A Wanaka-based adventure consultant says she agrees that anyone wanting to climb Mount Everest should have previously summited a 7000 metre high mountain at least once.

Nepal’s government is considering the new rule that would require climbers to have previously summited a 7000m high mountain in Nepal before attempting Everest which is 8848m high.

New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people known to reach Everest’s summit in 1953.

But recently the mountain has been been in the spotlight over increasing pollution with discarded climbing gear, tents, oxygen canisters and human waste.

And the traffic jams with climbers literally nose to tail at dangerous pinch points as more people attempt Everest.

Wanaka-based Adventure Consultants takes climbers up Everest and its general manager Caroline Ogle said they had strict rules around who they took to Everest but there was a real mix of people on the mountain.

She said there were some operators, such as hers, which had been on the mountain for many years and ran well-resourced expeditions ensuring that only experienced climbers came onto Everest.

“Unfortunately there are a lot of teams that are a) quite large in size and b) their climbers don’t have necessary experience before heading onto the mountain and those factors combined can mean that people do get into trouble and that’s what you end up seeing in the headlines.”

Adventure Consultants advised anyone who wanted to climb Everest to follow a programme which started with a mountaineering course and to ensure they had a lot of climbing experience either in New Zealand, the European mountains or in the United States, she said.

“So building up experience on multiple 6000 to 7000m peaks and ideally another 8000m peak before going on to Everest.”

But often the climbers do not want to put in the preparation, she said.

“And we often see them turning up on other climbing teams who are just happy to accept their money for a place on their expeditions.”

A lot of people including influencers have been documenting their Everest trips on social media in the last few years with some willing to put in the work and some less so, she said.

Ogle said she agreed that climbers wanting to take on Everest should have climbed a 7000 metre peak at least once.

“But the key caveat here is the proposed regulations require climbers to have climbed that 7000m peak in Nepal, where as lots of climbers who are already on their Everest pathways, they may have climbed a 7000m peak in South America or Kyrgyzstan or even 7000m peaks in Tibet or Pakistan – but under these proposed regulations those would not be applicable.”

That requirement could set back climbers who were wanting to take on Everest and had already climbed a 7000m peak, but just not in Nepal, she said.

“Summiting Everest (is) definitely not a walk in the park, it’s an extremely serious and dangerous mountain and you need to have experience before doing that.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

HAIKOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 January 2026 – One month into the island-wide special customs operations, the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) in south China has maintained smooth and orderly functioning, with initial achievements in logistics efficiency, passenger convenience, and economic aggregation, highlighting the country’s commitment to high-level opening up.

Hainan Heren Pearl Co., Ltd., which mainly imports pearls from overseas, has emerged as a direct beneficiary of Hainan FTP policies.

Under the value-added processing policy, the company can sell its high-value products to the mainland duty-free, cutting its overall tax burden from about 52 percent to roughly 26 percent and redirecting the savings into research and development, said Zhang Shizhong, the company’s chairman.

“The FTP holds great promise, with more policy dividends set to be released in the future,” Zhang said.

One notable special customs policy is offering “freer access at the first line,” referring to freer trade between Hainan and areas outside China’s customs borders, and “regulated access at the second line,” which involves applying standard customs controls for goods moving from Hainan to the mainland.

According to Haikou Customs, from Dec. 18, 2025 to the early hours of Jan. 18, 2026, the value of “first line” imported zero-tariff goods was 753 million yuan (about 107 million U.S. dollars); the value of processed and value-added goods sold domestically through the “second line” was about 85.9 million yuan.

In Wanning City, production lines at Chia Tai (Hainan) Xinglong Coffee Industry Development Co., Ltd. are running at full capacity. The company imports green coffee beans from Colombia and processes them in Hainan before shipping the finished products to the mainland, enjoying an 8 percent tariff reduction under the FTP policies.

“After the launch of island-wide special customs operations, Hainan will gradually become a value-added processing center and trade hub with global resource allocation capabilities,” said Ye Jian, the company’s general manager. “Enterprises will not only pass through Hainan, but also be able to put down roots here and create higher value.”

Drawn by the policy incentives, a growing number of companies are choosing to do business in Hainan. The General Administration of Customs said a total of 5,132 new foreign trade enterprises completed registration in Hainan over the past month, an increase in a month roughly equivalent to the total registrations in an entire quarter of 2024.

The total number of registered foreign trade market entities in Hainan has surpassed 100,000, according to official data.

As the policy came into force, major ports across Hainan saw a surge in activity.

Days after Hainan began island-wide special customs operations, a flight from Prague carrying 115 European passengers touched down in the tourist city of Sanya, marking a breakthrough in the high-level opening up of the aviation sector at the Hainan FTP.

The arrival marked the launch of China’s first official passenger route operated under the Seventh Freedom of the Air, which allows foreign carriers to operate flights between two foreign countries without having to land in their home country.

The route is operated by Kazakhstan’s Scat Airlines, with one round-trip scheduled each week.

At Yangpu Port, the largest cargo port in the Hainan FTP, mega-ships berthing in quick succession, gantry cranes operating around the clock, and container trucks moving in tightly coordinated flows have become a routine sight.

“Yangpu will shoulder the role of the main logistics gateway of the Hainan FTP,” said Yang Xiaobin, deputy head of the Transportation, Port and Waterway Bureau of Yangpu Economic Development Zone. “The port aims to build a smart and green international shipping hub and logistics center.”

Container throughput at Yangpu reached 3.31 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, up more than 65 percent from a year earlier.

“It is particularly noteworthy that the Hainan FTP launched island-wide special customs operations at a time of intensifying deglobalization and rising global uncertainty,” said Cui Weijie, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a think tank with the Ministry of Commerce.

“It not only demonstrates China’s unwavering commitment to high-standard opening up, but also injects greater certainty and positive momentum into the global economy and international trade cooperation,” Cui said.

Hashtag: #HainanFreeTradePort #HainanFTP #CustomsReform #FreeTradePort #DutyFreeTrade

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

New Zealand cyclist Aaron Gate won’t defend his four Commonwealth Games titles this year, but the 35-year-old is hoping to tick off a first in 2026.

Four years ago, Gate made history by becoming the first New Zealander to win four gold medals at a Commonwealth Games.

He won three on the track (team pursuit, individual pursuit and points race) along with the road race.

Gate has just completed his first full season with a World Tour road team, XDS Astana, and impressed so much that the Kazakhstan-registered outfit has signed him on for another two years.

He admitted a lot would have to change before he would consider competing in Glasgow this year.

“It would have been nice to go back and do another Commonwealth Games but you have to pick your battles sometimes,” Gate told RNZ.

“The team (XDS Astana) has been very supportive of me so far so I’m going to give them my unwavering support for the season and just focusing on the road and doing that job.”

Gate hasn’t competed on the track in over a year but felt that the (track) team New Zealand was preparing was very strong.

Besides, he jokingly admitted that it would have been hard to trump what he achieved in Birmingham in 2022.

“I guess in some ways it is good to quit while you’re ahead and I may be getting a bit old for the next Commonwealth Games (in four years time), but you never know.”

What he did have his sights set on was the greatest race in cycling – the Tour de France.

Having only joined a World Tour team for the first time in 2025, the opportunity to ride the Tour de France had never come up before, but his team earmarked him for the race in July.

Gate watched it often and spoken to many people about it.

“It is one of the craziest experiences you can do as an athlete with all eyes on everything at all time.

“Having been to the Olympics (2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024) on the track it is a similar high pressure environment where you need to perform at that moment and there is a lot riding on it .

“The Tour de France is like that but the difference is there are 180 guys in the bunch and so it is going to be very stressful and at times not enjoyable but it’s the achievement of doing the job well.”

For now, Gate will compete in the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race this month before heading to Europe to prepare for the northern season in February.

Gate finished second in the Cadel Evans race in 2025.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 December 2025 – Vingroup announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to promote cooperation and implement multi-sector projects in Uzbekistan. The agreement marks the beginning of a long-term cooperation plan between the two sides across multiple key sectors, while opening large-scale investment opportunities for the Vietnamese corporation in Central Asia, contributing to the strengthening of economic and investment ties between Vietnam and Uzbekistan.

Under the MOU, the two parties agreed to jointly study and develop strategic cooperation opportunities in areas such as urban development, sustainable transportation, tourism and leisure infrastructure, as well as other investment projects aligned with Uzbekistan’s development orientation, affirming the scale and capabilities of Vietnamese enterprises on the global economic map.

Specifically, in the area of urban development, Uzbekistan is ready to allocate approximately 1,000 hectares of land in a prime location of the capital Tashkent for Vingroup to study, propose, and invest in the development of a large-scale, integrated urban complex. The project would include residential areas, living infrastructure, commercial and cultural facilities, and public infrastructure facilities. The development is envisioned to form a “Vietnam Town”, creating a modern and sustainable urban landmark while enhancing cultural exchange and economic cooperation between the two countries.

In the field of sustainable transportation, Vingroup has proposed studying the deployment of electric taxi and urban mobility services using VinFast electric vehicles in Uzbekistan, together with a charging infrastructure system and support services. The project is expected to contribute to the green transition, reduce emissions, and improve the quality of urban transportation services in major Uzbek cities.

In tourism and leisure infrastructure, the two sides will explore the potential development of integrated tourism and recreational center, including entertainment facilities, hotels, golf courses and related tourism infrastructure, aiming to unlock tourism potential and enhance Uzbekistan’s attractiveness to international visitors.

In addition, this strategic cooperation also establishes a framework for the two parties to identify, assess, and select other potential investment projects that align with the development strategies and long-term priorities of each side.

On the Uzbek government’s side, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade committed to supporting Vingroup by providing information on the investment environment, legal framework, and incentive policies, as well as coordinating with relevant authorities and local governments in project preparation, including land allocation, licensing, and access to investment support mechanisms in accordance with legislation.

On Vingroup’s side, the Group will propose conceptual proposals, technical expertise and investment plans, participate in feasibility studies and project structuring, and mobilize member companies within the Vingroup ecosystem to implement suitable projects in Uzbekistan.

Mr. Kasimov Ilzat Ablaxatovich, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, stated: “We welcome Vingroup’s interest and commitment to cooperation in Uzbekistan. With its experience in urban development, sustainable transportation, and infrastructure projects, Vingroup is considered a strategic partner to jointly explore and implement investment initiatives aligned with Uzbekistan’s socio-economic development priorities in the coming period.”

Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup, shared: “Uzbekistan is a market with strong potential, supported by a clear development direction and an improving investment environment. Through this Memorandum of Understanding, Vingroup aims to gradually explore suitable cooperation opportunities and work alongside the Government of Uzbekistan in developing urban areas, sustainable transportation, and sectors that bring positive contributions to local communities.”

Uzbekistan holds a strategic position in Central Asia, with a growing economy and strong potential in urban development, infrastructure, tourism, and services. The Government of Uzbekistan is actively promoting reforms and attracting foreign investment to drive sustainable economic growth and international integration.

Vingroup is Vietnam’s leading private multi-sector corporation, operating across six core pillars: Industrials & Technology, Real Estate & Services, Infrastructure, Green Energy, Culture, and Social Enterprises, with the vision “To create a better life for people”. With its proven reputation, scale and capabilities, Vingroup is steadily expanding globally, contributing to elevate the global standing of Vietnamese enterprises.

Hashtag: #Vingroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 December 2025 – Wildberries, a leading digital platform in Eurasia, has rolled out its WB Taxi mobile app in Uzbekistan, expanding its ride-hailing services to the local market.

The app has become available for download on Google Play and the App Store in Uzbekistan. Users can start using the service via a personal invitation link or by joining a waiting list after installing the app.

Connected users will receive 50% cashback on each ride, credited in “watermelons,” the platform’s proprietary virtual currency. The cashback applies to cashless payments. Upon installing the app, every new user will receive a welcome bonus of 20,000 “watermelons,” which can be used to pay for future trips.

WB Taxi offers four service tiers: Standard, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Multi. The Multi option enables faster vehicle assignment by simultaneously searching for available cars across multiple tariffs.

Rides are currently available within the administrative boundaries of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The service is supported by a 24/7 voice assistant and an in-app chat, enabling users to ask questions and provide feedback at any time.

In July 2025, Wildberries announced the beta launch of WB Taxi in Belarus and its plans to expand the taxi service to other countries in the future. In August, the united company Wildberries & Russ appointed Anatoly Smorgonsky – former CEO of the ride-hailing service Gett in Russia – to lead the taxi division.

With more than 20 years of experience in e-commerce, Wildberries has gained substantial expertise in transport logistics. The company owns its own fleet of over 1,700 vehicles in addition to partnering with logistics firms and private carriers.

Uzbekistan’s official taxi market is estimated at the equivalent of $500 million per year and is growing rapidly, with cashless payments showing significant potential for growth. Last year, 320 million rides were taken inside the country, less than a quarter of which were paid for by bank card.

Hashtag: #Wildberries

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

2026 FIFA World Cup draw

Washington DC

Saturday 6 December, 6am NZT

Live blog coverage on RNZ

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be made in Washington DC on Saturday. So who could the All Whites be grouped with? Here’s everything you need to know.

The 23rd edition of the World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams and will be hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada. It kicks off on 11 June with the opening two games in Mexico, and finishes on 19 July with the final in New York.

A new rule in the draw aims to maintain competitive balance in the expanded 48-team format. It means the top-ranked team (Spain) and number two (world champions Argentina) are in opposite halves of the bracket, with the same applying to number three (France) and number four (England).

If the top four seeds win their groups, those countries won’t be able to meet until the semi-finals for the first time in the tournament’s history.

The World Cup draw takes place on Saturday morning (6am NZT) in Washington DC, with the updated match schedule, including stadiums and kick-off times, to be released on Sunday morning.

Teams qualified

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States

Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde*, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan*, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan*

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Oceania: New Zealand

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

North and Central America and the Caribbean: Curacao*, Panama, Haiti

*attending World Cup finals for the first time.

Play-offs

The UEFA play-offs feature 16 teams (four places available) – the 12 group runners-up and four UEFA Nations League group winners: Italy, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Denmark, Wales, Albania, Sweden, Turkey, Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland.

There will be six teams in the two inter-confederation paths (Two places available). Iraq and DR Congo will go direct to one of the finals. Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname will be drawn into semi-finals.

Pots for draw

Hosts Canada, Mexico and the US are in Pot 1, which includes Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Pot 2 has Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia.

Pot 3 will include Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Pot 4 will be Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, and the winners from the European play-off A, B, C and D, and the FIFA Play-Off tournament 1 and 2.

Confederation constraints will apply, with no group having more than one team from the same region except UEFA, which has 16 representatives and can place up to two teams in a group.

The 12 groups at the World Cup will include one team from each of the four pots.

Fifa will start by drawing the teams from pot one.

Once a team is drawn they will go into the first available group.

Who could the All Whites face?

With 48 teams in the draw (50 percent more than the 2022 Qatar World Cup), New Zealand have 36 possible opponents from every FIFA confederation apart from Oceania.

They could face any of the Pot 1 teams of Canada, Mexico, the US, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Canada or the US would likely be the All Whites favoured opponent from the seeded pot, but they would both still be very hard to beat.

New Zealand Football boss Andrew Pragnell and All Whites coach Darren Bazeley will be in Washington DC as part of a New Zealand delegation of seven people who will be stateside for the draw.

While the duo will be “ball watching” during the draw to find out which teams the All Whites will be grouped with for New Zealand’s third appearance at a World Cup, that is a passive part of what they are up to.

They have no influence over how the draw plays out, but they can work the room and get themselves and their football wishes in front of some influential people.

New Zealand history at the FIFA World Cup

New Zealand first attempted to qualify for the World Cup finals in 1970, but didn’t achieve their goal until 1982.

In the buildup to that tournament the All Whites went through a gruelling qualification process that involved 15 games, and they had to beat China in a sudden-death play-off in Singapore.

That squad contained many of the greats of New Zealand football, including Wynton Rufer, Steve Sumner, Duncan Cole and Ricki Herbert.

In Spain in 1982 the All Whites lost all three group games – 2-5 to Scotland, 0-3 to Soviet Union and 0-4 to Brazil.

As Oceania champions New Zealand qualified for the 2010 finals by beating Bahrain in a two-legged intercontinental play-off with Rory Fallon scoring the decisive goal in Wellington

The All Whites were the only team to go unbeaten in the 2010 tournament in South Africa although they still failed to get out of their group.

They drew 1-1 with Slovakia, 1-1 with Italy and 0-0 with Paraguay.

Host cities

USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey.

Canada: Toronto and Vancouver.

Television coverage

TVNZ will cover the tournament, with all of the All Whites games and some others to be broadcast free-to-air.

A World Cup pass to watch all of the games will be able to be purchased.

Although kick-off times have not been confirmed it is likely that games will be played in the late afternoon and evening because of the heat. That means games are likely to start between 8am and 3pm in New Zealand.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

New Zealand Football boss Andrew Pragnell and All Whites coach Darren Bazeley are on an important mission in North America this week.

They are part of a New Zealand delegation of seven people who will be heading stateside for the 2026 Football World Cup draw.

While the duo will be “ball watching” during the draw in Washington DC to find out which teams the All Whites will be grouped with for New Zealand’s third appearance at a World Cup, that is a passive part of what they are up to.

They have no influence over how the draw plays out, but they can work the room and get themselves and their football wishes in front of some influential people.

Outside of the draw, which will be held on Saturday morning New Zealand time, Pragnell outlines the broader mission.

“All of the major football associations of the world will be represented there, there’s political representatives from most countries there, our [US] ambassador will be there and we will certainly be making the most of that,” he said.

“There are match agents and match promoters and so planning for our fixtures in June becomes really important as well.”

The delegation would also be attending days of workshops around World Cup-related topics like facilities, marketing and ticketing to get the lowdown on what to expect next June.

Won’t hide the emotion

“The draw is a huge event and the whole world stops to watch it,” the New Zealand Football chief executive said.

He would be among the football dignitaries, politicians and celebrities who would get to experience the “spectacle” of the FIFA event in person.

Pragnell attended the draw for the last FIFA Men’s World Cup, even though the All Whites failed to qualify, and was of course present in Auckland at the Aotea Centre in October 2022 when the draw for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was made.

Bazeley had been to draws for under-17 and under-20 World Cups in his previous role as a New Zealand age-group coach, but this would be his first senior draw.

Both agreed that the draw being hosted in the United States would amp up the show element of the event.

“What we expect of this World Cup is the entertainment country of the world meets the sport event of the world,” Pragnell said.

Going by what has happened at previous draws, Pragnell wore his heart on his sleeve in these moments when New Zealand’s pathway is revealed.

“I’ve struggled to keep the neutral face usually in these situations if I’m brutally honest, I struggle to hide that emotion, I’ll be doing my best to look calm but I’ll be feeling pretty tense as it all happens.”

Like football fans, Bazeley said the New Zealand players would also be tuning in live to the draw regardless of where in the world they are based.

The process

The All Whites will be the lowest ranked team at the World Cup, a position Bazeley did not truly reflect where the team should be.

On paper not too many countries would be worried about getting the world number 86 New Zealand in their group.

The 48 teams that will compete in the tournament are split into four pots of 12 for the draw:

• Hosts Canada, Mexico and the US are in Pot 1 which includes Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
• Pot 2 has Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia.
• Pot 3 will include Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
• Pot 4 will be Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, and the winners from the European play-off A, B, C and D, and the FIFA Play-Off tournament 1 and 2.

Once FIFA had released the pots and the process for the draw he had run a few possible opponents through his mind, Bazeley said.

“We’ve all been on the simulator simulating the draw and if I’m honest it changes every time so there is no way of really working out who we’re going to get.

“We know there is going to be a UEFA team in every group, so you’re going to get a European team, and we also know we’re going to get a team from Pot 1, Pot 2 and Pot 3 but the scenarios are so unlimited.

“But as soon as the balls come out and we know who is in our group I know my analyst here Logan he’ll be straight on to getting all of the games from the last two years of all these teams so he can start looking at them and doing some work.”

While on Saturday the All Whites would find out who they would be playing, the final sign off for when and where would not come until the following day.

“FIFA have reserved the right to have 24 hours to work out which venue each game will be in, so we will know we are playing that team in the first game and that team in the second game but we won’t quite know straight away where that game will be played because I think they are looking at which game potentially would get the biggest crowd and they can move that to the biggest venue of the two choices.”

While the New Zealand delegation were in North America they would also be scouting the potential base camps – of hotels and training grounds – for the All Whites throughout the tournament.

Bazeley said they wanted to find “the best position” to be based for what could be a wide-spread schedule.

“We could be looking at playing across three different cities and possibly two different countries.”

A couple of the travelling staff would move quickly to visit the potential base camps to decide which ones they would nominate as the preferred options to FIFA, Pragnell said.

A home send off

New Zealand-based football fans could get a chance to wish the All Whites well on their World Cup journey in the penultimate FIFA window before the global tournament.

“We’re contemplating bringing them home in March, that’s the last window before the June window which inevitably will be in North America, so we’re in some pretty exciting discussions,” Pragnell said.

The “really competitive matches” would be against another national team, Pragnell said.

“We’re hoping to announce something in the next couple of weeks, there is still a lot of T’s to be crossed and I’s to be dotted so watch this space.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 November 2025 – UnionPay International (UPI) announced its first-ever partnership with Kaspi, the second-largest bank in Kazakhstan, enabling all ATMs and contactless POS terminals of Kaspi to accept UnionPay cards with multiple payment methods including card insertion and QuickPass tapping. This collaboration elevates UnionPay’s acceptance rate to nearly 100% for POS terminals and 90% for ATMs across Kazakhstan, with breakthroughs achieved among small and medium-sized merchants in border areas and small-to-medium towns. It marks a qualitative leap in UnionPay’s local acceptance network and provides solid support for China-Kazakhstan cross-border payments and people-to-people exchanges.

The partnership spans high-frequency consumption scenarios across Kazakhstan, including premium and everyday supermarkets, gas stations, beauty stores, and fast-food restaurants. It significantly enhances the payment experience for UnionPay cardholders locally. This development aligns well with the growing personnel exchanges since the China-Kazakhstan mutual visa exemption agreement to effect: in the first half of 2025, Chinese tourists’ arrivals in Almaty reached 54,100, a year-on-year increase of 33.4%. UnionPay’s expanding network now delivers more efficient, convenient payment support for cross-border travel and business.

This collaboration represents a key milestone in UnionPay’s nearly two-decade dedication to Kazakhstan. UnionPay cardholders can flexibly use diverse payment methods such as swiping, tapping, and mobile Pay at popular attractions like Shymbulak Ski Resort and Kok Tobe, as well as in mobility scenarios including Yandex Go rides, urban public transport, and Air Astana services.

To date, millions of UnionPay cards have been issued in Kazakhstan, with their transaction volumes in China surging nearly threefold year-on-year in H1 2025. The partnership with Kaspi not only solidifies the foundation of UnionPay’s local payment network but also reinforces its role as a key financial link between China and Kazakhstan, facilitating the connection of financial infrastructure and people-to-people exchange between the two countries.

Hashtag: #UnionPay

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

New Zealand has been labelled “most deteriorated” in an international study assessing the interference of the tobacco industry.

The country has plummeted from second in the world in 2023 to 53rd in the 2025 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index.

The report, produced by the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, has been released every two years since 2019 and now ranks 100 countries.

The main factors damaging New Zealand’s standing are the repeal of the smokefree generation laws, the tax break benefiting tobacco giant Philip Morris and the movement of staff between politics and the lobbying industry.

Vape-Free Kids, an advocacy group, said the “staggering drop” of 51 places in two years was the most dramatic fall of any country in the history of the report and an “international disgrace” for the government.

“New Zealand has become an international embarrassment and an example of how quickly a government can be corrupted by the tobacco industry,” Vape-Free Kids co-founder Charyl Robinson said.

But Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has labelled the index “ridiculous” saying what matters is rates of smoking not the “strange view, that what really matters is how much you criticise the tobacco industry”.

Costello said New Zealand’s smoking rate had more than halved since 2015 and was now 6.9 percent – one of the lowest in the world.

“I haven’t seen this year’s index, but the last one had Brunei at No.1 and France at No.3. Brunei’s smoking rate is around 17 percent – well over double NZ’s rate. In May, France’s smoking rate was 23 percent – more than three times NZ’s rate,” she said. “That illustrates how ridiculous this index is.”

In 2024 the government scrapped laws which would have slashed tobacco retailers from 6000 to 600, removed 95 percent of the nicotine from cigarettes and banned sales of cigarettes to anyone born after 2009.

Costello also cut the excise tax on Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) by 50 percent, despite health officials saying there was no strong evidence they worked to stop smoking or were significantly safer than cigarettes.

The report lists New Zealand and Kazakhstan as two countries which cut taxes for HTPs and says Ecuador, Georgia, Madagascar, Türkiye and Uganda also offered tax breaks to the tobacco industry.

“Tax increases are among the most effective tobacco control measures, yet more than 60 countries, often due to industry influence, did not raise taxes, delayed implementation of tax increases (or) lowered tax rates.”

Costello cut tax on HTPs to encourage smokers to switch to a safer alternative.

Treasury officials, however, told her the tax break would largely benefit Philip Morris, as they held a monopoly on the product in New Zealand.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins told the RNZ interview show 30 with Guyon Espiner that Labour would repeal the tobacco tax cuts.

“That was a tax break to the tobacco companies on the basis of some very, very questionable advice that isn’t going to be better for New Zealand’s health as a country,” he said. “It’s one tobacco company that, by and large, has got the vast bulk of the benefit from that, and that is going to change.”

The Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index report is also critical of New Zealand’s unregulated lobbying industry and links between the tobacco industry and decision makers.

“In New Zealand, there is no requirement for the TI (tobacco industry) and affiliated entities to register with the government, and it is unclear how the relationship between the TI and the government is moderated.”

Two corporate communication staff at Philip Morris previously held senior roles with NZ First.

RNZ has also reported on a leaked document from tobacco giant Philip Morris which said the company should target political parties, including NZ First and the Māori Party, to win favourable regulation for HTPs.

Uruguay, Maldives and Palau were the most improved countries in the index and New Zealand the most deteriorated.

“New Zealand recorded the most deterioration in industry interference. Besides repealing strong tobacco control policies, citing industry arguments as rationale, the current government implemented several TI-friendly policies,” the report says.

The section of the report focusing on New Zealand was written by the New Zealand Cancer Society and looked at policy making between March 2023 and March 2025.

Cancer Society head of advocacy and public affairs Rachael Neumann said “a number of revolving-door connections” between the government and the industry contributed to New Zealand’s decline.

“This report has found that New Zealand’s score has significantly dropped since the 2023 report, and that there has been an increase in tobacco industry interference in New Zealand during this time.”

Neumann said there was a “high level of industry participation” in New Zealand’s tobacco policy development and “a whole range of unnecessary interactions” between the government and the tobacco industry.

“Every year, even now, 5000 people die from tobacco and tobacco related diseases,” she said. “We really know that tobacco industry interference and repeal of these laws leads to more smoking, more addiction, and we’re deeply concerned because this leads to more cancer.”

But Costello said protections against tobacco industry interference had not weakened in the past two years and New Zealand continued to be guided by international protocols on how officials engaged with the industry.

She said the tobacco industry had no involvement in the government’s smokefree and health policies.

“I would have thought that the Cancer Society would actually care about reducing smoking and reducing cancer,” she said. “Instead, they’ve brought into a very strange view, that what really matters is how much you criticise the tobacco industry.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 November 2025 – Wildberries, a leading digital platform in Eurasia, has begun testing drone delivery of orders placed on its online marketplace. The first unmanned deliveries were successfully carried out from a Wildberries logistics center to one of its pickup points in St. Petersburg.

The advanced technology was tested with the support of the St. Petersburg Transport Committee, using a certified domestic unmanned aircraft system. The trials included a complex route featuring multiple landing points.

“We are continuously working to make the delivery process as fast and convenient as possible for our customers,” said Maxim Kim, Head of Wildberries’s Pickup Point Development Department. “Drone-assisted delivery is one of the innovations we are testing and believe in, particularly for hard-to-reach regions.”

Wildberries processes more than 20 million orders daily through its online marketplace. To enhance the speed and efficiency of order delivery, the company is actively expanding its logistics infrastructure across Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other markets, while also piloting cutting-edge technologies.

Currently, more than 90% of Wildberries’s orders are delivered to pickup points, where customers can collect their purchases and return items on the spot. The company operates over 90,000 pickup points across eight countries, most of which are operated by local entrepreneurs under a franchise model. Some are located in remote areas – for instance, Wildberries recently opened a pickup point in a mountainous region of Tajikistan at an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters.

At its major warehouses, Wildberries employs automated ground vehicles (AGVs) to move storage racks and robotic systems equipped with suction-cup grippers to handle and sort products. These technologies accelerate order processing and free employees from physically demanding or repetitive tasks.

Wildberries also integrates artificial intelligence (AI) across its marketplace operations. AI systems assist customers in searching for products using images or voice queries, while sellers can leverage AI tools to quickly create product listings and incorporate AI-generated virtual models into their catalogs.

Hashtag: #Wildberries

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2025 – Amity Global Institute (AGI) proudly celebrated a significant milestone with the graduation of more than 1,800 students at its Class of 2025 Ceremony, held at the iconic Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. Renowned for hosting world leaders and global occasions, the Shangri-La served as a fitting venue to honour academic excellence, cultural diversity, and the global vision of tomorrow’s leaders.

The event was graced by Professor (Dr) Leon Choong, Regional CEO and Chief Academic Officer of AGI, together with Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from key partner nations, as well as Vice-Chancellors and senior leaders from AGI’s university partners, faculty, and proud families.

“Graduation is not an end, but a beginning,” said Professor (Dr) Leon Choong. “Our graduates embody Amity’s mission of education without borders — a commitment to lifelong learning, global citizenship, and the pursuit of excellence. Their resilience, creativity, and accomplishments inspire us all.”

Academic Excellence and Global Reach

In Academic Year 2024/25, AGI conferred 1,838 awards — 899 from its proprietary programmes and 939 from partner universities. With an overall graduation rate of 89% and nearly two-thirds of graduates achieving top honours, the results highlight AGI’s uncompromising focus on quality education and student success.

This year also marked the launch of AGI’s Global Exchange Programme, offering students study-abroad opportunities at Amity’s campuses in Dubai and New York. This initiative strengthens cultural exchange and equips students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected workforce.

First-Ever Two-Day Graduation: Celebrating Global Partnerships

For the first time, AGI held a two-day graduation ceremony to accommodate its growing student body and global partnerships.

Day 1 honoured graduates from Teesside University.

Day 2 celebrated graduates from the University of Northampton.

Both days began with a traditional bagpipe procession and featured vibrant student-led performances — from musical showcases to a cultural dance by students from Tajikistan — reflecting AGI’s diverse international community.

Global university leaders also shared their congratulations:

Professor Paul Croney OBE, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Teesside University: “This partnership equips students with the skills and mindset to thrive as capable, compassionate global citizens.”

Becky Bradshaw, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and COO of the University of Northampton: “Graduation is a launchpad for your future. The world needs your ideas, energy, and commitment to making a difference.”

Growth, Recognition, and Global Impact

As part of the Amity Education Group — spanning 42 countries and more than 250,000 students — AGI continues to broaden its academic portfolio through collaborations with world-renowned universities such as the University of London, University of Northampton, Teesside University, and the University of East Anglia.

Its Orchard Road campus offers modern facilities and industry-relevant programmes, combining academic rigour with practical skills.

AGI’s commitment to excellence has been recognised with awards, including the Singapore Business Review International Business Award 2025 (Higher Education), and inclusion in the Top 10 of Singapore’s Industry Star Awards 2024 by the Vision Media Group, underscoring its position as a leader in private higher education.

Looking Ahead

“As we celebrate our graduates, we also look forward,” added Professor Choong. “Armed with knowledge, skills, and values, our students are ready to shape industries, uplift communities, and lead with purpose.”

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Hashtag: #AmityGlobalInstitute #Graduation #Education #Singapore

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

KHOROG, TAJIKISTAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 October 2025 – Wildberries, a leading digital platform Eurasia, has opened its highest-altitude pickup point for online orders placed on its marketplace. The pickup point, located in Tajikistan’s city of Khorog, sits in the Pamir Mountains in the south of Central Asia at an elevation of about 2,500 meters above sea level.