Liu Chen, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) Journalist Profile

Articles

World Cup dreams come true for rising young chess stars

3 days ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

Two 11-year-old Aucklanders are excited to compete in the Chess World Cup later this month. Sai Vivan Karthikeya Somaraju and Luna Lu will compete in the Under 12 Open and Under 12 Girls competitions at the FIDE world cup in Batumi, Georgia. Having won numerous titles in New Zealand and abroad, the pair aren't unfamiliar names in the domestic chess community. The duo was supposed to attend the 2023 World Cup in Egypt but dropped out at the last minute due to concerns about hostilities in Gaza.
Woman pleads not guilty to theft after receiving mistaken bank transfer

4 days ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

A woman charged with theft after receiving a pensioner's life savings by mistake entered a not guilty plea. The 38-year-old West Auckland woman appeared before a magistrate at the Auckland District Court. Auckland retiree Sit Bong (Andrew) Che, 78, mistakenly transferred $158,643 from the UK early last year to the wrong account after missing a digit when entering payment instructions for his own Westpac account.
"In The Nuclear Era....:" What UK Analyst Said On Operation Sindoor

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Liu Chen

13 hours agoIndia: Leopard emerges under cover of night, launches swift attack on sleeping dog before disappearing into darknessKerala, India - May 22, 2025 A leopard was found in the backyard of a house. The wild animal entered the premises and attacked the family’s pet dog, which was resting outside, killing it before retreating from the scene. The incident occurred in the Devikulam Central Division of Munnar, in Idukki district, in southern India’s Kerala, on May 22.
Targeted funding missing from Budget, ethnic leaders say

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

The Budget unveiled by Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Thursday dashed ethnic leaders' hopes of receiving more targeted funding for their communities. The Ethnic Communities Development Fund, one of the chief funds for the cohort that is managed by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, hasn't increased from $4.2 million annually since 2019.
Budget 2025: Ethnic leaders seek targeted investment

2 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

Ethnic leaders are calling for more targeted investment in their communities ahead of the government's Budget announcement on Thursday. Without sufficient and sustainable funding, key services such as language help, health assistance, and migrant and refugee settlement programmes could be impacted, they said.
More unsafe children’s products found at Panda Mart

3 weeks ago | 1news.co.nz | Businessrnz.co.nzBy Liu Chen |Liu Chen

The Commerce Commission has identified seven more children's products it considers unsafe as part of its ongoing investigation into bargain store Panda Mart. The items — a baby walker, doll, smartphone toy, fairy cake toy, sunscreen product and two car toys — have been added to a list of 40 children's goods the commission declared to be unsafe in December. Recall notices have been issued for the 47 items sold in Panda Mart's stores in Auckland and Christchurch.
More unsafe children’s products found at Panda Mart

3 weeks ago | odt.co.nz | Liu Chen

Friday, 16 May 2025 You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image. CanterburyChristchurchBy Liu Chen of RNZThe Commerce Commission has identified seven more children's products it considers unsafe as part of its ongoing investigation into bargain store Panda Mart.
More unsafe children’s products found at Panda Mart

3 weeks ago | radionz.co.nz | Liu Chen

The Commerce Commission has identified seven more children's products it considers unsafe as part of its ongoing investigation into bargain store Panda Mart. The items - a baby walker, doll, smartphone toy, fairy cake toy, sunscreen product and two car toys - have been added to a list of 40 children's goods the commission declared to be unsafe in December. Recall notices have been issued for the 47 items sold in Panda Mart's stores in Auckland and Christchurch.
Cyberbullying in spotlight amid proposed social media ban

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

As workers dressed in an array of salmon- and rose-coloured outfits stream into offices nationwide on Friday to mark Pink Shirt Day, advocacy groups are calling for greater protections to be put in place to guard against cyberbullying. The calls come amid a recent proposal by the National Party to ban social media for users younger than 16. Brent Carey, chief executive of Netsafe, said the online safety organisation had received more than 2000 reports of online harassment in the past year.
New Zealand banks unable to catch all mistaken transfers through human error

3 weeks ago | rnz.co.nz | Liu Chen

Finance experts warn consumers to double-check account details when making international bank transfers after an Auckland pensioner almost lost his life savings in error. The heterogeneous nature of the international banking system prevented domestic banks from introducing effective protocols to catch errors, they say.