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Robin Beets was killed at a dementia unit but his family don’t want the other patient charged

Source: Radio New Zealand

Robin Walter Beets, 84, died in November 2023. Supplied

The death of an elderly man at a dementia unit following an altercation with another patient was a “tragic outcome that was preceded by a sudden eruption of anger without a known cause or warning”, a coroner says.

Police decided not to charge the patient with manslaughter. The family of the man did not want the patient charged and said the “best outcome is to ensure this doesn’t happen again to other families”.

Coroner Ruth Thomas’ report into the death of Robin Walter Beets in November 2023 was released to RNZ.

The report said the 84-year-old was living in the Stokeswood Care Home dementia unit in Lower Hutt.

Nurses and caregivers said Beets was a “gentleman” and a “lovely guy”.

In August 2023 Beets was assessed as needing Dementia Level 3 secure residential care and placed in the dementia unit operated by BUPA Care Service.

The unit co-ordinator said Beets required full assistance with daily living, orientation and direction.

“She said he liked to keep himself busy, he had previously worked as an engineer and would try to fix things like the stereo at the dementia unit even when it was working fine. He would sometimes move furniture around, which would frustrate other residents who became triggered by the noise of the moving,” the coroner said.

Coroner Thomas’ report discusses another patient who was staying at the facility. Staff recorded the patient could become “triggered by loud noises at times”.

“The staff had a care plan in place to manage [the patient’s] behaviour with de-escalation techniques and medication as needed. The staff found this was effective as he was easy to calm down and re-direct.”

A medical note for the patient said his “unsettled and aggressive behaviour” on some afternoons was due to sundowning.

“Sundowning is a deterioration in cognitive function and occurs in the late afternoon or evening. [The patient’s] medication regime was adjusted, and this was helpful in reducing his agitation. Staff were aware of this behaviour and would redirect and distract [the patient].”

On the evening of 9 November, 2023, Beets was seated at a table with two other residents near a bookshelf. The other patient was sitting at a different table with other residents.

A nurse said she was walking along a corridor when she heard the emergency alarm went off, so she ran back to the dementia lounge.

She saw Beets lying on his back near the bookshelf and the other patient was “on his knees with Mr Beets”.

The patient was shouting at Beets and was pointing at him with his hand “like the gesture you use to tell a person off”.

A caregiver said she was looking at some medication alongside a colleague and could hear some residents talking as well as the sound of chairs moving behind her and the patient shouting.

“In her peripheral vision she saw [the patient] near Mr Beets’ table. They were both standing, facing each other and [the patient] was holding Mr Beets’ collar. Mr Beets stepped backwards away from [the patient] and fell onto the floor.”

She described seeing the patient kneeling next to Beets with his arm raised and his fist clenched.

“Mr Beets was screaming in pain and [the patient] was yelling.”

The caregiver ran over and told the patient to stop and helped him to stand up. Another staffer got the patient away from the area.

The caregiver then noticed the dining chair Beets had been sitting on was on the floor, and thought he may have tripped over it.

The other caregiver who was also looking at the medication reported seeing both men standing face to face by the bookshelf.

The patient was holding Beets’ shirt collar. She described the patient as holding his right arm up with a closed fist.

“She then saw Mr Beets take two to three steps backwards, trip over a dining chair that was behind him, and fall to the ground.” She also saw the patient fall to the ground.

Beets was eventually transferred to Hutt Hospital where he underwent hip surgery the following day. There were no complications from the surgery, however his health declined in the days afterwards and he developed aspiration pneumonia. Beets died on 20 November.

A falls investigation report, carried out by BUPA, recommended new registered nurses receive further education to increase their knowledge of the fall prevention management in the dementia unit. The shared learning lessons part of the review said the unit had a staff meeting about early detection and intervention of residents in an altercation and ensuring clear documentation of an event and management.

Police sought an expert opinion from a consultant psychiatrist as part of its investigation. The psychiatrist said the patient would be “entirely unable to understand the charge, nature, purpose or consequences of court proceedings, unable to instruct defence counsel, unable to enter a plea and unable to participate in a hearing”.

It was his opinion that the patient would be unfit to stand trial. Police decided not to charge the man with manslaughter. As part of the investigation, police spoke with Beets’ family who said they did not want anyone charged adding “the best outcome is to ensure this doesn’t happen again to other families, in Stokeswood, or any care facility.”

Coroner Thomas said Beets’ family had questioned the circumstances surrounding his fall to understand whether anything could have been done to prevent it.

A Coroners Court Clinical Advisor reviewed the evidence and said the incident was “very unfortunate but unpredictable and not preventable”.

“Although incidents like this can be assumed at some level to probably have some sort of trigger in the person’s mind, it is often impossible, even in retrospect, to identify what it was. I am of the view, based on the provided information, that the staff provided very good care for [the patient], and did everything in their power to prevent the assault.”

Coroner Thomas said her assessment of the evidence in the inquiry revealed a “tragic outcome that was preceded by a sudden eruption of anger without a known cause or warning”.

“The staff had been actively managing [the patient’s] behaviour in the unit, but tragically on this occasion with no warning of a change in [the patient’s] behaviour, and both staff momentarily facing away from where the incident started, there was not enough time for staff to pre-emptively intervene and redirect [the patient] before he had grabbed Mr Beets by his collar. This incident took the staff by surprise, was unpredictable and I do not find the staff could have done more to prevent this altercation and therefore the tragic consequences that followed.”

In a statement to RNZ, Beets’ family said he was a “much-loved” husband, father, Grandad and Poppa who was “very practical, mechanically capable and a friend to many in Petone”.

“He was a very caring man, had a great laugh and was always willing to help others.”

Beets was diagnosed with dementia formally in early 2021, and as he deteriorated the family made the decision to go into full-time care in August 2024.

“Dementia is a terrible disease for both the individual and their family. As is expressed in the report, we have never wanted the other party who also suffered from this disease to be charged or punished for this incident.

“What was important for us as a family was to see if there were lessons to be learnt which may prevent another family suffering a loss in the same way. We appreciate the thorough work done by both the Police and the Coroner, especially that the specific questions we asked were addressed within her report. We also note the internal review that the Care Facility undertook which resulted in additional training and support being put in place.”

A BUPA spokesperson said acknowledged the coroner’s findings and the conclusion that this incident was “unpredictable and surprising”.

“Our thoughts remain with Mr Beets’ family, and we recognise the distress this event caused them. Moments like this are profoundly sad for everyone involved, and we continue to extend our sincere sympathy to the family.”

Aged Care Association chief executive Tracey Martin said in a statement to RNZ the case highlighted a “broader and growing reality”.

“Aged residential care is supporting residents with increasingly complex behavioural and clinical needs, particularly within dementia care settings.

“Dementia units are caring for people with significant behavioural and psychological symptoms, often in environments that were not originally designed for the intensity of today’s care requirements. As the acuity of residents rises, so too does the need for workforce support, training, clinical backup, and appropriate funding settings.”

She said while the coroner had not made recommendations, the case reinforced the importance of “continued investment in dementia capability, staff training, and system settings that recognise the complexity of modern aged care”.

Detective Inspector John van den Heuvel said as New Zealand’s median age continued to rise, the number of people living with dementia was also expected to grow.

“While fatal incidents within dementia units remain rare, resident‑on‑resident assaults do occur from time to time that require Police investigation. This can be a difficult and sad situation to deal with for everyone involved.”

People living with dementia often experienced significant cognitive impairment, meaning they may not fully comprehend their actions or form the intent required to be held criminally responsible, he said.

“As a result, the evidential test for prosecution is frequently not met, and pursuing criminal charges is unlikely to be in the public interest. Police assess these matters carefully and in close consultation with medical specialists, care providers, and legal advisors. In cases involving a death the coroner is also consulted.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/10/robin-beets-was-killed-at-a-dementia-unit-but-his-family-dont-want-the-other-patient-charged/

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NZ economy ‘on precipice’ as markets wobble, oil price rises

Source: Radio New Zealand

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub said there would be a wider inflation effect for New Zealand, beyond the increase in petrol prices that has already begun. Screengrab / Facebook

New Zealand’s economy is on a “precipice”, one economist says, as the country faces increasing pressure as a result of war in Iran.

The price of oil has almost doubled from where it was at the start of the year, pushing up fuel prices and creating the potential for inflation across a wide range of goods and services.

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub said there would be a wider inflation effect for New Zealand, beyond the increase in petrol prices that has already begun.

“The way to think about it is where it originates… essentially, the Middle East provides up to 80 percent of the crude oil to the main refineries we buy oil from in South Korea and Singapore. Already in Singapore, the refining crack spread – the difference between refined product versus crude, has increase from $3.5 to $35. That means 10c more at the pump, roughly. That’s the first wave.”

“The second is around how we use oil in so many parts of the economy. It’s true that for transport we’re far less dependent, that was the case in the past. But there are particular industries and regions that are very influenced by it. The biggest is, of course, aviation. I feel sorry for Air New Zealand… if you look at the aviation fuel prices, they have skyrocketed because it has to be processed from a particular type of crude.

“It’s all the transport sectors. It’s us driving cars, the diesel for our trucks, which is really the backbone of logistics in New Zealand is diesel. It comes through there.”

He said construction would be the most affected industry initially. “Paint, plastics, paint, chemicals, you name it. Everything is related or affected by the price of oil. Then it’s people like the agricultural sector, hugely affected through fertiliser, diesel… particularly dairy and horticulture.”

He said it could also have an effect on consumer risk appetite, which would influence air travel and tourism.

“If the conflict lasts longer, prices go up, it might damage demand for our goods and services that we export, which then turns to jobs and slows down an already precarious recovery that I hope we continue to have.”

ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner told RNZ the increase in oil prices had been “quite exponential.”

“It’s a pretty substantial shock that is negative for activity and growth.”

She said it would be inflationary beyond the price of petrol because fuel was an input into “pretty much everything”.

“All goods generally need to be moved around,” Zollner said.

Sharp increases in gas prices led to higher fertiliser prices, which could affect food costs.

“There’s a train of thought that thinks of economics as energy transformed, that’s how important energy is. If it spikes up, then down again quickly, there’s no harm done. If it stays high, it’s a problem.”

ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner says the increase in oil prices had been “quite exponential.” ABC / Luke Bowden

She said there was already evidence in surveys that businesses’ inflation expectations were increasing, which added pressure.

“We’ve seen the New Zealand dollar come off a couple of cents which makes not only oil more expensive but all imports.”

Finance Minister Nicola Willis said on Monday that there could be a range of potential consequences for supply chains, trade, inflation and future economic activity. She said the Commerce Commission had been asked to step up its fuel price monitoring.

What does it mean for interest rates?

How the Reserve Bank is likely to respond is not yet clear – it could be argued that it will need to increase interest rates to combat inflation, or decrease them to soften the blow to the economy.

“The kind of inflation we’re talking about is supply shock increases,” Eaqub said. “Which could become embedded if the economy is too strong. But the flip side is the economy might not be strong enough and we spiral. So we’re kind of in that precipice at the moment, just as the war is on a precipice.”

Zollner said the Reserve Bank would be weighing up the inflation effect against the fact it was bad for growth and employment if the war was sustained.

“People aren’t sure whether this makes the bank likely to raise rates sooner or later… It’s difficult for markets to deal with.”

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said petrol prices were on track to return to levels not seen since the invasion of Ukraine.

Beyond that, he said it seemed reasonable to expect inflation could pick up, but he did not think interest rates would follow quickly.

He said the Reserve Bank would probably view the increase as being for a finite period, and demand could be reduced in future because of it, as well as there being more pressure on household budgets.

“They’ll probably be thinking that if they look forward 18 months ahead, which is around about the period where a policy action now would have its impact, if anything, the issue might be a need to move interest rates the other way.

He said there was a risk that for the next three to six months the economic recovery would “take a pause”.

“Consumer confidence in particular, I think, is often related to changes in fuel prices because that’s a really frequently purchased item in the budget. So, you know, I can easily imagine that there might be a bit of a hiccup or a delay in the recovery that goes for a little while.”

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said petrol prices were on track to return to levels not seen since the invasion of Ukraine. Supplied / LinkedIn

He said it was not impossible that the government might act to cut the fuel tax again, as had happened last time petrol prices spiked. Eaqub agreed. Willis said on Monday that the Government was not considering it.

Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan said it felt a bit like the 2025 US tariffs again.

“Suddenly, a whole lot going down overseas and any hopes of a recovery sort of getting hit in the kneecaps again.”

He said the longer the conflict continued, the worse it would be for the New Zealand economy.

But he was less convinced that it wouldn’t mean higher interest rates.

“There’s a real risk there with the economy.”

He said 10 years ago, businesses facing cost pressures tried to cut costs elsewhere.

“Whereas now you go and talk to businesses and there is still a sense that if cost pressures are coming through, we had no choice but to pass them on five years ago when everybody was in the same boat and everything was rising in price.

“But we feel like there’s a pretty good chance we could do that again… it hasn’t taken long for transport organisations, companies to be going, okay, I’ve got a fuel adjustment factor in place and you’re going to be feeling that from next week… There is a real risk that inflation does [pick up] and possibly that the Reserve Bank might just be a little bit slow to realise what’s going on.

“Which means, ultimately, they need to be raising rates sooner and probably further as well, despite the fact that economic growth and the economy are not in a particularly great space.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/10/nz-economy-on-precipice-as-markets-wobble-oil-price-rises/

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One in two large businesses successfully attacked by cybercriminals in last year

Source: Radio New Zealand

Almost one in two large businesses were successfully attacked by cybercriminals in the last year. Unsplash / RNZ

AI-empowered cybercriminals are attacking businesses at unprecedented speeds with more than 80 percent of phishing emails containing AI-generated content that is difficult to detect.

Kordia’s 10th annual New Zealand Business Cyber Security Report indicates 44 percent of large businesses were successfully attacked in the past 12 months, and 61 percent suffered a serious business disruption, including extortion in one-in-five cases.

Vulnerabilities exploited

“This year’s survey actually showed that we had a lot more voice-based and video-based attacks reported by participants,” Kordia-owned Aura Information Security general manager Patrick Sharp said, adding that biometric data had been used for a long time to authenticate users.

“One of the problems with using things like voice or your face as a form of authentication is that you can never change it.”

Harsher penalties and ecucation

Top of the wish list was for government-supported, educational programmes to raise cyber security awareness, with harsher penalties for businesses who failed to protect data and mandatory reporting requirements for businesses hit by major attacks.

“To date, New Zealand’s privacy laws have not been as punitive as other countries’ when it comes to privacy breaches,” it said.

For example, New Zealand penalties of up to NZ$10,000 were available for a small number of offences – compared to maximum penalties of more than A$50m in Australia.

“The EU, UK and Australia are all explicitly tying cyber resilience to director accountability, expanding mandatory incident reporting, and moving from voluntary guidance to enforceable standards,” it said.

“These are decisive moves to unify government and business standards to defend against the scourge of state and criminal threat actors assaulting their countries.”

Global trends

Among Kordia’s findings was a Microsoft Digital Defence Report 2025, which found AI-assisted phishing campaigns achieved click-through rates of around 54 percent, compared with 12 percent for traditional phishing emails.

Sharp said AI-assisted attacks preyed on people’s emotions.

“They’ll try to get you to do something because they have ingratiated themselves with you, or because they’re threatening, or because they’re trying to pressure you to do something. So if you feel pressure to do something, if you feel slightly uncomfortable about it, there’s not someone you know or anything like that. Just don’t trust it,” he said.

McKinsey reported phishing volumes increased 1200 percent from 2022 to 2025, targeting an organisation every 39 seconds with a daily economic loss totalling $18m.

New Zealand’s concerns

Kordia’s survey of business leaders found 24 percent were concerned about the misuse of AI in their business, with improper use among the top three cyber-security priorities.

Survey respondents were focused on improving or implementing employee training, maintaining best practice, higher security and software for detection with more frequent updates and improved response coordination.

Threat perceptions varied by business size.

Smaller organisations with 50-99 employees were most concerned about phishing and ransomware attacks leading to extortion, with organisations with 100-200 employees concerned over AI misuse and malicious insider threats.

Larger businesses with 201-500 employees were most concerned about distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which could disrupt operations, while those with more than 500 employees saw AI-generated cyber-attacks as a major threat.

Half of the business leaders said they would be willing to pay a ransom to a cyber criminal, and 8 percent of them had paid a ransom over the past year.

Insurance costs reflect risks

“Companies are certainly still using insurance, but it’s not the first thing they should be doing. The first thing companies should be doing is trying to reduce their risk down to the minimum level possible,” Sharp said.

While 17 percent of businesses made a claim on their cyber insurance over the past year, the cost of insurance was beyond the reach for many businesses, who were absorbing the costs, which included the loss of sensitive information, interrupted supply chains, fines and extortion.

A third of the businesses who suffered an attack estimated it took two months to resolve the issue, while a third doubted they could recover from a major attack.

Yet, 25 percent had not taken steps to secure the data, had no cyber security awareness programmes or had not practiced an incident response plan.

The World Economic Forum indicated the surge in successful attacks was compounded by a widening skills gap, with just 14 percent of organisations employing the right cyber talent, as the skills gap grew by 8 percent since 2024.

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HKPC’s 2nd “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026 Successfully Concluded Over 2,000 Job Seekers Connecting with Over 10,000 I&T Positions

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – In response to the national 15th Five-Year Plan’s emphasis on developing new productive forces and positioning Hong Kong as an international hub for high-caliber talent, and in alignment with the talent development initiatives outlined in the 2026–27 Budget, the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026 organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) was successfully held on 7 March.

As one of HKPC’s key annual initiatives promoting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and talent development, the job fair attracted over 2,000 tertiary students, fresh graduates and job seekers from across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The event brought together more than 50 leading enterprises, organizations and government departments, offering over 10,000 quality job opportunities in key areas of new productive forces such as AI and STEAM. The event successfully established an efficient two-way talent matching platform and demonstrated HKPC’s commitment to implementing a talent-driven development strategy through concrete action.

The Job Fair also served as a core event funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission’s “New Productive Forces Talent Programme”. The event received strong support from more than 30 organisations, including the Hong Kong Talent Engage, the Labour Department, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Quality and Talent Migrants, as well as various tertiary institutions. The opening ceremony was held in the morning, with officiating guests including Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC; Miss Rosalind CHEUNG, Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (Funding Schemes) and Ms. Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer of HKPC.

At the opening ceremony, Dr Lawrence CHEUNG emphasised: “This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan and represents a golden opportunity for Hong Kong to leverage its strengths and align with national strategies. We must seize this opportunity to attract talent from around the world and develop new productive forces with Hong Kong characteristics. This Job Fair not only serves as a bridge connecting job seekers and enterprises but also provides an important platform to showcase how new productive forces can lead Hong Kong’s future development. Over the past two years, the “New Productive Forces Talent Programme” has organised a series of courses and technology study tours, and trained more than 1,000 participants.”

In a subsequent sharing session, Mr. Brian WONG, Chief People and Culture Officer of HKPC, delivered a presentation titled “HR as the AI Change Agent: Driving Enterprise-wide AI Transformation.” He pointed out that the success of corporate transformation in the AI era hinges on whether human resources (HR) can effectively play the role of change drivers. He shared several practical strategies, including how to cultivate AI engineers and talent in related fields. He emphasised that a company’s talent strategy should not be limited to technical skills training but should also focus on nurturing high-level thinking and innovative capabilities in talent, driving the company to adapt to rapidly changing markets and achieve robust transformation.

HR Leaders Praise Platform Value; Strong On-site Talent Matching

This year’s Job Fair featured a strong lineup of exhibitors, including Huawei International Hong Kong, Alibaba Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Services Limited, The Bank of East Asia, EY and PwC, as well as government departments such as the Labour Department. Job opportunities covered key roles such as AI Consultant, Digital Transformation Specialist, Solutions Engineer and Digital Marketing Officer. Dedicated graduate programmes and internship opportunities were also offered, meeting the employment needs of a wide range of talent while providing companies with an important platform to recruit high-quality professionals in emerging technology sectors.

The atmosphere at the venue was vibrant, with many companies arranging on-site interviews, enabling job seekers to enjoy a seamless “one-stop interview” experience. HR representatives from participating companies highly praised the effectiveness of the event. Mr. Ryan Tang, Head of Personal Banking & Wealth Management Technology, Bank of East Asia, said: “The Job Fair attracted many professionals with experience in AI and technological transformation. I was very pleased to interact with them on site. Some candidates possess skills that match the bank’s needs, effectively strengthening our core talent pool.” Ms. Erica Kwan, Head of Business Development and Marketing, HSM Industrial Solution Company, said: “This Job Fair has improved our efficiency in recruiting digital and technical talent, enabling job seekers to connect more precisely with professional pathways in new industrialisation and become an important driving force for Hong Kong’s new productive forces.”Ms. Natalie Yuan, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of First Resume, remarked: “Job seekers on site showed a strong desire to enhance their job-hunting skills in the era of new productive forces. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with HKPC in the future to help talent strengthen their competitiveness.” Job seekers also widely noted that the event not only brought together a large number of quality job opportunities but also allowed them to communicate directly with company representatives and receive free career support, helping them better understand the talent requirements of emerging technology sectors and plan their future career development paths.

AI-Powered Services Enhance the Job-Seeking Experience

To help job seekers stand out in the competitive job market, the Job Fair continued to provide a wide range of free and comprehensive career support services. Among them, complimentary professional headshot photography remained one of the most popular services, helping many participants obtain professional photos suitable for job applications. At the same time, AI-powered CV optimisation, AI mock interviews, and one-on-one CV consultation services were also highly welcomed by participants. Multiple industry seminars and practical workshops were fully booked, covering topics such as “Applications of AI in Recruitment”, “AI Career Opportunities in the Finance and Technology Sectors”, and “100 Days of AI Transformation: Entering the Finance and Technology Industries”. Industry experts shared valuable job-hunting skills and insights into industry trends. In addition, the Job Fair introduced a new “Start–up Zone“, allowing job seekers to engage directly with local startup entrepreneurs and broaden their innovative thinking. The founder of the startup CanTone said, “This event allowed more people to learn about our entrepreneurial vision, and it also helped us recruit student interns, enhancing our startup’s competitiveness.” The “Maker Workshop“ also attracted many participants, who operated equipment such as 3D printers and laser engraving and cutting machines under the guidance of professional instructors, experiencing the appeal of innovation and technology manufacturing and further stimulating their interest in exploring the field of new productive forces.

HKPC has long been committed to cultivating talent with strong competitiveness for the Greater Bay Area. Through the integrated model of “job matching + career support + industry exchange”, the Job Fair not only helps enterprises address their talent needs but also enables job seekers to seize the opportunities presented by the development of new productive forces and achieve high-quality employment.

In the future, HKPC will continue to build diversified talent exchange and matching platforms while further enhancing the talent development ecosystem in the field of new productive forces.

Photo Captions:

  1. Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC, delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026, noting that the Job Fair not only connects job seekers and enterprises but also showcases how new productive forces can lead Hong Kong’s future development.
  2. Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC (Middle) and Miss Rosalind CHEUNG, Assistant Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (Funding Schemes) (Right) and Ms. Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer of HKPC (Left), officiate the opening ceremony of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026.
  3. Guests of honour, supporting organisations, representatives from institutions and associations witnessed the grand opening of the “New Productive Forces” Job Fair 2026.
  4. The Job Fair attracted a large crowd and brought together more than 50 leading enterprises, organisations and government departments, offering over 10,000 quality positions in key areas of new productive forces such as AI and STEAM.

Hashtag: #HKPC

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/10/hkpcs-2nd-new-productive-forces-job-fair-2026-successfully-concluded-over-2000-job-seekers-connecting-with-over-10000-it-positions/

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HKPC Establishes New “Future Life & Health Tech Centre”

Source: Media Outreach

Driving R&D Translation and Sector Collaboration; Elevating Hong Kong as a Global Life & Health Innovation Hub

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today officially launched its new “Future Life & Health Tech Centre”, unveiling a suite of R&D achievements and application technologies across life sciences, medical technology, future food, biotechnology and modernisation of Chinese medicine. With a clear focus on accelerating R&D, pilot-scale development, smart manufacturing and commercialisation, the Centre aims to serve as an industry accelerator for life and health technology in Hong Kong, supporting the commercialisation of research outcomes from lab to market and driving the development of new productive forces.

Mr Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of HKPC, said, “Life and health technology is a fast-rising focus for Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development. The Government’s 2026–27 Budget also outlines several initiatives to accelerate I&T development, with a primary focus on life and health technology. HKPC is committed to supporting the Government’s strategic development in this field by delivering forward-looking innovative technologies and services. Through the ‘Future Life & Health Tech Centre’, we will leverage AI, smart manufacturing, pilot platforms and cross-border collaboration to speed up the commercialisation of research outcomes, fostering Hong Kong as an international life and health innovation hub.”

An integrated platform from R&D to market adoption

Positioned as an end-to-end enabler across the full value chain, the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” provides systematic support from research and pilot production through to scaleup and market adoption. It includes platforms for active ingredient efficacy validation, microencapsulation and controlled release, AI health monitoring model development, dosage form optimisation for Chinese medicine, future food technologies, medical device pilot capabilities and smart microfactory demonstration. The Centre serves as a bridge between universities and research institutes, healthcare providers, local enterprises and Greater Bay Area resources, facilitating upstream, midstream and downstream collaboration for life and health technology.

Exhibition Highlights Showcasing Diverse Applications in Life and Health Technology

According to HKPC’s “Hong Kong Life and Health Industry Development Study”, the sector’s long-term success hinges on technology-driven innovation and efficient industrialisation. The Centre showcases the following innovations:

1. Medical Technology and Diagnostics

  • Veterinary recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine injection technology: Enhances plasmid DNA uptake to boost antibody production and immune response while improving safety; supports animal vaccine R&D.
  • Innovative Porous Silica Capsule Technology: Delivers precise, sustained release of drugs or antibacterial agents; tested to eliminate over 95% of harmful microorganisms. HKPC co‑developed a customised hybrid process and smart production equipment for APEL to establish a “Smart Micro‑factory”, translating research into industrial application.
  • Modernisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Combines modern dosage form development with zebrafish model validation. A TCM-based hydrogel patch is undergoing drug registration, with approval targeted for Q3 2026.
  • AI Scalp Health Diagnosis System: Built on HKPC’s open AI platform “HKPC Picasso,” it utilises high-resolution imaging and multimodal data to detect scalp conditions and instantly generate personalised health reports.

2. Future Food and Functional Nutrition

  • Bioprotective Coating Technology for Preservation on Fresh Produces: A food-grade coating that reduces moisture loss, oxygen exposure and microbial growth to extend shelf life and enhance supply chain efficiency.
  • Microencapsulation and Controlled Release Technology for Functional Food: Embeds active ingredients within a carrier system to protect sensitive substances, enhance bioavailability and enable precise release control.
  • AI-enabled Liquid Chilling Tunnel System: A two-stage chilling solution that reduces cooling time by over 60% and boosts efficiency by 90%. An AI vision system automatically identifies products and optimises chilling cycles, ensuring food safety, process stability and full data traceability. The technology has received multiple international honours, including the Gold Medal at the 2017 International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.

HKPC emphasised that the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” will act as a key platform for innovative research, pilot-scale development and industrial-scale commercialisation. Moving forward, HKPC will work closely with the Government, academia, healthcare organisations and industry partners in Hong Kong and other cities of the Greater Bay Area to strengthen the innovation ecosystem for life and health technology—supporting Hong Kong’s development as an international life and health innovation hub and advancing new industrialisation.

Photo Captions:

  1. Mr Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, outlines the vision and strategy of the “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” and introduces a range of cutting-edge R&D outcomes in life and health technology.
  2. The “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” showcases medical technology and diagnostic innovations, including the “Veterinary recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine injection technology” and the “Modernisation of Traditional Chinese Medicine”.
  3. The “Future Life & Health Tech Centre” features future food technologies, including the “Bioprotective Coating Technology for Preservation on Fresh Produces” and “Microencapsulation and Controlled Release Technology for Functional Food”.

Hashtag: #HKPC

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/10/hkpc-establishes-new-future-life-health-tech-centre/

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WELEDA x Stella McCartney: Paris Fashion Week / Skin Food: 100 years of loving skin

Source: Media Outreach

ARLESHEIM, SWITZERLAND – Newsaktuell – 9 March 2026 – During this season’s Paris Fashion Week, WELEDA is backstage at the Stella McCartney show ensuring radiant skin: make-up artists draw specifically on the trusted nurturing power of the WELEDA Skin Food range to prep and prime the runway models’ skin perfectly for make-up and create a natural glow.

WELEDA Skin Food Model backstage at Paris Fashion Week, 4 March 2026; CREDITS: WELEDA

“Weleda is such a great brand that has always stayed committed to natural, ethical and sustainable values without chasing trends – I really respect that, and I love Skin Food. My brand has never wavered from our core principles – we’ve been free from leather, feathers, fur and exotic skins since day one. So, to align with another company that proves integrity can last is truly meaningful.”says designer Stella McCartney.

StellaMcCartney Paris Fashion Show Backstage with WELEDA Skin Food, 4 March 2026, Credits: WELEDA

100 years of the WELEDA Skin Food Family

Launched in 1926, Skin Food is one of the few skincare products to have remained relevant for over a century. What began as a deeply nourishing cream for dry, stressed skin has become an internationally celebrated classic, firmly established among make-up artists, models and high-profile individuals from fashion and film – from the runway to the front row. The formula, with wild pansy, calendula, chamomile, rosemary and sunflower oil, nourishes intensively and gives skin the signature Skin Food glow.

Stella McCartney with WELEDA CEO Tina Müller at Paris Fashion Show, 4 March 2026, CREDITS: Weleda

Shared values: sustainability and responsibility

The collaboration with Stella McCartney highlights the shared mindset of both brands: responsible action, innovative approaches, and a clear commitment to sustainability. Stella McCartney has stood for cruelty-free luxury fashion and the use of sustainable materials for years, while WELEDA relies on natural, organically cultivated ingredients in its NATRUE-certified natural cosmetics. The packaging of the WELEDA Skin Food collection is also designed with recyclability in mind.

“Skin Food has been a favourite with generations of people for 100 years and remains an indispensable staple for many make-up artists. It’s something special to celebrate this anniversary at Paris Fashion Week together with Stella McCartney and to show how well sustainable fashion and natural cosmetics go together,” says Tina Müller, CEO of WELEDA.

For this milestone anniversary for WELEDA Skin Food, the WELEDA and Stella McCartney collaboration shines a spotlight on a product that stands for longevity, relevance and natural beauty.

Hashtag: #WELEDA #StellaMcCartney #SkinFood

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/2026/03/10/weleda-x-stella-mccartney-paris-fashion-week-skin-food-100-years-of-loving-skin/

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Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair: Aisa’s Key Trade Event for F&B

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be staged concurrently from 13 to 15 August 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fairs serve as a powerful business platform tailored for industry professionals to launch new products, build connections with influential buyers, and discover fresh market opportunities.

The Food Expo PRO open exclusively to trade buyers on the first two days, and welcome public ticket-holders on 15 August. The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be open to both trade buyers and public ticket holders for all three days. The 2025 edition gathered some 18,500 buyers from 64 countries and regions. Buyers are mainly importers, wholesalers, distributors, hotel groups, restaurants, clubhouses, and retail leaders such as department stores, as well as e-tailers. Apart from Hong Kong, buyers came from Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, as well as ASEAN countries, including Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others, highlighting Hong Kong’s significant role as a key food trade hub globally.

Reserve a booth now to extend industry network: https://tinyurl.com/57zd6hx9
Register a buyer badge to source quality products: https://tinyurl.com/4nhckk3h

Food Expo PRO: new Meat zone debut

Positioned strategically at the heart of Asia, coupled with its exceptional logistics services and adept supply chain management, Hong Kong serves as a promising platform for global food manufacturers to extend their reach into markets across Chinese Mainland and the broader Asian region. As a renowned culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong is also home to a thriving food services industry that captivates locals and visitors alike.

Food Expo PRO aims to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a business hub for the food industry in Chinese Mainland, Asia, and the world. As a pioneer in the F&B industry, the Expo has always kept a close eye on several key trends and innovation in order to capture the evolving dynamics of the food industry.

This year, Food Expo PRO will introduce a new Meat product zone to spotlight the dynamic meat sector and meet rising demand for premium, diverse, and innovative meat offerings. The zone will showcase a wide range of high-quality meat products, including chilled and frozen meats, processed meats, specialty items, and value-added solutions from global and regional suppliers. It aims to connect exhibitors with professional buyers seeking opportunities in premium proteins, sustainable sourcing, and market trends in the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

Recognising the promising landscape of the Halal Market, the Expo introduced a dedicated Halal food and beverage label in 2024, bringing a diverse variety of Halal certified products ranging from snacks, condiments to seafood. In 2025, more than 120 food suppliers showcased halal products from around the world. A seminar will guide through the importance and the progress of promoting halal-friendly environment in Hong Kong. This session will explore the growing demand for halal products and the standard.

Highlighted zone “Food Science and Technology” brings alternative food and future food products to the professional buyers. The Coffee zone, debuted last year, will showcase coffee products, accessories, and machines from various origins. Events such as coffee demonstrations and seminars covering the coffee value chain will also be held concurrently.

Food Expo PRO also features a variety of seminars and forums covering the latest developments and market opportunities in the food industry. The Food Tech Symposium will focus on the latest technological advancements transforming the sector. The discussion will cover how new technologies can enhance efficiency and quality, benefiting both producers and consumers.

Hong Kong International Tea Fair: Brewing opportunities in tea business

The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair is Asia’s premier marketplace for the tea industry, showcasing a variety of high-quality specialty teas, delicate teaware and tea related products. Building on the positive feedback from adopting the B2B2C format in 2025, which attracted over 500,000 visits together with the four concurrent fairs, the 2026 Tea Fair will once again open to the public during the three-day exhibition period, bringing the rich culture of tea to a wider audience.

To capture the evolving trends in the tea industry, the 2025 edition featured a diverse variety of new-style tea beverages such as sparkling tea, Kombucha, non-alcoholic wine-tea concoction beverage, herbal tea and yuenyeung in a capsule. A thematic zone “Friends of Tea” also presented tea-related lifestyle products such as tea-pairing food and tea perfume. The 2026 edition will strengthen the zone to enrich the overall visiting experience of public tea lovers.

Each day at the fair is filled with different activities and events. The 2026Hong Kong International Tea Culture Forum will be organised, with the purpose of creating an international platform for communication, promoting tea culture, and driving the international development of the tea industry. The China and Greater Bay Area KamCha Competition 2026 (Hong Kong Milk Tea) – Hong Kong Final will be held during the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, aiming to select the top Hong Kong-style milk tea masters, showcase the skills and unique flavours of Hong Kong-style milk tea production, and promote Hong Kong-style milk tea culture. Other events, such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Youth International Tea Art Competition 2026, Youth Tea Ceremony, Tea Tasting Sessions and Tea Art Performances, offer an immersive exploration of tea’s rich history and latest trends.

The International Tea Event Space Design Competition 2026continues to promote tea culture. Participants can present their creative tea-serving space designs through the competition, and the shortlisted designs will be displayed and judged during the fair. Another fair highlight is the Hong Kong International Tea Fair Tea Competition. Exhibitors’ teas will be judged in six categories: Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, Chinese Black Tea, Raw Pu’er, Others. The entries will also compete for “The Best Aroma Award” and “The Best Taste Award”. Visitors can enjoy free tea tasting of winning teas during the Fair.

The two fairs will continue to adopt the HKTDC’s EXHIBITION+ model that integrates online and offline elements, extending face-to-face interactions from physical events to smart business platform, Click2Match, which will be open to participants from 6 to 22 August.

In addition, the International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM), organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA), together with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions and industry associations, will be held at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre on 13 and 14 August to deliver professional traditional Chinese medicine insights into the industry.

Websites:


Concurrent public fairs:

Hashtag: #HKTDC #FoodExpoPRO #HongKongInternationalTeaFair

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/2026/03/09/food-expo-pro-and-hong-kong-international-tea-fair-aisas-key-trade-event-for-fb/

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Esperanza Securities Marks a Major Milestone for Its Inaugural Entertainment STO – Charting New Model for Fans Economy and STO Investments

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – Esperanza Fintech (Securities) Limited (“Esperanza Securities“, or “Company“) today announced a major business milestone for its first SFC permitted tokenized investment (STO) project with entertainment industry asset. With the underlying concert successfully concluded last weekend, this marks the commencement of the new investment model that combines entertainment industry assets with financial technology.

Esperanza Securities congratulated the renowned Hong Kong singer Chris Wong on the successful completion of his concert “Chris Wong 40th Anniversary Concert” and expressed gratitude for investors who participated in the STO, who have witnessed the first tokenized investment that integrates both a secondary trading market and exclusive experiential elements.

Ronald Leung, the responsible officer of Esperanza Securities said: “The entertainment industry carries strong investment potential while also embodying powerful community engagement and cultural influence. Through the STO model, we aim to establish a new participation framework for the cultural and entertainment sectors that integrates investment, content and the fan economy.”

Professional Investors Participate as Secondary Market Trading Begins

The project successfully attracted subscription from professional investors as Hong Kong’s first practical cases of entertainment STO. Investors are able to trade the investment tokens on Esperanza Securities’ 24/7 digital investment platform, espetopia.com. The platform has recorded secondary market transactions from both institutional and individual investors, marking a crucial step for tokenized investments as an alternative capital raising channel for the entertainment industry.

Besides investment return, project investors gain exclusive access to concert rehearsal, auspicious opening ceremony and backstage interaction with the artist.

Several participating investors noted that the integration of investment and fan culture offers a new form of interaction within the entertainment industry, demonstrating the innovative potential of combining the fans economy with financial technology.

Strong Retail Market Interest Amid Anticipation of Future Regulatory Developments

Esperanza Securities noted that, STO investments remain strictly limited to professional investors. Beyond professional investors, a significant number of retail investors have expressed strong interest in tokenized entertainment investment projects. Many hope to eventually participate financially in supporting their beloved artists and cultural content in the future.

Any potential investment access for retail investors will require further review and approval from regulators. Globally, financial regulators are increasingly studying ways to enable retail investors to participate in private market assets. For example, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has recently launched a public consultation on frameworks that may allow retail participation in private market investment funds, reflecting broader international developments in this area.

Next STO Project to Launch Soon, Inviting Asia-Pacific Investors to Join New Opportunities

Following the successful completion of the first project’s underlying concert, Esperanza Securities also announced today that the next entertainment STO project will be available for subscription and secondary market trading for eligible professional investors later this week. The underlying asset will be the concert project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, featuring Kyuhyun of Super Junior and Korean boy band AHOF, scheduled for April 11, 2026.

Professional investors participating in this upcoming STO project will enjoy exclusive experiential privileges in addition to potential investment returns, with further updates to be announced.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Tokenization Across Entertainment Assets

Looking ahead, Esperanza Securities plans to deepen the application of tokenized investment within the entertainment industry while exploring additional asset classes across the broader cultural and creative sectors. These may include projects related to film production, content rights, and intellectual property licensing, further expanding the potential integration between community-driven fan economies and tokenized investment models.

The Company believes that tokenization can introduce more flexible and innovative capital participation for the entertainment industry while enabling investors to engage more directly with cultural content and creative assets.

Hashtag: #EsperanzaSecurities

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/2026/03/09/esperanza-securities-marks-a-major-milestone-for-its-inaugural-entertainment-sto-charting-new-model-for-fans-economy-and-sto-investments/

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China Telecom Concludes MWC 2026 with Outstanding Success

Source: Media Outreach

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – From March 2 to 5, the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) was grandly held in Barcelona, Spain. China Telecom attended the Congress with two high-profile keynote speeches, an immersive interactive exhibition booth, and a Low-Altitude Economy Launch Event, presenting a panoramic showcase of its strategic vision and innovative achievements in transforming into a key promoter in the AI era. Having also won multiple prestigious international awards in the telecommunications field, China Telecom earned wide attention and high recognition from international operators, ecosystem partners, and global media with its hard-core technological strength and open, collaborative spirit.

China Telecom MWC 2026

Two Keynote Speeches Set the Tone: Charting a New Vision for Transformation in the AI Era

On March 2, China Telecom President Liu Guiqing attended the Congress opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech entitled “The Transformation of a Large Telco to a Key Promoter in AI Era.” Liu Guiqing stated that China Telecom is fully embracing AI and advancing its corporate strategy toward the “Cloudification, Digital Transformation and AI for Good” upgrade, consistently placing technological innovation at the core of its corporate strategy and driving the company’s transformation from a traditional telecommunications operator into a technology-oriented enterprise.

At the Congress, Liu Guiqing put forward five key judgements on the direction of operator development in the AI era: First, 6G standard innovation and network deployment must fully account for the rapid development of AI. Second, cloud-network integration will play an ever greater role in the AI era. Third, AI security governance will become a mandatory topic for global operators, and is also a watershed defining the strength of operational and service capabilities in the intelligent era. Fourth, computing-power and electricity coordination capability will become the key to the sustainable development of intelligent computing infrastructure. Fifth, the flourishing development of AI applications requires operators to open up and cooperate with greater force.

On March 3, Liu Guiqing attended the World Broadband Association (WBBA) Broadband Development Congress and delivered a keynote speech entitled “From Connectivity to Intelligence: A New Era for Cloud-Network Broadband.” Liu Guiqing noted that AI is fully advancing into the Agentic AI stage — characterized by autonomous execution and intelligent collaboration — heralding the dawn of an Agentic Internet. How to accurately seize the transformational opportunities driven by Agentic AI has become a shared challenge for telecommunications operators worldwide.

Liu Guiqing emphasized that China Telecom is willing to join hands with WBBA and all industry stakeholders, with Agentic AI as the core engine, to drive the iterative upgrade of new digital information infrastructure. Three proposals were put forward: First, to strengthen technological innovation in collaboration with WBBA, leading the transformation of new digital information infrastructure. Second, to deepen industrial cooperation through WBBA, expanding the value of new digital information infrastructure. Third, to leverage WBBA to bridge the global digital and intelligent divide, elevate the standard of global cloud-network services, lower the threshold for applying intelligent technologies, and ensure the dividends of Agentic AI development benefit a broader population.

Multiple Awards, Crowning Honours: International Recognition Sets a New Benchmark

On March 4, at the Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO Awards) — widely regarded as the “Oscars of the mobile communications industry” — China Telecom claimed an impressive haul of four accolades. The EasyOn 5G-A-RobotNet solution, developed jointly with ZTE, won the “Best Private Network Solution Award”; the direct-to-high-orbit satellite connectivity project for mobile phones, co-developed with Huawei, won the “Best Non-Terrestrial Network Solution Award”; the “Green Pepper Programme” in Lancang County, Pu’er, jointly submitted with the YouCheng Foundation and Huawei, won the “Best Mobile Innovation for Enhancing the Lives of Children and Young People Award”; and the “5G-A Empowering a New Model of Wireless Concert Livestreaming” project, developed together with ZTE and other industry partners, won the “Best Event Activation Award.” The multiple awards won underscore China Telecom’s comprehensive strength across technological innovation, social responsibility, and commercial application.

During the Congress, the GSMA Foundry Awards Ceremony was held with great fanfare. Three innovative proposals jointly developed by China Telecom with Huawei and ZTE stood out from the competition, capturing a total of four awards across two categories of the Foundry Excellence Awards 2026 and the GSMA Foundry Innovation GLOMO Award. Specifically, the “Mobile Network for Thriving AI” project, developed jointly with Huawei, received the Intelligent Networks & AI-Driven Infrastructure Award under the GSMA Foundry Excellence Awards; the “5G-Advanced Facilitates Multi-Robot Collaboration” solution, co-developed with ZTE, won the GSMA Foundry “Enterprise Innovation & New Revenue Models” award; and the “Relieving the Pressure on Physicians” solution has claimed both the GSMA Foundry “Cross-Cutting Excellence” Award and the GSMA Foundry Innovation GLOMO Award, demonstrating China Telecom’s globally leading capabilities in the convergence of 5G-A and AI technologies for industry applications.

One Exhibition Booth, One Launch Event: Co-Drawing a New Vision of Intelligence in the AI Era

During this year’s MWC, China Telecom’s exhibition booth was meticulously arranged under the theme “Embracing the Intelligent Era with New AI Infra.” From the stunning debut of the Xirang 2.0 “Triless Three-Independence Architecture,” to the “Xing Xiao Chen Intelligent Agent”‘s multi-task intent understanding and central control capabilities; from the quantum infrastructure covering over 40 major cities across China, to the panoramic vision of a low-altitude intelligent network and satellite communications spanning “air, space, ground, and sea” — China Telecom showcased four major infrastructure pillars, namely “AI + Intelligent Cloud,” “AI + Quantum,” “AI + Low-Altitude,” and “AI + Satellite Communications,” outlining the foundation of the intelligent era with a forward-looking vision and attracting numerous senior executives and professionals from international operators for in-depth exchanges.

On March 2, China Telecom Unmanned Technology held a Low-Altitude Economy Launch Event, unveiling China Telecom’s AI-powered “1+1+4+N” Low-Altitude Economy Capability System to the world. Leveraging key technologies including 5G-Advanced (5G-A), RedCap, millimeter-wave sensing, and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), China Telecom has built an intelligent connected network with deep integration of “connectivity, sensing, computing, and platform,” forming a full-stack capability system covering low-altitude infrastructure, operational supervision, security protection, and intelligent operations. To date, the Capability System has been deployed in over 60 cities across China, generating more than 1,000 application scenarios, and has achieved application deployment in regions including West Africa, demonstrating mature large-scale rollout capabilities. The event also saw the launch of four digital platforms — Xingyun, Xingdun, Xingxun, and Xinghan — along with the “Tianqing” 5G-A RedCap Low-Altitude Module, delivering integrated and replicable system solutions to help low-altitude flight “fly safely and fly efficiently.”

Throughout the four-day exhibition, technological depth and the warmth of everyday life blended perfectly at the China Telecom booth. This year, the booth featured a dedicated AI Live TechShow, where performers presented China Telecom’s AI technologies and products woven into everyday life scenes in a lighthearted and entertaining way: the eSurf IntelliHub captured real-time footage of mischievous pets at home; the eSurf AI health & wellness companion robot precisely reminded users about their medication; the eSurf AI sports companion robot dog danced in time to the music… Every performance drew crowds of visitors who stopped to watch.

The “AI + Chinese Opera Face-Changing” interactive experience, powered by the Xingchen Large Model and image algorithms, allowed overseas visitors to instantly complete a Chinese opera costume transformation. Exquisite gifts given out on site — including Xing Xiao Chen magnetic snap figurines and panda blind box plushies — proved enormously popular with Congress attendees. This cross-language beauty of AI came with a very real sense of “something to take home,” leaving everyone with wonderful memories.

During the exhibition, mainstream media, industry media, and overseas outlets provided comprehensive coverage of the China Telecom booth through livestreaming, exclusive interviews, articles, and other formats, sparking extensive attention and discussion, with related topics trending continuously. On March 3, well-known media hosts took up position at the China Telecom booth and launched a global “Exhibition Exploration” livestream, offering tens of millions of online viewers an immersive, first-person experience of the cutting-edge technologies, igniting wave after wave of online buzz. China Telecom’s AI products and technological capabilities successfully achieved breakthrough viral reach well beyond the industry.

This MWC 2026 journey was not only a vivid demonstration of China Telecom’s transformation into a key promoter in the AI era, but also a profound dialogue with global partners on technology and development. Standing at the forefront of the intelligent era, China Telecom will continue to deepen its “Cloudification, Digital Transformation and AI for Good” strategy, responding to the questions of the times with forward-looking technological innovation, and moving forward hand in hand with partners in an open and mutually beneficial spirit, jointly ushering in a brighter new era of AI.

https://www.chinatelecomglobal.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/3679513
https://x.com/chinateleglobal
https://www.facebook.com/chinatelecomglobal
Wechat: 中国电信国际

Hashtag: #ChinaTelecom #MWC2026 #AI #DigitalTransformation

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/2026/03/09/china-telecom-concludes-mwc-2026-with-outstanding-success/

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‘Sovereignty at stake’, Iranian diaspora says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Women members of Iran’s Red Crescent society stand near smoke plumes from an ongoing fire following an overnight airstrike on the Shahran oil refinery in northwestern Tehran on March 8, 2026. AFP

On 28 February, Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by joint US and Israel attacks on his residence. A further week of strikes on Iran have targeted nuclear and military sites, including airfields, radar, and naval facilities.

The Red Crescent estimates the death toll has topped 1000 people across Iran, including at least 165 girls killed when their school was bombed in the city of Minab. Iran has retaliated against military and civilian targets across the Gulf states, and Israel has also attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon.

As the strikes continue, Iranians living here in New Zealand talk to Kadambari Raghukumar about their views on the war and the divide in the community that it has amplified.

Mahdis Azarmandi, an expert in Peace and Conflict studies and senior lecturer at University of Canterbury said: “I think what people need to understand that this war is motivated and it’s a continuation of the genocide in Gaza, the war in Lebanon, of the restructuring of West Asia. So it has to be seen politically in a broader context of how to rearrange the, you know, Middle East or West Asia more accurately. And that has been underway for a period of time. And Iran, as one of the few countries left that retains sovereignty, is a threat to the reordering of that part of the world.”

Many in the Iranian community are divided over the conflict.

Rubble of destroyed buildings is pictured at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Rweiss neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs, on March 8, 2026. AFP

While some Iranians around the world have celebrated the death of Khamenei and welcome the attacks, there are large numbers denouncing the assault on Iran and decrying the attack on their nation’s sovereignty.

Mahdis said: “This is not just about people who opposed the war and people who are celebrating the war in some park. It means that entire families and communities are going to be completely divided for a very long time. So that is what concerns me on a personal level. I think it’s that how many relationships are broken right now because of it.”

Separating the personal from the current politics is hard, Mahdis tells Raghukumar – especially for those who had to leave Iran during the 70s or 80s – either during the rule of the last Shah of Iran, Mohamed Reza Pahlavi, or after he was deposed in 1979, when the first Supreme Leader, the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini took power.

Mahdis said: ” I think I am constantly living through all of these layers of personal experience. So the personal experience of being in a diaspora Iranian with a particular kind of relationship to the Islamic Republic and who sees these things not in isolation from each other, but in conjunction. And I think that is what differentiates the people who are now more concerned and maybe taking a step back and defending the sovereignty of Iran, which I think is what is at stake.”

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tibnit on March 5, 2026. RABIH DAHER / AFP

The current bombings came after weeks of negotiations between Iran and US and are viewed by many commentators as a breach of international law.

Dr Behzad Dowran has been living in New Zealand for eight years. He said: “From the past, we can remember they invaded many countries. And the result was just, innocent people were killed over there. And nothing but misery they gifted to those countries.”

In January, Dowran happened to be in Tehran, a witness to the violent protests that saw thousands of people killed. Behzad said “nobody can imagine being attacked by negotiators”.

“We have had many internal issues, many internal problems, mismanagement or wrong policies, many things. But we have had this experience, and we were going to manage it in a way internally to solve it.

“It is not easy to solve these sort of problems when you have long term of sanctions. But we managed it, more or less. But they attacked the country just in the middle of negotiations.”

Dowran said he was “very angry” because it violated international law.

“Nobody has the right, no country has the right to invade another country and kill the head of another country. And I am sorry and I am very sad that I see my Iranian comrades here think this is a thing that they may celebrate.”

Another Iranian, who preferred to remain anonymous for concerns of their safety, told Here Now that “the Iranian community is very diverse. Whatever the people inside Iran want that is what should matter most. Many people believe that a lasting solution must come from inside Iran, not imposed from outside”.

“Different approaches doesn’t we mean are enemies to one another. Most of us want the same ultimate goal -a better, freer, more dignified future for Iranians. But the ways we reach that goal may be very different.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/sovereignty-at-stake-iranian-diaspora-says/

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Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson and Michelle Williams Wear Desert Diamonds on The Red Carpet at The 32nd Actors Awards

Source: Media Outreach

Today’s biggest stars express individuality and confidence with natural diamonds

LOS ANGELES, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – At this year’s The Actor Awards, the red carpet was illuminated with natural diamonds worn by some of the acting world’s most respected talents, with Desert diamonds taking center stage.

Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson and Michelle Williams at the Actors Awards wear natural diamonds; Photo Credits: Getty Images

Leading entertainers wore natural diamonds in ranges of shades from sunlit whites to cognacs that spoke to individuality, creativity and brilliance. Natural diamonds shone brightly on award winners Jessie Buckley and Michelle Williams, while nominees Kate Hudson and Rose Byrne proudly wore natural diamonds from Botswana and Namibia, respectively. In an array of shapes and designs, natural diamonds — especially in the latest Desert diamond hues — blended timeless elegance with effortless style.

Desert diamonds

Desert diamonds, ranging from sunlit whites to pale cognacs, were a defining presence of the evening, reinforcing the growing appetite for naturally warm-toned stones.

Kate Hudson embraced the trend in custom Emily P. Wheeler designs, including an open torque necklace centered with a pale cognac Desert diamond, two circular bubble statement rings featuring Desert diamond center stones sourced from Botswana, and a reinterpretation of the brand’s signature “twist” silhouette set with an east-west moval cognac diamond. She completed the look with bubble fringe earrings accented by pale cognac Desert diamond center stones.

Rose Byrne also opted for Desert diamonds, wearing sunlit white natural diamonds sourced from Namibia by Messika, including the brand’s EM Divine Enigma rings and Sirenetta earrings.

Michelle Williams selected additional Messika designs featuring natural diamonds from Namibia, including the Créoles PM Snake Dance earrings and the Totem Coeur ring.

Jessie Buckley had her own take on the trend in warm white Desert diamond earrings, a diamond button back necklace and a pear-shaped natural diamond button-back ring, all by Jessica McCormack.

Statement Earrings

Earrings of every silhouette and scale took center stage, emerging as one of the evening’s most defining jewelry statements. Chandelier styles proved particularly prominent, with Chase Infiniti in striking De Beers London desert-hued statement earrings, Mindy Kaling in Bucherer Fine Jewellery, and Demi Moore in a luminous Harry Winston set. Calista Flockhart wore dramatic large-scale natural diamond feather earrings by LEVIEV.
Medium-sized circular silhouettes also made a strong showing. Zanna Roberts Rassi selected Martin Katz circle diamond earrings; Hannah Einbinder opted for square hoop styles by Fope; Rhea Seehorn chose Marco Bicego teardrop hoops; and Kristen Bell wore diamond drops by Messika.
More closely cropped, ear-hugging designs offered a modern counterpoint. Yerin Ha wore David Yurman’s floating diamond shrimp earrings, while Teyana Taylor selected Tiffany & Co. ear clips.
The most prevalent style across the carpet, however, was the diamond stud. Seen on Jacob Elordi, Michael B. Jordan, Connor Storrie, Tyler, the Creator, Miles Caton, and Sarah Pidgeon (in Rahaminov Diamonds), the classic stud reaffirmed its status as a timeless classic.

Neck-Hugging Diamonds

Close-to-the-neck necklaces emerged as the evening’s most prominent neckwear trend, with torques, structured collars, and sculptural diamond designs defining the category. Sarah Paulson’s Boucheron necklace exemplified the look, as did Sheryl Lee Ralph’s De Beers London design. Connor Storrie made a confident statement in a Tiffany & Co. mixed cluster diamond collar, while Rhea Seehorn opted for a more understated yet striking Marco Bicego piece. Teyana Taylor, Ali Larter, and Wunmi Mosaku further embraced the trend in bold, closely cropped designs from Tiffany & Co., Repossi, and Messika, respectively.

Statement Rings

Statement rings served as a refined finishing touch. Kristen Bell selected the Messika by Kate Moss Exotic Charm ring, adding a sculptural accent to her ensemble. Connor Storrie opted for a statement design from Tiffany & Co., while Tyler, the Creator embraced a large yellow diamond ring, further solidifying the continued interest in warm-toned Desert diamonds. Wunmi Mosaku chose a substantial Messika ring and Zanna Roberts Rassi rounded out the trend with two standout Martin Katz designs: a modified heart rose-cut trillion diamond ring accented with microset diamonds in platinum, and a two row Asscher-cut diamond eternity band in 18kt white gold.

Desert diamonds highlight natural stones shaped by time and the elements, each one carrying the spirit of the land. They form a unique link between the earth and those who wear them.

https://www.debeersgroup.com/
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Hashtag: #adiamondisforever #naturaldiamonds #diamonds #Desertdiamonds #ACTORSAWARDS

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/2026/03/09/jessie-buckley-rose-byrne-kate-hudson-and-michelle-williams-wear-desert-diamonds-on-the-red-carpet-at-the-32nd-actors-awards/

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Leman murder trial: Closing arguments heard in High Court

Source: Radio New Zealand

Michael Scott Rodger is on trial for murdering Richard Leman. RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon

Crown prosecutors have been accused of being “underhanded and dishonest” by ignoring crucial evidence around the brutal killing of a Canterbury man, a High Court jury has heard.

Michael Scott Rodger, 46, is accused of murdering Richard Leman, 41, whose body was found in the boot of his own car parked at an abandoned house in Tyler Street in Rangiora in April 2023.

Leman’s torso was found in the car but his head, legs and arms are still missing.

Rodger denies shooting or killing the father-of-three.

Closing arguments were heard in the High Court at Christchurch on Monday in front of Justice Jonathan Eaton.

The jury heard from Crown prosecutor Barnaby Hawes for more than two hours, where he explained the case against Rodger was “overwhelming”.

In response, Rodger’s defence lawyer Ethan Huda said there were legitimate questions around the circumstances of Leman’s death.

He explained the Crown had failed to mention, in its closing arguments, evidence from a pathologist who found Leman could have been stabbed before being shot.

“There’s a reasonable doubt about what happened at the crime scene. There’s a reasonable doubt as to what happened around the time of death,” Huda said.

“I suggest…that when you get to [the pathologist’s] evidence during your deliberation, the Crown’s case evaporates into the thin air like candy floss. It’s good to look at, it’s even good to taste from a certain angle, but it’s fluff.

“It’s disrespectful to 12 members of the jury to think you can hide evidence from them. A pathetic attempt at proving its case.”

The Crown argues Rodger shot Leman twice, first in the leg, then a fatal shot to his chest.

Richard Leman’s torso was found in a car, but his head, legs and arms are still missing. Supplied / NZ Police

Earlier in the trial, pathologist Dr Leslie Anderson said Leman was also stabbed in the back.

The defence said key Crown witnesses Morgan Grant and Sara Plimmer, who were with Leman the night he died, did not reference a stabbing during their respective testimonies.

The defence also outlined a text message exchange between Grant and another person, three days after Leman’s murder, which referenced the involvement of not one, but multiple “fugitives”.

In his closing arguments for the Crown, Hawes told jurors “objective evidence” proved there was only one possible killer.

“I suggest the way to approach the case is to start with what is fixed and independent, the pathology, the CCTV and telecommunications records, and all the forensic work and the linkages back to Mr Rodger,” he said.

“Any other possible explanation you’re looking at bring it back to this core, objective evidence. When you do that, I suggest the evidence clearly converges on one person and one person only and that is Mr. Rodger.”

Hawes said the accused’s claim that another unidentified person was the killer remained implausible.

“Mr. Roger would have you believe he’s unlucky.

“It’s not simply bad luck, that he was at the scene. It certainly was for Richard Leman. It’s not bad luck that both eyewitnesses name him as the perpetrator.

“I suggest he’s not unlucky, I suggest he’s guilty.”

The Crown said no-one gave Leman first-aid or called emergency services and Leman died within minutes.

The jury heard that Rodger threatened to kill Grant and Plimmer, took Leman’s drugs and cash and dragged his body into another room.

Justice Eaton was due to sum up the case on Tuesday before the jury retires for deliberations.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/leman-murder-trial-closing-arguments-heard-in-high-court/

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Government working ‘around the clock’ to help New Zealanders stranded in Middle East

Source: Radio New Zealand

Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules prepares to leave for the Middle East on 7 March. Kaye Albyt

New Zealanders in the Middle East should attempt to leave by road or commercial flights as soon as it is safe to do so, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said.

The government was working “around the clock” on plans to assist Kiwis stranded in the region, an MFAT spokesperson said.

Efforts were focused on overland options to support New Zealanders to leave Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

MFAT had contacted New Zealanders in those countries who had expressed interest in government-assisted departure, but support provided would depend on factors, including the security environment and cooperation of foreign governments, the spokesperson said.

MFAT warned that travel disruption has now extended well beyond the region.

Airlines that normally transit Middle East airspace to connect Europe and Asia faced significantly longer routes and higher fuel costs, which had been compounded by Russian and Ukrainian airspace also being closed to most airlines.

For those countries where the airspace remained closed, MFAT advised sheltering in place and following the advice of local authorities at all times.

This included ensuring enough food and water supplies, torches, batteries, and medications.

Commercial airlines were increasing the number of flights operating and were the fastest way for New Zealanders to get home, MFAT said.

By Monday morning, 3694 New Zealanders had registered as in the region via the Safe Travel site.

A MFAT spokesperson said the majority (2213) were in the United Arab Emirates. Around 900 New Zealanders have registered from Qatar and Saudi Arabia combined, and 121 in Egypt.

Less than 100 Kiwis were in each of Kuwait, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Oman, and 36 in Iran.

MFAT said its ability to assist New Zealanders in Iran was extremely limited.

The Embassy in Tehran, which closed in mid-January, would remain closed until further notice.

New Zealanders in Iran needing support should contact the consular emergency line or the New Zealand Embassy in Turkey.

The Safe Travel site reported Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) had announced the partial re-opening of airspace and some resumption of flights out of Doha.  

The services would  operate on designated contingency routes with limited capacity, and with the support of Qatar’s Armed Forces, allowing for airline-run evacuation flights.

Qatar Airlines had been in direct contact with customers to offer this option, MFAT said.

“We strongly encourage New Zealanders who want to leave Qatar, particularly those who have existing bookings with Qatar Airways, to urgently contact your airline and travel agent to seek further information. “

There was one commercial flight scheduled to leave Doha on Monday, travelling to Perth.

There could be long delays getting through to airlines, given very high demand, but people should stay on the line until answered and use official channels like chat or call centres, not social media, MFAT said.

All airlines and airports continued to stress that passengers should not proceed to the airport unless their airline has confirmed their specific flight is operating.

It urged people to register via the Safe Travel website, to check the website and Facebook for any updates, and to avoid government buildings, military sites and facilities, such as energy infrastructure, including oil production facilities and US Embassies, which could be targeted in military strikes.

Two Defence Force Hercules are in the region and poised to assist if commercial flights become unavailable, a MFAT spokesperson said.

One departed from Whenuapai on Saturday, and another was being redirected to the Middle East from Asia.

On the weekend, Defence Minister Judith Collins said she could not provide specific routes, timings or destinations for security reasons, but that if evacuations took place, the planes would bring people to safer locations where they could board commercial flights back to New Zealand.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/government-working-around-the-clock-to-help-new-zealanders-stranded-in-middle-east/

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‘Rockets and feathers’ effect: The phenomenon behind soaring gas prices

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Dan Cook

Do petrol prices rise faster when oil increases, than they fall when it drops?

A number of motorists have got in touch with RNZ over the weekend, complaining that it appears that when the price of oil rises, petrol companies respond quickly with higher fuel prices. But when the price of oil drops, the relief does not flow through as fast.

The oil price is now over US$100 per barrel and 95 has reached $3 a litre in some parts of the country. Gaspy said the average price of 91 was $2.64 on Monday afternoon.

Murat Ungor, an economist at Otago University, said it was a known phenomenon.

“Economists have a name for it: the ‘rockets and feathers’ effect. This label suggests asymmetries in the immediate adjustment to a cost change as well as in the number of periods needed for a complete adjustment.”

He said it reflected rational responses to market structure, search costs and competitive dynamics.

“Whilst the pattern disadvantages consumers during price decline periods, it emerges from well-understood economic mechanisms including inventory management, menu costs, asymmetric search behaviour, and oligopolistic market structure.

“Policy interventions focusing on enhancing price transparency and maintaining competitive market structures can mitigate, though not eliminate, asymmetric price transmission.”

He said it was a pattern seen in the UK and US, too.

“Competition authorities across the globe have long been interested in the question of whether retail gasoline and diesel prices rise more quickly than they fall, relative to the movements in underlying input costs.

“So why does this happen? There are a few reasons working together. First, when oil prices go up, petrol stations need to replace their fuel at higher costs, so they raise prices quickly to avoid losing money. All stations face the same pressure, so prices jump across the board within days. But when oil prices drop, there is less urgency. Stations can keep prices higher for longer because most customers do not actively shop around for cheaper fuel when prices are falling gradually.”

He said that it was not price fixing as much as it was fuel retailers responding to competitive pressure and consumer behaviour.

“When you are more likely to notice and complain about rising prices than slowly falling ones, stations can get away with slower cuts. Price comparison apps and websites can help by making it easier to find the cheapest fuel, which forces stations to compete more on price. But the rockets-and-feathers pattern is unlikely to disappear completely. It is baked into how the retail fuel market works.”

In 2024, a focus report from the Commerce Commission said that its analysis showed fuel companies were quicker to increase petrol prices than to lower them.

“There is no evidence that fuel companies ultimately fail to pass through the cost increases or decreases to consumers, rather the speed at which companies do this varies. This effect is present for Regular 91 and Premium 95. The commission estimates that if fuel companies drop prices as quickly as they increase them when costs change, consumers would save in the order of $15 million a year.”

But Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub was not convinced it was such a problem. He said it could be that people were more sensitive to price rises than they were to price falls.

“Using 20 years of weekly MBIE data, the rockets-and-feathers hypothesis is not confirmed with the well-specified models. The popular intuition may reflect cognitive bias, structural factors like taxes being a large fixed component of retail prices, or something else. I certainly don’t see the rockets and feather effect in the data.”

Z did not have anyone available to speak. BP said it was monitoring the situation closely.

“There are a number of factors that influence prices. We continue to review bp Connect prices every day to ensure competitiveness in the market. The bp website has more information on the facts about fuel pricing. There are also a number of independent bp operators all around the country who set their own prices and manage their own operations.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/rockets-and-feathers-effect-the-phenomenon-behind-soaring-gas-prices/

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Schools bringing in counsellors to deal with harm caused by social media

Source: Radio New Zealand

There are calls for a ban on social media for under 16’s in New Zealand. (File photo) NurPhoto via AFP

Principals of two Auckland schools say they’ve had to hire counsellors specifically for dealing with the harm caused to children by social media.

The principal of East Auckland’s Riverina Primary School, Bryce Mills told Checkpoint children as young as eight were being exposed to extreme online content.

He said his school hired a counsellor to help deal with the damage and he was not the only one.

Auckland’s Whangaparāoa College had hired the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media, it said.

It’s prompted calls to push through a ban on social media for under-16s.

It comes days after Parliament’s Education and Workforce Committee released its final report on the inquiry into the harm social media causes for young people, offering recommendations including banning under-16 year olds from social media.

Saasha Jolley is a teacher at Riverina Primary School and she regularly heard students talk about scrolling Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat as well as gaming online the night before.

Primary school children were using social media apps like Instagram and Tiktok, a teacher said. (File photo) RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

“Roblox in particular is a big one at the moment, in terms of the chatter that happens, the games they have access to.

“I know that it’s both a platform for kids and adults, they can both access it, they can create the games on there, so I guess that makes it a lot more open.”

What the students see and hear online at night arrived with them at school the next day, she said, and they didn’t always understand what they were repeating.

“They heard it from their friend or they heard it from this person online, so they thought that it was okay to say.”

Last year, research from Te Mana Whakaatu the Classification Office, found young people don’t generally go looking for objectionable content.

But it could be hard to avoid when it came up on social media, in group chats, or was shown around in person.

Some examples of this included pornography and real-world violence.

Riverina Primary School principal Bryce Mills said similar content was being seen by children as young as eight at his school.

“There is the odd occasion unfortunately where you do hear some of that sexual stuff coming through as well,” he said.

The school of 150 students was self-funding its own online security system, which costed them $3000 each year.

But Mills said the school couldn’t control what the students saw once they went home for the day.

“I had a parent the other day say to me, that they got up at one in the morning to go to the bathroom and they could see a glowing light from a bedroom.

A child using the Roblox app. (File photo) MARIJAN MURAT

“Their daughter had gone out and got the phone off the dining room table and was on their phone.

“If they hadn’t gone up to go to the bathroom, they wouldn’t have known that. It [happens] behind those closed doors.”

The situation was similar at Auckland’s Whangaparāoa College.

Principal Steve McCracken said he had to hire the equivalent of five school counsellors last year to help teenagers harmed by social media.

It was costing the school hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“I think that it is largely driven by social media and what they see is cool, the people that they see online with rich backgrounds and fast cars and all the bling.”

Last year, Australia became the first country to implement a social media ban for under 16’s, blocking access to sites like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Where to get help:

  • Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason
  • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
  • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
  • Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202
  • Samaritans: 0800 726 666
  • Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
  • What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds
  • Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.
  • Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
  • Healthline: 0800 611 116
  • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
  • OUTLine: 0800 688 5463
  • Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

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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/2026/03/09/schools-bringing-in-counsellors-to-deal-with-harm-caused-by-social-media/

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Rugby: Injury-hit Black Ferns Sevens outlast Australia in Vancouver thriller

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s women’s team celebrate with the trophy after defeating Australia to win the HSBC SVNS Vancouver rugby sevens tournament. AFP / DON MACKINNON

An injury-depleted Black Ferns Sevens side pulled off a hard fought victory over Australia in the Vancouver Sevens final on Monday.

Reduced to just three players on their reserves bench with Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Jazmin Felix-Hotham and Manaia Nuku unavailable, the odds were stacked against the Black Ferns, who have got the better of Australia in three of their four previous title clashes during the series.

Leading 12-5 at halftime, New Zealand appeared to be running out of steam as the Aussies reeled them in level the scores at 17-17 with a couple of minutes left on the clock before a late try Alena Saili sealed the victory for the Black Ferns.

Player of the match Jorja Miller was the crucial point of difference between the two teams.

Miller scored one and set up a second in a full-throttle final as the Black Ferns Sevens held off Australia maintain their perfect winning record in Vancouver.

Miller said the adversity faced by the team during the tournament made the win more meaningful.

“I am so proud of this team, I’m so honoured to wear this black jersey. We’ve had a few girls go down this weekend … it means a lot more to us than just rugby,” the

And, on International Women’s Day she remembered who had inspired her. “When I was younger I was looking up to the greats, amazing players like Portia and Sarah Hirini.

“I hope that, as a team, we can inspire young girls and young boys to play rugby.”

USA beat France in the third-place play-off to end a nine-tournament wait for a podium finish, while Canada got the home crowd on their feet as they claimed fifth, and Japan claimed seventh at the end of an end-to-end play-off against Great Britain.

In the men’s draw, South Africa toppled Spain to take out the title.

South Africa beat and Spain 38-12 in the men’s final.

The All Blacks Sevens failed to reach the semifinal stage after losing to both of the eventual finalists during pool play.

The series now heads to New York for the next weekend’s tournament.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/rugby-injury-hit-black-ferns-sevens-outlast-australia-in-vancouver-thriller/

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Airlines may look to cut flights as fuel prices soar, airline boss says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Duane Emeny, chief operating officer of Air Chathams. Sharon Brettkelly

Airlines may have to cut the number of flights as they grapple with the soaring price of aviation fuel, according to the boss of a New Zealand airline.

The chief executive of Air Chathams says the rising cost of oil is costing the small airline some $140,000 extra a month in fuel.

The conflict in Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route carrying about 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas.

It’s pushed the global oil prices higher. The benchmark Brent Crude rose 18 percent or by US$18 to US$110 a barrel shortly after trading resumed on Monday at 11am NZT.

Air Chathams chief executive Duane Emeny told Checkpoint that prices were certainly on their way up.

Emeny said fuel was the company’s third most expensive cost, behind people and maintenance, and it’s causing significant cost increases for the airline.

“Every time the fuel costs go up by 10 cents, for a small airline like Air Chathams, that’s about $300k on to the bottom line for us. As you can imagine, with an increase of about $60 a barrel to what we are seeing at the moment, which is around the $115 mark, you are looking at annual costs of about 1.65 million increase, or $140k a month,” he said.

“So, it’s really, really significant, especially for a small airline.”

Emeny said the airline may have to cut the number of flights should the price of jet fuel remain so high.

“If you can’t afford to put aeroplanes in the air, then you’ve got to look at that and say ‘do I cut back my schedule, do I provide less connectivity because of this cost and then wait until it comes right and eases?’.”

“… All airlines will be looking at this, the big ones and the little ones,” Emeny said.

He’d like the government to look at ways to soften the blow on airlines.

“It’s an uncontrollable. We just have to grin and bear it,” Emeny said.

“I would just say, if there is any opportunity for the government to look at some of the mechanisms they do control – [Civil Aviation Authority] CAA levies, cost of airways, those sort of things – maybe there’s some short-term measures we can look at to support airlines.”

He said pausing those levies would be a welcome relief, saving the airline around $200,000 a month.

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An Artful Evolution: Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan Unveils Sustainability-led Refresh

Source: Media Outreach

BALI, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 March 2026 – The multi-award-winning architecture ofFour Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan – an awe-inspiring, suspended rice bowl structure – remains as pioneering today as when it was unveiled 28 years ago. Now, the Forbes Five-Star resort draws on those cutting-edge foundations to reveal a thoughtful reimagining of its luxury riverside suite accommodations and jungle-view dining spaces.

The resort has partnered with the world’s largest hospitality design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), for a revamp anchored in Balinese harmony and heritage. Guided by an ethos of refined, rejuvenated, and liveable, the resort refresh launches in July 2026 across seven suite accommodations: five Premier Duplex Suites and two Family Premier Suites.

Ayung Terrace – the resort’s elevated jungle-vista restaurant – and Jati Bar, its river valley hideaway, will also showcase new furniture, colour schemes and styling. Every element of the refresh is rooted in respect for the jungle, rice paddy and Ayung River valley surrounds.

Inspired by Craftmanship and Culture

Existing design elements combine with Balinese textiles and craftsmanship to weave a rich tapestry of local artistry in the upgraded guest sanctuaries. Light, earthy fabrics inspired by Ubud’s rice paddies partner with dark, stained wood for a fresh contemporary vibe.

Through the redesign, HBA pay homage to the resort’s original architectural concept while offering a renewed aesthetic and meeting contemporary demands. Integrated smart home elements like LUTRON lighting offer seamless control over the suite environment.

The Following Reimagined Suites Will be Open to Guests from July 2026:

  • Premier Duplex Suite – The ultimate retreat for couples who appreciate extra space, this two-level one-bedroom suite includes a dining area with floor-to-ceiling river-view windows, and a sun terrace. Rich teak wood and hand-loomed fabrics create a warm, welcoming ambience.
  • Family Premier Suite – Ideally located in the resort’s main building near the restaurants and spa, this luxury one-bedroom suite features a beautifully designed kids’ room. A large living space and views over the river valley provide a soothing retreat for the entire family.

Driven by Sustainability

From reused materials to energy-saving fixtures, the redesign is deeply grounded in sustainability principles. All new guest rooms have energy-efficient LED lighting alongside new air conditioning units that use environmentally friendly energy-saving refrigerants.

Optimising the existing framework and reusing and refurbishing through careful craftmanship has reduced the need for new building materials. Any new materials used have been carefully chosen for longevity and locally sourced where possible.

Dining with a Difference

Soaring over the lush jungle river valley, Ayung Terrace restaurant has long immersed diners in a sense of wonderment and natural beauty. Now, new elements such as plush grey river-view sofas, elegant wooden chairs and marbled-topped tables infuse a vibrant burst of energy. At Jati Bar, welcoming sofas and chairs in natural green and grey tones offer an elevated setting in which to enjoy creative cocktails, light bites and river vistas.

“Four Seasons Sayan is known for its cutting-edge design and architecture,” comments Tim Churchmack, Resort Manager, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. “This new design honours that heritage and pays further homage to our incredible natural home. We’re thrilled to unveil these elevated living and dining spaces with intuitive, modern facilities within refreshed surrounds. It’s an exciting new era for Four Seasons Sayan.”

The refresh follows a stand-out few years for the multi-award-winning riverside hideaway, including earning an inaugural Michelin key in 2025 for exceptional, unforgettable guest experiences. In the same year, the newly re-launched Sacred River Spa secured a Four-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, hot on the heels of Ayung Terrace’s 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its unique, locally focused wine list.

Hashtag: #FourSeasonsBali

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/2026/03/09/an-artful-evolution-four-seasons-resort-bali-at-sayan-unveils-sustainability-led-refresh/

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Kaikōura farmer fined $35k for failing to register hundreds of cattle

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trevor Bolton, failed to track or register the movements of cattle on and off his farms. (File photo) RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A Kaikōura dairy farmer has been fined $35,000 for failing to register hundreds of cattle or track their movements on and off his farms.

Trevor Ronald Bolton, 59, was sentenced at the Kaikōura District Court on March 6, after pleading guilty to three charges under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) Act.

Under the act, the movement of all cattle or deer must be declared to Operational Solutions for Primary Industries within 48 hours.

Animals must also be fitted with a NAIT tag and registered in the system by the time the animal is 180 days old or before it is moved off a farm. 

A Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) investigation found Bolton had not registered 269 animals, failed to declare 571 animals that were moved off-farm and failed to declare the movement of 83 animals onto his two large dairy farms.

He was fined $11,666 for each of the failures.

MPI district manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance upper south Paul Soper said the system was critical in tracing animals to manage disease or biosecurity incursions.

“This farmer’s failures under the NAIT Act related to almost 1000 animals. As we have learned from our experience with Mycoplasma bovis it only takes one animal to cause a problem,” he said.

Soper said MPI took non-compliance with the animal tracing rules seriously.

“Put simply, when people in charge of animals disregard or fail to live up to their NAIT obligations they put the whole agricultural sector at risk,” he said.

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Taihoro reborn: Team NZ launches upgraded AC75 ahead of America’s Cup defence

Source: Radio New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand’s new AC75 sailing on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf James Somerset

Team New Zealand’s boat Taihoro is officially out of the shed and ready to hit the water ahead of next year’s America’s Cup.

The team relaunched their AC75 at their Wynyard Point base in Auckland on Monday, a milestone in a campaign that is focussed on securing a historic fourth consecutive victory in Naples in 2027.

While Taihoro is the same vessel that dominated the waters of Barcelona, it has undergone a significant refit to meet the new 38th America’s Cup rules.

Team New Zealand chief executive officer Grant Dalton said “to outsiders, there may not be a huge amount that is apparently different”.

“From the outside it looks similar.”

Under strict cost-containment measures, teams are restricted to their legacy hulls used in the last Cup.

To remain compliant, Team New Zealand’s designers worked within razor-thin margins, limited to three specific modification categories:

  • Cockpit Reconfiguration: Extensive work to transition the deck layout for the new crew requirements.
  • Structural Rebuilds: The team was permitted to rebuild up to 4sqm of the hull using the same shape but different materials, allowing for localised strengthening or weight optimisation.
  • Functional Rebates: Modifications were made to add rebates to maximize aerodynamic efficiency.

Team New Zealand’s head of design Dan Bernasconi said despite the same hulls being used again, the rules still allow for some significant technological developments and improvements in the AC75’s.

“The hulls have always been one of the most noticeable features on an America’s Cup yacht, but because the hulls spend so much time out of the water, there is actually not that much difference in the performance of hulls, maybe five seconds around the race course across all of the boats in Barcelona.

“So the class rule and design parameters still allow for important gains and difference in performance from the foils, sails and control systems for example. As with every iteration of the same class of boat, there is no doubt the racing will be a lot closer this time around between all teams.

“So, as always, winning will be a massive challenge for the whole team.”

Team New Zealand first unveiled Taihoro ahead of the 2024 America’s Cup in Barcelona. LLUIS GENE / AFP

Chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge also expected a step up in performance.

“Internally, our philosophy is to always drive innovation and technology, so we think Taihoro ‘2.0’ will be a great step on from what we saw in Barcelona.” .

The most radical visual transformation lies in the crew pod on either side of the AC75.

The cyclors, who used leg power to provide hydraulic pressure have been retired as per the Protocol. In their place sits a standardised battery system for use across all teams.

This high-capacity battery is now the primary source of power for the yacht’s complex foil and sail control systems.

This technological leap has direct consequences for the crew, moving the challenge from physical exertion to digital discipline, as sailors must manage finite battery limits throughout the race.

Crew sizes have shrunk from eight down to five.

With an odd number of crew, roles are becoming more fluid, or roles like flight control and sail trimming may be further consolidated.

Skipper Nathan Outteridge said there is a lot of anticipation around what the roles of the five sailors will be.

“When you look across all of the teams, the question is who will be in the different positions.

“For us, we have a fresh new team which is an exciting mix of young talent and experience so what that eventually looks like in July next year we don’t know right now. That’s part of what the next block sailing Taihoro is about.”

One certainty in the coming days is Olympic gold and silver medallist Jo Aleh is set to become the first woman to crew an AC75 as a new rule introduced to extend the pathways beyond the AC40’s and Women’s America’s Cup to the America’s Cup itself.

A notable addition to the new layout is a dedicated guest racer pod, designed to allow a non-crew member to experience the raw G-forces of an AC75 at full flight, a feature not seen since the days of the version 5 IACC boats in 2007.

Team New Zealand will be utilising the guest racer spot throughout their sailing block in Auckland over the coming weeks.

The relaunch ceremony was centred around the cultural traditions that have come to define the team’s identity with Iwi Manaaki Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei presiding over the event, blessing Taihoro once again.

The blessing reconnected the vessel with its name, meaning “to move swiftly as the sea between both sky and earth”.

Aucklanders and America’s Cup followers will not have to wait long to see the Taihoro in action.

With the AC75 ready to go sailing, the first seen in the 38th America’s Cup cycle, the team will begin an intensive testing block immediately. Over the coming weeks, Taihoro will be a regular fixture on the Hauraki Gulf, flying across the water as the crew acclimates to the new dynamics of the freshly evolved AC75 before the team refocuses on AC40 racing at the first Preliminary Regatta in Cagliari, Sardinia in May.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/09/taihoro-reborn-team-nz-launches-upgraded-ac75-ahead-of-americas-cup-defence/