Results for Tonga

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tonga with a $5.5 million grant to support the rollout of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19.

Vunga Fusikata (34) was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm when he punched Pita Fuoleva (45) causing permanent blindness in his left eye. "Such an act is often described colloquially as a coward's punch,” said the judge. The accused will be sentenced on June 4.

It’s only six paragraphs long, but the response from parliament to King Tupou VI's confronting speech of 6 May, has taken a committee of nine MPs 11 days to prepare. When the draft letter was presented to the House on 18 May for approval, they went to the dark side of the moon – silencing live radio broadcasting of the debate, to prevent an inquisitive public listening to what members had to say about it. From the House by Pesi Fonua

HM Queen Nanasipau’u toured MORDI Tonga headquarters and plantation at Havelu today in support of local food farming.

The Governor of Ha'apai, Viliami Manuopangai Hingano (46) was today fined $12,500 pa’anga for unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat seized at Queen Salote Wharf in 2020. A Supreme Court judge said the accused tried to hide the fact that he was a party to the proposed commercial sale of the uncertified meat of the endangered species. He denounced his offending: “You appear to think that you did not do anything wrong, that you were quite innocent. I want to assure you, that what you did wrong was that you failed to ask ...you ought to have refused to have possession of the turtle meat!"

Fuifui ‘Ealelei (36) of Haveluloto reportedly passed away in his sleep on Sunday, May 16 in Hastings, Hawke's Bay.

Tonga's parliament suppressed live broadcasting of its debate this morning, in their first sitting since King Tupou VI questioned the honesty, integrity and abilities of the members at the opening of Parliament on 6 May. A total of 18 MPs agreed their draft letter of response to the king and debate on it should be not broadcasted live. From the House by Pesi Fonua

With only 5,000 to 6,000 of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine remaining, people aged 30 years and over are now eligible to be vaccinated, health officials announced this morning. ‘Eua is receiving 2,000 of those doses and the rest will be available in Tongatapu for first come, first served. No date has been confirmed for inoculating the remainder of the population, due to a limited supply of vaccines worldwide.

King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u received their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine this morning, Saturday 15 May 2021, at Vaiola Hospital, in Tongatapu.