Police had a large presence in the Te Puke area today, monitoring a tangi for the father of a prominent gang member.
Police took a prevention approach, focused on maintaining public order and ensuring road safety for all users, while also allowing mourners the space to grieve.
While there were no breaches of the Gangs Act 2024, we are disappointed in the behaviour that led to three arrests and a dozen infringement notices being served for unsafe road behaviour.
The three arrests were for:
– Drug and firearms related offending.
– Possession of a knife.
– Breach of release conditions.
There are also a number of follow up enquiries to be made in relation to other road safety matters from throughout the day.
Police encourage the public to report any instances of unlawful activity on the roads to us, so we can continue to take appropriate action.
If you see any unlawful activity, please contact Police via 111 if it is happening now or 105 if it is after the fact either online or on the phone.
On 20 February 2025, a single male Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) was found in a backyard surveillance trap in the suburb of Birkdale, Auckland.
Biosecurity New Zealand, which is part of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), has mounted an operation to determine if there are more fruit flies and get rid of any population.
For the most up to date information on this response, visit Biosecurity New Zealand’s website.
Changes to your kerbside collections
This area is divided into two zones, A and B, which have different restrictions. To check if you are in the controlled area and which zone applies to you visit Biosecurity New Zealand’s website.
These restrictions mean some changes to kerbside (particularly food scraps) collections in the area.
Map of Zones A and B – Satellite Birkdale, Auckland February 2025 (source: MPI)
Auckland Council waste collections in Zone A
There will be no food scraps collections (the small 23L bin) in this area until further notice.
Follow Biosecurity New Zealand’s instructions to dispose of your fruit and vegetable waste.
All other food waste e.g. meat, cooked meal scraps, dairy products, rice and pasta etc, should also go into your MPI
Rubbish and recycling collections will continue as usual.
Do not put food waste into your recycling bins or rubbish bins.
Zone A general restrictions (source: Biosecurity New Zealand)
No whole fresh fruit and vegetables, except for leafy vegetables and soil free root vegetables, can be moved outside Zone A. This applies to all produce, regardless of whether it was bought or grown.
Compost and green waste from gardens also cannot be moved out of this zone.
Do not compost fruit and vegetables.
Biosecurity New Zealand is providing all households in Zone A with bins for fruit and vegetable waste, along with other food waste. Please follow all Biosecurity New Zealand’s instructions for disposal of fruit and vegetable waste.
Auckland Council waste collections in Zone B
No whole fruit and vegetables grown in the Zone B area can be moved out of the controlled area. You are free to move commercially purchased fruit and vegetables (e.g. fruit and vegetables bought at the supermarket) out of the area.
Rubbish, recycling and food scraps collections continue as normal however all homegrown produce waste and garden waste needs to be disposed of in Biosecurity New Zealand bins located in your area.
If in doubt, don’t take it out.
What else you can do
It requires a big effort from all of us to keep these fruit flies out. If you think you’ve found this fruit fly or seen what look like its maggots in fruit:
Police have arrested and charged a man in relation to the serious assault in Miramar last weekend.
Emergency services were called about 4.55pm on Saturday 15 February to Miramar Ave, after a man had been approached by a group of young people and assaulted, falling and striking his head.
He was transported to hospital in a serious condition and remains there, where he is continuing to receive treatment.
Today, an 18-year-old man was located and arrested, and has been charged with wounding with intent to injure.
He is due to appear in Wellington District Court tomorrow.
Police would like to thank those who came to the man’s aid immediately after the assault.
We are also grateful to those members of the public who came forward and shared valuable information.
MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 February 2025 – Galaxy Macau™, the world-class luxury integrated resort, stands as a premier culinary destination, offering exquisite dishes from around the globe and ensuring that every visit to Macau is vibrant and memorable. Since its opening in 2015, 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA at Galaxy Macau has garnered numerous accolades, including a Michelin one-star rating for nine consecutive years and a Forbes Travel Guide five-star rating for three years running. This year marks a new chapter as the restaurant welcomes its new Executive Chef, the renowned Italian chef Marino D’Antonio, acclaimed for his exceptional culinary talent in various Michelin-starred establishments and five-star hotels.
The new Executive Chef of 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA at Galaxy Macau Marino D’Antonio (left) and Michelin Three Starred Maestro Chef Umberto Bombana (right).
Celebrating Chef Marino’s return to the Bombana family, Maestro Umberto Bombana will make a special appearance at Galaxy Macau to collaborate with Marino for a dinner event on February 26 and 27, inviting guests on a luxurious culinary journey.
Chef Marino, coming from a family of cooks, embarked on his culinary adventure in China in 2006 and quickly established himself in the culinary scene. In 2013, he partnered with Chef Bombana to open Opera BOMBANA, which rapidly became the hottest Italian restaurant in Beijing. Their partnership has flourished over the years, fueled by a shared passion for gastronomy. Over the past two decades, Chef Marino has opened many successful restaurants across China and authored two culinary books to share his knowledge of Italian cuisine.
Chef Marino will also present his Marinated Langoustine with sea urchin, Oscietra caviar, and Orange Chantilly, which he describes as a “must-try” at 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA.
The essence of Italian coastal cuisine lies in its high-quality ingredients, a pursuit central to Chef Bombana’s philosophy of “Quality, Tradition, and Consistency.” The menu for the dinner on February 26 and 27 features an exquisite selection of seasonal ingredients: majestic King crab from the pristine, icy waters off Hokkaido; the fragrant Périgord black truffle, which elevates comforting tagliolini with a luxurious touch; and the luscious Mayura beef, expertly paired with earthy morels.
Honored with “Wine List of the Year” by Gambero Rosso—the world’s authority on Italian food, wine, and travel—the restaurant’s wine pairings for the evening are exceptional, elevating the dining experience to new heights.
One signature dish on the menu is the Veal and Ham Agnolotti in Classic Broth, which represents one of Chef Marino’s earliest food memories as a child.
Refreshed Menu and New Lunch Offerings Present the Finest Italian Flavors
Chef Marino has big ambitions for 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA and looks forward to introducing his own signature dishes to diners in Macau. One signature dish on the menu is the Veal and Ham Agnolotti in Classic Broth, which represents one of Chef Marino’s earliest food memories as a child. “This is a memory that I carry dearly with me,” he says. “When my mother used to prepare this small ravioli for the family during the winter festivity, there was always a lot of excitement to prepare the broth with just the right amount of Capon chicken veal neck and the spices were always carefully handled by my grandmother. The dough for the Agnolotti skin also needed to be very precise and thin. I can still remember the aromas in the air and the happiness of the family reunion. This always gives me good memories and that is the reason why I love this dish.”
He will also present his Marinated Langoustine with sea urchin, Oscietra caviar, and Orange Chantilly, which he describes as a “must-try” at 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA. Inspired by Chef Bombana’s love for high-quality ingredients, this dish exemplifies Italian coastal cuisine and the cooking style very much adheres with the culinary traditions of Italy’s Liguria region. The scampi, sea urchin and citrus together orchestrate an explosion of flavors, with Oscietra caviar elevating the dish even further. The new menu will also draw inspiration from 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA in Hong Kong, allowing guests at Galaxy Macau to savor beloved classic dishes.
The 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA’s décor harmoniously blends modern and classic styles, creating an elegant and inviting atmosphere.
Additionally, the restaurant will introduce a new lunch menu starting in March, available every Friday and Saturday, with dishes starting from MOP 680, featuring Michelin-quality cuisine. This menu showcases exquisite Italian classics paired with fresh seasonal ingredients to ensure a high-quality culinary experience in a short timeframe. Guests will have the opportunity to savor the restaurant’s signature dishes and may also choose to enhance their meal with freshly shaved truffles, adding a rich aroma to elevate their dining experience.
Marino’s culinary creations embody rich Italian traditions while showcasing his unique interpretation, delighting diners with a warm and inviting approach. “Respect is fundamental. It is important to respect your team, your guests, and the ingredients,” Chef Marino says. “Our goal is to source the highest quality ingredients, and the closer we can find them, the better. Our planet is one, and we need to keep it for the next generation. Respect for ingredients is vital in our Italian culinary culture. ‘It’s about Tradition, Quality, and Consistency’, as Chef Bombana says. His words have truly stuck with me, and these are the principles I strive to uphold.”
A New Height of Italian Culinary Experience with Starred Chefs
At Galaxy Macau, every meal is a sensory delight. 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA’s décor harmoniously blends modern and classic styles, creating an elegant and inviting atmosphere. Guests can indulge in not only exquisite cuisine but also the cultural essence of Italy, experiencing a dining environment that beautifully interprets contemporary artistic elegance. With outstanding service, diners are treated to a feast for both the eyes and the palate, as well as an experience of the essence and soul of Italian gastronomy.
Galaxy Macau, the world-class luxury integrated resort, stands as a premier culinary destination, offering exquisite dishes from around the globe and ensuring that every visit to Macau is vibrant and memorable.
Celebrating Stars – Forbes Travel Guide Five-stars x Three Michelin Stars Gastronomic Showcase
Date & Time: 6pm – 9:30pm, February 26 & 27 Price: MOP2,680 per person / additional MOP980 for wine pairing Location: 2031, 1/F, Galaxy Macau™ Book: +853 8886 2169
Hashtag: #GalaxyMacau
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has re-opened the northern section of the State Highway 1 Desert Road between Tūrangi to Rangipō to traffic from noon today (Friday 21 February).
The partial opening allows people in light vehicles to use SH1 to the SH1/SH46 intersection and access SH46 to connect to SH47.
NZTA Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Roger Brady says today’s partial re-opening is ahead of schedule, and the remaining maintenance work underway on the Desert Road is progressing well, on track to be completed by mid-March.
The Desert Road, between Tūrangi and Waiouru, has been closed since mid-January in order to allow NZTA contractors to reconstruct 16 lane km (3 sites) of the road, improve drainage, clearing 15km of shoulders, and replace the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge.
Work on the Tirau to Waiouru maintenance project is continuing to progress at pace, with further closures scheduled from Monday 3 March. Work will get underway on SH1 between Putāruru and Lichfield as well as between Ātiamuri and Wairakei, using full road closures to get the work done as quickly as possible.
From 5am on 3 March, SH1 will be closed from SH1/Princes Street, Putāruru to the Vosper Road/SH1 Lichfield intersection and there will be detours in place 24/7. The work will take approximately four weeks to complete (weather dependent). The local detour for light vehicles will be:
Northbound via Vospers Road, Kells Lane, Lichfield Road, Golf Street, Arapuni Street, Princes Street
From 5am, 3 March, the section of SH1 from the SH1/SH30 intersection (Ātiamuri) to the SH1/SH5 intersection (Wairakei Roundabout) will be closed and traffic will be detoured 24/7 for approximately five weeks. The detour for light vehicles will be:
SH30, SH32 and Poihipi Road to Wairakei Drive and vice versa. The detour northbound and southbound via Whakamaru will add 30 minutes to your journey.
All heavy vehicles traveling locally are encouraged to use SH5 via Rotorua which will add 43 minutes to the journey.
Those on longer journeys may prefer to take the heavy vehicle detour through Rotorua on SH5 to avoid both worksites. Those heading from Auckland or Hamilton south, and vice versa, may consider using SH3, SH4 and SH49. This route will add very little time to journeys.
NZTA Regional Manager Roger Brady says the work will significantly improve a critical section of SH1.
“We’re not just carrying out much needed road maintenance, we’re also completing total road rebuilding in some areas. That’s why we’re using full road closures to get the work done in the shortest time possible. If we did this work under traditional stop/go traffic management it could take up to four years to complete.
“We know the road closures are inconvenient and challenging for businesses, residents and all road users. We’re thankful for everyone’s patience and understanding as we work to get the job done as quickly as possible.”
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is reminding drivers to plan ahead as State Highway 2 (SH2) through the Waioweka Gorge will be closed between 10am and 6pm daily on Monday 24 February, Tuesday 25 February and Wednesday 26 February to complete essential maintenance work.
Due to the recent poor weather this work had been postponed, and this is the final push to finish the work to repair and asphalt SH2.
Date
Road status
Saturday 22 February
OPEN
Sunday 23 February
OPEN
Monday 24 February
Closed between 10am – 6pm
Tuesday 25 February
Closed between 10am – 6pm
Wednesday 26 February
Closed between 10am – 6pm
Closure points and details
Soft Closures: The soft closure points are Kerei Street, Matawai and Warrington Road, Ōpōtiki. Access for businesses and residents will be maintained at both ends of the affected area, up to the hard closure points.
The soft closure times are 9.40am and 5.40pm – enabling people to get through the site before the hard closure starts at 10am and reach the site before it reopens at 6pm.
Hard Closures: 2 hard closure points will be in the Gorge, closer to the actual road works. There will be no access through the site between 10am and 6pm each workday.
Upcoming work on SH2
Otoko Hill tree removal, drainage and culvert work deferred
Late-Feb to mid-April – Drainage upgrades and tree felling work planned to take place on Otoko Hill this week, between Hihiroroa Road and Fitzgerald Road have been deferred to late-Feb. Once work is underway, crews will be on-site 8am to 5pm. Stop/go will be in place to safely do this work and delays of up to 15 minutes are expected however this wait time could be longer if a tree is being felled. We encourage you to plan your journey and travel outside of these work hours if possible. Tree removal and trimming is required to further the Otoko Hill works, clear fallen debris and remove the risk they present in weather events. This work will continue through until mid-April.
Waimana Gorge
From Monday 3 to Friday 7 March between 10am and 6pm each day the Waimana Gorge will be closed to allow crews to undertake road resurfacing. Closing the Gorge means the work required can be done safely and efficiently. There will be a detour for light vehicles via White Pine Bush Road, Taneatua Road, Valley Road, right to Ōhope Road to Pohutukawa Ave through to Wainui Road then left to SH2, this will add approximately 12 minutes to your journey. The detour is not suitable for HPMV vehicles, HPMV’s are advised to travel outside of these times.
A stretch of State Highway 2 through Central Hawke’s Bay will be closing for 5 nights next month for resealing.
The road, between the intersection with SH50 and Waipawa, will close overnight from Sunday 16 March.
Signposted detours will be in place.
Crews will be onsite between 8pm and 5am each night, with work expected to finish 5am on Saturday 22 March.
During the work, resealing will take place on SH2 between Waipawa and Waipukurau and a full closure will be in place.
People travelling through to Hastings and Napier, will be detoured through SH50. The reverse will apply for southbound road users travelling from Napier and Hastings.
People travelling north to Waipawa will be detoured along SH50 and into Tikokino Road. Note: while the map shows the detour down Tikonkino Road, this detour will change to Ongaonga Road mid-week once the resealing of the Waipawa Bridge is complete.
The detours will be suitable for all vehicles. The detour between Waipukurau and Waipawa is likely to take about 45 minutes.
During the day, the road will be open to two lanes with temporary speed limits in place as loose chip will be present. Emergency services will always be assisted through the closures.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi acknowledges the road detours will be frustrating but hopes the night closures will minimise disruption. We appreciate people’s support and patience taking the detours.
NZTA is coordinating as much maintenance work as possible to make the most of these night closures, ultimately reducing disruption to road users while the summer renewal season progresses.
This work is weather dependent. Contingency dates are Monday 24 to Saturday 29 March, 8pm-5am each night.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 February 2025 – Wildberries, a leading e-commerce platform in Eurasia, increased the number of its pickup points by 75% since the beginning of 2024 to support the dynamic growth of its marketplace.
The total number of Wildberries pickup points has surpassed 58,000 across seven countries where the marketplace operates. Three quarters of these pickup points are operated by local partners and the rest are company-owned.
The highest growth in the number of Wildberries pickup points was recorded in Kyrgyzstan (+126%) and Kazakhstan (+105%). In Georgia, where Wildberries launched operations in late 2024, the number of pickup points has also doubled, albeit from a low base. In Russia, the pickup point network increased by 81%, in Belarus by 75%, in Armenia by 55%, and in Uzbekistan by 26%.
Only a fraction of orders placed on the Wildberries marketplace are delivered to homes by couriers, with branded pickup points accounting for 90% of deliveries.
The reliance on pickup points is a unique feature of Wildberries’ business model that distinguishes it from other marketplaces. When the company was founded over 20 years ago, its largest product category was apparel. At the time, consumers still lacked trust in e-commerce and wanted to preview the clothing they ordered online before confirming their purchase. Wildberries pickup points, equipped with fitting rooms and offering the option to return items on the spot, gave customers peace of mind and quickly gained popularity.
Although Wildberries has long expanded beyond clothing to include dozens of product categories, from electronics to pet products, pickup points remain the most popular delivery option on the platform.
Wildberries has focused on developing its network of pickup points as it expands to new markets. This delivery model enhances customer convenience while providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to individual home delivery.
The expansion of Wildberries’ pickup points supports economic growth in the company’s markets of presence. The predominant franchise model gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow their business in partnership with a major international marketplace and creates new jobs.
Pickup points also enhance logistics services for the more than one million sellers on the Wildberries marketplace, who can drop off their items at the nearest pickup point for further delivery to the company’s nearest distribution centre.
Hashtag: #wildberries
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Protective measures against email fraud remain widely insufficient among leading Asia Pacific companies.
Australia’s high adoption rate of proper email authentication (71%) among its top companies sets the standard for the Asia Pacific region
Around 50% of leading Singapore and India’s businesses have implemented the recommended level of email authentication
Concerningly, less than 20% of the largest organisations in Japan, South Korea, China and Thailand are actively protecting their customers against phishing
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 February 2025 – Proofpoint, Inc., a leading cybersecurity and compliance company, today released new research on a worrying gap among top organisations across the Asia Pacific with only 12% having implemented the recommended and most stringent level of email authentication. In 2024, phishing attacks surged significantly, increasing nearly 60% year-over-year. This dramatic increase underscores the critical need for proper implementation of email authentication, which prevents cyber criminals from spoofing organisations’ identities thus reducing the risk of email fraud.
These findings are based on an analysis of the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), a widely-adopted email validation protocol records of Asia Pacific companies listed on the Forbes Global 2000. DMARC protects domain names from being misused by malicious actors by authenticating the sender’s identity before an email reaches its intended destination. This authentication system detects and prevents domain spoofing, a common phishing technique. DMARC has three levels of protection – monitor, quarantine, and reject, with reject being the most secure for preventing suspicious emails from reaching users’ inboxes.
“Email remains the most common and critical threat vector across industries. It’s encouraging that many leading companies in Asia Pacific have taken proactive steps to protect their customers from email fraud,” said George Lee, Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan at Proofpoint. “However, the rising frequency, sophistication, and cost of cyberattacks make it especially concerning that many remain highly vulnerable, exposing them to significant risks from malicious email-based threats such as phishing. Prioritising robust cybersecurity measures is essential to safeguard against these threats and protect customers’ valuable data.”
Proofpoint’s research shows that DMARC adoption in the Asia Pacific region is mostly lower compared to the US and UK, placing organisations and their customers at risk. While Australia leads in email authentication DMARC enforcement, Japan, South Korea and Thailand lag, leaving businesses exposed to escalating email fraud, including business email compromise (BEC) and phishing.
Key findings of Proofpoint’s DMARC analysis across key Asia Pacific markets include:
Australia: 71% of the top Australian companies have implemented DMARC at the recommended levels (reject). All the top Australian companies being studied have a DMARC record.
Singapore: 46.2% of companies analysed have DMARC set to reject. Yet 23.1% do not have any DMARC record and are wide open to email fraud and domain spoofing attacks.
India: 50% of the top Indian organisations implemented the highest level of DMARC (reject), with 30.9% utilising quarantine and 11.8% having no DMARC record at all.
Japan: Only 7.4% of top Japanese companies have a DMARC policy of reject in place. 65.6% of companies are at the monitor level, gathering data but offering no active protection
South Korea: Only 1.8% have implemented DMARC at the quarantine level with none at the reject level, and 51.8% having no DMARC record at all.
Thailand: 17.6% have a reject policy in place to block unqualified emails, while 17.6% of companies implemented quarantine and 52.9% at the monitor level still.
China: Only 4.2% of top Chinese companies have the strictest level of DMARC in place. A startling 71.8% do not use any DMARC protection at all.
Major Providers and Compliance Mandates Push for DMARC Adoption
Major email providers are making moves to force companies to catch up and use email authentication. Some highly-publicised examples include the October 2023 announcements from Google, Yahoo and Apple around mandatory email authentication requirements (including DMARC) for bulk senders sending emails to Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud accounts. This aims to significantly reduce spam and fraudulent emails hitting their customers’ inboxes.
In addition, organisations that store consumer payment information must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) or risk paying hefty fines for violations. The latest PCI DSS (v4.0.1) will require companies to use DMARC to protect credit card data by March 31, 2025.
Proofpoint recommends that organisations follow these best practices:
Implement DMARC: Protect your domain from impersonation by implementing DMARC and enforcing it at the reject level. Seek expert assistance if needed to avoid blocking legitimate emails.
Educate employees: Train staff on how to identify and avoid potentially fraudulent or suspicious emails, such as those impersonating colleagues, suppliers, or customers.
Strengthen passwords: Establish and enforce best practices for password management, including requiring strong passwords, regular changes, and never re-using passwords across multiple accounts.
This analysis was conducted in December 2024 using data from companies listed on Forbes Global 2000.
To learn more about DMARC, visit: https://www.proofpoint.com/au/threat-reference/dmarc
Hashtag: #Proofpoint
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Police hope the public can help the investigation into a fatal vehicle fire in Puketaha early on Wednesday 19 February.
We would like to speak to any witnesses to a vehicle collision on Holland Road, between 3am and 4am that day. In particular, we would like to speak to a woman who was parked on the roadside and spoke with another witness.
We believe she may have information that can assist our enquiries.
If you can assist our enquiries, please update us online or call 105.
