New model brings advanced agentic coding and refined reasoning to real-world deployment
HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 April 2026 – Alibaba has released Qwen3.6-Plus, the latest iteration of its flagship series of large language models, delivering a significant advancement in agentic coding, as well as multimodal perception and reasoning. Qwen3.6-Plus is designed to empower the latest market demand to shift towards agentic AI: building models that move beyond passive assistance to ones capable of autonomously navigating complex, repository-level engineering and real-world visual environments.
The latest Qwen 3.6-Plus model will be integrated into Alibaba’s ecosystem, including Wukong, an AI-native enterprise platform that automates complex business tasks using multiple AI agents, and Qwen App, Alibaba’s flagship AI application.
While the Qwen series established a strong foundation for the development of AI solutions, Qwen3.6-Plus is optimized for the “capability loop”—the ability to perceive, reason, and act within a single workflow. By incorporating developers’ feedback, the model offers a stable, production-ready framework designed to bridge the gap between initial code concepts and deployed products.
In frontend website development and repository-level engineering, Qwen3.6-Plus autonomously plans, tests, and iterates on code to deliver production-ready solutions. By managing the full execution loop from objective breakdown to final refinement, the model functions as an end-to-end partner in the development lifecycle.
To support complex, repository-level engineering, Qwen3.6-Plus provides a 1-million-token context window by default. Across a broad set of benchmarks, Qwen3.6-Plus demonstrates strong performance across agentic coding and multimodal reasoning capabilities.
Qwen3.6-Plus’ strategic advancement in multimodal reasoning, moves beyond simple recognition toward sophisticated analysis and decision-making. The model is engineered to integrate cross-modal information to solve complex challenges, including high-density document parsing, physical-world visual analysis, and long-form video reasoning.
This progress also extends to visual coding, where the model interprets visual designs and prototypes to generate functional code, effectively bridging the gap between perception and execution. The model can now interpret user interface screenshots, hand-drawn wireframes, or product prototypes and instantly generate functional frontend code.
To ensure practical utility, Qwen3.6-Plus has been optimized for the stability and precision required in professional business environments. It delivers high-accuracy performance in instruction following, complex text recognition, and fine-grained visual perception. These improvements make the model a reliable solution for demanding real-world scenarios—such as retail intelligence and automated inspections—where consistent, multi-step task execution is necessary to move AI from experimental pilots into broad production.
Users can access and deploy the model through Model Studio, Alibaba Cloud’s AI development platform, and experience it through Qwen Chat. For integrated development, it is compatible with leading third-party coding assistants—including OpenClaw, Claude Code, and Cline—enabling automated, context-aware workflows that translate complex project requirements into functional code.
In addition, Alibaba will continue to support the open-source community with selected Qwen3.6 models in developer-friendly sizes.
Hashtag: #AlibabaGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 April 2026 – As the foodservice industry continues to expand and consumer awareness of health rises, water safety has become a critical concern. Water quality directly affects food flavour, equipment performance and food safety, while also driving demand beyond basic drinking water toward scenario-based, high-capacity solutions.
At the HOTELEX 2026 held on 30 March, ANGEL introduced its latest smart water purification solutions for the foodservice sector. Powered by advanced technologies, these solutions aim to upgrade industry water standards, helping businesses ensure food safety and achieve high-quality growth.
Addressing Diverse Needs with Tailored, Full-Scenario Solutions
With the rapid growth of chain operations and large-scale catering formats, water usage requirements have become increasingly diverse. Standardised products are no longer sufficient. ANGEL has responded by developing customised solutions across multiple scenarios, including convenience stores, beverage shops and restaurants, enabling operators to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance product quality.
For convenience stores, where space is limited and demand is high, ANGEL introduced the J3752 reverse osmosis water purifier. Featuring replaceable filter cartridges and a bypass design, it ensures continuous 24-hour high-volume water supply while reducing maintenance costs by over 40%. Its wall-mounted design fits compact spaces, and an integrated IoT system enables centralised multi-store management.
For beverage shops, ANGEL offers integrated solutions that combine customised water quality with efficient tea preparation. In high-hardness regions, the J3753 reverse osmosis water purifier delivers 1,600 GPD capacity and a fast flow rate of 4L/min, with dual RO membranes for enhanced purification. In low-hardness areas, the J3710 microfiltration system uses a triple-cartridge design to optimise water quality, ensuring consistent taste and flavour.
For restaurants with high water demand and a need for efficiency, ANGEL provides flexible configurations based on local water conditions. In high-hardness areas, the R series RO systems offer up to 2,400 GPD output with dual pumps and filters for stable, high-frequency use. In low-hardness regions, the C series microfiltration systems deliver long-lasting taste quality with a high flow rate of up to 25L/min, requiring no electricity and producing zero wastewater, significantly reducing operating costs.
Reliable Water Quality, Consistent Experience
ANGEL’s solutions are backed by strong product performance and international certifications, providing reliable water quality support for foodservice brands. ANGEL has already partnered with leading brands including TOMORO Coffee, Cotti Coffee and Haidilao. Looking ahead, the company will continue to innovate and refine its solutions to meet evolving industry needs, supporting foodservice brands worldwide in delivering consistent quality and achieving sustainable growth.
Hashtag: #ANGEL
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
New Report Finds Serious, Actionable Attacks Rose More Than 20% as SMBs Face Growing Threat from Increasingly Precise, AI-Enabled Adversaries
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 April 2026 – SonicWall today announced the release of the 2026 SonicWall Cyber Protect Report, marking a landmark reframing from traditional threat reporting in favor of the protection outcomes that matter most to business leaders. At the heart of the report is a sobering finding: most SMBs aren’t failing because of sophisticated attacks. They’re failing because of seven predictable, preventable gaps that SonicWall has named the Seven Deadly Sins of Cybersecurity.
The 2026 report continues to draw on data from SonicWall’s global network of more than one million security sensors to reveal a threat landscape that is growing more precise and more relentless. Some key statistical findings include:
High and medium severity attacks surged 20.8% to 13.15 billion hits. Attackers aren’t striking more often, they’re striking smarter.
Automated bots now generate more than 36,000 vulnerability scans per second, accounting for more than half of all internet traffic. Bad bot traffic alone has surged to 37% of all global internet traffic.
IoT attacks climbed 11% to 609.9 million hits; Log4j alone generated 824.9 million IPS hits in 2025, four years after disclosure.
Identity, cloud, and credential compromise account for 85% of actionable security alerts. The stolen password, not the zero-day, is the attacker’s weapon of choice.
SMBs bear a disproportionate ransomware burden: 88% of their breaches involved ransomware in 2025, more than double the rate seen at large enterprises.
“SonicWall data reveals attacks are getting faster, and in some instances, they’re getting a little more sophisticated,” said Michael Crean, SVP and GM of Managed Security Services at SonicWall. “But the vast majority of the attacks that we’re seeing and investigating are basic fundamentals that continue to be missed. The danger isn’t that AI isn’t working; it’s that we’re using it as an excuse not to do the things we already know we should.”
The 2026 SonicWall Cyber Protect Report is the first in the company’s history to be built around protection outcomes rather than threat statistics alone. In preparing this year’s research, SonicWall identified seven recurring patterns, dubbed the Seven Deadly Sins that consistently define the difference between resilience and exposure across SMB breach investigations, security assessments, and incident reviews.
The Seven Deadly Sins of Cybersecurity
Rather than attributing breach risk to exotic or emerging attack methods, the 2026 Protect Report identifies seven operational failures that appear repeatedly across investigations and that remain largely preventable. The Seven Deadly Sins are:
Ignoring the Fundamentals — Weak authentication, unpatched systems, and excessive admin privileges remain the primary attack surface.
False Confidence — Believing you’re too small to be targeted, overestimating control effectiveness, and assuming resilience without testing it create dangerous blind spots.
Overexposed Access — Overly permissive rules, flat networks, and implicit trust after authentication give attackers an unobstructed path once inside.
Reactive Security Posture — Without 24/7 monitoring and proactive threat hunting, attackers set the timeline. The average breach goes undetected for 181 days.
Cost-Driven Security Decisions — Deferring investment based on short-term budget pressure creates costs that arrive later — with interest. A single SMB breach can exceed $4.91 million when downtime and recovery are included.
Reliance on Legacy Access Models — VPNs that authenticate once and grant broad network access remain one of the most exploited entry points in enterprise security. VPN CVEs grew 82.5% over the analyzed period.
Chasing Hype Over Execution — Buying the latest tools without deploying them completely, and expecting technology to compensate for process gaps, is its own form of vulnerability. Tools don’t create outcomes — execution does.
“The organizations that suffer the most are not failing because of sophisticated attacks, they’re failing because of predictable, preventable gaps,” Crean continued. “SMBs are the backbone of the U.S. economy, representing 99% of all U.S. businesses and nearly half of private sector employment. Protecting them protects entire communities. That’s why this report is designed around protection outcomes, not just threat statistics.”
Commenting on the findings, Debasish Mukherjee, Vice President of Sales, APJ at SonicWall said, “This year’s report reflects what we are consistently seeing across APJ, SMBs continue to be impacted by gaps in fundamental security practices that are both predictable and preventable. By reframing our research around protection outcomes, SonicWall aims to help organizations move beyond threat awareness to action, focusing on the areas that directly reduce risk. As attackers become more precise and increasingly AI-enabled, closing these gaps will be critical for SMBs across the region to strengthen resilience and make more informed decisions.”
In keeping with SonicWall’s partner-first mission, the 2026 Cyber Protect Report is designed to equip MSPs and MSSPs with the data and language needed for strategic conversations with SMB decision-makers, translating technical threat intelligence into business risk that leaders can act on.
The SonicWall 2026 Cyber Protect Report makes one thing clear: the gap between protected and exposed rarely comes down to technology. It comes down to execution. For the SMBs and the MSPs and MSSPs who protect them, this report is designed to close that gap with data, clarity, and a road map for what to do next.
To learn more about SonicWall and download the complete 2026 SonicWall Cyber Protect Report, please visit sonicwall.com/threat-report.
Hashtag: #SonicWall
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
War in the Middle East has put a spotlight on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow sea passage through which 20% of global oil supply is shipped. But far less attention has been paid to another essential product derived from oil and gas, on which the world also relies: fertiliser.
Roughly 20–30% of global fertiliser supply, such as urea, ammonia and phosphate, comes from the Middle East. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted fertiliser exports from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
For farmers in Australia, the disruption could not have come at a worse time. Most winter season grain crops are sown between April and June. While some farmers may have already secured their supply in preparation for the busy seeding season, others are still waiting for their fertiliser delivery.
How are fertilisers made?
Farmers apply fertilisers to provide their crops with essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Without adequate fertiliser, crops such as wheat, barley and canola will produce lower yields with lower protein content.
Urea is one of the world’s most important nitrogen fertilisers. Urea is produced through a carbon-intensive process known as Haber-Bosch. First, ammonia is synthesised from atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen (usually derived from fossil gas). This ammonia is converted into urea, a white and odourless pellet, which is easier to transport, store and apply on farms.
With limited domestic production capacity, Australian farmers are almost completely reliant on imported urea. Australian agriculture imported 3.85 million tonnes of urea in 2024, most of it from the Middle East. With reduced global supply, the world price of urea has risen from A$675 per tonne in February, to more than $1,000 at the end of March, significantly increasing costs.
What does this mean for farmers?
Australia has limited domestic capacity to produce urea. Incitec Pivot Limited’s Gibson Island facility was Australia’s only manufacturer of urea until its closure in 2022.
Timing is everything in farming. Many Australian farmers are only weeks away from sowing. Even if fertiliser can be sourced from elsewhere in the world, it may not arrive in time.
Farmers may respond by planting fewer crops, leaving some land fallow, or turning to crops that require less fertiliser. If the Strait of Hormuz blockade persists well into 2026, we will face competing demand for fertiliser from farmers in the northern hemisphere. And Australia’s supply of “top-up” fertiliser (applied during the growing season to ensure crops reach their yield) will be affected. This could mean lower grain yields and reduced feed supply for livestock and poultry production.
Will our food cost more?
Food prices are influenced by more than fertiliser costs. Farmers are also grappling with increasing fuel costs. Soaring fuel prices affect all parts of the food supply chain, from processing and packaging, to transport, storage and retail. It is likely these collective impacts will increase food prices for customers.
Fertiliser and fuel costs constitute 25–30% of a cropping business’ total farm costs, so a sharp increase in both will significantly affect farm profitability.
Farmers only receive a small share of the price consumers pay for produce. At lower yields, farmers will face the squeeze of less production revenue and higher costs of production. While some producers may be able to weather the storm, others are facing a difficult year ahead.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has appointed Heather Simpson as Deputy Chair of Antarctica New Zealand.
“Heather Simpson has extensive governance experience and as a current board member, a strong understanding of the strategic importance of Antarctica for New Zealand,” Mr Peters says.
“Ms Simpson’s elevation to Deputy Chair recognises her contribution to date and she will support the Chair and Board in guiding the organisation through a through a strategically and operationally challenging period.”
Ms Simpson was appointed to the Antarctica New Zealand Board in 2024 and has contributed to the organisation’s work supporting world leading research, environmental stewardship, and New Zealand’s presence in Antarctica, as well as its oversight of the Scott Base Redevelopment Project.
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has welcomed the passing of legislation to end greyhound racing saying it is a decisive step reflecting the clear will of New Zealanders and delivers certainty for animal welfare, industry participants, and the public.
“The Racing Industry (Closure of Greyhound Racing Industry) Amendment has passed its third and final reading with overwhelming cross-party support, (112 votes to 11)” says Mr Peters.
“This action wasn’t taken lightly, but independent reviews in 2013, 2017 and 2021 provided clear evidence of serious animal welfare concerns.
“While improvements were made, those gains plateaued and injury/death rates remained unacceptably high to the point the sport had lost its social licence. Action had to be taken,” Mr Peters says.
This decision reflects a wider global shift away from greyhound racing, with sport now surviving in only a small number of countries. Since New Zealand announced its intention to end greyhound racing, further jurisdictions, including Scotland, Wales and Tasmania have signaled they will also end the sport.
Mr Peters said the end of racing is only one part of the Government’s responsibility, with equal focus being placed on ensuring a safe, orderly, and compassionate transition.
“The passing of this Bill enables the establishment of a transition agency to oversee the wind‑down of racing and the rehoming of dogs, and we are now moving into the formal setup phase.”
The transition agency will be headed by the current members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on greyhound racing, Heather Simpson (chairperson), Murray Johnson and Dr Lindsay Burton, with a fourth member to be appointed later.
Key elements of the transition agency’s work include:
Assistance for greyhound owners, to ensure dogs receive a high standard of care while awaiting rehoming, including housing, training and behavioural support for the dogs.
Partnerships with existing rehoming agencies, with practical support in place to expand their rehoming capacity and the number of dogs adopted.
Retraining and redeployment support for industry workers, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, to help affected workers move into new jobs.
Mental health and wellbeing support services for people whose daily lives have been closely tied to greyhound racing.
Mr Peters rejected claims that those affected by the closure will be left without support, saying “There has been a great deal of misinformation suggesting that people and dogs are being abandoned. That is simply wrong.
“This Bill underpins a structured transition, with funding, agencies, and support mechanisms in place. We are not walking away from our responsibilities; we are meeting them head on.”
The ban on greyhound racing will take effect from 1 August 2026, allowing time for a responsible and carefully managed transition.
“This is a good day for greyhounds,” says Mr Peters.
“It’s a rare moment when Parliament speaks with such a strong majority, principled voice. Those moments matter, and this is one of them.”
Picture this: you’re competing in a time-trial cycling race along a route that’s not known in advance. Instead of following a marked course, you receive instructions via notifications on your mobile phone.
Looking at your phone while cycling is extremely dangerous. But to stay on track, you must consult it nearly continuously.
If such a race took place on the streets of a busy, car-oriented city like Sydney, you would likely opt out. Yet food-delivery riders face precisely this situation every day: they receive order notifications while riding, and if they don’t check them, they lose the order and their hourly earnings suffer.
This is just one example of the dangerous incentive structure under which riders operate. These incentives are a central focus of our study just published in Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, based on in-depth interviews with ten food-delivery riders in Sydney.
Previous studies have mostly addressed individual factors that make some riders more prone to risky behaviour. In contrast, our study examines platform decisions and operations. This includes how orders are assigned, what information is transmitted and when, and how payment is structured.
What did our study find?
Our findings can be summarised in six platform-related issues that systematically generate time pressure and encourage risk-taking.
Several orders at once: the handling of multiple orders, often with opaque delivery sequences, creates conflicts with customers and forces riders to rush. As one rider explained:
When handling multiple orders, I’m often directed to deliver the second order first. This leaves the first customer waiting for a long time, causing a big delay and making me take risks because I’m getting messages.
No control over restaurant timing: unpredictable food preparation times reduce riders’ hourly earnings, incentivising them to “make up” lost time on the road.
Fierce competition: intense competition among riders requires immediate acceptance of orders, even while cycling. One rider said:
I have to compete with other riders for food orders. Because of this, I often engage in unsafe behaviours, such as checking my phone while riding my bike.
Gamified risks: incentive systems structured around tight time windows turn work into a target-driven “game”, where completing more deliveries unlocks bonuses. This encourages riders to push beyond safe limits in order to secure the reward.
Star ratings: customer review systems tie riders’ future access to jobs to punctuality and perceived service quality, amplifying anxiety about delays.
Ordering ahead: Pre-orders (scheduled deliveries) create stricter expectations on timing without reducing uncertainty in preparation. When delays occur upstream – especially at restaurants – the responsibility is effectively shifted onto riders. As one rider said:
Waiting time at restaurants reduces my hourly rate. To make up for it, I tend to rush more.
Taken together, these mechanisms actively structure the conditions under which risky cycling becomes an economically rational response for delivery riders.
It doesn’t have to be this way
Regulating these platforms has proven difficult worldwide. Our findings identify some obvious and less obvious measures to consider:
Prohibit sending new orders to riders on the road
Platforms know which riders are currently serving an order. Sending a new one prompts them to check their phone while cycling. On the other hand, preventing this would likely reduce order bundling – one of the main things that makes deliveries so efficient. But the apps could build a feature where, based on settings the rider selects beforehand, orders are assigned automatically.
Provide more transparent information to customers
If customers could see when a rider is handling multiple orders and how long preparation times are expected to be, they’d be less likely to criticise the riders or penalise them with low ratings.
Redesign incentive and rating systems
Incentive schemes and customer ratings should be redesigned so that riders are not penalised for delays beyond their control, such as restaurant preparation times. Similarly, bonuses should not reward completing a high number of deliveries within unrealistically short periods.
Introduce an effective maximum speed
Riders often run red lights or use footpaths to move faster and complete more deliveries. Platforms could calculate a reasonable return time to a “hotspot” with many restaurants in one place, and refrain from assigning new orders before that time. This would remove incentives for riders to rush.
Dangerous deliveries are cheaper
Implementing many of these measures is far from straightforward. For example, coming up with settings to automatically assign and accept orders would require negotiations between platforms and riders.
An effective maximum speed could be resisted by both riders and the platforms: by delivering fewer orders per hour, the total revenue would decrease. This would reduce both the platforms’ profit and the riders’ earnings.
This last aspect points to one of the crucial tensions in the meal-delivery industry: the lack of safety is actually profitable. The faster the riders go, the better the business performs and the cheaper the meals become.
However, improving safety means slowing deliveries down and thus reducing the income. Compensating for those earnings losses in a job that’s already precarious would likely require higher delivery prices.
In other words, the low price of a delivered meal partly depends on riders taking risks. Ultimately, we all have to ask ourselves: are we willing to pay the true cost of safe meal delivery?
Acknowledgements: this study was led by Minjun Song, School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Gupta, Sleep Researcher, Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia
Easter is here and chocolate is everywhere – crowding shop shelves, piling up on desks, and likely already sitting in your pantry.
But if you’ve been finding it harder to sleep recently, late-night Easter eggs could be part of the problem.
That’s because some chocolate ingredients, including caffeine and sugar, may be sneakily impacting your sleep.
But if you love chocolate, you don’t have to give it up completely. Instead, here are some science-backed tips for enjoying it without sacrificing your sleep.
The science of chocolate
Most of us will agree that chocolate is delicious. This is because it’s made of tasty ingredients such as cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar.
But it’s more than just a sweet treat. Chocolate contains hundreds of naturally occurring compounds including mild stimulants, which are substances that make the mind or body more active. These stimulants can impact how well you sleep.
Here are three ingredients worth knowing about.
Sugar
Sugar is one of the main ingredients in chocolate. When you eat high-sugar foods, such as chocolate eggs, your blood sugar levels tend to rise quickly. In response, your body releases insulin to bring those levels back down.
So if you eat chocolate in the evening, you’ll likely experience a blood sugar spike. This will temporarily boost your energy levels, but also means you’re less likely to feel naturally sleepy. When that spike wears off, your blood sugar levels will suddenly dip. All these fluctuations can disrupt sleep quality later, making it harder to stay asleep at night.
Caffeine
Chocolate also contains caffeine. Caffeine works by blocking a sleep-promoting chemical in your brain, called adenosine. When the adenosine signal is blocked, we feel more alert. While this is useful during the day, consuming caffeine in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep.
A single chocolate mini-egg contains a tiny amount of caffeine, typically just a few milligrams. If we compare this with a shot of espresso, which contains between 50 and 70 milligrams of caffeine, this doesn’t seem like a lot. But if you eat multiple chocolate eggs at once, say during Easter, this caffeine may start to affect your sleep. Even small amounts of caffeine can delay how quickly you fall asleep, and also impact how how well you sleep. And combining caffeine with sugar, in foods such as Easter eggs, can compound these effects.
Theobromine
Chocolate also contains theobromine, a stimulant commonly found in cocoa beans. Theobromine is similar to caffeine in that it blocks the adenosine signal. Theobromine can also increase your heart rate, meaning you’re more likely to feel restless. So while it isn’t as strong as caffeine, theobromine may impact your ability to fall and stay asleep.
The good news
Thankfully, you don’t have to give up chocolate to sleep well. But if you are tucking into some Easter eggs, here are three questions to ask yourself.
1. When am I eating?
Eating anything close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep, and may reduce the quality of your sleep. It might also increase your chance of having vivid dreams.
Late-night eating can also lead to digestive problems. Research suggests the human body has a harder time digesting food at night. If you eat food right before bed it can cause various symptoms, including acid reflux. Acid reflux is a common digestive condition where stomach acid flows back into your food pipe, causing an uncomfortable burning sensation. Eating chocolate in the evening may cause acid reflux because ingredients such as caffeine and theobromine relax the muscles that keep stomach acid in place.
So it’s best to avoid eating any food, including chocolate, at least three hours before you go to bed.
2. What am I eating?
Dark chocolate typically contains more cocoa than other kinds of chocolate. This means it also contains higher levels of caffeine and theobromine. So if you’re reaching for chocolate late at night, it may be best to avoid dark chocolate.
White chocolate is not made from cocoa solids, so generally contains no caffeine. However, it still has a high sugar and fat content. So you should also consider limiting how much white chocolate you eat before bed.
During the day, you can enjoy whatever kind of chocolate you prefer. But in the evening, it’s best to avoid eating any chocolate too close to bedtime.
3. How much am I eating?
Enjoying a small chocolate egg after dinner is unlikely to affect your sleep in any noticeable way. But eating a whole chocolate bunny, particularly right before bed, is another story. What’s key is managing your portions and giving your body time to digest before you head to bed.
The bottom line
For most people, eating chocolate won’t have a major impact on your sleep. But it helps to keep track of when, what, and how much chocolate you’re eating, particularly around bedtime. That way you can enjoy your Easter eggs without sacrificing any shut-eye.
TrendAI research reveals pressure to deploy AI for business speed is outpacing control, visibility and accountability
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 April 2026 – TrendAI , the enterprise AI security leader from Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), has published new research revealing that organizations worldwide are pushing ahead with AI deployment despite known security and compliance risks.
To read the full report visit: https://www.trendmicro.com/explore/trendai-global-ai-study/
The new global study of 3,700 business and IT decision makers found that 67% have felt pressured to approve AI despite security concerns, with one in seven describing those concerns as “extreme” but overridden to keep pace with competitors and internal demand.
Rachel Jin, Chief Platform & Business Officer, Head of TrendAI : “Organizations are not lacking awareness of risk, they’re lacking the conditions to manage it. When deployment is driven by competitive pressure rather than governance maturity, you create a situation where AI is embedded into critical systems without the controls needed to manage it safely. This research reenforces our focus on helping organizations drive solid business outcomes with AI while still managing business risk.”
The risk of pressure-driven AI rollout is exacerbated by governance inconsistencies and unclear responsibility for AI risk that are becoming widespread. The same is true for security teams working on a reactive basis to top-down AI rollout decisions, which often leads to workarounds and increased use of unsanctioned or “shadow” AI tools.
Recent TrendAI threat research reinforces this shift, showing how attackers are already using AI to automate reconnaissance, accelerate phishing campaigns and lower the barrier to entry for cybercrime, increasing both the speed and scale of attacks.
AI adoption is outpacing control
Organizations are deploying AI faster than they can manage the associated risks, creating a widening gap between ambition and oversight. 57% say AI is advancing more quickly than they can secure it, while more than half (64%) report only moderate confidence in their understanding of the legal frameworks governing AI.
Governance maturity remains low. Only around a third (38%) of organizations have comprehensive AI policies in place, with many still drafting them, and 41% cite unclear regulation or compliance standards as a barrier. In practice, AI is being operationalized before the rules governing its use are fully established.
Trust in autonomous AI remains uncertain
Confidence in more advanced, autonomous systems is still in the maturing phase. Less than half (48%) believe agentic AI will significantly improve cyber defense in the short term, with ongoing concerns around data access, misuse and lack of oversight.
The data shows where those concerns are landing. More than four in ten organizations (44%) say AI agents accessing sensitive data is their biggest risk. Over a third (36%) warn malicious prompts could compromise security, while one in three (33%) point to a growing attack surface for cyber criminals. A similar proportion (33%) fear abuse of trusted AI status and risks linked to autonomous code deployment.
At the same time, nearly a third (31%) admit they lack observability or auditability over these systems, raising serious questions about how organizations can control or intervene once agents are deployed.
Around 40% of organizations support the introduction of AI “kill switch” mechanisms to shut down systems in the event of failure or misuse, while nearly half remain unsure. This lack of consensus highlights a deeper issue. Organizations are moving towards autonomous AI without agreement on how to retain control when it matters most.
“Agentic AI is moving organizations into a new risk category,” added Rachel Jin. “Our research shows the concerns are already clear, from sensitive data exposure to loss of oversight. Without visibility and control, organizations are deploying systems they don’t fully understand or govern, and that risk is only going to increase unless action is taken.”
SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 April 2026 – On March 30, the torch relay of the 6th Asian Beach Games took place in Sanya, China. A total of 74 torchbearers ran a roughly 10.5-kilometer relay along Sanya Bay, igniting enthusiasm as they passed golden beaches, city streets, and the sea.
Torch Relay for 6th Asian Beach Games Held in Sanya, China
With the theme “Passing Friendship, Meeting in Sanya,“ the relay route creatively integrates three settings: beach, road and sea. This design fully showcased Sanya’s unique coastal scenery and highlighted the distinctive charm of an island-based sports event.
Chang Yani, champion of the women’s synchronized 3m springboard at the Paris Olympic Games, was the first torchbearer. “Facing the vast ocean and running with the torch on the beach—this feeling is really special,” Chang said. Liu Shiwen, gold medalist in the women’s table tennis team at the Tokyo Olympic Games, completed about 2.5 kilometers of the relay by boat, gliding over the waves and showcasing the beauty of Sanya from the sea.
Along the route, four themed cultural performances energized the relay. Dynamic water sports demonstrations included jet ski stunts, flyboarding, freestyle kayaking, and wake surfing. Hainan’s local culture was presented through Li brocade fashion shows, bamboo pole dances, Qiong opera, and Yazhou folk songs. A performance combining robotic lion dances and drumming further showcased the innovative vitality of the Asian Beach Games.
Torch Relay for 6th Asian Beach Games Held in Sanya, China
“The Sanya Asian Beach Games is the first international multi-sport event held since the full implementation of independent customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. It will serve as a grand sports gathering for Asian youth to compete and foster friendship, and a cultural gala where Asian civilizations exchange, learn from, and shine alongside one another,” said Song Luzeng, vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.
The 6th Asian Beach Games will take place in Sanya, China from April 22 to 30. A total of 1,790 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees, including those of Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, have registered to compete. The Games will feature 14 sports, including beach volleyball, beach handball, and teqball, with 62 gold medals up for grabs.
New Zealand has joined Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in expressing “deep concern” about an Israeli bill expanding the death penalty for Palestinians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters posted on social media last night, indicating New Zealand had joined the other nations, and emphasising the country’s opposition “for decades” to the death penalty “in all circumstances”.
It comes as the Green Party tried yesterday to move a motion in Parliament on the issue, but failed to get the support of all parties.
The ACT party told RNZ it did not support the motion being put without notice, and noted the Minister of Foreign Affairs was responsible for expressing New Zealand’s position on international issues.
The bill stipulated that residents in the West Bank who killed an Israeli “with the intent to negate the existence of the State of Israel” would be sentenced to death.
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom released a joint statement expressing their “deep concern” about the bill, saying it would “significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel”.
‘Discriminatory character’ “We are particularly worried about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill. The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel’s commitments with regards to democratic principles.
“The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring effect. This is why we oppose the death penalty, whatever the circumstances around the world. The rejection of the death penalty is a fundamental value that unites us.”
The statement also urged the Israeli decision makers to “abandon these plans”.
The Green Party wanted to highlight the issue in Parliament, and sought support from across the House to move a motion without notice.
Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick told reporters yesterday afternoon convention stipulated motions without notice needed prior agreement from all parties.
“This stops spurious motions going up and clogging the time of our Parliament.”
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick . . . “It felt particularly pertinent for our country to take a stand against the perpetuation of abuse of human rights with the Israeli Parliament passing the ability to effectively murder, to slaughter Palestinian hostages and prisoners.” Image: RNZ/Reece Baker
The motion read that the “New Zealand House of Representatives expresses deep concern about Israel’s new legislation which extends the use of the death penalty against Palestinians living under unlawful occupation; shares the concerns of Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy about the “de facto discriminatory character’ of the legislation; and calls on the Israeli Government to reverse this legislation”.
Labour, Te Pati Māori supported motion Opposition Labour and Te Pāti Māori parties both told RNZ they supported the motion.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said his party would firmly support a motion in the House to condemn Israel’s use of the death penalty against Palestianians.
“It clearly discriminates against Palestinians — a point underscored by the fact that the law does not apply to Israeli extremists who commit similar crimes. There are major issues with the process including that it removes the right to an appeal. By condemning Israel, we would stand alongside the United Nations, EU and the UK.”
Te Pāti Māori told RNZ it supported the motion, and queried why other parties had not.
“This law further embeds discrimination into Israel’s justice system by allowing Palestinians to be sentenced to death while others are not subject to the same punishment for similar acts,” a spokesperson for the party said.
“It sits within the context of the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people, and the backdrop of Israel and the United States’ illegal invasion of Iran and Lebanon.”
National and New Zealand First did not respond to queries but the ACT party told RNZ it did not support the motion being put without notice.
‘Symbolic motions’ A spokesperson for the party said it noted the Minister of Foreign Affairs was responsible for expressing New Zealand’s position on international issues, and “ACT supports that approach over symbolic motions in the House”.
“If the House passed a motion every time a country passed a law of concern, we would spend more time talking about other countries’ legislation than our own.
“All MPs have the right to put a motion on notice under Standing Orders.”
In response, Swarbrick said it was “deeply disappointing” and acknowledged the point was “symbolism”.
“I can point to many different examples when the ACT Party, for example, has put forward very similar motions, evidently for the very purpose of that same symbolism, which in turn means something on the international stage.
“It felt particularly pertinent for our country to take a stand against the perpetuation of abuse of human rights with the Israeli Parliament passing the ability to effectively murder, to slaughter Palestinian hostages and prisoners.”
She said a motion on notice did not have the status of being read out in Parliament and having the backing of every single parliamentary party.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Analysis: Christopher Luxon’s Cabinet reshuffle made two things very clear on Thursday.
Firstly, that the Prime Minister doesn’t trust one of his most competent ministers enough to leave him in charge of his party’s election campaign.
And secondly, he’s become aware New Zealand First and Act are doing a better job of winning over the rural vote.
Those two realisations resulted in Chris Bishop being unceremoniously dumped as campaign chair just seven months out from the election, and first-term MP – the relatively unknown Wairarapa farmer Mike Butterick – being thrust into a ministerial role.
Luxon seemed surprised that his ditching Bishop for Simeon Brown as campaign chair would be a talking point.
Asked for the rationale he pointed to the “workload” Bishop was under.
While Bishop is one of the busiest ministers in Cabinet, that was also the case when he was given the role of campaign chair in the first place.
When RNZ asked Luxon who was busier, Bishop or Brown, the prime minister’s workload rationale crumbled when he declared they were both busy.
He’s right, while Bishop is in charge of housing, transport, RMA reform and infrastructure, Brown has the thankless job of being Health Minister and now has energy – one of the biggest issues in town – on his plate.
It’s a nonsense to say Brown has more time for campaign chair, but Luxon is hardly going to say he’s moving Bishop aside because he’s sceptical of how supportive the Hutt South MP is of his leadership.
Simeon Brown is Health Minister and now also has the energy portfolio.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Bishop has had a demotion target on his back ever since rumours swirled at the end of last year that he was considering making a move for the leadership.
It was his former staffer, friend, and ministerial colleague James Meager speculated to have been doing the numbers for him, and as a result has suffered a similar fate to Bishop and been overlooked for a move into Cabinet.
Brown is a political animal and is a good alternative pick for campaign chair, especially when you pair it with his energy portfolio that is bound to be a big election issue.
National was able to form a government in 2023 under Bishop, so the pressure is on Brown to pull off the same result.
That’s no easy ask when the party is polling around 29-31 percent and with a leader who has favourability wallowing in the negatives.
As for the meteoric rise of Butterick, that was the ministerial promotion nobody saw coming.
Butterick is a farmer through and through, he calls a spade a spade, and talks to everyday New Zealanders in a way many ministers could only dream of.
New Zealand First and Act have been steadily working away on the rural vote in recent years and National has clearly clocked it needs to up its presence in that regard.
Luxon will be hoping by giving an MP like Butterick a public profile as a minister outside of Cabinet it will show the farming community he’s taking their vote seriously.
One of the other surprising Luxon calls on Thursday was the decision to promote Penny Simmonds into Cabinet.
Simmonds does hail from the South Island and with Cabinet short on representation from that part of the country it’s possible it went a long way toward her promotion.
Any reshuffle leaves MPs a mixture of disappointed, surprised, and elated – and don’t forget the ministerial staffers waiting to find out if they still have a job.
The long Easter weekend will provide time for wounds to be licked and celebrations to be had – the last minute passing of public holiday alcohol laws couldn’t have come at a better time.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Percy Burn and Edwin Burn viaducts, on the Hump Ridge Track, and Francis Burn Viaduct, on the South Coast Track, were closed in February due to structural deterioration of these century-old bridges.
The three-day Hump Ridge Track remains open, with hikers on the Great Walk able to bypass the closed Percy Burn and Edwin Burn viaducts via an existing alternative track and bridge. A fourth viaduct, Sandhill Viaduct, remains open.
There is no alternative marked route around the Francis Burn Viaduct on the South Coast Track, an expert route, as the surrounding gorge is too steep.
DOC Te Anau Operations Manager John Lucas says engineering and heritage conservation expertise will help determine the path forward for the century-old structures.
“These impressive wooden structures have borne the brunt of the wild southern conditions for more than 100 years. Timber always has a finite lifespan, and recent inspections showed the hardwood structural components have deteriorated rapidly in recent times. The viaducts are not safe to cross.”
The viaducts are part of the Port Craig Viaduct precinct, an important heritage site for New Zealand, and are regarded as some of the country’s most significant man-made structures, so heritage advice will be a consideration for any next steps, John says.
“Safety must come first, so the decision to close them while we work with the Southland District Council, who own three of the four viaducts, and the Hump Ridge Track on future management options was an easy one.”
DOC undertakes regular assessments and inspections of the viaducts for visitor safety, access and enjoyment.
As part of the work to upgrade the Hump Ridge Track to a Great Walk, a 58 m swing bridge was built bypassing the Edwin Burn Viaduct, in the event the aging structure needed to be closed.
Percy Burn was closed in 2013 for safety reasons, and a bypass track was constructed. The viaduct reopened in 2018 after a partnership between DOC, the Southland District Council and the Viaduct Trust was established to finance and repair the structure.
Since then, DOC inspectors have undertaken six-monthly assessments on the structures, and the Hump Ridge Track, an independent Charitable Trust running the Hump Ridge Track walk, undertakes basic maintenance.
People heading out naturing this long weekend should check the DOC website or head into their local visitor centre for the latest updates and track conditions.
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn’t scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It’s behind our identity and our way of life.
From restoring native habitats to reducing waste and improving waterways, people across Devonport-Takapuna are working together to care for the local environment. The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board supports many of these efforts through funding,partnerships and long-term planning.
1. Planting thousands of native plants across reserves
Thousands of native plants are helping restore biodiversity across Devonport-Takapuna reserves, creating healthier habitats for birds and greener neighbourhood parks for the community to enjoy.
In the most recent planting season, 7,891 native plants wereestablished across 24 local reserves, helping bring life back into neighbourhood green spaces and strengthen native ecosystems. These planting efforts are supported by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board working alongside community volunteers and restoration groups.
2. Supporting pest control and ecological restoration
Community pest-control programmes are helping native birds thrive across Devonport-Takapuna.
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board supports initiatives such as thePupuke Birdsong Project and RestoringTakarunga Hauraki, which work with volunteers,schools and private landowners to control pest animals and plants while restoring native habitats. These efforts help protect biodiversity and improve ecosystems connected to places like Lake Pupuke, Ngātaringa Bay and Shoal Bay.
Funding from the board also supports projects such as native planting and weed management at the Wairau Estuary, helping restore the health of this highly degraded waterway.
3. Improving water quality and marine environments
Waterways such as the Wairau Stream and Lake Pupuke playan important role in the health of the Waitematā Harbour.
The board’s environmental work programme includes initiatives aimed at improving water quality, restoring degradedestuaries and protecting marine environments along the coastline. Projects like the Wairau Estuary Enhancement Plan focus on restoring the estuary through planting, weed management and long-term ecological restoration. These efforts help strengthen biodiversity and reduce pollution entering the harbour.
Learn more about Auckland’s beach and water quality monitoring throughSafeswim.
4. Reducing waste and encouraging reuse
Creative reuse and waste reduction initiatives are helping Devonport-Takapuna households keep valuable materials out of landfill.
Supported with $27,400 in funding, the programme runs workshops for local school groups that inspire zero-waste habits through play,creativity and community learning, often using industrial waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.
5. Planning greener, connected neighbourhoods
Long-term planning is helping shape greener, more connected neighbourhoods across Devonport-Takapuna.
The board’s planning work, including theDevonport-Takapuna Greenways Plan, aims to improve ecological corridors, increase tree canopy and create walking and cycling connections that link people with nature. These initiatives help support biodiversity while also creating healthier neighbourhoods for residents to walk, cycle and enjoy local parks and reserves.
Many of these projects are powered by volunteers and community groups. Ifyou’d like to help restore local reserves, waterways or wildlife habitats, there are plenty of ways to get involved across the Devonport-Takapuna area.
Stay up to date
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ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 2, 2026.
What is Benjamin Netanyahu’s end game in the Iran war? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Kear, Sessional Lecturer, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran is now into its second month. Despite spectacular early successes, the resilience of Iran’s government and military has meant the US and Israel have lost
Offenders serving community sentences are more likely to keep jobs, earn more – new research Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peer Ebbesen Skov, Associate Professor in Economics, Auckland University of Technology When should offenders be sent to prison and when is it better to keep them in the community under close supervision? New Zealand confronted that choice in 2007 when it introduced home detention, community detention and
As the Iran war disrupts supplies, will it affect access to medicines? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Janetzki, Lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Adelaide University As the conflict in the Middle East disrupts fuel, shipping and food supplies, many are starting to ask if they will be still be able to get their medicines if the war drags on. Australia’s medicine supply chain
I hate it when other adults ‘parent’ my kids. What can I do? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christiane Kehoe, Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne Long weekends often bring family and friends together in a mix of generations. Somewhere between the egg hunt and hot cross buns this weekend, there might be a moment where another adult steps in to “parent” your
We can’t implant our brains in robot beavers – but Hoppers gets a lot right about animal science Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Lynne Hendershott, Lecturer in Biological Anthropology, Australian National University Hoppers is a deceptively simple story that opens up complex ethical and scientific questions. Jerry (Jon Hamm), the mayor of Beaverton, has marked a forest glade for destruction, so commuters can save four minutes of drive time.
New Stan film Whale Shark Jack is a kid-focused tribute to WA’s awe-inspiring coastline Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ellie McFarlane, PhD Candidate, School of Media & Communication, RMIT University Whale Shark Jack is Stan’s heartfelt, kid-focused addition to the Australian wildlife movie canon. Its brief run time and ambitious mix of genres means some elements are under-cooked. Nonetheless, the film shines as a love letter
Iranian president calls on American public to challenge US war motives By Ali Hashem in Tehran This is a war of narratives with the United States administration trying to push forward its narrative of “victory” while the Iranian administration or establishment is trying to push its narrative of being suppressed and under attack. The Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has clearly said in an open letter to
Is free public transport a good idea? It depends on who gets on board Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne Petrol prices in Australia have risen sharply over the past six weeks. In early February, prices in major cities were around 160–180 cents per litre. By mid-March, they had increased to
Want to be a citizen scientist? Here are 5 ways to get involved Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Miki Perkins, Environment & Energy Editor, The Conversation Ever wondered what it might feel like to spot giant spider crabs while you’re snorkelling? Or check plants for the circular holes that indicate native bees are collecting nest materials? Citizen science relies on people like you – more
Selling stolen art is tricky, so why even bother heisting it? An expert explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anja Shortland, Reader in Political Economy, King’s College London It took less than three minutes for an organised crime gang to steal a Renoir, Matisse and a Cezanne painting collectively worth around €9 million (£7.8m) from a private museum near Parma, Italy in March 2026. This is
Bigger storms, more often: new study projects likely future rainfall impacts on NZ Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Muhammad Fikri Sigid, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Science, University of Waikato In the aftermath of the latest bout of extreme rainfall across New Zealand’s upper North Island, there were some familar scenes. Submerged pastures. Silt carried by swollen rivers and piled against bridges. Floodwaters surrounding homes whose
Trump risks falling in to the ‘asymmetric resolve’ trap in Iran − just as presidents before him did elsewhere Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Walldorf, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University Little has seemingly gone as Washington planned in the war against Iran. The Iranian people have not risen up, one hard-line leader has been replaced by another, Iranian missiles and drones keep hitting targets across the
A New York Times critic used AI to write his review – but criticism is deeply human Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bec Kavanagh, Senior Tutor in Publishing & Creative Writing, The University of Melbourne An author and freelance journalist has admitted to using AI to help him write a book review for the New York Times. Alex Preston’s review of Jean-Baptiste Andrea’s novel Watching Over Her, published by
As NASA launches a crewed Moon mission, Australia is once again playing a critical role Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Moss, Senior Lecturer in History, UNSW Sydney On April 1 2026, NASA is sending astronauts back around the Moon. And Australia will play a critical role in helping them get there. Four astronauts will launch from Florida, bound for the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. Similar
Housing construction costs are already rising, increasing risks of builders going bust Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lyndall Bryant, Senior lecturer, QUT Centre for Justice, School of Econmics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology For Australia’s building industry, higher fuel costs since the start of the Middle East war have been just the start of the pain. Countless construction products are made with petroleum-based
Unethical brain rot: why are millions watching AI fruits have affairs on TikTok? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niusha Shafiabady, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Australian Catholic University If you’ve spent much time on TikTok recently, you may have noticed a strange new type of AI brain rot taking over: fruit dramas. These AI-generated short dramas feature odd-looking anthropomorphic fruit characters engaging in a range of
This common antidepressant helps people cut back on methamphetamine – new study Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca McKetin, Associate Professor, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Methamphetamine – more commonly known as meth, crystal or ice – is a highly addictive, stimulant drug. An estimated 7.4 million people in the world are dependent on it or “addicted” to it. They face
Toxic blooms and invasive clams are forcing a rethink on the Waikato River Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Hartland, Adjunct Associate Professor in Freshwater Biogeochemistry, Lincoln University, New Zealand The Waikato is New Zealand’s longest river, central to the identity and practices of Waikato River iwi and a source of drinking water for nearly half of the country’s population. It is also becoming a
We have the proof that logging makes Tasmania’s forests more flammable Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania In 1967, catastrophic bushfires in Tasmania killed dozens of people – and very nearly destroyed Hobart. A year later, W.D. Jackson, Professor of Botany at the University of Tasmania, published a short but very influential article
Does AI mean more uni students are plagiarising their work? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guy Curtis, Associate professor, The University of Western Australia People using other peoples’ ideas, words and creations without acknowledgement is a widespread problem. Plagiarism occurs everywhere from restaurant menus to political speeches and music. Within academia, plagiarism is seen as a serious breach of integrity for scholars
14 Poutini Ngāi Tahu (West Coast Ngāi Tahu) pounamu stones weighing close to 60 kg returned on 1 November 2024 by New Zealand Customs.Supplied
Ngāi Tahu wants to see tougher restrictions on exporting pounamu after a mother and son were found guilty of attempting to illegally export pounamu to China over the legal limit.
It is the first successful prosecution of its kind by New Zealand Customs after Boyuan Zhang and his mother Xin Li were found carrying almost 18 [17.9] kilograms in their luggage in 2024.
While not a party to the case, Ngāi Tahu holds legal ownership of all naturally occurring pounamu within its tribal boundaries since 1997 under the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu Vesting Act.
Ngāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio is one of the kaitiaki or stewardship hapū of Ngāi Tahu with a particular whakapapa connection to pounamu.
Representative Susan Wallace told Morning Report pounamu is a sacred resource and taonga recognised by many New Zealanders, not just Māori, who wear it and have a connection to the stone.
Descendants of Ngāi Tahu attended the trial in the Manukau District Court last month, and Wallace said the verdict was an emotional moment for them.
“It does serve as a warning that attempts to export pounamu without permission can and will be prosecuted so it’s a huge outcome for us.
“The case also highlighted a number of areas where the export regime could be strengthened, and that includes the current weight threshold. You can currently export up to five kilograms out of the country – this case showed that you can’t get around that by sharing the weight amongst a group of people, which is what happened in this case.”
Wallace said Ngāi Tahu had been working with Customs and the police.
Asked why there was such a large black market for pounamu, Wallace said she believed it was because pounamu was not mined here to the extent it was in other countries.
“So we’re fortunate to be able to have quite a lot of pounamu that is available. As a result of that, others from overseas are coming in quite regularly to take and export pounamu. We’re actually wanting to tighten that up – we think that the weight needs to be lowered significantly.”
Exporting pounamu in quantities over five kilograms was only permitted with the approval of the Customs minister.
Public fossicking for pounamu was only allowed on West Coast beaches, and the size of pounamu allowed to be taken was limited to something you could carry in one hand.
Rivers were able to be fossicked by Ngāi Tahu whānau members, but only with a collection permit granted by the kaitiaki (guardian) rūnanga.
Wallace said the case showed there were areas of the law that needed to be tightened up, including the weight limit for exporting pounamu.
“We’d love to see it reduced down completely and that there is a special permit that might be given that would enable it to be taken out legally, but actually with the support of Ngāi Tahu rather than it being something that is, I guess, managed through the government.”
Ngāi Tahu had an authentication process in place for buyers to check the authenticity of their taonga, she said.
“So we have a unique traceability code from the seller, you can enter that into the Ngāi Tahu pounamu website and trace back where that particular piece of pounamu came from.
“It’s a shame that despite this case there [are] so many online listings for illegally sourced stone, so it is showing the scale of the black market pounamu trade at the moment.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Kear, Sessional Lecturer, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran is now into its second month. Despite spectacular early successes, the resilience of Iran’s government and military has meant the US and Israel have lost the strategic initiative. This means they are being more reactive than proactive in determining the outcome of the war. One of the main reasons for this: the contradictory strategic objectives of the US and Israel. Since the war began, the Trump administration has struggled to justify its attack on Iran.
One of the reasons it is flailing is that the war runs contrary to the US’ long-held strategy in the Persian Gulf. The strategy is based on the 1980 Carter Doctrine, which was issued in response to the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan.
In his 1980 State of the Union Address, then-President Jimmy Carter declared any attempt to gain control of the Persian Gulf was contrary to the US’ vital interests and would be repelled by any means, including the use of military force.
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To this end, the US Fifth Fleet was stationed permanently in the Persian Gulf and economic sanctions were imposed on Iran and the USSR. Since 2001, there has been an exponential growth in US military bases in the Gulf, with approximately 50,000 US military personnel now stationed there.
Despite this military dominance, successive administrations accepted the tentative status quo with Iran. They understood that while it was still considered a threat, any military action to remove that threat would be counter-productive.
This is primarily because it risked the very thing the doctrine sought to prevent – control of the Persian Gulf – in this case through Iran’s denial of access through the Strait of Hormuz.
How Israel’s objectives differ
For Israel, the strategic calculations for war with Iran are vastly different. Iran is a key member of the Axis of Resistance. This is a loosely aligned coalition consisting of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.
The main objectives of the axis are to resist US regional domination, destroy Israel and support Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation. The axis could not hope to challenge US dominance or destroy Israel. But Iran did provide support to Hezbollah and Hamas to resist Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Despite the constant threat to Israeli security posed by the axis, the US had successfully restrained Israel from taking sustained military action against axis members. This maintained the Gulf’s status quo and kept the oil flowing.
But since October 2023, this restraint has been lifted. In retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, the Netanyahu government implemented its “mowing the grass” strategy. This is where Israel seeks to manage a conflict with an enemy by trying to eliminate its immediate leadership and destroy or significantly degrade its economic, political and military capabilities to establish a level of deterrence.
Israel is using this strategy against Hamas and Hezbollah with devastating effect. Israeli troops are advancing into southern Lebanon, with the aim of occupying Lebanese territory to act a buffer zone between Lebanon and northern Israel. This would rob Hezbollah of most of its traditional stronghold in Lebanon.
Israel is now using the same strategy of destruction against Iran – assassinating key political and military leaders and destroying political and civilian infrastructure throughout the country.
Netanyahu as war leader in an election year
Not only is this war seriously degrading Iran’s military and political power, it also represents a huge boon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an election year. Hamas’ 2023 attacks on Israel were an enormous embarrassment to the prime minister, who staked his reputation on being seen as the “protector of Israel”.
Now in the lead-up to the next election, due by October 27, Netanyahu can argue his government has crushed Hamas and Hezbollah, and humbled Iran. Netanyahu is desperate to win the election and will likely use the Iran war as a springboard to retaining the prime ministership.
This would place him in a stronger position to have President Isaac Herzog pardon him and cancel his years-long corruption trial. In short, Netanyahu has plenty of incentives to continue attacking both Iran and Hezbollah.
But the problem is there are costs to this apparent political windfall.
First, support for his government wavers, despite overwhelming backing for his war on Iran and Hezbollah. While recent polling indicates Netanyahu’s Likud Party riding high in the polls, it appears contingent on Netanyahu achieving his long-stated goals – the destruction of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the collapse of the current Iranian regime.
Polling in early 2025 also showed Likud’s support plummeting on news of an impending ceasefire with Hamas. This fickleness must surely worry Netanyahu, should the Trump administration negotiate a ceasefire that Iran says needs to include Hezbollah.
Second, support for Israel in the US has plummeted post-2023, with 65% of Democrats and 41% of independents now sympathising with Palestinians. While support for Israel remains strong among Republicans, the poll also noted it is at its lowest levels since 2004.
This does not bode well for Israel because it desperately needs the US$3.8 billion (A$5.5 billion) it receives annually from the US alongside unfettered access to US military hardware and munitions. Without this aid, Israel could no longer act against external threats with impunity, and would face a severe economic recession. Given US President Donald Trump’s historic capriciousness, this support cannot be taken for granted.
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Third, senior ministers in Netanyahu’s government, including Netanyahu himself, are under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity concerning their conduct during Israel’s war on Gaza. While Netanyahu’s government continues to protest its innocence, any adverse findings would likely further decrease international support for Israel, leaving it more isolated than ever.
Finally, while Israel and the US have seriously weakened Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, simply surviving the onslaught is considered a victory by these actors, given the vast differences in military capability.
It has also led to the installation of a younger, emboldened, and more hardline leadership, especially in Iran, making the revitalisation of a more militant Axis of Resistance intent of exacting revenge more likely.
So instead of enhancing Israel’s security, Netanyahu may have paradoxically made Israel’s future security environment increasingly complicated and hazardous. Such an outcome would leave Israel more vulnerable to attack at a time when backing from traditional supporters is uncertain.
At the time of the reform, New Zealand relied heavily on prison for criminal justice. The prison population stood at 189 per 100,000 people, compared to an OECD average of 136, and prisons were operating above capacity.
Two decades later, these non-custodial sentences are now a substantial part of the justice system.
In the 2024–25 financial year, the courts convicted and sentenced 50,800 people, but only about 15% received imprisonment. About one in five were sentenced to home detention, community detention or intensive supervision for offences ranging from careless or dangerous driving to theft and burglary.
We conducted two studies to examine what followed when sentencing shifted away from short prison terms towards community-based sanctions, focusing on work and reoffending, respectively.
We found offenders are more likely to retain work and earn more if they stay in the community, without raising the risk of new substantive reoffending.
The budget case for community-based sentences is straightforward. A day in prison costs NZ$552, compared with $116 for home detention. But sentencing policy should not be judged purely on fiscal arithmetic.
Keeping offenders in the community may help them hold on to work and family ties, but it also raises concerns about deterrence and public safety. Understanding the trade-offs between short prison terms and community-based sanctions matters in New Zealand because most offenders now remain in the community.
Keeping jobs, earning more
Our research regarding work found the 2007 reform improved offenders’ labour market outcomes.
Comparing first-time offenders sentenced in the year before and after the reform, and adjusting for broader changes over time, monthly earnings over three years were about $107 higher under the post-reform regime. This is about 6% more than they otherwise would have earned, or roughly $3,850 per offender in total.
Part of this gain is pragmatic. Offenders sentenced before the reform were more likely to spend time in prison immediately after sentencing, while those sentenced after the reform remained in the community and able to work. But the earnings effect goes further than this.
Even beyond the first 24 months, when any short prison sentence under the old regime would have ended, earnings remain higher. Across ten years after sentencing, this adds up to a cumulative gain of roughly $7,800 per offender.
The strongest earnings gains appear among offenders who already had a foothold in the labour market before sentencing. This suggests community-based sentences helped offenders hold on to better and more stable jobs, which would have otherwise been disrupted by a short prison term.
Any reoffending stems from breach of conditions
Our study focused on reoffending revealed a more nuanced picture. Recorded recidivism rises under the post-reform regime, by about 8.7% after one year, 9.5% after two years and 9.6% after five years.
However, this increase does not appear to reflect more substantive offending; the increase is driven by convictions for breaching sentence conditions.
In New Zealand, serious breaches are classified as offences against justice, and it is those that are driving the higher recorded recidivism. This suggests the reform increased breaches of sentence conditions, rather than new substantive offending.
These sentences also replace different amounts of custody, ranging from short prison terms to the final months of longer sentences. The institutional settings differ, with some countries offering stronger reintegration support and more active labour market programmes than others.
Even across that variation, the evidence is broadly consistent. Studies from Europe, the UK, Argentina and Australia find no or lower reoffending, while Danish and recent Swedish research also points to better employment and earnings outcomes.
Our findings add to this by showing that the labour market gains seen in Denmark and Sweden can also arise in New Zealand’s leaner welfare-state setting, while the reoffending rates fit the broader international pattern that prison alternatives at least do not lead to clear increases in substantive reoffending.
Taken together, the evidence makes a favourable case for community-based sentencing instead of short periods of imprisonment. Such sentencing delivers fiscal savings alongside stronger labour market outcomes and higher future tax-paying capacity for offenders, without increasing substantive reoffending.
In the New Zealand context, important questions remain about effects on offenders’ families, victims and the public’s sense of safety. Evidence from Danish research nevertheless provides an encouraging lead, suggesting that community-based sentences also benefit offenders’ family members.
As the conflict in the Middle East disrupts fuel, shipping and food supplies, many are starting to ask if they will be still be able to get their medicines if the war drags on.
Australia’s medicine supply chain is built to handle short disruptions. So you shouldn’t have problems accessing most common medicines in the short to medium term.
But it isn’t designed for prolonged global instability.
What’s in place to protect our medicine supply?
Since July 2023, Australia has had specific stock-holding requirements for many medicines the government subsidises on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
It means manufacturers must hold at least four or six month’ worth of stock of these medicines, depending on the particular medicine, on Australian soil.
This creates a buffer. If a shortage begins, it gives the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), our national medicines regulator, time to respond and reduce the impact.
These medicines aren’t stored in a single warehouse. They’re spread across wholesalers and pharmacies. This helps ensure access across the country, including in regional areas.
The list of medicines covered is reviewed regularly and another review is due this month. This means regulators can adjust which medicines are prioritised as global conditions change.
However, this protection does not apply to every medicine.
If a medicine is not listed on the PBS, the risk of shortages increases. This includes newer medicines and those only available on private prescription. These medicines often have smaller stock buffers and fewer suppliers so they are more vulnerable when supply chains are disrupted.
What about existing shortages?
Australia has been dealing with medicine shortages for several years. Common causes include manufacturing problems such as difficulty sourcing raw ingredients and sudden increases in demand for medicines.
The main sources of medicines are the United States, Europe, India and China. India and China are especially important because they manufacture many of the raw ingredients used to make medicines. Even the US depends on these supply chains, which then affects countries such as Australia.
This is where the system becomes fragile
Medicine supply chains are less like a straight pipeline and more like a spider’s web. Their strength depends on every strand of the web being intact. One strand might be a factory in India. Another could be a shipping route through a conflict zone. Another is a wholesaler in Australia.
If one strand breaks, the system does not collapse immediately, but it weakens. When several strands are disrupted at once, the effects ripple across the network.
War can disrupt this web in multiple ways. Shipping routes may be blocked or delayed. Air transport can be restricted. Access to raw materials may be limited. Manufacturing can slow down. Even in Australia, fuel shortages could affect how medicines are transported between cities and pharmacies.
War is one risk. Natural disasters, pandemics and even panic buying can all place additional pressure on supply. When these pressures happen at the same time, shortages become more likely.
We rely on such a complex system because of costs and efficiencies. Manufacturing medicines in Australia is expensive. Producing them overseas is often cheaper. The system also relies on what’s known as “just-in-time” supply. Stock is replenished regularly rather than stored in larger quantities.
This keeps medicine prices lower, but also means there’s less room for error when disruptions occur.
For now, Australia is managing
In the short term, the current buffer is likely enough. But if disruptions continue for six months or longer, the risk of broader shortages increases, especially for medicines that are made by fewer manufacturers or with single or limited raw ingredients.
There are currently 397 medicines listed as being in shortage. This number fluctuates but is slightly down from what we’ve seen in the past few years. The TGA provides public information on current and anticipated shortages, along with guidance on how they are managed.
If the pharmacist can’t swap you to another brand of a product, the TGA can provide special permission for pharmacists to dispense a different formulation of the same medicine without needing to contact the doctor. This helps maintain access without needing a new prescription.
Increasing local manufacturing would improve resilience but it would take time and significant investment.
What should I do in the meantime?
Don’t panic or stockpile medicines. Keep your prescriptions up to date. Plan ahead so you don’t run out.
If you’re concerned, speak to your pharmacist and doctor. If your medicine is in short supply, there may be alternatives or ways to source your medicine from another location.
Australia’s medicine supply chain is designed to manage disruption and it has done so before. While global pressures are increasing, there are safeguards in place and multiple ways health professionals and policy makers can respond to help you if shortages occur.