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Matangi Tonga - Tonga's leading news website
Breaking news
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Friday 17 January 2025 6:11pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A training facility for Tonga Rugby Union and upgraded water system for the village of Mataika in Vava'u, are two new projects funded by the Embassy of Japan under its Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP).
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Friday 17 January 2025 6:08pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Helping local technicians to develop skills in biomedical engineering, are eight young biomedical engineering students from the University of Canterbury who are spending five weeks in Tonga conducting various trainings with technicians from the Ministry of Health, in Vaiola Hospital. Free to view -
Friday 17 January 2025 5:55pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : USD$21 million additional financing from the World Bank will fund construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance works for schools in vulnerable Tongan communities, under the ongoing Tonga Safe and Resilient Schools Project (TSRSP), implemented by the Government of Tonga. Free to view -
Thursday 16 January 2025 9:06pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A former Deputy CEO of Tourism, Mary Magdalena Tafa Fifita was successful in her civil action, after a Supreme Court judge quashed the Public Service Commission's decision to dismiss and charge her with 27 charges of serious breach of discipline. The judge found that the charging process relied on a flawed investigation. In this case it was necessary for the PSC, to prove their charges, not for the person accused to disprove them. “The inquiry, did not ask itself the right questions,” stated the judge. Free to view -
Thursday 16 January 2025 8:40pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Luseni Moa (29) was sentenced to 11 months fully suspended in the Magistrates Court for possession of 0.05 grams of methamphetamine and utensils seized in Hofoa. Free to view -
Wednesday 15 January 2025 6:52pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tongan-born professional boxer Nailini Helu becomes the first Tongan female to fight for a world title, as she gets a massive opportunity to steal the IBF Light Heavyweight title from two-division world champion Lani Daniels, in a historic fight set to place on 5 April, at the Taupo Event Centre, in New Zealand. Free to view -
Wednesday 15 January 2025 6:01pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Tonga Statistics Department has launched the nationwide 2025 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, to gather vital data on the economic and social well-being of the people of Tonga. Free to view -
Tuesday 14 January 2025 8:44pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Tonga Women's Rugby Combined Championship 2025 continued today in Nuku’alofa, with two back-to-back matches at the Hala'ano Rugby Field in Kolomotu’a. The final games will be this Friday, 17 January, with kick off at noon when Tonga locals will play against HMAF, then Australian visitors will go against New Zealand visitors.
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Tuesday 14 January 2025 4:32pm
Nuku'alofa. Tonga : Volcanic activities at Home Reef Volcano in Tonga is continuing and thermal anomaly is still observed up to the present day, the Geohazards Team of the Tonga Geological Services reported today. “We still see no indicators for major explosive eruptions at this point.” However, all Mariners are advised to remain at least 2 nautical miles away from Home Reef until further notice Premium content -
Monday 13 January 2025 5:41pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A male driver was charged for reckless driving causing the death of a 21 year old male, ‘Esilani Latu from Nakolo. Lead investigator and Chief Police at Mu’a police station, Saimone Fifita, told Matangi Tonga today that a video that social media users claimed to be related to this case, was “false” and “misleading.” Premium content
Opinion
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Sunday 5 January 2025 1:46pm
Utah, USA : Those who advocate for reducing the monarchy's power should recognize that every nation carries a unique political history and corresponding political theology, shaping its governance and societal values.... For democracy to succeed in Tonga, its proponents must address the foundational issue of unity. Efforts to replace the monarchy must consider the cultural, religious, and historical fabric that holds the nation together. Democracy cannot thrive in a fractured environment...Tonga’s unique context demands a governance model that respects its traditions while accommodating aspirations for representation and reform. - Peni Senituli.2 comments Free to view -
Monday 6 January 2025 10:09am
Cambridge-MA, USA : Five years ago, a novel coronavirus was quietly spreading, already well on its way to causing a global pandemic that would expose deep vulnerabilities in the prevailing global economic model. Yet most of the lessons from that period have already been forgotten, leaving the world woefully unprepared for the next crisis. After two years of negotiations, the draft of a global pandemic treaty remains unsigned, and the seven million people killed directly by the virus have become mere statistics. Free to view
Sports
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Tuesday 3 December 2024 5:35pm
Auckland, New Zealand : Tongan bowler, Milika Nathan was named the Women’s Singles World Champion at the World Bowls Champion of Champions held in New Zealand on Saturday, 30 November 2024. Representing Tonga, she defeated the defending World Champion, Anne Nunes of the USA. Free to view
Pacific Islands
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Thursday 2 January 2025 3:50pm
Wellington, New Zealand : Fuel recovery is now underway from the sunken HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa. Commodore Andrew Brown said today that New Zealand Navy divers had begun extracting fuel and other pollutants from the ship, during a complex environmental protection operation that is expected to take a number of weeks. The navy ship sank after running aground on a reef on the southern coast of Upolu in October. Free to view -
Monday 16 December 2024 5:27pm
Wellington, New Zealand : A Royal New Zealand Navy sailor who works to instil the ‘why’ in young recruits has been named the New Zealand Defence Force’s Person of the Year. This is a second honour for Leading Marine Technician (Electrical) Joe Mataele, from Tonga, who is also the Royal New Zealand Navy’s Sailor of the Year. Free to view -
Thursday 21 November 2024 7:53pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga remains among the most aid-reliant countries in the world, ranking second among 127 developing countries with aid accounting for 55% of national income, says a new report published by Australia's Lowy Institute today. It reports a recent sharp decline in overseas development finance to the Pacific islands and forecasts that aid from major bilateral donors will flatline in coming years in the region. Premium content
From our archives
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Saturday 22 January 2022 1:15pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : FROM OUR ARCHIVES, Saturday, January 22, 2022: We are emotional. One week after the catastrophic Hunga explosion and multiple tsunamis in Tonga, we have a chance to let you, our readers, know that we at Matangi Tonga are fine. You may have seen reports coming out of Tonga by satellite phone and through a few people who have full internet access. Tonga is dealing with a disruptive catastrophe. From our office we felt the massive blast of the Hunga eruption and watched many powerful tsunami waves arrive. We have articles and reports to bring you, but right now we're just saying “we're back - and thanks for all the well wishes and concerns”. We will upload our articles and photos when and as we can. 'Ofa atu, Pesi and Mary Lyn Fonua1 comment Free to view
Promoted Content
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Thursday 16 January 2025 9:33pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Kuo tali ‘e he kau Komisiona ‘o e Komisoni Ma’u’anga Ivi ke fakahoko atu ‘a e holo ‘a e totongi ‘uhila ‘aki ‘a e seniti ‘e 3.52 ki he kWh. Ko e holo ‘aki ‘eni ‘a e seniti 2.22 ki he kWh pe ko e peseti ‘e 3.8% mei he kuata ‘o ‘Okatopa ki Tisema 2024 ‘i he taimi na’e seniti ai ‘e 91.69 ki he kWh. Ko e totongi ‘uhila fo’ou ni ‘e kamata ngaue’aki ‘i he ‘aho 1 Sanuali, ko e seniti ‘e 89.47 ki he kWh. The Commissioners of the Energy Commission are pleased to announce a power tariff reduction of -3.52 seniti per kWh (kilowatt hour). This is a -2.22 seniti per kWh or -3.8% reduction from the quarter Oct-Dec 2024 when the power tariff was 91.69 seniti per kWh. The new electricity tariff for Tonga is therefore 89.47 seniti per kWh, a decrease from the current tariff of 91.69 seniti per kWh. Free to view
