MTO Featured Story block
Matangi Tonga - Tonga's leading news website
Breaking news
-
Saturday 22 January 2022 1:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : We are emotional. One week after the catastrophic Hunga explosion and multiple tsunamis in Tonga, we have a chance to let you, our readers, know that we at Matangi Tonga are fine. You may have seen reports coming out of Tonga by satellite phone and through a few people who have full internet access. Tonga is dealing with a disruptive catastrophe. From our office we felt the massive blast of the Hunga eruption and watched many powerful tsunami waves arrive. We have articles and reports to bring you, but right now we're just saying “we're back - and thanks for all the well wishes and concerns”. We will upload our articles and photos when and as we can. 'Ofa atu, Pesi and Mary Lyn Fonua
Free to view -
Saturday 15 January 2022 10:40am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A team of Tongan geologists who went out to observe the Jan. 14 eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano witnessed spectacular explosions on the dangerous mission on Friday afternoon. The pulsating explosions throughout the day were also viewed from weather satellites in space.
Premium content -
Saturday 15 January 2022 9:59am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Mikaele Hoponoa Pahulu (42) was sentenced to 11 years and 7 months imprisonment for manslaughter in a sadistic, brutally violent attack on a frail 71-year-old patient at the Psychiatric Ward in Vaiola Hospital. “This was manslaughter just short of murder, possibly only because that was not charged. Why murder was not charged has never been explained,” said the Supreme Court judge. “It is just barbaric.” Another person stood alongside, watched and walked away leaving the victim unconscious on the ground. Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 7:31pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga is lifting a restriction in order to allow repatriation of over 300 passengers from New Zealand and Vanuatu next week. Changes to repatriation protocols were outlined by the new Minister for Health, Hon Dr Saia Piukala this morning, 14 January, and include repatriating from countries with COVID-19 in the community. Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 7:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Today's eruption of the Hunga volcano, continuous for over 12 hours, reached 20km above sea level - the largest in a series of eruptions since December. Tsunami waves of up to 30cm were still being recorded at 6:00pm on the Nuku'alofa tidal gauge, according to the latest official monitoring reports. Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 4:50pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Four elected members of parliament were absent from the opening session of the new 2022-25 parliament yesterday, including the Speaker of the House Lord Fakafanua. No explanation was offered to the public for the absence of the Speaker and three others, at the swearing-in of newly elected members. From the House by Pesi Fonua Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 4:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A plume of ash, steam and gas has dispersed at a radius of 250km from the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai Volcano over Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Vava’u and Ha’apai group, Tonga Geological Services advised at 12:45pm today. Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 3:46pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : All Tongan civil servants were instructed to go home this afternoon as Government offices closed at 1:30pm, due to the tsunami warning in force. Authorities stressed that there is no need for any evacuation but people are advised to keep away from beaches and low lying coastlines in Tonga today, while increased activity at the Hunga volcano is monitored. Premium content -
Friday 14 January 2022 12:10pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A national tsunami marine warning issued at 11:12am today, Fri. January 14, warns Tongans to stay away from coastal areas, after swirling abnormal tides drew crowds to the Nuku'alofa waterfront in the last hour. Tonga Geological Services stated that a volcanic eruption is forecasted to be imminent with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere likely, following new activity observed at the Hunga volcano 65km off Nuku'alofa this morning. Tonga Police are currently patrolling the seafront Vuna Road in the capital and using loud speakers to ask people to move away to higher ground. Premium content -
Thursday 13 January 2022 6:39pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Two repatriation flights to Tonga from Vanuatu and Auckland, New Zealand, are scheduled to arrive at Fua'amotu Int'l Airport next week on January 18 and 20 respectively, the Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale 'Akau'ola confirmed this afternoon. Premium content
World
-
Friday 31 December 2021 5:30pm
Goro, New Caledonia : New York Times reporting: Goro, is the largest nickel mine on a tiny French territory suspended between Australia and Fiji that may hold up to one-quarter of the world’s nickel reserves. It also poses a critical test for Tesla, the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, which wants to take control of its supply chain and ensure that the minerals used for its car batteries are mined in an environmentally and socially responsible fashion. Because of its nickel industry, New Caledonia is one of the world’s largest carbon emitters per capita. And mining, which began soon after New Caledonia was colonized in 1853, is intimately linked to the exploitation of its Indigenous Kanak people. The legacy of more than a century of stolen land and crushed traditions has left Goro’s nickel output at the mercy of frequent labour strikes and political protests.
Opinion
-
Friday 7 January 2022 10:48am
Princeton, USA : Although there is much more to be learned about the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, the motives of the participants can be gleaned from their own statements. Like far-right movements everywhere today, the insurrectionists were driven by resentment of others’ emancipation. Social transformation has been sufficient to generate the rage and resentment over phantom possessions that characterize far-right movements everywhere. An act of destruction can be used to prove that something is one’s own. For example, this psychological dynamic becomes horrendously clear when men decide to kill or disfigure the women they claim to love rather than tolerate their emancipation. By Jan-Werner Mueller. Free to view -
Thursday 6 January 2022 6:08pm
Melbourne, Australia : There has been considerable opposition to vaccine mandates – opposition that I have argued is misguided. When both a vaccinated and an unvaccinated patient with COVID-19 need the last available bed in a hospital’s intensive care unit, the vaccinated patient should get it. Those who view vaccination as a “personal choice” need to bear personal responsibility for choosing to place others’ lives at risk. Exceptions should be made for those few patients for whom vaccination is contra-indicated on medical grounds, but not for those who claim to have religious grounds for exemption. No major religion rejects vaccination, and if some people choose to interpret their religious beliefs as requiring them to avoid vaccination, then they, and not others, should bear the consequences. By Peter Singer Free to view
Sports
-
Wednesday 22 December 2021 5:49pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Three Tongan swimmers set new national records at the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi from December 16 – 21. Finau Ohuafi, Charissa Panuve, and Noelani Day swam against the world’s elite swimmers in the Butterfly, Freestyle, and Backstroke events. Free to view
Pacific Islands
-
Saturday 18 December 2021 4:56pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Corruption is a problem across both the Public and Private Sectors in 10 Pacific Island Countries, according to Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer – Pacific 2021, released in November. Two thirds of respondents (66 per cent) in Tonga think that levels of corruption in their government had increased. While 55 per cent of respondents in Tonga think that corruption in the business sector increased over the 12 months prior to the survey. Free to view -
Thursday 11 November 2021 2:36pm
Glasgow, United Kingdom : A sea level rise of one metre will be devasting for Tongatapu where, “Under this scenario, 25% of buildings, 11% of roads, 16% of water, and 29% of power infrastructure would be permanently lost,” new modelling shows. The findings of a groundbreaking report analyzing climate and disaster risk management in the Pacific nation of Tonga, one of the most vulnerable in the world to the impact of climate change, was discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow this week. New assets need to be developed away from low-lying high risk locations, it says. Free to view
Sponsored Posts
-
Friday 14 January 2022 6:01pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Me‘a ‘a e Tangata‘eiki ‘Amapasitoa Siaina ki Tonga, Cao Xiaolin ‘i hono foaki ‘o e ngaahi Mīsini ki he Ngoué mo e Ngaahi Naunau ki he Akó mei he Pule‘anga FakaVahe ‘o e Vāhenga Guangdong, Lēpapulika ‘o Siainá ki he Pule‘anga ‘o Tongá. (Pulelulu, 12 Sānuali, 2022) Free to view
Tonga weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK. See also Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Center, Tonga, for latest local weather bulletin.
Latest Comments
Boston Rob says:
This is indeed an interesting development. It seems that the current PM at the time of the election does not have the numbers to be reelected as the PM.
Read more...