Jacinda Ardern

New Zealand drops 'COVID zero' goal after Delta outbreak

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted on Oct. 4 that New Zealand's widely praised "COVID zero" strategy had failed to halt a stubborn outbreak in Auckland and said a new approach was needed.

The hardline elimination policy had largely protected the country from the pandemic, with residents enjoying a near-normal domestic life alongside tight restrictions on international borders.

New Zealand unable to keep supermarket attacker locked up: Ardern

The Islamic State-inspired radical responsible for a supermarket knife rampage in New Zealand was watched for five years and jailed for three before authorities exhausted all avenues to keep him detained, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed on Sept. 4.

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The 32-year-old Sri Lankan was only freed in July and had been under police surveillance since.

Terrorist Attack in a Supermarket in New Zealand

An ISIL supporter wounded six people with a knife

Terrorist attack in a supermarket in Auckland. An ISIL supporter stabbed six people in New Zealand's largest city. The police shot the perpetrator.

According to preliminary information, three of the store's customers are in critical condition. Another was seriously injured.

Delta variant confirmed in New Zealand, virus case total at five

A coronavirus case that plunged New Zealand into a snap national lockdown was confirmed as the Delta variant Wednesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, as four more cases emerged.

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Ardern said one of the new cases was a nurse at Auckland Hospital, which had been placed in "internal lockdown" while all staff and patients were tested.

New Zealand, Australia to open COVID travel bubble

New Zealand has approved quarantine-free travel with Australia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on April 6, completing a two-way corridor for travel between the largely COVID-free neighbors.

"I can confirm that quarantine-free travel will begin in just under two weeks, at 11:59 p.m. on April 18," Ardern announced after the date was confirmed by her cabinet.

Kiwi-Aussie row erupts over terrorist in Turkey

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern accused Australia of shirking its responsibility for a dual national arrested in Turkey over links with ISIL.

In an unusually blunt message to her counterpart Scott Morrison, Ardern said Canberra was "wrong" to expect New Zealand to accept the woman, who have strong ties to Australia.

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