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Man facing range of charges after search warrant, Napier

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Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

A firearm, ammunition, drugs, cash, and multiple stolen items have been seized by Police following a search warrant in Napier.

On Tuesday 14 January, staff from the Eastern District Organised Crime Unit executed a search warrant at a property on Thames Street at around 4pm.

A loaded firearm and multiple calibre rounds of ammunition were seized during the search warrant.

Around 60 bags of cannabis and a small quantity of methamphetamine were also seized, alongside a scale and $3900 cash.

A stolen E-Scooter and multiple stolen Milwaukee power tools were also located during the search warrant.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested and is due to appear in Hastings District Court today.

He has been charged with a range of charges including supplying methamphetamine, possession to supply methamphetamine, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and possession to supply cannabis.

Police will continue to target those who supply illicit drugs, which cause extreme harm and damage to our communities. However, we cannot do this alone, and we ask that anyone with information about the supply of illicit drugs contacts us on 105.

Information can also be reported to your local Police station or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.

We encourage anyone affected by drug addiction to seek help through Alcohol and Drug helpline on 0800 787 797, or free text 8681.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

HKICPA participates in the Asian Financial Forum 2025: Explores new growth engines in global sustainability

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MIL OSI
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Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 January 2025 – The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) is participating in the two-day “Asian Financial Forum 2025” from today (13 January to 14 January), to promote Hong Kong’s sustainable development and the implementation of the HKFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (HKFRS SDS). At the Forum, the HKICPA President Edward Au shared the importance of HKFRS SDS, and spoke on assisting enterprises in implementing the standards. In addition, HKICPA set up a booth at the venue to showcase the Institute’s journey in setting HKFRS SDS, and took part in the InnoVenture Salon to provide one-on-one consultations to start-ups in the area of sustainability.

The HKICPA President Edward Au participated in the Asian Financial Forum 2025 as a panellist in a panel discussion titled Setting Global Milestone in Sustainability. He was joined by other guest speakers to explore ways for companies and market participants to better understand the best practices, challenges, and opportunities for advancing sustainability initiatives globally.

Co-organized by the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the two-day “Asian Financial Forum 2025” commenced today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Themed “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, the Forum attracted more than 3,600 leading figures from finance and business to participate. The event brought together over 100 influential leaders from government, finance, and business communities from all over the world for ground-breaking discussions and exchange of insights on the global economy from an Asian perspective.

The HKICPA President Edward Au (left two) participated in the Asian Financial Forum 2025 as a panellist in a panel discussion titled Setting Global Milestone in Sustainability. He was joined by other guest speakers to explore ways for companies and market participants to better understand the best practices, challenges, and opportunities for advancing sustainability initiatives globally.

The HKICPA President Edward Au said, “The Asian Financial Forum brings together leaders from political and business communities and financial experts worldwide, providing an ideal platform for the HKICPA to showcase its efforts in promoting sustainable disclosure standards in Hong Kong and to gain an understanding on the best practices in sustainability reporting across regions. As the sustainability reporting standard setter of Hong Kong, the HKICPA is committed to creating an enabling environment for the successful implementation of the HKFRS SDS and to contribute towards the development of a comprehensive sustainability disclosure ecosystem in Hong Kong to embrace new growth opportunities.”

The HKICPA published HKFRS SDS in December last year, which are fully aligned with the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards), with an effective date of 1 August 2025. President Edward Au today participated in the panel discussion titled “Setting Global Milestone in Sustainability”, under the Global Spectrum seminar series. He was joined by Janey Lai, CEO of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council, Sue Lloyd, Vice Chair of International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Justin Wu, Managing Director, Head of Climate Change Asia Pacific, Global Sustainability, HSBC. The panel explored ways for companies and market participants to better understand the best practices, challenges, and opportunities for advancing sustainability initiatives globally. It also underscored the significance of aligning Hong Kong’s sustainability disclosure requirements with ISSB standards, marking a crucial milestone in the development of efficient and resilient capital markets both in Hong Kong and globally.

In the panel discussion, Edward Au stated, “Hong Kong is among the first jurisdictions worldwide to align local sustainability disclosure standards with the international standards, which is critical to maintaining and enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness among global capital markets. The HKFRS SDS, published by the HKICPA and fully aligned with the ISSB Standards, provide a global baseline for sustainability-related financial disclosures, enabling companies to present more consistent, comparable, and decision-useful information to investors.”

He continued, “The accounting profession in Hong Kong is well-experienced in financial reporting, auditing, internal control and risk management. The profession is thus more than capable of providing high quality sustainability reporting and assurance services. Moving forward, the HKICPA is committed to building capacity for the profession and stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the HKFRS SDS and to solidify Hong Kong’s status as a leading international financial centre and a green and sustainable finance hub.”

The HKICPA set up a booth at the venue to present the development journey of HKFRS SDS, the Institute’s efforts in standard setting and capacity building, and other related topics. Participants’ enquiries about the HKICPA’s role in sustainability development were addressed, enhancing their understanding of sustainability disclosures in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the HKICPA also supported the Forum’s InnoVenture Salon. Cyrus Cheung, the Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the HKICPA, met with start-ups to provide one-on-one consultations to address their concerns related to sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) along their entrepreneurial journey.

For details of Asian Financial Forum 2025, please visit website:

https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en

https://www.hkicpa.org.hk/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-institute-of-certified-professional-accountants
https://www.instagram.com/hkicpa.official/
https://en-gb.facebook.com/hkicpa.official/
Wechat: hkicpa_official
https://www.instagram.com/hkicpa.official/

Hashtag: #HKICPA

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

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

Overnight resurfacing from next week on SH44, New Plymouth

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

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Crews will be resurfacing State Highway 44 Molesworth Street in New Plymouth from next Monday.

The overnight work is scheduled to begin Monday 20 January and is expected to take 10-12 nights to complete.

During the work, crews will be onsite between 7pm and 6am and the road will be under stop/go traffic management.

Delays of between 5 and 10 minutes can be expected.

Outside the overnight work hours, the road will be open with a 30 km/h speed limit in place.

Access to and from some sideroads adjacent to SH44 may be impacted temporarily while work is taking place.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is advising road users to plan ahead during this work and take advantage of alternative routes.

NZTA appreciates the overnight closures will cause disruption and we’re confident that by doing the work overnight, the construction timeframe will be as short as possible.

This work is weather dependant.

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MIL OSI

“National is Global”: DR PLANT’s Alpine Truffle Museum Grand Opening

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MIL OSI
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Source: Media Outreach

KUNMING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 January 2025 – On January 6th, China’s first alpine truffle museum was established at the Fuli Palace of Kunming Botanical Garden. This museum, founded by the brand “Dr. Plant”, focuses on alpine truffles and aims to showcase the unique charm and precious value of truffles to the public in innovative ways. While providing robust support for black truffle conservation, it also injects new vitality into biodiversity protection efforts. Xie Yong, Deputy Director of the Wu Zhengyi Science Foundation, Founder and Chairman of DR PLANT, Qin Lan, Alpine Truffle Experience Officer, Niu Yang, Director of Kunming Botanical Garden, and original designer Jia Kemu attended the opening ceremony.

To better protect the truffle ecology from destruction and raise public awareness of truffles, DR PLANT established the country’s first Alpine Truffle Museum, integrating ethnic culture into brand building and promoting the concept of alpine plant skincare.

“National is Global. Doctor Plant always adheres to the inheritance of ethnic culture. The Alpine Truffle Museum allows global consumers to experience the charm of Chinese skincare brands and understand the ethnic wisdom of the Chinese nation. We will uphold this confidence and present and transmit more natural beauty originating from China to the world,” said Xie Yong, Founder & Chairman of Doctor Plant.

Through the Alpine Truffle Museum, DR PLANT visually showcases the perfect fusion of ethnic cultural elements and alpine plant resources, bringing content with ethnic characteristics to the world stage. DR PLANT continuously explores and inherits alpine plant resources, achieving synergistic progress in brand value and cultural inheritance, injecting deeper cultural connotations and vitality into the brand.

“As a domestic brand deeply rooted in the field of alpine plant skincare, DR PLANT has always been committed to bringing safe and effective alpine plant ingredients to everyone. The domestic first Alpine Truffle Museum built in Kunming, Yunnan, in the form of public welfare, allows us to deeply understand the relationship between truffles, ecology, and human skincare through science popularization and immersive interaction,” mentioned Qin Lan, the Alpine Truffle Experience Officer, at the opening ceremony.

China’s first Alpine Truffle Museum not only connects the past and the future but also connects nature and humanity. DR PLANT has fulfilled its social responsibilities and commitments through practical actions, enabling more people to understand the unique charm of China’s alpine plants and illuminating the path for Chinese brands to explore natural cultural inheritance.

“Truffles are typical representatives of growth and harmony among all things, a harmonious life community. China’s black truffles have nearly the same nutritional value as those in France, but their commercial prices differ by dozens of times, mainly due to deficiencies in mining techniques and social impact. The ecological, nutritional, and beauty functions of truffles await exploration. We must not only utilize truffles well but also protect them. This requires contributing Chinese wisdom, technology, equipment, and products!” Xu Jianchu emphasized that the Dr. Plant Alpine Truffle Museum is crucial for the protection and promotion of black truffles in China. Taking the alpine truffle museum as a carrier, he hopes that Yunnan black truffles will go global.

Hashtag: #DRPLANT

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

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

Upcoming Reserve Bank Speech – RBNZ speech advisory: Beyond the Cycle – Growth and interest rates in the long run

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Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

15 January 2025 – At 11am on Wednesday 29 January 2025 Chief Economist Paul Conway will deliver a speech titled: Beyond the Cycle: Growth and interest rates in the long run.
 
The full speech text will be published on the RBNZ website at 11am. The speech will also be livestreamed via the RBNZ website. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions of Mr Conway via an online portal once the speech has been delivered.

About the speech

The speech looks beyond the business cycle to explore New Zealand’s longer-term economic growth potential. It also discusses the neutral interest rate, including what drives changes in the neutral rate.
 
The speech is written by the Chief Economist and RBNZ staff and is not intended as an official Monetary Policy Committee statement. There will be no update on the state of the economy since the November 2024 Monetary Policy Statement.  Recent economic data results from December and January will be discussed in detail in the upcoming Monetary Policy Statement on 19 February.

MIL OSI

VT Markets Anticipates Cryptocurrency Growth from Policy Changes and Market Momentum in 2025 Q1 Economic Outlook

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MIL OSI
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Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 January 2025 – VT Markets, an award-winning financial services provider, today releases its 2025 Q1 Economic Outlook. The report highlights how the dual tailwind of favourable policies and market dynamics will propel the cryptocurrency sector into a new era of mainstream adoption. The report also underscores the transformative strides achieved by cryptocurrencies in 2024, which sets the stage for further growth in the upcoming year.

2024 As A Landmark Year for Cryptocurrency

With the conclusion of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, cryptocurrencies have ascended from niche assets to mainstream investment products. Political developments, particularly arising President Trump’s re-election and his pro-cryptocurrency stance, acted as the main catalyst for this phenomenon. Participants observed Bitcoin’s price surging by over 40%, crossing $108,000 by year-end anticipating dovish policy shifts and renewed investor confidence towards the digital asset.

Key regulatory appointments, such as naming crypto advocate Hester Peirce as SEC Chair, signalled to the market a shift towards a more favourable regulatory framework, instilling optimism in institutional and retail investors alike.

The Rise of Spot Bitcoin ETFs

In early 2024, the U.S. SEC approved multiple spot Bitcoin ETFs; a significant breakthrough for the cryptocurrency industry then. By year-end, assets under management for these ETFs grew from $28.8 billion to $110 billion. Among them, BlackRock’s IBIT ETF stood out, achieving record-breaking $30 billion AUM in under 300 days.

This development not only validated cryptocurrencies as a mainstream investment class but also paved the way for wider institutional participation. The integration of cryptocurrency into traditional finance is seen as a key step toward standardisation – an issue which has plagued the industry since its inception.

Liquidity and Risk Appetite Fuel Growth

Macroeconomic conditions, including the Federal Reserve’s shift towards an easing monetary policy, contributed to increased market liquidity and higher risk asset valuations. Cryptocurrencies, known for their high-risk, high-reward profile, inevitably emerged as a preferred choice for portfolio diversification, further driving their adoption and price momentum.

2025 Will Be A Year of Regulatory Clarity and Technological Innovation

Looking ahead, the cryptocurrency sector is poised for greater regulatory clarity and broader market acceptance globally:

United States: Expected legislation on stablecoins and other crypto assets will a establish a clear regulatory environment.

European Union: The upcoming implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) will enhance transparency and compliance.

Asia-Pacific: Singapore and Hong Kong are set to strengthen their positions as regional crypto hubs, promoting Web3 development and reopening licensing opportunities for exchanges.

Emerging Markets: Countries like Brazil, the UAE, Australia, and South Africa are advancing efforts to legitimize cryptocurrencies, potentially becoming regional leaders in the sector.

A New Era for Mainstream Cryptocurrency Adoption

The VT Markets’ Research Desk suggests that the confluence of supportive policies, transparent regulations, and robust market conditions will accelerate the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies.

They believe that this transition from speculative assets to recognised investment products will be a pivotal moment in financial innovation.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/89310903/admin/feed/posts/
https://www.facebook.com/VTMarketsCN
https://www.instagram.com/vtmarkets/

Hashtag: #VTMarkets #CFDs #CFDsbrokers #cryptocurrency #Bitcoin #bitcointrading

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

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

Skipton International Introduces New 3-Year Mortgage Products and Reduces Buy-To-Let Mortgage Rates for New Customers

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MIL OSI
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Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 January 2025 – Skipton International, a licensed bank in Guernsey and a leading mortgage lender for UK buy-to-let mortgages, has announced the launch of a brand new 3-year mortgage product at a fixed rate starting at 5.89%. Skipton has also announced the reduction in mortgage rates for new customers across its UK buy-to-let fixed rate range with the lowest 5-year fixed rates starting at 4.99%.

Photograph shows: Lorraine McLean, Senior Mortgage Sales Manager. Skipton International

Buy-to-let mortgages allow investors in the UK property market to build a portfolio of properties and generate steady income from rental properties. Any property purchased in the UK for the purpose of renting out, requires a buy-to-let mortgage.

Skipton International’s new 3-year mortgage product offers competitive rates and make the start of the year the perfect time to investigate the purchase of a UK property for rental purposes.

  • Reduced Rates: New business 5-year fixed rates now start at 4.99%.
  • New Products: A 3-year fixed rate has been introduced, starting at 5.89%.

The reductions have been applied across its product range, including for both purchase and remortgage applications, with effect from Monday 13 January 2025.

“UK property purchases are proving a solid investment for non-UK residents, with a year-on-year increase in property values, a surge in demand for available rental properties, and higher rental income achieved than ever before,” said Lorraine McLean, Senior Mortgage Sales Manager, Skipton International.

UK high street banks are typically hesitant to lend to foreign nationals due to concerns about lack of established financial history in the UK, and potential challenges in enforcing loan agreements across borders.

However, Guernsey-licensed bank Skipton International offers a solution by providing mortgage options for British expats and non-UK residents from places like Hong Kong or Singapore, allowing them to buy property while navigating these lending restrictions.

The UK’s transparent legal system provides security for property rights, a significant draw for expats and non-UK residents from countries with less stable markets. Furthermore, the streamlined restrictions on foreign buyers allows non-UK residents to enter the market easily, provided they can secure financing.

“The UK’s buy-to-let sector has remained strong despite interest rate fluctuations. Recent developments look promising, and the Bank of England’s November 2024 rate cut to 4.75% signals good news for property investors, and projections indicate rates may fall to 4.2% by 2026. The market continues to grow steadily with high rental demand and landlord profitability rates reaching 87%,” added McLean.

Skipton’s approach makes gaining a UK mortgage for buy-to-let properties as stress free as possible including easy to use UK mortgage calculators to estimate how much to borrow, and the monthly repayments for the required loan size.

Skipton International is also a part of the Skipton Group, which includes the UK’s Skipton Building Society and Connells, the UK’s largest real estate agency.

Skipton’s Guernsey Advantage
Skipton is registered in Guernsey, an offshore island affiliated with England, but with its own laws as a British ‘Crown Dependency’. A highly regulated jurisdiction, Guernsey gives reassurance to anyone with financial dealings on the island.

Skipton’s new rates will also be available to its global network of brokers in addition to direct applications.

For further information, visit: England, Scotland and Wales Buy-To-Let mortgages

Product fee: Purchase: £1,999

Remortgage: £999
Additional borrowing: £999
Valuation cost: Purchase: Cost included in Product Fee.

Remortgage: Cost included in Product Fee

Hashtag: #skiptoninternational

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

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

Information sought after arson incident, Raglan

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LiveNews Publisher
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Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Raglan Police investigating an arson incident alongside Marine Parade yesterday would like to speak to any witnesses.

Just after 5pm, emergency services were notified of a fire that had been lit near the Raglan Airfield.

This fire spread rapidly due to the dry conditions, threatening nearby campgrounds and infrastructure.

Fortunately the fire was extinguished a short time later, with no damage to any property.

Police would like to speak to anyone who was in the Marine Parada area around 5pm yesterday, or anyone who has CCTV footage around the area during that time.

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 250115/1158.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre 

MIL OSI

“Immersive Translate” by funstory.ai Delivers Instant Multi-Language Translation with Just One Click, Named Google Chrome’s Best Extension of 2024

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MIL OSI
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Source: Media Outreach

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 January 2025 – Google recently announced its Best 2024 Chrome Extensions of the Year, with “Immersive Translate” developed by funstory.ai standing out for its innovative multi-platform integration and AI translation technology. The tool not only supports platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows but is also compatible with major browsers like Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox, delivering a translation experience that closely matches user needs.

Immersive Translate can accurately identify the main content areas of web pages, providing smooth bilingual parallel translations without needing to open multiple web pages

Immersive Translate integrates leading AI translation engines including DeepL, OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini, breaking through the limitations of traditional single-engine translation tools. Users can freely switch between the most suitable translation engines based on different scenarios, achieving precise translation results.

The tool’s main feature is its intelligent bilingual comparison function, which accurately identifies the main content areas of web pages while preserving the original layout, allowing users to compare source text and translation on a single page. Additionally, it supports over 100 international video platforms including YouTube, Netflix, and TED, providing real-time bilingual subtitle translation services.

In terms of document processing, Immersive Translate supports nine document formats including Word and ePub, while also offering free PDF translation services that maintain the original document layout. Furthermore, its PDF PRO feature can intelligently recognize complex layouts, fully preserving mathematical formulas, tables, and mixed text-image layouts, solving the formatting issues common to traditional translation tools.

Notably, the tool is also a boon for manga enthusiasts, supporting over 50 international manga websites including Shueisha and MANGA Plus. Through AI image recognition technology, it can accurately translate dialogue box content while maintaining the integrity of the original images.

Immersive Translate not only provides professional support in the business sector but also creates an innovative learning environment in education. Through real-time bilingual comparison features, it perfectly integrates language learning with daily life, pioneering cross-language communication in the modern digital era.

Hashtag: #ImmersiveTranslate

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

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

Reminder: SH1 at Karāpiro 4 day closure in January

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LiveNews Publisher
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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder for State Highway 1 (SH1) road users that SH1 at Karāpiro, south of Cambridge, will be closed for 4 days in January for maintenance and repair work.

The closure is between Karāpiro Road and SH1/29 at Piarere from midnight on Sunday 19 to midnight Thursday 23 January 2025.

All traffic will need to take detours or alternative routes to avoid the area. The full closure is the safest and most efficient way to complete the work required.

During the works, contractors will lay 42,000m2 of chipseal and apply a second seal on barrier areas and shoulders. They will also carry out works at the intersection with Maungatautari Road, and general maintenance such as mowing and sign repairs.

All properties within the closure and sideroads leading to it will have access maintained but delays are expected. Vehicles will be grouped and piloted through the site on the following schedule:

  • Northbound from near the SH1/29 roundabout: Leaving on the hour.
  • Southbound from Karāpiro Road: Leaving on the half hour.
  • People coming from sideroads will join the convoy as it passes their road.

All visitors and service providers can join this piloted access when they are visiting a property within the closure. 

Emergency services will have full access through the site at all times.  

Detour routes

While access to properties within the closure will be maintained, all other traffic should use the detours:

  • Karāpiro Road/Taotaoroa Road/SH29 in both directions with a speed restriction of 70km/h.
  • State highway traffic and freight will be encouraged to use SH26/SH27.  HPMVs and over-dimension loads also need to use SH26/SH27. This will add approximately 50 minutes to journeys.
  • Inter-regional traffic will be encouraged to use other routes like SH2/SH27 to the east of the closure. This will add approximately 18 minutes to journeys.

Traffic presenting at the stacking points at the north and south of the works area will not be turned around and can join the piloted convoys.

Following the resealing, the road will reopen with a 70km/h temporary speed limit.  Rollers and sweeping will take place before the road opens, but it will still need traffic on it at a reduced speed for up to a week for chip to bed in completely.

As always, work is weather dependent and any changes will be updated on Journey Planner.

journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)

MIL OSI

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