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  • Tuesday 25 March 2025 11:44am
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Economic Ministers and officials are meeting in Nuku'alofa today, for a Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM). Among other things, they will discuss the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility, the first Pacific-led, member-owned and managed and people-centred climate and disaster resilience financing facility, which will be headquartered in Tonga.
  • Monday 24 March 2025 11:02pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Mr. Franz Koenig Tu’uhetoka is the new Chief Executive Officer for the Public Service Commission, appointed by the Prime Minister for a four year term starting today, 24 March 2025.
  • Monday 24 March 2025 10:37pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : It is essential for the Government to secure its own financial resources in order to strengthen long-term development capacity, Japan's Ambassador to Tonga, HE Inagaki Hisao, told the National Development Summit on Friday. Panelists from the diplomatic corps of New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and China in Tonga talked about Collaboration and Partnership, duringt the final session of the summit on 21 March, at the Fa’onelua Convention Center in Nuku'alofa.
  • Monday 24 March 2025 12:57am
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Sione Fifita (20), received a suspended 12-month prison sentence for reckless driving that caused grievous bodily harm to a 21-year-old man. He was sentenced on March 11, in the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, with the judge considering his young age and first-time offender status. 
  • Monday 24 March 2025 12:28am


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Simaima Vaha’i (33) was sentenced to 12 months probation for stealing a mobile phone worth $715.84 from her employer, Digicel Tonga in Vava’u. Initially pleading not guilty to a larger theft charge, she later changed her plea to guilty for the theft of a Samsung Galaxy A34, leading to the discharge of the first count against her.
  • Friday 21 March 2025 9:27pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : During a month of extremely high rainfall in parts of Tonga in February, the highest 24-hour rainfall was 181.9mm recorded in Ha’apai on 15 February.
  • Friday 21 March 2025 5:44pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Finau Pomale (48) is serving a 12-month sentence for cultivating 79 cannabis plants, weighing 33.07 grams, at a bush allotment in Fatai.
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  • Friday 21 March 2025 1:17am


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Tonga urgently needs an illicit drugs rehabilitation centre due to the rising number of drug users, said Head Psychiatrist Dr. Mapa Puloka and counsellor Mele Prescott at the National Development Summit session on “Security and Illicit Drugs” at Fa'onelua Convention Centre. "Previous governments have been asked for this," said Dr. Puloka.
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  • Friday 21 March 2025 12:47am
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Weak border security makes Tonga vulnerable to the import of illicit drugs, Acting Police Commissioner, Cmdr Filipe Fifita, told a consultation session on Security and Illicit Drugs, at the National Development Summit in Nuku'alofa this week.
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  • Friday 21 March 2025 12:24am


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Thirteen new cases of dengue reported with positive rapid tests, have brought the total cumulative dengue fever cases up to 321 in Tonga, the Ministry of Health reported on 20 March.
  • Thursday 20 March 2025 10:02am


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Katieli Mahe (39) and ‘Etimoni Toumolupe (39) will serve 18 months in prison each for the theft of two rolls of copper and aluminium cables and receiving stolen property from their former employer, Tonga Power Ltd. Justice Tupou delivered the sentences on 18 March in the Supreme Court, Nuku’alofa. Mahe admitted to two counts of theft, while Toumolupe admitted to two counts of receiving stolen property.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 5:36pm
    court


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Petelo Luka Kauvaka (28) received a two-year six-month sentence for reckless driving that caused the death of his 20-year-old nephew. The accident occurred when he sped excessively, causing the vehicle to flip and hit a coconut tree on the road between Pelehake and Malapo in June last year.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 3:49pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : ‘Isapela Saiatua Tu’akoi faces four forgery charges, while the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa on 13 March dismissed four other counts of making a false declaration for obtaining a Tongan passport. The defendant allegedly signed forms to obtain passports for several applicants, including Shiwei Hu in October 2012.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 2:55pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Lu’isa Malamala (31) is serving two years and two months imprisonment for possession of 3.09 grams of methamphetamine seized by police in a vehicle in Nuku’alofa.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 1:26pm
    The malau ship


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : A gun and 600 rounds of ammunition were seized from the Tongan ferry MV Malau in Suva, Fiji Police confirmed this morning. The Fiji Times reported today that a Fiji Navy ship, RFNS Timo, had intercepted the ferry MV Malau and escorted it to Suva Harbour yesterday. The Tongan operator told Matangi Tonga today that the ship is free and is currently undergoing maintenance in Fiji.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 12:51pm


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : The Legislative Assembly will resume its sittings on 31 March, after a two months break. The last meeting was on 31 January, where Cabinet members took their oaths of office in Parliament, and members for the Parliamentary Standing Committees were selected.
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  • Wednesday 19 March 2025 11:59am


    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Tourism plays a crucial role in Tonga's economy, contributing over TOP18 million to the GDP in 2022 and is projected to increase to TOP88 million by 2033. However, the industry has encountered significant challenges, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently because of the volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022. The nation is committed to rejuvenating its tourism sector, as outlined in the new Tonga Tourism Roadmap for 2025-2030, reports the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU).
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  • Tuesday 18 March 2025 5:26pm
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Tonga's people are the nation's most valuable asset for development of the country's future, HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala, told a national development summit today, but this future depended on addressing the needs of its people, "with access to quality education, healthcare, and a way to make a living."
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  • Monday 17 March 2025 7:48pm
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Tonga's new multi-million Parliament complex will be built on the Lakalakaimonu Estate within the Tufumahina Royal Estate in Pea, Tongatapu, and is set to be completed in 2027, a stakeholder consultation for the Environmental Impact Assessment was told last week.
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  • Monday 17 March 2025 7:10pm
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    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
    : Chess Grandmaster, Mr. Nigel Short, MBE, from the United Kingdom, visited Ocean of Light International School, today, and gave a lecture for students, to help develop chess in school programmes in Tonga.
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