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A second international undersea telecommunications cable to Tonga, named the “Tonga Hawaiki Branch System” will be co-funded by Australia and New Zealand, under a USD$32 million investment fund. The project, which is expected to be in place by late 2025, was jointly announced by the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, and the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners in Nuku'alofa on Friday.

Nineteen Peace Corps trainees were welcomed to Tonga with a traditional Tongan Kava Ceremony at Fasi in Nuku'alofa on Friday 21 June 2024.

An ash plume drifting northeast of Home Reef around ~1:30 AM today June 21, was detected  by the HIMAWARI-9 AHI satellite, Tonga Geological Services reported this morning. The volcanic activity poses a low risk to the Vava’u and Ha’apai Communities. Mariners in the area are advised to sail beyond 4 km from Home Reef until further notice.

Eight Gracias Choir choristers performed at the Tonga Hope Concert in Falemasiva Hall at Tailulu in Havelu, last week on 13 June 2024.

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.

The Minister for Finance, Hon. Tiofilusi Tiueti announced a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing support to the education and health sectors during his budget speech at the Legislative Assembly on June 12. A total of $113.4 million is allocated to Education to support the implementation of activities under the Government priority agenda 4: 'Improving education for all’. A total of $78.9 million is allocated to Health, to support the implementation of activities under the Government priority agenda 5: 'Improving access to quality and affordable healthcare’.

A psychiatric nurse died in hospital on Sunday from serious injuries sustained in the psychiatric unit at the Hu'atolitoli Prison. The deceased, Samiuela Mafi, a psychiatric nurse at Vaiola Hospital, was allegedly attacked by a patient on 8 June. In a statement last week, HM Prisons said they lacked the strength to support and guard the unit. Earlier, in March, Tonga's Head Psychiatrist warned that because Tonga had never established a drugs rehabilitation centre the extra workload on the psychiatric ward was beyond the reach of the public health and voluntary services available. By Matangi Tonga reporters.

A new community hall was handed over to the village of ‘Atata Si’i today, 17 June 2024, by Mr Takeju Ogata, President of the Nippon Foundation, a private and non-profit grant-making organization from Tokyo Japan, that is funding three halls for displaced communities.

A diving accident claimed the life of a promising young athlete, JJ Rice (18), at Faleloa, Ha'apai, on Saturday 15 June. JJ had recently returned to Ha'apai after competing in the "2024 Formula Kite World Championships" in Hyères in the South of France, where he represented Tonga.