New Zealand

Up to 1.7 million travellers from 60 countries who previously didn't need a visa will now be required to declare their passport details and any criminal history before they can travel.

The government has spent $5 million on a domestic and international marketing campaign to make sure people aren't stopped at the gates.

Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand executive director Justin Tighe-Umbers said about 4000 to 5000 travellers would need an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) each day.

A new strain of the beetle, CRB-G, is resistant to traditional control methods, and the government said it could cause $US150 million dollars to be lost from the Pacific's coconut and palm oil industries every year.

CRB-G is established in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands where it is damaging palm trees.

New Zealand is contributing about $US11 million dollars to the fight, some of which will go to science institute AgResearch.

The NZ Minister of Immigration Iain Lees-Galloway announced Thursday that the RSE cap would increase by 1,550 places this year, bringing the total available RSE visas to 14,400.

“We are helping our regions’ growers to plan ahead and get the support they need. For the first time we are announcing a two-year increase to the RSE quota. This will help address industry concerns that a lack of certainty on RSE numbers makes it hard for them to plan for labour needs and accommodation requirements,” Iain Lees-Galloway said.

Wesley College, at Paerata, south of Auckland, is marking 175 years after being established by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in October 1844.

The school is well known for producing more recent All Blacks than any other school in the country, most notably Jonah Lomu.

Originally a boys' school in recent times Wesley has been also produced a number of high achieving female sports stars.

There has also been significant success in academia, the arts, business and politics at home and internationally.

Remittances are a key source of earnings for many Pacific families who have relatives working abroad and the intervention comes as both Wellington and Canberra step up their engagement in the region.

The plans are part of a push to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include a commitment to reduce remittance costs to less than three percent by 2030. In the Pacific, the average remittance costs are more than 10 percent, well above the global average of 7.1 percent.

Kelli Brown opened the scoring with just seconds on the clock and ended the game with an incredible eleven goals to her name.

Arabella Maynard and Maggie Jenkins scored five a piece and were among six other players to get on the scoresheet, while Samoa ended the match with ten players after Paepae Tuitama was sent off in the 42nd minute.

New Zealand coach Gemma Lewis was understandably thrilled with her team's opening performance.

Undisputed regional heavyweights New Zealand will have their eyes firmly set on their seventh consecutive OFC U-19 Women’s titles when they embark on their 2019 campaign against a dangerous Samoa side in the opening match.

Meanwhile Tahiti will create a slice of Oceania women’s football history with their first ever appearance in this age group when they face American Samoa in the later kick-off.

The celebrity dancer and choreographer met with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday, to discuss her plans for the six-month long expo.

Ardern said Goebel's plans were "spectacular" and would do the country proud. Her programme was made to reflect themes of caring for people and the environment, with a focus on youth and sustainability.

In a statement, Goebel said her new role was "an honour" and she was using it as a chance to work with artists from different fields.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference at Faleolo International Airport Thursday afternoon that no decision has been made.

“I imagine and anticipate that it will be an ongoing conversation between New Zealand and Samoa and no decisions taken at this time but it was a topic of discussions,” added Prime Minister Ardern.

In general she said that the proposal is but one of the sports-related issues on the table during the bilateral talks with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Jacinda Ardern joined Samoa's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, for the launch in Apia.

It's estimated that there are no more than 200 manumea in the forests of Samoa, the only country where this species of pigeon is found.

Speaking at the launch, Fiame said the manumea had significant value for Samoa's culture and heritage.