New Zealand: 'From Hero to Martyr': Widow of 51st Christchurch Shooting Victim Addresses Gunman in Court

Hamimah Tuyan, the widow of the 51st and final victim of 2019's Christchurch shooting, addresses the gunman, Brenton Tarrant, in court, telling him his death elevated him from hero to martyr. Zekeriya Tuyan battled for 48 days after 18 surgeries before succumbing to his injuries. Tuyan's statements come after three days of family members of victims addressing Tarrant and the court

Prince William Speaking Inside the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch

Published on 25 Apr 2019

Christchurch Shooting: Gun Owners Begin to Hand In Their Weapons

THE GUARDIAN: Dozens of firearms have been handed in to stations around New Zealand after appeal from Jacinda Ardern

New Zealanders have begun handing in their firearms to police in the wake of Friday’s mass shooting in Christchurch which resulted in the deaths of at least 50 people.

New Zealand police said that, as of Tuesday night, at least 37 firearms had been handed in to police officers around the country.

The prime minister is expected to announce changes to gun laws in the coming days, including measures such as a ban on semi-automatic rifles, a plan that was flagged by her attorney general, David Parker, one day after the massacre.

She emerged from a long cabinet meeting on Monday, Jacinda Ardern said her team would take the rest of the week to work out the details after agreeing to make changes “in principle”, adding: “These aren’t simple areas of law. So that’s simply what we’ll be taking the time to get right.” » | Kate Lyons | Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Christchurch Mosque Attacks: Burials Begin as Ardern Urges Students to Reject Hate

THE GUARDIAN: New Zealand prime minister returns to city where 50 were killed as foreign minister heads to Turkey

Burials for the 50 people killed the New Zealand terrorist attack have begun in Christchurch as the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, returned to the city to pay her respects and comfort those affected by the killings.

On Wednesday, father and son Khaled and Hamza Mustafa, who arrived in New Zealand as refugees from Syria, were the first victims to be buried. The prime minister told reporters: “I cannot tell you how gutting it is to know that a family came here for safety and for refuge, and they should have been safe here.”

Earlier, police said they planned to release most of the bodies back to their families by Wednesday night, with Ardern promising to work with authorities to see if the coronial process could be sped up in future to comply with Islamic burial rites. » | Calla Wahlquist and Eleanor Ainge Roy in Christchurch | Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Yasir Amin Survived the Christchurch Shooting

Yasir Amin survived the Christchurch shootings. He and his father were on their way to Friday prayers when they came across the gunman.

Yasir did not see the man who shot his father and said all he could "remember is a big gun".

As the car drove away, Yasir called an ambulance. He had no idea of the carnage just metres away from him inside the mosque.

Yasir wanted to stay by his father's bedside at the hospital, but was given another grim task: identifying the bodies of other victims at the morgue.

One of the nine people he identified was his best friend, Nahim Rashid.

New Zealand Mosque Attacks: Social Media Comes Under Attack | Al Jazeera English

Since Friday's attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, social media platforms have been criticised for failing to stop the suspect's shooting video, and hate-filled manifesto, from going viral. Why was it so difficult for the social media giants, with all their resources and latest technology, to contain the spread of videos of New Zealand mosque attacks? Al Jazeera's Mereana Hond reports.

The Guardian View on the Christchurch Attacks: Extremism’s Rising Danger

THE GUARDIAN: The far right seeks to divide. Responsible politicians ought, especially in times of grief and anger, to bring people together

New Zealand is best known for its breathtaking wilderness, found in distant but secure islands at the edge of the world. On Friday that changed. Forty-nine people were killed in shootings at two mosques in central Christchurch in a suspected terrorist attack during the congregational prayer. The horrific events have left the country in mourning and shock. Muslims make up less than 1% of New Zealand’s population and the faith’s most prominent adherent is a rugby player. This was a stupefying amount of lethal force in a country that saw only 35 homicides in all of 2017. New Zealand as a nation will collectively have to deal with a trauma that no parent, no relative, no friend should ever endure. » | Editorial | Friday, March 15, 2019

Jacinda Ardern Says Christchurch Mosque Shootings Were Terrorist Attack

New Zealand's prime minister has issued 'the strongest possible condemnation of the ideology of the people who did this' after mass shootings at two mosques. The country's terrorism threat level has been raised and flights in and out of Christchurch were cancelled as intelligence agencies worked to secure the city. Mass shooting at two Christchurch mosques – video report.

THE GUARDIAN: What we know so far »

THE GUARDIAN: Far-right ideology detailed in Christchurch shooting 'manifesto' » | Lisa Martin | Friday, March 15, 2019