Multimedia Investments Ltd
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now name the person who died in a crash on Foster Lane in Havelock North on 2 January.
He was Wade William Crosbie, aged 19, from Hastings.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Two people seriously injured in the crash remain in hospital recovering from their injuries.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
State Highway 1 Weld Pass will be the first big resurfacing job in Marlborough in the New Year as the state highway summer maintenance season continues in the top of the South Island.
Night works are planned for Weld Pass from Wednesday, 29 January to Thursday, 13 February. Work will be carried out nightly between 7 pm and 5 am.
Allowances are being made for the Waitangi Day holiday. Contractors will stop work at 5am on Wednesday, 5 February and won’t resume work until 7pm on Friday, 7 February.
Contractors will be carrying out structural asphalt work to strengthen the road surface on a 500m section of Weld Pass. This will include milling, or removing the old surface, before adding new layers. They will also maximise the closure by carrying out other maintenance work including clearing drainage and attending to signage and vegetation.
Mark Owen, Regional Manager Wellington/Top of the South, says Weld Pass must be closed to all traffic while the work is completed.
“Weld Pass is a narrow road with very limited space. Resurfacing work and laying asphalt requires large machinery that occupies a lot of space. It simply isn’t possible to allow traffic through the work site while work is underway.”
“A full closure at night is safer for road crews and the public. It also allows the work to be finished much faster. Doing this sort of the work during the day under stop/go, when there is more traffic would create major delays for drivers. This something we absolutely want to avoid,” Mr Owen says.
While there will be a midnight opening each night to allow queued traffic through the work site, Mr Owen warns the closure will create delays for people travelling between Blenheim and Christchurch.
“It is essential drivers are aware of the closure and factor it into their travel plans.”
“There are no suitable local road detours, meaning the only alternative route between Christchurch and Blenheim is the inland route – Lewis Pass, Murchison, St Arnaud – this is a much longer route and drivers, especially those with Picton ferry connections, must be prepared,” Mr Owen says.
Mr Owen advises travellers that other essential state highway maintenance work will be underway in Marlborough from late January and recommends drivers plan ahead and check the NZTA Journey Planner.
“While the Weld Pass closure is underway, contractors will also resurface two roundabouts in Blenheim, making the most of the lower freight volumes travelling on State Highway 1.”
“Drivers need to keep this in mind. Please, check road conditions before you travel. Be aware of where the road works are so you can plan your journeys properly,” he says.
More information on these projects will be shared soon, before work begins.
Source: Samsung
Company outlines refreshed strategy using Home AI to elevate user experiences at home and beyond
AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Jan. 7, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled its new “AI for All” vision at CES® 2025 in Las Vegas, with the focus of making AI an “Everyday, Everywhere” experience. Building on a decade of connected home leadership, Samsung is leveraging the power of AI to bring intelligence to every day, enabling people to experience a more personal, impactful and empowering world.
Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, opened Samsung’s CES 2025 press conference by introducing the company’s roadmap for Home AI, a plan for redefining the meaning of home by providing truly personalised services across all intelligent, connected devices. This strategy, alongside Samsung’s innovations in AI-powered devices across mobile, home appliances and visual display, is a testament to Samsung’s longstanding commitment to human-centric innovation and brings the power of AI to everyday experiences to make life better for all.
“I’m proud of how we have introduced new technologies and intelligence to the home, connected key devices and set the standard for the home of the future,” Vice Chairman Han said. “This year at CES, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering personalised experiences through our widespread implementation of AI and we will continue this journey of AI leadership in the home and beyond, not just for the next decade, but for the next century.”
Elevating Everyday Experiences With Home AI
Later in the press conference, Jonathan Gabrio, Head of the Connected Experience Center at Samsung Electronics America, expanded on Samsung’s Home AI vision, underscoring the company’s commitment to integrating AI across the entire connected experience to cater to diverse lifestyles. From single person households to multi-generational families under one roof, Home AI learns from habits and adapts to individual routines for a hyper-personalised smart home experience.
Security and Privacy are at the heart of Samsung’s strategy for Home AI. Samsung recognises that as users introduce more connected devices into their homes and AI becomes more personal, it must also protect users’ privacy. To meet these evolving needs, the company has extended its security capabilities. Now, Samsung Knox Matrix protects home appliances along with mobile devices and TVs with its signature blockchain technology, ensuring that connected devices are working together to protect the user’s home, data and each other from digital threats. With Knox Matrix Dashboard, a transparent privacy control, Samsung offers simplified security management across the entire connected home. As information syncs across devices, Knox Matrix’s Credential Sync ensures that data can only be encrypted or decrypted from the user’s devices, and Samsung Knox Vault adds another layer of protection, keeping sensitive information like passwords or PINs isolated in a secure location.
Samsung’s One UI provides an integrated software experience across all connected Samsung devices, enhancing interoperability, empowering users with AI-based features and providing software updates for up to seven years.
Underpinning it all is SmartThings, Samsung’s smart home platform that brings intelligent connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world. With Samsung’s belief in open innovation and partnership as a foundation, SmartThings is being equipped with the latest AI technology to streamline and personalise the smart home experience for complete convenience. SmartThings Ambient Sensing intuitively understands the user’s environment and situational context by analysing even human movements and ambient sounds through connected devices within the home, thereby enabling those devices to intelligently and seamlessly respond and adapt to daily routines.
Bixby Voice, an enhanced AI voice assistant, will be integrated to increase usability. The assistant has been trained so that it can recognise individual voices and respond to commands in a way that works best for each user. These Home AI updates free up time previously spent on home management, allowing users to focus on what matters most and explore new passions.
With productivity comes proactivity, too. When AI and Samsung Health combine, users are empowered to take control of their health and wellness. With AI-driven health insights gathered on the Galaxy Watch, Samsung is helping users make sense of their data and arrive at more informed decisions about their well-being. These new capabilities will further improve the overall experience of Samsung Health, which stands apart as an end-to-end health solution that integrates the entire home seamlessly.
Seamless Entertainment in the AI Era
Samsung’s latest screen experiences, powered by Samsung Vision AI, bring unexpected joy to users’ days through unparalleled personalisation and exciting new features. The AI Screen experience infuses intelligence into TVs, bringing Generative Wallpaper, Live Translate and Click to Search to users. At the forefront of this technology is the Neo QLED 8K, which provides the most advanced viewing experiences though AI features like 8K AI Upscaling Pro, Auto HDR Remastering Pro and Colour Booster Pro — all of which work behind the scenes to intelligently enhance picture quality. Plus, The Frame’s art experience is expanding, allowing all Samsung QLEDs to come with a digital collection of over 3,000 art pieces, making it so that they can turn any room into a personal gallery.
Samsung’s commitment to its Screens Everywhere strategy is reflected in new display options for its appliances, including its new refrigerators with 9″ AI Home displays and other devices with 7″ screens. Consumers will be able to enjoy heightened functionality — including various entertainment services and AI features such as AI Vision Inside — on a broader range of products.
Taking AI Everywhere
Beyond the home, Samsung’s AI innovations are set to transform new categories and industries with SmartThings Pro. Created to bring the same AI-powered digital solutions to business partners as SmartThings offers consumers, SmartThings Pro is a B2B solution spanning multi-residential homes to retail spaces, hotels, schools and more. Since its launch last June, SmartThings Pro provides businesses with integrations to better understand energy usage, proactively identify devices with maintenance needs and offer comprehensive control of connected solutions. Samsung is working with partners to create an innovative platform, Future Innovation Technology (FIT), for larger businesses and buildings to set automated climate controls that save energy and reduce electricity costs.
The company is also working with Samsung Heavy Industries on a new SmartThings collaboration that uses the Matter connectivity standard to connect with compatible ships. SmartThings for Ships offers a Pre-Sailing Mode, which allows captains and crews to automate when the engine starts and turn on settings for temperature and lights, saving time and energy. Meanwhile, Care Mode provides a complete view of a ship’s power, AC systems and smoke alarms, while Protection Mode constantly monitors for — and will alert captain and crew to — any abnormal activity.
Additionally, Samsung is expanding its SmartThings and automotive integrations in a new partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to bring SmartThings to Hyundai EVs. With the expanded ecosystem, users can now use SmartThings Find to easily locate their parked car, even in crowded parking lots. With the power of Home AI, SmartThings can make recommendations on when to recharge EVs based on schedules and rates. And if there is a neighborhood power outage, it will automatically activate Battery Backup Mode, which works alongside AI Energy Mode to extend the battery energy to power home essentials.
In the Automotive space, Samsung and its subsidiary Harman continue their promise to transform the in-car experience with new products that bring contextual awareness into the cabin. Leveraging Samsung’s expertise in UX and AI, Harman’s new in-vehicle avatar acts as an intelligent digital copilot that works with Harman products like Ready Care and Ready Vision to anticipate needs while drivers focus on the road.
Empowering the Next Generation
Finally, Inhee Chung, Vice President of the Corporate Sustainability Center, underscored how Samsung’s AI for All vision is rooted in the brand’s commitment to harness the power of advanced technology for a better, more inclusive world. Samsung is introducing diverse and enhanced accessibility features through its AI-powered devices and services, starting with the ability to automatically sync accessibility features across home appliances from a smartphone.
From the first half of this year, Bixby will automatically have connected devices display text in high contrast or provide a voice guide for family members with low vision, all by simply recognising their voice. For those with low vision, AI is improving Audio Subtitles by lowering foreign language audio and reading out the subtitles in the language of the user’s choosing.
Chung also discussed how initiatives like Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Samsung Innovation Campus and the company’s work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are enabling the next generation of innovators. Today, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow challenges more than 2.6 million students across 66 countries to use STEM to address challenges in their community. In particular, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last year, Samsung and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched a digital community “Together for Tomorrow, Enabling People” and appointed top 10 teams from global Solve for Tomorrow as community ambassadors. Meanwhile, Samsung Innovation Campus has helped prepare nearly 180,000 young people across 33 countries for the workforce through training on emerging technologies like AI, IoT and big data.
In a video message, Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, joined VP Chung to share an update on Samsung and UNDP’s partnership to harness the power of technology for good. Since its initiation five years ago, the Samsung Global Goals app has raised over $20 million thanks to nearly 300 million users who are using a Galaxy smartphone, tablet or watch. Plus, Samsung and UNDP’s joint work through the Generation17 initiative continues to inspire extraordinary young leaders around the world who are mobilising their communities to advance the Global Goals.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners.
Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation
A prostate cancer screening programme which could save hundreds of lives a year has won conditional backing from an influential Parliamentary committee.
In a report presented to Parliament, the petitions select committee said “we encourage the Government to consider a pilot prostate cancer screening programme in a region with appropriate MRI capacity”.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation applauds the report of the multi-party committee, which spent more than a year collating evidence and hearing submissions before reporting back on the 30,000-signature petition of Kristine Hayward, who lost her husband to prostate cancer.
“Gaining an endorsement from a select committee is a huge boost to launching a prostate cancer screening programme, which starts with a simple blood test and could halve the number of deaths from prostate cancer,” said Danny Bedingfield, President of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
The Foundation has been encouraging successive Ministers of Health to establish two pilots that would guide an eventual national screening programme for at-risk men.
“Pilots are important for learning the lessons on how to optimally engage with and screen New Zealand men in the same way that women are successfully screened for cervical and breast cancer,” Bedingfield says.
The Foundation paid tribute to Kristine, whose husband Bruce died from prostate cancer about five years ago, aged 66. He’s one of 700 New Zealanders who die each year from the disease.
Because his death could be prevented, Kristine launched a petition calling for an early detection programme. The petition was handed over on the steps of Parliament in July 2023.
Bruce, a registered nurse like Kristine, had regular medical check-ups with his GP which included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. These showed that his levels were rising – a key warning sign – but by the time he was referred to a specialist his cancer had metastasised and could not be treated.
More than 4000 men are diagnosed annually – a number which is expected to rise each year – but clinicians believe there are many more whose cancer goes undetected.
Current testing is unfunded, disorganised and inequitable, allowing too many men to die, Bedingfield said.
“There’s no centralised national screening programme and things need to change to provide better healthcare for New Zealand men,” he said.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation is asking the Government to fund two PSA screening pilots which would test men based on age and familial and genetic risk. The estimated cost is relatively low $6.4 million, and learnings would inform an eventual national population-based screening programme.
“Pilots will help us develop a comprehensive, optimum clinical care pathway for prostate cancer, which if done properly will take care of any issues with diagnosis and overtreatment,” Bedingfield said. “We really need to move now on piloting so we learn the lessons we need to learn.”
“We note the the committee’s concerns about access to MRI equipment and a workforce to operate it, but there are regions that have capacity for extra scans. These should host a pilot.”
Due to an ageing population, the number of prostate cancer cases is likely to double by 2040. The clock is ticking. “We need to pay attention to that now and start piloting prostate cancer screening,” Bedingfield said.
Source: University of Auckland (UoA)
Thanks to Allbirds founder Tim Brown, the University of Auckland and seven businesses will host Stanford student interns keen to support sustainability projects.
Seven New Zealand businesses have demonstrated their commitment to sustainability by offering to provide internship opportunities for students from the prestigious Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.
Professor Beggs acknowledged the vital contribution of Tim Brown, former professional footballer and co-founder of sustainable global footwear company Allbirds. Brown broached the idea when visiting the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, and then connected his business networks with the opportunity.
Dr Jennifer Saltzman, Assistant Dean for Professional Development and Community Building at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability said, “Our students are very excited about the opportunity to contribute to sustainability in a professional setting and to learn from their experiences in New Zealand. Tim Brown’s support made international internships possible this year. We are grateful for the collaboration with the University of Auckland and the seven companies involved.”
As a result, seven local businesses, ranging from Auckland FC, keen to incorporate sustainability into the new professional football club, to Ternary, an energy supply chain business, have agreed to host Stanford students in paid intern roles from June 2025.
Professor Beggs said, “When they are here, the students will also spend time with Ngā Ara Whetū to support their experience and knowledge of sustainability in Aotearoa and Te Ao Māori. Our aim is to foster an enduring relationship between the students, our university and Aotearoa.”
From his base in the United States, Tim Brown said he was pleased to help.
“There is enormous potential for the exchange of ideas between California and Aotearoa, so the agreement between the University of Auckland Ngā Ara Whetū – Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society & Stanford’s new Doerr School of Sustainability is a natural extension of that. This is the start of what I know can become a broader opportunity for partnership.”
Brown said Aotearoa had a unique opportunity to lead the global transition to a sustainable economy.
The businesses hosting Stanford interns are:
Auckland FC
Tracksuit
Ternary
Halter
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Vector
Mushroom Material
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attributable to Detective Sergeant Joe Salisbury:
A man is due in court today on a charge of attempted murder in relation to a shooting in Palmerston North last month.
Police were called to an address in Tremaine Avenue on the evening of Friday 13 December to a report that a woman had been shot by someone known to her.
She went to hospital with critical injuries, and has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.
Since then, Police have conducted several scene examinations and made a number of inquiries.
This led to an arrest warrant being executed yesterday with the assistance of the Armed Offenders Squad at a Kimbolton campground for a 21-year-old man.
He is due in Palmerston North District Court today on charges of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
A 23-year-old man was also arrested at the same location on unrelated firearms charges.
We know the Police activity yesterday would have concerned some members of the public who were in the area, and we want to reassure them that as a result, a man accused of violent offending will now be held to account for his actions.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.
“A new Westgate station will provide better connections between local bus and Western Express (WXI) services to Auckland city and will form an important part of the Government’s wider plans to deliver a busway alongside State Highway 16 from Brigham Creek to Auckland City through the Northwest Rapid Transit project,” Mr Brown says.
“With more than 100,000 extra people expected to be living in the northwest of Auckland by 2051, we need to provide more reliable public transport choices that reduce travel times and congestion in Auckland.
“The enabling works getting underway for the new Westgate bus station include bulk earthworks to provide a level platform to build the new station on, debris removal, site compound establishment and fencing, and utility works, including storm water line construction and other connections.
“The NZ Transport Agency expects a construction contract for the station to be awarded by mid-2025, with works beginning soon after and completed in mid-2026. When complete the new Westgate station will replace the temporary bus stop on Kedgley Road.
“This Government is committed to delivering a rapid transit system that will support urban development and housing growth in the northwest of Auckland – it’s great to see work on this important project starting to get underway.”
The Westgate Bus Station project is funded by the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) to enable advance delivery of the local portion of the Westgate Bus Station.
Source: Department of Conservation
Date: 07 January 2025
The juvenile/subadult dolphin, which is travelling with a fully grown dolphin, was first reported to DOC’s hotline on 29 December. It was observed entangled in a fishing net in the Western Waitemata Harbour.
DOC staff have been monitoring the dolphins in the Riverhead Herald Island area, and although they have appeared calm, the positioning of the net may limit the entangled dolphin’s movement and ability to dive.
DOC’s specialist marine mammal disentanglement team is assembling and preparing to intervene. There is added difficulty due to the dolphin’s companion animal, and careful planning is required to ensure a safe outcome for both animals.
What you can do if you spot the dolphin
“It’s vital to locate this dolphin as soon as possible,” says Kirsty Prior, DOC Operations Manager. “The safety of both the animal and people responding to its distress is our top priority. Entangled marine mammals face significant risks, and careful planning is needed to ensure the best outcome.”
Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris is a growing threat to marine life. DOC urges fishers and boaties to minimise floating slack lines when setting fishing gear and to dispose of waste and old gear responsibly to prevent marine debris.
DOC has a specialist marine mammal disentanglement team trained to safely free entangled animals using internationally recognised best practices. “Entanglements like this happen one to two times a year around New Zealand,” says Kirsty. “We have the skills, equipment, and experience to respond, when necessary, but locating the animal is the first crucial step.”
While disentanglement procedures are primarily designed for larger marine mammals like whales, DOC will assess and adapt its approach for this entangled dolphin. DOC teams are equipped with specialist tools and follow strict protocols to ensure safety for both the marine mammal and rescuers.
The last reported sighting was yesterday afternoon by the Huapai Golf Course at the edge of Waitemata Harbour. Anyone spotting the dolphins should call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 36 24 68) immediately with the location and dolphin’s behaviour.
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz