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A taste of Tonga for the crew

By
Kaniva Staff
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Australian Defence Force and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade crisis response team personnel discuss damage to Atata island in Tonga during an assessment as part of Operation Tonga Assist 2022. Left to right: Mr Tim Church, Australian Army officer Lieutenant Joshua Ellems and Royal Australian Navy officer Chaplain Simote Finau. Photo/CPL Robert Whitmore

The Government of Tonga has expressed its gratitude for HMAS Adelaide’sdelivery of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief stores by sending the ship a giant fresh fruit gift.

Adelaide received dozens of bags of coconuts, pineapples, bananas and watermelons after Tonga’s Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni phoned Commanding Officer Captain Stuart Watters to send best wishes and acknowledge the Australian Defence Force’s support.

“I was incredibly humbled by the gesture,” said Captain Watters.

“It is a fantastic gift and everyone is getting a little taste of Tonga.”

The first load came in a Royal Australian Navy MRH-90 helicopter, which was collecting Defence industry contractors from Fua’amotu international airport, followed by a second flight to collect the rest of the fruit.

The gift is a tangible sign of the close bond between Tonga and Australia.

“Our Tongan friends are looking out for us and we are looking out for them,” said Captain Watters.

After the helicopter landed on Adelaide’s flight deck many hands offloaded the fruit and passed it hand to hand to a lower deck.

“It was great to join in the daisy chain which was passing huge bags all the way into the galley,” said Chaplain Kate Lord.

“Everyone is really excited about tasting this wonderful tropical fruit. To have this gift was a lovely surprise.”

Army cook Corporal Darcy Wratten said the produce is perfect for breakfast fruit platters.

“The fruit has really been well receive, it‘s really good quality, and a boost to morale.”

The bounty of coconuts, pineapples, bananas and watermelons is a product of Tonga’s fertile volcanic soil, favourable climate and the generous spirit of its people.

Imagery from Operation Tonga Assist is available on the Defence image library. 

Tonga’s Speaker praises community for response to disaster

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

The Speaker of Tonga’s Parliament says it has been a great privilege to be a part of the reaction from the Tongan community diaspora in Aotearoa to the disaster in the Kingdom.

Lord Fakafanua was in Porirua, north of Wellington, for the ‘Ofa ki Tonga-Takanga ‘enau fohe – or Sending love to Tonga – event organised by Victoria University Te Herenga Waka and the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council.Victoria University Te Herenga Waka has donated $37,000 to the Wellington Tonga Leaders Council to support their relief effort for Tonga following the devastating eruption and tsunami.

Victoria University Te Herenga Waka has donated $37,000 to the Wellington Tonga Leaders Council to support their relief effort for Tonga following the devastating eruption and tsunami. Photo: RNZ Pacific

At the event, the University gifted the Council $37,000 to support their relief effort for Tonga following the devastating eruption and tsunami.

Lord Fakafanua accepted the donation on behalf of the Council.

He said to witness first hand the amount of support and the spirit of togetherness that people have for their kāinga back home is inspiring and very touching.Lord Fakafanua with members of the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council

Lord Fakafanua with members of the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council Photo: Wellington Tongan Leaders CouncilLord Fakafanua with the Tongan men who have been volunteering to load the containers destined for Tonga

Lord Fakafanua with the Tongan men who have been volunteering to load the containers destined for Tonga Photo: Wellington Tongan Leaders Council

“Very blessed to be invited to take part and also encourage a lot of the assistance that’s been co-ordinated from New Zealand,” he said.

He said private businesses and even some government organisations have really chipped in and helped our community to send much needed supplies back home.

“We are very blessed to have the support all the New Zealand people,” he said.Members of the Victoria University Pacific student body arrive at the 'Ofa ki Tonga-Takanga 'enau fohe

Members of the Victoria University Pacific student body arrive at the ‘Ofa ki Tonga-Takanga ‘enau fohe Photo: RNZ Pacific

Lord Fakafanua told those gathered that the rebuild work in Tonga will take a long time.

Victoria University’s Chancellor, John Allen, led representatives from the Victoria University to present the donation to the Council.

Mr Allen said the volcanic eruption was a huge event and many people read about the following tsunami, we were not isolated from it and it touched us.Members of Victoria University greeted by the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council

Members of Victoria University greeted by the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council Photo: RNZ PacificFrom (L-R) Victoria University's Chancellor John Allen, The Speaker of Tonga's Parliament Lord Fakafanua and Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Associate Professor Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Victoria University of Wellington

From (L-R) Victoria University’s Chancellor John Allen, The Speaker of Tonga’s Parliament Lord Fakafanua and Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Associate Professor Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Victoria University of Wellington Photo: RNZ Pacific

“In the case of our University community, we have 181 Tongan students currently studying with us, we have had heaps of Tongan students over many years at the University, so we have deep ties with the Tongan community.

“And we simply want to to stand with them in their time of need, we want to provide the support we can to help them support each other and this is a marvellous opportunity because what it is doing is enabling families here to support families at home,” he said.Members of Victoria University Te Herenga Waka and the Wellington Tonga Leaders Council. The University donated $37,000 to help the Council send containers to families in Tonga

Members of Victoria University Te Herenga Waka and the Wellington Tonga Leaders Council. The University donated $37,000 to help the Council send containers to families in Tonga Photo: RNZ Pacific

The university’s charitable trust, the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation, provided support to co-ordinate additional cash donations from the university community.

For Tongan academic, Dr Mele Tupou-Vaitohi of Victoria University, they had not anticipated the amount donated and are very thankful that people opened their hearts, and their wallets to donate and help our Tongan community here, and our families in Tonga.Tongiaepau Nuku, Dr Mele Tupou-Vaitohi and Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban

Tongiaepau Nuku, Dr Mele Tupou-Vaitohi and Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban Photo: RNZ Pacific

“I want to wish everyone the best for their “Ofa (Love) for Tonga.”

She said they are also thankful to the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council who have been working closely with the University.

“We are working in partnership, and to actually see what we are seeing today is a result and an outcome of that partnership.”

Tropical Cyclone Dovi causes major flooding in Vanuatu

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission

Authorities in Vanuatu have had to evacuate a number of families from Teouma Valley after their homes were flooded due to Tropical Cyclone Dovi.

The category one cyclone has caused major flooding in parts of Vanuatu.

The Vanuatu Police Force and Joint Police Operation Centre help to move families at Teouma Valley to the evacuation centre near Eratap road.Tropical Cyclone Dovi causes major flooding in parts of Vanuatu.

Tropical Cyclone Dovi causes major flooding in parts of Vanuatu. Photo: Hilaire Bule

Some of the families who were forced to leave their homes yesterday are now staying with their families at Erakor and Ohlen villages.

Heavy rain over the last few days caused the Teouma River to overflow.

There’s no clear figure as to how many people in Port Vila, Efate and other islands affected by the flooding were moved to safety.

The bad weather led to businesses and schools to close.

Municipal markets were also closed yesterday, starting from lunch time as Port Vila residents rushed to the shops to buy groceries to stock-up their food supplies at home.

The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department forecasts heavy rain with flash flooding expected over low lying areas, and areas

close to river banks, including coastal flooding over the Southern islands today and continuing tonight.

It said very rough seas with heavy swells will continue to remain over all Vanuatu waters.

New Caledonia

As the strong tropical depression Dovi approaches New Caledonia tonight, 75 people have already joined an emergency shelter in Noumea.Emergency shelter in Noumea as Tropical Cyclone Dovi draws closer to New Caledonia

Emergency shelter in Noumea as Tropical Cyclone Dovi draws closer to New Caledonia Photo: Nouméa ma ville

Transit buses to get people to the shelter have been cancelled since 8am due to cyclone level warnings but people are still free to head to the centre with their own transport and can contact emergency services if they are in difficulty.Emergency shelter activated in Noumea due to Tropical Cyclone Dovi

Emergency shelter activated in Noumea due to Tropical Cyclone Dovi Photo: Nouméa ma ville

The shelter team is urging people to take the most essential items from home.

Three anti-vaccine mandate protesters charged with obstruction

By
Kaniva Staff
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Police have charged three people with obstruction after a group of anti-vaccine mandate protesters tried to push through a fence on Parliament grounds.

The group is part of a convoy which travelled to the capital yesterday to protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

After trying to push through the blockade this afternoon, three people were handcuffed and led away.

The crowd then settled and began singing the national anthem.

Police later confirmed the three men arrested on Parliament grounds had been charged with obstruction.

Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said the men, aged 61, 57 and 50, had been bailed to appear in the Wellington District Court on Monday 14 February.

All three had been officially trespassed from Parliament grounds.

Parnell said the three men were the only people to be issued with trespass notices from Parliament since the protest began on Tuesday.

Earlier, police asked protesters to to dismantle any structures that have been erected on Parliament grounds, such as tents and marquees.

About 100 police formed a ring around the front of Parliament edging up to a line of protesters who have linked arms lining up in front of the cenotaph.

About 1000 people and hundreds of vehicle converged on Parliament grounds yesterday, and at least 100 people camped overnight.

Covid-19 update: Record 306 new community cases in New Zealand today

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

There are 306 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today – a new record high – with 216 cases in Auckland alone.Coronavirus particle, illustration. Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2.

Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LI / DDJ / Science Photo Library via AFP

The previous highest number of cases in one day was 243 cases on 5 February.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Health said the new community cases were in the following DHBs – Northland (12), Auckland (216), Waikato (48), Tairāwhiti (4), Bay of Plenty (7), Lakes (6), MidCentral (2), Taranaki (5), Hutt Valley (3) and Capital and Coast (3).

There are 12 cases in hospital in Auckland, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty and Christchurch. None of them in ICU

The ministry said there were 30 cases in MIQ, with travellers arriving from UAE, Australia, Fiji, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Qatar.

There were 204 community cases reported in New Zealand yesterday.

There has now been a total of 18,460 cases of Covid-19 in the community.

There were 56,257 vaccine booster doses given yesterday, as well as 782 first doses; 1568 second doses and 1941 paediatric doses.

The ministry also confirmed a case in Queenstown – the first community case in the Southern DHB this outbreak – although it will be officially added to the case numbers tomorrow.

Anyone who caught flight NZ614 Queenstown to Auckland on Sunday at 9.19am is considered a close contact of the case.

Close contacts are urged to self-isolate, test immediately and on day five after exposure.

Queenstown Airport in Frankton has been listed as a location of interest for Sunday from 8.45am to 9.15am.

And in the North Island, two Ilminister Intermediate students in Gisborne have also tested positive to the virus.

Two Super Rugby Pacific teams are also isolating in Queenstown due to Covid-19 close contact protocols.

Wastewater testing has shown the presence of Covid-19 in the Northland towns of Mangawhai and Whatuwhiwhi.

Other detections from samples taken last week include Morrinsville in Waikato and the Taranaki town of Hāwera.

The Institute of Environmental Science and Research tests dozens of sites each week.

Meanwhile, a public health expert has warned that a protest on Parliament grounds, which has gone into its third day, may risk becoming a superspreader event.

30 new cases in the community, one positive case in Vava’u as variant confirmed as Omicron

By
Kaniva Staff
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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to make it clear that the new community cases was 30

The Ministry of Health is reporting 30 new community cases of Covid-19 taking the total number of cases in the latest community outbreak to 65, with one case been recovered.

Prime Minister Hon Hu’akavameiliku. Photo/Screenshot (Radio FM87.5 online)

It marks the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases recorded in Tonga since the pandemic began last week.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku has confirmed the new cases this morning saying Kolomotu’a, Mataika and Tu’anuku in Vava’u were the latest locations of interest linked to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Health Minister Saia Piukala said one positive case was detected in Tu’anuku, Vava’u and he expected the number to rise.

He said the 65 cases included 64 new active cases plus one which had been previously recovered.

He said more tests are expected in Vava’u.

All cases were double vaccinated except the positive case children.

Hon Piukala said the virus variant has been confirmed as Omicron.

He urged the public to vaccinate, wear face mask and there is no need to panic.

No complaints received, says Disaster Minister amid rumours of cargo theft of food donations from New Zealand

By
Kalino Latu
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The Minister of Disaster Poasi Tei says all drums of food and relief items from Tongans in New Zealand sent in the wake of last month’s fatal tsunami must be opened at the border for screening.

Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee

He said he had not received any complaints from anyone about anything missing from their shipments.  

“We welcome any complaint”, Hon. Tei told Kaniva News.

The Minister was responding after unconfirmed reports and pictures of cargo surfaced on Facebook purporting to show that some drums had been opened and some items had been stolen from them. It has been claimed the incident occurred to cargo sent from Tongans in New Zealand which were released at the Kuini Sālote Wharf in Tonga.

Some claimed all their goods had been stolen and when asked about them the Tongan officials at the wharf claimed their cargo had been removed in New Zealand. The complainants denied this.

The Ministry of Revenue and Customs’ Kelemete Vahe went live on air this afternoon on local radio FM87.5 and urged the public to lodge a complaint regarding their cargo.

He announced his phone contacts details and asked the public to contact him if they had any complaints.

Salote Sisifā, from the Tonga Netball Association posted on Facebook this morning and denied the allegations.

Sisifā described herself as the representative in Tonga of the Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee (ATRC) which was responsible for drumming up of food donations from New Zealand to Tonga. She described herself in Tongan on her post as “Ko’eku ‘i heni ko e fakafofonga e Komiti ngaue tokoni mei NZ “.

Sisifā said people who were working on releasing the shipments were from  the Ministry of Disaster, National Emergency Management Operations, His Majesty’s Armed Forces, Police, Customs, the Ministry of Food and the Ports Authority.

“No one enters the cargo areas without any authorisation”, she said.

The ATRC has sent more than 51 shipping containers to Tonga. They arrived last week and are being released to the families this week.

The ATRC said the first shipment of 27 containers have completed quarantine yesterday before two containers had been unloaded and cleared by the Customs.

Covid Tonga update: 20 new Covid cases as apparent Omicron spreads

By
Kaniva Staff
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UPDATED: There are 20 new cases of Covid-19 today February 9 in Tonga, taking the total number of cases in the latest community outbreak to 35, with one case been recovered.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said these new cases were all close contacts of the primary two active cases.

Fasi, Halaano and Sopu were the latest locations of interest linked to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hu’akavameiliku has revealed the record-high daily case numbers in a press conference currently taking place this afternoon in Nuku’alofa.

Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said all new cases were ‘mild’, they were all vaccinated including some of them who had their booster shots.

The new cases came after 14 cases were recorded yesterday with one case been recovered.

Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said 1093 tests were conducted in Vainī yesterday and only one person’s result returned positive.

Dr ‘Akau’ola urged people to wear face coverings and socially distance until the country returns to normality.

The Minister of Health Hon Piukala said 140 doses administered to people who have had the first of the AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday while 281 received the second doses.

Hon Piukala said 2185 received a Covid-19 booster vaccine yesterday in Tongatapu.

……………More to come

US accuses couple of laundering $4.5bn in Bitcoin tied to currency exchange hack

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

The US Justice Department said it had unraveled its biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft, seizing a record-shattering $US3.6 billion in Bitcoin tied to the 2016 hack of digital currency exchange Bitfinex.No caption

Photo: 123rf

A husband-and-wife team of alleged money launderers was arrested in Manhattan on Tuesday morning, it added.

It was the Justice Department’s biggest financial seizure, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said, adding in a statement that it shows cryptocurrency is “not a safe haven for criminals.”

Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife Heather Morgan, 31, both New Yorkers, were scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court Tuesday at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

They face charges of conspiring to commit money laundering as well as to defraud the United States. The case was filed in a federal court in Washington, D.C.

It was unclear who will be representing the couple in the criminal case. Calls and messages left for Lichtenstein and his wife have not been returned.

The pair is accused of conspiring to launder 119,754 bitcoin stolen after a hacker broke into Bitfinex and initiated more than 2000 unauthorized transactions. Justice Department officials said the transactions at the time were valued at $US71m in Bitcoin, but with the rise in the currency’s value, it is now valued at over $US4.5b.

A key clue may have come from the 2017 bust of an underground digital market used to launder a portion of the funds. US officials said some of the money was transferred to AlphaBay, an anything-goes version of eBay hosted on the dark web.

When the site was taken down, it likely allowed authorities to access AlphaBay’s internal transaction logs and connect them to a cryptocurrency account in Lichtenstein’s name, according to digital currency tracking company Elliptic.

Bitfinex said in a statement it was working with the Department of Justice to “establish our rights to a return of the stolen bitcoin.”

Lichtenstein and his wife also tried to launder money via a network of currency exchanges or claimed that the money represented payments to Morgan’s startup, the Department of Justice said. Prosecutors said on Tuesday the illegal proceeds were spent on things ranging from gold and non-fungible tokens to “absolutely mundane things such as purchasing a Walmart gift card for $500.”

The couple had active public profiles, especially Morgan, as rap singer “Razzlekhan,” a pseudonym she said on her website referred to Genghis Khan “but with more pizzazz.”

Morgan also had sidelines in the painting, fashion design, and writing worlds, where she pitched herself as a kind of corporate coach. One of her recent pieces was titled, in part, “Tips to Protect Your Business from Cybercriminals” and featured an interview with a cryptocurrency exchange owner about how to prevent fraud.

Tuesday’s criminal complaint came more than four months after Monaco announced the department was launching a new National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which comprises a mix of anti-money laundering and cybersecurity experts.

Cyber criminals who attack companies, municipalities and individuals with ransomware often demand payment in cryptocurrency.

In one high-profile example last year, former partners and associates of the ransomware group REvil caused a widespread gas shortage on the US East Coast when it used encryption software called DarkSide to launch a cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline.

The Justice Department later recovered some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom that Colonial paid to the hackers.

Cases like these demonstrate that the Justice Department “can follow money across the blockchain, just as we have always followed it within the traditional financial system,” said Kenneth Polite, assistant attorney general of the department’s Criminal Division.

– Reuters

Covid-19 update: 204 new community cases reported in New Zealand today

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

There are 204 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.Medical staff member in rubber glowes hands out Coronavirus nasal swabs test tubes at drive-through testing point in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

(File image) Photo: 123RF

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the new community cases were in Northland (8), Auckland (135), Waikato (35), Rotorua (1), Taupō (1), Bay of Plenty (11),Taranaki (1), Palmerston North (2) Wellington (3), Hutt Valley (3), Nelson Marlborough (1), Canterbury (3)

There are 16 cases in hospital, although none are in ICU.

The ministry said there were 46 cases in MIQ reported yesterday, with travellers arriving from India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Pakistan, UK, Australia, Fiji, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, France, USA and the Philippines.

There were 202 new community cases and 63 in MIQ reported yesterday.

There have now been 18,126 cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, South Auckland primary schools are considering whether to host vaccine clinics to help vaccinate the region’s 5 to 11 year olds.

There were 60,537 booster doses given yesterday, as well as 812 first doses, 1772 second doses and 2209 paediatric doses.

The ministry said today it was starting a national week of action called ‘The Big Boost’ today, making it as easy as possible to get a booster, with pop-up vaccination centres and extended opening hours.

It said all DHBs have now fully vaccinated 90 percent of their Pacific communities, with Whanganui reaching the milestone yesterday.

“Advocates, church groups, health providers and countless other entities across the motu have led the way in ensuring that our Pacific populations have some of the highest vaccination rates in the country.”

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