A gale warning was upgraded to a storm warning for all Tongan coastal waters this afternoon. Extreme high tides at 8:50pm tonight are forecast to bring a heavy damaging swell up to 4-6 metres, driven by storm force winds, as an active trough continues to move slowly over Tonga.
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Results for Pacific Islands
Tuesday 4 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Friday 31 December 2021
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.
Friday 24 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Have a Merry Christmas and stay away from the hazardous Hunga volcano, the Tonga Geological Services advised the public today, warning that extreme hazards in the area up to five kilometres around the eruption, include possible explosions, surges, ballistic ejecta, tephra, lava domes, laze, vog, pumice shoals, volcanic edifice collapse and tsunamis.

Friday 24 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s national population has dropped by 442 people since 2016, a preliminary count of Tonga's National Population Census for 2021 shows. The Government Statistician Viliami Fifita said today the census accounted for 100,209 people in Tonga. The population loss was due to seasonal workers programs, migration, and people stuck overseas due to COVID-19 border restrictions. By Eleanor Gee.

Thursday 23 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An explosive volcanic eruption shooting ash and pyroclastic material up to 350 metres above sea level was captured on camera yesterday, 22 Dec., by Tonga Navy crew, sailing close to the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai active volcano. However, ash was not detected at the height of aviation, Taaniela Kula (TGS) said, “this is a point of discussion with the authorities.”

Thursday 23 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sulphur dioxide emitted from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano continues to spread over the Ha'apai, Vava'u and Niuatoutapu groups drifting NNE at a high altitude of 8-14km. Tonga Geological Services said S02 measured highest near the ‘Otumu‘omu‘a Group. However, the steam cloud formation from the eruption has reduced significantly from yesterday.

Wednesday 22 December 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Festive bands played in Nuku'alofa, bringing welcome Christmas cheer to shoppers and holiday makers, despite the heat from the hot sun, today December 22, as Tonga approaches its second Christmas under border restrictions.
Monday 13 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's critical shortage of sand for construction purposes has motivated a local man to find an alternative source of fine aggregate. Viliami Lolohea is currently building a small house at Fangaloto, trialling bricks made with imported Ferronickel slag. Last Friday, 10 December, King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u visited the building site to view the foundations of what will be the first house to be constructed locally with cement and slag

Monday 13 December 2021
Nouméa, New Caledonia
New York Times reporting: New Caledonia will not mark the new year by becoming the world’s newest country. In a referendum held Sunday, voters rejected independence overwhelmingly, with 96% electing to stay part of France, according to provisional results released Sunday by the French High Commission in New Caledonia. The vote on the Pacific island territory comes as France’s president has prioritized shoring up the country’s international profile, seeing its military as a bulwark against China. A large portion of the Kanak pro-independence bloc boycotted Sunday’s vote.
Thursday 2 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Essential COVID-19 supplies and oxygen equipment was donated to the Ministry of Health from the Government of Australia, after the cargo arrived on November 30 at Fua'amotu International Airport.

Thursday 2 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vulnerable rural farmers in Tonga will receive a range of services and support to improve farm productivity and their livelihoods under the Pacific Islands Rural & Agricultural Stimulus Facility (PIRAS) project, launched at Falemasiva Hall, Tailulu College on December 2. By Eleanor Gee.

Wednesday 1 December 2021
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Suva, Fiji
New COVID-19 cases in Fiji continue to decline with 12 new cases reported between November 27-28 and zero cases on November 29, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services reported. Fiji opened its borders today to fully vaccinated international travellers, repatriates and Fijians visiting families and friends.

Tuesday 30 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s health records will move from paper-based to a digital patient management system starting tomorrow, December 1, after the Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa launched the Kingdom’s first National Health Information System (NHIS) this morning at Davina House in Nuku'alofa. By Eleanor Gee.

Monday 29 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two Tongans who studied online to complete a Master’s Degree in Disaster Management, under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) program, received their certificates on November 24. Mafoa Penisoni focused on Seismology and Tevita ‘Aho focused on Flood Disaster.

Sunday 28 November 2021
Brisbane, Australia
Five soldiers from His Majesty’s Armed Forces Tonga (HMAF) have the skills to train their fellow colleagues in the Army Combatives Program (ACP), having qualified as instructors following training at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Brisbane, Australia. ACP is combat-focused, and teaches lethal and non-lethal techniques relevant to soldiers.
Sunday 28 November 2021
Melbourne, Australia
New York Times Reporting by Yan Zhuang: After days of riots in the Solomon Islands during which protesters called for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign, set buildings ablaze and looted stores, authorities on Saturday said they had found the bodies of three people in a burned-out building of a store in the Chinatown district. They are the first reported deaths after days of violent protests in Honiara, the nation’s capital. Australia sent around 100 police officers and soldiers Thursday and Friday to help stabilize the situation, and Papua New Guinea sent 35 police and correctional service personnel Friday.
Wednesday 24 November 2021
Auckland, New Zealand
New York Times Reporting by Natasha Frost. New Zealand plans to allow most fully vaccinated travelers into the country by the end of April without a mandatory hotel quarantine, as it slowly emerges from what has been one of the world’s longest lockdowns.
Friday 19 November 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A stunning and unusual moon rising high to the north of Nuku'alofa was clearly observable tonight in Tongatapu. The partial eclipse of the moon, ko e mate ʻa e māhina, began at 7:02pm, Friday 19 November, and ends at 01:03 Saturday morning Tonga time - a duration of 6 hours and 2 minutes.
Sunday 14 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new multi-million Tonga parliament complex will be constructed on the Nuku'alofa waterfront - where project coordinators say the ground level for the building will have to be raised by about three meters to protect the national infrastructure from the effects of climate change and future sea level rise.

Thursday 11 November 2021
Glasgow, United Kingdom
The dangerous effects of climate change continue to threaten Tonga's environment as well as the livelihoods and future existence of our people, Tonga's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Hon. Fanetupouvava'u Tu'ivakano told the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, Wednesday, in presenting Tonga's National Statement.