New Zealand people

New Zealand is a country where its prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, stepped down at the age of 43 because she has "no energy to seek re-election" and because "it's time." Greece is the country of "do you know who I am? I wear the pants" (Antonis Samaras in the tumultuous year of 2012).

A convoy of trucks and campers blocked the streets near New Zealand's parliament in Wellington today in protest of Covid restrictions and vaccinations. The action is inspired by the Freedom Convoy in Canada, AFP reported.

State of Emergency in Ottawa over the Freedom Convoy

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 authorities said on Sept. 3 they shot and killed a violent extremist after he entered a supermarket and stabbed and injured six shoppers.

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Britain's coronavirus vaccination program has covered all its main target groups of vulnerable people, it said on Feb. 14, hours after New Zealand, so far largely spared by the pandemic, put its largest city into lockdown.

According to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, this goal was achieved out of ambition, but also out of fear, because even at the beginning of the pandemic, it was concluded that the health system would not be able to cope with the progressive epidemic, the AP reported.

The total number of people killed by the novel coronavirus around the world passed 750,000 on Aug. 13, with some countries toughening control measures as caseloads once again creep up.    

Latin America and the Caribbean region remains the global epicenter, accounting for almost one-third of all deaths and housing two of the worst-affected countries - Mexico and Brazil.    

A police official confirmed this on Friday.