State Funeral

Shane Warne to receive a state funeral

Warne, 52, was holidaying with friends in Thailand when he was found unresponsive in his villa on Friday and could not be revived.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Twitter that he had spoken with Warne's family on Sunday and that they agreed to the service.

Andrews said the state funeral would be an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to Warne's contribution to cricket, the state and the country.

He said details would be finalised in the coming days.

The late Lord Ma’afu to be laid to rest next Monday

His body arrived from New Zealand in an Air NZ cargo flight, yesterday.

The burial is confirmed to be held at the Huelo 'o Hangai Tomb in Tokomololo.

Lord Ma’afu, died on 12 December 2021 at the Auckland City Hospital after a long illness.

The funeral in Tonga was postponed after the cancellation of two Air New Zealand flights to Tonga on 21 and 28 December, due to volcanic activity at Hunga Ha'apai.

     

South Africa mourns anti-apartheid hero

The plans include two days of lying in state before an official state funeral on 1 January in Cape Town.

Tributes have been pouring in from leaders around the world, including Pope Francis, US President Joe Biden and the UK's Queen Elizabeth II.

Tutu was one of the country's best known figures at home and abroad.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that Tutu had helped bring about "a liberated South Africa".

PNG's founding father laid to rest

The East Sepik capital yesterday hosted the burial service for the four-time PNG prime minister, which followed a state funeral held last Friday in Port Moresby.

There's been widespread mourning in PNG and across the Pacific for the loss of Sir Michael who died in late February of pancreatic cancer aged 84.

PNG organised a series of haus krais, or mourning events, over two weeks in Port Moresby for representatives of all the country's provinces to progressively come and pay respects to Sir Michael.

Thousands mourn 'Akilisi Pohiva at Tonga state funeral

Mr Pohiva died last Thursday in Auckland after being medevaced from Tonga the previous day.

RNZ Pacific's correspondent in Tonga, Kalafi Moala, said the large number of mourners overflowed from the Free Wesleyan Church's onto its grass surrounds.

The service was conducted by the President of the Free Wesleyan Church, the Reverend Dr Ahio, and a number of other ministers from other churches were also there, Mr Moala said.

Tonga declares public holiday for PM Pohiva's state funeral

Akilisi Pohiva, who died in Auckland on Thursday after being hospitalised with pneumonia, had been the longest serving MP in Tonga and Prime Minister since 2014.

Family services have already begun in Auckland with a public and official memorial service held at the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in Mangere Sunday night.

Mr Pohiva will be repatriated to Tonga on Tuesday via a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft and will lie-in-state at the St George Building in Nuku'alofa as various church and community groups pay their respects.