A person has died following a water incident in Mount Maunganui this morning.
Emergency services were notified just before 8.20am after a person was pulled unresponsive from the water at Pilot Bay Beach.
“Despite the best efforts to revive the person, they died at the scene,” a police spokesperson said.
“Inquiries are ongoing, and a formal identification process is underway.”
St John said it attended the incident but referred further inquiries to police.
A search was launched this afternoon after reports a fisherman had fallen into water off rocks at the southern end of Auckland’s Piha Beach.
In a statement, police said it was making inquiries about the whereabouts of a fisherman who was unaccounted for.
“It has been reported the man was fishing off rocks on the southern end of Piha, when he fell into the water,” a police spokesperson said.
The police Eagle helicopter conducted an initial aerial search of the area. Surf lifesavers also took part in the search.
“The man has not yet been located, and enquiries continue,” police said.
There was “limited information” about the man, who police described as being of Asian descent and wearing a lifejacket at the time.
“Police are asking anyone who may have information about who this man is, or saw him prior to this report to come forward.
“Please approach our staff in the area, or otherwise contact police.”
Hato Hone St John sent a first response unit, an ambulance and an operations manager.
A man has been rushed to Vaiola Hospital after he was found on Hihifo Road with “critical injuries” early this morning at about 5.30am.
Tonga Police have identified the victim as Viliami Tautuiaki.
“His family has been notified of his condition”, the Police said.
It said Tautuiaki was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
He was last seen at 11pm on Wednesday, and his family confirmed he had not returned by 3am.
The Police said people in a Black Toyota Bb discovered Tautuiaki on their way to a morning service.
“Tonga Police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the nature of this incident”, the Police said.
Police urged the public to report any crimes they witnessed, emphasizing that community vigilance is crucial for maintaining safety and security.
Police said people could call on 924 or 7401614 if they have any information to help their investigation.
By Gill Bonnett of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Talks are continuing with New Zealand’s Five Eyes partners about if and when they will share details of their citizens’ criminal offending.
New Zealand’s Five Eyes partners continue talks about sharing the details of their citizens’ criminal offending. Photo: RNZ
The Migration 5 countries – New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the US and Britain – already work together on border policies, migrant data-sharing and technology.
The Criminal Database Checking group is due to meet online again at the end of this month.
Data released under the Official Information Act showed it had eight online meetings last year, and its first face-to-face meeting in March, in Wellington.
New Zealand currently chairs Migration 5.
The group shares details of migrants’ travel records and visas, but at present, not their own citizens’ data.
A recent document request in the UK confirms the group was already sharing data on citizens of other M5 countries when they apply for visas.
“The bilateral arrangements for fingerprint checking with all M5 partners enable the sharing of information about all third country nationals. Therefore, if a fingerprint match is found to a national of Australia, Canada or New Zealand the biometric transaction history and biographic immigration history of that individual will be shared with the US.”
It means a New Zealander for example travelling to Canada can have information provided by Australia, the US and Britain to Canada.
New Zealand does not ask who each country on-shares the information with, nor do the agreements with M5 partners require them to say.
The UK said Migration 5 had no current plans to create a “Single Window” system enabling member countries to directly access each other’s immigration data.
By Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Samoa’s police commissioner has clarified the charges against the chairman of the country’s ruling FAST party, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt.
Photo: RNZ Pacific/Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Speculation and rumour has been raging in Samoa and on social media about the case.
Auapa’au Logoitino Filipo said the charges against Schmidt should not be mixed with the Tuuau Maletino case.
“Speculation regarding the connection between the two cases is unhelpful and potentially misleading,” he said.
“The current charges are based on specific alleged offences and are being handled through the usual legal channels.”
Auapa’au has clarified the charges against Laauli.
These include:
Laauli, who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, had posted on social media after charges were laid against him that he was innocent of the accusations.
The Samoa Observer reported Friday that Fiame Naomi Mata’afa had stressed the need to let the law take its course.
Laauli is due in court on 4 February.
RNZ Pacific correspondent Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia said the prime minister had not issued a public statement or held a media conference on the recent issue.
Local media reported that Laauli had been told to step down but Autagavaia said that there was no confirmation from the prime minister or Laauli.
“There was talk that the FAST Caucus had met on Tuesday to discuss these matters.
“There have been alot of social media comments about this issue, but people need to be cautious, and wait on the prime minister to comment,” he said.
The prime minister is now meeting with Cabinet on Wednesday to discuss when an outcome is expected.
By Alex Therrien of BBC
Germany and France have warned Donald Trump against threatening Greenland, after the US president-elect refused to rule out using military force to seize Denmark’s autonomous territory.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “the principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country… no matter whether it’s a very small one or a very powerful one”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said “there is obviously no question that the European Union would let other nations of the world attack its sovereign borders”.
On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland, saying that the Arctic island was “critical” for national and economic security.
He has repeatedly expressed an interest in buying Greenland, having mooted the idea in 2019, during his first term as president.
Denmark, a long-time US ally, has made clear that Greenland is not for sale and that it belongs to its inhabitants.
Greenland’s prime minister, Mute Egede, is pushing for independence from Denmark, but he too has made clear the territory is not for sale. He was visiting Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Chancellor Scholz said there was a “certain incomprehension” about statements coming from the incoming US administration.
“The principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country no matter whether that’s in the east or the west.”
Denmark is a member of the US-led Nato alliance, as are Germany and France.
Scholz stressed that “Nato is the most important instrument for our defence and a central of the transatlantic relationship”.
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Jean-Noël Barrot told France Inter radio: “If you’re asking me whether I think the United States will invade Greenland, my answer is no.
“Have we entered into an era that sees the return of the survival of the fittest? Then the answer is yes.
“So, should we allow ourselves to be intimidated and overcome with worry, clearly not. We must wake up, build up our strength,” the French foreign minister added.
0:55Watch: Danish journalist on what Greenlanders think about Trump’s comments
Germany and France are the two leading members of the EU, often described as its main driving force.
However, it is difficult to imagine how the EU might prevent any potential attack. It has no defensive capabilities of its own and most of its 27 member states are part of Nato.
Trump made the remarks at a free-wheeling news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, less than two weeks before he is sworn in for his second term as president on 20 January.
Asked if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over Greenland or the Panama Canal, Trump said: “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two.
“But I can say this, we need them for economic security.”
Greenland has been home to a US radar base since the Cold War and has long been strategically important for Washington.
Trump suggested the island was crucial to military efforts to track Chinese and Russian ships, which he said are “all over the place”.
“I’m talking about protecting the free world,” he told reporters.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV on Tuesday that “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders” and that only the local population could determine its future.
However, she stressed Denmark needed close co-operation with the US.
Greenland MP Kuno Fencker told the BBC that the population had been preparing for “some bold statements” from Trump, but that the island’s “sovereignty and self-determination are non-negotiable”.
Fencker, whose Siumut party is part of Greenland’s governing coalition, said local authorities would welcome “constructive dialogue and mutually beneficial partnership with the United States and other nations”.
He did not rule out a free association including both Denmark and the US, but said “this is a decision that Greenlandic people must take, it’s not one politician’s decision”.
Greenland has a population of just 57,000 and wide-ranging autonomy, although its economy is largely dependent on subsidies from Copenhagen and it remains part of the kingdom of Denmark.
It also has some of the largest deposits of rare earth minerals, which are crucial in the manufacture of batteries and high-tech devices.
Danish Broadcasting Corporation senior international correspondent Steffen Kretz, who has been reporting in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, said most of the people he had spoken to were “shocked” by Trump’s refusal to rule out using military force to take control of the territory.
While a majority of people in Greenland hoped for independence in the future, he said there was widespread acknowledgment that it needed a partner who could provide public services, defence and an economic foundation, as Denmark did now.
“I have yet to meet a person in Greenland who is dreaming of the island becoming a colony for another outside power like the USA.”
Kretz told the BBC that while the Danish government had sought to “downplay” any confrontation with Trump, “behind the scenes I sense the awareness that this conflict has the potential to be the biggest international crisis for Denmark in modern history”.
The president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr, paid a brief visit to Greenland on Tuesday, in what he described as a “personal day trip” to talk to people.
He then posted a photo with a group of Greenlanders in a bar wearing pro-Trump caps.
A deep-sea twin-hulled canoe is being constructed in Tonga to preserve Kalia construction skills.
The project, known as Vaka Lautala is led by the accomplished Tongan carver and artist Sitiveni Fehoko.
The approximate 17-metre canoe, called kalia in Tongan, was used for long voyaging and fishing.
The new kalia was intended to travel from Tongatapu to Hā’ano.
Sitiveni said the initiative was intended to show how important it is to keep traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage alive.
He and his brothers were renowned kalia constructors and navigators from Hā’ano.
He and his elder brother Isikeli had recently teamed up and constructed the Whale boat, which he had described as “a big project.”
“Combining my skills in carving and Isikeli’s boat-making skills, we work side by side with the team and Sully Paea from New Zealand to complete this project”, he reportedly said.
Sitiveni has invited parents to visit his new project site at his Popua residence with their children to learn how to build kalia.
Tefua ‘a Vaka Lautala
The craftmanship is no longer practised in the archipelago.
The latest model of kalia, a state-of-the-art catamaran designed specifically to provide essential ferry services to Tonga’s two Niua islands, was constructed in New Zealand.
The traditional technical expertise involved was particularly known among the navigators of Vaka Lautala harbour at Ha’apai’s Ha’ano island.
The involvement of technical know-how, deep understanding of the ocean, and the effective utilization of materials available in their environment led to the derivation of the Tongan proverb, Tefua ‘a Vaka Lautala.
In English, the expression conveys the idea of important people coming together to deliberate on significant issues.
A family trait
The Fehokos come from a family known for their skills in constructing kalias.
Sitiveni’s eldest brother Viliami was on the international news in the 1970s after he embarked on a mission to solo sail around the world in a sailing vessel he had built out of pieces of plywood he collected in Auckland, New Zealand, according to former Tongan journalist Sione Tu’itahi.
The solo sailor named his boat Mata Moana or Eye of the Deep Ocean.
According to Tu’itahi, Viliami first practised his idea of travelling worldwide by successfully sailing around the Pacific.
The mission did not go according to plan after Viliami travelled to the Indian Ocean and lived there on Seychelles Island.
Tu’itahi said that Viliami was unable to travel to the Atlantic Ocean. By not doing so, he would not be regarded as having travelled around the world, although he had travelled the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Tongan Australian-born boxer Justis Huni delivered yet another exceptional performance in the ring, further solidifying his ascent in the competitive heavyweight boxing division.
Huni’s performance on Wednesday night, knocking out South African Shaun Potgieter in the second round of their bout on the Gold Coast to improve his record to 12-0.
In his most recent match, which took place less than a month ago, Huni faced off against the tough Leandro Daniel Robutti.
The bout highlighted Huni’s technical prowess and power, resulting in a decisive victory that has left fans and analysts excited about his potential. With this momentum behind him, Huni is eager to ramp up his training and increase his fight schedule, signaling his strong ambition to contend for a coveted world title in the near future.
As he prepares for future challenges, Huni’s dedication to honing his craft and his relentless pursuit of excellence mark him as a rising star in the heavyweight landscape, creating anticipation for what lies ahead in his boxing career.
Fighting as the semi-main event behind Jai Opetaia’s world title showdown with David Nyika, Huni wasted no time dictating terms against Potgieter.
Justis Huni (left) punches Shaun Potgieter during his one-sided victory. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
A low blow forced a stop to the fight in the first round as the South African took his time to compose himself and he managed to survive the first round.
But it only delayed the inevitable as Huni quickly forced a stoppage just 33 seconds into round two as the Aussie defended his IBO Global title and Potgieter’s record slipped to 10-2.
“Very, very impressive,” the commentator said on DAZN. “Big shots, big hands. He’s the most exciting heavyweight in Australia at the moment.”
After the fight, Huni said he was carrying “some injuries” but is already targeting another fight in March.
He also acknowledged there is plenty of improvement left in his young career.
“I’m continuing to get better every time I step out here,” Huni said.
“The more active I am, the better I’ll get. It’s just about staying active.
“I was in the ring not long ago and to be back here on a card like this is massive for my career moving forward.
It was light work for Huni. Photo: DAZN
Shaun Potgieter was worse for wear after the fight. Photo: DAZN
“I’ve got some injuries I’ve got to take care of, but as soon as possible I’ll be back in the ring.
“I believe I can go all the way.”
British promoter Eddie Hearn also spoke about Huni and said that coupled with Teremoana Termoana, who earlier finished Osasu Otobo just 57 seconds into his fight, Australian heavyweight boxing is in rude health.
“It’s just what he needed to get that spite back,” Hearn said of Huni.
“Three fights in three or four months, after some real top-level, world-level opposition. He’s still a young man.
“This guy is nearly there, you’ve got another potential heavyweight champion in Justis Huni. “He’s (ranked) top 15 across three governing bodies, the speed’s back, the confidence is back, massive 2025 coming up.
“What a time for Australian boxing, what a time for the heavyweight division.”
By Stuff
A Powerball player from Wellington has started the year with a bang by winning $7 million in Wednesday night’s Lotto draw.
The winning ticket was sold on MyLotto and the prize is made up of $6 million from Powerball First Division and $1m from Lotto First Division.
Wednesday night’s winner is the first Powerball multi-millionaire of 2025.
Meanwhile, Strike Four rolled over and will be $800,000 on Saturday night.
Anyone who bought their ticket on MyLotto should check their ticket as soon as possible, Lotto said.
The police in Tonga have arrested a married couple found in possession of cannabis, methamphetamine, cash and drug paraphernalia.
The 21-year-old man from Hauloto and his 32-year-old wife had been arrested on 6 January 2025.
On Monday, Tonga Police raided a bush allotment at Hauloto and seized two packs of cannabis 1.54g, 27 packs of methamphetamine 0.86g, over TOP$300 cash, electronic devices and drug utensils.
Both suspects remain in police custody as the investigation continues.
The Police also said in a statement that they raided the same bush allotment at Hauloto on 2 January 2025, arresting one man and three women between the ages of 38-43 years.
The Police seized 21 packs of cannabis 8.17g, five packs of methamphetamine 0.14g, utensils and over TOP$800 cash.
The suspects have been charged with possession of illicit drugs and drug utensils.
Tonga Police stated that they are determined to disrupt and seize illicit substances for their usage and distribution to protect our communities better.
They urged the public to call them at 740-1657 or 922 with any information relating to illicit drug use.
