New Zealand Police have targeted Comanchero members and associates as part of coordinated enforcement activity across Australasia targeting the gang’s criminal operations.
Three men have been arrested, with items seized including an AR-15 rifle, cash and methamphetamine.
Taskforce Morpheus is a working group of law enforcement agencies across Australia and New Zealand that focus on the targeting and disruption of illegal activity by organised criminal groups.
Last week, the National Day of Action targeted the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, and saw nine Police districts carry out enforcement activity, supported by the National Organised Crime Group and the National Gang Unit.
Police charged three men who are members or associates of the gang and laid 14 charges for drugs and firearms offending.
In Tokoroa, Bay of Plenty staff searched three addresses with the assistance of the Armed Offenders Squad.
Five firearms, including an AR-15 rifle, were recovered along with cannabis and a kilogram of a substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Two men, aged 36 and 39, were arrested without incident during the warrants.
Around the country, Police also worked with the Department of Corrections given the number of members currently in custody.
Director of the National Organised Crime Group, Detective Superintendent Greg Williams says the Comancheros remain of interest to law enforcement agencies.
“This gang is seen as one of the top organised crime groups in both Australia and New Zealand for their involvement in the importation and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine and other illegal drugs,” he says.
“They remain a focus for us, and through our investigative work we continue to find their members and associates involved in a large number of importations, alongside their propension for committing serious violence to maintain control over the market.”
Police continue to work with law enforcement agencies in New Zealand and abroad to combat the Comanchero’s influence globally.
“We are focused on taking their influence out of New Zealand, and we have had many successes since the gang established operations here through Operations Nova and Embargo,” Detective Superintendent Williams says.
“Nearly all of the gang’s members and associates have been prosecuted, and this includes its entire senior leadership team that are all facing serious charges.”
Director Prisoners of Extreme Risk Directorate, Jeanette Burns says a large number of cells were searched across six prisons in New Zealand.
“Across those prisons a large amount of tobacco was located, alongside quantities of suspected illicit drugs,” says Jeanette.
“Some prisoners go to extreme and elaborate lengths to continue offending from prison. Our staff work hard to stop contraband entering our prisons, and when we do find it we take this extremely seriously.
“Corrections does not tolerate any criminal behaviour in our prisons, and we continue to work with our partners to stamp out this offending and the harm it causes to our communities.”
Ara Institute of Canterbury has marked a major milestone in its return to independent status, with over 900 graduates filling Ōtautahi’s Wolfbrook Arena in two vibrant Autumn ceremonies on Friday 13 March.
A total of 1800 ākonga (students) were eligible to graduate this year, with half choosing to walk across the stage in front of whānau, friends and staff. The arena was filled twice over with waiata, haka and standing ovations as Ara celebrated its first graduation ceremonies since becoming a standalone polytechnic once again.
Graduates represented a wide range of disciplines – from construction management and engineering to cookery, early childhood education, business and broadcasting. The cohort included 65 postgraduate awardees, 586 bachelor’s degree or graduate diploma recipients, and 1123 graduates completing certificates and diplomas at Levels 4-6.
Associate Director of Māori Success Tate Tiatia opened the ceremony by acknowledging the collective effort behind each and every ākonga’s story.
“Achievement doesn’t come easily. It doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes effort and support. Be proud. You can move forward in confidence to navigate new environments and seek out new horizons,” she said.
One of the most moving moments came as the arena fell silent to honour two deaf graduates. Hands shimmered across the stands in New Zealand Sign Language as Danielle Elliott and Liberty Francis received theirNew Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing.
Elliott said the sense of community had defined her study experience. “Having that connection and family environment was the main thing. We had a great class vibe,” she said.
A previous recipient of Ara’s Eke Panuku Māori – Transformation Award, she will return to Taranaki this weekend to begin a role with Hāto Hone St John.
“I came here as a single mother with a one-year-old son and a big dream. I wasn’t just starting study – I was starting over,” she said.
“I’m grateful to Ara for creating a place that welcomes people from all walks of life, where learners can grow, where doors open, and where we are encouraged to bring our full, authentic selves into our study.”
Ara’s new board chair, Hugh Lindo, said the ceremonies marked a proud moment for the organisation under Chief Executive Darren Mitchell.
“We’re excited to be working with Darren and his team as we plot Ara’s future in a way that ensures we meet the expectations of learners and the industries they will join.
“Our team will be doing all it can to provide the best vocational opportunities to our ākonga and give them the tools they need to be successful in a diverse and ever-changing world.”
A photo illustration of a Brent crude oil price chart displayed on a screen. (File photo)AFP / Jonathan Raa / NurPhoto
War in the Middle East might have developed beyond US President Donald Trump’s ability to end it at whim, but has it yet reached a worst-case scenario?
Bloomberg reported on Friday that “international and US efforts to mollify oil markets continued to fail in the face of the long-feared worst-case scenario”.
Iran had pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut.
New Zealand commentators said the situation was deteriorating with each day that passed – but could it yet be called a worst-case scenario?
Mike Jones, chief economist at BNZ, said there were still a wide range of scenarios at play.
“I think what we’ve seen over the past few days is markets adjust expectations around the length and impact of this conflict. Oil prices have continued to grind higher since Tuesday’s brief reprieve, and global bond yields are rising as a bigger inflation shock is factored in. That’s not a growth-friendly mix, although the magnitude of any impact is still highly uncertain.
“I think what is clear is that every day the Strait is closed the risk to the global and domestic economies rises. And even when shipping does resume, it looks as if it will take some time for energy trade to recover. That means we could see some sort of risk premium built into oil prices for a longer period.”
Kelly Eckhold, chief economist at Westpac, said it was a “very serious situation” that was unprecedented outside the 1970s oil embargo period.
“Our analysis last week showed that the economic impacts would scale up significantly the longer the straits are closed. There will be an accumulating shortage of crude oil in Asian jurisdictions which is where we source our refined products. And the reality is you can’t refine and export what you can’t access.
“Right now, the impacts are modest. We have fuel inventories on hand and new supplies seem to be arriving as usual. Business has likely not needed to do much more than prepare contingency plans. Consumers are noticing an uncomfortable rise in fuel prices that hasn’t extended beyond the experience of the last few years. However, that will change as the closure period grows. Crude oil and refined product will become scarcer and more expensive and cause increasing economic losses.”
Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold. (File photo)Newshub
At Otago University, Murat Ungor said he did not think the situation was yet a “worst-case scenario” – because things could still get “considerably worse”.
“What is likely happening is anchoring to recent experience: oil has traded in the US$70-95 range since August 2022, so breaking US$100 feels dramatic relative to that baseline. To put this in historical context, we have seen far more extreme oil price environments. During the 2008 financial crisis, Brent crude reached US$147/barrel.
“Or, following the 2019 Abqaiq attack on Saudi facilities, markets briefly priced in severe supply disruption scenarios.
“A genuine worst-case oil scenario would involve several interrelated factors not yet observed.
“First, a large-scale physical supply disruption. Second, prices rising to US$150 to US$200 per barrel and remaining there some weeks or even a few months. Third, cascading macroeconomic effects: global recession, stagflation, and supply-chain paralysis as transport costs make moving goods uneconomical. Finally, severe demand destruction, with airlines grounding fleets, industrial production halting, and possible fuel rationing in major economies – surely, this is a part of the worst-case scenario.”
He said the current prices did not reflect worst-case outcomes.
“I think we are in a regime of significantly elevated risk rather than a worst-case realisation. That captures the seriousness without overstating where we currently stand.”
AI+Cloud strategy continues to empower businesses towards greater efficiency and new growth opportunities
HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 March 2026 – Alibaba Cloud, the digital and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, presents a series of customer success stories from 2025, showcasing how its full-stack AI and Cloud capabilities are powering innovation for enterprises worldwide.
Alibaba Cloud’s comprehensive AI offering – spanning infrastructure, its Qwen and Wan model families and development platforms – met significantly growing demand as enterprises scale their AI applications across industries. These AI deployments have in turn fueled higher usage of core cloud services, contributing to sustained growth and underscoring the company’s role as a trusted digital partner for enterprises worldwide.
Dr. Feifei Li, President of International Businessfor Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, said: “In 2025, we witnessed enterprises deepening and broadening their use of AI. Businesses around the world are utilizing our AI capabilities, built on a secure, scalable cloud foundation, to reimagine their industries, from AI-driven sustainable mobility to intelligent healthcare and generative content creation. Alibaba Cloud remains committed to delivering full-stack AI solutions, open-source initiatives and AI-optimized cloud infrastructure that empower customers to innovate at pace.”
Accelerating EV innovation in Malaysia
In Malaysia, Alibaba Cloud has been supporting mobility technology company PRO-NET from its inception, enabling the company to adopt a cloud first and data driven approach through a fully integrated end to end data pipeline. This foundation has played a key role as PRO-NET drives the development of Malaysia’s new energy ecosystem and accelerates the nation’s transition towards intelligent, sustainable mobility.
Building on this foundation, PRO-NET is advancing its AI capabilities using Alibaba Cloud’s Model Studio to develop its internal chatbot, which will later expand to customer-facing applications and vehicle infotainment systems. This collaboration strengthens PRO-NET’s capabilities in intelligent mobility, predictive analytics, and customer experience, supporting Malaysia’s broader EV transformation.
“Alibaba Cloud has been a key partner to PRO-NET, and their support in building our cloud-first and data-driven foundation has been instrumental as we advance Malaysia’s new energy mobility ecosystem. As we move into the next phase with AI, this impactful collaboration will empower us to unlock deeper insights, elevate customer experiences, and accelerate our vision of shaping a smarter, more connected future of mobility for Malaysia,” said Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET.
Powering multilingual AI in Singapore
In Singapore, Alibaba Cloud supports the release of Qwen-SEA-LION-v4, the latest version of a large language model developed by AI Singapore (AISG), to address the linguistic, cultural, and commercial needs of Southeast Asia. Built on Alibaba’s Qwen3-32B foundation model, the launch represents a significant step in AISG’s efforts to deliver increasingly capable and accessible AI solutions for the region.
Qwen-SEA-LION-v4 delivers significant improvement in multilingual accuracy and cultural contextual understanding while being efficient enough to run on a consumer-grade laptop with 32GB of RAM. It currently ranks first on the leaderboard for Southeast Asian Holistic Evaluation of Language Models (SEA-HELM) among open-source models under 200B parameters, thanks to its advanced reasoning, multilingual support, and long-context understanding tailored for Southeast Asian languages.
The base Qwen3-32B model has been further trained on over 100 billion Southeast Asian language tokens to enhance its ability to interpret local expressions, conversational nuances and regional knowledge domains.
“Our collaboration with Alibaba on Qwen-SEA-LION-v4 is an important milestone in advancing AI inclusivity and to make it more representative of Southeast Asia,” said Dr Leslie Teo, Senior Director of AI Products, AI Singapore. “It embodies our shared vision of accelerating AI innovation across the region and ensuring that developers, enterprises, and public institutions have access to AI that is open, affordable, and locally relevant, and is designed to truly understand the languages, cultures, and communities of this region.”
Modernizing healthcare with AI in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong,Leading Hong Kong-based Chinese medicine company PuraPharm Corporation Limited (PuraPharm) and clinical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intelligence software solutions company HerbMiners Informatics Limited (HerbMiners) have used Alibaba’s Qwen3 model to enhance the pioneering Traditional Chinese Medicine Advisor (TCMA) platform, a clinical management platform designed to modernize and globalize TCM practices. Powered by Qwen3 model, the platform now uses advanced natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning capabilities to help analyze unstructured clinical data, such as doctors’ notes and herbal prescriptions, supporting personalized treatment decisions and enhancing AI-driven patient engagement, clinical operations, security and compliance.
Dr. Wilfred W.K. Lin, Co-founder and Chief Data Analytics Director, HerbMiners Informatics Limited, said, “Our pioneering TCMA platform sheds lights on how modern tools can unleash the value of traditional wisdom, creating smarter, more responsive, and globally scalable healthcare systems. The platform is poised to redefine the future of TCM, not only in Hong Kong, but on a global scale.”
Enabling smarter, greener cities
Alibaba Cloud also supported global industry leaders to utilize Qwen to transform their operations, from accelerating product innovation to building smarter, more sustainable cities.
Signify, the world leader in lighting headquartered in the Netherlands, has launched the industry’s first GenAI agent in China powered by Alibaba’s self-developed large language model Qwen. By harnessing Qwen’s advanced capability to effectively handle complex tasks, the GenAI agent has been integrated into Signify’s connected street lighting system Interact City Flex that monitors, controls and manages street lighting, to further reduce energy consumption while boosting maintenance efficiency. Powered by Qwen, the upgraded system simplifies operation by allowing users to generate and deploy AI-driven dimming strategies through natural language commends. It also flags anomalies and provides solutions to improve efficiency on facility management and maintenance.
“Digital transformation in urban environments relies on intelligent systems that make city management smarter and more sustainable,” said Hans Nikol, Head of Open Innovation of Signify. “By making use of Alibaba’s Qwen model in our GenAI Agent, we’re empowering cities to proactively reduce energy consumption and lower operational costs. This collaboration marks an important step in intelligent city management and underlines our commitment to innovation and our vision for greener, brighter cities.”
Reinventing digital content creation in Japan
In Japan, Alibaba Cloud has established a strategic partnership with Tokyo-based digital manga developer and factory to drive AI adoption and innovation within Japan’s manga industry. Under the partnership, and factory becomes Alibaba Cloud’s official “Manga Partner,” contributing industry expertise and experience in digital manga platform development. Alibaba Cloud will provide advanced cloud infrastructure and AI technologies to support this digital transformation.
Together, the companies will co-develop AI-powered tools designed to boost efficiency and creativity in manag production, such as automated background illustration, intelligent storyboard creation, auto-coloring, animation conversion, and automatic translation. These solutions will empower creators, publishers, and distributors, expanding manga’s global reach.
With an expanding ecosystem of partners and customers, Alibaba Cloud remains focused on delivering secure, high-performance and accessible AI capabilities that help businesses of all sizes unlock new value and accelerate digital transformation in 2026 and beyond.
Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Police sent an emergency mobile alert and put up cordons around Sheffield Crescent in Burnside after being alerted to the substance shortly before 2.30pm on Thursday.
A number of businesses were evacuated, with cordons lifting at 7pm.
A Defence Force spokesperson said an explosive ordnance disposal team found the jar after responding to a request for assistance from police.
“The item was investigated and determined to be a jar of crystallized picric acid, which was removed and disposed of in a safe manner,” they said.
“Picric acid is a yellow substance historically used for dye production and other medical uses. When it becomes old, or is not stored correctly, it dries out and crystallizes, becoming a sensitive explosive which is not safe for transportation.
“Anyone who discovers a potentially dangerous item, should always exercise caution until the item is deemed safe by an expert. If you do discover something that might be dangerous, remain clear of the item and contact New Zealand Police as soon as possible.”
The mobile alert advised people to evacuate immediately.
“All members of the public are advised to immediately evacuate the area in the vicinity of Sheffield Cres Burnside Christchurch and surrounding area due to high-risk explosive substance located,” the alert said.
Police later said the substance had been “made safe”.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Signs on Wellington’s South Coast about the wastewater spill.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Wellington mayor Andrew Little says details from a preliminary report into the failure of the Moa Point wastewater plant will be made public next week.
The news comes just over five weeks out from when a massive backflow of sewage flooded the plant, shutting it down, damaging equipment and resulting in millions of litres of untreated sewage being pumped into the ocean off the city’s south coast.
“A draft report has been received by Wellington Water and provided this week to WCC. The report is an externally-prepared preliminary technical report on hydraulic issues related to the flood event at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“Officers are working through the report, and we expect to give an update to the public mid next week,” Little said.
The move marks a shift in the publication of findings into the plant’s failure.
Two days ago, Wellington Water confirmed the report had been handed to Wellington City Council officers, but would not be made public while the Crown review into the plant’s failure was taking place.
At a public meeting in the wake of the shutdown last month, Wellington Water chief operating officer Charles Barker told attendees he could not discuss the cause of the failure with a Crown review imminent and insurance processes underway.
“So, if at times I appear guarded, or I’m taking a bit longer to think, that’s because I’m probably getting close to that point where I have to be careful not to jeopardise any future inquiry, and especially everyone’s insurance,” Barker said.
The sentiment was echoed by Mayor Little, who, at the same meeting, said he was unable to discuss the cost to fix the stricken facility and who would pay.
“There’s a whole bunch of insurance claims being made by all sorts of parties.
Wellington mayor Andrew Little.RNZ / Mark Papalii
“I suspect insurance companies don’t want to do anything until they have a fair idea about what the possible cause is,” Little said.
The mayor’s office was unable to provide details of when exactly the preliminary report would be released, but did provide a letter from Little to Local Government Minister Simon Watt last month, urging him to consider publishing interim reports from the Crown Review team as the process went ahead.
“Because the event is ongoing, I would encourage you to consider the merits of the Crown Review Team providing interim reporting rather than wait for the entire ToRs [Terms of Reference] to have been satisfied. Transparency with Wellingtonians and all New Zealanders is essential, so it would be my expectation that all reporting should be proactively released as appropriate,” Little wrote early last month.
Wellington Water and Minister for Local Government, Simon Watts, have been approached for comment.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
ACT has voiced strong objections to the looming ban on greyhound racing, saying breeders, owners, and venues deserve compensation and more time.
But it has yet to decide whether it will completely pull its support for the legislation at its second reading. The bill – in the name of Racing Minister Winston Peters – passed its first reading in November with unanimous support.
The ACT party filed its dissenting view in a report published on Friday by a select committee considering the plan to shut down the sport by August.
In its contribution, ACT said it was “not convinced” the threshold had been met for banning a legal industry, saying such action should be a “last resort” only.
It said a longer transition should have been considered, noting that rehoming about 1600 greyhounds would take significant time and rushing the process would harm the owners, trainers and dogs.
ACT also called for “a clear compensation regime” for those who would lose their livelihoods and said the costs to rehome the greyhounds should be funded fully by the Crown.
Initially, the legislation said those costs would be met from the assets held by Greyhound Racing New Zealand, almost $16 million, with any amount left over given to other racing codes.
MPs at select committee agreed to change that so any leftover funds were returned to industry participants.
Speaking to RNZ, ACT MP Cameron Luxton said that was an improvement, but still not good enough.
He said thousands of “good hard-working salt-of-the-earth New Zealanders” were having their lawful livelihoods taken away from them through no fault of their own.
ACT MP Cameron Luxton.VNP / Phil Smith
Luxton said the government should “at the very least” set up a compensation scheme like the Labour-NZ First coalition did when it banned and confiscated some firearms.
“We’ve listened to a community that’s been misunderstood by Wellington. They’re getting a raw deal. Their property rights have been disregarded, and someone needs to stick up for them.”
Asked whether ACT would therefore vote against the bill at its second reading, Luxton said the caucus had yet to discuss that or whether it might invoke the coalition’s agree-to-disagree clause.
“It is a bit of a moot point when you consider that the bill’s got everyone in Parliament voting for it,” he said.
“I can’t give you a definite, but what I really want to do is make sure that the people who are being affected by this are heard… that they’re represented… and we work on a result that is fair to the people who are having their industry shut down and their community broken up.
The select committee – which also included representatives from National, Labour and the Greens – also agreed the legislation should be amended to allow TAB to keep taking bets on greyhound races outside New Zealand.
The rationale was that revenue could go towards the cost of winding down the industry, with a mandatory review to later consider whether that should continue.
Focus remains on ‘smooth and responsible’ transition -Peters
In a separate statement, Peters said everybody, including industry representatives, had had the opportunity to have their say through the select committee process.
He said the government remained focused on a “smooth and responsible transition” with planning to continue over the coming months, focused on ensuring fair outcomes for both people and animals.
Peters said the transition plan included wellbeing, mental health and re-training support for industry workers, as well as assistance from animal welfare organisations in rehoming the dogs.
A spokesperson for Peters said he had nothing to add on ACT’s minority position.
During his first reading speech last year, Peters told Parliament the industry had lost its social licence both at home and around the world.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” he said. “However, it was considered that the rates of dogs being seriously injured remained too high and the improvements made were not significant enough.”
Animal activists have long called for action after numerous reviews of the sport sounded alarm about animal welfare practices.
In 2021, former sports minister Grant Robertson put the industry “formally on notice” after a report found the industry had failed to adequately improve animal welfare systems.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The report said ‘off-track’ against the target for handling the most urgent cases in time.RNZ
Oranga Tamariki reports it’s not meeting targets with critical and urgent reports of concern about children, and in fact, is a bit worse than before.
However, the Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has focused on other figures out Friday which she said shows the agency “showing strong progress against key targets”.
The minister highlighted – as did OT – that 97 percent of children were being visited by a social worker within a targeted time, caregivers were doing better, and there was a large drop in serious persistent offending.
This is from the latest report on performance against ministerial priorities for July to September last year.
But the report also said “OFF TRACK” in red capitals against the target for handling the most urgent cases in time, in its section on “ensuring the safety of children”.
The time taken has dropped to 10 percent below target, when it was nine percent below in the previous quarter.
This was due to it getting so many reports – almost 28,000 – and having too few social workers, OT said.
The target was to respond to 95 percent of critical cases within a day and very urgent reports of concern within two days.
It hit just 85 percent, down from 86 percent previously.
“Meeting report of concern timeframes has become more challenging due to the high volume of Reports of Concern and workforce pressures,” the report said.
These factors were very similar to last May; so too was the government’s response last May when it said that the figures as whole showed OT making progress.
The quarter’s 27,700 reports of concern almost matched the previous quarter but were 3000 above forecast.
The agency had pinned its hopes of hitting time targets on an upgrade of its obsolete tech system.
In Friday’s report it said the tech upgrade had improved social workers’ confidence and assessments. It added it had developed the first part of a strategic workforce tool to become more efficient.
The Independent Children’s Monitor last month said children were no safer than when Malachi Subecz was murdered, stating, “there continues to be a high proportion of reports of concern from professionals that do not result in further action by Oranga Tamariki and where tamariki and rangatahi are not seen.”
On Friday Chhour said young people were turning their lives around and being kept safer.
“We’ve recruited twice the number of social workers compared to the number of social workers who left Oranga Tamariki in the last financial year. We’ve also invested in greater professional supports and training.
“This is not mission accomplished, I also acknowledge there is still room for improvement,” she said in a statement.
Other reports released under the OIA show the agency has struggled for years to recruit and properly train staff in its youth justice residences.
Another target Chhour noted was a 14 percent reduction in children in state care residences being harmed.
Harm in state care as a whole in its various forms was down eight percent. In family placements it was at its lowest level in seven years, but jumped 23 percent in the category known as return/remain home placements when children return to the care of their parent.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A white ute that was nearby when the assault took place. Police are wanting to speak with the owner of the vehicle.Police/Supplied
Police are looking for a man, described to be in his late-40’s after an assault in Meeanee, Napier last week.
The assault happened on the Limestone Track, between Ulyatt Road and Riverbend Road. Police got the call on Friday March 6 just before 7.30am.
Acting Detective Sergeant Emma Wiltshire said the victim was able to get to safety with no injuries, but they are very shaken by the incident.
The offender has so far not been found and police are now asking the public for any information.
Wiltshire said the man has been described as Caucasian with bright blue eyes in his late 40s.
“He has short black spikey hair, shorter on the sides than on top, and short dark grey facial hair that covered his cheeks, moustache, and chin area. He is skinny to average build and approximately 6ft/182cm tall.
He was reported to be wearing a black trenchcoat, a dark grey scarf, black pants, and black leather-type shoes. The trenchcoat had buttons down the front and deep pockets on the side.”
Police are asking anyone who has seen this man or witnessed the incident to contact police.
Anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the Ulyatt Road and Riverbend Road areas between 7am and 8am on the day of the assault is also encouraged to get in touch.
Information can be provided through 105, either online or over the phone, referencing file number 260307/3213.
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HUALIEN, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 March 2026 – Travelers looking to reach Eastern Taiwan with ease and without transfers can soon enjoy the refreshing Pacific sea breeze and the breathtaking scenery of mountains and ocean up close. South Korea’s Aero K Airlines has launched a direct route between Incheon and Hualien, operating twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays with round-trip flights departing from Incheon, Korea.
Hualien, Taiwan – Where mountains meet the sea. Fly direct from Incheon and see you in Hualien!
From now until November 30, 2026, the Hualien County Government has launched two incentive programs for travelers arriving via direct flights to Hualien: the “Flight + Hotel Package Incentive Program” and the “Inbound Group Tour Incentive Program.” The initiatives encourage travel agencies to design one-stop travel packages that combine airfare and accommodation, making it easier for visitors to start their journey in Hualien.
Korean travel agencies may participate by partnering with legally registered travel agencies in Taiwan, with the Taiwanese partner responsible for applying for the incentives. For group tours staying in Hualien, agencies will receive an incentive of NTD 2,000 per traveler (approximately KRW 90,000) for a two-night stay, and up to NTD 4,000 per traveler (approximately KRW 180,000) for a maximum stay of four nights.
Earlier this year, Korean influencer Virbro (비르보) traveled to Hualien on a direct flight to experience the destination firsthand. He recently visited many of Hualien’s highlights—from the stunning Qixingtan Beach, just 10 minutes from the airport, to the historic Jiang Jun Fu, the vibrant Dongdaemun Night Market, and the peaceful Liyu Lake—capturing it all along the way. Check out his social media to see how easy it is to enjoy a quick and beautiful getaway in Hualien!
Hualien offers a vibrant range of activities, from seasonal marathons and flower festivals to whale watching and water sports. While Taroko National Park is currently undergoing restoration, several areas have reopened in stages, allowing visitors to still witness its iconic gorge landscapes and natural majesty. With the convenience of new direct flights, you can skip the long transfers from Taipei and fly straight to the heart of Eastern Taiwan to experience Hualien’s breathtaking charm.
For more event information, please visit the official Explore Hualien Sustainably 2026 Travel Agency Incentive Program website.(https://hltrip.tw/agency/)or( https://hualien.travel/ai-service/ )
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Auckland courier driverTuipulotu Vi was shot and killed in 2024.Facebook / supplied
A US national is accused of flying into New Zealand to carry out a murder at the request of an organised criminal group before flying back home, RNZ can reveal.
Police believe he then flew back to the USA where he attempted to murder someone else. He’s been charged there and if convicted, is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The man’s link to the killing in New Zealand has been shrouded in secrecy due to extensive suppression orders obtained by police that prevented publishing the circumstances of the alleged offending.
On Friday, Judge Yelena Yelavich lifted those orders following opposition from RNZ and police not seeking to continue them.
RNZ can now report that Tanginoa Pahulu Tangi is believed to have been sent to New Zealand by an organised criminal group based in the US to carry out a killing.
It’s understood 59-year-old Vi was not the intended target.
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
Court documents seen by RNZ allege the 26-year-old jointly offended with persons unknown and murdered Vi.
Police earlier said Vi was found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the killing, Tangi flew back to the USA.
Then, in August last year he allegedly attempted to murder a man in a shooting in Oakley, California.
A press release at the time from the Oakley Police Department said police were called to reports of a shooting about 3am on 27 August. Residents in the area heard the shooting and said they saw the suspected shooter flee in a dark coloured Ford F150.
While attending to the victim, police saw a vehicle matching the description of the suspected shooter.
The vehicle initially pulled over, but then sped off and police began a pursuit. They later spiked the vehicle and arrested Tangi.
“We are able to determine this was a targeted attack and there are no other known suspects,” police said.
“An incredible amount of teamwork, by community members and law-enforcement officers alike, went into the successful apprehension of the suspect in this case. I am identifying the suspect in this case as Tanginoa Tangi, a 25-year-old male resident of Hayward. The victim in this case had just returned home and he was getting out of his vehicle when Tangi shot him several times.”
RNZ has obtained court documents in relation to the charges Tangi faces in the USA.
He’s accused of attempted murder, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, fleeing a pursuing police officer’s vehicle while driving recklessly, and possession of a firearm.
He has pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial next month.
A spokesperson for the local District Attorney’s office told RNZ the office was “generally aware” that Tangi had another pending matter in New Zealand and that they were aware an extradition warrant existed.
Tangi was facing a possible life sentence with the possibility of parole, the spokesperson confirmed.
Tangi had been notified orally of the extradition warrant.
“Regarding the New Zealand matter, the DA’s office does not litigate extradition proceedings. However, we expect that once Mr Tangi’s case here in California concludes, the extradition process to New Zealand would move forward at that time.”
RNZ sent several questions to Tangi’s lawyer, who declined to comment.
“We cannot comment at this time and do not foresee being able to offer anything in the near future.”
Two other people have been charged with murdering Vi and are before the courts.
‘Investigation ongoing’
In a statement to RNZ on Friday afternoon, police confirmed a third person “has been charged with murder as part of an ongoing homicide investigation, following the death of a courier driver in Pakuranga Heights in 2024”.
Operation Block commenced on 19 August 2024 to investigate the murder of 59-year-old Tuipulotu Vi on Marvon Downs Avenue.
A murder charge has now been filed against a 26-year-old man.
“The man is currently in custody in the United States for offences committed in that country and is now subject to an extradition process,” Counties Manukau CIB detective inspector Shaun Vickers said.
“We are working with the relevant authorities in relation to this.
“This is the third person charged over to Mr Vi’s death and our investigation remains ongoing.”
As the matter is before the courts, police are limited in providing further information, Vickers said.
RNZ has approached several government agencies as well as the FBI and Interpol in relation to the case.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson earlier said they were unable to assist with RNZ’s query.
A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs minister Winston Peters earlier confirmed he had not been briefed on the matter.
A spokesperson at the FBI’s National Press Office said the agency had no comment.
A US Embassy Wellington spokesperson said as a matter of “long-standing policy”, the embassy did not comment on ongoing criminal investigations or matters before the court.
“Speaking generally, I can say that the US Embassy and US law enforcement authorities routinely assist our New Zealand counterparts as and when appropriate.”
A Customs spokesperson said they were unable to disclose personal information on individuals.
“Customs carries out risk assessment for all passengers arriving to New Zealand using several tools and systems. This includes the assessment of information included on their New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
“Should agencies have concerns regarding individual passengers, they can be referred to Immigration New Zealand for verification of their entitlement to enter New Zealand.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Police can now confirm a third person has been charged with murder as part of an ongoing homicide investigation, following the death of a courier driver in Pakuranga Heights in 2024.
Operation Block commenced on 19 August 2024 to investigate the murder of 59-year-old Tuipulotu Vi on Marvon Downs Avenue.
Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, of Counties Manukau CIB, says a murder charged has been filed against a 26-year-old man.
“The man is currently in custody in the United States for offences committed in that country and is now subject to an extradition process.
“We are working with the relevant authorities in relation to this.
“This is the third person charged over to Mr Vi’s death and our investigation remains ongoing.”
As the matter is before the Court, Police are limited in providing further information.
By Madleine CarrWhite, Massey University Journalism Student
The Kaiārahi ferry.Interislander
An Interislander staff member has gone overseas to collect crucial components to fix the stricken ferry Kaiārahi.
KiwiRail spokesperson Taru Sawhney said the action was taken to ensure the part and a spare got here as quickly as possible.
They will arrive on Friday afternoon, and there will be sea trials over the weekend.
The Kaiārahi has been out of service since Tuesday night because of a technical fault.
An Interislander spokesperson said operating with one vessel was challenging, particularly during a busy period, but the company has managed it before.
During this time, Interislander was prioritising urgent freight that could not travel across the Cook Strait any other way.
Sawhney said around 1300 private vehicles were affected by the Kaiārahi outage and those customers were being offered a full refund.
A small number of people have taken up an offer by Interislander to move private vehicle bookings to a later date with a 50 percent discount off the advertised price.
KiwiRail expects to have the Kaiārahi sailing by next week.
Meanwhile, Thursday afternoon sailings on the Connemara ferry owned by Bluebridge were also cancelled, but resumed in the early hours of Friday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Customs and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello will travel to Europe tomorrow to represent New Zealand at the Global Fraud Summit and for a series of bilateral meetings.
The inaugural Summit was held in London in 2024 and this, second version is being hosted by INTERPOL and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna.
“In New Zealand, as with many similar countries, fraud and deception offending has become the most prevalent crime and it causes not only significant financial loss for victims but a loss of trust in business and institutions,” Ms Costello said.
“Much of this type of offending originates from overseas groups that target multiple countries in their operation, and we know there are strong links between international organised crime, transnational fraud, and money laundering.
“International co-operation is needed to address these crimes and it’s important to engage with partners and international law enforcement agencies around these issues.”
The Minister will be attending specific sessions on Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Following the Summit, the Minister will travel to Geneva to meet with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Red Cross and Red Crescent and to London for meetings across her Customs, Police and Health responsibilities.
Manufacturing activity in February continued expanding at the same pace as in January.123RF
Manufacturing activity eases slightly by 0.1 points to 55.0 – above 50 is expansion
Activity remains near four-year highs
All five sub-indexes are in expansion – deliveries and employment slow
Middle East chaos clouds outlooks – increases inflation risks
Manufacturing activity in February continued expanding at the same pace as in January, reinforcing expectations that the economic recovery is continuing.
The BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) eased by just 0.1 points to 55.0 – just below January’s 55.1 reading.
Manufacturing activity remains near four-year highs, and comfortably above the long‑term survey average of 52.5.
A reading above 50 indicated the sector was expanding.
BusinessNZ’s Director of Advocacy, Catherine Beard, said the February result marked the first time since mid-2021 that activity had recorded three consecutive months at 55.0 or higher.
“All five sub-index values were again in expansion during February, led by the two key indices of New Orders (57.6) and Production (56.7), followed by Deliveries (51.0),” Beard said.
“Employment (50.4) dipped from January, but still remained in slight expansion,” Beard said.
The proportion of positive comments from respondents stood at 55.5 percent in February, up from 47.7 percent in January, but down from 57.1% in December.
Manufacturers reported more orders, enquiries, and sales, supported by stronger export demand and improving conditions in certain sectors, with some reporting a growing pipeline of work and a gradual improvement in business confidence.
BNZ’s senior economist Doug Steel cautioned that February’s data did not capture the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and said recent data had taken a backseat to the recent chaos there.
Steel said the conflict’s timing was poor, with the economy just beginning a fragile recovery and inflation still above three percent, posing risks to both.
Additionally, a significant proportion of manufacturing output was exported overseas and the conflict’s impact on our trading partners would also have to be watched closely.
Despite external events, Steel was still upbeat, noting “the February out-turn well above the breakeven 50 mark is a useful starting point”.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Globalization holds firm at a record level while trade flows in Asia expand and diversify
Despite geopolitical tensions and rising uncertainty, countries largely maintain trade and investment ties with their traditional partner countries
Record-long trade distances, AI-driven commerce, and resilient cross‑border flows paint a surprisingly robust picture of globalization
U.S.–China trade fell to 2.0% of global trade, down from 2.7% in 2024
SINGAPORE / HANOI, VIETNAM / NEW YORK, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 March 2026 – Globalization remains at a historically high level at 25% in 2025 – despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and uncertainty about future trade policies. Equally, the Asia Pacific region features prominently in this year’s DHL Global Connectedness Report, with Singapore ranked #1 globally. A broad swath of regional economies in the Asia Pacific region has also strengthened its position on cross-border flows. The DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 is produced with New York University’s Stern School of Business. It examines four ‘pillars’ measuring the depth and breadth of trade, capital, information, and people flows.
DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026
Asia Pacific remains a global anchor in cross-border trade
The Asia Pacific region is one of the world’s strongest pillars of global connectedness with several markets continuing to post strong breadth and depth of international ties. In fact, broad-based gains were observed across the Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and Oceania regions. The report shows East Asia & Pacific’s share of world trade has climbed from 24% (2001) to 32% (2025), underscoring the region’s long-run momentum. Several other economies in Asia Pacific also advanced sharply in the global connectedness ranking: Malaysia (#16; +13 ranks), Thailand (#27; +7), Korea (#31; +6), Taiwan (#32; +4), and Vietnam (#36; +3).
Intra-Asia trade has also strengthened since 2023. The report’s country profiles show that Asia-Pacific economies are deeply networked within the region, with most major trade and investment flows anchored in Asian partner markets. At the same time, China’s redirected exports to ASEAN markets—up 13% (+USD 79 billion) in 2025 — further cement ASEAN’s position as a fast growing trade corridor.
Singapore leads the country ranking
Singapore has retained the top position among 180 economies – reflecting exceptional depth in trade and capital flows. The country is ranked first on the trade pillar (out of 180 countries) and second on the capital pillar (out of 158 countries). Particularly on trade flows, Singapore ranks first on ‘depth’ (up one place from 2019), with the largest international flows relative to its domestic economy. Additionally, the city-state stands out most for the breadth of its inward foreign domestic investment (FDI) stocks (ranked first worldwide).
“Asia Pacific continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and adaptability,” said Ken Lee, CEO of DHL Express Asia Pacific. “The DHL Global Connectedness Report shows that countries across our region – from Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and beyond – are deepening their global ties and attracting new trade flows. Even as global patterns shift, Asia remains a central engine of global trade. This is why we continue to invest in and enhance our Asia Pacific network, particularly in the eight fast-growing markets that DHL Group has identified. Our priority is to support businesses to stay connected and diversify their markets.”
AI boom and race to beat tariff hikes fueled trade in 2025
Global trade grew faster in 2025 than in any year since 2017, excluding the volatile Covid-19 period. U.S. importers accelerated shipments early in the year ahead of tariff increases. U.S. imports dropped below prior-year levels, but rising Chinese exports to non-U.S. markets helped sustain global trade volumes.
Trade in AI-related goods surged as countries and companies raced to build AI infrastructure. AI-related products drove 42% of goods trade growth in the first three quarters of 2025, according to WTO figures. In fact, AI hardware and data infrastructure are amplifying Asia Pacific’s trade. Notably, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia’s tech supply chains are benefitting from the surge in demand for AI chips, servers and data center buildouts. In answer, DHL Express has added significant payload capacity for flights out of Hanoi to support Vietnam’s rapidly expanding tech manufacturing sector.
Trade outlook: growth continues, even with higher tariffs
Looking ahead, recent U.S. tariff increases are expected to modestly slow trade growth in 2026 – but not stop it. Global goods trade is projected to expand by an average of 2.6% per year through 2029, in line with the past decade.
One reason trade can keep growing despite U.S. tariff hikes is that most trade does not involve the U.S. In 2025, 13% of imports went to the U.S., and 9% of exports came from the U.S. In addition, many countries are pursuing new trade agreements to secure access to alternative markets, such as the recently minted India-EU free trade agreement.
Information flows face barriers, people flows reach new highs
The report notes that people flows – travel, migration, and student mobility – have fully recovered and reached record highs. This trend is especially pronounced in Asia Pacific, where highly connected hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong continue to attract substantial cross‑border movement.
Many of the region’s most connected markets, such as Hong Kong SAR, Japan, and Korea – remain deeply tied to global data and digital exchanges as these have risen in ranks in the information pillar since 2019. Capital flows remain resilient overall in the region, where there is no broad shift of investment from foreign to domestic markets.
U.S.–China tensions affect only small share of global flows
The report also finds that ties between the world’s two largest economies – the U.S. and China – continue to weaken. However, these ties are surprisingly small in a global perspective. For example, trade between the U.S. and China accounted for 3.6% of world trade at its peak in 2015, before falling to 2.7% in 2024 and to only 2.0% during the first three quarters of 2025. The U.S.–China share of international business investment is even smaller – less than 1% in 2025.
No global split into rival blocs
Even as the U.S. and China decouple, most countries – including those in Asia – continue to engage with their longstanding partners. Over the past decade, only 4–6% of global goods trade, greenfield FDI, and cross-border M&A have shifted away from geopolitical rivals. Of these flows, most have not moved to close allies but to countries with flexible geopolitical positions, such as India and Vietnam. Overall, the world economy remains far from a broad split into rival blocs.
“The politics and policy surrounding globalization are much more volatile than the actual flows between countries,” said Prof. Steven A. Altman, Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalization at NYU Stern’s Center for the Future of Management. “In Asia Pacific, as in the rest of the world, the data shows that cross‑border flows have remained remarkably resilient despite heightened geopolitical tensions. Sound decision‑making in this region requires a calibrated view of how much global business ties are really changing. The risks to globalization are real, but so is the resilience of global flows, and Asia Pacific continues to play a pivotal role in sustaining that connectivity.”
The DHL Global Connectedness Report
Published regularly since 2011, the DHL Global Connectedness Report provides reliable insights on globalization by analyzing 14 types of international trade, capital, information, and people flows. The 2026 edition is based on more than 9 million data points. It ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, accounting for 99.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 99.0 percent of the world’s population. A set of 180 one-page country profiles summarizes each country’s pattern of globalization.
The report was commissioned by DHL and authored by Steven A. Altman and Caroline R. Bastian of New York University Stern School of Business.
Note to editors:
The report and further resources are available at dhl.com/gcr.
DHL Group’s “GT20 Initiative” refers to 20 markets worldwide that the Group has identified to benefit strongest from Geographic Tailwind. Eight of them are in Asia Pacific including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Hashtag: #DHL
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Attribute to Acting Detective Sergeant Emma Wiltshire – Hawke’s Bay CIB:
Police are appealing for information following an assault in Meeanee, Napier, last week.
On Friday 6 March, Police received a report of an assault that occurred just before 7.30am, on the Limestone Track, between Ulyatt Road and Riverbend Road.
Thankfully, the victim was able to get to safety uninjured, however they are understandably very shaken by the incident.
Police have conducted initial enquiries but have been unable to locate the offender and are now asking for the public’s help.
Police are looking for a man described to be in his late 40s, Caucasian with bright blue eyes. He has short black spikey hair, shorter on the sides than on top, and short dark grey facial hair that covered his cheeks, moustache, and chin area.
He is skinny to average build and approximately 6ft/182cm tall. He was reported to be wearing a black trenchcoat, a dark grey scarf, black pants, and black leather-type shoes. The trenchcoat had buttons down the front and deep pockets on the side.
If you have seen this man, witnessed this incident, or have any information about who he is or his whereabouts, please contact Police. We also want to speak with the owner of a white ute [pictured] that was nearby when this assault took place.
Additionally, if you have CCTV or dashcam footage of the Ulyatt Road and Riverbend Road areas, between 7am and 8am on Friday 6 March, please get in touch so that we may review that footage.
Information can be provided through 105, either online or over the phone, referencing file number 260307/3213.
You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has welcomed proposed plans to rehome greyhounds, as the transition away from greyhound racing continues.
“The intention was always to support the industry as it transitions away from greyhound racing,” says Mr Peters.
“There has been a campaign of misinformation about greyhounds and owners being left to fend for themselves, but this was never the case.
“It was important to go through a proper select committee process before taking the next steps.
“The Select Committee has now completed its work and reported back. Everyone, including representatives of the greyhound racing sector, rehoming groups, and members of the public, have had the opportunity to have their say.”
The Ministerial Advisory Committee, established to plan the transition away from greyhound racing, set out key elements of their plan as part of the recent select committee process. This includes:
The setting up of a transition agency to manage the end of greyhound racing.
Options for the agency to take over ownership of dogs and pay for all their food and care until they are successfully re-homed.
Mental health and wellbeing services for those whose daily lives are closely tied to the industry.
Re-training support for those currently employed in the industry.
Training and behavioral support for greyhounds to improve rehoming outcomes.
Working with animal welfare organisations, including groups such as SPCA, to support the rehoming process.
“We’re ready for a smooth transition, with planning focused on certainty, support, and, most importantly, ensuring the welfare of greyhounds.” says Mr Peters.
“This is a deliberate, multi‑stage process designed to ensure fairness and good outcomes for both people and animals. Nothing changes overnight, and the Government’s focus remains on a smooth and responsible transition.
Transition planning will continue over the coming months, informed by the feedback from the select committee and ongoing work by the Ministerial Advisory Committee.
This work follows the announcement in late 2024 to end greyhound racing in New Zealand. Reviews across several years (2013, 2017 and 2021) consistently raised the need for change to address serious animal welfare concerns.
Polls show the large majority of the public support an end to greyhound racing.