Tonga

In his first media conference for the year held on Wednesday, Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said the Government will not stop workers from leaving to find better job opportunities but will work on training more locals so that services can continue effectively both with the public service and private sector.

“Government will continue to train our people so that they can have the skills to serve the country and move overseas if need be without adversely affecting local services.”

On 15 January 2022, an underwater volcano in Tonga – the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai – erupted violently, releasing billowing plumes of soot, water vapour and sulphur dioxide high into the atmosphere.

Major volcanic eruptions typically cool the planet temporarily, because, until they dissipate, sulphur dioxide particles reflect sunlight away from the planet. However, the study – published in Nature Climate Change – finds that the Tonga eruption in the south Pacific expelled an unprecedented amount of water into the atmosphere.

The exodus occurred over the past two weeks and comes nearly a year after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted, on 15 January 2022. Both 'Atata and Mango were devastated by tsunami waves, caused by the eruption.

"I and my relatives are going to 'Eua", Mango town officer Sione Vailea said.

"We'll see what happens when we get there. There's no place for us on Mango anymore and the government has declared for my people to relocate."

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, with Christian churches around Tonga, will host memorial and thanksgiving services in their own churches on Sunday.

A national exhibition will also be held from tomorrow at Queen Salote Memorial Hall in Nuku’alofa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism and the Tonga Tourism Authority have partnered to mount the exhibition on the Hunga Tonga - Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami.

The exhibition will be held until Saturday, 14 January.

The vehicle was allegedly set on fire during the early hours of Sunday, 1 January.

Neiafu Town officer Vava Lapota said the incident happened at around 3am while the car was left unattended on a road from Holonga to Ta’anea.

Kaniva News reports the car belongs to a Pentecost Church pastor.

It broke down before the pastor and his family sought help from a nearby village, Lapota said.

When they arrived back at the scene with a helper the car had been torched and destroyed.

Not only did it trigger widespread tsunami waves, but it also belched an enormous amount of climate-warming water vapor into the Earth’s stratosphere.

Now researchers in a new report have unveiled something else: the eruption set off more than 25,500 lightning events in just five minutes. Over the course of just six hours, the volcano triggered nearly 400,000 lightning events. Half of all the lightning in the world was concentrated around this volcano at the eruption’s peak.

The ‘Back to the Islands Campaign’ is a Pacific provider initiative that aimed to appeal to Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand to get vaccinated (either flu or Covid-19) and protected to be able to fly home.

“Back to the Islands Campaign” provided the opportunity for those getting vaccinated at participating vaccination events to enter a draw to win travel prizes for the Pacific Islands and abroad.

The Campaign ran from 6 August and closed on 16 September, 2022 with the prize being drawn in late October.

The survey conducted by Australia's Aid Programme and Tonga's Ministry of Education stated that disabled people in Tonga faced social stigma.

"People with disability are one of the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in Tongan society. They often face stigma, exclusion and discrimination, and lack voice and influence over community and national resources," according to the report.

It outlined various testimonies including discrimination in employment and education.

The PM’s Press Office said the funds were raised in response to calls for assistance following the January 15, 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga.

The funds were raised by the Tonga High Commission, Tonga Consul General’s Office, and Pilie-tauhala Tongan Community Committees around Australia, with donations from businesses, schools, hospitals, companies, rugby clubs, kava clubs, individuals, states, mayors, and local governments such as the ACT government, Northern Territory government and the Liverpool Council.

The appointment was made on 20 December following an open recruitment process and recommendations by Tiofilusi Tiueti, Minister of Finance in consultation with the Board of the Reserve Bank.

A Reserve Bank statement said Moeaki has had a civil service distinguished career in finance and economic development and a former Director of the National Reserve Bank Board between 2013 and 2016 when he was the chief economic adviser to the Government and the CEO for the Ministry of Finance.