New Zealand

Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee co-chair, Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki, said it has been overwhelming to see more than 20 pastors and their wives handing over the goods.

She said the distribution system in Tonga has changed, people can now pick up their barrels via contactless methods from the wharf.

Thirteen Churches were represented by their leaders who offloaded the goods themselves by hand.

Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee spokesperson Jenny Salesa said this is a representation of the hundreds of years of love between Samoa and Tonga.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the new cases are in Northland (16), Auckland (340), Waikato (48), Lakes (13), Bay of Plenty (14), Lakes (13), Taranaki (1), Hutt Valley (7), Capital & Coast (4), and Southern (3).

The ministry said the number of cases would continue to fluctuate from day-to-day but "our expectation is that cases will continue to increase in the coming weeks".

They say more could and should have been done to avoid the crisis facing the 2021-2022 harvest season.

From 28 February, New Zealanders will be able to arrive back from Australia and expatriates from the rest of the world can return from 14 March.

Aotearoa was expected to open to foreigners from visa-waiver countries such as the United States no later than July.

For those who benefit from New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) Scheme, the move had come "too little too late".

This year also marks Samoa’s 60th anniversary of independence from Aotearoa New Zealand as well as the signing of the Treaty of Friendship.

In a joint statement, the New Zealand High Commission and the Government of Samoa said the special occasion will be celebrated with a number of events observing the warm relations that the two countries value and enjoy.

The Treaty of Friendship was signed on 1 August 1962.

Community Law Aotearoa blames the government for blocking scores of people from getting the official help that is available to other Afghans with visas.

Chief executive Sue Moroney also says Immigration New Zealand had just two officers processing their visas, and the whole situation "flies in the face" of the court's intentions.

A Cabinet minister said the former prime minister will travel on the next available flight.

The 76-year-old former prime minister was admitted to intensive care last Thursday and stayed in hospital for five days.

Health officials told Radio Polynesia last week that Tuilaepa had a high fever.

Tuilaepa has not been able to attend parliament since it resumed on Tuesday.

The Human Rights Protection Party has yet to issue an official statement regarding its leader's situation.

A Ministry of Health official said they had already prepared the necessary paperwork for Cabinet's review and consideration.

Last Thursday the 76-year-old was admitted to Intensive Care at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole hospital and released on Tuesday.

Radio Polynesia reported Tuilaepa had a high fever.

Parliament resumed this week but Tuilaepa, who became the opposition leader following last year's acrimonious election, has not taken his seat.

The Auckland MIQ worker returned a positive test result as part of routine testing.

The Ministry of Health has now confirmed that the worker has caught the Omicron variant.

More than 50 close contacts have so far been identified.

All of the case's seven household contacts identified have already been contacted, isolated and tested, and returned a negative result.

The case and one household contact are now isolating in a MIQ facility. The remaining household contacts are isolating at locations in Auckland and Taupō.

He did not show up to a court appearance at the Te Kūiti District Court on Wednesday and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

His lawyer Garth O'Brien told the court he had not heard from Phillips since he informed him of his court date.

Judge Phillip Crayton issued a warrant for his arrest.

Waikato West Police area commander Inspector Will Loughrin said Phillips is believed to be with his three children.

He would not say what police are doing to find him.

But Inspector Loughrin said they are receiving useful information from members of the public.

The flights are from Australia and New Zealand.

A Government release said a Fiji Airways charter will also bring home scholarship students awaiting their final exam results and people from the region moving in Samoa for employment as planned for the third week of January.

Three Qantas charter flights are scheduled to repatriate Seasonal Workers from Samoa to Australia on 14^th , 20^th and 25^th January.

On 22^nd January there is an Air New Zealand repatriation flight from Auckland New Zealand.