Christchurch: the story explained

A white supremacist who killed 51 people at two New Zealand mosques has lost his bid to overturn his convictions and sentence. Christchurch has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in New Zealand.

Key facts

• A white supremacist who killed 51 people at two New Zealand mosques has lost his bid to overturn his convictions and sentence.
• Brenton Tarrant is serving a life sentence with no parole after admitting to the murders and trying to kill another 40 worshippers in the March 2019 attack in Christchurch.
• Convicted terrorist Brenton Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison after he killed 51 Muslims across two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019.
• White supremacist Brenton Tarrant's appeal is "utterly devoid of merit", a New Zealand court has ruled.
• During a week-long hearing in February, Tarrant, now 35, argued he was incapable of making rational decisions at the time of his plea because of "torturous and inhumane" conditions in prison.

What we know

Going deeper, Brenton Tarrant is serving a life sentence with no parole after admitting to the murders and trying to kill another 40 worshippers in the March 2019 attack in Christchurch.

On the substance, Convicted terrorist Brenton Tarrant was sentenced to life in prison after he killed 51 Muslims across two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019.

Beyond the headlines, White supremacist Brenton Tarrant's appeal is "utterly devoid of merit", a New Zealand court has ruled.

More precisely, During a week-long hearing in February, Tarrant, now 35, argued he was incapable of making rational decisions at the time of his plea because of "torturous and inhumane" conditions in prison.

It is worth noting that Tarrant was born in New South Wales, Australia, but moved to New Zealand in 2017

By the numbers

At this stage, He was active on fringe online forums and shortly before the attack, he had posted a 74-page "manifesto" outlining his racist views.

On a related note, Nearly three years on from the death of 15-year-old Karnin Petera, a coroner’s inquest is now underway, with his parents recounting the hours leading up to his death at Whangārei's Abbey Caves.

Going deeper, a Kiwi man living in the US has been told to leave the country after an incident involving a 12-year-old child who “doorbell ditched” his Utah home in August last year.

On the substance, Tony Arnold Bernstone, 59, pleaded guilty this month to a reduced charge of child kidnapping and was sentenced to five days' jail time and four years' probation over the incident.

The wider context

On a related note, Mosque terrorist's appeal bid denied; Emails reveal Luxon, Peters clash over NZ Iran war stance; King Charles unveils lavish gift for Trump.

Going deeper, Mosque terrorist's appeal bid denied; Luxon, Peters hold talks after emails reveal clash over NZ's Iran war stance; King Charles unveils lavish gift for Trump during US visit.

On the substance, New Zealand's Court of Appeal rejected his bid on Thursday, ruling that his arguments were "utterly devoid of merit".

Beyond the headlines, the facts around Tarrant's crimes are "beyond dispute", the panel of three judges said in a unanimous decision.

More precisely, In his appeal, Tarrant claimed he made the guilty pleas while he was "irrational" and under a poor mental state.

The bottom line

• Tarrant was born in New South Wales, Australia, but moved to New Zealand in 2017 – prosecutors said that was when he started planning his attacks against the Muslim community.
• A Kiwi man living in the US has been told to leave the country after an incident involving a 12-year-old child who “doorbell ditched” his Utah home in August last year.
• The facts around Tarrant's crimes are "beyond dispute", the panel of three judges said in a unanimous decision.