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Christchurch attack victims' families reflect on tragedy five years on

<p>It's been five years since 51 men, women and children, were murdered in a terror attack when a white supremacist opened fire at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.</p> <p>Now, the victims' families have reflected on the tragic day, and commemorated their loved ones on the five-year anniversary of the attacks.</p> <p>Dr Maysoon Salama, who lost her son Atta Elayyan, 33, relives the grief of losing her son every day.</p> <p>“The pain is still fresh,” she told <em>7NEWS</em>.</p> <p>Five years on, the good memories she shared with her son still play back in her mind.</p> <p>“Atta was an amazing son,” she said. “He’s touched the lives of so many people.”</p> <p>Despite the tragedy, Dr Salama remains strong and finds herself healing through her granddaughter Aya.</p> <p>“I feel like I see her father when I see her,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s a really hard journey ... but she has always been my focus.”</p> <p>Aya was two when she lost her father, and Dr Salama was faced with the heartbreaking task of helping her granddaughter adjust to a life without her father.</p> <p>“When I look her in the eyes and she will ask, ‘Where is my dad?’, what am I going to tell her?” she recalled thinking.</p> <p>“How are we going to tell her when she’s so attached to her daddy? She loved him so much.”</p> <p>Dr Salama's husband, Mohammad Alayan, was among the dozens of people hospitalised following the attack, with doctors at the time saying he was “lucky to survive”.</p> <p>“He had been shot twice. One in his head and it affected his vision and one in his shoulder and she said it was just a few millimetres away from his heart,” Maysoon said.</p> <p>The couple run a Muslim childcare centre An-Nur, and have worked together to help children navigate New Zealand's darkest days.</p> <p>She recalled the sinking feeling when she first heard of the attacks while at work, and how her husband's first instinct was to tell her to protect herself and everyone at the childcare centre.</p> <p>“I got a call from my husband and he told me he was in hospital and that I have a big responsibility to protect the children and the teachers and lock down, close the doors because he was afraid the shooter would also come to our place because we are a Muslim childcare centre,” she said.</p> <p>“More families who were distressed started coming to pick up their children, and some of them even had blood on their shirts, some of them witnessed the thing.</p> <p>“It was really an awful situation.”</p> <p>Not long after, she learned that her own son had also been injured, but at the time had no idea of the reality of it all.</p> <p>Aya Al-Umari lost her brother, Hussein, on the fateful day.</p> <p>“It happened so suddenly, I had no time to grieve,” she said.</p> <p>Hussein spent the last moments of his life protecting other people, and even though Aya misses his hugs more than anything, she takes comfort in knowing that her brother's legacy will live on.</p> <p>“He had the opportunity to escape, but he didn’t,” she said.</p> <p>“He was running towards the terrorist.</p> <p>“It really goes to show, especially in his last moments, he was always a giver.”</p> <p>Both Aya and Dr Salama both take comfort in the belief that their loved ones died as as a Shahid – a true martyr who died in the name of their faith in Islam.</p> <p>Dr Salama hopes that the findings from last year’s coronial inquest, expected to be handed down this year, will provide a sense of closure to the victims' families.</p> <p>She also hopes that people will use the fifth anniversary of the shootings to reflect on the work that is yet to be done and call for more action in fighting Islamophobia and extremism.</p> <p>“We can fight Islamophobia by challenging the biases and educating ourselves also and intervening against discrimination.</p> <p>“See something, say something.”</p> <p>Canterbury's Muslim community will also gather today to honour the victims with a commemoration service at Masjid Annur in the evening, according to<em> <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511744/muslims-mark-5th-anniversary-of-christchurch-mosque-terror-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RNZ</a></em>.</p> <p>Brenton Tarrant, who was behind the terror attacks, was sentenced to life in jail without parole – the first person in New Zealand's history to receive the sentence because his actions were deemed "so wicked".</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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This Aussie city could be at risk of “devastating” earthquake

<p dir="ltr">While excavating two large trenches to the south of Adelaide, researchers have discovered the city is at risk of an earthquake 30 times more powerful than the 2011 Christchurch quake that killed 139 people.</p> <p dir="ltr">Experts from Geoscience Australia, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney <a href="https://www.ga.gov.au/news-events/news/latest-news/fieldwork-unearths-scars-from-ancient-earthquakes-near-adelaide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uncovered evidence</a> of huge quakes that predate local records while excavating along the Willunga fault.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We calculate the 55km active length of this fault could potentially host an earthquake as large as magnitude 7.2,” geologist Dr Dan Clark told <em><a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaide-risks-earthquake-bigger-than-christchurch-nz-2011-geoscience-australia/news-story/67ea8b9baba16bdef1e6ec3858c42b9a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adelaide Now</a></em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-966fba5e-7fff-9787-fb01-cef9edc9309c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“An earthquake of this size would involve approximately 30 times the energy released by the earthquake that devastated Christchurch.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">We're working with <a href="https://twitter.com/UniMelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@unimelb</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/AusQuake?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ausquake</a> to find evidence of ancient <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquakes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#earthquakes</a> on the Willunga Fault to better understand the seismic risk to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Adelaide?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Adelaide</a>. 👉▶️ to hear from our Earthquake Geologist &amp; check out 👉 <a href="https://t.co/BEOI52E3zz">https://t.co/BEOI52E3zz</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GACommunitySafety?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GACommunitySafety</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DisasterRiskReduction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DisasterRiskReduction</a> <a href="https://t.co/8i2VtMMcDx">pic.twitter.com/8i2VtMMcDx</a></p> <p>— Geoscience Australia (@GeoscienceAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoscienceAus/status/1534419061538422790?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though earthquakes are a rare experience for most Australians, Adelaide is one of the country’s most seismically active areas. The city straddles two major faults, with the Para Fault running under the CBD and the Eden Fault sitting beneath the city’s eastern suburbs.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the last decade, 10 quakes exceeding the “minor” level of 3.0 on the Richter scale have occurred within 150km of the city. The largest, a 3.7 tremor, was recorded in March at Mt Barker.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the rest of the country, “moderate” tremors above 5.0 occur once every one to two years, while one “strong” tremor scoring above 6.0 will hit once every ten years on average.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Big quakes clocking above 6.0 don’t often happen close to populated areas in Australia thankfully,” Adam Pascale, Chief Scientist at the Seismology Research Centre, told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/researchers-discover-australian-city-at-risk-of-devastating-earthquake/news-story/d012f35a318ec110f6548a1914291cab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Earthquakes are very unpredictable though - we could get one in the Blue Mountains in NSW for example next week.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Pascale added that modern buildings were constructed to withstand moderate tremors, but there is still plenty that isn’t earthquake resistant, exemplified by the series of quakes in Victoria last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s a lot of infrastructure in our major cities,” Dr Pascale said, adding that Perth and Melbourne were also on the list of “chief candidates” for future tremors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the excavation, which saw researchers study the layers of sediment displaced by past quakes to estimate the magnitude of future ones, found that there was a minor but real risk of a “big one” in the future, Dr Clark said a massive quake “might occur once every few tens of thousands of years”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A magnitude of 6.2 of the size of the Christchurch earthquake, for instance, might happen every thousand years or every few thousand years,” he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">As reassuring as the odds of a quake striking now might be, Dr Clark did warn that moderate shakes, like Adelaide’s famous 1954 tremor, could be as frequent as once a century.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We haven’t seen in most places in Australia the largest earthquakes that can be generated,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Critical infrastructure, facilities and the community, in general, should be prepared for these events, even if they are very infrequent.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0cf74fb8-7fff-b5d2-7931-9974d8c57f30"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Geoscience Australia</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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New Zealand mosque shooting survivor completes Walk for Peace

<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand man who was shot nine times completed a two-week walk and bike ride stretching across the country - all in the name of peace.</p> <p dir="ltr">Temel Atacocugu retraced the steps of the gunman who attacked two Christchurch mosques and took 51 lives on the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/three-years-on-since-mosque-terrorist-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third anniversary</a> of the shooting.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I wanted to fix this damage,” Atacocugu told the <em><a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/15/1086599199/shot-9-times-at-new-zealand-mosque-survivor-walks-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a></em>. “Because three years ago, he started that journey with hate.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 47-year-old said he wanted to bless the 360-kilometre route from Dunedin to the two Christchurch mosques and raise funds for charity along the way.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though he initially intended to make the entire journey on foot, temperamental weather and the onset of severe blisters and blood poisoning saw him spend several days in a local hospital about halfway through.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The best point was meeting lots of beautiful people and getting great support from them,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The low point was being in the emergency room. But I was not going to give up. I got on my bike straight after discharge.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2423fe0d-7fff-3a03-4924-820c848f6e59"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Travelling by bike also helped him make up for lost time.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fatacocugutemel%2Fphotos%2Fa.109136465031924%2F120754257203478%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="375" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">On Tuesday at 1.40pm - the exact time he was shot during Friday prayers in 2019 - Atacocugu entered the Al Noor mosque after walking the final stretch with about 50 supporters.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I made a speech, it was very emotional,” Atacocugu said. “I was so happy. It was a big relief to have completed my mission.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Having been shot in the mouth, his left arm and both legs during the attack, Atacocugu said he often felt pain from his injuries on his journey.</p> <p dir="ltr">Afterwards, he said he planned to recuperate with a long sleep and perhaps a sauna and spa.</p> <p dir="ltr">As his gruelling journey came to an end, an <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/temels-walk-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online donations page</a> showed that Atacocugu had raised $NZD 64,000 ($AUD 43,000) for three charities benefiting children: the Child Cancer Foundation, Save the Children New Zealand, and The Key to Life Charitable Trust.</p> <p dir="ltr">As of Wednesday afternoon, the sum came to a whopping $NZD 72,215 ($AUD 67,870).</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2e1e544c-7fff-4eaf-80b5-5d5bdc146a3a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Temel’s Walk for Peace (Facebook)</em></p>

Caring

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Three years on since mosque terrorist attack

<p dir="ltr">It’s been three years since the Christchurch mosque terrorist attack that saw 51 worshippers lose their lives. </p> <p dir="ltr">Australian terrorist Brenton Tarrant live streamed himself charging into Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre, both in Christchurch on March 15, 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">Once inside, the 29-year-old went on a rampage and killed 51 innocent worshippers and wounded a further 40.</p> <p dir="ltr">The white supremacist pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one count of terrorism. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole. </p> <p dir="ltr">Three years on since the terrors that occurred, New Zealand remembers the victims of the fateful attack. </p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has led tributes in parliament for all 51 shuhada - the martyrs, who lost their lives in the horrific attack. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said the events of 2019 and the Royal Commission showed that the community needed more to feel safe. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Three years on I think it still feels very raw for many. I have no doubt that will only be greater still for the community,” she said, <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/christchurch-shooting/new-zealand-marks-terror-anniversary-c-6056584" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But it’s not just for us to remember. We have obligations as ministers, as a cabinet, as a government to keep fulfilling the commitments we’ve made to the community.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Royal Commission has given us our blueprint ... we’ll continue working alongside the community to try and meet their expectations and try and help them as they honour the loss of their loved ones.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The families requested no commemorative service. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Shocking notice left at a Christchurch Airbnb

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <div> <div class="reply-list-component"> <div class="reply-component"> <div class="reply-body-component"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply-body-wrapper"> <div class="reply-body-inner"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Shock and fear went through a guest’s mind when he noticed signs at an Airbnb property in Christchurch, saying Māori is not to be spoken and not to refer to their country as Aotearoa.</p> <p>Ameen Makani, had been chatting with the owner of the house for at least half an hour last weekend when he noticed three signs printed and pasted on each glass door in the living room.</p> <p>The “Important Notice to Visitors” contained four rules, including ‘No Maori to be spoken on these premises’, and ‘We live in NEW ZEALAND. Please don’t refer to our country as ‘Aotearoa’.’</p> <p>Makani said he was struck by fear because the Pakeha man, aged about 70, was the most unsuspecting individual.</p> <p>“He’s charismatic, he’s well-travelled and he’s kind. You could strike up a conversation with this man and probably chat for hours,” said Makani, saying he found it difficult to stay composed and contain his reaction after seeing the notices.</p> <p>Makani said he was taught when growing up to consider what conversations are worth engaging in and decided not to ask the host about the signs.</p> <p>“What I most certainly have never seen before and never hope to again, is the absolute confidence in which this man has blatantly showcased his instructions for his guests to see.</p> <p>“I made a last-minute booking on the day and he wasn’t home when I checked in. So<br />it makes you wonder how long these signs have really been up and do they ever come down?” the guest said about the incident.</p> <p>Makani also realised a simple Airbnb complaint was not going to cut it, saying the<br />issue was bigger than a house being taken off a website.</p> <p>Derek Nolan, Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy for New Zealand and Australia, said discrimination is unacceptable and has no place in our community. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="new-reply-component"></div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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The Wizard of New Zealand is officially off the payroll

<p dir="ltr">The Wizard of New Zealand (who isn’t Gandalf) is in reality a man by the name of Ian Brackenbury Channell, and he has been on Christchurch city council’s payroll for 23 years, drawing a salary of $16,000NZD per annum for his work promoting the city through “acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services”. That means he’s been paid roughly $368,000NZD over the course of 23 years to dress up as a wizard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, his tenure has come to an end, with the council electing not to renew his contract in January 2022. While his job title makes it sound like he could be called upon to cast protection spells in times of crisis, and other things wizards (who aren’t Gandalf) do, his primary role was to “conduct lunchtime orations in Cathedral Square” for an hour every weekday between November and March.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was also expected to make up to 200 hours worth of appearances to promote Christchurch, welcome dignitaries, help with tourism promotions and be interviewed by the media. The $40/hour pay rate works out to be roughly eight hours of work a week.</p> <p dir="ltr">Channell was born in England, and began publicly performing as a wizard after moving to New Zealand in 1976. The council initially tried to stop him (they were probably Team Gandalf), but the public protested, with the New Zealand Art Gallery Directors Association describing him as a “living work of art”. Prime Minister Mike Moore eventually asked Channell in 1990 if he would consider becoming the Wizard of New Zealand (he probably couldn’t find Gandalf’s best contact number).</p> <p dir="ltr">In his letter to the Wizard, Moore wrote, “I am concerned that your wizardry is not at the disposal of the entire nation. I suggest therefore that you should urgently consider my suggestion that you become the Wizard of New Zealand, Antarctica and relevant offshore areas … no doubt there will be implications in the area of spells, blessings, curses, and other supernatural matters that are beyond the competence of mere Prime Ministers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">His 23 years of service have seen him perform in Christchurch, raindance across New Zealand and Australia during droughts, and even receive the Queen’s Service Medal in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, more recently his behaviour has included making sexist remarks about women, including telling a television host that he liked to tease women by telling them they were devious, and that they used “cunning to get men who are thick”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He went on to say, “I love women, I forgive them all the time, I’ve never struck one yet. Never strike a woman because they bruise too easily is the first thing, and they’ll tell the neighbours and their friends … and then you’re in big trouble.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Following this, the council made the decision to write to Channell, thanking him for his services to Christchurch, and informing him that his contract would not be renewed in the new year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Of this decision, the Wizard said, “I feel really insulted and deeply hurt by the whole thing. I am being airbrushed out of history. They don’t like my vibes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What I am doing is very delicate. I can’t do it in a commercial environment or a PC environment.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, it looks like Christchurch will be officially farewelling its quirky spokesperson early next year – unless Channell decides to carry on his duties in an amateur capacity.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Joseph Johnson/Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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New Zealand mosque gunman sentencing begins

<p>The sentencing of an Australian white supremacist who killed 51 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand and live-streamed the massacre on Facebook is set to begin on Monday.</p> <p>Tight security is around a court in Christchurch, where Brenton Tarrant, the shooter, will hear statements from 66 survivors.</p> <p>The court building was sealed off with large orange barriers as armed police stood guard.</p> <p>Lawyers expect Tarrant to be the first person to be jailed for life without parole in New Zealand.</p> <p>The hearing is set for four days with survivors and Tarrant making submissions before High Court judge Cameron Mander announces his sentence.</p> <p>Tarrant is representing himself and is reportedly being held in a cell deep within the court complex to avoid transporting him to and from jail.</p> <p>On March 15th, 2019, he armed himself with a semi-automatic rifle and stormed into two mosques and opened fire on worshippers at Friday prayer.</p> <p>He was quickly arrested and initially pleaded not guilty to 41 murders, 40 attempted murders and committing a terrorist act.</p> <p>In March 2020, he changed his plea to not guilty.</p> <p>Prominent Christchurch lawyer Nigel Hampton said the "terrifying" crime probably "needs an extraordinary sentence", while law professor Chris Gallavin said "he'll never see the light of day again". </p> <p>Judge Mander has said the sentencing process was important for the victims, and "finality and closure is considered by some as the best means of bringing relief to the Muslim community". </p> <p>Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that this week would be difficult for many.</p> <p>"I don't think there's anything I can say that is going to ease how traumatic that period is going to be," she told reporters. </p> <p>Increased police will be around the courthouse and victim support workers will also be present. Local mental health specialists will also be on standby for referrals. </p>

Travel Trouble

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Woman attacked by stranger at traffic lights

<p><span>A Christchurch woman is recovering from brain injury after being brutally attacked by a stranger at traffic lights late last month.</span></p> <p><span>Deni Smart was waiting at the lights in Linwood when the suspect got into her car.</span></p> <p><span>According to a </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/brutally-attacked" target="_blank">Givealittle</a><span> page which was started by a friend, she was then attacked when the person “started an onslaught”.</span></p> <p><span>Smart is still recovering from the vicious assault, after she suffered from a concussion and fractured eye socket.</span></p> <p><span>A photo of the aftermath was shared on the page to highlight the severity of her injuries.</span></p> <p><span>"This individual is unknown to Deni and she has no idea what provoked the assault," the Givealittle page says.</span></p> <p><span>Smart was reportedly bashed in the head several times and has been left “physically and mentally” traumatised.</span></p> <p><span>She is desperate to go back to work, says the Givealittle page, but it’s uncertain how long it will take for her brain injury to recover.</span></p> <p><span>"Deni is a kind, caring, and brilliant woman who now has significant uncertainty in her future.</span></p> <p><span>"She didn't ask for this. She didn't provoke the attack. She is now having to deal with the results of someone else's complete disregard for human life."</span></p> <p><span>Taking to Facebook last Wednesday, Smart thanked her friends and family for the support, saying the past few days had been a “blur”.</span></p> <p><span>"It makes me realise how blessed I am in this life and how many people care about me," she said.</span></p> <p><span>Police are currently investigating the situation, which no arrests made at this stage.</span></p>

Caring

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Christchurch shooter pleads not guilty to 51 charges of murder

<p>Christchurch mosque terror attacker Brenton Tarrant has denied being the attacker and has entered a not guilty plea during a short appearance at the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, this morning.</p> <p>As he announced his plea via his lawyer, gasps were heard in the courtroom according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/world/pacific/nz-mosque-shooting-accused-to-face-court/news-story/3b53935379a34f4e5e84ab49ed01c316" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>.</p> <p>Tarrant has pled not guilty to 51 charges of murder, 40 charges of attempted murder and one terrorism offence over the Christchurch shootings. This is a total of 92 charges in total.</p> <p>The terror charge laid against him last month will be the first prosecution of its kind in New Zealand and some legal experts say that it could lead to a complex trial, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/christchurch-massacre-accused-brenton-tarrant-pleads-not-guilty-222352860.html" target="_blank"><em>Yahoo! News</em></a>.</p> <p><span>Tarrant wore a grey sweatshirt and strained to hear discussions via the audio-visual link from Paremoremo Prison in Auckland. That prison is currently New Zealand’s only maximum-security prison.</span></p> <p>Prison staff have confirmed that Tarrant has no access to television, radio, newspapers or visitors.</p> <p>The courtroom was filled with survivors and family members of the 51 killed during the March 15 attack at two Christchurch mosques.</p> <p>Two further courts and 200 seats were set aside for the public, who watched the court proceedings via audio-visual link as the main courtroom was full. Police maintained a heavy presence throughout the building.</p> <p>All of the victims kept their eyes glued to the gunman throughout the hearing.</p> <p>Tarrant’s case will return to court on August 16.   </p> <p>Amid concerns his trial can be used to further incite hatred and expose far-right extremist views, New Zealand’s major media organisations have agreed to self-imposed restrictions on reporting.</p> <p>Justice Cameron Mander has also declined all media requests to film or photograph proceedings in court, in the interest of preserving the integrity of the trial process and ensure a fair trial for Tarrant.</p>

Legal

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Facebook restricts “Facebook Live” feature following Christchurch attacks

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the horrific Christchurch attacks that saw a lone gunman kill 51 people in two mosques whilst streaming it via Facebook Live, the social media giant has decided to take action.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook has said in a </span><a href="https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2019/05/protecting-live-from-abuse/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that it’s introducing a “one-strike” policy for use of Facebook Live. The policy will temporarily restrict access for people who have faced disciplinary action for breaking the company’s rules anywhere on the site.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">First time offenders will be suspended from using Facebook Live for a set period of time and Facebook is also broadening the range of offences that will qualify for one-strike suspensions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Facebook did not specify what offences were eligible for the one-strike policy or how long suspensions will last.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today we are tightening the rules that apply specifically to Live,” the statement read. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We will now apply a ‘one strike’ policy to Live in connection with a broader range of offenses. From now on, anyone who violates our most serious policies will be restricted from using Live for set periods of time – for example 30 days – starting on their first offense. For instance, someone who shares a link to a statement from a terrorist group with no context will now be immediately blocked from using Live for a set period of time.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A spokeswoman for Facebook pointed out that “it would have not been possible for the shooter to use Live on his account under the new rules”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company plans to extend the new restrictions to other areas of the site over the coming weeks and it plans to start with preventing the same people from creating ads on Facebook.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are also plans for Facebook to fund research at three universities on techniques to detect manipulated media, which Facebook’s systems still struggle with. This was proven after the attacks as manipulated media was everywhere on the platform.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook has said it removed 1.5 million videos globally that contained footage of the attack in the first 24 hours after it occurred. It said in a blog post in late March that it had identified more than 900 different versions of the video.</span></p>

Technology

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Prince William’s sombre tribute to Princess Diana during heartwarming Christchurch speech

<p>Prince William touched down in New Zealand to honour the victims and survivors of the horrific Christchurch terror attack that saw the death of 50 people.</p> <p>The solo trip by the royal saw a touching and heartfelt reference to his own personal tragedy, the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997.</p> <p>While discussing loss in a touching speech at the Al Noor Mosque where 42 people were killed, the royal said: “A terrorist attempted to sow division and hatred in a place that stands for togetherness and selflessness.</p> <p>“He thought he could redefine what this space was. I am here to help you show the world that he failed.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtsuyRliUZ/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtsuyRliUZ/" target="_blank">A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal)</a> on Apr 26, 2019 at 2:39am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Further, the Duke of Cambridge addressed his own grief after losing his mother as well as the pain felt by those affected by the Christchurch tragedy.</p> <p>“I have had reasons myself to reflect on grief and sudden pain and loss in my own life. And in my role, I have often seen up close the sorrow of others in moments of tragedy, as I have today,” he said.</p> <p>“What I have realised is that of course grief can change your outlook. You don’t ever forget the shock, the sadness and the pain.</p> <p>“But I do not believe that grief changes who you are. Grief – if you let it – will reveal who you are.</p> <p>“It can reveal depths that you did not know you had. The startling weight of grief can burst any bubble of complacency in how you live your life and help you to live up to the values you expose. That's exactly what happened here in Christchurch.</p> <p>“An act of violence was designed to change New Zealand, but instead the grief of a nation revealed just how deep your wells of empathy, compassion, warmth and love truly run.”</p> <p>Earlier that day, Prince William met with survivors of the Christchurch terrorist attack – some of whom who were still in hospital.</p> <p>This is not the first time the royal has visited Christchurch, New Zealand.</p> <p>He last visited the humble city in 2011 following the Christchurch earthquake which killed 185 people.</p>

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"I've never seen such leadership": Oprah Winfrey praises Jacinda Ardern in stunning speech

<p>Oprah Winfrey has praised Jacinda Ardern for her response to the Christchurch terror attacks.</p> <p>In a keynote speech at the 10th annual Women in the World summit on Thursday, Winfrey said the New Zealand Prime Minister’s handlings of the massacre that killed 50 people last month were a display of leadership that she has “never seen”.</p> <p>“I’ve never seen such leadership,” Winfrey said. “The prime minister is a woman who has such courage in her convictions and has set a global standard for leadership with her response.”</p> <p>Ardern’s response to the March 15 attacks has been widely lauded as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.919ed278b725">“extraordinary” and “strong”</a>. Hours after a gunman opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, Ardern appeared before the nation to condemn the shootings, saying that they could “only be described as a terrorist attack” and that the arrested suspect had “extremist views that have absolutely no place in New Zealand and, in fact, no place in the world”.</p> <p>The following day, the 37-year-old leader visited members of the Muslim community and reportedly told them that the country was “united in grief”. During the visit, she donned a Muslim-style headscarf known as a hijab.</p> <p>“People were quite surprised,” Ahmed Khan, a survivor of the attack, told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/19/asia/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-christchurch-intl/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a></em>. “I saw people’s faces when she was wearing the hijab – there were smiles on their faces.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">New Zealand PM Jacinda Adern wearing a hijab met the vctims of yesterday's attack. Plus she told Donald Trump: Send love to Muslims after mosque shooting. It really show how peaceful and welcoming country New Zealand is.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewzealandMosqueAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewzealandMosqueAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZKOG3c6gD2">pic.twitter.com/ZKOG3c6gD2</a></p> — Hanzla Ali (@iamhanzla1) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamhanzla1/status/1106905428519251970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Winfrey told the summit, “Women across the country then showed their solidarity by wearing headscarves to emulate the hijab that Ms Ardern chose to mourn in.</p> <p>“Fifty murders that could have brought even more destruction instead lead to a portrait of the Prime Minister displayed across Dubai’s tallest building with the word ‘peace’ shining above it, in English as well as in Arabic.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">New Zealand today fell silent in honour of the mosque attacks' martyrs. Thank you PM <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a> and New Zealand for your sincere empathy and support that has won the respect of 1.5 billion Muslims after the terrorist attack that shook the Muslim community around the world. <a href="https://t.co/9LDvH0ybhD">pic.twitter.com/9LDvH0ybhD</a></p> — HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd/status/1109124817888915461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Speaking of the display of Jacinda Ardern’s image on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper, Winfrey said, “Jacinda Ardern projected peace and goodness, and the Arab world projected it right back for all of us to take in. And suddenly we saw that the other didn't seem that much different from us.</p> <p>“So here, women in the world, we have to make the choice every single day to channel our own inner Jacindas.”</p>

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Jacinda Ardern's heartwarming moment as she praises 95-year-old war veteran

<p>The Christchurch terrorist attacks in New Zealand have left the world reeling. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been praised worldwide for the way she has handled the attacks.</p> <p>The spotlight of praise has turned to the people of New Zealand, more specifically a 95-year-old World War II veteran named John Sato.</p> <p>The photo below sent shockwaves worldwide as Sato was seen attending a rally in Auckland on March 24 in support of the Muslim community. In the photo, Mr Sato is seen walking with a member of the police force and another member of the public.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7825660/old-man-nz.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/efaaaa674996400ca4d10cc2afb5ba4d" /></p> <p>It’s reported that Mr Sato took four buses in order to show his support and the New Zealand Prime Minister couldn’t be more thankful for it.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv5fgjvFdit/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv5fgjvFdit/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">It’s hard to write something that does 95 year old John Sato justice, so I’ll use the words he shared after recently taking four buses to get to a rally and show support for the Muslim Community. This is what he had to say "I stayed awake quite a lot of the night. I didn't sleep too well ever since. I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people..... I think it's such a tragedy, and yet it has the other side. It has brought people together, no matter what their race or anything. People suddenly realised we're all one. We care for each other." Thank you John. Your actions warmed the hearts of so many during a time of such sadness.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/jacindaardern/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Jacinda Ardern</a> (@jacindaardern) on Apr 5, 2019 at 8:03pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ardern shared some specific quotes from Sato on Instagram, explaining how he felt after the attacks.</p> <p>“I stayed awake quite a lot of the night. I didn’t sleep too well ever since. I thought it was so sad,” Sato explained.</p> <p>“You can feel the suffering of other people… it has brought people together, no matter what their race or anything. People suddenly realised we’re all one. We care for each other.”</p> <p>Ardern ended the Instagram post saying, “Thank you John. Your actions warmed the hearts of so many during a time of such sadness.”</p> <p>Had you seen this photo before? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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Jacinda Ardern's admission to Waleed Aly: "That news did take some time for me to process"

<p>In her first media interview since the Christchurch terror attack, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that it "did take some time to process" that the shooter was Australian.</p> <p>Ardern was speaking to Waleed Aly, who was invited to NZ after he delivered an "incredible" <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/scott-morrison-plans-to-sue-waleed-aly-and-channel-ten" target="_blank">segment</a> on <em>The Project</em> in the wake of the March 15 shootings that left 50 people dead.</p> <p>"It might seem strange but I saw your piece on<span> </span><em>The Project</em><span> </span>... it was incredible," Ardern told Aly at the beginning of the interview.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheProjectTV%2Fvideos%2F349039202384359%2F&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=476" width="476" height="587" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>In the interview, the NZ PM said it was difficult to confront the news that the shooter was an Australian citizen. "That was news that did take some time for me to process," she said.</p> <p>"But I think New Zealanders are reflecting on the fact that it was not one of us, because in part that helps them process what has happened here. They do not point it out as an intent to blame, that is now why it’s raised."</p> <p>Ardern also had a message to Australia. "I just say thank you. Thank you for the solidarity and support. We are absolutely family."</p> <p>Ardern also addressed the criticisms that came after she wore a head scarf for a meeting with members of the Muslim community following the attack.</p> <p>"I gave it very little thought ... it was so obvious to me that that would be the appropriate thing to do," she said.</p> <p>"It didn't occur to me for a moment that there would be those women in the community that would feel unsafe wearing … their faith, and so if in wearing the hijab as I did gave them a sense of security to continue to practice their faith, then I'm very pleased I did it.</p> <p>"My job is to make people feel safe. The idea that people do not, I find deeply distressing, and it's my job to bring that sense of security back."</p> <p>While Aly’s segment impressed Ardern, it created a string of controversies back home, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/scott-morrison-plans-to-sue-waleed-aly-and-channel-ten" target="_blank">reportedly considering suing</a> the Channel 10 show for defamation. In the segment, Aly referred to a 2010 cabinet meeting in which Morrison suggested <span>using anti-Muslim community sentiment for political gain.</span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheProjectTV%2Fvideos%2F825676911124387%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>However, Morrison told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/ugly-and-disgusting-lie-pm-attacks-eight-year-old-report-about-muslim-immigration-20190320-p515p7.html" target="_blank">ABC TV</a> last week that he would not pursue any legal action. "I have no intention of doing that, I just simply want people to report the truth and that is an ugly and disgusting lie," he said.</p>

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“She tipped me over the edge”: Kochie defends behaviour on Sunrise after Pauline Hanson feud

<p><em>Sunrise </em>host David Koch has admitted he was “tipped over the edge” by Pauline Hanson’s comments on <em>Sunrise</em> about the Christchurch attacks.</p> <p>He spoke to Kyle and Jackie O about the divisive words that have been used by Hanson and why he was so impacted by them.</p> <p>“I went her, because [of] her words, and probably I'm a bit too passionate about this because I do work with Muslim youth workers in western Sydney.”</p> <p>As Koch runs a youth centre in Macquarie Fields, he has seen the real-life ramifications that Muslim children experience due to politician’s comments.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvSR3TvhZmb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvSR3TvhZmb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a> on Mar 21, 2019 at 2:34pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>He told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6836771/Sunrise-host-David-Koch-doubles-criticism-anti-Muslim-Pauline-Hanson.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a>:</em></p> <p>“When politicians talk and they pit Australians against Muslims, and the scaremongering, these kids deal with it on the street.</p> <p>“What happened in New Zealand really got to me. We're a society now that's becoming a bit dangerous.”</p> <p>After the <em>Sunrise </em>segment aired, a petition with over 122,000 signatures was set up calling for him to be sacked for the way he handled the interview.</p> <p>However, Kochie has no issues with the conversation.        </p> <p>“Pauline's had worse in parliament, she's the leader of a political party.”</p> <p>He also mentioned that politicians should be held more accountable for their words.</p> <p>“Politicians don't understand the power of their words, particularly in an election campaign.”</p> <p>“Australia, we are so compassionate, so understanding, and we're proud of it. We're the best multicultural nation in the world.”</p> <p>Do you agree with Kochie’s words? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan pay tribute to Christchurch shootings victims

<p>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have paid their respects to the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack during a visit to the New Zealand High Commission in London.</p> <p>The two royals laid bouquets of flowers outside the building and signed a book of condolence during the unannounced visit on Tuesday afternoon. They wrote “we are with you” before signing off with the Maori word “Arohanui”, which means “best wishes”.</p> <p>An insider from the Palace said: “Harry and Meghan wanted to pay their respects in any way they could and agreed with Buckingham Palace that they should go and sign the book of condolence as they were the last members of the royal family to visit the country as part of their Autumn tour last year.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvNENdtnL41/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvNENdtnL41/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited New Zealand House in London today to sign the Book of Condolence which was opened following the terrorist attacks in Christchurch. Their Royal Highnesses visited New Zealand last October. More from @kensingtonroyal.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/theroyalfamily/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> The Royal Family</a> (@theroyalfamily) on Mar 19, 2019 at 1:58pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47629414" target="_blank"><em>BBC</em></a>, New Zealand’s High Commissioner Jerry Mateparae – who welcomed the Duke and Duchess on their visit – said it was “wonderful” to host the royal couple.</p> <p>He said, “We are overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of support we've received from across the UK.”</p> <p>Fifty people died in the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch after a terrorist open fired on Friday.</p> <p>The royal family issued their condolences on Friday in the wake of the attack.</p> <p>The Queen said in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a26835240/royal-family-queen-elizabeth-response-new-zealand-shooting/" target="_blank">a statement</a>: “I have been deeply saddened by the appalling events in Christchurch today. Prince Philip and I send our condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives.”</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also made a joint statement with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. “This senseless attack is an affront to the people of Christchurch and New Zealand, and the broader Muslim community,” the message stated.</p> <p>“We send our thoughts and prayers to everyone in New Zealand today. Kia Kaha.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the photos of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's visit.</p>

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"Pretty pathetic": Air New Zealand slammed for "profiting" off Christchurch tragedy

<p>A New Zealand airline has dropped fares for Christchurch flights after a customer lambasted the skyrocketing ticket prices in the face of recent terror attacks.</p> <p>National carrier Air New Zealand has announced that it will cap one-way domestic fares to and from Christchurch at NZ$139 following backlash from the public and government.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Air NZ has capped one-way domestic fares for flights directly to and from Christchurch at $139 to assist customers needing to travel there to support those affected by the shooting tragedy – <a href="https://t.co/myG1nRfbfE">https://t.co/myG1nRfbfE</a></p> — AirNZMedia (@AirNZMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/AirNZMedia/status/1107044554497130496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Previously, a return trip between Auckland to Christchurch had cost between $747 and $787 following Friday’s terror attacks on two mosques.</p> <p>Activist Guled Mire took to Twitter to criticise the pricing on Saturday. “This is ridiculous! People are literally trying to fly in to Christchurch to be with loved ones and for funerals happening in the next day or so. Pretty pathetic to be prioritising profit in current circumstances,” Mire wrote.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/FlyAirNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlyAirNZ</a> this is ridiculous! People are literally trying to fly in to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Christchurch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Christchurch</a> to be loved ones and for funerals happens in the next day or so. Pretty pathetic to be prioritising profit in current circumstances. <a href="https://t.co/NtFD8egEHY">pic.twitter.com/NtFD8egEHY</a></p> — Guled Mire (@GuledMire) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuledMire/status/1106828140121227264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The airline replied that the fares were increased because of the limited availability, even after they had added additional capacity.</p> <p>Finance Minister Grant Robertson, the shareholding minister for Air NZ, also reprimanded the airline. The NZ government owns 52 per cent of the carrier.</p> <p>“I have just made contact with Air New Zealand and made my views clear,” Robertson wrote on Twitter. “I know they do offer compassionate fares at times and this would have to be one of them.”</p> <p>In a statement published on Sunday, Air NZ said they have offered free flights to immediate family members of the deceased as well as compassionate fares “to other affected friends and family with close to 100 bookings made so far, including a number of group bookings.”</p> <p>The airline will also pay retroactive refunds for domestic bookings made after 3 pm on Friday to reflect the $139 cap.</p> <p>On Friday, Christchurch saw mass shootings at two mosques. At least 50 people were killed, and 50 others were wounded, with the victims hailing from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Egypt. So far, the only perpetrator found to be linked to the terror attacks is 28-year-old Australian man Brenton Tarrant.</p>

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“A disgrace”: Calls for Fraser Anning to be expelled following “Egg Boy” response

<p>In what has been a jam packed week for Fraser Anning, it only continues to build as he faces increasing pressure from all sides.</p> <p>His abrasive comments in the wake of the Christchurch shooting has not just been condemned by Australia’s very own Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and New Zealand’s Jacinda Arden – it has caused fury online as well as internationally.</p> <p>The senator is now facing an unprecedented tide of public backlash that has seen over one million signatures on an online petition to see him kicked out of parliament.</p> <p>The online petition has become the largest in Australian history, far eclipsing the Sydney Opera House horse racing advertising backlash last year. The creator of the appeal has only one demand – to remove Anning from his position in parliament.</p> <p>“Senator Fraser Anning’s views have no place in the government of our democratic and multicultural country,” the petition reads.</p> <p>“Within the bounds of Australian law, we request that he be pushed to resign from his position as Senator, and if appropriate, be investigated by law enforcement agencies for supporting right wing terrorism.”</p> <p>It points to the Queensland politicians’ divisive comments made just moments after the horrific attack which killed 50 Muslim people. His statements lashed against the Christchurch terrorist mass shooting victims on Friday.  </p> <p>“Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?” Anning tweeted shortly after 50 innocent Muslims were shot dead in their place of worship.</p> <p>“The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place,” he said in a later statement.</p> <p>Since then, the extreme far-right politician has seen the public in all its fury, even being ambushed by a 17-year-old Australian boy, Will Connolly – who cracked a raw egg over his head on Saturday.</p> <p>Anning, who was answering media questions at Melbourne airport responded by promptly slapping the teenage boy twice over the head.</p> <p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the senator should be charged.</p> <p>“The full force of the law should be applied to Senator Anning.” he told reporters.</p> <p>Victorian police have since released a statement, explaining Anning “retaliated and struck the teen twice” before Mr Connolly was dragged to the ground by supporters</p> <p>“The incident is being actively investigated by Victoria Police in its entirety,” the statement read.</p> <p>Greens leader Richard Di Natale told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-want-senator-fraser-anning-expelled/news-story/7268a950f52a3068d2924e5192616ac2" target="_blank">The Australian</a> </em>the party is looking to expel him from federal parliament.</p> <p>“We are exploring all options, including amending section 8 of the Privileges Act to allow members of parliament to be expelled by their fellow MPs.</p> <p>“While politicians should be held responsible for their actions by the voters, in extraordinary circumstances like these where there is a pattern of behaviour that is so far outside acceptable norms, we must be willing to take extraordinary action to protect the community.”</p> <p>New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has also publicly condemned Anning.</p> <p>When asked by a journalist what she thought of the comments the politician made, she replied: “They’re a disgrace.”</p> <p>A GoFundMe page set up to raise AUD$2000 to pay for Mr Connolly’s “legal fees” and “more eggs” has exceeded over AUD$25,000 on Sunday.</p> <p>The site says most of the money will go to the victims of Christchurch mass shooting.</p> <p>After being released from police custody due to slamming a raw egg onto the head of Anning, the teen urged viewers to not follow in his lead.</p> <p>“Don’t egg politicians. You get tackled by 30 bogans at the same time,” he said in a video. “I learnt the hard way.”</p>

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