Australia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision was in response to "human rights abuses" in China's Xinjiang province and "many other issues that Australia has consistently raised".

Athletes would still attend, he added.

China has condemned the US announcement and threatened to retaliate, without giving further details.

On Monday, the US said it would not send diplomats to the Games in Beijing over concerns about China's human rights record.

Samoa established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1971, just nine years after Samoa became the first Pacific islands territory to gain independence from New Zealand.

In her speech, Australia’s High Commissioner, Emily Luck said, "In 1971 Samoa was nine years into independence having led the way for the Pacific in 1962.”

"The people of Australia and the Pacific value their mobility, we are explorers. Over 75,000 Australians identify as having Samoan ancestry and many continue to maintain a strong connection with their families in Samoa.”

The MOU signing was a resigning of the partnership between the two governments for a further four years.

The government of Australia took this partnership to a greater commitment by donating  police equipment to enhance general policing in Samoa.

Drones, digital forensic equipment, bikes, uniforms, equipment for the bike unit, tents, tablets for roadblocks, speed guns for traffic session, water plasters for police outposts just to name a few were handed over to the Samoan police.

The equipment is valued at approximately half a million Tala.

Religious freedom has been in the spotlight in Australia for years amid concern from some that the likes of churches, schools, and workplaces are unable to express their religious beliefs.

In a move seen as targeting religious voters with an election just months away, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the legislation would protect people who express their religious faith outside of the workplace as long as it did not cause financial damage to their employer.

The Ferns will play England, Australia and South Africa.

Subject to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the four international sides will take to the court on 15, 16, 18 and 19 January at the Copper Box Arena in London.

Teams will play each other head-to-head once, with a third and fourth place game and a final to decide the winner.

Silver Ferns head coach Dame Noeline Taurua said the series was an important part of the squad's preparation for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, which get underway in July 2022.

Skilled migrants and international students, as well as Japan and South Korean citizens, will be among those allowed entry from 1 December.

All must be fully vaccinated.

Australia has implemented some of the world's tightest border controls since March last year, including on its own citizens.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Monday's announcement an "important step forward".

Under the relaxed rules, eligible visa holders will be allowed to return to Australia without needing a special exemption.

Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, were last heard from on 20 March last year when they called a friend from their remote campsite in Victoria.

Despite one of the state's largest missing person investigations, there has been no trace of the hikers since.

On Tuesday, Victoria Police said they had arrested a 55-year-old man from Melbourne in connection with the case.

He is being questioned by police but has not been charged.

Investigators believe Mr Hill and Ms Clay went missing shortly after the call to their friend using a high-frequency radio.

Only children under the age of 12, NT residents, a small number of essential personnel and people arriving on compassionate grounds will be able to access an exemption under some of the country's strictest rules, which will come into effect on Monday.

"Previously, arriving from a green zone you didn't have to be vaccinated," Chief Minister Michael Gunner said today.

"On Monday that route is closed."

Gunner said the small number of unvaccinated travellers would still need to isolate on arrival and get tested.

Around 12,000 seasonal workers have come into Australia over the past year from Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and Solomon Islands but of those, more than 1000 have absconded.

However, the government's campaign, which featured posters, faced serious public backlash, with critics saying it created fear and shame among workers.

Bundaberg Pastoral care worker Jeff Smith said the campaign was one of fear.

"Every word on that thing is fear driven, there is no compassion," he told Pacific Beat.

In a missing child case that gripped the nation, Cleo Smith, 4, was rescued from a stranger's home on 3 November.

Police had charged Terence Kelly with her abduction.

But hours after his arrest, Seven wrongly published photos of Terrance Flowers, another Aboriginal man.

His lawyers said Seven had significantly injured his character and reputation by misrepresenting him as the main suspect.