Police have today charged 12 people for the murder of a Rotorua man last month – seven of them in a small Bay of Plenty town.
Zain Taikato Fox, aged 20, died in Rotorua Hospital of critical injuries on 28 July.
Officers have conducted numerous enquiries since then, culminating in search warrants being executed in Maketu, Rotorua, and Whanganui this morning.
Detective Inspector Craig Rawlinson says it is a big day for the small town.
“Most of those arrested are from Maketu, and these arrests will have a significant positive impact on the township,” he says.
“It’s great to have progressed this investigation to this point. Our thoughts are with Zain’s family, and we hope this will help reassure the greater Bay of Plenty community.”
Police Iwi Liaison officers, who have been in Maketu today, will remain to help ensure those affected by these arrests get any support they need.
The 12 people are all appearing in Tauranga Youth Court later today.
Details of the arrests:
Four Rotorua men – aged 23, 25, 29, and 54.
A male youth was arrested in Whanganui (and will be appearing in Tauranga by audio-visual link).
Seven Maketu men – aged 37, 38 and 63, two aged 22, and two aged 40.
LINYI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 August 2025 – Known as China’s logistics capital, Linyi has become a development hotspot of the private economy. By the end of June, the city had cultivated over 1.54 million market entities, ranking second in Shandong province, according to statistics from the Linyi Municipal Government.
Among them, there were more than 1.53 million private market entities, accounting for 99.3 percent of the total, contributing over 90 percent of the city’s business revenue, industrial tax revenue, and employment for residents. Private investment accounted for 75.9 percent, ranking third in the province, surpassing the provincial average by 14.3 percentage points.
As a major gathering for entrepreneurs from across China and abroad, the 2nd Linyi Entrepreneurs Convention was held in Linyi from Aug 18 to 20, with the tagline “choose Shandong, gather in Linyi for win-win future”, showcasing the city’s vibrant private economy and development potential to the public.
With an unprecedented scale, the event featured the release of Shandong top 100 private enterprises list. There were more than 900 attendees including representatives from local enterprises, leading figures of private enterprises, and renowned experts and scholars, gathering in Linyi to express their deep feelings for their hometown and discuss major development plans. It also highlighted new policies to support private businesses, offering both financial incentives and comprehensive services.
Linyi is an important birthplace of Dongyi culture, an important part of Shandong culture, with the phoenix serving as its symbolic totem. The event introduced the Phoenix List to recognize and motivate local enterprises, symbolizing advancement and cultural identity.
The event launched site visits to Linyi’s 13 iconic industry value chains, ranging from food processing and modern medicine to agricultural machinery and high-end equipment. Activities like the “Linyi enterprise experience tour” and six matchmaking conferences were organized to foster collaboration along key industry value chains, aiming to boost investment, attract talent, and drive high-quality development in the city.
Linyi’s private economy is the foundation of its development, and its entrepreneurs are the backbone of its growth. The Linyi Entrepreneurs Convention serves as a key platform for private business leaders to exchange ideas and innovate. Starting next year, Linyi will make the conference an annual event, aiming to create a distinctive symbol for the city’s private sector, a shared celebration for its entrepreneurs, and a prestigious brand for the city.
Hashtag: #Linyi
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Two men have been arrested, and firearms, ammunition and drugs have been seized, during a series of search warrants executed in Invercargill and Mataura Island this week.
The warrants were part of Operation Hawk, which targeted illegal hunters and associated criminal activity.
Four warrants were executed, which took three firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, cannabis and a four-wheel drive vehicle out of criminal hands. Three of the warrants were carried out in Invercargill and one was carried out in Mataura Island.
The operation was supported by detectives from the Southern District Organised Crime Group.
Senior Constable Nicky Herbert says illegal hunting poses serious risks to public safety, property and the environment.
“The presence of firearms and drugs in these contexts significantly escalates the potential for harm,” Senior Constable Herbert says.
“Police remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in illegal hunting and associated offending. These actions are not only criminal but dangerous, and they will not be tolerated.”
The two men are facing charges of unlawful possession of firearms, reckless discharging of firearms and entering agricultural land with intent to commit a crime.
Further charges are also being considered.
A 24-year-old man is due to appear in Gore District Court on 27 August.
A 28-year-old man is due to reappear in Invercargill District Court on 16 September.
Police continue to urge anyone with information about unlawful hunting or related activity to contact Police on 105, visit their local station, or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Kiwis Against Seabed Mining has today asked the Minister in charge of the Fast-Track, Chris Bishop, to refuse Minister Shane Jones’ request to meet with the Fast-Track Panel Convenors, arguing it could amount to bullying, and could put the integrity of the Fast-Track process further into question.
Minister Jones has complained to media both about the time the Fast-Track process is taking, and about critical language used by the Panel Convenor overseeing wannabe seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources’ application, saying he has asked Chris Bishop to set up a meeting with the Convenors.
The fast-track approval of Port of Auckland’s expansion project will deliver an economic boost for the city, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).
The project, approved under the government’s Fast-track Approvals Act, will see construction begin next month on extensions to the Bledisloe Terminal and Fergusson North Berth, as well as a new cruise passenger terminal and other upgrades.
The development is expected to create additional jobs during construction, strengthen supply chain resilience, and significantly increase importing and exporting capacity.
EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald says the Port is a vital contributor to the Auckland region, returning millions of dollars in divid
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden’s statement that she expects new Employment Relations Authority appointments to reduce compensation awards to workers is an outrageous breach of judicial independence, says the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
In aninterview with BusinessDesk, Van Velden said she hoped new ERA appointees with private sector backgrounds would lead to smaller awards against businesses, citing concerns current members “believe that money grows on trees.”
“The Minister’s comments are deeply concerning and represent a direct attack on the independence of our judicial system,” PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said.
“ERA members are supposed to be impartial adjudicators who make decisions based on law and evidence, not political ideology or pressure from Ministers to favour one side over another.
“By publicly stating she expects these appointees to deliver outcomes favourable to employers, the Minister has compromised their independence before they’ve even started and politicised the ERA’s decision-making.
“How can workers have confidence they will get a fair hearing from the ERA when the Minister has already made clear what outcomes she expects?”
Fitzsimons said the comments were yet more evidence of Van Velden’s anti-worker agenda and her willingness to interfere with judicial processes, as demonstrated when she cancelled live pay equity claims under Parliamentary Urgency.
“This kind of political interference in judicial processes undermines the rule of law and has no place in New Zealand’s democracy.
“The ERA exists to provide fair and impartial resolution of employment disputes. When a Minister starts instructing appointees on what kinds of decisions they should make, that system breaks down.
“Workers facing employment problems deserve to know they will get a fair hearing based on the law and the facts of their case, not the political preferences of the Government of the day.”
The PSA is calling on van Velden to publicly retract her comments and commit to respecting the independence of ERA members.
“The Minister should be supporting an impartial justice system that serves all New Zealanders fairly, not trying to stack it to deliver a political outcome,” Fitzsimons said.
The Integrated Facility Management Control Tower (IFMCT) unifies over 20 standalone building systems into a single AI-powered command centre and is poised for wider implementation, with plans to expand across Hongkong Land’s regional portfolio.
The transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, powered by AI health analytics, has significantly reduced servicing frequency.
66% of work orders have been automated, boosting operational efficiency and reducing disruptions.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 August 2025 – Hongkong Land has launched the city’s first AI-powered intelligent facility management platform, the IFMCT, setting a new industry standard for commercial property management and demonstrating the Company’s commitment to PropTech innovation. Following a successful pilot at Alexandra House, which earned the Industry Excellence Award for best practice, the IFMCT has been scaled to Charter House and Exchange Square, demonstrating its adaptability. With proven results, Hongkong Land is now preparing to roll out the platform across its entire Central Portfolio by 2026.
Hongkong Land’s Centralized Monitoring Centre (CMC) in Exchange Square
Mr Michael Smith, Chief Executive, Hongkong Land, said:” This pioneering initiative stands as a testament to Hongkong Land’s leadership in delivering forward-thinking sustainable solutions, highlighting the Group’s long-standing culture of innovation and our commitment to creating lasting value for all our stakeholders. We’re proud of the platform’s success in Hong Kong and look forward to extending its impact across our regional portfolio.”
The IFMCT unifies over 20 standalone building systems into a single platform – integrating the Building Management System (BMS), AI-driven Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC), thermal comfort control, energy optimisation, and soft services such as cleaning, vendor management, procurement and tenant wellness monitoring. By leveraging real-time monitoring, advanced AI analytics, and 4D digital twin visualisation, the advanced system enhances operational efficiency and minimises disruptions, improving reliability and extending asset lifecycles.
The IFMCT drives operational excellence, accelerating decarbonisation efforts through close collaboration with tenants
The IFMCT automates workflows to optimise both hard and soft services, improving daily building operation as well as tenant experience. Shifting from traditional, reactive maintenance to a predictive, proactive model, the platform harnesses AI-powered health analytics to detect early signs of performance decline, preventing service interruptions.
For instance, Air Handling Units (AHUs) are managed like people: healthy units skip routine check-ups, while symptomatic ones receive priority servicing. This condition-based approach resulted in a 16% reduction in AHU maintenance effort after one year, cutting maintenance frequency from monthly to biannual, clearly demonstrating the tangible benefits of intelligent servicing. Other measurable outcomes include a 66% automation rate for work orders, and an 80% reduction in time needed to retrieve asset documentation. The platform has significantly decreased the volume of alarm monitoring calls to both tenants and vendors, streamlining communication.
As climate resilience takes on greater urgency, the IFMCT elevates the adaptability of buildings and operations through intelligent energy management. The platform balances energy demand and adjusts heating and cooling systems in response to forecasted weather patterns, helping Hongkong Land and its tenants reduce energy consumption and accelerate decarbonisation efforts.
Hongkong Land to scale the IFMCT regionally following successful pilot and Central Portfolio expansion
The IFMCT’s standardised data structure enables seamless integration across markets, supporting Hongkong Land’s regional expansion of intelligent property management solutions towards the ultra-premium integrated commercial properties strategy. Building on its success in Hong Kong, the platform is set to be deployed at Westbund Central in Shanghai, a development offering high-quality retail spaces, office towers, residences, hotels, and arts and cultural venues. This cross-market implementation reinforces Hongkong Land’s position as a regional leader in building management technology.
Hashtag: #HongKongLand
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 August 2025- The Southeast Asia Office of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and LogHealth of Mahidol University are collaborating to host the “Smart Health Industry Forum” on September 9, 2025 in Bangkok. The event aims to explore the latest trends and developments within the smart health industry of both Taiwan and Thailand.
The smart health industry continues to grow alongside rapid technological innovations and advancements, gradually bringing the vision of quality healthcare into everyday life. As the healthcare landscape becomes increasingly complex due to changes in population structure and heightened health awareness, new demands and challenges are emerging.
The forum is designed to serve as a platform that brings together experts from the public sector, research fields, and the healthcare industry to share insights, exchange views, and explore the challenges and opportunities within the smart health sector.
The forum has invited Professor Eric Chuang, Vice President & General Director of Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, ITRI and Dr. Adichan Chuajinda, M.D., Deputy Director, Bureau of Digital Health of Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health to share insights into the smart health policies in Taiwan and Thailand. Mr. Prasert Patcharabussarakamkul, Deputy Managing Director, RFS Co., Ltd., Mahidol University will present the vision for building future smart hospital. Mr. Daniel Lee, Chairman of Taiwan Medical and Biotech Industry Association and Associate Professor Dr. Norased Nasongkla, Ph.D. Director, Biopolymers and Nanoengineering for Drug Delivery and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University will introduce opportunities within the smart health industry.
The Forum will conclude with a panel discussion moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Duangpun Kritchanchai, Ph.D., Director, Centre of Logistics Management and Healthcare Supply Chain (LogHealth), Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University. Furthermore, Associate Professor Cdr. Sorayouth Chumnanvej, M.D., Ph.D., Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University will also partake as a panelist.
Event details as of follow.
Date: September 9, 2025 (Tuesday)
Time: 13:00-16:30
Venue: Grand Chambray Ballroom (7th Floor), Avani Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel (2089 Sukhumvit Rd, Prakanong Nua Watthana, Bangkok)
Registration link: Smart Health Industry Forum
Hashtag: #ITRI
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Baird:
South Island Organised Crime Police have arrested two men and seized a large amount of methamphetamine and cash during search warrants executed at addresses in Christchurch and Dunedin this week.
The five-week investigation was terminated after the three addresses were searched on Monday 18 August.
Police seized over half a kilogram of methamphetamine, worth approximately $192,000, as well as $67,000 in cash from the properties.
A 38-year-old man is remanded in custody and is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on 17 September, charged with supplying methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply, and breach of the Corrections Act 2004.
A 66-year-old man is due to appear in Dunedin District Court on 9 September, charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply.
If you have any information about those who may be involved in the supply of harmful and illicit drugs, please contact us via 105 either online or over the phone.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
As the matter is before the Court, Police are not able to comment further at this time.
Seahawk helicopters and Airbus planes are set to replace aging New Zealand Defence Force aircraft in the first major investment decisions to be made as part of the Government’s Defence Capability Plan (DCP).
Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced investment decisions of $2.7 billion, with the MH-60R Seahawk the preferred option to replace the existing maritime helicopters. The Airbus A321XLR (extra long range) aircraft will replace the aging 757 fleet.
“This decision will ensure New Zealand has a critical combat capable, interoperable and dependable fleet,” Ms Collins says.
“The MH-60R Seahawk is a great aircraft for what New Zealand needs and fulfils our objective of having a more integrated Anzac force, and the new planes will give us reliable aircraft to deploy personnel and respond to international events.”
Mr Peters says these decisions show how the Government is responding to the sharply deteriorating security environment.
“Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and we must invest in our national security to ensure our economic prosperity.
“The DCP provides the foundation for our uplift in defence spending, and two-yearly reviews of the plan will allow us to adapt to an ever-changing security environment.”
The $2 billion plus investment in maritime helicopters and $700 million investment in the new Airbus A321XLRs are both part of the $12 billion in planned commitments outlined in the 2025 DCP announced in April.
Ms Collins says the maritime helicopters are versatile and add combat and deterrent capability to our naval fleet.
“These five Seahawks will increase the offensive and defensive capability and surveillance range of New Zealand’s frigates and ensure we are interoperable with our ally Australia and other partner defence forces,” she says.
“We will now move at pace to procure helicopters directly through the United States’ Foreign Military Sales programme instead of going to a wider tender, with Cabinet expected to consider the final business case next year.
“The two new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will be acquired on a six-year lease to buy arrangement, with capital costs of $620 million and four-year operating costs of $80.86 million.
“New Zealand needs reliable aircraft to deploy our personnel, deliver military equipment and humanitarian aid, support the evacuation of civilians, and transport government trade and diplomatic delegations quickly, over long distances, and often at short notice.
“The decision to acquire the extra long range aircraft reflects the importance of having an aircraft capable of such things as returning safely from Antarctica if it is unable to land due to conditions on the ice.
“Our Defence Force personnel have proven time and time again they do an outstanding job and we must ensure they have the tools that are up to the task.”
