Australia and New Zealand have sent airplanes to New Caledonia to begin bringing home stranded citizens from the violence-wracked French South Pacific territory.

As professional rugby teams and tournaments around the world contend with tough financial headwinds Japan continues to buck the trend, experiencing historic growth both in teams and crowds.

New Zealand has entered its second recession in 18 months after the latest round of GDP figures confirmed its economy contracted in the last quarter of 2023.

New Zealand says it will ban disposable e-cigarettes, or vapes, and raise financial penalties for those who sell such products to minors.

Officials are investigating what caused a “strong shake” before a sudden plunge on a plane traveling between Australia and New Zealand.

Officials say at least 50 people have been injured by what they described as a “strong movement” on a Chilean plane traveling from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand.

Spain forward Jenni Hermoso has led the fight against sexism in Spanish soccer after finding herself in the global spotlight when she was kissed on the lips by former federation president Luis Rubiales without her consent after the Women's World Cup final.

Coco Gauff will defend her title at the Auckland Classic against Elina Svitolina after beating fellow American Emma Navarro 6-3, 6-1 in a semifinal.

There will be a first-time winner of the Women’s World Cup this year.

Generational talents Marta, Christine Sinclair and Megan Rapinoe have all played in their final Women’s World Cup.

The shot that hit the post in the Americans’ scoreless draw with Portugal not only allowed the defending champions to advance out of the group stage, it also preserved any meaningful betting action in the U.S. on the Women’s World Cup.

United States co-captain Lindsey Horan brushed aside criticism leveled at the team by former striker-turned-pundit Carli Lloyd, calling it outside noise.

The United States is clearly not the dominant team that won the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Ana Capeta hit the post.

A Colorado woman has become the 1 millionth ticketholder to attend a game at the Women’s World Cup being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Sophie Roman Haug’s three goals kick-started Norway’s dormant offense and sparked a 6-0 win over the Philippines on Sunday that moved the Norweigians to the knockout stage of the Women’s World Cup.

Savannah DeMelo was a surprise addition to the U.S. roster for the Women's World Cup because she had never played for the national team.

Katie Robinson knows England left many unimpressed with its underwhelming 1-0 victory against overmatched Haiti in its opening match at the Women’s World Cup.

Sophia Smith flashed the zipping her lips gesture as she celebrated her second goal against Vietnam during the opening United States' opening match at the Women’s World Cup in tribute to former Stanford teammate Katie Meyer.

Megan Rapinoe’s final run on the global stage begins Saturday when the United States opens its quest to win an unprecedented third consecutive Women’s World Cup title.

The United States begins its journey to a record third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with the same confidence it had in winning the last two tournaments.

Police say the two men gunned down at a New Zealand construction site had worked alongside the shooter, and court records showed the gunman had been convicted of domestic violence for attacking a girlfriend.

Hannah Wilkinson has scored to open the second half and New Zealand has upset Norway 1-0 for its first-ever win at the Women’s World Cup just hours after a shooting in downtown Auckland that shocked the host nation.

Christine Sinclair hopes her sixth appearance at the Women's World Cup will finally land Canada the elusive title.

A gunman opened fire on terrified workers on a construction site in downtown Auckland, killing two people hours before New Zealand hosted the first game of the Women’s World Cup.

The United States Women’s National Team is ready to bring home another World Cup trophy.

Britain has officially joined an Asia-Pacific trade group that includes Japan and 10 other nations during a meeting in New Zealand.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is writing a book that will focus on leadership.

New Zealanders this week have been debating a thorny health care issue — whether ethnicity should be a factor in determining when patients get surgery.

Police and witnesses say a man with an axe attacked random diners at three neighboring Chinese restaurants in New Zealand.

Two men who helped run the once wildly popular pirating website Megaupload have each been sentenced by a New Zealand court to more than two years in prison.

New Zealand’s national airline is asking passengers to step on the scales before they board international flights.

The New Zealand government has declared a national state of emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle battered the country’s north in what officials described as the nation’s most severe weather event in years.

Auckland residents are hunkering down Monday as they brace for a deluge from Cyclone Gabrielle.

Forward Alex Morgan says the U.S. national team should have internal discussions about playing exhibition games in states that restrict transgender kids from participating in sports.

New Zealand’s Northland region has lifted a state of emergency declaration after an overnight storm didn’t turn out as bad as feared.

Residents in New Zealand's largest city were bracing for another deluge and more flooding, four days after Auckland endured its wettest day on record in a storm that killed four people.

Authorities said three people were dead and at least one missing as record levels of rainfall pounded New Zealand’s largest city, causing widespread disruption.

New Zealand has passed into law a unique plan to phase out tobacco smoking by imposing a lifetime ban on young people buying cigarettes.

A New Zealand court has temporarily taken away medical custody of a baby from his parents after they refused blood transfusions for him unless the blood comes from donors who are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

New Zealand is launching a wide-ranging inquiry into whether it made the right decisions in battling COVID-19 and how it can better prepare for future pandemics.

New Zealand lawmakers will take a vote on whether to lower the nation’s voting age from 18 to 16.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has criticized broadcasters for what he calls unacceptably low offers for rights to screen the Women’s World Cup next year.

The defending champion United States will face Netherlands in the group stage of the women’s soccer World Cup next summer, setting up an early rematch of the 2019 World Cup final.

Farmers across New Zealand have taken to the streets in their tractors to protest government plans to tax cow burps and other greenhouse gas emissions, although the rallies were smaller than expected.

Police say a man wounded four people in a stabbing rampage in a New Zealand city before bystanders brought him to the ground.

Two men have pleaded guilty in New Zealand to their involvement in running the once wildly popular pirating website Megaupload.

New Zealand will help pay for lower-income families to scrap their old gas guzzlers and replace them with cleaner hybrid or electric cars as part of a sweeping plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A New Zealand man on Thursday was sentenced to one year in prison for threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her nation is “ready to welcome the world back” with most tourists allowed to return by May as the nation continues to ease its coronavirus restrictions.

New Zealand is ending a requirement that incoming travelers isolate themselves.

New Zealand is among the few remaining countries to have avoided any outbreaks of the omicron variant.

Bars, restaurants and gyms have reopened in Auckland as the last major parts of a lockdown that lasted more than 100 days ended.

Australia and New Zealand will each stage 24 games in the group stage when the countries host the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023.

The emergence of the omicron variant isn’t changing New Zealand’s plans to ease restrictions in Auckland and move the nation into a new, more open phase of its pandemic response.

New Zealand will reopen its borders to the world over the coming months, allowing for the return of displaced residents from January and tourists from April.

Bars, restaurants and gyms can reopen in Auckland from early December but customers will be required to show proof they’ve been fully vaccinated.

The lockdown of New Zealand’s largest city is likely to end later this month, with some coronavirus restrictions being eased Tuesday.

New Zealand will gradually loosen its border quarantine system, which has been among the toughest in the world throughout the pandemic.

New Zealand’s government has set an ambitious target of fully vaccinating 90% of all eligible people to end coronavirus lockdowns.

Russia’s daily death toll from COVID-19 has exceeded 1,000 for the first time as the country faces a sustained wave of rising infections.

Most of New Zealand’s health care workers and teachers will soon be legally required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The southern winter that just ended in New Zealand was the warmest ever recorded, and scientists say climate change is driving temperatures ever higher.

New Zealand authorities say they shot and killed an extremist after he entered a supermarket and unleashed a knife attack that wounded six shoppers.

By early next week, New Zealanders should know if their government’s strict new lockdown is working to stamp out its first coronavirus outbreak in six months.

New Zealand’s government has taken drastic action by putting the entire nation into a strict lockdown after finding a single case of coronavirus infection in the community.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has formally apologized for a racially charged part of the nation’s history, known as the Dawn Raids.

New Zealand has recorded its warmest June since recordkeeping began, as ski fields struggle to open and experts predict shorter southern winters in the future.

Some of the countries that were most praised last year for controlling the coronavirus are lagging far behind in getting their populations vaccinated.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern plans to marry her longtime partner during the southern summer.

While much of the world remains hunkered down, the band Six60 has been playing to huge crowds in New Zealand, where social distancing isn’t required after the nation stamped out the coronavirus.

Elton John performs at Mt Smart Stadium on February 16, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Dave Simpson/WireImage)NEW YORK – Elton John is celebrating his 74th birthday on Thursday — and he’s sending fans a very rare present. The other songs are: “Holiday Inn,” “Keep It a Mystery,” “Smokestack Children,” “Two of a Kind” and “Conquer the Sun.”“Scarecrow” marks the first time Elton put his music to Taupin’s lyrics. “‘Scarecrow’ will always have a very special place in my heart, and I know that Bernie feels the same way too. The six songs will be added to the digital version of the collection “Elton: Jewel Box,” which was first released in November and contains more than 100 rare songs spanning 1965 to 2019.

Britain's INEOS Team UK, right, leads Italy's Luna Rossa to win race six of the Prada Cup on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. AdWhen Auckland moved to Alert Level 2 at midnight Wednesday, Luna Rossa was eager to immediately get back on the water. Luna Rossa sought to shut it out and in the tussle both boats were over the line early. Luna Rossa cut that to nine seconds at the final mark but Britannia held on. “It was a great race,” Luna Rossa co-helmsman James Spithill said.

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.

New Zealands largest city of Auckland is being placed into a three-day lockdown Sunday following the discovery of three unexplained virus cases. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)WELLINGTON – New Zealand's largest city of Auckland has begun a three-day lockdown following the discovery of three unexplained coronavirus cases in the community. It has also forced a delay in the America's Cup sailing regatta. AdThe country has been hosting the America's Cup sailing regatta. The winner will then take on Emirates Team New Zealand for the America's Cup.

The Grand Millenium hotel, a managed isolation facility is seen in central Auckland, New Zealand, July, 16, 2020. A traveler and a worker at the quarantine hotel started passing each other notes, including one written on the back of a face mask. The man working at the quarantine hotel was supposed to be the last line of defense. Brigadier Jim Bliss, the head of managed isolation and quarantine, said the worker was immediately sent home and told to self-isolate. New Zealand's successful response has resulted in just 25 people dying from the virus in a nation of 5 million.

(Michael Craig/NZ Herald via AP)WELLINGTON – High winds and harsh reality blew away American Magic’s hope of a fairytale return to the America’s Cup challenger series when Italy’s Luna Rossa won both races Friday on the first day of the best-of-seven semifinals. But pragmatism intruded when Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailed clinically in tough conditions at Auckland to win the first race by 2 minutes, 33 seconds and the second race by 3 minutes, 7 seconds. AdAmerican Magic also lost control on the sixth leg of the second race, slid sideways and fell off its foils, conceding a lead of almost 2 minutes after six of eight legs. Luna Rossa seemed to have made a considerable leap forward since the round-robin stages when it looked best in light winds. But the Italian team quickly recovered and Luna Rossa extended its lead at every mark.

United States' American Magic capsizes during it's race against Italy's Luna Rossa on the third day of racing of the America's Cup challenger series on Auckland's Waitemate Harbour, New Zealand, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (Michael Craig/NZ Herald via AP)WELLINGTON – U.S. challenger American Magic returned its racing yacht Patriot to the water Wednesday just 10 days after a dramatic capsize threatened to ends its involvement in the America’s Cup in New Zealand. The winner of the series will progress to the Prada Cup final where it will meet Britian’s INEOS Team UK. The achievement of American Magic in repairing Patriot on such a tight deadline has amazed rival teams and sailing experts. American Magic mainsail trimmer Paul Goodison told New Zealand media organization NZME the U.S. team hopes to “carry on where we left off” as Patriot is re-launched.

India is second in the world in total reported coronavirus cases behind the U.S., but daily infections have been on the decline since the middle of September. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Virus Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced the new rules on Monday after meeting with senior lawmakers. The Health Ministry said Monday that the country was showing a trend of declining average daily cases over the last two months. India’s daily cases have seen a steady decline since the middle of September, but New Delhi is now recording more new infections than any other state. — South Korea’s daily coronavirus tally has stayed above 200 for a third consecutive day, as authorities consider raising the country’s social distancing rules.

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2020, file photo, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures as she gives her victory speech to Labour Party members at an event in Auckland, New Zealand. Ardern announced her new Cabinet lineup Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, after her liberal Labour Party won reelection in a landslide victory last month. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)

Ardern has won a second term in office in an election landslide of historic proportions. Speaking at a cafe near her Auckland home, Ardern said she expects to form a new government within three weeks and to prioritize work on the virus response. In the election, Ardern's liberal Labour Party got 49% of the vote, crushing the conservative National Party, which got 27%. The following year, she became only the second world leader to give birth while in office. Asked if she planned to run again at the next election, Ardern laughed.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures as she gives her victory speech to Labour Party members at an event in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)AUCKLAND – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won a second term in office Saturday in an election landslide of historic proportions. With most votes counted, Ardern's liberal Labour Party was winning 49% of the vote compared to 27% for its main challenger, the conservative National Party. In a speech to her supporters in Auckland, Collins said she'd called Ardern to congratulate her. “It is an outstanding result for the Labour Party,” Collins said.

New Zealanders are poised to decide on two crucial social issues during an election on Saturday, Oct. 17, whether to legalize recreational marijuana and whether to legalize euthanasia. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)AUCKLAND – New Zealanders are poised to decide on two landmark social issues during an election Saturday: whether to legalize recreational marijuana and whether to legalize euthanasia. Polls indicate the euthanasia referendum is likely to pass while the result of the marijuana measure remains uncertain. The marijuana measure would allow people to buy up to 14 grams (0.5 ounce) a day and grow two plants. If the euthanasia referendum is approved, it would become law, whereas if the marijuana referendum is approved, it would still require lawmakers to pass matching legislation.

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut is forming an advisory group to validate the safety of any coronavirus vaccines and how to distribute them to the public, Gov. ___WASHINGTON — The White House is urging U.S. governors to put politics aside and help the Trump administration promote future coronavirus vaccines as safe and effective. Trump has escalated his promise for a coronavirus vaccine before Election Day. Greek authorities say the fire was started by residents angry at a lockdown order after 35 COVID-19 cases were recorded at Moria. ___YPSILANTI, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University will test campus wastewater for the COVID-19 virus and other signs of infectious diseases.

The Health Ministry also Monday reported 1,130 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total reported fatalities to 87,882. To offset the economic crisis, the government has been relaxing virus restrictions despite the surging cases. Wearing masks is compulsory, and thermal screening and physical distancing are among other virus restrictions being used. The government is attempting to stem a rising number of coronavirus cases that began last month with an outbreak in the western state of Rakhine. Myanmar health officials have reported 5,805 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 97 deaths.

(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)WELLINGTON, New Zealand: All remaining virus restrictions will be lifted across much of New Zealand from late Monday with the exception of the largest city, Auckland, which will continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days. Nationally, nursing home residents account for less than 1% of the U.S. population but more than 40% of the coronavirus deaths. ___DUESSELDORF, Germany — Hundreds of people demonstrated in downtown Duesseldorf Sunday against government coronavirus restrictions and in support of a host of other causes. People waved signs with slogans like “end to panic, corona pandemic is a lie” and “corona rebels” as songs decrying coronavirus restrictions were played. The latest figures show that new daily coronavirus cases for Britain have risen to 4,422, the highest since early May.

— Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to 860,000, a historically high figure that reflects economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak. Thirteen of the newly confirmed cases reported Friday were in the northern province of Shaanxi, whose capital Xi’an is a major industrial center. China has gone more than a month without reporting any cases of locally transmitted coronavirus cases within its borders. As of Thursday, Georgia is close to 301,000 confirmed virus cases, with 6,474 deaths from COVID-19. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new Utah coronavirus cases has increased about 54%.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday chose to delay New Zealand's national elections by four weeks as the country deals with a new coronavirus outbreak in its largest city, Auckland. Under New Zealand law, Ardern had the option of delaying the election for up to about two months. Opposition parties had been requesting a delay after a virus outbreak in Auckland last week prompted the government to put the city into a two-week lockdown and halted election campaigning. Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but havent yet been able to figure out how it happened. She said she wouldn't consider delaying the election again, no matter what was happening with any virus outbreaks.

Cars queue at a COVID-19 test centre in Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Dean Purcel)WELLINGTON Health authorities said Friday they were investigating whether shipping workers were a source of New Zealand's first domestic coronavirus outbreak in more than three months. The outbreak has grown to 30 people and extended beyond Auckland, the country's largest city, for the first time. Health officials dont believe the virus was lurking undetected in the community for months but believe it started with a returning traveler or a border worker. All but one of the 30 cases in the outbreak are linked, most through family or work connections.

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)WELLINGTON A puzzling new outbreak of the coronavirus in New Zealand's largest city grew to 17 cases on Thursday, with officials saying the number will likely increase further. And a lockdown in Auckland designed to extinguish the outbreak could be extended well beyond an initial three days. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the outbreak was a reminder of the trickiness of the virus and how easily it can spread. The outbreak has caused hours-long delays at virus testing sites around New Zealand and some panic-buying at supermarkets of essential items like toilet paper and flour. Under New Zealand law, Ardern could delay the polls for up to two months.

(Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP)WELLINGTON Health authorities in New Zealand were scrambling Wednesday to trace the source of a new outbreak of the coronavirus as the nation's largest city went back into lockdown. Authorities have found four cases of the virus in one Auckland household from an unknown source, the first reported cases of local transmission in the country in 102 days. The case has health authorities scratching their heads, as the man had not recently traveled overseas and had no immediately apparent connection with infections contained at the border. Until Tuesday, the only known cases of the virus in New Zealand were 22 travelers held in quarantine after returning from abroad. New Zealand has been praised globally for its virus response and had just celebrated reaching 100 days without any known community transmission.

WELLINGTON New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that authorities have found four cases of the coronavirus in one Auckland household from an unknown source, the first reported cases of local transmission in the country in 102 days. And as a team, we have also been here before.She said that traveling into Auckland will be banned unless people live there and are traveling home. New Zealand initially got rid of the virus by imposing a strict lockdown in late March when only about 100 people had tested positive for the disease. New Zealanders have never routinely worn masks, but authorities have been urging people to buy them just in case. The outbreak comes less than six weeks before New Zealanders are due to go to the polls in a general election.

New Zealand police say a few officers have been shot and seriously injured and a suspect is on the run. (Michael Craig/New Zealand Herald via AP)WELLINGTON New Zealand police say one officer has been shot and killed and a second shot and injured in Auckland, and that the suspect is on the run. Police said they were carrying out a routine traffic stop Friday morning when a person began firing at them before driving away. This is a shocking situation, this is the worst news police and their families can receive," Coster told news media. He said the second officer has been hospitalized with serious injuries, while the bystander is in a hospital with minor injuries.