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New Zealanders in Iran urged to leave as unrest deepens and Trump weighs military options

By
Kaniva Staff
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New Zealanders in Iran have been warned to leave the country immediately as deadly protests intensify and the United States signals possible military action against the Iranian regime.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said it is closely monitoring the situation, including through New Zealand’s embassy in Tehran, and has been in direct contact with the 39 New Zealanders currently registered in Iran.

A spokesperson said those New Zealanders had been reminded of SafeTravel advice and urged to depart while commercial routes remain available.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said he was “gravely concerned” by reports that protesters had been killed and called on Iranian security forces to “refrain from violence”.

“New Zealand is deeply troubled by the loss of life and the escalating use of force against civilians,” Peters said in a post on X.

The warning comes as protests across Iran enter their third week, with the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reporting it has verified 544 deaths so far.

The true toll may be higher, with information flowing out of the country increasingly restricted after Iranian authorities cut internet access and telephone lines on Thursday.

The unrest has also drawn sharp attention from Washington. President Donald Trump said he is weighing military options against Iran, following through on earlier threats to act against the regime as demonstrations turn increasingly deadly.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on January 11, as he returned to Washington after a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Meanwhile, senior figures in the Iranian regime warned that any U.S. strike on Iran would trigger retaliation against Israel.

The convergence of mass protests, tightened internal controls, and the prospect of foreign military action has heightened concerns for the safety of foreign nationals in Iran.

MFAT said the security environment remains unpredictable and could deteriorate rapidly, urging New Zealanders not to wait.

“Our advice is clear: New Zealanders in Iran should leave now while it is still possible to do so safely,” the ministry said.

Samoan Chief convicted of slavery and human trafficking faces sentencing in Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
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A 63-year-old Samoan chief who enslaved two young people, raped one of them, and stripped both of their freedom and income for years is set to be sentenced, according to RNZ.

Moeaia Tuai. Photo: RNZ / Gill Bonnett

Moeaia Tuai was found guilty after a jury heard how he “treated a person as if they were owned,” the legal definition of slavery presented during the trial.

Prosecutors detailed how Tuai exercised near-total control over his victims’ lives—restricting where they could go, who they could see, and who they could speak to.

He used violence and threats to enforce obedience, withheld their wages, denied them access to money, and warned them of deportation if they resisted.

At trial, Tuai’s own diaries became critical evidence. They recorded the hours the young woman worked, how much she was paid, and when she was “punished” with beatings.

The prosecution told the jury that only one of the elements of slavery was needed to secure a conviction, but that Tuai had committed them all.

He confiscated the victims’ passports and bank cards, kept their wages, and paid them little for their labour. One young male victim worked between 50 and 60 hours a week, receiving just $100 to $150—equivalent to $2 or $3 an hour.

He dreamed of finishing school but was instead forced into years of labour.

The young man escaped in 2020 after four years, including time spent in Australia. Four years later, the female victim raised the alarm after Tuai raped her. Police investigations then uncovered the full extent of the slavery both had endured.

During that period, the two victims—who cannot be identified—were at the very start of their adult lives, yet were compelled to surrender their incomes to Tuai. One victim alone is estimated to have lost more than $78,000.

Tuai denied all charges, but the jury unanimously convicted him on 19 counts, including two of slavery and multiple sexual offences against the female victim.

He now awaits sentencing for crimes that the court heard amounted to the total domination of two young lives.

Drug run ends in forfeited car as two men jailed for meth possession in Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
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Two men caught selling drugs from a vehicle in Pahu have been sentenced to prison, with the Supreme Court ordering that the car used in the offending be forfeited to the Crown.

ʻIsitolo Sakopo and Kalafitoni Tolutaʻu pleaded guilty to possessing 1.91 grams of methamphetamine, 9.03 grams of cannabis, and drug utensils.

The court heard that on 17 February 2025 police received information that the pair were using a motor vehicle, identified as R1319, to sell illicit drugs.

When officers attempted to stop the car, it failed to stop and crashed into a police vehicle.

Police were forced to smash a window to turn off the engine.

Both men were detained and searched. Sakopo was found with cannabis, methamphetamine and empty packets in his pocket, and admitted the drugs were his.

Further drugs were found on the floor of the car, along with a smoking pipe, cash and additional methamphetamine in a plastic container.

Justice Paul Garlick KC said drug offending remains a serious social and criminal problem in Tonga, particularly the continued use of methamphetamine. The court noted that both defendants had previous convictions for drug offences.

After allowing discounts for their early guilty pleas, the court imposed concurrent sentences on each defendant:

  • 24 months’ imprisonment for possession of methamphetamine,
  • 6 months for possession of cannabis, and
  • 6 months for possession of utensils.

The total effective sentence for each man is 24 months’ imprisonment, with the final four months suspended for 12 months on conditions including probation and completion of a drug awareness course.

In a significant ancillary order, the court directed that all seized drugs be destroyed and that all cash and items seized—including the vehicle used to facilitate the offending—be forfeited to the Crown.

The judge noted, however, that if the vehicle is owned by a rental company rather than the defendants, it is to be returned to that company instead.

Tongan‑US shooting: Fresh details emerge as Vatuvei tried to stop fight before he was shot

By
Kalino Latu
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New information has emerged in the Salt Lake City shooting that killed two Tongans and injured six others, with family members now saying both men were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sione and Christina Vatuvei

As Kaniva News has previously reported, the fatal shooting occurred while Tongan members were attending a memorial service at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 660 N. Redwood Road on Wednesday (US time).

The other victim was Vaea Tulikihihifo Jr, 46, whose family said he had stepped outside to retrieve baby formula for his five-month-old son when he was caught in the crossfire and fatally shot.

Vatuvei’s wife, Christina, reportedly said her husband stepped in as tensions rose outside the church gathering, attempting to defuse the confrontation and move it away from others.

“They were trying to move it outside and they were trying to stop it,” Christina said. “But by the time they got outside, one of the men started firing… people ran… we just don’t know,” she was quoted by the KSLTV as saying.

Christina said they had been married for only a few months, with their September wedding still vivid in her memory.

She believes her husband was caught in the crossfire.

“Around 8 p.m. is when I started getting all the phone calls that he was shot,” she said.

Police have confirmed that two people were killed and six others injured in the gunfire. No arrests have yet been made.

Christina said she was later told that her husband had been trying to intervene when the shooting began.

“The individual just took out his gun and started shooting everywhere,” she said. “I don’t think there was an intended target. It was anyone. And unfortunately my husband got caught in the crossfire. I heard that he was trying to stop it.”

Family members said Sione had worked hard to turn his life around after past struggles, including time in prison and gang involvement. Over the last four years, they said, he focused on personal growth and helping others do the same.

As police continue their investigation, the family is calling for answers—and for justice—while remembering a man they say lived to protect others, even in his final moments.

Claims of ‘sonic weapon’ surface after US raid, witness says Venezuelan troops collapsed

By
Kaniva Staff
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Extraordinary claims have emerged from the United States alleging that American forces deployed a powerful new “sonic weapon” during the raid in Venezuela—an account that describes enemy soldiers collapsing, bleeding, and vomiting after being struck by an intense sound wave.

The operation followed last week’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in a highly unusual military action.

The mission, part of a broader U.S. raid in Venezuela, saw Maduro and his wife taken into U.S. custody to face criminal charges, a move that has drawn global attention and debate.

According to a report published by the New York Post, a Venezuelan guard described how U.S. forces used technology “unlike anything” he had ever encountered during an operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro.

The account, shared online by the White House press secretary, claims radar systems suddenly shut down before drones swarmed the area and a small group of U.S. troops was deployed by helicopter.

The witness said the decisive moment came when an unknown device was activated.

“It was like a very intense sound wave,” he said.

“Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.”

The report claims hundreds of Venezuelan fighters were incapacitated without a single U.S. casualty.

The White House has not confirmed the weapon’s existence or its use, and no independent verification of the account has been provided.

An estimated 100 Venezuelan security forces were killed in the Jan. 3 attack, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.

It is unclear if any of those were caused by the mystery weapon.

The outmatched defenders were helpless as the small US unit wiped them out, the guard said.

“Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us,” he claimed. “We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Hopoate fails to appear in court as former Minister accused of assisting his flight loses Cabinet post

By
Kalino Latu
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Pita Foliaki Hopoate, the Mormon leader at the centre of a widening political scandal, failed to appear in court recently after being summoned in connection with legal action filed against him by Epalahame Taukei‘aho.

Former Police Minister Piveni Piukala with Pita Foliaki Hopoate

The case forms part of a broader controversy in which former Police Minister Piveni Piukala is under investigation for allegedly helping Hopoate leave Tonga despite an active court order prohibiting his travel.

The episode has sparked a national debate over political interference, the absence of clear Cabinet governance and structural accountability, the independence of leadership from ministerial influence, judicial autonomy, and the integrity of court order enforcement.

A report last week stated that the case involving Taukei‘aho and Hopoate was mentioned in court, but neither Hopoate nor his lawyer appeared.

As Kaniva News has previously reported, Taukeiʻaho and Hopoate became embroiled in legal proceedings linked to the Mormon Church’s alumni association before Hopoate was served with a restraining order in October barring him from leaving Tonga. Hopoate is residing in the United States.

The restraining order prohibited Hopoate from departing the kingdom “until further order of the court.”

The immigration and Customs officers accused of facilitating Hopoate’s release at the airport were subsequently dealt with by their respective ministries.

Former Minister of Customs Māteni Tapueluelu toldKaniva News last year that the officer involved had been reassigned to another division as part of the inquiry into the matter.

Tapueluelu also strongly criticised Piukala over his alleged involvement.

The Immigration officer implicated in the decision reportedly attempted to contact Piukala in an effort to explain to his boss why he had authorised Hopoate’s release.

Both officers have alleged that Piukala contacted them, offering assurances that led to Hopoate’s release.

Price of Influence

The incident ultimately led to Piukala’s suspension by then Prime Minister Eke, following pressure from the Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure it could conduct its investigation independently and without political influence.

It marked the second major pressure point on Eke, after Lord Vaea, from the Nobility bench, spoke out publicly to criticise the delay, saying that clear rules already exist for situations of this nature and should have been enforced.

The suspension occurred just weeks before the general election and the formation of the new Cabinet under Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua in December.

Although Tonga’s prime ministerial and Cabinet nominations are legally conducted in secret, Piukala’s speech on the day of the prime ministerial vote — one of the few public moments in the process — implied he had backed Lord Fakafanua over rival candidate and former Prime Minister Eke, who had previously appointed him as Police Minister.

Lord Fakafanua has finalised his Cabinet appointments, but Piukala did not make the list.

The absence has prompted widespread speculation that it was linked to the ongoing investigation into his alleged involvement in the Hopoate matter.

Two killed, one unaccounted for in separate water incidents across NZ

By
Kaniva Staff
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Two people have died in separate water incidents across the country.

Emergency services in the Bay of Plenty were called to an area off Poripori Road in Lower Kaimai, where a person had been taken out of the water.

CPR was carried out, but they couldn’t be revived.

In the South Island, the Akaroa harbourmaster pulled a person from the water, but they also died.

Drummond Wharf was cordoned off, while emergency services worked at the scene and the death will be referred to the coroner.

Meanwhile, a swimmer is missing in the Waikato River.

Police say they were called to the area near Graham Island at Hamilton at about 3,30pm Saturday, after reports of a struggling swimmer being swept downstream.

Emergency services were searching the area.

Tongan Diaspora: North Queensland braces as Cyclone Koji nears landfall

By
Kaniva Staff
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Members of the Tongan diaspora in North Queensland, Australia, are preparing for a dangerous night as Cyclone Koji bears down on the region, with landfall expected about 4am on Sunday near Townsville.

North Queensland is on high alert after the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) confirmed late Saturday that a tropical low in the Coral Sea had intensified into a category-2 system and been named Koji.

The cyclone is forecast to cross the coast between Townsville and Bowen in the early hours of Sunday.

“Tropical Cyclone Koji is located in the Coral Sea offshore of the North Tropical Coast and is moving south towards the Queensland coast,” BOM said in its evening warning.

“Koji, a category 2 system, is forecast to continue on a similar south track until crossing the coast. The coastal crossing is forecast for early Sunday morning between Townsville and Bowen. After crossing, Koji will weaken and then track generally westwards.”

Residents across the region have been warned to expect damaging winds, heavy rainfall and possible flooding.

The threat is being closely watched by Tongans across Australia and the Pacific, as North Queensland is home to a significant number of Tongan families, many working in agriculture, construction, and regional industries.

According to the 2021 Census, 9,491 people in Queensland identified as Tongan, a sharp increase from 2011, with much of the Tongan diaspora in Australia concentrated in New South Wales and Queensland.

Community leaders in Townsville and surrounding areas have been urging families to secure homes, check emergency supplies, and stay in contact through church and social networks.

As Cyclone Koji approaches, relatives in Tonga, New Zealand and the wider diaspora are monitoring developments anxiously, hoping those in its path remain safe through the night.

Strong wind warning for Tonga’s coastal waters

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga Meteorological Services has issued a strong wind warning and small craft advisory for several parts of the kingdom’s coastal waters.

In an advisory released at 7pm on Saturday, January 10, the Met Service said the warning remains in force for Haʻapai, Tongatapu, ʻEua, Tele-ki-Tonga, and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters.

Mariners are being urged to exercise extreme caution, as strong winds are expected to create hazardous sea conditions, particularly for small vessels.

The Met Service said a trough lies over most parts of the kingdom, bringing cloudy periods with occasional showers to Tongatapu, ʻEua and Haʻapai tonight and tomorrow.

For the Niuas, light to moderate east to northeasterly winds are expected, becoming variable at times. Conditions will be mainly fine, with cloudy periods and a few showers.

For Vavaʻu and Haʻapai, light to moderate east to southeast winds are forecast. Weather will be cloudy at times with occasional showers and the possibility of isolated thunderstorms.

For Tongatapu and ʻEua, light to moderate southeast winds are expected. Conditions will be cloudy with occasional showers, heavy at times with isolated thunderstorms, becoming fine about tomorrow.

Fishermen, inter-island transport operators, and recreational boat users are advised to delay voyages where possible and closely monitor further updates from Tonga Meteorological Services.

Authorities remind the public that small craft are especially vulnerable in these conditions and that safety should be prioritised as unsettled weather continues to affect the region.

Tongans in Victoria on edge as wildfires rage across central region

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tongan communities in Australia are anxiously monitoring unfolding bushfire emergencies in the state of Victoria, where firefighters are battling multiple out-of-control blazes as night falls—most notably the massive Longwood fire in central Victoria.

The Longwood blaze has threatened several townships as it continues to spread, prompting urgent warnings from authorities and forcing families, including many Pacific Islanders, to prepare for possible evacuation. Victoria is home to a significant Tongan population, particularly in regional centres and outer suburban areas, heightening concern among relatives in Tonga, New Zealand, and the wider diaspora.

Emergency services fear that a forecast change in wind direction on Friday evening could severely hamper containment efforts, pushing the fires into new and unpredictable paths.

In a distressing development, three people—including a child—remain unaccounted for after a house was destroyed by fire in Longwood. Authorities have not released further details, but the incident has intensified fears within affected communities.

The Country Fire Authority said cooler and calmer conditions expected in the coming days may allow crews to better assess the full impact of the fires, which are burning across multiple fronts.

Victoria is home to an established Tongan community, including families in the regional city of Mildura, and to many Tongans who travel from the kingdom under seasonal and labour-hire work schemes.

Mildura is approximately 498 kilometres (about a 5 hour and 40 minute drive) northwest of Longwood, the area in central Victoria where the significant bushfire is burning. 

While the Longwood fire is a serious concern, Mildura is geographically distant and as of recent updates, the immediate danger and evacuation warnings are focused on communities in central and north-east Victoria, closer to the fire front (such as Ruffy, Avenel, and areas near the Hume Freeway). 

The Rural City of Mildura has been included in a state of disaster declaration area, which covers a broad range of municipalities across Victoria to allow for enhanced emergency management powers.

However, this is a general declaration for the region and does not mean Mildura is under direct threat from the current Longwood blaze

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