installations to large-scale commercial projects, Innovative Aluminium And Glass provides end-to-end manufacturing and fitting services. Key advantages include:

Custom Door Configurations

The company builds modern aluminium bifold doors, French doors, and sliding systems tailored to specific wall openings. These units use heavy-duty tracks and hardware to support large glass panels, creating wide openings for indoor-outdoor transitions in residential homes.

Specialised Window Styles

Installations include energy-efficient aluminium windows available in double-hung, louvre, awning, and sliding configurations. Each frame undergoes precision cutting and assembly at the Villawood facility to ensure airtight seals against wind and rain, improving building performance.

Commercial Glass Solutions

The team installs commercial aluminium windows and doors for retail storefronts, office buildings, and industrial facilities across Sydney, using reinforced frames and specialized glass to withstand high traffic volumes while meeting local building safety codes and requirements.

Double Glazing Options

Catering to both residential and commercial clients in both the Sydney and Canberra regions, the company supplies a reliable range of dual-pane glass units for both windows and doors to increase thermal insulation and reduce external noise levels inside the property.

Sliding System Engineering

Innovative Aluminium And Glass offers a selection of frames in multiple powder-coated finishes, allowing property owners to match the hardware to their existing architectural color schemes. The precision-engineered aluminium sliding door systems feature smooth-gliding rollers and secure locking mechanisms for ease of use and property protection.

Direct Manufacturing Model

By manufacturing products in-house, the company controls the entire production cycle from raw material selection to the final installation. This direct manufacturing model enables Innovative Aluminium And Glass to offer custom sizing for non-standard openings and ensures oversight of frame durability and glass quality.

Innovative Aluminium And Glass invites property owners to visit its website to request a free quote for window and door services today.

About Innovative Aluminium And Glass

Innovative Aluminium And Glass is a window and door specialist based in Villawood, NSW. The company serves the Sydney metropolitan area by providing custom-built frames for various property types. From initial design and manufacturing to final on-site fitting, Innovative Aluminium And Glass manages the full lifecycle of product development to ensure all installations meet local safety requirements and client specifications.

More Information

To learn more about Innovative Aluminium And Glass and the expansion of its aluminium window and door solutions in Sydney, please visit the website at https://aluminiumwindowsanddoors.net.au/.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1: What is the new expansion from Innovative Aluminium And Glass in Sydney?

A: Innovative Aluminium And Glass has announced the expansion of its custom fabrication and installation services for aluminium windows and doors across the Sydney metropolitan area. This expansion focuses on providing end-to-end manufacturing for residential and commercial projects, including specialized bifold doors, sliding systems, and energy-efficient window configurations produced at their Villawood facility.

Q2: Who is Innovative Aluminium And Glass and what are their credentials?

A: Innovative Aluminium And Glass is a premier window and door specialist based in Villawood, NSW, serving the Sydney and Canberra regions. Under the leadership of owner Joe Ghaddar, the company manufactures products that meet the rigorous technical standards of the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the Australian Glass and Window Association (AGWA), and the Master Builders Association.

Q3: What custom aluminium and glass products does the company offer?

A: The company provides a wide range of custom-built solutions including modern aluminium bifold doors, French doors, and precision-engineered sliding systems. Their window lineup features double-hung, louvre, awning, and sliding styles, with specialized double glazing options available to improve thermal insulation and reduce external noise levels for both homes and businesses.

Q4: How does Innovative Aluminium And Glass handle commercial and residential installations?

A: The company utilizes a direct manufacturing model to manage the full product lifecycle from raw material selection to final on-site fitting. For residential clients, they focus on indoor-outdoor transitions and aesthetic hardware, while commercial services include reinforced frames and specialized glass for high-traffic retail storefronts and office buildings that must meet local safety codes.

Q5: How can I get a quote for aluminium window or door installation in Sydney?

A: Property owners can request a free, no-obligation quote by visiting the official website at aluminiumwindowsanddoors.net.au or by calling 1800 679 661. Innovative Aluminium And Glass provides custom sizing for non-standard openings and manages the entire design and installation process to ensure customer satisfaction and structural integrity.

https://thenewsfront.com/innovative-aluminium-and-glass-expands-custom-aluminium-window-and-door-installation-services-in-sydney/

– Published by The MIL Network

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/14/nz-au-innovative-aluminium-and-glass-expands-custom-aluminium-window-and-door-installation-services-in-sydney/

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“Created for Ease”: ECOVACS Brand Campaign Honors Caregivers Across the APAC Region

Source: Media Outreach

For the past 20 years, ECOVACS has been driven by a fearless spirit of innovation to solve complex challenges and continuously advance the user experience. The pioneering intelligent technologies in the ECOVACS DEEBOT robotic vacuums and WINBOT robotic window cleaners, such as the OMNI Station, OZMO ROLLER technology, and PowerBoost technology have set new industry benchmarks and become the hidden heroes for every home, designed to help users clean every corner of their home with minimal effort.

Now ECOVACS is bringing this same innovation spirit to help ease the burdens faced by caregivers in the APAC region. As part of its brand campaign, ECOVACS is planning to cooperate with select like-minded local partners across the region, such as Enabling Village in Singapore. Enabling Village is an integrated community space that aims to empower caregivers for people with disabilities by providing them with resources to manage their responsibilities and enhance their quality of life. ECOVACS will provide Enabling Village caregivers with DEEBOT robotic vacuum cleaners to help ease their burdens and enable them to spend more time on themselves.

“Caring for a child with special needs requires lots of time and patience. And it can be challenging to find moments when I can focus on myself,” says Yvette Wang. “I’m grateful to ECOVACS and their efforts to assist caregivers. With their DEEBOT robotic vacuum I now have one less thing to manage, as I can leave DEEBOT to take care of our floors, and itself.”

To commemorate their partnership, ECOVACS and Enabling Village have invited Yvette’s son, artist @Eli_lailai, to specially design some exclusive merchandise. This collaboration was made possible through I’mable Collective, an initiative by SG Enable that supports and empowers persons with disabilities by providing training and employment opportunities within the creative sector.

An Ecosystem that Empowers Ease

ECOVACS’ efforts to continually strengthen its leadership in service robotics are rooted in its deep understanding of users’ needs. Its regionally tailored brand idea “Created for Ease – Always in Your Corner” reflects the brand’s desire to tailor its mission of ‘Robotics for All’ to shape a better future for users in the APAC region with robots that can seamlessly serve every home, everywhere.

The industry-leading cleaning technologies pioneered by ECOVACS demonstrate its dedication to reducing human effort while maximizing cleaning precision and efficiency, all with the aim of offering dependable cleaning experiences tailored to the needs of today’s households. ECOVACS’ service robots offer users more ease by bringing efficient, effortless cleaning to every corner of their household.

“Always in Your Corner” reflects how ECOVACS’ home service robotics ecosystem is designed for users in the APAC region – to support their full-home scenarios, from floors to windows. The ECOVACS DEEBOT robotic vacuums and WINBOT robotic window cleaners are built to handle what must be done — quietly, consistently, and intelligently. They don’t just clean, they leave users with less to manage.

Amplifying a Message of Care

ECOVACS will extend the impact of this brand campaign across multiple touchpoints in key APAC markets, including Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Through localized partnerships, integrated brand storytelling, and community engagement, ECOVACS aims to honor caregivers as well as those across the region who are seeking a less stressful and more balanced life.

Intelligent. Innovative. Intuitive.

From its DEEBOT family of robotic vacuum cleaners to its WINBOT family of robotic window cleaners, all of ECOVACS’ innovations are backed by its well-established vertically integrated supply chain and independently developed technologies spanning batteries, AI, motors, transmission components and more.

Today, ECOVACS serves over 38 million households across nearly 180 markets worldwide. Its mission — “Robotics for All” — reflects a long-term commitment to making intelligent service robotics accessible, reliable, and seamlessly integrated into everyday life.

“Created for Ease” is not only about cleaning better. It’s about living lighter and reducing what needs your attention – so that you can focus on what truly matters. And in doing so, ECOVACS is always in your corner.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/13/created-for-ease-ecovacs-brand-campaign-honors-caregivers-across-the-apac-region/

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Hong Kong Exporters’ Association Leads Greater Bay Area Technology Companies to “Go Global” at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 March 2026 – The Hong Kong Innovation and Invention (HKII), one of the flagship projects organised by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA), leads 48 inventions from the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA) to showcase at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (IEIG), taking place from 11 to 15 March (Central European Time).

(From Left to right: Ms. Helena Chiu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Exporters Association; Ir. Andrew Young Honorary Advisor, The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association; and Ms. Alice Lai, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Exporters Association and Project Convenor, Hong Kong Innovation & Invention)

Hosted by HKEA and sponsored by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKII is committed to providing free international exchange opportunities for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology community. The initiative brings Hong Kong’s unique technological inventions onto world‑class exhibition platforms, connecting GBA innovators with global enterprises and users, and showcasing Hong Kong’s innovation story to the world.

Exhibited inventions have undergone rigorous evaluation by a distinguished panel of industry professionals. The shortlisting process will be conducted based on novelty, level of innovation and invention, technical utility, and symbolic significance. All exhibits are original inventions and launched in the market with patent protection or are under patent filing.

“‘Created in Hong Kong’ has long been recognised worldwide, yet the global visibility of our SMEs and start‑ups still has room to grow,” said Helena Chiu, Chairman of HKEA. “Through HKII, we enable Hong Kong’s innovation and technology brands to participate in top‑tier international exhibitions at no cost and connect directly with the global business community. This year, we are also bringing leading innovators from the Greater Bay Area to join Hong Kong enterprises as we venture overseas together and capture new opportunities around the world.”

MEET International, a multi-functional engineering inspection company, exhibits at IEIG for the first time. “With a supply chain anchored in the Greater Bay Area and more than 30 years of global market experience, we have been committed to strengthening ties with overseas clients and building a world‑recognised brand,” said K.S. Chou, Director of MEET International. “IEIG offers valuable access to engineers from European construction firms and research organisations, enabling us to present our product capabilities directly and substantially enhance our opportunities for international orders.”

“Intellectual property built on core technologies is essential for Hong Kong enterprises to upgrade their businesses,” said Marco Li, Managing Director of Propagate Intellectual Property, an invention commercialisation platform. “We are committed to nurturing academic innovations into patented technologies, developing products tailored for different scenarios for global customers. By exhibiting with other Greater Bay Area enterprises at Generva, our intellectual properties could become more attractive to European buyers. On top of greater revenue to companies and inventors, it also strengthens the branding of ‘Created in Hong Kong’ among the global, high‑end, industrial value chain.”

48 innovations and inventions are being showcased at the exhibition through HKII for free. The inventions span a wide spectrum of categories, including:

  1. Smart City,
  2. Smart Home & Lifestyle,
  3. Health Technologies and Medicine, and
  4. Smart Industry,

alongside a dedicated Youth Category for inventors aged 18 or below. The showcased innovation and technology products from the Greater Bay Area include:

Smart City: MEET International, a multi-functional engineering inspection company, developed a “7‑in‑1 Building Leakage Tracing Device,” breaking through the technical limitations of traditional single‑function inspection tools and redefining the standards for leakage detection. By continuously capturing and comparing highly precise data readings, the device pinpoints the source of leakage, ensuring that concealed problem areas are accurately exposed.

The device features synchronized “AC leakage” and “water leakage” dual detection, enabling early identification of hidden risks and precise localisation of the source to mitigate both seepage and electrical hazards. It also incorporates an innovative all‑scenario adaptability design, allowing it to operate effectively across different building materials and leakage environments. Applications include building maintenance, renovation inspection, and property management.
Smart Home & Lifestyle: Researchers at Sun Yat‑sen University developed a patented “Composite Heating Material” that integrates advanced graphene and nano-carbon tube composite heating films, replacing traditional heating tubes. The invention delivers precise, rapid and efficient heating with uniform heat distribution, while reducing energy loss.

Propagate Intellectual Property has commercialised the invention into more than 40 intellectual property assets, applying it to products such as electric teppanyaki, food‑warming mats and beauty eye masks, as well as in building and industrial settings, providing an efficient and flexible heating solution across diverse applications.
Health Technologies and Medicine: Health‑tech start‑up Kin Technology launched Kindo & App, a homecare solution redefining homecare and wellness. Integrating automation, IoT connectivity, and advanced AI, Kindo & App can automatically sort and dispense up to 10 types of medication with a single click. Equipped with smart reminders, a child‑safety lock, and built‑in humidity and temperature sensors, the solution ensures medication safety, accuracy, and convenience.

Paired with the Kin App and Web Platform, users can track their dosage history, set reminders, and receive low-medication alerts. The platform also supports remote dispensing, enabling caregivers to manage prescriptions and dispense medications from anywhere. Families and caregivers gain real-time access to adherence data and remote management tools, while healthcare providers can monitor patients, manage prescriptions, and access analytics to enhance outcomes.
Smart Industry: URS AI developed URS AI MATE, a holographic interactive AI agent. Integrating holographic projection technology, proprietary LLM, and multimodal interaction algorithms, URS AI MATE has successfully built a full closed‑loop of perception, cognition, decision‑making, and execution that enables continuous self‑evolution. This strengthens its ability to adapt in different scenarios and understand users, creating an AI agent uniquely tailored to each individual.

Hashtag: #HongKongExporters’Association #HKEA #HongKongInnovation&Invention #HKII

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/2026/03/13/hong-kong-exporters-association-leads-greater-bay-area-technology-companies-to-go-global-at-the-international-exhibition-of-inventions-geneva/

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APAS Debuts at The Battery Show Asia Showcasing Eight Innovative Battery Technology Solutions

Source: Media Outreach

Hosting New Energy Summit to Connect Global Experts Insights on New Energy Landscape

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 March 2026 – Centre of Advanced Power and Autonomous Systems (APAS), under the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC),made its debut at The Battery Show Asia held from 10 to 12 March. During the exhibition, APAS set up a dedicated showcase area to present eight innovative battery technology solutions featuring high safety standards and intelligent capabilities for the first time. In parallel, APAS hosted the second edition of the New Energy Summit during the exhibition. The summit brought together five industry experts and scholars from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India and Switzerland to deliver speeches on various topics related to new energy and energy storage. Speakers shared the latest industry developments and application trends, fostering international technology exchange and collaboration.

During the exhibition, APAS hosted the second New Energy Summit, inviting industry experts and scholars from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India and Switzerland to speak and share the latest technological developments and application trends in the fields of new energy and advanced materials.

Mr Yonghai DU, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC and General Manager of APAS, said, “In line with the strategic priorities set out in the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for emerging and future industries such as new energy, advanced energy storage and hydrogen energy, energy technologies are entering an unprecedented period of growth. The outline also emphasise the pursuit of smart, green, and integrated development of industry, injecting long-term momentum for the new energy development. For many years, HKPC has been committed to market-led technology R&D. APAS focuses on areas including new energy technologies, green transportation, smart mobility, intelligent systems and emerging applications, actively translating research outcomes into market-ready solutions to help industries enhance technological capabilities and industrial value.”

He added, “Through this international platform, we hope to strengthen our collaboration with enterprises and research institutions from around the world. Hong Kong can play a more proactive role as a connector between Chinese Mainland and the global market in the development of innovation, international standards and the practical application of new energy technologies, thereby enhancing the city’s global competitiveness in the new energy industry. Looking ahead, APAS will continue to focus on research and practical applications in new energy and intelligent systems, while advancing technological innovation and cross-regional collaboration to support both the nation and Hong Kong in fostering emerging industries and future industries.”

First Participation in The Battery Show Asia, Highlighting Battery Technology Achievements

The Battery Show Asia brings together more than 20,000 industry representatives from Chinese Mainland, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Europe and the United States, including policymakers, technology innovators, engineers, manufacturers and industry experts. Covering battery manufacturing, energy storage solutions and new energy transportation industries, the exhibition serves as an international platform integrating technology showcase, industry exchange and business collaboration.

In its first participation in the exhibition, APAS showcased its research strengths in new energy technologies and emerging applications by presenting a range of innovative battery technology solutions. The showcase aims to contribute to the development of the battery industry while providing an important platform for Hong Kong to connect with global technologies and markets, facilitating cross-regional exchange and collaboration.

APAS set up a dedicated exhibition area to present several research outcomes developed in collaboration with industry partners, including:

  • Battery Cell Technologies:
    • High-performance Sodium-ion Battery: Using stable poly-anionic phosphate cathode, the battery enables rapid storage and release of sodium-ions while offering high safety and cost efficiency. It is suitable for applications such as low-speed electric vehicles, power batteries and large-scale energy storage. Looking ahead, APAS will collaborate with industry partners to establish large-scale production capabilities for high-performance sodium-ion battery, further optimising its performance and cost-effectiveness while exploring deployment in low-speed electric vehicles and utility-scale energy storage systems.
  • Battery Systems and Solutions:
    • Explosion-Proof High-Energy Battery Systems:This solution features proprietary safety technology that prevents thermal runaway, delivering reliable power in the most challenging environments, engineered for demanding marine and portable power applications. APAS will assist partners in optimising battery module design and thermal management systems to enhance product performance and align R&D processes with industry standards. This will support partners in establishing manufacturing facilities in Hong Kong and expanding into overseas markets.
    • Yacht Battery System: The system integrates advanced solid-state battery technology with an intelligent Battery Management System (BMS) to eliminate risks associated with traditional liquid electrolytes, including leakage, corrosion and thermal runaway. It is specifically designed to withstand the high-humidity, high-vibration and salt-spray conditions inherent to open-water yacht operations. APAS is currently supporting partners in obtaining international battery standard certifications to facilitate entry into the global market.

These solutions feature high safety standards, intelligent capabilities, and flexible applications. They support a wide range of sectors, including electric transportation and smart mobility, marine and industrial applications, specialised equipment, aerospace and high-end manufacturing, medical devices, consumer electronics, home assistive equipment and portable energy storage for travel.

Hosting New Energy Summit to Jointly Build a Sustainable Future

During the exhibition, APAS also hosted the second New Energy Summit, which brought together industry leaders and academic experts from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India and Switzerland. The summit focused on key topics related to new energy development and applications, providing a platform for speakers to share insights and engage in discussions with industry professionals in attendance.

The summit focused on two key themes — new energy and advanced materials — bringing together global experts to explore technological development and industrial applications. In the new energy sector, a representative from The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited introduced innovative hydrogen energy technologies and their potential applications in promoting clean energy development in Hong Kong. Representatives from energy technology companies and alliances in Switzerland, India and Thailand shared the latest trends and practical applications in energy storage technologies, as well as the integration of renewable energy with smart infrastructure. In the field of advanced materials, a scholar from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore highlighted the critical role of nanotechnology in energy and sustainable development, offering insights into the future landscape of sustainable new energy.

Through this cross-regional and cross-industry platform, APAS aims to promote international technology exchange and collaboration, accelerate the application of new energy technologies and drive industry transformation, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable future energy ecosystem.

Advancing Technologies onto the Global Stage, Reinforcing Hong Kong’s Connectivity Advantages

HKPC actively participates in various international exhibitions and industry exchange activities to showcase innovative solutions co-developed with industry partners. Leveraging Hong Kong as a platform, HKPC supports enterprises in expanding into international markets and advancing cutting-edge technologies and standards worldwide.

Through international exhibitions and collaboration initiatives, HKPC further strengthens Hong Kong’s role as an important connector between Chinese Mainland and the world. In line with the Government’s 2026-27 Budget to attract large-scale international exhibitions to Hong Kong and promote the city’s exhibition brand globally, HKPC will continue to participate in international exhibitions and foster industry exchanges to drive innovation showcase and collaboration.

Hashtag: #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/2026/03/13/apas-debuts-at-the-battery-show-asia-showcasing-eight-innovative-battery-technology-solutions/

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Live: Hurricanes v Western Force – Super Rugby Pacific

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Hurricanes return home from a demolition job of the Waratahs to take on the Western Force in Napier.

Meanwhile, the Force’s New Zealand tour resumes after a high-scoring defeat to the Highlanders last week.

Kickoff is at 7.05pm.

Hurricanes:

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones. 2. Jacob Devery. 3. Pasilio Tosi. 4. Caleb Delany. 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere. 6. Brad Shields. 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi (cc). 8. Devan Flanders. 9. Cam Roigard. 10. Callum Harkin. 11. Fehi Fineanganofo. 12. Jordie Barrett (cc). 13.Jone Rova. 14. Bailyn Sullivan. 15. Josh Moorby.

Bench: 16. Asafo Aumua. 17. Xavier Numia. 18. Tyrel Lomax. 19. Warner Dearns. 20. Brayden Iose. 21. Jordi Viljoen. 22. Ruben Love. 23. Riley Higgins.

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/2026/03/13/live-hurricanes-v-western-force-super-rugby-pacific/

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Fast-track Decision Looms on Destructive Waitaha Hydo Scheme

Source: Green Party

The Green Party says the Fast Track expert panel should turn down the previously declined ‘Waitaha Hydro’ project, which if approved will destroy an internationally significant South Island river.

An application to dam the river as part of the ‘Waitaha Hydro project’ was declined in 2019 by the Minister for the Environment David Parker. It was shown then to offer little benefit to New Zealand, while causing significant impacts on the natural character of the wild Waitaha River and Morgan Gorge, the intrinsic value of the area, and people’s enjoyment of it.

Green Party Environment spokesperson MP Lan Pham says they are expecting a release on the Waitaha Fast-track hydro application today, based on comments from the panel chair during a recent hearing.

“The only people to benefit from this zombie project being resurrected from the dead are to its investors. It is a cynical manipulation of democracy to try and get a different result through the Fast Track process after it was already declined through an earlier, more robust process.”

“This project wouldn’t even be ‘fast’ to get going – the project backers want 15 years to build the thing. Using the Fast Track process is a transparent misuse of the legislation and a big middle finger to Aotearoa NZ.”

“The Waitaha river flows through conservation land. The area is home to over 25 native bird species, including kea, kākā and kārearea, whio, and long-tailed bats, and forest and green geckos.”

“The Department of Conservation themselves have said “the Waitaha Valley has ecological, landscape and recreational values of local, regional, national and international significance.”

“It is DOC’s view that the proposal will result in the fundamental loss of natural character, solitude and remoteness that underpin the Waitaha Valley characteristics of a back country-remote zone.”

Pham says along with irreversibly destroying the wild character of area, the project fails to meet any sensible economic threshold.

“There are already consented, unbuilt hydro schemes on the West Coast, that wouldn’t do the damage that this project would. The proposed cost has doubled to $200 million, while only providing power for 12,000 homes. That’s about $20,000 per household – money which could be used to expand nearby solar projects, or other modern technology solutions which don’t rely on destroying our remaining wild places.” 

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/13/fast-track-decision-looms-on-destructive-waitaha-hydo-scheme/