AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for November 7, 2026 – Full Text

Held from Nov. 2 to 5 in Ningbo, the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Ningbo, themed “Openness and Connectivity for Shared Opportunities”, has brought together more than 260 participants, including mayors and their representatives from 20 cities of 15 countries, such as France, Italy and New Zealand, as well as representatives of international organizations such as the United Nations Global Compact, business representatives and media professionals.

After in-depth discussions, the representatives agreed on three points of consensus covering deepening industrial cooperation, upholding trade openness and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

They agreed that advancing industrial development through cooperation, creating opportunities through openness, and fostering closer people-to-people ties are important ways to keep pace with economic globalization and promote urban prosperity and people’s well-being.

Participants will build on their respective strengths and resource endowments, identify their comparative advantages and pursue distinctive paths of open development. They will promote complementarity and resource sharing, expand two-way investment, and foster an open, inclusive and mutually beneficial environment for innovation, enabling the sharing of innovation outcomes.

On trade and openness, participants have pledged to firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, strengthen connectivity, facilitate the orderly flow and efficient allocation of production factors, safeguard stable and smooth supply chains, and resolve differences through dialogue.

They have also agreed to deepen exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, healthcare and other fields, improve mechanisms for interaction and expand people-to-people exchanges to foster mutual understanding and closer ties. They called for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to overcome estrangement and prevent conflicts.

Looking ahead, participants will continue to promote openness and connectivity and share development opportunities, build new mechanisms for city-to-city cooperation, and strengthen mutual understanding and trust, contributing to the sustainable development of cities worldwide.

Guided by the State Council Information Office, the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue · Ningbo is co-hosted by the People’s Government of Ningbo Municipality, the Information Office of the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, and Xinhua News Agency Zhejiang Bureau.

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Road freight association Transporting New Zealand is calling on political parties to back three practical measures targeting distracted driving, seatbelt non-compliance and drug-impaired driving.

The call follows the release of the AA Road Safety Review 2026, which brings together crash statistics and research from the past decade to identify ways to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

“While our road toll has been gradually falling there is more our Government could be doing to improve road safety, like cracking down on handheld cellphone use, and vehicle occupants not wearing seatbelts,” says Transporting New Zealand Policy and Advocacy Advisor Mark Stockdale.

“Incredibly, over a quarter of road deaths last year involved people not wearing a seatbelt, whilst around 5 percent of deaths and serious injuries are attributed to distraction from cellphone use, although this behaviour is likely to be under-reported if observations by truckies are anything to go by,” Stockdale says.

The AA Road Safety Review 2026 reports that one in five drivers admit to looking at messages on their phone whilst driving within the last month, whilst nearly one in ten admit to not wearing a seatbelt.

“Yet we have the technology to enforce this now. In other countries like Australia, the safety cameras are used to monitor seatbelt and cellphone use, in addition to speeding and red light running. Our cameras have this ability too, but currently aren’t used to enforce these,” Stockdale added.

Transporting New Zealand’s election platform is calling for parties to support three road safety measures:

1. expand the safety-camera network to detect illegal handheld cellphone use and seatbelt offences;
2. increase penalties and enforcement against repeat cellphone and seatbelt offenders; and
3. increase random roadside drug testing from 50,000 to 150,000 tests a year.

While New Zealand has only recently introduced random roadside drug testing, the volumes are tiny in comparison to breath alcohol testing.

“Police conduct around four million breath-alcohol tests each year, but plan only 50,000 roadside drug tests. Yet drug-impaired driving is involved in more fatal crashes than alcohol-impaired driving. The enforcement effort needs to reflect the scale of the risk.”

“That’s why our election platform is also calling for a trebling of random roadside drug tests to 150,000 per year, which is on a par with the number of tests conducted in similar-sized states in Australia,” Stockdale added.

https://www.transporting.nz/books/election-platform-2026/

Group signs seven strategic Memoranda of Understanding with partners from the United States, Greater China, Malaysia and the Maldives, as the Hong Kong hub prepares the ground for a sister hub in the Maldives

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 November 2026 – AEI Capital Group, an international alternative investment and asset management group, celebrated the grand opening of its expanded new Hong Kong headquarters office located at the China Resources Building. As the Group now expands its Hong Kong operations through the launch of this new Hong Kong headquarters, its international offshore affiliates manage aggregate alternative assets exceeding USD 7 billion as of December 2025. Located within the Hong Kong CBD with an exceptional Victoria Harbour view, the expanded office is directly annexed to the St. Regis Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, which will significantly lubricate AEI Capital Group’s strategic initiatives to organise global or regional events in Hong Kong via its expanded Hong Kong headquarters office. To ensure seamless operational continuity, the Group’s respective licensed associated entities will maintain their existing office premises until further official notification is submitted to their respective regulators.

Being dual-headquartered in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, emboldened by its other satellite offices in Singapore, London, Washington DC and Chengdu for global market coverage, AEI Capital Group is aspired to ride on Hong Kong’s recently crowned status as the No.1 global wealth centre (surpassing Switzerland lately) to develop its onshore Global Asset & Wealth Hub in Hong Kong. This newly launched Hub operates exclusively as a strategic platform dedicated to international enterprise matchmaking, cross-border commercial networking, and global corporate facilitation, to be complemented by AEI’s upcoming launch of its offshore Global Asset & Wealth Hub in Maldives, the world-renowned top luxurious travel destination recently emerged to grow its own offshore financial centre.

AEI Capital Group’s official launch ceremony of its Hong Kong new headquarters office was witnessed by a long list of spectacular special guests, such as Mr Abdulla Jihad, the former Vice President and Finance Minister of Maldives Republic; Dato Iskandar Mohd Nuli, the President and CEO of Maldives International Financial Centre; Dato Hafizi Bin Abdul Mutolif, the Deputy Chairman of Malaysian Armed Forces Co-operative, a sovereign wealth entity associated with Malaysian armed forces; Shaikh Humaid Abdulla Ali Abdulla Almualla, a UAE royal family member who is one of the anchor partners for AEI’s royal & billionaire-focused multi-family office; Datuk Wira Dr Lim Zhao Qi (Ken), the Chairman of Labuan Investment Banks Association & CEO of European Credit Investment Bank; Victor Deng, the President of Sensegain Asset Management, a Beijing-headquartered prominent investment firm; Hongtao Duan (段宏涛), the Chief Executive of Hoping China, a China quality-brand development organisation mandated by the China government for the overseas growth of China nationwide quality-brands; Warren Baker, Managing Partner of LDA Capital, a prominent global emerging markets investment firm based in Los Angeles and Madrid, and some key senior officials from Invest HK in family office and global financial services segments to support AEI’s aspiration to grow its Hong Kong global headquarters.

Seven strategic collaboration MoUs

The signing ceremony of a series of strategic collaboration MoUs between AEI Capital Group and its global strategic partners was organised on the same day too at the Runnovation Event Hall, a premier international innovation and exchange platform under China Resources Group in Hong Kong, subsequent to the grand launch ceremony of the AEI Global Asset & Wealth Hub in the afternoon.

AEI has entered into the following strategic collaboration MoUs with its respective global institutional partners of regional market importance:

1. MoU with Regal Prestige Multi Family Office (under AEI Capital Group) and FYSEN Group of Companies (Maldives) – for strategic investment and development in various industries in the Maldives, including the financial sector
2. MoU with Regal Prestige Multi Family Office (under AEI Capital Group) and Malaysian Armed Forces Co-operative (the sovereign wealth entity associated with Malaysian Armed Forces) – for capitalisation and strategic investment for various assets held by the co-operative
3. MoU with LDA Capital Group LLC, a leading emerging markets equity investment group – for collaboration on growth equity deal opportunities across Asia and Europe
4. MoU with Hoping China Development Promotion Centre (好品中国发展促进中心) – for strategic collaboration to support the capitalisation and growth of its global halal commerce platform
5. MoU with Hoping International Financial Group Co., Limited (好品国际金融集团有限公司) – for collaboration on growth equity deal opportunities
6. MoU with Labuan Investment Banks Association – for strategic collaboration in the asset and wealth space
7. MoU with Sensegain Asset Management Group Co., Ltd. – for collaboration on growth equity deal opportunities

Why Hong Kong, and why now

There is a widely repeated claim that capital has grown scarce. It has not. Capital is abundant, arguably more so than at any point in a generation, but it has been concentrated in the western world rather than in Asia, the largest growth engine in the world. The scarcity is not of capital; it is of capital willing to cross the distance to where the growth actually is. Hong Kong sits at that crossing.

“Hong Kong is where Asia’s growth meets the world’s capital, and that is exactly the bridge we exist to build,” said John Tan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AEI Capital Group. “The innovation and the growth are here. What is missing is the pricing and the liquidity. We exist to close that gap, one company at a time.”

A two-way bridge

The AEI Global Asset & Wealth Hub is a corporate and strategic platform that brings the group’s partners together for cross-border collaboration and network-building between Asia, the Gulf, Europe and the United States. The Hong Kong hub is the first; a sister hub in the Maldives is in preparation.

The group sees the partnerships as a bridge that runs in both directions. Asian companies with real fundamentals but depressed valuation and liquidity can be strategically supported and, where it serves them, carried outward toward deeper pools of capital. In the other direction, US and European investors and companies seeking Asian exposure gain a strategic partner whose home advantage is the very market they are trying to enter. Asia-out and world-in are, in the group’s view, the same competence seen from two sides.

IMPORTANT COMPLIANCE NOTICE & DISCLAIMER:

To ensure the highest standards of regulatory compliance, this Hub does not engage in, and is completely separated from, any regulated financial services or asset management activities within Hong Kong. All regulated financial services within the region are, or will in the future be, conducted strictly and exclusively by the Group’s associated licensed entities registered with and supervised by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong holding Type 4 (Advising on Securities) and Type 9 (Asset Management) licenses, as well as its relevant registered trust companies and other associated licensed or regulated entities in Hong Kong, which maintain entirely separate corporate governance, designated physical operating areas, and absolute informational barriers (Chinese Walls). While the Group expands its Hong Kong operations through the newly launched headquarters, its respective licensed associated entities in Hong Kong shall maintain their existing office premises until relevant statutory notifications are officially served to their respective regulators.

To ensure absolute compliance with the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO) of Hong Kong, all strategic collaboration Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) referenced in this press release—including all related activities concerning growth equity deal opportunities, investment, and capitalisation—are entered into, managed solely by, and executed exclusively through independent offshore affiliates of the Group operating entirely outside of Hong Kong.

These offshore entities are properly licensed, registered, or authorised outside Hong Kong for their relevant activities in their respective jurisdictions; however, they do not hold any regulated licenses under the SFO, do not conduct any regulated activities within Hong Kong, and do not engage in the active marketing of any investment, asset management, or financial products to the public in Hong Kong.

This press release is issued for information only. It does not constitute an offer, invitation or solicitation to invest in, or an advertisement for, any financial product, security or regulated service, and is not directed at any person in any jurisdiction where such an offer would be unlawful.

Hashtag: #AEICapitalGroup #CorporateExpansion #HongKongBusiness #StrategicPartnerships #CrossBorderBusiness

AEI Capital Group

Source: Amnesty International

4 November 2026

Responding to reports that two Uyghur men recently moved to an Immigration Detention Centre in Thailand face imminent forcible deportation to China, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:

“Thai authorities must immediately halt any plans to forcibly return these two Uyghur men to China, where they face a real risk of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance. Thailand must not repeat last year’s unlawful deportation of 40 Uyghurs, who were forced back to danger in China.

“These two men fled persecution only to spend more than a decade detained in Thailand. Amnesty International has documented crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang. Returning them would expose them to the abuses they sought to escape.

“Both men have previously made clear to their legal representatives that they fear for their lives if returned to China and do not consent to being sent back. Thai authorities must now allow them access to a lawyer of their choice and, together with the international community, urgently find a safe and voluntary third-country solution for them and the other Uyghurs still detained in Thailand.

“No amount of diplomatic assurance from China can override Thailand’s obligations not to return anyone to a real risk of torture or other serious human rights violations. After more than a decade in detention, these men must be released and given the chance to rebuild their lives in safety and freedom “

Background

The two men are among five Uyghurs remaining in Thailand from a group of over 300 who were apprehended without charge by the Thai authorities on 13 March 2014 after they had fled persecution and discrimination in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

On 21 October 2026, two of the five men were released from prison under a royal pardon and transferred to the Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok. Since then, Thai authorities have denied the two men access to their lawyers, as well as blocked access to the men by civil society organizations and the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand.

The two men have spent more than 12 years in Thai detention. In June 2015, Thailand allowed 173 women and children from the group to travel to Türkiye but unlawfully deported at least 109 people to China.

A document obtained by Amnesty International shows that, on 7 January 2025, the Chinese embassy in Thailand sent a letter to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting the “repatriation” of 45 Uyghur men who remained in the country. In February 2025, Thailand forcibly deported 40 of them, in breach international law. Five remained in a Thai prison to serve sentences related to an attempt to escape the Immigration Detention Centre.

Following the deportations, Thai authorities made two visits to Xinjiang in February and March 2025 at China’s invitation, as part of its efforts to provide diplomatic assurances. NGOs monitoring the case reported that Thai authorities were able to meet fewer than 10 deportees and that no subsequent updates have established that all are alive and safe; their whereabouts and wellbeing remain unknown. Amnesty International previously called on both governments to disclose the whereabouts of all 40 men.

Amnesty International opposes any use of diplomatic assurances that a person transferred would not be subjected to torture or other ill-treatment as it undermines the universality of the prohibition of torture and cannot be considered reliable. Thailand is bound by the Convention against Torture, and the principle of non-refoulement under international law, which prohibits States from returning or transferring anyone to a place where they would be at real risk of persecution or other human rights violations. including the. Article 13 of Thailand’s Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, in force since 2023, prohibits deportation where there are substantial grounds to believe a person would face torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or enforced disappearance.

Amnesty International issued a groundbreaking report in 2021 documenting crimes against humanity of imprisonment, torture and persecution against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang.

Despite similar UN findings released in an assessment report in August 2022, China has taken no steps to implement recommendations, remedy documented violations or investigate and hold accountable perpetrators. Instead, the government continues to silence criticism from those within and beyond its borders, issue counternarratives denying abuse and maintains its discriminatory and assimilationist policies.

Source: Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)

The increase in unemployment, as well as the increased proportion of young New Zealanders not in employment, education or training (NEETs), reflects continued hesitancy among businesses, especially around hiring, says the EMA.

Figures released today by Stats NZ show the unemployment rate rose to 5.7% in the September quarter, from 5.6% in the June quarter. The seasonally adjusted proportion of 15 to 24-year-olds who were NEETs also increased, from 13.8% in the June quarter to 14.1% in the September quarter.

EMA Head of Advocacy and Strategy Alan McDonald says the rise in unemployment was a surprise, given it had been widely expected to remain stable.

“A 0.1 percentage point movement may appear small, but it represents roughly another 3,000 people unemployed and shows the labour market has not yet turned the corner,” says McDonald.

“We are seeing signs of economic recovery, underpinned by strong exports and improving activity in manufacturing, residential construction and tourism. However, the recovery remains brittle, and businesses are still assessing whether stronger demand will last before committing to permanent hires.”

McDonald says the greater use of casual workers and fixed-term contracts reflects the caution employers are showing in the current environment.

“Businesses still need people to fill immediate gaps, but many are not yet ready to take on the longer-term commitment of additional permanent staff. Casual and fixed-term arrangements give them flexibility while they assess the market and the impact of pressures such as higher fuel costs and wider international uncertainty.”

He says the rise in the NEET rate is also concerning because New Zealand cannot afford to have more young people disconnected from employment, education or training.

“Employers regularly tell us that work readiness is one of their biggest recruitment concerns. At the same time, more young people are becoming disconnected from the pathways that could help them build the skills, experience and confidence needed to enter the workplace.”

“The goal cannot simply be to move young people into any available activity. Education and training need to provide genuine pathways into sustainable employment and equip people with the skills businesses need.”

McDonald says employers want stability and clear direction on the major issues affecting investment and hiring, including education, infrastructure and the wider policy environment.

“Confidence is critical. Businesses need a stable environment and greater certainty that the recovery will endure before they invest and hire.

“That requires employers, training providers and government agencies to work much more closely together to connect people with the opportunities businesses are able to create.”

Skyro has operated in the Philippines since 2022, building a registered user base of more than 7 million and an active loan portfolio exceeding US$200 million. In September 2026, the company announced that it had secured approval from Malaysia’s Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to provide online moneylending services. Malaysia is Skyro’s second market in Southeast Asia.

Skyro’s first Malaysian product offers new customers cash loans of up to RM1,000 (approximately US$250), with repayment terms of up to four months. The company plans to gradually increase borrowing limits for eligible customers, potentially reaching RM10,000 (approximately US$2,500), as it builds its local lending portfolio.

The application process takes place entirely in the Skyro mobile app, without requiring a branch visit. Malaysian citizens with a valid MyKad and regular income can apply by verifying their identity and providing supporting income documents. Skyro assesses each application individually, taking into account the applicant’s income, existing financial commitments and credit history. Most applicants receive a decision within minutes, with approved funds transferred directly to their bank accounts.

Transparency is a central feature of the new product. Before signing the loan agreement, customers can review their approved loan amount, monthly installments, applicable fees and total repayment obligation, based on a fixed interest rate of 1.5% per month.

Arsen Liametov, co-founder and co-CEO of Skyro, said:

“For many people, financial needs don’t always arise at a convenient time. Whether someone needs to pay for home repairs or an unexpected expense, we want Malaysians to have another option to consider when they need short-term financing. But making credit available is only one part of our service. It’s equally important that customers understand what they’re borrowing, what it will cost and how they’ll repay it before making that decision.”

As its Malaysian business evolves, Skyro hopes to introduce a product with an approved credit limit by the end of 2026 that would enable customers to apply for subsequent loans more easily once they have established a repayment record with the lender. Skyro will use insights from its initial cash-loan offering to adapt future products to Malaysian consumers’ needs and borrowing habits as it works towards building a financial ecosystem.

The launch comes as Malaysia steps up efforts to tackle illegal moneylending, including unlicensed Ah Long lenders and fraudulent loan apps. For consumers with limited access to traditional bank credit, licensed digital cash loans and revolving credit lines can provide a safer, more transparent alternative, combining convenient access to financing with clear repayment terms and responsible lending practices.

Hashtag: #Skyro

About Skyro

Source: deVere Group

November 2 2026

US stocks are on course for a powerful post-election lift whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s midterms, with the S&P 500 likely to shake off its months-long correction and push towards fresh record highs, predicts the CEO of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.

The comments from Nigel Green come as Wall Street strategists increasingly argue the correction underway since June is entering its final phase, with a recovery likely once the election and other near-term pressures have cleared.

He says: “Whoever wins on Tuesday, we expect the S&P 500 to get a meaningful boost once the votes are counted.

“Political uncertainty has been one of the heaviest weights on US equities this autumn, and a result, any result, lifts a big part of it.

“Our view is that the correction has already done most of its work. Beneath a fairly calm index, plenty of individual stocks have had a brutal few months.

“When the fog clears, money that’s been parked on the sidelines is likely to flow back in, and we believe it’ll spread well beyond the handful of tech giants that carried markets earlier in the year.”

The S&P 500 closed last week at 7,580, less than 3% below its October record. History offers encouragement: the index has gained around 17% on average in the 12 months following a midterm vote.

Republicans currently hold both the House and the Senate. Forecasters favour Democrats to win the House, while the Senate remains finely balanced.

The deVere CEO continues: “The polls point to Democrats taking the House, with the Senate too close to call. A split Congress has traditionally suited markets well, because it slows sweeping new legislation and gives companies a steadier runway to plan.

“If Republicans hold on to both chambers, investors will price in continuity on tax and deregulation, which is supportive in its own right.

“Either way, we think the direction of travel for equities is likely higher.”

Near-term turbulence remains possible. Close races can take days to call, and markets may stay jittery in the meantime.

Nigel Green says: “Midterms tend to be choppy going in and much kinder coming out.

“Some volatility in the days after the vote wouldn’t surprise us at all, and we’d see it as part of the clearing process.”

Liquidity is the other big pressure point. Longer-dated Treasury yields have climbed more than 100 basis points since February, energy costs are elevated, and the Federal Reserve under Chair Kevin Warsh is firmly focused on getting inflation back to 2%, though it has raised rates only once since he took office.

“Borrowing costs have jumped this year, and that’s been a drag, so we’re monitoring that closely.

“But the US economy is running hot in nominal terms and is absorbing huge amounts of capital. If markets wobble hard after the vote, we believe the Fed is likely to soften its tone, and that would add real fuel to a rebound,” explains the deVere chief executive and founder.

AI, with concerns over financing costs, capital availability, and local resistance to data centres is also expected to intensify over the coming weeks before easing.

He adds: “The worries around AI spending are genuine, and they may get louder before they fade.

“Yet the sheer scale of investment going into AI shows where corporate America sees its future. Once the current wave of debt issuance is digested, we think the sector’s foundations look solid.”

The impact will reach far beyond Wall Street and American shores.

US companies make up roughly two-thirds of global equity benchmarks, meaning Wall Street’s direction shapes pension funds, savings and investment portfolios worldwide.

“A firmer US market typically lifts confidence and risk appetite across Europe, Asia and emerging economies,” notes Nigel Green.

“It also makes it easier for companies everywhere to raise capital, hire and invest. A broader American recovery, led by more than a few mega-caps, would be healthier for the global economy than anything we saw in the narrow rally earlier this year.”

He concludes: “Election nights are noisy. The six months that follow are usually far more telling, and we believe this cycle could deliver one of the more rewarding stretches for long-term investors in recent years.”

deVere Group is one of the world’s largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.