‘We are the luckiest ones’: survivors of Christchurch killings

Australian police search homes near mosque suspect’s hometown

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Australian police have searched two homes in towns on the New South Wales (NSW) mid-north coast linked to the investigation into Friday’s mass shootings at mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Police said that a search warrant was executed on Monday morning by the state’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT)...

Australian family of suspected New Zealand mosque gunman devastated for victims

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – A grandmother of the Australian man suspected of killing 50 people in two New Zealand mosques said she was “just devastated” for the dead and injured. Speaking publicly for the first time in their home town of Grafton in the Australian state of New South Wales after the killings, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant’s...

NZ gun shop says Christchurch suspect bought weapons online, calls for gun law reforms

CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) – The owner of a New Zealand gun store said on Monday the man charged with murder in Christchurch’s mass shooting had bought firearms and ammunition online from the store, but it did not sell him the high-powered weapon used in the mosque shootings. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was...

Christchurch workers, students return after NZ mosque shootings

CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) – New Zealand police promised a high-profile presence as schools and businesses in Christchurch reopened on Monday after a gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in the city last week, and the prime minister said she would start work on tightening gun laws. Families of victims were still waiting for bodies of...

In New Zealand, a journey around the world and into darkness

SYDNEY (Reuters) – “Just a ordinary White man, 28 years old,” was how Brenton Harrison Tarrant, accused of killing 49 people and injuring more at two mosques in New Zealand, introduced himself to the world in a manifesto circulating online. “Born in Australia to a working class, low income family,” he added. Other than that,...

NZ Prime Minister wants to discuss live streaming with Facebook

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sent condolences over the shootings at two mosques that killed 50 people, some of which were live-streamed over the social media platform. “Certainly, I have had contact from Sheryl Sandberg. I haven’t spoken to her directly but she...

Student pilot, takeaway store owner among victims of NZ mosque shootings

CHRISTCHURCH (Reuters) – An aircraft engineer, a takeaway store owner, a student pilot; details emerging of some of the 50 people gunned down at two New Zealand mosques paint a picture of dozens of ordinary lives suddenly and savagely ended. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant...

NZ mosque shootings toll rises to 50, families wait to bury their dead

CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 on Sunday after police said they found another body at one of the mosques, while authorities worked to formally identify victims and release their bodies to families. Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder...

NZ police say mosque shootings death toll rises to 50

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings has risen to 50 after investigators found another body at one of the mosques, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Sunday. “It is with sadness that I advise that number of people who died in this event has now risen to...

New Zealand mass shooting suspect remanded until April 5

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The primary suspect in the mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand’s Christchurch was remanded without plea until his next appearance in the High Court on April 5. The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Brenton Harrison Tarrant. Tarrant appeared before a New Zealand district court judge, charged with murder. His hands...

NZ PM Ardern says Christchurch shooter traveled around the world, not a resident

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the suspect in the Christchurch shooting traveled around the world and was not a long-term resident in the country. Ardern told a news conference in the capital Wellington that the man was an Australian citizen “who traveled sporadically to New Zealand and stayed for varied...

Highlanders and Crusaders cancelled due to mosque shootings

THE Highlanders and Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday has been cancelled due to Friday’s Christchurch mosque shootings. According to an article on stuff.co.nz the decision was made after New Zealand Rugby met with both teams, venue management, police and community organisations involved in responses to yesterday’s terrorist attacks in Christchurch. “After consulting widely with...

Man charged with murder after New Zealand mosque shootings

CHRISTCHURCH/WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Reuters) – The main suspect in mass shootings at two New Zealand mosques was charged with one count of murder on Saturday, a day after the attack that killed 49 people and wounded dozens, prompting the prime minister to vow reform of the country’s gun laws. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year old...

Christchurch mosque shooting designated as a terrorist attack

NEW Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush has echoed the sentiment of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in designating the Christchurch mosque shooting today as a terrorist attack. Mr Bush said the loss of life and the number of those who were injured was tragic, and they were continuing to deal with this unprecedented event for New...

Christchurch mosque shooting: Police lift school lockdown

NEW ZEALAND Police have confirmed that the lockdown of schools throughout Christchurch has been lifted. “We would like to reassure members of the public that there is a large Police presence in the city and the safety of the community is our priority,” New Zealand Police stated in its report this evening. Police said the incident remained fluid and...

Christchurch mosque shooting: Risk environment remains high

NEW Zealand Police says they are responding with its full capability to manage the situation in Christchurch at the height of the open fire inside the mosque but adds the risk environment remains extremely high. And they have recommended that residents across Christchurch remain of the streets and indoors until further notice. As the situation evolves, Christchurch schools have...

Gunman open fires in Christchurch mosques; Multiple deaths reported

MULTIPLE deaths have been reported as gunshots were fired in two mosques near Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. According to reports by New Zealand media, at least 30 people have been injured or killed by the gunman at the mosque. New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush has confirmed that one person has been taken...

No specific funding for sports facility upgrade in PNG

There has been no specific funding allocation to sport facility upgrade, according to PNG Sports Foundation executive director’s office. The office was responding to queries sent to the director’s office that revealed there had been no specific funding upgrade however under the leadership of the new board chairman (Ian Chow) discussions and solutions are being...

Sporting icon Kanny will be greatly missed

The Cook Islands sporting fraternity has lost one of the most beloved and respected personalities. Mata “Kanny” Vaile, 65, passed away on February 28 and was laid to rest on Rarotonga last week. The former national bowler was born on June 8, 1953 to Henry and Upokomaki Nicholas. She was the youngest of seven siblings...

Fiji suspends Boeing 737 MAX flights

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Fiji Airways and the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji on Wednesday temporarily grounded the carrier’s two Boeing Co 737 MAX planes, following two fatal crashes involving the aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The plane tracking website Flightradar24 says the aircraft are the 737 MAX 8 model. The airline and the authority said...

Samoa athletes take to schools with anti-doping message targeting students

Athletes from six national federations visited Faatuatua College yesterday for the first education session by the Oceania Regional Anti-Doping Organization’s (ORADO) Voices of the Athletes initiative. Ten athletes ran a 90 minute session for Faatuatua’s 14 and 15 year olds, to teach them the four ways to look after themselves as potential or maybe current...

Cook Islands Sevens in exciting pool

Cook Islands will face exciting battles in the pool competition at the Hong Kong Sevens 2019 which will be held early next month. The national side has been grouped with Chile, Germany and Uganda in Pool G. At the tournament to be held from April 5 to 7, Cook Islands will be competing in the...

Australia’s Cardinal Pell faces sentencing for abusing two choir boys

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell will be sentenced on Wednesday after his conviction for sexually abusing two choir boys in Melbourne in the 1990s, with the judge expected to impose a prison term on the Catholic Cardinal.In a rare move reflecting interest in the high-profile case, the sentencing will be broadcast...

Taiwan president to visit Palau, Nauru, Marshall islands next week

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will next week visit the island’s diplomatic allies of Palau, Nauru and the Marshall Islands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing, which claims self-ruled and proudly democratic Taiwan as its own and has vowed to bring...

Uluinaceva wins Pacific marine litter challenge

JOSAIA Uluinaceva was announced the overall winner of the Student Ideas Category of the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) Pacific Marine Litter Challenge today. The third-year Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of the South Pacific was all smiles today as he received his award from British High Commissioner to Fiji Melanie Hopkins. As the...

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