PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for July 18, 2026 – Full Text
1. New Zealand and Switzerland agree trade discussions
July 17, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
New Zealand and Switzerland have today agreed to establish a Trade and Investment Dialogue to explore an agreement on trade, economic security, e-commerce, investment and sustainability, says Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
The announcement was made following a meeting between Minister McClay and Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda, in the margins of the Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership Ministerial Meeting in Auckland.
“Switzerland is an important partner for New Zealand and one of the world’s most innovative and advanced economies,” Mr McClay says. “Establishing a Trade and Investment Dialogue will lead to closer economic cooperation and enhanced collaboration, through bilateral trade and international forums like the World Trade Organization, the OECD and the FIT Partnership.
“At a time of growing global economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever that like-minded countries work together to strengthen trade and investment.”
Two-way trade between New Zealand and Switzerland was worth NZ$1.88 billion in the year ending December 2025. New Zealand exports to Switzerland were NZ$429 million, comprising NZ$100 million in goods and NZ$324 million in services. Key exports included travel services, meat and edible offal, and hides and skins.
New Zealand imports from Switzerland were NZ$1.45 billion, comprising NZ$624 million in goods and NZ$825 million in services. Key imports included transportation services, pharmaceuticals, clocks and watches, insurance and pension services, and charges for the use of intellectual property.
Officials will hold their first meeting in September.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/07/17/new-zealand-and-switzerland-agree-trade-discussions/
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2. Forest City SFZ Releases Updated Tourism Data As Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link Nears Completion
July 17, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
As Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026, Forest City expects heightened regional interest in eco and golf tourism
An elevated view across Forest City Golf Resort in Johor, Malaysia — home to two 18-hole championship courses whose Classic Course has ranked among the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia for seven consecutive years.
Forest City SFZ at a glance
Forest City SFZ is a coastal development in Johor, Malaysia, located approximately 2 km across the Tebrau Strait from Singapore. It was then designated a Special Financial Zone by the Malaysian government in August 2023. The Malaysian Parliament passed five federal bills in July 2024 designating Pulau Satu as the country’s fifth duty-free island, and the first that visitors can enter directly by vehicle.
For travellers, Forest City SFZ offers a 4 km publicly accessible coastline, two championship-rated golf courses (including its Classic Course, which has ranked in the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia for seven consecutive years), guided mangrove eco-tours, sea fishing trips, and duty-free shopping. It is currently the only duty-free island in Malaysia that can be entered by vehicle without a ferry.
The Forest City beach experience with open shoreline, mangroves and sea fishing
The 4 km coastline and surrounding environment are designed to make visitors forget they are only minutes away from the city. Soft sand beaches slope gently into the water, shallow enough for children to paddle and deep enough for kayakers, windsurfers, and other water sports enthusiasts to find their rhythm. It is this unpretentious charm that has drawn approximately 4 million coastal visits in 2025 — offering an open, welcoming, and peaceful place that doesn’t feel too far from home.
The wider development sits within roughly 2.86 million m² of green space — including both golf courses, parks, mangrove corridors, and landscaped public zones — with over 400 documented plant and animal species recorded on‑site. For visitors interested in the island’s natural beauty, guided mangrove eco‑tours run along the development’s green corridor. A one‑ to two‑hour trip with a registered boat operator takes travellers past fish nurseries and bird habitats, with a stop to see the ongoing mangrove restoration work along the Johor coastline. Sea fishing trips depart from the marina with expert guides accompanying guests throughout the journey. Bookings can be made either through the hotel concierge or via official Forest Life app.
Forest City has developed three core commercial districts, bringing together over 100 shops that cover a diverse range of business formats, including international dining, duty‑free shopping, retail, healthcare, finance, and leisure and entertainment. Regular festivals, sports events, and cultural gatherings along the beachfront bring Forest City’s “Eat · Play · Chill by the Sea” concept to life.
Two championship golf courses with a seven-year ranking streak
A journey through Forest City Golf Resort reveals a landscape designed with nature in mind. Two 18‑hole championship courses sit side by side on a single property: the Classic Course, designed by veteran architect Liang Guokun, runs 7,138 yards across 69 hectares; the Legacy Course, a rare collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II, stretches 7,386 yards across 74 hectares. Both are GEO Certified, a mark of environmental stewardship that audits water use, biodiversity, energy, and waste.
The Classic Course has placed in the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia for seven consecutive years (2020–2026), a feat few courses can claim. In 2026, it climbed 14 places to No. 36 in Asia and retained its title as No. 1 in Malaysia. The Legacy Course, meanwhile, ranked No. 49 in the Asia‑Pacific Top 100 (2024–2025). In 2025, the resort welcomed over 100,000 golfers, serving as a vibrant hub for both casual golfers and professionals.
For travellers seeking events to experience, the resort hosts more than 50 tournament dates annually, including pro‑am events and corporate days. 57 major tournaments were held in 2025. The wider development hosts more than 100 international events a year — from endurance races to lifestyle festivals, including the Challenge Malaysia triathlon scheduled for October 2026.
Duty-Free Retail on Pulau Satu
Forest City was gazetted as a duty-free island under five Federal bills passed by the Malaysian Parliament in July 2024. This transformation has positioned Forest City as Malaysia’s fifth duty-free island and the first that visitors can enter directly by vehicle, without a ferry crossing.
Shelf prices on the gazetted categories — alcoholic beverages, chocolate and confectionery, cosmetics, perfumes, and other goods — are typically lower than equivalent purchases on the Malaysian mainland or in Singapore retail.
For vehicle access, visitors should take the following into consideration:
- Identification: Visitors should ensure they bring valid identification for vehicle entry.
- Import Allowances: Per-passenger import allowances on goods carried back into mainland Malaysia or into Singapore are strictly governed by the respective customs authorities. Visitors are encouraged to check the latest government guidelines and current allowances for Malaysia or Singapore before making purchases.
- Singapore Residents: GST relief thresholds and specific allowances for alcohol and tobacco are set by Singapore Customs; please verify these against the official live portal when visiting.
Forest City Accommodation: Marina Hotel, Golf Hotel, long-term stays
Forest City Marina Hotel is the development’s flagship beachfront property, offering 283 rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame a 270-degree view across the Strait of Johor. Multiple dining outlets, a swimming pool, and conference facilities make it a versatile base for both leisure and business travellers. For golf-led trips, the Forest City Golf Hotel, winner of the prestigious Agoda 2025 Gold Circle Award, sits within the resort grounds and offers stay-and-play packages bundled with green fees on either course.
Forest City Golf Hotel is a five-star retreat set within the 800-hectare Forest City Golf Resort, offering 298 spacious guestrooms and suites, including Superior and Deluxe Rooms, Superior and Deluxe Suites, a Family Suite and three Presidential Suites, many with views of the surrounding golf landscape. Guests can enjoy Asian, Western and international cuisine at the Tee-Off Restaurant, private dining spaces for family gatherings and business occasions, as well as café and lounge facilities.
The hotel also provides direct access to championship golf, swimming pools, a gym, spa, golf shop, executive lounge, meeting rooms, a grand ballroom and event venues, making it suitable for leisure stays, golf getaways, corporate meetings and private celebrations.
During tournament weekends and major events, the Marina Hotel typically operates at full occupancy, with overflow demand absorbed by short-term rental units.
For longer stays and family groups, Forest City’s residential blocks offer a substantial inventory of professionally managed serviced apartments, ideal for those seeking more space or a home-away-from-home experience. Blue Horizon Suites, a newly launched sea-view serviced residence in 2026, features panoramic ocean views and a comprehensive suite of modern amenities, including a swimming pool, private beach access, and close proximity to the golf course.
Beyond accommodation, Forest City delivers an integrated lifestyle environment, with year-round dining options, the on-site Forest City International School (a CATS Global Schools campus), and the duty-free retail cluster on Pulau Satu.
Accessibility: getting to Forest City SFZ in 2026
Forest City SFZ sits approximately 2 km across the Tebrau Strait from Singapore, closer to central Singapore than most Singaporeans are to Changi Airport. By road via the Tuas Second Link, the drive is roughly 40 minutes from Singapore CBD(Central Business District) and roughly 60 minutes from Changi Airport.
From Johor Bahru CBD, the journey takes approximately 30 minutes by car, while Senai International Airport is about 50 minutes away. This puts travellers at the coast, close enough for a spontaneous weekend escape, yet far enough to feel like a proper getaway. For Singapore-based visitors, hotel shuttles and chartered coaches via the Second Link are the most convenient option, with the journey offering a scenic Strait crossing as a picturesque introduction to the destination.
The RTS Link, targeted for completion in December 2026, will reduce the Bukit Chagar–Woodlands North crossing time to about five minutes, with an expected fare of approximately S$5–S$7 and peak capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
| From | Mode | Approx. time | Notes |
| Singapore CBD | Car via Second Link | ~40 min | Tuas Checkpoint; allow weekend buffer |
| Singapore Changi Airport | Car via Second Link | ~60 min | Most direct from arrival |
| Singapore Woodlands | RTS Link (passenger Jan 2027) | ~5 min crossing + transfer | S$5–S$7 fare; confirm onward connection |
| Johor Bahru CBD | Car | ~30 min | Local taxi or e-hailing |
| Senai International Airport | Car | ~50 min | Domestic + regional gateway |
Singapore weekend visitors can arrive on Friday evening via the Second Link, with the journey from Singapore’s CBD taking approximately 40 minutes. The stay-and-play package offers a low-friction entry point: two nights’ accommodation at the Forest City Golf Hotel, daily breakfast, and one round of 18 holes on the Classic Course. Saturday and Sunday can be split between golf and the 4 km public coastline, with duty‑free shopping and a long brunch on Pulau Satu before the return crossing.
Malaysian families on a long weekend can fill an unhurried two‑day itinerary with the 4 km coastline, mangrove eco‑tours and water sports. The coastline has drawn approximately 4 million visitors in 2025, with school‑holiday weeks bringing the most coastal events. For families with children, the Forest City Water Park offers gentle water play zones and casual aquatic recreation suitable for younger visitors.
Corporate groups, MICE planners and cross‑border professionals can utilise the Forest City Hotel’s conference facilities and block-booking capabilities. The resort’s 57 major golf tournaments in 2025 demonstrate its capacity to absorb large groups. The Marina Hotel spans over 830,000 sq. ft with 283 rooms, multiple dining outlets, a fitness centre and a swimming pool. Once the RTS Link begins passenger service in January 2027, Forest City will become viable as a same‑day cross‑border meeting venue for Singapore‑based groups, with the Bukit Chagar–Woodlands North crossing reduced to approximately five minutes.
A destination backed by policy, infrastructure, and visitor data
A single weekend at any leisure destination can tell only a small part of the bigger story. But the data — 4 km of public coastline, two championship golf courses with a seven-year Asia’s Top 100 streak, status as Malaysia’s fifth duty-free island, more than 100 events a year, and located just 2 km from Singapore, with an RTS Link offering passenger service from January 2027 — point to a growing travel destination backed by infrastructure and policy support.
Hashtag: #ForestCity
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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3. Tech – Fujitsu to explore physical AI development and implementation across industries with FANUC, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries integrating NVIDIA technology
July 17, 2026
Sydney, Australia, 17, 2026: Fujitsu Limited today announced that it has begun exploring business opportunities in the field of physical AI with leading robotics companies FANUC CORPORATION, YASKAWA Electric Corporation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. This initiative aims to promote the development of a collaborative control platform that ensures sovereignty by bridging the digital and physical worlds and integrating NVIDIA’s open physical AI technologies. By accelerating the societal implementation of physical AI across various industrial sectors – including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare – Fujitsu seeks to realise a society where humans and robots coexist and collaborate, and strengthen Japan’s industrial competitiveness.
Background
In recent years, various industrial sectors – particularly manufacturing- have faced growing challenges such as labour shortages due to Japan’s declining birthrate and ageing population, a decline in the number of skilled technicians, and intensifying global competition. To resolve these challenges and achieve sustainable growth, the promotion of digital transformation (DX) is essential. In particular, expectations are rising for physical AI, where AI recognises and analyses real-world information and executes it as physical actions.
Physical AI enables the automation of tasks, improved productivity, stable quality, and the creation of new services by allowing robots and various pieces of equipment to assess situations and autonomously determine and execute optimal actions. However, realising this requires advanced robot control technology and an AI infrastructure that leverages high-quality on-site data, as well as a collaborative control platform that integrates these elements to bridge the digital and physical worlds. Yet, there are limits to what a single company can achieve in terms of development and widespread adoption.
Given this situation, as a technology company, Fujitsu will promote the societal implementation of physical AI through collaboration with leading robotics companies- FANUC, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries – while simultaneously working to standardise and open up the collaborative control platform.
Overview
1. Social implementation utilising physical AI
These explorations will cover the social implementation of physical AI in the following industrial sectors with plans to expand into other sectors in the future in place.
• Factory solutions: By optimising the planning of overall factory production activities – taking into account factors affecting production fluctuations and on-site conditions – and enabling autonomous on-site adaptation, Fujitsu will help the manufacturing industry achieve further productivity gains and flexibility.
• Solutions for retail and logistics: By automating material handling operations based on logistics plans that incorporate real-time sales and inventory data, Fujitsu will achieve labour-saving and automation in logistics.
• Healthcare solutions: Based on optimised plans triggered by instructions from hospital operational systems, robots autonomously execute tasks to automate the in-hospital transport of pharmaceuticals and specimens, as well as outpatient reception and guidance services.
2. Promoting the standardisation and openness of a sovereign collaborative control infrastructure by bridging the digital and physical worlds
Fujitsu will develop software platforms and hardware interfaces that serve as a common foundation for physical AI by first gaining a deep understanding the cutting-edge technologies – such as AI, robotics, control systems, simulation, and data analysis – held by each company. These technologies will facilitate collaboration among various robots and equipment, and help to realise more advanced autonomous control systems. At the same time, as the scope of robot applications expands and collaboration with other equipment increases, risks such as cyberattacks, system-wide downtime or malfunctions, and leaks of confidential information also rise. Therefore, Fujitsu will develop a sovereign collaborative control infrastructure which will be provided as an open platform for participating companies and research institutions, thereby promoting the implementation of physical AI across the entire industry.
Collaboration with NVIDIA
Through this initiative, Fujitsu will lead business discussions with the companies and leverage the AI, world model, simulation, and robotics technologies underpinning NVIDIA’s physical AI platform. By doing so, it will further enhance the sovereign collaborative control platform and accelerate the social implementation of physical AI in industrial domains.
• Fujitsu will leverage the NVIDIA Cosmos global foundation model in its socio-physical simulations to enhance its ability to understand and predict events in real-world environments. Furthermore, it will accelerate the development and real-world implementation of physical AI solutions across diverse sectors, including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.
• Fujitsu will leverage libraries such as NVIDIA Omniverse, the NVIDIA Isaac open platform, and the Newton physics engine to streamline Sim2Real as well as robot learning, verification, and optimisation.
Future Plans
Starting with business discussions with these companies, Fujitsu will formulate a roadmap for concrete technology development and business expansion. As the robotics market expands, Fujitsu is confident that establishing a framework to provide an AI infrastructure – leveraging Japan’s world-class robot control technology and high-quality on-site data – will be a crucial step toward Japan leading the global robotics market. Through the societal implementation of physical AI, Fujitsu will contribute to the realization of a safe and prosperous society where humans and robots coexist and collaborate, as well as to the strengthening of Japan’s industrial competitiveness.
Executive Comments
Kenji Yamaguchi, Representative Director, President and CEO, FANUC CORPORATION comments:
“This collaboration marks an important step toward significantly advancing and accelerating the real-world deployment of Physical AI powered by robotics. We have already begun practical utilisation of Physical AI systems based on open platforms. Our key objective is to bring unprecedented “AI systems that are flexible and that can be utilised by users of all skill levels” to the shop floor in a timely manner. By combining your company’s autonomous AI platform- which integrates Fujitsu’s Takane LLM and NVIDIA technologies – with FANUC robots featuring advanced AI capabilities and support for open platforms such as ROS 2 and Python, we aim to address critical challenges such as labour shortages. Through this collaboration and by leveraging the AI technologies of NVIDIA, a strategic partner of both companies, we will strive to create a society in which people and robots coexist and collaborate seamlessly, strengthen industrial competitiveness, create new value, and contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society.”
Masahiro Ogawa, Vice Chairman, Executive Officer, YASKAWA Electric Corporation comments:
“It has been about 10 years since Yaskawa Electric proposed the solution concept “i3-Mechatronics” in 2017, aimed at realising a new industrial automation revolution based on the fusion of mechatronics and data utilisation. During this time, technologies such as AI and GPUs have evolved significantly, and the expansion of automation through data utilisation – a goal we have championed – continues to advance.
Our company rapidly brought the MOTOMAN NEXT – an autonomous AI robot equipped with NVIDIA GPUs as standard – to market. Furthermore, by advancing ROS 2 compatibility and leveraging robots as open platforms, we are working to implement physical AI in society, as outlined in our mid-term management plan. We believe that strengthening our relationships with various partners is essential to realising this vision and further expanding the scope of automation. We have high hopes that this initiative will enable us to accelerate the societal implementation of physical AI together with all of you.”
Yasuhiko Hashimoto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. comments:
“We have high expectations that this collaboration will generate significant synergies between our companies and accelerate the social implementation of Physical AI. Today, the healthcare and nursing care sectors face serious challenges, including ageing populations and labour shortages. Addressing these issues through the creation of new solutions leveraging robotics and AI is an urgent priority.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries possesses robotics technologies that are widely utilised across a broad range of industries, as well as extensive operational data and expertise accumulated over many years. By combining these strengths with Fujitsu’s advanced IT capabilities and digital platforms, we are confident that we can realise a hospital one-stop solution that safely and efficiently connects every stage of the patient journey – from hospital admission and consultation to treatment, surgery, and post-operative care – thereby helping to address critical healthcare challenges.
Through this partnership with Fujitsu, we aim not only to advance technology development but also to co-create solutions that take root in real-world settings and contribute to improving the quality of healthcare. Together, we will deliver new value to the global healthcare and nursing care sectors.”
Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA comments:
“Physical AI is the next industrial revolution – and it will be made in Japan. Fujitsu, FANUC, YASKAWA and Kawasaki are the companies that taught the world how to manufacture. Together with NVIDIA’s full-stack physical AI platform, they will teach the world’s machines to think, move and work alongside people – across factories, hospitals and cities. Japan invented modern industry. With AI, Japan will define its next era.”
Takahito Tokita, Representative Director, CEO of Fujitsu Limited comments:
“We are happy to begin exploring business opportunities together with leading robotics companies FANUC, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries – companies that are leading the global robotics industry. By bringing together the world-class robot control technologies developed by these companies with Fujitsu’s digital technologies and highly reliable computing capabilities, we aim to create a new social infrastructure in which people and robots work collaboratively across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.
In addition, by leveraging NVIDIA’s advanced Physical AI technologies, we will synthesise a collaborative control platform that seamlessly connects business applications with robotic control technologies and expand its deployment globally. Through the vertical integration of robots and business applications, we can increase the autonomy of robotic decision-making and movement, enabling dramatic productivity improvements across a variety of operational environments.
Building on the launch of this initiative, we will accelerate the social implementation of Physical AI, contributing to the realisation of a safe and sustainable society while strengthening industrial competitiveness.”
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4. Chinese company YingShen Intelligence’s 4D World Model–Powered Embodied Robots Enter Vietnamese Factories, Pioneering a Token-Based Service Model for Global Expansion
July 17, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – Several footwear manufacturers in Vietnam have entered into strategic partnerships with Hangzhou Yingshen Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (Yingshen Intelligence), a Chinese artificial intelligence company specialising in 4D world models and embodied intelligence.
Under the agreements, Yingshen Intelligence will export hundreds of flexible embodied robots to footwear factories in Vietnam, with the combined order value reaching tens of millions of yuan. Powered by the company’s proprietary 4D world-model technology, embodied intelligence algorithms and robotic systems, the products will be used to support the flexible and intelligent upgrading of footwear production lines.
Notably, Yingshen Intelligence’s export of embodied robots to Vietnam also points to an emerging shift in the commercialisation of Chinese advanced technologies.
Unlike conventional robotics companies that rely primarily on one-off hardware sales, Yingshen Intelligence regards the robot itself as the physical platform through which its world model operates in real production environments. The product’s core value therefore lies not only in the hardware, but also in the model’s ability to perceive its surroundings, understand manufacturing processes, make real-time decisions and continuously improve through operational data.
Under this model, customers receive more than robotic equipment. They also gain access to ongoing model inference, algorithm updates and scenario-specific optimisation services. In effect, the business model is evolving from simply selling robots to providing model capabilities and usage-based, token-powered services.
Industry observers said this model-led approach, with robots serving as the physical carriers of algorithms and computing capabilities, could create greater long-term service value for embodied intelligence products and offer a new pathway for Chinese technological solutions to expand into overseas markets.
The participating manufacturers include Power Loong(Công Ty Tnhh Giày Bảo Long) , Thuan Phi(Công Ty Tnhh Giày Thuận Phi) and Vietnam Garment(CÔNG TY TNHH MAY VIỆT NAM), which plan to deploy Yingshen Intelligence’s robotic products and algorithmic capabilities at their footwear factories in Hai Phong.
Wu Xuewei, Vice-President of Yingshen Intelligence; Mao Zhenwu, General Manager of Thuan Phi; Lin Yonghui, General Manager of Power Loong; and Chen Zhixian, General Manager of Vietnam Garment signed the agreements on behalf of the four companies.
Yingshen Intelligent has signed cooperation agreements with three Vietnamese footwear manufacturers: Thuan Phi (left), Power Loong (center), and Viet Nam Garment (right).
4D World Model Advances Flexible Manufacturing Applications for Chinese Embodied Intelligence
The flexible embodied robots being exported to Vietnam are powered by Yingshen Intelligence’s latest 4D world model.
World models are widely regarded as an important technological pathway towards general-purpose physical intelligence. They are designed to help artificial intelligence understand spatial relationships, object states and dynamic changes in the real world, while predicting the possible outcomes of different actions. In this way, AI systems can gradually learn how the physical world operates.
For embodied robots, this capability enables continuous environmental perception and real-time decision-making during operation. On footwear production lines, for example, the robots can identify differences in shoe styles, sizes, material conditions and adhesive states, and adjust their motion trajectories and operating strategies in response to actual production conditions.
Unlike conventional automation systems that repeatedly execute predefined programmes, world-model-powered robots are designed to respond more flexibly to changing environments. Their operating process more closely resembles that of skilled workers, who assess conditions on site and adjust their actions accordingly.
Yingshen Intelligence attributes this adaptability to its native 4D technological approach.
The company collects and generates 4D data at scale, representing both the three-dimensional structure of objects and their continuous changes over time within a unified framework. The data is then used to train world models with spatiotemporal understanding, reasoning and prediction capabilities.
Compared with approaches that rely mainly on two-dimensional images, videos or static three-dimensional data, 4D data can more comprehensively capture the positions, shapes, movement trajectories and interaction processes of objects in real environments.
Two-dimensional images and videos can record visual changes, but provide relatively limited information about spatial structure. Static three-dimensional data can reconstruct spatial relationships, but cannot fully describe how objects and environments evolve over time. By combining three-dimensional space with continuous temporal changes, 4D data provides a richer foundation for models to learn physical processes.
“Language is the native language of humans, while the native language of machines exists in the three-dimensional physical world,” said Min Wei, founder of Yingshen Intelligence.
According to Min, language, images and videos are all compressed representations of the real world. When physical reality is reduced to lower-dimensional forms, some information is inevitably lost, potentially limiting a model’s ability to understand and predict complex physical interactions.
Real-world interactions involve not only the shape, position and movement of objects, but also contact, force, friction and material deformation. These processes can be more completely observed and modelled when three-dimensional spatial information is combined with continuous changes over time.
A unified spatiotemporal representation based on 4D data can therefore help models learn the relationships among actions, environments and outcomes, and predict how the state of an object may change at the next moment.
Supported by this technological approach, Yingshen Intelligence’s robots can adjust their motion trajectories and operating strategies when faced with material deformation, deviations in incoming components, or changes in shoe styles, sizes and production processes.
These capabilities have enabled the company’s flexible embodied robots to move beyond laboratory testing and enter real footwear production lines. Their export to Vietnam will further test the technology’s reliability, adaptability and scalability in overseas industrial environments.
Phased deployment across key footwear processes
Cooperation will be implemented in phases. Yingshen Intelligence will initially supply its two flagship footwear-manufacturing robots, ShadowGlue and ShadowPress, for deployment across multiple production lines.
The robots will first be used in gluing and sole pressing, two critical processes that have traditionally depended heavily on skilled manual labour. Their introduction is expected to help the participating factories improve production flexibility, operating consistency and automation levels.
The partners also plan to extend embodied intelligence technologies to additional processes, including sewing, finished-product packaging and automated shoelace threading. The aim is to move gradually from isolated robotic workstations towards coordinated, multi-process production.
In the longer term, the partners intend to build a benchmark factory for embodied intelligence-enabled footwear manufacturing in Vietnam, promoting the transition of entire production lines towards more autonomous and intelligent operations.
Why footwear manufacturing in Vietnam?
Why are embodied robots entering factories and flexible manufacturing taking shape first in Vietnam’s footwear industry?
Industry experts point to two closely related factors. Footwear manufacturing is both highly labour-intensive and one of the most technically challenging sectors for flexible automation. Introducing embodied intelligence into this industry therefore responds to the practical needs of Vietnamese manufacturers while also providing Chinese robotics companies with demanding real-world environments in which to test technological reliability, adaptability and large-scale delivery capabilities.
For manufacturers in Vietnam, the technology can help improve efficiency, stabilise product quality and ease labour shortages. For embodied intelligence companies, footwear production offers an opportunity to move beyond laboratory demonstrations and validate their systems under complex, continuously changing industrial conditions.
The partnership therefore reflects both the demand for more advanced manufacturing capabilities in Vietnam and the broader effort to bring embodied intelligence technologies into international, large-scale industrial applications.
Footwear production presents particularly high technical barriers to automation.
Shoe materials are flexible and easily deformed, while significant differences exist among styles, sizes and material combinations. Processes such as gluing and sole pressing require workers to respond to subtle variations in shape, positioning and material condition, and have therefore long relied on the experience and dexterity of skilled operators.
At the same time, consumer demand for more personalised and diversified footwear products is requiring factories to process a growing number of styles and stock-keeping units, often in smaller batches and with shorter production cycles. Production lines must consequently switch between products more frequently and adjust more rapidly.
Conventional industrial automation systems generally follow predefined programmes and fixed motion paths. When styles, materials or production requirements change, the equipment may need to be reprogrammed, recalibrated or physically reconfigured. This can lead to lengthy deployment cycles and higher production-line modification costs, making traditional systems less suited to multi-product, small-batch and high-frequency manufacturing.
Yingshen Intelligence’s embodied robots combine visual perception, world models and motion-control algorithms to identify production environments, material conditions and process requirements in real time. The systems can then adjust their operating strategies according to differences in shoe styles, sizes, incoming-material positions and other production variables.
Rather than merely repeating preset movements, the robots are designed to interpret the relationships among materials, space, actions and manufacturing processes, allowing them to adapt more effectively to complex and flexible production environments.
ShadowPress is designed primarily for the sole-pressing process. Using visual recognition and algorithmic compensation, the robot can dynamically adjust its gripper posture and movement path in response to differences in material position, placement angle and shoe shape.
Its compact design enables it to be integrated into existing semi-automated production lines. This allows manufacturers to introduce intelligent systems gradually, without carrying out extensive reconstruction of their existing factories.
ShadowGlue is designed for footwear gluing. According to Yingshen Intelligence, the system uses a 4D world model and vision–action coordination technology to learn manufacturing processes by observing videos of skilled workers.
It can respond dynamically to changes in shoe-material deformation, edge paths and adhesive conditions, helping to improve the stability and consistency of gluing operations. The technology is intended to enable robots not only to reproduce a worker’s actions, but also to learn the underlying process logic and adjust their operations when production conditions change.
This adaptability is particularly important in footwear manufacturing, where frequent changes in styles, sizes and materials make it difficult for fixed-path equipment to maintain consistent performance.
Vietnam’s manufacturing sector seeks greater flexibility
Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading footwear production and export centres as global footwear and apparel supply chains have continued to expand across Southeast Asia.
However, the competitive priorities of the industry are changing. International brands are placing greater emphasis on shorter delivery cycles, stable quality and the ability to respond quickly to small-batch, multi-product orders.
As a result, Vietnam’s manufacturing sector is gradually moving beyond a development model based primarily on labour, land and production scale. Manufacturers are increasingly seeking to improve efficiency, product quality, technological capabilities and production flexibility.
The introduction of Chinese embodied intelligence technologies by several footwear manufacturers in Vietnam therefore represents more than an equipment upgrade. It reflects local manufacturers’ growing demand for a new generation of intelligent production capabilities.
By deploying robots in technically demanding flexible processes, factories may be able to reduce their dependence on scarce skilled labour, improve production consistency and respond more effectively to frequent product changes and diversified orders.
Industry observers said the move could provide a practical example of how embodied intelligence can be introduced into traditional manufacturing. It may also help Vietnamese footwear producers transition from primarily undertaking large-scale production towards building more efficient, technology-intensive and responsive manufacturing capabilities.
Under the agreements, Yingshen Intelligence will provide integrated services covering equipment delivery, on-site installation and commissioning, personnel training, quality assurance and after-sales support.
The company will also adapt its products to the actual production environments and process requirements of the participating factories in Vietnam, with the aim of ensuring that the systems can operate reliably under real manufacturing conditions.
ShadowGlue and ShadowPress have completed product development and production-line validation. The two products were previously presented at the Jinjiang International Footwear and Sports Industry Expo in China.
The agreement involving hundreds of robots and orders worth tens of millions of yuan marks the formal entry of Yingshen Intelligence’s footwear robotics solutions into the Southeast Asian manufacturing market.
A new link between Chinese technology and Southeast Asian manufacturing
The partnership highlights a growing connection between China’s intelligent manufacturing technologies and Southeast Asia’s industrial transformation.
Chinese companies are accelerating the industrial deployment of world models, embodied intelligence and robotic systems. At the same time, manufacturers in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian economies are seeking more efficient, flexible and intelligent approaches to industrial upgrading.
The intersection of these trends lies in the practical needs of traditional manufacturing industries. Footwear factories provide a particularly valuable application environment because they combine large-scale production demand with complex materials, variable processes and frequent product changes.
Starting with footwear production lines in Hai Phong, the cooperation between Yingshen Intelligence and manufacturers in Vietnam will test how embodied intelligence can be applied across real industrial processes and scaled to multiple factories.
Rather than replacing workers in only one repetitive task, the broader objective is to build flexible production capabilities that can perceive changing conditions, learn manufacturing processes and adjust operations accordingly.
The cooperation offers a new example of Chinese intelligent manufacturing technology participating in Southeast Asia’s industrial upgrading, while signalling the footwear industry’s gradual transition from scale-driven production towards a new stage of flexible and intelligent manufacturing.
Hashtag: #HangzhouYingshenIntelligentTechnology
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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5. Common sense back at the helm
July 17, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
[Speech delivered 12:30pm, Friday 17 July 2026, Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament, Wellington]
Thank you all for being here today.
We’d like to acknowledge Ferry Holdings, KiwiRail, CentrePort, Port Marlborough, the local councils in Marlborough and Wellington, and officials who have worked to get this programme to this point. We further acknowledge the unions, Interislander customers, iwi, and advocacy groups for freight, infrastructure and tourism.
Specific thanks are due to Ferry Holdings. Chris Mackenzie, Heather Simpson, Greg Lowe, Katherine Rich, and Captain Iain MacLeod, together with their chief executive Sandip Ranchod and his team. They have delivered.
We will take questions after the speech, and representatives of the various groups gathered today will be available for comment afterwards, if they wish.
Today, we are making two important announcements.
First, KiwiRail will operate New Zealand’s two new Cook Strait rail ferries. Second, KiwiRail will pay commercial fees to the ports and Ferry Holdings for the infrastructure and assets that make this service possible.
Together, these decisions secure a practical, affordable, and enduring ferry service across Cook Strait. They preserve rail across the Strait, support freight and passenger resilience, and set up the country for the next generation of service.
As background, iReX was a mess.
The politics around this programme has been immense. After the 2023 election, the cancellation of Project iReX became an example of what this Government was elected to fix.
It had departed far from the simple ferry purchase and wharf upgrade we established in 2020: two rail ferries, necessary infrastructure, and a reasonable budget.
By December 2023, it had blown out to $3.1 billion according to KiwiRail, while Treasury had already warned the previous Government it was on course for $4 billion.
That happened because the project became over-scoped, over-complicated, and untethered from the practical job that needed to be done.
The then Ministers simply furrowed their brows, but then topped it up anyway. And the public was told next to nothing.
They allocated another $750 million ‘in principle’, which was not disclosed to anybody in the pre-election update. Worse, because it was only half the funding KiwiRail requested, this was a cynical decision to snooker the KiwiRail board – enough that meant they could not cancel the project and embarrass the Government, but not enough to proceed.
And all of this prevaricating happened over 12 months of build time. New Zealand experienced an extreme taxpayer blowout and the certainty of a Tasmanian-devil mistake: ferries with the wrong hull construction, arriving with nowhere to berth.
That would have happened here under iReX. Unfinished infrastructure, with ferries idling in the Wellington harbour for years.
They made it our problem. Well, we have fixed their problem.
There is real-world, good honest ballast in our approach: build what is needed, not what is desired. Do what works, not what dazzles. Trust the experts, not the yes-men.
If they aren’t prepared to endorse our solution, then it will show they have learned nothing.
Indeed, we appointed the experts and have got on with it.
In March 2025, Cabinet agreed to purchase rail ferries supported by new marine infrastructure in Picton and modified marine infrastructure in Wellington.
In November 2025, following a three-stage commercial tender process, Ferry Holdings entered a fixed-price contract for two new rail ferries to arrive in 2029.
These ferries are being built by Guangzhou Shipyard International, the same shipyard building for the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy currently.
We also announced that the taxpayer will spend no more than $1.7 billion, and we reconfirm that today. For the benefit of the “misleading and inaccurate” Andrea Vance at The Post, that means we are still within budget. That also means this programme remains $2.3 billion cheaper than the project we inherited.
The first announcement: KiwiRail will operate the ferries.
In its various guises from New Zealand Railways, to TranzRail, to Toll, and now KiwiRail, it has managed the Interislander for 64 years. In our book, experience counts.
KiwiRail also operates rail freight services on the critical route between Auckland and Christchurch. We want the system to work as a whole, and splitting it up would be anathema to that outcome.
This is also a company now witnessing a turnaround. Reliability is up. Earnings are up. Revenue is up.
Pending final audit, KiwiRail has achieved its $160 million earnings target to 30 June 2026, and Interislander reliability now sits at 98 percent. This is a vast improvement on 81 percent in 2021 and 83 percent in 2022.
KiwiRail will be the operator for the 30-year life of the assets. To keep them on their toes, that arrangement will be reviewed in 2039, after the first ten years.
The second announcement: KiwiRail will pay fees to the ports and Ferry Holdings.
This is no gift. In exchange for being the operator, KiwiRail will pay commercially priced port fees.
CentrePort will earn a reasonable profit on its $100 million contribution for assets CentrePort will own. Port Marlborough will earn a reasonable profit on its $110 million contribution for assets Port Marlborough will own.
Because more complex new infrastructure is being built in Picton, with $373 million to be paid by Ferry Holdings, we are establishing a special purpose vehicle to co-own assets between Port Marlborough and Ferry Holdings.
That means the taxpayer will receive the benefit of every cent of its investment in infrastructure.
This would not have been possible under iReX. Recovering $3 billion in investment would have led to vast increases in Interislander fares, making the business uncompetitive, or leading to one of the largest write-offs in history.
KiwiRail will also pay Ferry Holdings to lease the ferries and will be required to build up a reserve over the next 30 years so it can directly purchase new ferries in 2059.
This is not just a deal to secure the Strait for another generation. It secures it for the next two generations.
For KiwiRail’s workers, that means a steady future awaits you. For freighters and families using the Cook Strait, that means we have put your interests first.
While no commercial entity can detail exactly the share of fares the port fees will reflect, we can say they will be similar to what is paid today.
We thank Sue Tindal, KiwiRail’s chair, for advocating her company’s position in a manner that respects the fiscal reality this Government faces.
These agreements set the basis for main works contracts to be entered later this year.
Ferry Holdings, Port Marlborough, CentrePort and KiwiRail have already brought construction partners in through early contractor involvement, engineering and design, demolition, and to build staging zones.
For example, KiwiRail is well underway already having appointed the builder for the Dublin Street overbridge in Picton, CentrePort has built a staging zone for loading gear and equipment onto the barge, and Port Marlborough is demolishing the old rail wharf for the new one to replace it.
We welcome their construction partners – HEB and Vinci in Picton and Brian Perry Civil in Wellington – but this comes with a message: this ship already has a master. You will be their expert crew following orders, and if seas ever get rough, we expect all hands on deck.
And we know this is a desirable job for your sector too. These are meaty contracts in the hundreds of millions, with good programme life to give meaningful work to construction workers and to make use of your plant and equipment.
You will look back on this project with pride.
Of course, this programme is not without risk, but unlike the last lot we are grown-ups who deal with risk.
There will be no cost-plus construction contracts. Construction firms can expect to make a reasonable profit, with incentives to be on-time and on-budget. But the scope is set.
Ferry Holdings retains the major rights in controlling the programme, while working closely with KiwiRail, CentrePort, and Port Marlborough to sequence work around their operations and construction programmes.
The port agreements mean CentrePort, Port Marlborough, and KiwiRail all stand to gain from on-time, on-budget delivery. Each party has a healthy contingency built into its funding caps, and the project is funded to manage normal infrastructure risk.
Likewise, if they want to pay for additional works using their own money, then so long as it does not delay our delivery then that is their business. As a shareholder of KiwiRail, we retain the right to approve any additional scope paid for by KiwiRail, and will only do so where there is evidence of incremental commercial return.
That is how infrastructure should be done in this country. Commercial deals where, yes, everyone stands to gain but equally, all parties carry risk.
You are not looking at a repeat of Transmission Gully, where the lowest bidder gets the contract then litigates their way to higher pricing.
You are not looking at the wastrels who spent $228 million on Auckland light rail without a single metre of track built either.
You are looking at the people who put taxpayers first, who deal respectfully with council-owned ports to get a good deal for ratepayers, and who keep the conversation focused on the only question that matters: ‘does New Zealand need this?’ If yes, do it. If no, stop.
As a result, we have served freighters and families, taxpayers and ratepayers, and we have preserved rail.
Now, let us look to the future with positive recognition of the past.
The Interislander has crossed Cook Strait since 1962. It was established as a rail ferry service on the recommendation of Parliament in 1958.
That was a time when leaders in this country understood something very simple: New Zealand is an island nation. And a country that cannot connect its own islands is a country that has forgotten the basics.
The first ferry was named Aramoana, meaning sea-path, and every rail ferry since has carried that “Ara” prefix. We respect that tradition, and in particular the role that iwi and Māori railway workers played in their naming.
Sixty-four years on, these ferries have come to represent New Zealand itself. They are more than the connector of our people and our goods, they are part of our tourism offer to the world.
And as such, in honour of the Cook Strait itself, of New Zealand’s history, and in recognition of the service these ferries will provide for generations to come, Ferry Holdings has legally registered the following names:
The first ferry will be named Kupe.
The second ferry will be named Cook.
These are proper names. Historic names. New Zealand names.
They are names that speak to our maritime inheritance, to exploration, to courage, to seamanship, and to the long story of how this country came to be.
Kupe and Cook each left an indelible mark on these islands, and on Cook Strait in particular. Their relevance to this waterway is not some abstract theory. It is obvious. It is historical. It is real.
Kupe named Mātiu Island. Cook named the Queen Charlotte Sound.
New Zealand’s islands were settled by two great seafaring traditions: Polynesian first, European second. And these names honour that history.
Of course, in between them were the Dutch in 1642 – but they did not make landing. Our ferries will.
Now, we know exactly what will happen. The snivelling wokesters will work themselves into a lather over the name Cook, while offering only passing approval for Kupe. That is how shallow this has become.
It is fashionable now in certain circles to treat Captain Cook as nothing more than a symbol to be condemned, cancelled, and cast out. A harbinger of colonisation, they say. A figure of division, they say. A relic to be erased.
Well, we say this: a mature country does not run from its history. A serious country does not vandalise its memory to satisfy the latest fashion in whinger politics.
Because New Zealand’s history is not simple. It is not tidy. It is not a slogan on a placard. It is deep, difficult, proud, painful, ambitious, and unfinished.
We will not pretend one part of our history exists and another does not. And we will not allow a noisy minority to dictate what the rest of this country is allowed to remember.
These names – Kupe and Cook – reflect New Zealand as it actually is: a country shaped by the sea, by settlement, by risk, by enterprise, and by people who crossed dangerous waters in search of a future.
They also mark a new chapter for the proud men and women of the Interislander, who have kept this country moving across Cook Strait for decades.
So let others sneer. Let them lecture. We are getting on with the job.
We are naming these ferries for the history that made us, for the people who serve us, and for the country we are still building.
And we are saving them $2.3 billion, while getting the rail ferries and infrastructure New Zealanders expect.
Because, once again, we are charting the practical course on new tides, with new vessels, and with common sense back at the helm.
Thank you.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/07/17/common-sense-back-at-the-helm/
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6. Minim Martap Project Development Update
July 17, 2026
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)
Highlights
- Canyon to materially increase strategic stake in Camrail from 9.1% to 26.9%, securing greater influence over critical rail infrastructure
- Completion of strategic 42.8% Investment in Terminal Bois du Port de Douala S.A., operator of Port of Douala, strengthening control over export logistics
- Preparation for tracklaying underway at both Inland Rail Facility and Port of Douala, advancing integrated logistics network
- First bauxite shipment from Minim Martap on schedule for late Q3, 2026 with first production imminent
PERTH, Australia, May 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canyon Resources Limited (ASX: CAY) (“Canyon” or “the Company”) is pleased to present an update on development activities at its Minim Martap Bauxite Project (“Minim Martap” or “the Project”), located in Cameroon, as the Company progresses towards first production and initial shipments.
The Company is pleased to advise that its in-country subsidiary Camalco Cameroon S.A. (“Camalco”) has paid a cash consideration of XAF 9.852 billion (approximately A$23.8 million) to increase its equity holding in Camrail from 9.1% to 26.9%, representing a significant strategic investment in the country’s primary rail transportation company. This enhanced stake will strengthen the Company’s ability to remain closely informed and actively engaged in developments relating to the PQ2 upgrade, while also securing timely bauxite transportation slots with Camrail. The increased involvement is expected to enhance oversight, coordination and strategic alignment with the Minim Martap Project, further de-risking the Company’s mine-to-port logistics chain as it advances toward production.
The increased investment in Camrail follows Canyon’s initial investment in Cameroon’s rail network operator in the first quarter of 2025 and is expected to complete in Q2, 2026, following in-country administrative registration of the newly acquired shares in Cameroon.
To further de-risk logistics, Canyon, through its in-country subsidiary Camalco, has completed a CFA 347.447 million (approximately A$0.8 million) strategic investment in Terminal Bois du Port de Douala S.A. (“TBPD”) to obtain a 42.8% stake in the operator of the Port of Douala.
The agreement complements Canyon’s existing Port Access Agreement which grants Canyon the right to export bauxite and alumina, as well as import raw materials essential for mining operations at Minim Martap.
The Port Access Agreement also provides Canyon with access to the Bois du Port de Douala to evaluate and optimise key logistical solutions in relation to site layout plans, construction requirements, and anticipated production metrics to ensure a seamless infrastructure network from mine to port. Refer to the ASX announcement dated 28 April 2025 for further details regarding the Port Access Agreement.
Commenting on the Company’s recent strategic investments, Chief Executive Officer Mr Peter Secker said: “By increasing our stake in Camrail to 26.9% and executing a strategic 42.8% investment in Terminal Bois du Port de Douala S.A. which operates the Port of Douala, Canyon is securing direct influence over the critical rail and port infrastructure that underpins our operations. These initiatives significantly enhance coordination, improve operational certainty, and materially de-risk our mine-to-port logistics as we move into imminent production.
“These are strategic, high-impact investments that reinforce our integrated logistics strategy, support the efficient ramp-up of Minim Martap, and position the Project for a long and reliable operating life.”
Image 1: Port of Douala
At Minim Martap the surface miner was mobilised to site at the Daniel Plateau in April, for the commencement of trial mining in mid Q2, 2026 allowing bauxite stockpiles to be built up at the mine, Inland Rail Facility (IRF) and port before the first bauxite ore shipment in late Q3, 2026.
Initial production will be a major milestone for the Minim Martap Bauxite Project and coincides with upgrade works on the haul road that connects the Danielle Plateau to the IRF.
Tracklaying at the IRF and bulk earthworks at the Port of Douala have commenced in preparation for rail operations to allow storage of bauxite ores at the port prior to the first shipment. The first seven locomotives are expected to arrive at the Port of Douala in late Q2, 2026 followed by the rail wagons in July 2026 ahead of first shipment of bauxite ore in late September, 2026.
Image 2: Site works at IRF
Canyon continues to engage with several potential offtake partners, with the Company aiming to finalise agreements following the completion of initial bauxite shipments, allowing Canyon to demonstrate the high grade, high purity of the Minim Martap ore reserve, which comprises of 51% alumina and approximately 2% silica.1
The Feasibility Study for the proposed value-adding alumina refinery is scheduled to be completed by Q3 2026.
This announcement has been approved for release by Canyon’s Board of Directors.
About Canyon Resources
Canyon Resources is developing its flagship Minim Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon, which contains over 1.1 billion tonnes of high-grade, low contaminant bauxite, with significant exploration upside. Minim Martap ranks among the world’s richest bauxite deposits, with an Ore Reserve of 144DMt at 51.2% Al2O3 and 1.7% SiO2 and a JORC Mineral Resource Estimate of 1,102Mt at 45.3% Al2O3.
________________________________
1 Refer ASX Announcement dated 1 September 2025 Definitive Feasibility Study Results and Reserves Upgrade
| Ore (DMT) | Alumina (Al2O3) | Silica (SiO2) | |
| Total Ore Reserves1 | 144.0 | 51.2% | 1.7% |
| Proved | 133.3 | 51.2% | 1.7% |
| Probable | 10.7 | 51.8% | 1.7% |
| Total Mineral Resources2 | 1,102 | 45.3% | 2.7% |
| Measured | 394 | 46.8% | 2.1% |
| Indicated | 502 | 44.7% | 2.9% |
| Inferred | 206 | 44.0% | 3.4% |
(1) Ore Reserves reported as per JORC Code
(2) Mineral Resources reported as per JORC Code, at a cut-off grade of 35% Al2O3. Makan & Ngaoundal tenements are included
Table 1: Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources – September 2025
Forward looking statements
This announcement contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information”, such as statements and forecasts which include (without limitation) financial forecasts, production targets, industry and trend projections, statements about the feasibility of the Project and its financial outcomes (including pursuant to the DFS), future strategies, results and outlook of Canyon and the opportunities available to Canyon. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “is expecting”, “budget”, ‘outlook”, “scheduled”, “target”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes”, or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such information is based on assumptions and judgments of Canyon regarding future events and results. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, targets, performance or achievements of Canyon to be materially different from any future results, targets, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, sensitivities, contingencies, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are beyond the control of Canyon and its directors and management. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Key risk factors (including as associated with the DFS) are detailed (non-exhaustively) in this announcement or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements. These and other factors (such as risk factors that are currently unknown) could cause actual results, targets, performance or achievements anticipated (including in the DFS) to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements and information (including Canyon’s belief that it has a reasonable basis to expect it will be able to fund the costs of the Project for its estimated life of mine) are (further to the above) based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of Canyon made in light of its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that Canyon believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Canyon believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information (including as described throughout this announcement) are reasonable, readers are cautioned that this is not exhaustive of all factors which may impact on the forward-looking statements and information. Canyon does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Investors should note that there is no certainty that the Project will be feasible and there can be no assurance of whether it will be developed, constructed and commence operations, whether the DFS results will be accurate, whether production targets will be achieved or whether Canyon will be able to raise funding when it is required (nor any certainty as to the form such capital raising may take, such as equity, debt, hybrid and/or other capital raising). It is also possible that such funding may only be available on terms that dilute or otherwise affect the value of Canyon’s shares. It is also possible that Canyon could pursue other ‘value realisation’ strategies such as sale, partial sale, or joint venture of the Project. Risk factors which are set out (non-exhaustively) in this announcement, or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements, highlight key factors identified by Canyon which may cause actual results to differ from the DFS or may otherwise have material detrimental impacts on Canyon and its business.
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves
This announcement contains estimates of the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves estimated for the Project. This information in this announcement that relates to those Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves has been extracted from Canyon’s accompanying ASX announcement entitled “Definitive Feasibility Study Results and Reserves Upgrade Confirms Minim Martap as a Tier-One Bauxite Operation” dated 1 September 2025, a copy of which is available at www.asx.com.au. Canyon confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in that announcement and, in relation to the estimates of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, confirms that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Competent Person for the Mineral Resources estimate in the announcement was Mr. Rodney Brown and the Competent Persons for the Ore Reserve estimate in the announcement was Mr. Donald Eld.
Production Targets and Financial Forecasts derived from the Production Targets
This announcement contains production targets for the Project, which are 100% underpinned by the Proved and Probable category Ore Reserves estimated at the Project pursuant to the JORC Code (2012). The estimated Ore Reserves underpinning the production targets have been prepared by a competent person in accordance with the JORC Code.
The Inferred category Mineral Resource estimates at the Project have not been included in the Ore Reserves or production targets and have not been included when determining the forecast financial information detailed in this announcement. There is a low level of geological confidence associated with Inferred Mineral Resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of Indicated Mineral Resources (or Ore Reserves) in relation to that mineralisation.
The production targets for the Project and the financial forecasts disclosed in this announcement (including as derived from those production targets) are based on the material assumptions outlined in this announcement and are subject to various risk factors, such as those (non-exhaustively) outlined, or referred to, in this announcement and in previous ASX announcements. These include assumptions and risk factors about the availability of funding. While Canyon considers all the material assumptions to be based on reasonable grounds, there is no certainty that they will prove to be correct or that the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates are accurate or that the production targets or financial forecasts as indicated in this announcement will be achieved.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe7ec6d8-dec9-4d74-b0f8-44cde1e5f482
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e135a9be-e363-4859-b95f-6f34c590bb05
– Published by The MIL Network
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7. Minim Martap Development Update
July 17, 2026
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)
Highlights
- The surface miner has arrived in Cameroon, with mining operations scheduled to commence in February 2026.
- Delivery of locomotives and wagons scheduled in Q1, 2026.
- Ore haulage from the Inland Rail Facility to the Port of Douala is planned for Q2, 2026, supporting first bauxite shipment targeted for late June 2026.
- Recruitment of the Mine Director and Port Manager has been finalised, with both appointees due to be in country this month.
- The alumina refinery Feasibility Study is progressing well and is 45% complete.
- Discussions with Camrail regarding the increase in ownership from 9% to approximately 35% are ongoing and expected to be completed in Q1, 2026.
- Drafting of meeting documentation for the EEA placement has been completed, with shareholder approval to be sought at a General Meeting scheduled for early March 2026.
- Afriland continues to progress discussions within country regulators in relation to remaining financing approvals.
PERTH, Australia, Jan. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canyon Resources Limited (ASX: CAY) (‘Canyon’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to provide a development update for its Minim Martap Bauxite Project (‘Minim Martap’ or ‘the Project’), located in Cameroon.
The road contractor has mobilised additional equipment to site, with upgrade works progressing well and remain on track for completion by the end of Q1, 2026.
Image 1: Haul Road Development between Danielle Plateau and Inland Rail Facility
The commencement of mining at Minim Martap is on track for February 2026 following the arrival of the surface miner at the Port of Douala in Cameroon in December 2025.
Images 2, 3 & 4: Arrival of the surface miner at the Port of Douala in Cameroon
Delivery of the Rolling Stock is expected in Q1, 2026, and commissioning targeted for early Q2, 2026.
Images 5 & 6: Camalco Wagons at Texmaco Rail & Engineering Limited
Images 7 & 8: Camalco locomotive fabrication and locomotive engine at CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd
Ore haulage from Inland Rail Facility (“IRF”) to Port of Douala is scheduled for Q2, 2026, and first bauxite shipment scheduled for late June 2026.
Final tenders for the dredging of the access channel to the Port du Bois berth have now been received, with works on track to commence in Q1, 2026.
All transhipping tenders have now been received, with the contract scheduled to be awarded in Q1, 2026, keeping the Project timeline firmly on track to allow Canyon to complete the first bauxite shipment in June 2026.
Discussions with Camrail continue to advance and are now well progressed, with the Company targeting an increase in its investment in Camrail from the current 9.1% to approximately 35%. Completion is expected in Q1, 2026, and would enable greater participation in the PQ2 upgrade, further strengthening and de-risking the Company’s mine-to-port logistics strategy.
The Feasibility Study for the proposed value-adding alumina refinery is now approximately 45% complete, advancing Canyon’s downstream value-add strategy and supporting its objective of positioning the Company as an integrated participant in the global aluminium value chain. The Study leverages the cost benefits of operating in Cameroon and the Project’s low-silica, high-grade bauxite, with completion targeted for Q3, 2026.
Key senior operational appointments have been completed, with the recruitment of an experienced Mine Director, who is a mining engineer with over 15 years of experience in Africa and Asia and previously worked in bauxite operations in Guinea, as well as an experienced Port Manager, who is an engineer with over 15 years of port operations experience in Asia and Guinea, with significant bulk tonnage ore shipments, port handling and off-shore transhipping expertise.
Both appointees are scheduled to be in-country in this month, materially strengthening Canyon’s on-the-ground leadership team as the Company transitions from development into operations. These appointments significantly enhance operational readiness across mining and port logistics and support the continued progression of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project toward first production.
At the Annual General Meeting held on the 25th of November 2025, shareholders approved the ~A$70 million equity raise pursuant to Tranche 2 of the Placement, announced on the 25th of September to Afriland Bourse & Investissement (‘Afriland’). Refer to ASX announcement dated 25 September 2025 for further details in relation to the Tranche 2 Placement.
Following shareholder approval, the Placement to Afriland is now subject only to approval from the Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale, the central bank for the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, the Commission de Surveillance du marché financier de l’Afrique Centrale, the market regulator for the Central African Economic and Monetary Community and the Government of Cameroon, which are progressing.
The remainder of Tranche 2 of the equity raise, comprising a placement of A$100M to Eagle Eye Asset Holdings Pte. Ltd (“EEA”) remains subject to shareholder approval and is progressing as planned. Drafting of the documentation required to convene the General Meeting has been completed, and the Company will seek shareholder approval at a General Meeting to be held in early March 2026. Subject to shareholder approval, settlement of this tranche of the Placement, on the previously announced terms, is expected in Q2, 2026.
Commenting on Afriland’s Tranche 2 of the Placement, Afriland stated: “Afriland remains fully supportive of Canyon and the advancement of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project. We continue to work closely with the Company and the relevant authorities to progress the remaining regulatory approvals to raise funds and look forward to supporting Canyon as it moves toward the next phase of project development.”
Commenting on project funding, EEA stated: “Canyon continues to make strong progress across key project milestones, and we are pleased with the momentum being demonstrated as the Company advances toward production. We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Canyon and reaffirm our commitment to completing the A$100 million Tranche 2 equity funding under the announced terms of the Placement, subject to shareholder approval anticipated in early March 2026.”
Canyon Chief Executive Officer Peter Secker commented: “Following the arrival of the surface miner in Cameroon as well as confirmation of the delivery of the Rolling Stock scheduled in Q1, the key operational milestones continue to be achieved across mining, logistics and infrastructure workstreams.
“Project readiness continues to be strengthened, with key senior leadership appointments now completed. The Mine Director and Port Manager roles have been filled, with both executives scheduled to be on the ground this month to support the ramp-up to first production.
“Downstream value creation remains a key focus, with the alumina refinery Feasibility Study advancing well and reinforcing Canyon’s long-term, value-add development strategy.
“Discussions with Camrail regarding an increased equity interest are nearing completion and are expected to support greater involvement in critical rail infrastructure upgrades, further de-risking the Company’s mine-to-port logistics pathway. In parallel, documentation for the EEA placement has been completed, with shareholder approval to be sought at a meeting to be scheduled for early March 2026, while Afriland continues constructive engagement with authorities in Cameroon to finalise the remaining approvals.
“Canyon is fully funded through Stage 1 production through a balanced mix of debt and equity, underpinned by strong support from domestic and international investors and key in-country stakeholders, as the Company remains firmly on track toward first production.”
This announcement has been approved for release by Canyon’s Board of Directors.
Forward-looking statements
This announcement contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information”, such as statements and forecasts which include (without limitation) financial forecasts, production targets, industry and trend projections, statements about the feasibility of the Project and its financial outcomes (including pursuant to the DFS), future strategies, results and outlook of Canyon and the opportunities available to Canyon. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “is expecting”, “budget”, ‘outlook”, “scheduled”, “target”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes”, or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such information is based on assumptions and judgments of Canyon regarding future events and results. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, targets, performance or achievements of Canyon to be materially different from any future results, targets, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, sensitivities, contingencies, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are beyond the control of Canyon and its directors and management. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Key risk factors (including as associated with the DFS) are detailed (non-exhaustively) in this announcement or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements. These and other factors (such as risk factors that are currently unknown) could cause actual results, targets, performance or achievements anticipated (including in the DFS) to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements and information (including Canyon’s belief that it has a reasonable basis to expect it will be able to fund the costs of the Project for its estimated life of mine) are (further to the above) based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of Canyon made in light of its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that Canyon believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Canyon believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information (including as described throughout this announcement) are reasonable, readers are cautioned that this is not exhaustive of all factors which may impact on the forward-looking statements and information. Canyon does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Investors should note that there is no certainty that the Project will be feasible and there can be no assurance of whether it will be developed, constructed and commence operations, whether the DFS results will be accurate, whether production targets will be achieved or whether Canyon will be able to raise funding when it is required (nor any certainty as to the form such capital raising may take, such as equity, debt, hybrid and/or other capital raising). It is also possible that such funding may only be available on terms that dilute or otherwise affect the value of Canyon’s shares. It is also possible that Canyon could pursue other ‘value realisation’ strategies such as sale, partial sale, or joint venture of the Project. Risk factors which are set out (non-exhaustively) in this announcement, or in Canyon’s previous ASX announcements, highlight key factors identified by Canyon which may cause actual results to differ from the DFS or may otherwise have material detrimental impacts on Canyon and its business.
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves
This announcement contains estimates of the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves estimated for the Project. This information in this announcement that relates to those Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves has been extracted from Canyon’s accompanying ASX announcement entitled “Definitive Feasibility Study Results and Reserves Upgrade Confirms Minim Martap as a Tier-One Bauxite Operation” dated 1 September 2025, a copy of which is available at www.asx.com.au. Canyon confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in that announcement and, in relation to the estimates of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, confirms that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Competent Person for the Mineral Resources estimate in the announcement was Mr. Rodney Brown and the Competent Persons for the Ore Reserve estimate in the announcement was Mr. Donald Eld.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a774eb91-6072-4211-99b3-bef65e19f4f4
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/59b39cb1-8c0e-4504-860f-1e0a2f0fba91
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a6efd860-dc49-4f6d-931b-0375a71edc6a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/398c01c6-748c-4860-b58f-3936ece3b525
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/720e92e0-ff05-4192-b0a5-e7a886315edd
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2e5d629-eed9-460f-9ede-2b1c2cd0037c
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9253fc9c-5e58-4493-a8c4-c9237c985667
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e429bec6-7089-4ef6-bd22-f08f352b09c8
– Published by The MIL Network
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8. Discover Singapore’s Creative & Culinary Heritage in Chinatown Singapore with Family-Friendly Weekend Workshops
July 17, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – Visitors looking to experience Singapore beyond its iconic attractions can now immerse themselves in two hands-on heritage workshops in the heart of Chinatown. Organised by Chinatown Business Association (CBA), these interactive experiences invite International tourists, families and local Singaporeans to create memorable souvenirs while discovering Singapore’s multicultural traditions.
On 18 July 2026, families can try their hands to create a bag at the DIY Canvas Bag Workshop. Participants will get to design and personalise their own reusable canvas bags using colourful paints. Suitable for all ages and requiring no prior artistic experience, the 90-minute workshop offers a fun way to bond while taking home a unique handcrafted keepsake. Tickets are priced at S$6 per participant, making it an affordable family activity during the school holidays.
The heritage journey continues on 25 July 2026 with the Traditional Nyonya Kueh Workshop, where participants will learn to prepare two beloved Peranakan delicacies – Kueh Koswee, soft pandan rice cakes coated with freshly grated coconut and Apom Berkuah, fluffy traditional rice pancakes served with rich coconut sauce. Guided by an experienced instructor, the workshop introduces beginners to authentic recipes and the rich culinary traditions of Singapore’s Peranakan community through hands-on experience.
Both workshops will be held at the Chinatown Singapore along historic Smith Street. Conveniently located near Chinatown and Maxwell MRT stations, the venue allows visitors to complement their workshop experience with a stroll through heritage streets, traditional shops, temples and local Singaporean eateries.
“Chinatown Singapore is a living cultural district where visitors can experience Singapore’s traditions through meaningful and interactive activities,” said Lim Yick Suan, Executive Director of Chinatown Business Association. “These workshops offer international tourists and local Singaporeans an opportunity to create lasting memories while connecting with our local Singaporean heritage in a fun and engaging way.”
Event Details
DIY Canvas Bag Workshop: 18 July 2026 (Saturday)
Traditional Nyonya Kueh Workshop: 25 July 2026 (Saturday)
Venue: Chinatown Business Association, 9A Smith Street, Singapore 058923
Sessions: 11.00am–12.30pm and 1.30pm–3.00pm (2 sessions)
Hashtag: #ChinatownBusinessAssociation
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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9. VinFast partners with TÜV Rheinland to advance vehicle testing capabilities for Vietnam’s automotive industry
July 17, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 July 2026 – VinFast today announced the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TÜVRheinland, a global leader in automotive testing, inspection and certification, to strengthen vehicle testing capabilities in Vietnam. The partnership includes the development of the VinFast Testing Center in accordance with international standards and the provision of testing and technical advisory services to automotive manufacturers across the region from Vietnam, laying the foundation for deeper integration into the global automotive value chain.
Mr. Nguyen Manh Quan (right), Deputy CEO of Quality Control Division, VinFast, and Mr. Nguyen The Anh, General Director of TÜV Rheinland Vietnam, at the signing ceremony.
Under the MOU, VinFast and TÜV Rheinland will work closely across a broad range of areas, including technical advisory services, testing, certification and specialized training. TÜV Rheinland will prioritize the VinFast Testing Center as its preferred provider of testing and technical advisory services for relevant projects in Vietnam and the ASEAN region. The two parties will also jointly promote the capabilities of the VinFast Testing Center to international automotive manufacturers, develop new business opportunities, and organize specialized training programs and industry seminars to further strengthen technical capabilities.
Previously, VinFast and TÜV Rheinland have collaborated on numerous testing and technical assessment activities covering electric vehicle systems, components and complete vehicles, supporting the development of products that meet the technical requirements of both domestic and international markets. The new strategic MOU elevates the relationship beyond individual projects and establishes a long-term partnership aimed at helping Vietnamese businesses integrate more deeply into the global automotive value chain.
Headquartered in Germany and backed by more than 150 years of experience, TÜV Rheinland is a global leader in testing, inspection and certification. The company provides technical services to automotive manufacturers and suppliers worldwide, helping them comply with regulatory requirements and international standards related to safety, performance, electromagnetic compatibility, cybersecurity and other specialized technical fields.
Mr. Nguyen Manh Quan, Deputy CEO of Quality Control Division, VinFast, said: “Our partnership with TÜV Rheinland is a key step in VinFast’s long-term strategy to strengthen our research, testing and product development capabilities in line with international standards. Beyond enhancing product quality, this collaboration also creates opportunities for VinFast to gradually become part of the regional and global automotive technical services network, contributing to the continued development of Vietnam’s automotive industry ecosystem.”
Mr. Nguyen The Anh, General Director of TÜV Rheinland Vietnam, said: “We highly value VinFast’s continued investment in research, testing and product development. Leveraging our global expertise in testing, inspection and certification, TÜV Rheinland looks forward to working alongside VinFast to strengthen technical capabilities, drive technological innovation, and develop services that meet the growing demands of the market.“
As Vietnam’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer with a diverse ecosystem spanning electric cars, electric motorcycles and smart mobility solutions, VinFast continues to invest in research, development and testing infrastructure to meet the world’s most demanding international standards. The expanded partnership with TÜV Rheinland further reinforces VinFast’s strategy of building a network of world-leading technical partners, strengthening its research, testing and product development capabilities while contributing to technological innovation and the development of the automotive industry ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Hashtag: #VinFast #TÜVRheinland #AutomotiveTesting
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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10. Security and Tech – Gen Half-Year Threat Report: Attackers are Moving Closer to Systems People Trust
July 17, 2026
New research finds cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the trusted digital experiences Kiwis depend on, rather than relying on obvious malware or technical exploits.
Auckland, July 17, 2026 – As New Zealanders move more online in a cold winter, attackers are moving with them, closer to the trusted parts of digital life. Gen (NASDAQ: GEN) today published its H1 2026 Threat Report to help people understand what cyber threats are emerging and what risks are shaping digital life today. A common thread runs through the report: attackers are exploiting digital trust. Not only are they sending malicious links or dropping malware, they are also abusing context, sessions, workflows, brands, updating systems, advertising platforms and delegated authority.
Trust Has Become the New Attack Surface
The Threat Report’s central finding is a shift in how attacks work. The most effective threats in the first half of 2026 did not rely on technical exploits or obvious deception, they succeeded because they were hard to distinguish from normal digital life. Scams arrived through a hotel booking platform, referencing a real reservation. WhatsApp accounts were compromised not through a password breach, but by tricking users into approving an attacker’s browser as a linked device. Fraud moved through real, verified financial accounts because the people owning those accounts had been recruited through social media with offers of quick cash. And AI agents, running with permissions the user had already granted, were empowered to execute a reverse shell.
“The most effective attacks in the first half of 2026 didn’t look like attacks,” said Vita Santrucek, Chief Technology & Development Officer at Gen. “They arrived through booking platforms, family message threads, software update channels and AI agent workflows, all places people already trust. As attackers blend into everyday digital experiences, protection has to move closer to the moments where confidence is earned, exploited or broken.”
Across scams, identity breaches, and privacy violations, the pattern is the same: the attack moved inside trusted systems before the danger became visible.
A Cold, Wet Winter, and Where Kiwis Shop
One of the fastest-growing threats in New Zealand is the e-shop scam, up 87% in the first half of the year, likely because people spend more time indoors and shopping moves online when it’s cold and wet outside. Fake online stores are now built so well they are almost impossible to tell from the real thing, and the moment you enter your payment details, your card information goes straight to the scammer.
“Your guard can slip when you’re scrolling and shopping from a warm room,” says Mark Gorrie, VP APAC at Norton. “A price that’s too good, a shop name you’ve never heard of, and a message tugging at your emotions to rush you. If you feel any of those, stop right there. Rather than following a link straight from an ad or a social post, search the shop’s name and check it’s a real business. That small extra step prevents most of the harm.”
And Handing Over the Device Itself
Another fastest-growing threat of all in New Zealand is malicious remote access (MRA), up 73%.
MRA is where an attacker gains the ability to control your device from afar. They don’t just steal information; they take over the computer or phone itself. In many cases, victims grant that access with their own hands, following a message that says, “your computer is infected” and giving control to someone posing as support. Tech support scams rose 27% in New Zealand as well, and the two are closely linked.
Furthermore, Scam-Yourself attacks, where following a tutorial promising free downloads, cracked software or fixing a technical issue installs the malware yourself, climbed 45%.
Fastest-Growing Threats in New Zealand (H1 2026)
- E-shop scams: up 87%
- Malicious remote access (MRA): up 73%
- Droppers: up 56%
A dropper causes little direct harm itself but quietly delivers and installs other malware such as ransomware or spyware, slipping past initial antivirus defences.
- Trojans: up 55%
A Trojan is malicious software disguised as a legitimate program.
- Scam-Yourself attacks: up 45%.
Threat Report Highlights (Global)
Gen’s telemetry from H1 2026 shows the trend activity across key threat areas over the last six months globally.
Key findings about growing threats include:
· A 387% increase in government impersonation scams – showing criminals are increasingly exploiting trust in public institutions to steal money and information.
· A more than 454% increase in family impersonation scams, while separate “GhostPairing” activity showed how WhatsApp’s linked-device feature can be abused to gain persistent access to an account and allow people to impersonate loved ones.
· More than 304 million scam-ad impressions identified across the EU and UK in less than one month, underscoring how easily fraudulent ads can reach people.
· Norton and LifeLock breach notification alerts with attributed lead sources increased 628.1% up to 3.3 million, with more than 10 million breach notifications sent in total – proving more people’s personal information is being exposed in data breaches.
· More than 15.7 million breached records containing email addresses identified, giving cybercriminals more opportunities to target consumers with phishing, scams, and account takeover attempts.
· 734% increase in bank account (depository) activity alerts – further evidence of the rapid financial exploitation that follows a breach.
Key findings about blocked attacks and defences include:
· 114.2 million e-shop scam attacks blocked, up 109% – highlighting the growing risk of fake online stores targeting shoppers.
· 20.3 million tech support scam attacks blocked – reflecting continued attempts to trick people into giving scammers remote access to their devices or financial information.
· 1 million web skimming attacks blocked, up 212% – showing how attackers continued to target checkout flows where users already expect to enter payment details.
· Roughly 1.9 billion tracking attempts blocked during H1 2026 – demonstrating the scale of online tracking that can erode consumer privacy.
The report also identifies agentic AI as an emerging security frontier. As AI systems gain the ability to browse, install software, access files, connect to services and take action on behalf of users, attackers are increasingly targeting the permissions and trust these systems rely on. Early telemetry from Sage, Gen’s agentic security platform behind features like Norton and Avast’s AI Agent Protection, found the most common high-risk AI agent behaviours involved:
1. Trying to run dangerous system commands
2. Attempting to open a remote command channel, which could let an attacker control the system
3. Downloading and running code from the internet
4. Reading credential files without authorisation
5. Trying to create persistent remote access, such as adding a trusted SSH key
6. Trying to override the agent’s instructions.
The full Gen H1 2026 Threat Report is available at https://www.gendigital.com/blog/insights/reports/threat-report-h1-2026
About Gen
Gen (NASDAQ: GEN) is a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, MoneyLion and more. The Gen family of consumer brands is rooted in providing financial empowerment and cyber safety for the first digital generations. Today, Gen empowers people to live their digital lives safely, privately and confidently for generations to come. Gen brings award-winning products and services in cybersecurity, online privacy, identity protection and financial wellness to nearly 500 million users in more than 150 countries. Learn more at GenDigital.com.
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