Results for Pacific Island

Tonga's domestic fibre-optic submarine communications cable went out again yesterday following a series of strong earthquakes, centred in Ha'apai, that also shook the capital. Tonga Cable Acting CEO Mr Sosafate Kolo confirmed the outage, to Matangi Tonga this afternoon. Cable communications to Vava'u and Ha'apai are cut.

The Home Reef Volcano has shown a decrease in thermal anomalies. In the last 16 hours, three new thermal anomalies were recorded, with the latest event at 3:56 AM this morning, the Volcano Watch Team of the Tonga Geological Services, reported this morning. No ash cloud has been detected in the last 16 hours.

Tonga will receive a USD $25 million (TOP $58.7 million) grant from the World Bank to strengthen financial and debt sustainability to enhance climate and disaster resilience.

Domestic rainwater tanks are often contaminated and unsafe to drink if not managed and cleaned regularly, a recent study has shown. Conducted by Tonga's Ministry of Health, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Asian Development Bank, the study found drinking water is often contaminated with E. coli.

Tonga Police has named ‘Asiata Masima (54) from Ha’ateiho, as the man arrested on Saturday 18 November on a charge of attempted murder after a livestreaming footage via social media.

The announcement by the Speaker of the Tongan Parliament, Lord Fakafanua in Parliament on 16 August that the House is no longer funding the daily radio broadcast of the Proceedings of the House, surprised members of Parliament. It was also a shocking announcement for members of the public who were keenly listening to the debate on the Auditor General's Report for 2021-2022. The Auditor's Report exposes a litany of weaknesses in many Ministries and reveals the wide extent of inadequate reporting of government expenditures. It raises concerns about government's recent capital expenditures, inadequate assets registers and discrepancies between the Sun System and Ministries financial reports. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga formally called on all Pacific nations to join a block of governments seeking a negotiating mandate to develop a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty on 12 May 2023, at the Fifth Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers' Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Tonga’s National Netball Team, the Tala, has won the 2022 PacificAus Sports Netball Series held last week on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Head Coach, Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson told Matangi Tonga today that having an undefeated year and getting a second series win is just a remarkable and proud moment.

After the challenges we have experienced to connectivity as a result of COVID-19, I am delighted the physical links between Australia and Tonga are building back. We are looking forward to greater flight connectivity between Tonga and Australia beginning this June, and I thank the Government of Tonga for taking the initiative to increase the frequency of passenger flights between our countries. While our physical links were temporarily less frequent, the link of friendship has always been strong. As members of the Pacific family, Australia and Tonga share a close relationship, built over more than fifty years of diplomatic relations. - Rachael Moore, Australian High Commissioner to Tonga