The Government is looking into sending Defence Force planes or Air New Zealand to pick up citizens stranded in other countries; and many are struggling to get home as borders close and flights are cancelled.
1.The Government is looking into sending Defence Force planes or Air New Zealand to pick up citizens stranded in other countries. About 80,000 New Zealanders are overseas and 20,000 have registered with SafeTravel.
2.Many are struggling to get home as borders close and flights are cancelled. The Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told Morning Report, he can’t guarantee the Government will be able to get everyone home.
3.Auckland Airport is still busy today. One of those arriving, New Zealander Stacy Lee Alley, says she cut her visit to the United States short to come home before the border closed.
4.The Health Minister David Clark, says the ban on foreign nationals entering the country will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Clark told the programme it won’t be lifted until the Government’s sure it’s safe to do so.
5.The decision to close the country’s border was made in conjunction with the Australian Government whose restrictions will begin at 9pm tonight.
6.New Zealanders in Australia facing unemployment or reduced working hours because of Covid-19 are worried they won’t get any financial assistance. About half of the 634,000 New Zealanders there are not eligible for welfare payments.
7.Coronavirus has killed more people in Italy than in any other country, after deaths there rose by 427 in a day. The number of deaths now stands at 3,405, which is more than in China where the virus originated last year.
8.Iran continues to be hard hit by Covid-19 with the official death toll rising to 1200, it now has more than 18,000 cases, the third highest in the world.
9.Around the world central banks have taken further action to address the economic consequences of the pandemic. It includes the US Federal Reserve making up to $450 billion available to New Zealand and eight other countries to help shore up financial markets.
