Results for Tonga

Launched last year, a bilingual Tongan English sign language booklet ‘Tohi talanoa Nima’ is more than just a learning resource — it has sparked the formation of a national body determined to secure equal access to education, information and opportunity for deaf Tongans.

A 19-year-old man who brutally assaulted a 72-year-old in Vava’u — punching him from behind, knocking him unconscious and leaving him with internal injuries — has been spared immediate jail, receiving a fully suspended prison sentence.

Shot-put legend Dame Valerie Adams was formally welcomed into the sports hall of fame New Zealand at the Halberg Awards, last night, in Auckland.

A final warning rang out in Tonga’s Supreme Court as a repeat offender narrowly avoided jail — spared only by a glowing letter from his employer.

Two young Tongan tennis players won silver medals in the U12 team national event at the East Pacific Qualifier Tennis junior tournament, in America Samoa last week. They advanced directly into the Pacific Oceania Junior Championships to be held in Fiji this April.

Miss Tonga, Siosi’ana Taumoepeau was placed third runner-up at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant, after winning the best sarong award, a main judging category, in Nadi, on Saturday 14 February.

HM King Tupou VI and HM Queen Nanasipau'u, accompanied by members of the Royal Family of Tonga, attended a diplomatic reception last night, 12 February, at ‘Anana, marking the 66th birthday of Emperor Naruhito of Japan. The event was hosted by the Ambassador of Japan to Tonga, HE Inagaki Hisao. In his speech, the Ambassador noted that looking forward, Tonga and Japan would "enhance our shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law."

A professional pickleball player Etta Tuionetoa (33), of Tongan heritage, has established her place in the top tier league of the Professional Pickleball Association in the USA, where she holds four gold medals (doubles and mixed) and an impressive winning streak. She hails as the first Tongan-American pro player in the sport.

Deep seabed mining is often presented as a new economic frontier for Pacific nations—a source of revenue, jobs, and minerals needed for the global energy transition. But when we look beyond the promises and examine the evidence, the conclusion for Tonga is clear: deep seabed mining is a high-risk gamble we cannot afford to take. This is not an argument against development. It is an argument for choosing development paths that protect our people, our ocean, and our future. - Johnny Grattan Vaea Taione.