Paramedics

• Laisa Maraia Waka was fatally stabbed just metres from her home in Sockburn, Christchurch, on Saturday
• A 37-year-old man, who was not known to her, has been charged with murder
• The man has interim name suppression and was remanded in custody until July 15 after appearing in court on Monday.

An 11-year-old boy watched as paramedics fought to save the life of a woman who had been stabbed, not knowing it was his mother.

Laisa Maraia Waka, aged in her 50s, was walking along the footpath on Cheyenne St in Sockburn, Christchurch, when she was attacked by a stranger wielding a knife about 4.20pm on Saturday.

She was metres from her home, where her son was waiting excitedly for her to return from working at a rest home in Ilam.

The boy did not witness the attack but saw the aftermath, not knowing the person fatally injured was his mother.

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A 37-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, has been charged with Waka’s murder.

He had been in the care of mental health services prior to Saturday’s incident. It is unclear what conditions he was subject to.

Health officials have refused to comment about the case while it is subject to a police investigation.

At a court hearing on Monday the alleged killer was remanded in custody until his next appearance on July 15.

Judge Mark Callaghan asked for a report under Section 38 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 to assess the man’s fitness to stand trial.

Waka moved to New Zealand from Fiji in 2018 for a better life and was a greatly respected member of the Moraia Fijian Parish, where she sang in the choir.

She has four children, three of whom still live in Fiji.

Fijian community leader and parish member Una Tikoi said people were angry the alleged killer was out in the community, given he was a “sick man”.

She said Waka’s son was “traumatised” by her death and “haunted” by what he’d witnessed.

“He can be talking and laughing, and then he starts crying,” Tikoi said.

Waka’s son and her husband, Nemani Tunidau, were being supported by members of the Fijian community at the parish on Monday.

“We are very distressed,” Tikoi said.

She described Waka as a “loving, caring mother”, saying: “She’s a very joyful person with a huge smile.”

Waka’s body would be taken home to Fiji so “her three children there can pay their last respects”.

Tunidau said on Monday afternoon he was “lost for words” about what had happened.

“I’m still in shock … I’m just devastated.

Tunidau, a carpenter, moved to New Zealand in 2016. He and his wife had applied for residency.

On Monday morning, Waka’s adult daughter posted an emotional tribute online.

The pair hadn’t seen each other for four years, about the time Waka moved to New Zealand. They last spoke on Mother’s Day.

The woman said Waka had been her “role model since day one”. She’d always encouraged her to work hard and be independent and respectful.

“I thank God for giving us a mum that [was] so loving and caring. I’m so grateful to be your daughter. There won’t be a day that goes by that I won’t think of you.

“I can’t begin to express how much I will miss you. There is a huge hole in my heart and I don’t know how I’m going to cope. Your legacy is one that will inspire us all, and we will remember your warmth and love forever.”

Waka also has an adult son who works as a police officer in Fiji.

On Sunday, Canterbury district commander Superintendent John Price described the attack as “horrific, traumatic and random”.

The “senseless act” would have an “incredible impact” on the community, he said.

Waka had caught a bus home after work. She had walked alone about 300 metres from her bus stop when she was stabbed.

Residents and paramedics tried to save her life, but she died at the scene.

Her alleged attacker was arrested a short time later, about 500m away, on Epsom Rd, after a brief search involving police dogs. He was with his brother, who had arrived after the attack and had no part to play in the crime.

A Canterbury District Health Board spokesperson and Health Minister Andrew Little declined to comment on Sunday while the matter was investigated by police.

Police were still piecing together what had happened, and didn’t provide a motive for the attack, Price said on Sunday. However, he confirmed the suspected murder weapon had been recovered.

A Givealittle page has been created for the family. “We’re seeking your kind financial support to help Mr Tunidau support his young family as he adjusts to the changes this tragic loss will bring to his family.”

Police have named the woman found dead in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of Sunday and revealed they have arrested a man on suspicion of her murder.

Zara Aleena, 36, was found with “serious head injuries” in Cranbrook Road at around 2.45am, and later died in hospital.

Speaking at a news conference this afternoon, Met Police Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said she was the victim of an “opportunist stranger attack”.

He said Ms Aleena, who was local to the area, “suffered multiple serious injuries that contributed to her death”, but there is “no evidence at this time that weapons were used during the attack”.

Moments after the briefing, the Met announced they have arrested a 29-year-old man, who remains in custody. They also corrected the spelling of the victim’s surname.

Describing the events of Sunday morning, CSI Bell said: “I want to briefly summarise what we know at this stage at 2.44am on Sunday, 26 June, Met officers were called by London Ambulance Service colleagues to a seriously injured woman found by members of the public in Cranbrook Road in Ilford.

“Despite the best efforts of paramedics and doctors at hospital, she died later on Sunday morning.

“Zara, who lives locally, was walking along Cranbrook Road in the direction of Gants Hill Station when she was assaulted, which is now believed that she was a victim of an opportunist stranger attack.”

He added that the victim’s family is “up to date with our progress” and is being supported by specialist officers.

Post-mortem examination yet to take place

A post-mortem examination is yet to take place, but a full forensic probe of the scene has been completed. House-to-house enquiries are also being carried out.

Detectives particularly want to hear from anyone who was in or near Cranbrook Road between 2am and 3am on Sunday, including anyone who drove through or may have captured the scene on a dash cam.

Any suspicious behaviour in Ilford that night should also be reported to police on 0208 345 3715.

DOZENS of people have been feared dead after a Russian missile hit a shopping centre containing over 1,000 civilians in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin’s latest atrocity has been condemned as a “crime against humanity” with fears the number of victim is “impossible to imagine”.

The missile struck the mall in city of Kremenchuk leaving many civilians still trapped inside.

At least two people have been confirmed dead and 20 injured – but the number of victims is expected to rise.

Horrifying videos show the entire Amstor shopping centre in flames as firefighters battle the inferno.

People are seen gathered outside watching the horrifying scene unfold as shouts and screams can be heard.

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And other footage shows people escaping from the shopping mall as they flee the blaze.

It is reported there were at least 1,000 people inside at the time of the assault.

In one harrowing video, a male voice is heard shouting: “Is anyone alive? Anyone alive here?”

And a man who films the mall from the outside: “This is it, the walls are collapsing.”

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President Volodymyr Zelensky warned the number of victims is “impossible to imagine”.

“It’s useless to hope for decency and humanity from Russia,” he wrote on Telegram.

Sirens can be heard blaring as fire engines and ambulances hurtled to the scene.

Paramedics can be seen treating victims as they battle through the thick grey smoke.

A crime against humanity. This is an obvious, cynical act of terror against peaceful civilians

Dmytro Lunin

“The occupiers fired missiles at a shopping centre where there were over a thousand civilians… The number of victims is impossible to imagine,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

The city’s mayor said earlier there was an unknown number of dead and wounded in the attack on the “very crowded place”.

Zelensky stressed that the target presented no threat to the Russian army and had no strategic value.

He accused of Russia of sabotaging people’s attempts to live a normal life, which make the occupiers so angry.

Kyryl Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the presidential office, said in a Telegram post that at least two were dead and about 20 people were hurt, of whom nine were in serious condition.

Kremenchuk is an industrial city in central Ukraine , situated on the banks of the Dnipro River.

It is around 200 miles from Kyiv and 150 miles to Kharkiv.

Dmytro Lunin, head of Poltava regional administration, said: “Missile strike on a shopping mall with people in Kremenchuk is yet another military crime by the Russians.

“A crime against humanity. This is an obvious, cynical act of terror against peaceful civilians.

“Russia is a terrorist state.”

“Rescuers and policemen are working at the site. The number of victims is impossible to count as of now’

Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, said: “They said they would be hitting centres of decision making.

“But even the most sick imagination would not have guessed they mean shopping centres by this.”

And predictably Russia has already accused Ukraine of “faking” the attack – just as it did over allegations of rape and massacres in Bucha .

It is just the latest strike carried out by Putin’s forces against defenceless civilians in Ukraine, with hospitals , schools and homes destroyed throughout his barbaric invasion .

Russia is feared to be using indiscriminate bombing tactics to terrify civilians and attempt to forces Ukraine into submission.

It comes as Putin’s invasion stalled – with Russian general initially believing they could conquer the country within hours.

And after more than 120 days, the bloody war continues to grind on.

Ukraine is putting up a valiant resistance, but they face the massive military force of the much larger Russia.

Putin’s forces were initially pushed back, but now appeared to slowly pushing forward once again.

Russian forces are now closing in on the city of Lysychansk after seizing the now-ruined city of Sievierodonetsk.

Western nations again pledged unwavering support for Ukraine in the war with Russia, including more sanctions on Moscow and air-defence systems.

G7 leaders said they would keep sanctions on Russi a for as long as necessary and intensify international pressure on Putin and his ally Belarus.

NATO also announced plans to deploy 300,00 troops to deter Russia in the biggest shake up of its forces since the Cold War.

“Imagine if we allowed Putin to get away with the violent acquisition of huge chunks of another country, sovereign, independent territory,” said Boris Johnson.

“The lessons for that would be absolutely chilling. The point I would make to people is I think that sometimes the price of freedom is worth paying.”

Love Island fans reckon Casa Amor will mark the end of Paige Thorne and Jacques O’Neill’s blossoming romance with predictions that his head will be turned.

The rugby player finally admitted he cares for the paramedic in scenes that aired on Sunday night, with many viewers worrying that they’ll soon be driven away from each other when temptation enters the villa.

After whisking Paige away for a heart-to-heart in the middle of the night, Jacques told her: ‘I didn’t want to tell you that I cared’

A confused Paige asked: ‘What do you think I’m going to do with that information?’

‘I don’t know that’s why I wouldn’t want to give you the information because I’ve told you that tonight like it automatically bothers me now like what the f*ck,’ Jacques said.

‘Why’s it bothering me now? It wasn’t bothering me last night, when you were in bed with him and talking to him, I didn’t care, but tonight it was making me f*cking angry it was literally making me angry, and I didn’t like it at all.’

Paige reassured Jacques by telling him he has nothing to worry about.

‘I don’t doubt you for a second, I believe every word you tell me,’ Jacques replied. ‘I do genuinely believe every word you tell me.’

He then added: ‘I’ve honestly never felt like this in my life.’

But viewers reckon there’s trouble ahead for Paige and Jacques in the form of Casa Amor.

‘Jacques will 100% dump Paige at Casa Amor and it’ll be doubly devastating to her now that they’ve had their emotional moment lmaooo BRING IT ON,’ one predicted.

Another added: ‘Paige is gonna stay loyal and stop getting to know Jay, only for Jacques’ head to turn at Casa Amor.’

‘Paige and Jaques’ Casa Amor saga is due to be devastating,’ wrote a third.

Elsewhere, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that Love Island’s Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti have unfinished business and fans are convinced there’s a chance they’ll soon be back together.

Of course, the two contestants have had a turbulent few weeks after their blossoming romance was thrown into disarray following the arrival of bombshell Jay Younger , who Ekin-Su crawled to the terrace to sneak a few kisses with.

All hopes of a relationship were then dashed when an explosive argument culminated with Davide calling his love interest a ‘liar and an actress’ – but Sunday night’s episode saw sparks reignited between the pair as they caught up at the fire pit.

‘I’d say this is one of my favourite places here,’ Ekin-Su commented, with Davide joking: ‘Yeah, where you had your first kiss from me, twice.’

‘Look, Davide, we’re just friends okay,’ Ekin-Su eventually said, with Davide replying: ‘Yeah, we are, yeah kind of.’

Conversation then turned to romance with Davide flashing a flirty glance as he admitted: ‘Nothing has changed in my opinion about you… sometimes I laugh with you and I like to take the p*ss of you.’

Ekin-Su responded: ‘I’m not coming to you to ummm. This is just a friendship talk, it’s nothing. Davide relax. I’m very relaxed too look at me.’

After a few awkward silences, Davide asked Ekin-Su whether she’s waiting for someone else to come into the villa.

‘If obviously, things don’t work out with Charlie [Radnedge], I am open for someone to come…,’ she started to say.

‘Another gym freak guy maybe,’ Davide added.

Speaking in the Beach Hut, Ekin-Su shared that the fire hasn’t yet gone out with Davide.

‘I don’t know what’s going on I really don’t, he’s saying all these things,’ she said. ‘Like the one needs to come in, we’re talking as friends but there’s something.

‘I don’t know what it is but there’s always really a special something with Davide that I can’t have with anyone else in here, whether you call that love or friendship, I don’t f***ing know.’

Love Island viewers are rooting for the pair to come back to each other and flooded Twitter with their predictions.

‘DAVIDE AND EKIN SU ARE BACK BABY. Enemies to lovers trope,’ one wrote.

‘Ngl Ekin-Su and Davide have nuclear chemistry. they are playing the long game,’ another penned.

Echoing a similar sentiment, a third said: ‘I ship Davide and Ekin-Su so much. The tension between them is undeniable. It just be like that with some people, it’s electric, can’t do anything about it.’

Will we see Davide and Ekin-Su back in the same bed by the end of the week?

Only time will tell…

Love Island airs tonight at 9pm on ITV2.

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