New Zealand

Tongan man jailed for brutal murder of partner in Hamilton apartment

Pita Vi, 59, was jailed after he was found guilty of beating Georgina Ngataki with both arms while she was saying “don’t”.

Kaniva News reports the 55-year-old mother and grandmother suffered massive head injuries.

Vi’s actions were labelled “cold blooded” and “callous” from the afternoon of September 22, 2021, in which he left his partner, Georgina Ngataki, to die on the floor of her Wellington St flat, surrounded in blood after a brutal attack, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Jason Momoa hits the red carpet for the premiere of his new movie Fast X

More well known for his role as Aquaman in the DC Universe, Momoa takes on the role of ruthless villain ‘Dante’ who is a sassy, sophisticated bad guy out to destroy Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) in the 10th film of the Fast and Furious franchise.

Tagata Pasifika reports fans swarmed the red carpet to interact with the superstar who was accompanied by New Zealand celebrities Taika Waititi, Cliff Curtis and Temuera Morrison.

Despite not being with the rest of the film’s cast in Italy, Momoa was more than happy to share this moment with his New Zealand fans.

Cocaine use rises across New Zealand, wastewater testing shows

The police's wastewater testing programme analyses daily wastewater at 10 sample sites across New Zealand.

Newshub reports on average, the programme analyses samples one week of each month for traces of methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine. The latest results cover October to December last year (Q4). 

Wellington rallies to help displaced survivors of fatal hostel blaze

Firefighters have found six bodies inside the building, but police would not have a confirmed number of fatalities until investigators had been able to search all of the damaged building.

Loafers Lodge hosts short- and long-term boarders on a budget, and could house more than 90 people at capacity.

Tongan overstayer's lawyer 'disgusted' to see dawn raid apology disregarded

PMN News reports Soane Foliaki, who’s a senior solicitor at Community Law South Auckland with over 30 years experience in helping immigration clients, says when he first heard what had happened he was shocked. 

“I was at the apology and I was also a teenager at the time of the first dawn raids in the seventies,” he says. 

“To see the Prime Minister do the apology with such humility by way of the ifoga - putting the mat over her head - it was really moving. 

“So when this happened it’s hard to describe how I felt - to be honest I was quite disgusted.”

NZ govt offers dawn raided Tongan overstayer a lifeline, promises better policies

The man was arrested in the early hours of the morning last month, and an outcry followed, as the New Zealand government had apologised for the 1970s Dawn Raids in 2021.

RNZ Pacific reports the after-hours visits by officials to confirm people's immigration status has been halted in the aftermath.

The man's lawyer Soane Foliaki said the Associate Immigration Minister Rachel Brooking reviewed the man's case and approved the six-month work visa on May 4.

Tonga PM raises concerns on over stayers in Auckland

Hu'akavameiliku met with Hipkins in England where he was attending King Charles III's coronation.

He said Hipkins had reassured him that dawn raids on overstayers would not be repeated in the future.

It was the Tongan leader's first first face-to-face meeting with Hipkins, who became New Zealand's 41st Prime Minister in January.

     

New Zealand MP Salesa presents laptops to Tonga High School

Prime Minister and President of Tonga High School ex-students association, Hu’akavameiliku and Principal Sipola Halafihi, received the laptops on behalf of the school.

The laptops were gifted to assist students following the Hunga Tonga Hunga Haapai Volcanic eruptions and tsunami.

Salesa said over 100 laptops were donated by Stephen Chaney and Rotary in Auckland, New Zealand for senior students in Tonga.

Magnitude 7.3 earthquake strikes Kermadec Islands region

The quake was at a depth of 10 kms (6.21 miles). It was followed by a magnitude 5.4 aftershock 20 minutes later. 

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there is a tsunami threat following the initial earthquake.

New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it's assessing whether there is a tsunami risk but urged anyone near the coast who felt "a long or strong quake" to get to the nearest high ground immediately. 

Tonga PM acknowledges strong relations with New Zealand

Prime Minister said bilateral discussions held between Cabinet and Sepuloni’s delegation before the press conference confirmed both countries need each other for mutual cooperation development.

 

He said their discussions covered a wide range of issues that are important for both Tonga and New Zealand.