New Zealand

On 19 March 2020 New Zealand snapped its border shut to anyone without citizenship or residency, before any Covid-19-related deaths were recorded.

It was the first time in our history such a move was made, with the ban also including those from the Pacific.

Today, the countdown is on to welcome back vaccinated visitors from visa waiver countries.

New Zealand's already reopened the border to vaccinated Australians and some international students.

Newshub understands an official announcement will be made next week to confirm the clash at Mt Smart Stadium on June 25. 

The Kiwis haven't played since November 2019 and haven't played at Mt Smart, since they beat Tonga in June 2019. 

The game may form a doubleheader with the Kiwi Ferns, as both sides prepare for this year's Rugby League World Cup in England.

The international game took a major hit, when the Rugby League World Cup was postponed last year, and games leading up to the delayed tournament may reignite the test calendar.  

New Zealand has targeted sanctions against Russian oligarchs and their families, with 36 individuals added to the list overnight.

Ardern said reports of Ukraine civilians who had been killed, raped and severely wounded by Russian troops were "beyond reprehensible".

"Russia must answer to the world for what they've done. It goes without saying that these atrocities are against international law.

Eight Tongan speaking socio-psycho analysts will be attached to the Tongan Women's Crisis Centre.

This is the second PACMAT assignment coordinated by the Pacific Medical Association and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

PMA CEO Debbie Sorensen says the team will work closely with locals for eight weeks:

"What we became aware of is that there was considerable distress and anxiety in the community but also among young people and children following the eruption and tsunami.

Health authorities said the outbreak had peaked in Auckland but was still growing nearly everywhere else.

Pinnacle Midlands Health Network has 85 practices across the middle of the North Island and medical director Jo Scott-Jones said some were seeing huge numbers of patients with the virus.

There were surges in Taranaki, Tairāwhiti, Lakes and Waikato DHB areas, he said.

"What we're seeing is being described as a Mexican wave, sort of travelling down the country," he said.

The volcanic alert level at Mt Ruapehu has been raised to two. It was previously at one.

In a statement, duty volcanologist Craig Miller said another heating phase had started at Mt Ruapehu and Crater Lake (Te Wai ā-moe), with the temperature now reaching 31C.

It was currently overflowing into Whangaehu river.

"Typically, over periods of months, Ruapehu's crater lake undergoes heating and cooling cycles. A new heating cycle has started and has been accompanied by strong levels of volcanic tremor (volcanic earthquakes)," he said.

Guinness World Records have told Colin and Donna Craig-Brown that what they believed to be a potato is in fact a gourd tuber.

Guinness wrote to the pair to confirm scientific testing found their find was not a potato.

The discovery of the tuber happened last year when Mr Craig-Brown hit it with a hoe while gardening on their small farm near Hamilton.

He said it looks and tasted like a potato while admitting he did not know what gourd tuber tasted like.

"What can you say?" Mr Craig-Brown told the Associated Press.

The New Zealand research has been carried out by three organisations - Pasifika Youth Online Gaming and Gambling Research, Mapu Maia Pasifika Service and Moana Research.

They have found children across New Zealand as young as five are showing symptoms of 'gaming harm'.

Lead researcher Dr Seini Taufa said the research is the first of its kind and 75 young people were interviewed.

Taufa said more investment is required to support efforts to overcome problem gambling.

Vaiangina is the sole provider for his wife and four children and represents many Pacific families struggling to pay for basic needs.

He works a fulltime job and lives in transitional housing, meaning he pays only $155 per week for rent, but still struggles to make ends meet as he's the only one working.

"Normally I used to have enough but just at the beginning of this year, I can't have any left over," Vaiangina says.

“Even with that $155 going out for my rent, I still can't save anything else after two weeks."

Two Covid-related deaths have also been reported and there are 952 people in hospital, including 19 in intensive care.

The average age of people in hospital is currently 58.

Of the two Covid-related deaths, one was in Waikato and one was in Canterbury. Both people were women aged over 70.

The total number of publicly reported Covid-19 related deaths to date is now 115, the ministry said in a statement.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with the whānau and friends of all those who have died."