A 30-year-old man faces a range of charges after Police seized a modified firearm, cocaine, and shotgun shells from a vehicle in Queenstown.
About 4:30am yesterday, Police stopped a suspicious vehicle on Suburb Street.
During the search, Police uncovered a sawn-off shotgun, eight shotgun cartridges, rifle ammunition and a substantial amount of cocaine. A large quantity of small plastic bags and a set of electronic scales was also seized.
“Illegal firearms have no place in our community,” says Otago Lakes Central Area Commander Inspector Paula Enoka.
“Taking weapons and drugs off Queenstown streets makes everyone in our town safer.
“Our message is clear – drug dealing, and the harm that comes with it, isn’t welcome here.”
The arrested man is due to appear in Queenstown District Court on 20 October.
He is charged with unlawful possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm in a public place.
“Police will continue to focus on disrupting the supply of drugs and hold to account those who are financially gaining through this harm,” says Inspector Enoka.
If you have concerns about illegal drug use in your community, please call 111 if there is an immediate risk to safety, or make a report via 105.
You can also anonymously report information to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police work alongside partner agencies to help people affected by addiction get the help they need.
People are able to get support by calling free and confidential services, such as: • Alcohol and Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797 • Narcotics Anonymous: NZ 0800 628 632 • 1737 – free text/phone to speak with a trained councillor • Youthline: 0800 376 633
Minister for Trade and Investment, and Agriculture Todd McClay will lead a high-level delegation of 21 New Zealand businesses to Riyadh this coming week to promote and strengthen trade and investment ties with Saudi Arabia.
“This mission will raise the profile of New Zealand businesses in a market predicted to be the 6th largest global economy by 2050 with enormous long-term potential, building partnerships that can deliver growth, jobs, and prosperity on both sides,” Mr McClay says.
“Saudi Arabia is one of the most dynamic markets in the Middle East worth USD$2.8 trillion and is driving one of the largest global transformations and rebuild programmes through its Vision 2030 strategy,” Mr McClay says.
“This mission will showcase the very best of what New Zealand has to offer —safe, high-quality food and beverage, innovative agricultural expertise, world-leading construction and technology solutions, and a creative sector that is globally recognised.
The Government is ambitious about doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports in 10 years, unlocking new opportunities for Kiwi exporters, and supporting Saudi Arabia in their food security and development goals.
Saudi Arabia is already one of New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing export destinations in the Middle East. Exports have more than doubled in four years, from $620 million in June 2021 to $1.35 billion in June 2025 bringing two-way trade to $1.58 billion.
Patients attending Whanganui Hospital’s onsite dental unit will now benefit from a modernised and upgraded facility following a refurbishment, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“The refurbished dental unit provides a brighter, more welcoming and accessible space for patients and families, ensuring the community can receive timely, quality oral healthcare in an appropriate environment,” Mr Brown says.
“The old space was outdated and cramped. The upgraded unit now has an enlarged waiting room to better accommodate a growing number of patients, along with a dedicated area for those receiving IV sedation.
“Access throughout the clinic has been improved for wheelchair users, while the reception area and front desk have been reconfigured to enhance both patient flow and safety from the moment patients arrive.
“A new recovery space has been created for patients who require sedation. This will support the growing number of patients being treated under IV sedation in the dental unit, which has reduced the need for general anaesthetic procedures and helped shorten that waitlist.
“Two dental rooms have also been modernised with new cabinetry and equipment, enabling staff to deliver care more efficiently and safely.”
To ensure treatment continued during the building works, a mobile dental unit was available on site for patients.
“With a new dentist now working regularly in the unit, more patients are now being seen. This refurbishment will ensure it can keep pace with the needs of the community.
“This Government is committed to delivering modern, fit-for-purpose health facilities that improve access to care. Whanganui’s dental unit upgrade is another example of our focus on ensuring patients receive care in the right setting.”
A Police operation is underway today to manage protest activity taking place in Auckland.
Protesters are arriving in the CBD and heading to Aotea Square.
It is expected that the protest will make its way to Victoria Park, down Queen Street, from 10am this morning.
Police have staff deployed throughout the city along the route and are monitoring the situation.
We are advising the public to expect delays across these areas today.
People coming into the city are advised to use the AT Mobile App or real time AT Journey Planner to check for any bus service changes of time or route.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 September 2025 – The Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2025 (DELF 2025), Cyberport’s annual flagship event, officially kicked off today. Under the theme “Adventure Island: Unlock Innovation with The Missing Piece”, the three-day event (12–14 September) welcomes industry professionals and the public to immerse themselves in a carnival-style programme. Highlights include industry forums, innovative experience showcases, captivating performances, and interactive workshops, offering participants first-hand opportunity to experience how revolutionary technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are being integrated into every aspect of daily life.
Paul Chan, Financial Secretary, visited the DELF 2025 experience zone, engaging with exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in digital entertainment and technology.
The opening ceremony of DELF 2025 was officiated by an esteemed line-up of guests of honour, including Paul Chan, Financial Secretary, Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Yang Jian, Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of LOCPG, Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport and Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport.
The ceremony treated audiences to a special “phygital” performance by virtual singer Vi and singer Ashley Lin, blending the virtual and the real to showcase a groundbreaking fusion of technology and art.
During the ceremony, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong, said, “In the realm of digital entertainment, AI is revolutionising the way we create and experience content. From automated scriptwriting and music composition, to smarter NPCs (non-playable characters) and ultra-realistic visuals in games, AI is speeding up production, lowering costs and delivering more personalised content that responds to user preferences. AI is a most fitting theme for the Forum this year. Over the past few years, DELF has firmly established itself as Hong Kong’s premier digital entertainment event, and one of the most influential platforms of its kind in Asia. It brings together industry leaders, creators, innovators and members of the public for a vibrant and stimulating exchange of ideas, showcasing a rich tapestry of local and global innovations that are shaping the future of digital entertainment.”
Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome everyone to ‘Adventure Island’ at DELF 2025, where you can dive into the transformative power of state‑of‑the‑art technology firsthand. This year’s forum showcases AI’s potential to revolutionise industries, fueled by resources like the Cyberport AI Supercomputing Centre, which will reach 3,000 PFLOPS this year, empowering all sectors to push boundaries and create groundbreaking innovations. Cyberport is dedicated to building a vibrant ecosystem, leveraging platforms like DELF to provide the public with opportunities to engage with the latest technologies, foster collaboration, and transform creative ideas into practical solutions, solidifying Hong Kong’s leadership in digital entertainment and innovation.”
Cyberport × Lenovo Strategic Partnership to Propel Start‑ups onto the Global Stage
The first day of the Forum marked a pivotal milestone, with Cyberport and Lenovo Hong Kong signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver comprehensive support for the growth of Hong Kong start-ups, enrich the city’s AI ecosystem, and drive digital transformation across industries. The partnership will focus on start-up incubation and commercialisation, joint promotion of AI innovation in culture and tourism, manufacturing, and retail, as well as training programmes in AI, cybersecurity, EdTech, and more, with the goal of strengthening Hong Kong’s talent pool and fostering the growth of the innovation and technology ecosystem.
Over three days, DELF 2025 brings together more than 70 renowned speakers, including representatives from the Intellectual Property Department and the Spatial Data Office of the Development Bureau, executives from international tech giants such as NVIDIA, Tencent Games, and Meta, academic experts from the University of Southern California and Japan’s Polygon Pictures, as well as creative industry leaders such as Anselm Chan, director of “The Last Dance” and board member of the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild, Irving Cheung, production designer of “Table for Six” and “Time Still Turns the Pages”, and T-Ma, music producer.
The Forum features a wide range of forward‑looking topics, including how AI is driving the development of the arts, culture, and tourism sectors; balancing creativity with AI technology to safeguard human artistry in the digital era; the role of AI in music creation and the integration of traditional and digital production methods; and the transformative impact of AI and GameFi on the future of gaming. In the parallel sessions, experts also explored how AI and supercomputing enable artists to rapidly create complex, high‑quality visual artworks and animations, reshaping the visual arts experience, as well as the emotional companionship value and business potential of AI digital humans, among other diverse topics.
35 Innovative Experience Zones Present Future Technology
DELF 2025 features over 35 experience zones across four major themes — Arts, Culture & Tourism, Entertainment, Smart Living, and Sports, offering participants the chance to experience cutting‑edge AI applications firsthand. The zones debut a variety of pioneering technologies, including cultural tech showcases such as MateZ Lab’s “AI Gifts from Dunhuang”, a virtual tour of the Dunhuang Caves, and HTC’s “Eternal Notre‑Dame” VR experience; artistic innovations such as Appreciator.io’s “Celestial Blues: Porcelain’s Renaissance from East to West”, and Henry Chu’s “Under Garden” immersive installation of pine tree garden; medical tech solutions like Acer’s VeriSee DR diagnostic software for diabetic retinopathy; and entertainment tech highlights such as the GUMA Robots’ captivating dance performance.
“Piece Together: Smart Hong Kong”: AI Inspires Children’s Creativity While Fostering an Inclusive Society
The Forum also unveiled, for the first time, an AI mosaic artwork co‑created by over 1,000 students from around 30 primary, secondary, and special education needs (SEN) schools under a project organised by Cyberport and co‑organised by the Hong Kong Association for Computer Education (HKACE). Showcasing landmarks in Hong Kong’s Southern District — including Cyberport 5, Ocean Park, and Tai Pak Floating Restaurant — the artwork embodies the creative energy of “Smart Hong Kong” and the vision of an inclusive society, bringing together the imagination of a thousand young minds to piece together a vision of future cityscape.
Countless Exciting Programmes for Your Weekend
In addition to today’s unique drone performance presented by OWOWWW, a Cyberport incubatee, and the performance and AI short film by Korean boy band XODIAC, an array of exciting programmes will unfold over the next two days. Highlights include the HKITDA Art-Tech Concert, Re:VISS AI Film Fest 2025 cum Awards Ceremony, the Dark Horse Indie Game Awards & Conference, and the Silver Age Esports Tournament & Experience Day and more. The MCL Cinema at Cyberport will also screen the world’s first AI‑generated feature film “Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao” alongside other AI short films.
Participants can also join over 25 immersive workshops covering innovative themes such as escape room design, AI-driven music production and songwriting, and sensory interaction game development. These include the “Xiaohongshu Virtual Influencer Creation Workshop”, “DIY Murder Mystery Game Using Generative AI”, and the “Vtuber Experiential Workshop”, offering hands‑on experience of the practical applications of emerging technologies.
The Experience Zones and workshops will remain open over the weekend, allowing more visitors to enjoy AI‑driven innovations in culture, sports, tourism, and entertainment with family and friends. Participants can also take part in the “Play‑to‑Earn” activity, completing different daily checkpoint tasks in the Experience Zones to win attractive prizes.
For media enquiries and event details, please visit the official DELF 2025 website at https://delf.cyberport.hk.
Hashtag: #DELF2025 #Cyberport
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
12 September 2025 – AUCKLAND, New Zealand – The March for Humanity, organised by Aotearoa for Palestine, will proceed tomorrow as a powerful demonstration of public demand for New Zealand to impose immediate diplomatic and economic sanctions on Israel.
Despite a drastic change to the weather forecast in the last 24 hours, that now shows unsafe wind speeds on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the march will go ahead with a changed route. The start time remains 9:30 AM, Saturday, but will now assemble at Aotea Square. The march will then proceed through the CBD, concluding at Victoria Park.
“People have travelled from across Aotearoa to join this historic protest, and tomorrow we will March for Humanity through the Auckland CBD – united in our call for the New Zealand Government to impose sanctions on Israel. Community safety is paramount, and so too is our collective voice for justice.” Said Aotearoa for Palestine spokesperson, Nadine Mortaja.
Bianca Ranson, spokesperson for Kaiāwhina marshals added, “Our foremost duty as Kaiāwhina is to protect and care for our communities. After reviewing multiple weather models, including a forecast commissioned twice from MetService specifically for the Harbour Bridge, it is clear that predicted winds of 75–85km/h make the crossing unsafe. Postponing the Harbour Bridge march is the only responsible course of action.”
This route change is not expected to dampen overwhelming public support. Mortaja confirmed, “Despite the route change, The March for Humanity will be the largest march for Palestine in New Zealand’s history. And if the government fails to listen to the people tomorrow, and uphold its duty to prevent and punish Israel’s genocide on Gaza, we are still committed to marching over the Auckland Harbour Bridge – that just wont be tomorrow.”
The organisers urge all attendees to dress appropriately for the weather and prepare for a historic and impactful day.
“Tomorrow, 140 Kaiāwhina marshals will be on the ground in the Auckland CBD to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities. We encourage everyone to remain steadfast and committed to the March for Humanity. We still expect thousands to turn out and make their voices heard. For those needing assistance, medics will be clearly identifiable in pink vests, and Kaiāwhina marshals in green vests will be present throughout the march to provide care and support,” Ranson added.
Event Details:
What: March for Humanity
When: Saturday, 9:30 AM
Where: NEW ROUTE – Assembling at Aotea Square, proceeding through CBD, ending at Victoria Park.
About Aotearoa for Palestine: Aotearoa for Palestine is a Palestinian- and Māori-led group, committed to the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity in their own land.
