- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says 'very violent' Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Guardians maul Tigers, miracle Mets rally in MLB series openers
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Madrid beat Villarreal but Carvajal suffers knee injury
- Madrid beat Villarreal to move level with Liga leaders Barcelona
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- French rugby player on rape charge whistled but 'serene' on return
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Toddler among 3 dead in migrant Channel crossings
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Kovacic stars as Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Thousands march for Palestinians ahead of Oct 7 anniversary
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
- Schutt, Mooney help Australia beat Sri Lanka in Women's T20 World Cup
- Liverpool extend Premier League lead with win at Palace
- Djokovic 'shakes rust off' to make third round of Shanghai Masters
- 'Imperfect' PSG fighting on all fronts - Luis Enrique
- Struggling Pakistan look to thwart adaptable England
- Child 'trampled to death' in asylum seekers' Channel crossing: minister
Tongan Olympic flagbearer Taufatofua prays for news of father
Tongan Olympic flagbearer Pita Taufatofua -- who made global headlines for going bare-chested at the Games -- is praying for news of his father after failing to hear from him following a devastating tsunami.
The Pacific island nation suffered widespread damage after a huge underwater volcanic eruption and tsunami on the weekend.
Speaking to AFP from Brisbane, Australia, the athlete said his father had travelled to Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu, a few days before the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’Apai volcano erupted.
"He had just been made governor of Ha'Apai so he had to return to Tongatapu for the opening of parliament," said Taufatofua, who first captured world attention when the Rio Games opened in 2016, where he appeared topless and glistening with body oil while waving the Tongan flag.
The Olympian said a huge ash cloud from the volcano prevented his father's return to Ha'Apai and that he was securing the family's waterfront home on Tongatapu when the tsunami hit.
"I'm hoping and praying that my father is doing well," said Taufatofua, who competed in taekwondo in Rio and also represented his nation at the 2018 Winter Games, and Tokyo 2020.
Communication from Tonga has been crippled since the island nation's undersea cable was damaged during the disaster.
The first details of the impact on the ground have come from surveillance flights that were conducted by the Australian and New Zealand governments on Monday.
"They've shown pictures of the green before and then the pictures now are black of these green islands," Taufatofua said.
"This is going to have a huge impact on people with regards to whether it be respiratory health, whether it be water supply."
The athlete has launched a GoFundMe campaign which has raised nearly AU$345,000 (US$250,000).
"Our goal is to raise $1 million," he said.
Once communications reopen, a volunteer team on the ground will conduct a needs assessment to determine where the funds are most urgently required.
At the moment, Taufatofua's focus is repairing any damage to vital infrastructure, including Tonga's two main hospitals and schools.
"If the footage that we saw is anything to go by then we're thinking damage will be in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of infrastructure," he said.
Separate to his GoFundMe campaign, Taufatofua is also a Pacific ambassador for UNICEF and spent Tuesday packing aid supplies for Tonga.
The UNICEF supplies, including sanitation, wash and water kits, were scheduled to travel to Tonga on the HMAS Adelaide, which is expected to depart Brisbane on Wednesday morning.
It has been an anxious wait for many Tongans living in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere since the tsunami struck.
"There are probably equal amounts of Tongans overseas as in Tonga. Maybe even a bit more. So there are a lot of people who are going through a stressful time at the moment," Taufatofua said.
The athlete said his thoughts were with those on the island.
"I just want them to know that while everything was tough for them – while the ashes were falling – we were here working hard, getting the awareness out, standing with them.
"They were not standing alone."
O.Norris--AMWN