Police have charged two people with murder after a man was found dead in the middle of an East Auckland road at the weekend.
The man’s body was found on Point England Road at about 11.15pm on Saturday. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
The man was found at 11.15pm on Saturday on Point England Road.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves said the man suffered multiple injuries, and was believed to have been run over by his own vehicle, before it was stolen.
He said the vehicle was recovered on Sunday morning, and was undergoing forensic examination.
A 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman both from Auckland were arrested on Monday, Greaves said in a statement.
Greaves said police would oppose their bail when they appeared in Auckland District Court on Tuesday.
“These arrests are a positive development, but there’s a long way to go in this investigation, and a significant amount of work remains to be completed,” he said in a statement.
A photo allegedly showing a swimmer riding the tail of a baby whale has sparked outrage in Tonga.
If this is proven to be true, the swimmer’s action may have violated Tonga’s Whale Watching and Swimming law Section 9, which states, “No person shall disturb or harass any whale.” It also says, “No person shall touch or feed any whale.”
It comes after growing concerns in the Pacific with authorities warning this week about abusive swimming activities toward whales, especially mother-calf pairs.
The photo, widely shared on social media, shows a person apparently sitting on the tail while another was swimming nearby on the left side.
The caption, accompanied by the image, said a group of swimmers also touched the whale.
Kaniva News could not independently verify the photo’s authenticity and whether it was indeed taken in Tonga.
Swimming with whales
Tonga offers regulated opportunities for swimming with whales in small groups.
However, the rules said the whales’ behaviour must be considered to decide whether swimming with them should be discontinued.
The practice “is entirely at the captain’s discretion”.
Four swimmers can swim with whales at one time, one report says.
According to Tonga’s Whale Watching and Swimming Law, swimmers are not allowed to come into contact with any whale at any sign of the animal becoming disturbed or alarmed.
“No person shall cause any whale to become separated from a group of whales or cause any members of such a group to be scattered”, it said.
Social media reactions
The photo triggered outrage and frustration among people passionate about whale conservation and raised serious concerns among local community members.
“I am very angry today! This female underwater photographer from China sits on a baby whale in Tonga to take photo”, the caption accompanying the photo claimed.
However, it did not provide evidence to indicate that it was indeed a Chinese swimmer who was allegedly sitting on the whale.
“I feel so disgusted to see these photos and videos lately”.
A commenter responded: “This is what we are fighting for here in Tonga, especially here in Vava’u…. Maybe it’s better to leave the whales alone”.
“Disrespect”, some commenters wrote.
Another commenter said that the individual responsible for taking the swimmers should be held accountable for their actions and face appropriate consequences.
“Their licenses should be taken off them with no second chances”.
“I think there are rules that prohibit this. The operator should be penalized”, one commenter wrote.
Some commentators, however, expressed concerns that labelling the swimmer in question as Chinese might fuel racism issues.
“I think it’s not Good for you to point out here that the problems get resolved between the operators instead of putting them on social media; it affects the reputation of the whale-watching industry of Tonga,” the commenter wrote.
“Not only that, you have pointed out the Chinese tourist, which pretty much single them out by race, it’s sad you’re only nice to the white skin people and throws these people under the bus same rules should apply to everyone, not one set of rules for the Asians especially the Chinese and one set of rules for the white people.
One commenter was suspicious about the photo and asked whether it was photoshopped.
Stricter regulations
The news comes after the Mauritius island authority called for “enforcing stricter regulations due to an influx of influencers from China and Taiwan seeking viral social media photos of themselves swimming with whales.”
The authority said the situation “has led to chaos in cetacean habitats, disrupting breeding whales.
Mauritius has now implemented a ban on swimming with whales, imposing hefty fines and jail time for offenders.
Last month, it was reported that French Polynesian environmental associations and some scientists have criticised the boom in whale-watching activities.
The country’s conservation group Mata Tohora, dedicated to protecting marine mammals, expresses concern over the excessive number of boats in the water.
“We need to limit the number of boats around the whales and dolphins. It’s a question of managing the activity, which needs to be done quickly, said Agnes Benet, a biologist and founder of the association.
“You can swim with the whales without disturbing them,” she added.
The association is campaigning for the introduction of a “no whale-watching” period, from 2:00 pm onwards, to allow them to rest.
A Royal NZ Navy ship which ran aground and caught fire has since capsized off the coast of the Samoan island of Upolu, authorities have confirmed.
HMNZS Manawanui ran aground and caught fire before capsizing off Samoa. (Source: Supplied)
The HMNZS Manawanui “was known to have capsized and was below the surface” by 9am, the NZ Defence Force confirmed this afternoon.
The $100m vessel was on fire and listing heavily, after running aground before 7pm last night. Photos from the scene showed smoke billowing from the stranded ship.
All 75 crew and passengers onboard were safely rescued overnight. Two people needed hospital treatment for minor injuries, one with a dislocated shoulder and another with a hurt back
All 75 crew and passengers onboard the HMNZS Manawanui were safely rescued overnight. (Source: 1News)
Defence Minister Judith Collins told media in Auckland there will be a Court of Inquiry launched to establish why the ship ran aground, caught fire and then capsized.
“The immediate focus right now is on mitigating the environmental impacts and salvaging what is left of the Manawanui.”
The ship ran aground near the southern coast of Upolu, with all on board evacuating to “life rafts and sea boats”, according to the Defence Force.
“Rescuers battled currents and winds that were pushing the life rafts and sea boats toward the reefs, and swells made the rescue effort particularly challenging.
(Source: Supplied)
“Those on board the lifeboats and sea boats were transferred to vessels that responded to the rescue call and were transported ashore.”
The Defence Force said “the exact cause of the grounding is unknown and this will need further investigation”
The HMNZS Manawanui ran aground, caught fire and capsized off the coast of the Samoan island of Upolu overnight. (Source: 1News)
“The NZDF is working with authorities to understand the implications and minimise the environmental impacts.”
A witness nearby told 1News they saw flares being fired into the sky at about 9pm last night and saw the “vessel tilting on one side”. The ship had been carrying out a reef survey when it ran aground.
An Air Force P-8A Poseidon was later deployed to the incident.
The HMNZS Manawanui grounded near the coast of Upolu. (Source: Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority / Facebook)
Maritime component commander commodore Shane Arndell said the people rescued from the ship were “being supported in Samoa or on supporting vessels”.
“The safety of personnel is our top priority,” he said.
“The New Zealand Defence Force is working closely with the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) who are coordinating rescue efforts. Several vessels responded and assisted in rescuing crew and passengers.”
The HMNZS Manawanui. (Source: NZDF)
The Defence Force said 78 people were onboard the ship in a statement just after midnight, but later revised it to 75 in an update.
Eyewitness describes rescue efforts
The ship, which was in Samoa ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting later this month, was stranded off the Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa where King Charles will be staying.
The incident occurred while the vessel was conducting a hydrographic survey, one nautical mile from shore. The 75 crew and passengers from other government agencies began evacuating into lifeboats at 7.52pm, according to the Defence Force.
Local man Will Iopu, who was at the hotel, told 1News he had headed to the beach around 9pm for a barbecue when he saw people looking out to the sea towards the ship. Police arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.
“About 9.20pm I could see the first flare go up in the air and that’s when we knew things were a bit serious,” he said.
The HMNZS Manawanui grounded near the coast of Upolu. (Source: Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority / Facebook)
“After the first flare, three minutes later a second flare went off.”
Iopu said Sinalei hotel staff took one of their boats out to see if they could help. They were joined by staff from nearby hotels with boats in tow.
By 11.30pm, he said he could “see the lights on the vessel tilting on one side”.
Government, opposition respond
On X, Defence Minister Judith Collins said: “My thoughts this morning are with the officers, crew, and passengers on the HMNZS Manawanui.
“Many thanks to the Samoan people for their brave assistance. Our families will be shocked at what happened, but grateful for the successful rescue.”
Judith Collins. (Source: Getty)
Labour’s defence spokesperson Peeni Henare said the incident was “devastating”.
“My first thoughts are with the safety of the crew onboard the HMNZS Manawanui, and I’m relieved to hear they’re all safe and out of harm’s way. I certainly want to recognise the incredible efforts of those who helped coordinate and rescue our New Zealand crew.
“I’m confident New Zealand and fellow partners will be working around the clock to respond appropriately and support Samoa during this tough time.”
Sunk ship was relatively new to NZ
This morning, the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority shared photos from the scene on Facebook, saying it was fortunate “no one was heavily injured”.
“We’re proud to say WE SAVED THEM,” the authority added.
“If you’re unsure about our sea areas, please BE CAREFUL, TAKE CAUTION, and STAY SAFE!”
The HMNZS Manawanui was the navy’s specialist dive and hydrographic vessel able to conduct specialist missions including explosives disposal, salvaging, surveying, and underwater search and recovery.
The Manawanui was in Samoa in May conducting surveys of the Mulifanua Channel and Apia Harbour to update charts last done in 1987.
In June and July, the vessel worked alongside the Australian Navy disposing of WW2 bombs and surveying areas of the sea floor in Ha’apai, in central Tonga.
HMNZS Manawanui purchased for over $100m in 2018
The HMNZS Manawanui was purchased for $103 million by the Defence Ministry in 2018.
Then-defence minister Ron Mark said in a press release at the time the ship would “fill an existing capability gap” created when two vessels were decommissioned – the survey ship HMNZS Resolution in 2012 and dive tender HMNZS Manawanui in 2018.
Norwegian research vessel Edda Fonn was retrofitted with the dive and hydrographic systems required by the Defence Force.
Onboard included a 100-tonne salvage crane, a remotely operated vehicle and a contemporary dynamic positioning system which would allow “greater levels of effectiveness and safety” for Navy divers.
Mark said the Edda Fonn was subjected to “considerable scrutiny ahead of purchase”.
“We have been assured by independent experts that it is in excellent condition, and will handle well in the operations the Defence Force will use it for.”
The Supreme Court has ordered a multi-million pa’anga payout in a case involving the Tonga Development Bank and the Reserve Bank.
(L-R) NRBT Governor Tatafu Moeaki, Tēvita Motulalo and Katalina Tohi
The Tonga Development Bank, CEO ‘Emeline Tuita and Board Chair Penisimani Vea sought damages from the Reserve Bank, its governor and media workers Katalina Tohi, Tevita Motulalo and Kalino Latu of the New Zealand-based Kaniva News.
The damages claim related to the broadcast and publication of extracts from a letter written by the Reserve Bank Governor to the Minister of Finance on May 17, 2024 on the subject of Regulatory Actions being taken by the Reserve Bank against the Tonga Development Bank, its CEO Tuita and Chairman Vea.
The letter reported on what were said to be serious concerns about the Reserve Bank and included an order to remove the CEO and Chairman from their roles in the TDB.
The plaintiffs sought damages for loss of profit, general damages and exemplary damages.
Action against Kalino Latu was not proceeded with.
Lord Chief Justice Bishop ordered the plaintiffs to file a defence within 28 days of the claim being lodged on August 6.
Because the plaintiffs did not file a defence in time, lawyers for the TDB and the other plaintiffs asked the court to issue a judgement in default against all the defendants except Latu.
The four defendants named in the writ of claim, who were ordered to pay the damages are the National Reserve Bank of Tonga and its Governor Tatafu Moeaki (total $15 million), independent Tongan broadcaster Katalina Tohi of Radio 89.5fm (total $4 million), and Nuku’alofa-based journalist and news editor, Tevita Motulalo ($1.2 million).
The Lord Chief Justice awarded general damages to the Tonga Development Bank, ordering payment of TP$5 million against Moeaki and the Reserve Bank, TP$1 million against Tohi and TP$300,000 against Motulalo.
Judge Bishop awarded general damages to be paid to Penisimani Vea, ordering payments of TP$2 million against Moeaki and the Reserve Bank, TP$1 million against Tohi and TP$300,000 against Motulalo.
General Damages were awarded in favour of ‘Emeline Tuita, ordering payments of TP$3 million against Moeaki and the Reserve Bank, TP$1 million gainst Tohi and TP$300,000 against Motulalo.
The Lord Chief Justice awarded damages of TP$5 million against Moeaki and the Reserve Bank, TP$1 million against Tohi and TP$300,000 against Motulalo.
Development Bank order
Meanwhile, as Kaniva News reported recently, the Supreme Court has ordered that the CEO and executive of the Tongan Development Bank are to remain in place.
The court ordered that the Development Bank not engage in any economic development activities and joint development agreements without the prior approval of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.
The ultimate controlling interests of both banks are vested in the government of Tonga.
The National Reserve Bank of Tonga has all the functions of a central bank which includes important regulatory powers. Although the controlling interest of the Reserve Bank is the government it is a separate and distinct body from the Development Bank.
The National bank had sought to overide the Development Bank by issuing directives that, among other things, removed its CEO, Emeline Tuita and board chairman Pennisimani Vea.
Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop KC, presiding, said the Reserve Bank’s actions were designed to ensure that it closely controlled the Development Bank and had a veto on any of that bank‟s activities.
The Development Bank asked for an interlocutory mandatory injunction restraining the National Reserve Bank from enforcing its directives.
The Lord Chief Justice said: ““I am not persuaded that the supervisory role of the reserve bank excludes supervision of the economic activities of the Development Bank.
“I accordingly order that will be the basis that the CEO and chairman continue in place pending the resolution of this matter at trial.”
By Iliesa Tora of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Tonga has agreed to host the 2031 Pacific Games, the announcement coming seven years after pulling out of hosting the 2019 Games.
Team Tonga at the opening ceremony for the 17th Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. 19 November 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Junior Maealasia
It was announced the host in Koror, Palau on Friday, when the Pacific Games Council members voted.
Tonga secured the right to host the Games with a total of 12 votes, against Fiji’s nine.
It will be the first Pacific Games held in Tonga since the 1989 Pacific Mini Games.
Tonga’s successful bid comes seven years after the country pulled out of hosting the 2019 Games.
Former prime minister, the late Samiuela Akilisi Pohiva, pulled the plug on the event and cancelled the event, forcing the Pacific Games Council (PGC) to move the Games to Samoa in 2019.
Tonga was also suspended from the Council but the Tongan government two years ago reached an out of court settlement with the PGC, which allowed the Kingdom back into the fold and now getting another chance to host the Games.
TASANOC president Michael Bloomfield, left, and Tonga PM Hu’akavameiliku, sitting front right, and sitting behind him is Lord Vaea, at the Pacific Games Council meeting in Palau. Photo: Supplied / Melielau Manu
Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni led Tonga’s team at the meeting in Koror.
“We are grateful to the members for giving us the votes and backing for Tonga to host the 2023 Games,” he said.
“It is a great achievement. We know there is alot of work to be done but we are confident that with our people, our partners and all stakeholders Tonga can host the event successfully.”
Journalist Melielau Manu, who is in Palau covering the event, said it was cause for celebration for Team Tonga at the event.
“There was so much joy and celebration by the Tongan delegation when the votes were announced,” Manu, of Broadcom 87.5FM in Nuku’alofa, said.
“The team came here determined to get the hosting right and with the Prime Minister here and Lord Vaea plus the TASANOC president Michael Bloomfield, it went through and the support was tremendous.”
The delegation included Lord Vaea, the Minister responsible for Sports, and Tonga’s two-time Olympian Pita Taufatofua.
Fiji also had a strong delegation at the event but the votes did not go in their favour.
Two additional car accidents have been reported in Tonga this week following the fatal crash that took the life of police officer ‘Ifalemi Mala’efo’ou on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, a car was spotted stranded on a foreshore.
Another car was seen overturning and landing on its roof.
Social media reports and photos seen by Kaniva News showed those two crashes happened in Tongatapu.
The locations where the accidents occurred have not been confirmed.
Meanwhile, Police reportedly said the off-duty police officer, ‘Ifalemi Mala’efo’ou, died in a car crash at about 12.40am on Wednesday on Vuna Road in Nuku’alofa.
As Kaniva News reported on Wednesday, tributes flooded in after the news of Mala’efo’ou’s passing was posted on social media.
It is understood that the deceased was driving a personal vehicle heading westerly on Vuna Road near the Tanoa Hotel when the accident happened.
Police reportedly said speed and alcohol were factors in the crash that killed the 31-year-old police officer from Sia’atoutai.
He sustained severe injuries and passed away a few hours later, following his admission to Vaiola Hospital.
Police in Fiji are investigating the discovery of bullets in a Fiji Airways aircraft that arrived from Tonga at Fiji airport on Thursday.
Fua’amotu International Airport
Fiji Timesreported that it is believed the bullets were inside the carry-on baggage of a passenger who left them on board when disembarking.
The paper did not provide further details about the flight number and whether the passenger had been located.
“Police have confirmed the discovery of bullets on a Fiji Airways aircraft that arrived from Tonga yesterday morning”, it said.
It mentioned that Fijian Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro confirmed “the discovery and said investigations were ongoing.”
“Investigations are also looking into how security checks at the Tongatapu Fua’amotu International Airport failed to detect the bullets inside the passenger’s carry-on bag”.
According to international aviation regulations, any form of ammunition is strictly prohibited in passenger aircraft carry-on luggage.
This rule is in place to ensure the safety and security of all passengers and crew members.
Tongan authorities could not be reached for comment.
A state of emergency has been declared in Dunedin as residents are being urged to self-evacuate due to rising flood waters that are swelling as the downpours continue.
The MetService says residents should continue to expect rain so heavy it could cause a “threat to life”.
Dunedin City Council posted on social media shortly after midnight that residents of South Dunedin, particularly in Caversham in and around the areas near Hillside Rd and Surrey St, are being advised to get to higher ground.
A welfare centre has been established at Forsyth Barr Stadium and sandbags were still being handed out in South Dunedin (Ice Stadium), Mosgiel (Memorial Park/Gym carpark) and Middlemarch (Showgrounds) overnight.
What you need to know
– A State of Emergency has been declared in Dunedin after Otago was lashed by heavy rain yesterday.
– MetService issued it’s first ever redheavy rain alert for north Otago, Dunedin and coastal Clutha, which remains in force until 9pm tonight.
– Houses have been flooded in low-lying parts of South Dunedin and residents were encouraged to evacuate if they felt unsafe.
– Evacuation centres were set up at St Clair Golf Club and Forsyth Barr Stadium. The golf club was full with 50 people by the early hours of Friday.
– Some residents on Otago Peninsula remained without power due to flooding and slips after a water main burst.
– Flooding has closed numerous roads around Dunedin and Clutha.
Oct 04 • 09:26am
A lot of surface water and parks ‘well-flooded’ – mayor
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the situation is “quite significant out there” with a “heck of a lot of water” still coming.
Oct 04 • 09:25am
‘It is not over’ – Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell
Mitchell said he had been on the ground at the evacuation centres since yesterday evening, and thanked all the volunteers who were helping those who had evacuated.
“It is not over. This rain is going to continue. It’s forecast to continue and remain red until about 9pm tonight, so please everyone keep checking websites. Keep checking updates, follow instructions given.
He said the community responded very well to instruction to stay home. He is now handing over to the Mayor.
Oct 04 • 09:23am
‘Gold standard’ emergency response – Mitchell
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said the emergency response to yesterday’s weather events in Dunedin was “proactive” and “outstanding”.
“As a country, we’re going to continue to be hit with these weather events… The response down here, like I said, was gold standard and outstanding.”
Oct 04 • 09:21am
Media update begins in Dunedin
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich and Group Controller Chris Henderson speak from Dunedin. 1News
Oct 04 • 09:10am
Slip causes main break on Dunedin’s peninsula
Dunedin City Council said all households along Dunedin’s Peninsula are being told to conserve water.
“A slip along the peninsula has caused a break in the main water supply pipe. As a result Peninsula residents need to conserve water until the issue is fixed,” it said in a post to social media.
Oct 04 • 09:00am
Officials to give update on situation
Officials will hold a media briefing at 9.15am to update how things are looking on the ground in Dunedin.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell, Mayor Jules Radich and Group Controller Chris Henderson would all be there.
In an update at 8.30am, Dunedin District Council said households in West Harbour, particularly from Ravensbourne to Carey’s Bay, were being told to conserve water.
“We have contractors and staff heading out to urgently fix a break in the water supply pipe,” it said.
Controller Chris Henderson asked residents to avoid showering, flushing toilets and washing dishes as well as using water for drinking only.
“A collective effort to conserve water now will help us avoid the risk of running out or low on water. Our teams are working hard to get the issue fixed and support our community,” he said.
“We have water tanks on the way for people to collect drinking water. People should bring their own containers to fill,” said Henderson.
St Kilda resident Andrew Clark shared the following images with 1News, saying he was trying to get to work this morning in Green Island when he took them.
He said he “gave up and went back home” after seeing the flooded streets.
Flooding at Tonga Park in Saint Clair, Dunedin this morningAndrew Clark
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in central Beirut has killed nine people, including seven Hezbollah-affiliated civilian first responders.
A woman reacts in front an apartment in a multistory building hit by Israeli airstrike, in central Beirut, Lebanon (Source: Associated Press.
Israel has been pounding areas of the country where the militant group has a strong presence since late September but has rarely struck in the heart of the capital.
There was no warning before the strike, which hit an apartment not far from the United Nations headquarters, the prime minister’s office and parliament.
Residents reported a sulphur-like smell following the strike in Beirut, and Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency — without providing evidence — accused Israel of using phosphorous bombs, which would be a violation of international law.
Human rights groups have in the past accused Israel of using white phosphorus incendiary shells on towns and villages in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hezbollah has an armed wing with tens of thousands of fighters, but it also has a political movement and a network of charities staffed by civilians.
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon (Source: Associated Press)
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reported that 28 health workers were killed in the past day in Lebanon. The announcement of the deaths comes after three dozen health facilities were closed in the south, and five hospitals were either partly or fully evacuated in Beirut.
Israeli strikes that hit health facilities and workers violate international law and treaties, Lebanese Health Ministry Firas Abiad said.
“This is a war crime, there is no doubt about that,” Abiad said. “International laws are clear in protecting these people — I mean, paramedics. Who gave Israel the right to be the judge and the executioner at the same time?”
The Lebanese Red Cross said an Israeli strike wounded four of its paramedics and killed a Lebanese army soldier as they were evacuating wounded people from the south. It said the convoy near the village of Taybeh, which was accompanied by Lebanese troops, was targeted on Friday despite coordinating its movements with UN peacekeepers. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Another Lebanese soldier was killed by Israeli fire at an army post in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, according to the Lebanese military, which said it returned fire. A Lebanese security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity according to regulations, said the army post was hit by artillery fire.
Fighting escalates in southern Lebanon
An Israeli Apache helicopter releases flares near the Israeli-Lebanon border, as seen from northern Israel (Source: Associated Press)
The Israeli military said on Friday that it had struck around 200 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities and observation posts. It said the strikes killed at least 15 Hezbollah fighters.
Hezbollah said its fighters detonated a roadside bomb when Israeli forces entered the Lebanese border village of Maroun el-Ras, killing and wounding soldiers. It was not possible to independently confirm the claims made by either side.
So far, ground clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have been confined to a narrow strip along the border.
But hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes, as Israel has warned people to evacuate from dozens of villages and towns in the south, telling them to relocate to areas that are around 60km from the border and considerably farther north than the Litani River.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the monthlong 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the militants were to withdraw north of the Litani, and Lebanon’s armed forces were to patrol the border region along with UN peacekeepers.
Neither Lebanon’s army nor the peacekeepers were capable of imposing any agreement on Hezbollah by force, and Israel says it defied the resolution and built extensive military infrastructure in towns and villages near the border. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating other parts of the resolution.
People collecting remains of victims after an airstrike that hit an apartment in Beirut, Lebanon (Source: Associated Press)
Israel has told people to leave Nabatieh, a provincial capital, and other communities north of the Litani River, which formed the northern edge of the border zone established by the UN Security Council after the two sides fought a war in 2006. Each side accuses the other of violating the resolution.
At least eight Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where Israel announced the start of what it says is a limited ground incursion earlier this week. The region was meanwhile bracing for Israeli retaliation following an Iranian ballistic missile attack.
Israel said it is targeting Hezbollah after nearly a year of rocket attacks that began October 8 and displaced some 60,000 Israelis from communities in the north. Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes over the past year that have displaced tens of thousands on the Lebanese side.
In recent weeks, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several of his top commanders. Hundreds more airstrikes across large parts of Lebanon since mid-September have killed at least 1276 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
The vast majority of recent strikes have been in areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence, including the southern suburbs of Beirut known as the Dahiyeh. But Israel has also carried out strikes in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, and a strike in central Beirut earlier this week killed three members of a leftist Palestinian militant group.
A Tongan government authority says it will inform its international counterpart following the departure of a prison officer from the kingdom who had been purportedly involved in drug-related activities.
Hu’atolitoli prison. Photo/HM Prisons
The revelation comes amid a major investigation into the Prison authorities’ alleged involvement in “accepting bribery and aiding and abetting trafficking illicit drugs into prisons”.
“This is a grave violation of the good order security of prison”, His Majesty’s Prisons at Hu‘atolitoli said on Thursday.
However, it provided no further details about the overseas country to which the officer had travelled.
The statement only identified the suspect as “Prison A”.
It also identified another suspect still in Tonga as “Recruit Officer B”.
It said both “Prison A” and “Recruit Officer B” were suspended on September 6.
The suspension of the two officers follows the suspension of another Recruit Prison Officer in August after an illicit drug and utensil had been found in a vehicle at the Hu’atolitoli Prison compound.
It is understood the Recruit Prison Officer has been charged and is currently facing court hearings.
“We understand that Prison Officer A is currently overseas, and we intend to report our findings to the relevant Immigration Office in our effort to provide for the public safety Of Tonga’s Country partners”, the statement read.
“We also handed over our internal investigation last month regarding Recruit Prison Officer B to Tonga Police for further criminal investigation.
“We are still investigating other prison officers who are suspected of illicit drug offences”.
