Results for Tonga

Youngsters from the Lapaha Government Middle School won the eastern district's soroban competition held on June 10, at Tatakamotonga in Tongatapu.

Soape Ta’e’iloa Koka (52) was sentenced to two-years nine-months imprisonment for discharging a firearm with the intent to intimidate a woman, who was in her car with her 14-year-old daughter at Vaini. The judge then recommended that the defendant's gun be seized and destroyed, and that he never be allowed to hold a certificate for ammunition or firearms ever again.

Maps of all the coral reefs in the world will be created quickly with new technology by NASA through a partnership with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF), announced on World Ocean’s Day, 8 June. The maps will give researchers and environmental managers better information about what’s happening to coral reefs.

A search has been suspended for missing fisherman, ‘Isime’eli Loloma (48) of Kameli, Neiafu, who was lost when he went out diving for sea cucumbers in Vava'u on June 1.

The 248 passengers repatriated from New Zealand and Australia on 2 and 3 June respectively, tested negative for COVID-19, confirmed Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola.

Former Tonga High School teacher, Siale Faitotonu, has been awarded the prestigious New Zealand Order of Merit for more than 30 years of service to Pacific education.

The police seized 4.69 grams of methamphetamine and arrested 13 men and two women aged 22 to 46-years -old at Kolofo’ou, Ha’ateiho, Tofoa and Ma’ufanga in Tongatapu between May 24-31.

Operation Tui Moana, a regional fisheries surveillance operation, celebrates 20 years of fighting illegal fishing in the Pacific waters of Tonga, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, and Tuvalu.

Cabinet Minister and People’s Representative to Parliament, ‘Akosita Lavulavu and her husband, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, a former Cabinet Minister were both found guilty this morning on criminal charges of obtaining over $500,000 pa'anga by false pretences. They will be sentenced on July 2. It is one of the largest fraud cases in the Tongan courts in recent years.