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Matangi Tonga - Tonga's leading news website
Breaking news
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Tuesday 22 October 2024 12:44pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The master of an inter-island ferry, the MV Ko e Kelesi Pe, Tevita ‘Ilangana, received a suspended sentence for proceeding to sea improperly when he permitted the vessel to sail with 141 passengers (in excess of the permitted 90 passengers) from Ha’apai to Tongatapu in 2023. The judge said that overloading his ship in this way put the passengers at risk and life could have been lost. “This is a serious matter.”
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Tuesday 22 October 2024 10:24am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A captain of Tonga's inter-island domestic ferry, the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa, was found guilty of proceeding to sea improperly by taking excess passengers on the vessel and serving on the vessel knowing his Certificate of Competency had expired. Free to view -
Monday 21 October 2024 7:15pm
Alofi, Niue : The Government of Niue marked 50 years of self-governance on 19 October 2024, celebrating its sovereignty and achievements, since gaining its independence in 1974. Free to view -
Monday 21 October 2024 7:11pm
London, UK : A new fellowship programme for Small Island Developing States was launched by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) this week in Samoa. The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme is supported by King Charles III. Free to view -
Monday 21 October 2024 1:03pm
Wellington, New Zealand : A research led by the University of Otago, Wellington has found that Tongan-led solutions are needed to overcome barriers to bowel cancer screening, for Tongans living in New Zealand. The bowel screening age was lowered to start at 50 years old for Pacific peoples, which lead researcher Dr. Viliami Puloka, from the University’s Department of Public Health, said is an essential step in increasing the accessibility of the programme. Free to view -
Monday 21 October 2024 11:32am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku and three Cabinet Ministers will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa this week. Free to view -
Saturday 19 October 2024 10:18pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Severe flooding in Nuku’alofa inundated roads this morning after overnight storms, with gale force winds and exceptional rainfall, toppled trees and brought down power lines on Tongatapu. Forecasters warned that a second line of squally weather would pass over southern Tonga tonight, bringing more rainfall. In less than 24 hours today, Saturday, 'Eua and Fua'amotu recorded more than twice their average monthly rainfall for the whole month of October. Free to view -
Friday 18 October 2024 9:28pm
Manila, Philippines : Ahead of the seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala led the launch of a new report tracking progress in the Region on the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. The Regional Director also gave a preview of the expected outcomes of the Regional Committee meeting that will take place in Manila, Philippines, on 21-25 October.
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Friday 18 October 2024 8:49pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u visited the USA from 27 September to 10 October, the Palace Office in Nuku’alofa reported today. The royal visit was welcomed at the General Conference Seventh-day Adventist Headquarters in Silver Springs, Maryland, the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., and the Loma Linda University Health in the city of Loma Linda in San Bernardino County, California. Premium content -
Thursday 17 October 2024 10:18pm
Auckland, New Zealand : South Auckland actor and musician JP Foliaki, winner of New Zealand's Celebrity Treasure Island television show for 2024, said that he called on his Tongan values to come through 18 days of the tough contest. The 30-year-old competed against 17 other New Zealand celebrities on location in the Coromandel, North Island, to claim the $100,000 prize for his chosen charity, Childfund, in Wednesday’s final. Premium content
Opinion
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Thursday 17 October 2024 8:02pm
Lautoka, Fiji : The narrative of the Forum at the apex of Pacific regionalism is becoming more commonly used, particularly with increased geopolitical competition and the flurry of partner engagement with Pacific states. While it is important to reinforce the power of the region as one political bloc, it comes off as self-serving. Pacific islanders generally do not think in these terms. Our communal values are much stronger. Rather, it is Pacific people who are at the apex of Pacific regionalism. It is the Pacific people as a collective who remind us why we are pursuing regionalism in the first place. By Sione Tekiteki. Free to view
Pacific Islands
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Wednesday 9 October 2024 9:37pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The benefits and challenges of the temporary labour mobility programs to Australia and New Zealand was the topic of the Speaker’s second public debate held at Parliament House in Nuku’alofa on Friday, 4 October. While Tonga welcomes the income and social benefits brought by having over 5,000 workers overseas sending money home, the exodus of its prime workforce has led to a critical shortage of labour on farms, in businesses and in government in Tonga, while at home family breakups have increased. Free to view -
Tuesday 24 September 2024 9:12pm
New York, USA : Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku attended a meeting of the Leaders of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) at the margins of the High-Level Week of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, on 23 September, in New York. Free to view -
Tuesday 27 August 2024 11:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A global SOS on sea level rise was issued by the UN Secretary General António Guterres today in Tonga, at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting, calling all world leaders to lead a fast and fair phase-out of fossil fuels. “A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril,” said Guterres.“Global average sea levels are rising at an unprecedented rate. The ocean is overflowing.” Free to view
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Tuesday 8 October 2024 6:02pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Ko e taha e tuʻutuʻuni ngāue tefito ʻa e Pangikē Pule΄ ko e fakapapauʻi ‘oku malu ma’u pē tu’unga fakapa’anga ‘a e ngaahi pangikē ‘i Tonga΄ ‘i he taimi kotoa ‘o kau ki heni hono fakapapau’i ‘oku ‘i he tu’unga lelei ma’u pē ‘a e sino’i pa’anga tefitoˊ (capital) pea fe’unga mo e pa'anga ngāue (liquidity) 'i he kotoa ‘o e ngaahi pangikē ‘e fā kuo laiseni ‘e he Pangikē Pule΄. ‘I hono fakakātoaˊ, na’e ‘i he tu’unga fe’unga pē ‘a e pa'anga ngāue 'o e ngaahi pangikē ʻi he taʻu ʻe hongofulu kuo maliu atuˊ ‘o au mai ki he ‘aho ni. Free to view -
Tuesday 8 October 2024 5:55pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The principal statutory role of the Reserve Bank is to ensure and maintain at all times the financial stability of the overall banking sector in Tonga. This calls for strong capitalisation and ample liquidity in all of the four banks under its licensing regime. Overall, there has been sufficient and ample liquidity in the banking sector in the past decade, to date. “The Reserve Bank reaffirms to the public its commitment to upholding its statutory mandate of maintaining the stability of the financial and banking system of the Kingdom,” stated Governor Moeaki. Free to view
