The white-supremacist accused of the Christchurch killings will spend the rest of his life in jail if convicted, likely in isolation for his own safety, a New Zealand criminologist and former convict said Wednesday.
Attacks at two mosques in the southern city last Friday left 50 Muslim worshippers dead and sparked global revulsion.
"He is going to be very highly unpopular in a prison where 80 percent (of inmates) are Maori or Pasifika (Pacific islanders) and he is a white supremacist," said Greg Newbold, a professor of criminology at Canterbury University.
"He will have no friends, not even the white guys," added Newbold, who spent five years in jail on drugs charges - half of that in maximum security - before turning his life around.
New Zealand has no death penalty and alleged shooter Brenton Tarrant, 28, is expected to face a record prison sentence if found guilty of the massacre.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, criminal lawyer Simon Cullen .

NZ gunman 'faces isolation' due to prison dangers

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday called for a global response to the dangers of social media as the Muslim community began burying their dead five days after the twin-mosques massacre.
A white supremacist gunman streamed his 17 minutes of carnage in which he is accused of killing 50 Muslim worshippers during their Friday prayers.
Facebook said the livestream from Christchurch was viewed fewer than 200 times but it had to remove a staggering 1.5 million videos as footage of the slaughter went viral.
Ardern said while her focus was on the people of New Zealand, there were issues world leaders needed "to confront collectively".
"We cannot, for instance, just simply deal with some of the issues we face with our social media to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis," she said.
"There is an argument there to be made for us to take a united front on a global issue.
"This is not just an issue for New Zealand, the fact that social media platforms have been used to spread .

N Zealand PM urges global action on social media perils

Venezuelan doctors have come under pressure from President Nicolas Maduro's government for trying to alert a visiting UN mission about the severe lack of hospital medicine and equipment, NGOs say.
Venezuelan authorities say that US sanctions freezing USD 30 billion in assets have blocked imports of basic items including medicine.
But they have roughly stomped down on dissenting voices saying much of the resulting medical emergency is the fault of mismanagement, the NGOs allege.
"They forcibly booted out the head of a medical school in Maracay (west of Caracas) and since then we haven't heard from her," said Jaime Lorenzo, executive director of one association called Medicos Unidos (Doctors United).  "She protested against the repression of medical staff," he said.
An opposition lawmaker, Jose Manuel Olivares, who is also an oncologist and radiotherapist, on Twitter said she was "the third doctor in two weeks to be persecuted for having denounced the situation in the hospitals."
On ...

Venezuela doctors under regime pressure during UN visit

Formula One chief Jean Todt on Wednesday hailed next year's inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix in Hanoi as a great opportunity to open doors for people with "a passion" for motorsport in south-east Asia.
The communist Vietnamese capital will get its first taste of the high-octane glitz and glamour of Formula One when it hosts its first grand prix from April 2020 next year as the sport bids to tap into new markets in Southeast Asia.
Todt said he hoped Vietnamese fans seeing the likes of five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel battling wheel-to-wheel on the streets of Hanoi would lead to an explosion of in interest in racing of all kinds in football-mad Vietnam.
"It's... fantastic for the development of the motorsport in Vietnam and in the region," Todt, who president of motorsport's world governing body the FIA, told reporters Wednesday at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new street circuit in Hanoi.
"I really hope that soon here will also be facilities to host cart .

New F1 grand prix can tap into Vietnam 'passion' for racing: Todt

The death toll from a cyclone that smashed into Mozambique and Zimbabwe rose to more than 300 as rescuers raced against the clock to help survivors and the UN led the charge to provide aid.
"We already have more than 200 dead, and nearly 350,000 people are at risk," Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced Tuesday, while the government in Zimbabwe said around 100 people had died but the toll could be three times that figure.
The UN, meanwhile, said that one of the worst storms to hit southern Africa in decades had also unleashed a humanitarian crisis in Malawi, affecting nearly a million people and forcing more than 80,000 from their homes.
Four days after Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall, emergency teams in central Mozambique fanned out in boats and helicopters, seeking to pluck survivors from roofs and treetops in an inland sea of floodwater, sometimes in the dead of night.
Air force personnel from Mozambique and South Africa were drafted in to fly rescue missions, while an ...

Mozambique, Zimbabwe cyclone deaths exceed 300 as UN boosts aid

Dutch voters on Wednesday head to provincial polls billed as a referendum on Prime Minister Mark Rutte's policies, after a campaign overshadowed by a possible terror attack on a tram.
Right-wing parties pushed the issue of integration back into the foreground as the country reeled from Monday's shooting in the city of Utrecht for which a Turkish-born man has been arrested.
The Dutch ballot will be widely watched abroad as a bellwether for European Parliament elections in May in which populist parties are expected to make broad gains.
Following the Utrecht attack, almost all political parties halted campaigning for the elections -- which are for provincial bodies but determine the composition of the Dutch senate or upper house of parliament.
Only the populist, anti-EU Forum for Democracy (FvD), led by Thierry Baudet, continued with a rally in the Hague's seaside suburb of Scheveningen, drawing sharp criticism from lawmakers.
The young and telegenic Baudet accused Rutte's government of .

Dutch go to provincial polls after shooting horror

Badminton great Lee Chong Wei has pulled out of next month's Malaysian Open, despite being given the all-clear after cancer, throwing his Tokyo 2020 Olympics dream into jeopardy.
Lee was advised by doctors against putting "undue stress" on his recovering body, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) said in a statement late Tuesday, after the 36-year-old travelled to Taiwan at the weekend for a post-treatment check-up.
"In order not to put his body under undue stress, Chong Wei has been advised to withdraw from the upcoming Malaysia Open," the BAM said.
"We also urge everyone to give him the space and time required for his recovery."
The triple Olympic silver medallist has been out since July last year when he was diagnosed with early-stage nose cancer.
The former world number one endured a tough treatment programme in Taiwan but opted not to retire and resumed training in January.
Lee originally planned to come back at the All England Open earlier this month but then delayed his .

Badminton's Lee out of Malaysian Open in blow to Olympic hopes

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned "reckless" and "highly offensive" comments made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the wake of the Christchurch massacre, warning he would consider "all options" in reviewing ties.
On the campaign trail, the Turkish leader has used video footage of the terror attack that killed 50 people and painted it as part of an assault on Turkey and Islam.
He has also warned anti-Muslim Australians -- like the suspected gunman -- would be "sent back in coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, which was the scene of a blood-drenched WWI battle.
More than 8,000 Australians died fighting Turkish forces around the seaside town, a landmark moment in Australian history.
"Remarks have been made by the Turkish President Erdogan that I consider highly offensive to Australians and highly reckless in this very sensitive environment," Morrison said after summoning the Turkish ambassador and dismissing the "excuses" offered.
"I am expecting, and I ...

Australian PM pillories Erdogan for 'reckless', 'vile' Christchurch comments

Facebook-owned Instagram on Tuesday made a move into potentially lucrative e-commerce by adding an option to buy products shown off in posts by selected brands.
A new "checkout" button for instant purchasing launched in a beta version of the app in the US with a limited number of businesses, according to the popular image-centric messaging service.
"We're introducing Checkout on Instagram," the Silicon Valley based division of Facebook said in an online post.
"When you find a product you love, you can now buy it without leaving the app."
Tapping the checkout button will allow shoppers to select options such as size or color and then pay for items without leaving the Instagram app.
Previously, people inspired to buy products featured in Instagram posts had to follow links to outside online shopping sites.
Information entered for an initial purchase will be stored for future use, according to Instagram.
It remained to be seen how people would feel trusting information such as credit ...

Instagram moves into e-commerce with shopping button

A Syrian refugee and his son were buried in New Zealand on Wednesday in the first funerals of those killed in the twin mosque massacre as Kiwis braced for days of emotional farewells following the mass slayings.
An Australian white supremacist gunned down 50 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in the southern city of Christchurch last Friday in a killing spree that he live-streamed and which has sparked global revulsion.
Hundreds of mostly Muslim mourners gathered Wednesday morning at a cemetery not far from Linwood Mosque, the second of the two places of worship targeted.
There they prayed and laid to rest Khalid Mustafa and his 15-year-old son Hamza, their names broadcast over a loudspeaker.
The family arrived last year as refugees from the Syrian maelstrom only to find tragedy in a land where they had sought sanctuary.
Khalid, 44, and Hamza were shot dead at the Al Noor Mosque, the first attack site.  Khalid leaves behind a wife, daughter and son Zaid, 13, who was wounded in the ...

Syrian refugee father and son buried as New Zealand funerals begin

David Miller shone with gloves and bat as South Africa beat Sri Lanka on a Super Over in a dramatic first Twenty20 international at Newlands.
In the unaccustomed role of wicketkeeper, Miller held a catch and made a stumping as Sri Lanka were restricted to 134 for seven after being sent in.
Miller then hit 41 off 23 balls but South Africa's lower order collapsed as the home side lost eight wickets and could only match Sri Lanka's total.
Miller followed up with 13 runs as South Africa scored 14 off the Super Over, bowled by Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga.
Sri Lanka could only manage five runs off Imran Tahir's over in reply.
"We didn't handle it well with the bat in the last five or six overs but getting another opportunity in the Super Over I thought we handled it beautifully," said South African captain Faf du Plessis.
Miller was handed the wicketkeeping gloves in preparation for his likely role as Quinton de Kock's back-up in the World Cup.
He caught Niroshan Dickwella off Dale ...

South Africa beat Sri Lanka in Super Over after thrilling tie

A five-year-old boy who went missing during a family walk in Argentina was found safe and well after 24 hours lost in a desert in the west of the country.
Authorities in San Juan province and some 1,000 volunteers went searching for the boy -- with a former Dakar Rally motorcyclist finding him 21 kilometres (13 miles) from where he was last seen.
The child was hospitalised for slight dehydration.
"I was cold, I slept badly, leaning on a rock," he told the newspaper Clarin upon leaving hospital Tuesday.
The boy said he had drunk from a stream and eaten grass.
"He spent 24 hours in nature, that is not nothing," said Alberto Ontiveros, the man who found him, noting that wild pumas roam the area.

Boy, 5, survives 24 hours in Argentinian desert

Hundreds of mourners gathered in a Christchurch cemetery on Wednesday for the first funerals of those killed in the twin mosque massacre as New Zealanders braced for days of emotional farewells following the mass slayings.
An Australian white supremacist gunman shot down 50 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in the southern city of Christchurch last Friday in a killing spree he broadcast live.
On Wednesday morning, hundreds of mostly Muslim mourners gathered at a cemetery not far from Linwood Mosque, the second of the two places of worship targeted.
They hugged and embraced each other, milling under a large marquee next to rows of freshly dug graves.
Among those in attendance was Abdul Aziz, an Afghan refugee who bravely confronted the gunman at Linwood Mosque. He was hugged by many mourners.
Council officials did not release the names of who was being buried but some of those attending told AFP they had been informed two people were being laid to rest.
"After a short time for prayers, 

Funerals begin for New Zealand mosque massacre victims

US forces have "dramatically increased" the number of air strikes in Somalia with several civilians killed by the powerful missiles, Amnesty International said Wednesday, reports denied by the military.
Amnesty calculates that there have been more than 100 strikes by US drones and manned aircraft in the past two years, more than the number of US airstrikes in Yemen and Libya combined during the same period.
Researchers who investigated five airstrikes in detail reported at least 14 civilians had been killed -- raising fears the total dead in the scores of attacks may be far higher -- even though the US military insists there have been no civilian deaths.
"The attacks appear to have violated international humanitarian law, and some may amount to war crimes," Amnesty said in the report, titled "The Hidden US War in Somalia".
The study is based on 150 interviews including witnesses, family members of those killed and security experts.
Their reports were corroborated by satellite imagery, 

Civilian deaths mount as US drone strikes in Somalia escalate: Amnesty

The first funeral for a victim of New Zealand's twin mosque massacre was set to take place Wednesday as authorities vowed to return more bodies to their loved ones following criticism over delays.
An Australian white supremacist gunman killed 50 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in the southern city of Christchurch last Friday in a murder spree he broadcast live.
Muslims whose loved ones were gunned down have had their grief compounded by the failure of authorities to return bodies to families in time for a speedy burial, as required under Islamic custom.
Only six of the 50 victims have been returned to their families so far.
On Wednesday, Christchurch City Council confirmed the first funeral would take place later that morning in a cemetery not far from Linwood Mosque, the second of the two places of worship targeted.
"After a short time for prayers, family and friends will carry the body to the grave site where it will be laid to rest," council official Jocelyn Ritchie told ...

First funeral for New Zealand mosque massacre victim

Dutch police said they were investigating a terrorist motive for the Utrecht tram attack, as they arrested a new suspect over the deadly shooting.
Authorities said they had found a suspicious letter in a getaway car used by Turkish-born main suspect Gokmen Tanis, 37, which made them "seriously" consider terrorism might have been involved in Monday's rampage in which three people were killed and seven injured.
Armed counter-terrorism officers meanwhile arrested one new suspect, aged 40, in Utrecht on Tuesday who was "suspected of being involved in the shooting incident", prosecutors said, adding that his "role was being further investigated."
Two other men who were arrested Monday in connection with the shooting had been released, prosecutors added.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte earlier in the day laid flowers for the victims at the scene of the attack and said he was "still filled with horror" by the bloodshed.
"So far, a terrorist motive is seriously being taken into account. This .

Dutch police arrest new tram attack suspect, suspect terror motive

Australia's prime minister said he would summon Turkey's ambassador in Canberra Wednesday to explain "very offensive" comments made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the wake of the Christchurch massacre.
Erdogan, while campaigning for local elections, presented the attack as part of an assault on Turkey and Islam and warned anti-Muslim Australians would suffer the same fate as soldiers at Gallipoli, a blood-drenched WWI battle.
"I find it a very offensive comment, of course I do, and I will be calling in the Turkish ambassador today to meet with me to discuss these issues," Scott Morrison told national broadcaster ABC.
Erdogan had already been sharply rebuked by New Zealand for his comments and for using gruesome video shot by the Christchurch mosque gunman as an election campaign prop.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters protested on Monday that such politicisation of the massacre "imperils the future and safety of the New Zealand people and our people abroad, and it's totally ..

Australia summons Turkish ambassador for 'offensive' Erdogan comments

A US congressional panel has said it was asking top executives from US tech firms to explain the proliferation online of the "horrific" video of deadly attacks in New Zealand that were streamed on Facebook and then reposted on other platforms.
The House Committee on Homeland Security Tuesday asked for a briefing by the four tech executives, calling it "critically important" to filter the kind of violent images seen in the video.
The panel asked for a briefing from Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Committee chair Bennie Thompson said it was troublesome to learn of the video going viral despite the commitment made by the industry's Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.
"Just last week -- nearly two years after you formed GIFTC -- a terrorist exploited your platforms to disseminate across the world a horrific video of mass violence," Thompson said in a letter released to media.
"I must ...

Lawmakers ask tech leaders to explain viral Christchurch video

After two years crossing the solar system, the NASA space probe Osiris-Rex arrived last December near the asteroid Bennu to complete its mission of collecting a sample -- but touching the rock will prove much harder than scientists had expected.
The Osiris-Rex team said Tuesday that the surface of the asteroid, which measures 490 metres (1,600 feet) in diameter, was covered in stones and boulders. They had expected it to be smoother and easier for the probe to touch.
"We go back to the drawing board and start thinking again," Dante Lauretta, the head of the mission, told a press conference. The team's observations also appeared in the Nature journal on Tuesday.
The probe was designed to head for a flat area with a radius of 25 meters, but the images beamed back since December showed that there is no area that big which is free of boulders.
As a result, the team will have to aim more tightly.
"Now we're going to try to hit the centre of the bullseye," said project manager Richard ...

NASA says taking sample from asteroid harder than expected

Burials will begin Wednesday for the victims of Christchurch's mosques massacre, after a lengthy delay that has anguished families, officials said.
"The first burial of a victim of Friday 15 March's tragic mosque shooting will take place this morning," Christchurch City Council said.
The names and nationalities of those being buried have not been released.

First burial for mosque massacre victim planned for Wednesday: official

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian suspected of killing an Israeli rabbi and a soldier in the occupied West Bank, the Shin Bet internal security service said.
Troops, police and security agents Tuesday surrounded a building in the West Bank village of Abwein, north of Ramallah, in which the suspect was hiding according to a Shin Bet statement.
The suspect, Omar Amin Abu Laila, opened fire and was killed in the shootout, Shin Bet said.

AFP

AFP

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