Activist Sector – Protest against weapons companies meeting at Parliament

October 30, 2025

Source: Peace Action Wellington

There will be a noise protest outside of Parliament on Friday, 31 October at 8:30am against the meeting of major weapons companies including Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney and Bell Textron in the Beehive. The protest is organised by Peace Action Wellington, Justice for Palestine and the Falastin Tea Collective.

“On Halloween, we can imagine nothing scarier than arms dealers freely roaming the halls of Parliament. These are the people delivering immense death and destruction to the people of Gaza right now. In particular, Lockheed jets have been delivery drivers for the thousands of bombs dropped on civilians, schools, hospitals and homes, ” said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington.

“As Israel breaks the ceasefire and resumes murdering Palestinians, and the NZDF is deploying a ‘liaison officer’ to Israel to shore up the occupation’s shredded global legitimacy, the aerospace industry is meeting at Parliament to push their agenda of weapons sales to a government hungry for war.”

“The former Chief of Defence Force, Kevin Short, is now Lockheed’s Director of Strategy & Business Development. He is giving the keynote address, and his message will be ‘buy more weapons.’ Minister of War Judith Collins will be only too happy to oblige as she pushes forward with an aggressive pro-war, pro-genocide stance.’”

“The $12 billion weapons and military spending promised by this government is money to support US wars and by extension, Israel’s wars. These weapons companies keep us enthralled by the idea that we need to keep buying more and more weapons. Meanwhile these are the very companies making a killing, and doing a lot of killing, across the globe.

Notes

MIL OSI

China Eastern Airlines to Launch First Mainland China Flights to Argentina, Completing Global Six-Continent Network

MIL OSI

October 30, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2025 – China Eastern Airlines will launch a new route connecting Shanghai to Argentina via New Zealand by the end of this year, a milestone that will make it the first airline based in mainland China to offer passenger flights to all six inhabited continents, the company announced Sunday at the 2025 North Bund International Aviation Forum.

The new service underscores the rapid global expansion of Chinese carriers and their strategic role in building China-led international aviation networks. Upon launch, China Eastern Airlines will also rank first among all mainland Chinese airlines in the number of international destinations served.

The announcement was among a series of developments unveiled at the forum, which has become a key platform for showcasing China’s aviation ambitions. Other key releases included:

A new international transfer brand, “Shanghai to the World, Seamless Transfers” from Shanghai Airport Authority.
A joint report on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology by the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission and East China Normal University.
The 2025 China Transport Airport Development Index from the China Civil Airports Association, which indicated a 13.4% industry growth since 2019.

Strategic Hub and Traffic Growth
Supporting its global network push, China Eastern Airlines has established Shanghai Pudong International Airport as a major transfer hub. In 2024, the airline facilitated 8.36 million international transfer passengers at the airport, accounting for 80.9% of its total transfer traffic. This figure grew to 4.8 million in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 26.8%.

Since the beginning of 2024, China Eastern Airlines has launched 23 new medium- and long-haul international routes, expanding its network to 21 countries involved in the “Belt and Road” Initiative.

Forum Focuses on “Aviation+” Integration
The forum, themed “Innovation and Intelligence: Shaping Aviation’s Next Era,” also highlighted cross-sector business models under the “Aviation+” initiative, integrating air travel with culture, tourism, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions).

China Eastern Airlines showcased its AI-powered digital assistant “Dongdong” and a physical robot “Xiaodong,” and introduced a “China Pass” card offering discounts and services to inbound travelers.

The 2025 North Bund International Aviation Forum was organized by Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.

Hashtag: #ChinaEasternAirlines

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

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

Serious Crash, Waharoa Road East, Matamata

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are in attendance at a serious crash in Matamata this afternoon.

At around 4.40pm, Police were alerted to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Waharoa Road East and Pohlen Road.

Initial indications suggest there are serious injuries.

The road is blocked while emergency services are in attendance.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and expect delays.

ENDS

MIL OSI

SoftwareOne Signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement with AWS to Accelerate Gen AI Innovation Across APAC

MIL OSI

October 30, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2025 – SoftwareOne, a global leader in cloud and software services, today announced a Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate digital transformation, cloud adoption, and generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) innovation across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

SoftwareOne Signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement with AWS

Under the multi-year agreement, SoftwareOne will enhance its AWS capabilities to support customers in Australia-New Zealand (ANZ), Southeast Asia, Greater China Region (GCR), and India. The collaboration focuses on four strategic areas: migration and modernization, data and Gen AI, launching entirely new solutions on AWS (greenfield deployments), and AWS Marketplace enablement. SoftwareOne will continue to invest in obtaining AWS certifications, ensuring SoftwareOne employees are equipped with the latest AWS expertise to support customers across the APAC region.

“This agreement marks a pivotal step in our mission to empower organizations across APAC to accelerate digital transformation using Gen AI,” said Varun Paliwal, President APAC and Middle East of SoftwareOne. “By combining SoftwareOne’s expertise with the comprehensive cloud services of AWS, we’re delivering tangible business outcomes and long-term value for our customers.”

“This collaboration with SoftwareOne demonstrates our joint focus on helping customers across APAC accelerate both cloud transformation and responsible generative AI adoption,” said Corrie Briscoe, Director of Partner Core, Asia Pacific & Japan, AWS. “By combining SoftwareOne’s deep regional expertise and trusted customer relationships with AWS’s breadth of services—including Amazon Bedrock—we’re creating practical pathways for organizations to modernize their operations, innovate with confidence, and scale solutions that drive measurable impact.”

SoftwareOne will develop and deploy a portfolio of Gen AI solutions powered by Amazon Bedrock, tailored to industries such as retail, manufacturing and financial services. To accelerate adoption, SoftwareOne will provide pre-built, AWS-validated solution templates and implementation packages, including AI assistants for specific industries and workloads, which are designed to help customers move from pilot to production faster. AWS will provide technical assistance and collaborate with SoftwareOne teams through its Generative AI Innovation Centre (GenAIIC) Partner Alliance, which SoftwareOne has joined, and which will provide access to expert-level training and delivery acceleration.

The AI Assistants that will be launched through SoftwareOne’s collaboration with AWS include:

Technician AI Assistant for factory troubleshooting and maintenance queries.

Insurance AI Assistant for personalized plan recommendations and sentiment analysis.

HR Policy Assistant to automate employee inquiries and HR ticket creation.

Product Assistant for intelligent product search, promotion discovery, and order management.

As part of the collaboration, SoftwareOne will help customers migrate to AWS through its Rapid Migration Offer, deploy a new SoftwareOne AWS Landing Zone with built-in cloud security and governance, and will list its solutions in AWS Marketplace to streamline procurement. SoftwareOne will also invest in dedicated AWS-focused sales and marketing headcount across APAC to support customers throughout their cloud journey.

This collaboration will enhance SoftwareOne’s vision of delivering flexibility, innovation, and business value for customers across industries. To explore how SoftwareOne can accelerate your cloud journey with AWS, visit: softwareone.com

https://www.softwareone.com/

Hashtag: #SoftwareOne #AWS #GenAI

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

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

Indoor Air Pollution Cannot Be Ignored Clean Air Network Supports Businesses in Meeting the Challenge

MIL OSI

October 30, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2025 – The World Health Organization reports that over 3 million people worldwide die each year from indoor air pollution. In Hong Kong, people spend nearly 90% of their time indoors.^{^[1]} For office workers who often have long working hours, the air quality in workplaces directly affects their health, work efficiency, and, ultimately, corporate productivity. Environmental group Clean Air Network is currently driving various programs to raise public awareness about the threats of indoor air pollution. The organization also collaborates with businesses to create safe and healthy working environments.

Many people believe that staying indoors protects them from outdoor vehicle emissions and poor air quality. However, a variety of harmful indoor air pollutants may also be present, such as suspended particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biological contaminants like mold and dust mites, among others. Prolonged exposure may lead to cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, asthma, skin allergies, and more. The causes of indoor air pollution are complex and can be influenced by factors such as building use, chemical substances in the environment, ventilation, temperature, and humidity.

Patrick Fung, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Network, said, “There are already feasible solutions in the market to help businesses manage indoor air quality. Although the Hong Kong Stock Exchange does not currently require companies to disclose indoor air quality information in ESG reports, we firmly believe that the health and wellbeing of employees, consumers, and tenants are central to the core values of most companies. Therefore, we encourage more businesses to actively manage indoor air quality as a demonstration of their commitment.”

Common indoor air pollution threats faced by office workers include VOCs released from printing equipment^{^[2]} and formaldehyde emitted from office renovation materials and furniture^{^[3]}. In addition, studies have found that due to poor ventilation in some Hong Kong buildings, carbon dioxide exhaled by employees can accumulate and become a source of pollution.^{^[4]} Extended exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and even headaches.

Currently, there are no laws in Hong Kong regulating indoor air quality. The government promotes indoor air management through the voluntary Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme. Patrick Fung believes that the general public places great importance on physical and mental health, and encourages businesses to actively respond to employees’ concerns by creating safe breathing environments. To this end, Clean Air Network has launched a Partnership Program to help businesses and NGOs monitor indoor air quality and explore improvement measures.

Meanwhile, to enhance public awareness of indoor air quality, Clean Air Network will invite citizens over the next two months to measure air pollutants in frequently visited places such as gyms, shopping malls, and restaurants using portable instruments. The data collected will be used to create an online interactive map for public reference.

For more information, please visit Clean Air Network’s website: https://hongkongcan.org/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ .

[1] Chau C K, Tu E Y, Chan D W T and Burnett J. Estimating the total exposure to air pollutants for different population age groups in Hong Kong. Environment International, Vol. 27, p.617-630, 2002.
[2] Hui, P.-S., K.-W. Mui, and L.-T. Wong, Influence of indoor air quality (IAQ) objectives on air-conditioned offices in Hong Kong. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2008. 144: p.315-322.
[3] Lee, S.-C., et al., Inter-comparison of air pollutant concentrations in different indoor environments in Hong Kong. Atmospheric Environment, 2002. 36(12): p. 1929-1940.

[4] Zhou, Y., et al., Airborne Bacteria in Outdoor Air and Air of Mechanically Ventilated Buildings at City Scale in Hong Kong across Seasons. Environmental Science & Technology, 2020. 54(19):p.11732-11743.

https://hongkongcan.org
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleanairnetworkhk
https://www.facebook.com/cleanairnetwork
https://www.instagram.com/cleanairnetworkhk/

Hashtag: #IAQ #publichealth #indoorairpollution #ESG #environment #wellbeing

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

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

Tourism – Iconic Queenstown wine brand earns global recognition for luxury stays

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: Gibbston Valley

Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa has been awarded a prestigious Michelin Key, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s expansion into luxury hospitality alongside its renowned heritage wine offering.

The accolade, announced earlier this month, places the lodge among just 19 properties in New Zealand recognised for delivering “a very special stay” by Michelin’s global hotel inspectors.

Gibbston Valley chief operating officer Ashling Swirtz says the recognition reflects the company’s commitment to doing the little things exceptionally well. “We aim to create genuinely memorable stays that are also deeply connected to Gibbston Valley’s winemaking legacy.

“Our brand is one of the most recognised wine brands in New Zealand. We’ve always been a tourist destination, but opening the lodge in 2019 was our first venture into five-star luxury,” says Swirtz.

“The two sides of the business – heritage wine and high-end hospitality – have meshed together incredibly well. We’ve worked hard to create a seamless experience that honours both.”

“All attention to detail has gone into the experience we’re providing for the guests. From the unique Vinotherapy Renewal treatment in the spa to the architectural design of the lodge building with its striking roofline and feature fireplace, we’ve created something that feels both luxurious and deeply connected to who we are as a brand.”

Long known for its pioneering vine plantings and unique wine cave experience, Gibbston Valley has quietly built a reputation for understated luxury since opening its lodge and spa. Positioned above the first vineyard block ever planted in the valley, the property features 24 architecturally designed villas, an award-winning spa, and a fine-dining restaurant.

The spa at Gibbston Valley has been recognised as New Zealand’s Best Resort Spa for six years running at the World Spa Awards.

The Michelin Key programme, launched globally in 2024, evaluates hotels on five universal criteria: architecture and design, service quality, personality and character, value for money, and contribution to the local setting. Inspectors visit anonymously and award keys to properties that stand out for their excellence.

Of the New Zealand properties awarded keys this year, seven are located in the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes districts, highlighting the strength of the region’s luxury tourism offering and the distinct, beautiful stays available in this part of the country.

“Receiving this award places us alongside some of the most prestigious names in luxury hospitality in New Zealand. It’s a privilege to be recognised among such company,” says Swirtz.

Looking ahead, Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa is preparing for a busy summer season, with a new Wine Lovers’ packages launching soon. In December, the winery will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its iconic wine cave.

For more information, visit http://www.gibbstonvalleylodgeandspa.co.nz

About Gibbston Valley
Gibbston Valley is Queenstown’s leading wine and experience destination. The award-winning Gibbston Valley Wines is a premium organic wine brand, and its Cellar Door and Wine Cave are among the Southern Lakes’ top visitor experiences. The Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa offers luxury accommodation and a renowned day spa, named ‘New Zealand’s Best Resort Spa’ for six consecutive years. The soon-to-open Gibbston Valley Golf Course and Clubhouse will further enhance the curated wine and hospitality destination, set in the heart of the beautiful Gibbston Valley. www.gibbstonvalley.com

MIL OSI

Weather News – A spooky twist to end the week’s weather – MetService

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: MetService

Covering period of Thursday 30th October – Monday 3rd November
It’s a spring-like weather situation to end the workweek with a mix of showers, cloud and clear skies.

Across New Zealand today (Thursday), showers and rain hang around in Northland and western South Island, then more rain sneaks into southern regions by evening as a front drifts by – and snow possible to about 900 metres overnight in the Far South.

It’s a cloudy kind of day for most of the country today though – but those in eastern South Island and lower North Island get to enjoy plenty of sunshine!

As Friday creeps in – Halloween Eve style – the skies start to shuffle around.

Showers in Northland clear out early, while breezy southwesterlies push showers up the South Island. By afternoon, those showers start affecting eastern areas of the South Island as well and spooky clouds drift away from the southwest, revealing sunnier skies.

By the end of the day, those sneaky showers migrate to the lower North Island, especially around the ranges, setting the scene for a wet Halloween night for those in Wairarapa and possibly the capital as well, but mainly dry elsewhere.

To the delight of many, a ridge of high-pressure sweeps in on Saturday, bringing settled weather for many across New Zealand. The fine weather looks set to stick around into early next week, though a few cheeky inland showers might try to crash the weekend for the North Island.

MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says, “it’s the perfect weekend to enjoy an outdoor activity as sunnier skies and calmer winds prevail, so get outside and soak up the sunshine while it lasts”.

The sunny weather couldn’t have come at a better time too – with the Black Caps taking on England in Wellington on Saturday and the Auckland Marathon kicking off on Sunday, athletes and fans alike will be thrilled with the fine conditions.

Temperatures stay nice and steady into next week, so you can expect a smooth, comfortable start to November with no weather tricks, just a few sunny treats – ideal for Marlborough Anniversary Day on Monday.

Please keep up to date with the most current information from MetService at http://www.metservice.com

MIL OSI

Advocacy – PSNA condemns the deployment of NZ Liaison officer in Israel

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA

PSNA has condemned the New Zealand government’s decision to deploy a “liaison officer” to Israel to work with the US and Israel to implement the Trump ‘peace’ plan for Gaza.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-chair Maher Nazzal says it is ominous
that the liaison officer will be based inside a US military office.

“Instead, we should be working with the United Nations in the region. Trump plans to perpetuate the Israeli occupation under a fig-leaf of it being multinational. That is what we are supporting.”

“This is more of the same complicity with the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza.

For two years, our Foreign Minister has joined New Zealand at the hip to a country whose Prime Minister is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

‘There have been no sanctions on Israel, but we frequently impose new sanctions on Russia and Iran.”

“It’s a knee-jerk reaction for New Zealand to send in the troops to the Middle East to back Israel and the US,” Nazzal says.

“The NZDF was there in Iraq and Afghanistan. The government sent the army up to the Red Sea to fight with the Americans early last year to keep Israeli sea lanes open.”

Nazzal says the government should focus on aid, ensuring Palestinians’ rights and representation, and fact-finding.

“There should be a cross-party Parliamentary fact-finding mission assembled urgently, which could get into Gaza safely before Israel ramps up its murderous assault again.”

“MPs should see for themselves, instead of signing off on a soldier whose job it is to ‘implement’ the Trump plan.

“The King of Jordan has recently rejected the US proposal to join in patrolling Gaza to implement Trump’s vision.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/jordan-s-forces-will-not-run-around-gaza-on-patrol-king-abdullah-says-on-trump-s-plan/ar-
AA1PggCw?ocid=BingNewsSerp

“A liaison officer deployment is political cover to assist and reward Israel for its
genocide in Gaza. The US makes bombs and bullets for Israel to fire.”

“It’s a shameful betrayal of Palestine and the Palestinian steadfastness in the face of unbelievable depravity and cruelty.”

“Palestinians have no say in the Trump plan. Trump decides who is going to
implement it. He’s picked Tony Blair. When he was British Prime Minister, Blair, and US President Bush, invaded Iraq to destroy the non-existent weapons of mass destruction. More than a million Iraqis died.”

“In Gaza, more than 20,000 children have now been murdered by Israel in
indiscriminate killing across Gaza.”

“It says all we need to know that the Minister of Defence has never uttered a single word of condemnation of Israel.”

“The New Zealand people stand with Palestine – the government stands with Israel.”

Maher Nazzal
Co-Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA

MIL OSI

‘Fonterra milking us dry and selling us out’ – Greenpeace Statement

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: Greenpeace

Fonterra doesn’t care about New Zealand. That’s Greenpeace Aotearoa’s message following the confirmation of sale of Fonterra’s consumer brands this morning.

Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Fonterra’s CEO Miles Hurrell has shown that he views New Zealand as nothing more than a milk powder factory, creating low-value products to ship overseas for use in Mars Bars.”

“People can’t afford to buy butter, their water is contaminated with nitrate and E. coli, and the worsening impacts of the climate crisis are being felt across the country. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s worst climate polluter has made a killing selling off its consumer brands to French dairy giant Lactalis. Fonterra is milking us dry and selling us all out.”

“While Fonterra makes $4.2 billion from the brand sale, New Zealand’s integrity as a fair and socially responsible country is being whittled away by the impacts of intensive dairying.”

Fonterra is also New Zealand’s worst climate polluter, producing massive amounts of superheating methane gas.

“Fonterra is driving catastrophic climate change.” says Deighton-O’Flynn. “Already this year we’ve seen multiple extreme weather events hitting rural communities hard, and unless Fonterra supports farmers to move away from its intensive farming practices, these events will get worse.”

Over the long weekend, New Zealanders were hit by yet another extreme weather event in the South Island, made more likely due to climate change.

“We all want a stable climate to grow food, access to safe drinking water, and a secure future for our kids. But Fonterra clearly doesn’t care about New Zealanders. Instead of throwing a lifeline, and helping dairy farmers to transition away from destructive intensive dairying, Fonterra is prioritising lining the pockets of its executives.

“Any claims that this sale is good for New Zealanders are built on the fallacy of trickle down economics. The proceeds from the brand sale aren’t going to help New Zealanders struggling to pay for butter at the supermarket or recovering from storm damage, the only thing trickling down in this economy is nitrate and e. coli.”

MIL OSI

Business and Dairy – Fonterra farmers approve consumer sale with strong support

LiveNews Publisher

October 30, 2025

Source: Fonterra

Fonterra’s farmer shareholders have given the go ahead for the Co-operative to sell its global Consumer and associated businesses, Mainland Group, to Lactalis for $4.22 billion, with 88.47% of the total farmer votes cast in support of the divestment.

The final votes on the divestment were cast at a virtual Special Meeting held this morning.

Chairman Peter McBride says the Board and management team were encouraged by the level of engagement from farmer shareholders in the lead up to the vote.

“We’ve been pleased to see so many farmers joining in the discussions since the start of this process in May last year when we first announced the decision to explore divestment options, and especially over the past month or so when the full details have been available,” says Mr McBride.

“It helps to demonstrate one of the key things that sets us apart from most other processors – our farmers have a direct say in the future of their Co-operative, and they’ve made the most of that opportunity.

“We’re pleased to have received a strong mandate, with 88.47% of the total farmer votes cast in support of the recommendation and 80.59% participation based on milk solids voted. We want to thank all farmer shareholders who voted.”

Mr McBride says the decision to divest the Mainland Group businesses is significant and one the Board did not take lightly.

“We have examined the strategic context we operate in, our strengths and how as a Co-op we create value for our farmer owners.

“The divestment will usher in an exciting new phase for the Co-op. We will be able to focus Fonterra’s energy and efforts on where we do our best work. We will have a simplified and more focused business, the value of which cannot be overstated,” says Mr McBride.

The threshold required to approve the sale was for more than 50% of the votes from those entitled to vote (based on share-backed kgMS) and who actually voted to be in favour of the proposal.

Completion of the divestment remains subject to securing certain regulatory approvals and the separation of Mainland Group business from Fonterra, both of which are well underway.

Subject to these steps being completed, Fonterra expects the transaction to complete in the first half of the 2026 calendar year.

Fonterra is targeting a tax-free capital return of $2 per share to shareholders and unit holders, equivalent to $3.2 billion, once the sale is complete.

Another shareholder vote will be required for the payment of the capital return. The process for that capital return is expected to be by way of a scheme of arrangement under Part 15 of the Companies Act 1993.

The Co-op plans to provide more detail on the timing and process for the capital return in early December.

About Fonterra  

Fonterra is a co-operative owned and supplied by thousands of farming families across Aotearoa New Zealand. Through the spirit of co-operation and a can-do attitude, Fonterra’s farmers and employees share the goodness of our milk through innovative consumer, foodservice and ingredients brands. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to leaving things in a better way than we found them. We are passionate about supporting our communities by Doing Good Together.  

MIL OSI

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