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Monday 21 February 2022 11:34pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Tongatapu end of Tonga’s international fibre optic cable was being pulled up today for splicing and is expected to come online by late tomorrow, Tuesday, 38 days after a large section was blown to bits by a volcanic eruption on Jan. 15.
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Monday 21 February 2022 8:04pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Around small 200 boats were damaged by the tsunamis generated by the volcanic eruption on January 15, the Prime Minister Hon Siaosi Sovaleni said on Friday, Feb. 17. The loss is significant since boats are essential for fishing to feed families, especially on remote islands, and for transporting villagers. The government is trying to get one or two boats replaced for each community. Premium content -
Monday 21 February 2022 7:28pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Fifteen people have been arrested and charged in relation to drugs busts at different locations, during the lockdown due to COVID-19. The largest amount was 5.15 grams of methamphetamine, seized at a home in Havelu. Premium content -
Monday 21 February 2022 7:16pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Kotoni Tafolo (17) was acquitted of possessing 0.21 grams of methamphetamine due to insufficient evidence, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa. Premium content -
Monday 21 February 2022 7:05pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, 'Ohsumi', left Tonga last Wednesday, February 16, after delivering relief supplies to Tongatapu and the outer islands. Premium content -
Saturday 19 February 2022 1:11am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The 24 new COVID-19 positive cases today, brings the total number of active cases in Tonga to 196, the Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said this afternoon. Premium content -
Friday 18 February 2022 10:04pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : SpaceX has donated 50 VSAT terminals to Tonga. “They are sending over 50 terminals and we are looking at how we can best utilize it,” Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said this afternoon. Premium content -
Thursday 17 February 2022 8:11pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga now has 195 active COVID-19 cases, the Prime Minister Hon Siaosi Sovaleni, confirmed today, Feb.17. New positive cases include 30 people in Hu’atolitoli Prison, 25 among the newly arrived repatriates in MIQ, and 14 in the community. Premium content -
Thursday 17 February 2022 4:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Transnational crime — specifically drug production and trafficking — is one of the most serious security issues facing the Pacific Islands region, warns a new Lowy Institute Analysis, released last night. Author, Jose Sousa-Santos says deportation policies of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States are exacerbating the problem. He dedicated his research paper to the late Ned Cook, a Salvation Army drugs counsellor, who was killed in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, in 2020. Premium content -
Wednesday 16 February 2022 9:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Seven thousand doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines funded by Japan through COVAX, arrived in Tonga yesterday, February 15. Premium content -
Wednesday 16 February 2022 9:11pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Ultra-cold chain equipment to store Pfizer vaccines for long-term use arrived in Tonga on an Australian Defence Force humanitarian flight on Monday. The rollout of boosters is the key to protecting the people of Tonga from the current COVID-19 outbreak, Australia’s High Commissioner, HE Rachael Moore said Premium content -
Wednesday 16 February 2022 7:12pm
Canberra, Australia : All Tongans are appreciative of an outpouring of support received from the Australian community, including Tongan diaspora, and government, in response to the double catastrophe of the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunamis on Jan. 15, says HRH Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku'aho in Canberra. Premium content -
Wednesday 16 February 2022 12:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga has reduced its Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) requirement for international arrivals from 21 to 15 days, for the 180 repatriates who arrived at Fua'amotu International Airport yesterday, on three flights coming from New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia. Premium content -
Wednesday 16 February 2022 1:24am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : An 80 km stretch of Tonga's telecommunications cable, was blown to bits by a volcanic eruption on Jan. 15 and there's no easy fix. Short pieces have been recovered, while a major section of the fibre optic cable, about 55 km long, including an expensive repeater, has yet to be recovered from the seabed. By Mary Lyn Fonua Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 11:32pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Two Chinese navy ships, the Wuzhishan and the Chaganhu, arrived in Nuku'alofa today with over 1300 tons of restoration and relief items for Tonga, including 500 prefabricated houses. By Eleanor Gee. Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 2:58am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Three repatriation flights are scheduled to arrive in Tonga today from New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for MEIDECC, Hon. Poasi Tei, confirmed on Feb.14. They are the first passenger flights in over three months. Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 2:45am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Thirty of the 34 container of relief goods that arrived from New Zealand to support families have been distributed, confirmed the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for MEIDECC Hon Poasi Tei at a press conference today, February 14. Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 2:31am
Suva, Fiji : The Tonga Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption, tsunami and ashfall has caused an estimated US$90.4M (TOP 208 million) in damages – the equivalent of approximately 18.5% of Tonga’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – a World Bank assessment for the Government of Tonga has found. Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 1:33am
Suva, Fiji : UNICEF and the Government of Japan announced a new US$1,250,000 partnership to support the Government of Tonga to ensure that about 19,250 people, including 10,000 children, affected by the recent volcanic eruption and tsunami have sufficient access to safe drinking water, a clean environment, as well as good health. Premium content -
Tuesday 15 February 2022 12:37am
Canberra, Australia : The impact of the tsunami and volcanic eruption on 'Atata and surrounding islands is most visible from the air. “The wave must have been huge,” said Royal Australian Navy Chaplain Simote Finau, who went ashore with around 30 Australians from the Operation Tonga Assist taskforce, after the locals had evacuated. New photos taken for damage surveys they conducted were released on Friday.
