Orlando man accused of stealing over $100K in Best Buy merchandise during statewide spree
An Orlando man booked in Brevard County is accused of stealing some $118,413.45 in merchandise from Best Buy stores across the state in a crime spree lasting the better part of a year, according to investigators.
U.S. Women's World Cup tie vs. Netherlands draws combined audience of 7.93 million on Fox, Telemundo
The United States’ 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in the Women’s World Cup drew 7.93 million viewers, making it the largest combined English- and Spanish-language audience for a group stage match involving the American women.
Blinken heads to Tonga, New Zealand, Australia as US shifts Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Tonga, New Zealand and Australia next week as the Biden administration shifts its Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive in part to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Anti-mandate protesters converge on New Zealand Parliament
About 2,000 protesters upset with the government’s pandemic response converged on New Zealand’s Parliament — but it appeared there would be no repeat of the action six months ago in which protesters camped out on Parliament grounds for more than three weeks.
New Zealand marks 2 years since Christchurch mosque killings
Temel Atacocugu, right, who survived being shot nine times during the attack on the Al Noor mosque, cries as he speaks at a National Remembrance Service, Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The service marks the second anniversary of a shooting massacre in which 51 worshippers were killed at two Christchurch mosques by a white supremacist. (Kai Schwoerer/Pool via AP)WELLINGTON – New Zealand on Saturday marked the second anniversary of one of its most traumatic days, when 51 worshippers were killed at two Christchurch mosques by a white supremacist gunman. Several hundred people gathered at the Christchurch Arena for the remembrance service, which was also livestreamed. After the attacks, New Zealand quickly passed new laws banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons.
New Zealand pushes to end global tariffs on virus supplies
New Zealand is pushing for nations around the world to end tariffs on face masks, syringes and other supplies needed to battle the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)WELLINGTON – New Zealand is pushing for nations around the world to end tariffs on face masks, syringes and other supplies needed to battle the coronavirus pandemic. “It is a depressing, objective fact that across our region, many economies impose tariffs, even on vaccines,” said Vangelis Vitalis, the chairperson of APEC’s senior officials’ meeting. New Zealand last year removed tariffs from such virus supplies. Similar to Malaysia, New Zealand is hosting APEC meetings online rather than in person due to the pandemic.
The Latest: Alaska opens vaccines to all 16 or older
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker shows Alaska leading states in the percentage of its population to have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Larry Hogan said Tuesday, citing improving COVID-19 health metrics and increasing vaccinations. It was unclear what authority state officials might be able to exert on federal facilities. — County health officials in Wyoming have detected the coronavirus variant that originated in South Africa. Another 16 million doses are expected to be shipped by the end of the month.
The Latest: New Zealand opens 1st big vaccination clinic
New Zealand has opened its first large vaccination clinic as it scales up efforts to protect people from the coronavirus. (New Zealand Ministry of Health via AP)WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand has opened its first large vaccination clinic as it scales up efforts to protect people from the coronavirus. Gordon cites Wyoming’s declining number of COVID-19 cases and its success in distributing vaccines as reasons to lift the restrictions. AdThe nation of 1.3 million has seen a rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases n the past few weeks. Italy’s total virus cases surpassed 3 million last week, with a new surge powered by the highly contagious variant that was first identified in Britain.
Little damage from huge Pacific quake; tsunami threat passes
People gather on high ground in Whangarei, New Zealand, as a tsunami warning is issued Friday, March 5, 2021. Small tsunami waves were seen, but little damage was apparent hours later. The tsunami threat caused traffic jams and some chaos in New Zealand as people scrambled to get to higher ground. Smaller waves were measured elsewhere in the South Pacific. In 2011, a magnitude 6.3 quake hit the city of Christchurch, killing 185 people and destroying much of its downtown.
New Zealand remembers 185 who died in quake 10 years ago
Monday marked a decade since the quake struck, killing 185 people. Hundreds of people attended an outdoor service in Christchurch, which continues to rebuild from the magnitude 6.3 quake that destroyed much of its downtown. A separate service was also held in the northern Japanese city of Toyama, home to 12 students who died in the quake. Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel talked about the 28 Japanese citizens who died, the largest number of victims from any country outside of New Zealand. The 12 Japanese students were having lunch at King’s Education, an English language school for international students, when the quake struck, destroying the building.
No new community cases found in New Zealand since lockdown
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talks to media in Wellington, New Zealand Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. As people in Auckland adjusted to a new lockdown on Monday, health officials said they'd found no evidence the coronavirus had spread further in the community, raising hopes the restrictions might be short-lived. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)WELLINGTON – As people in Auckland adjusted to a new lockdown on Monday, health officials said they'd found no evidence the coronavirus had spread further in the community, raising hopes the restrictions might be short-lived. New Zealand's largest city was hurriedly placed into a three-day lockdown Sunday after three unexplained virus cases were found. AdPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the three community cases were of the more contagious variant first found in Britain and that genome testing hadn’t linked them to any previous known cases.