The UN has appealed for more than $90 million to help the Polynesian kingdom Tonga to recover from a undersea volcanic eruption that triggered a tsunami and clouds of toxic ash.
Sanaka Samarasinha, the UN’s resident co-ordinator for the Pacific Island region said on Wednesday that tectonic aftershocks, the arrival of Covid-19 and looming cyclones were stoking fears among islanders weeks since the disaster on January 15.
Citing a World Bank assessment, Mr Samarasinha urged donors to cover the $90.4m dollars in damages from the eruption – 18.5 per cent of the island nation’s economy.
He said much of the money would help the 60,000 people who rely on the ravaged farming and fisheries sectors to make ends meet.
Tonga is an archipelago of 169 islands, 36 of which are inhabited.
“The anxiety hasn’t gone away with the receding waters of the tsunami,” he said, hours after Tongans were jolted by a magnitude-5.0 aftershock.
“In the community, the anxiety remains and … most of all, the fear now is that the world will move on.”
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted with a force scientists said was more powerful than a nuclear bomb.
Three people died when it generated massive tsunami waves and blanketed the island nation in toxic ash.
The arrival of relief workers to the island has been connected to its first cases of coronavirus infections, including the Omicron variant, despite strict quarantine rules.
The nation of about 100,000 remains in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders meaning all businesses and schools are closed and only vital services can operate. About 87 per cent of eligible Tongans have received two vaccine doses.
Communications remain a problem in the kingdom after the eruption cut the undersea fibre-optic cable linking it to the rest of the world. The damage was worse than expected and service may not be fully restored for days or even weeks.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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